3684. thoughtful - 3/27/2006 3:45:56 PM Calling oenophiles....I'm having a dinner party and the restaurant is offering a choice of cabernet or merlot for the red wine selection. Hubby says you can't get a good merlot, but most of my friends seem to order it when we are out. Also, a bud told me it's out of fashion since the movie sideways, but unfairly so and the trend should fade. So what's your recommendation?
Dinner choices will include a chicken pasta, a stuffed pork loin roast, a baked salmon or ny strip steak. 3685. wonkers2 - 3/27/2006 3:54:10 PM How about a nice Pinot Grigio? (I like Merlot despite Sideways!) 3686. thoughtful - 3/27/2006 3:56:21 PM Our choice on the whites were between pinot and chardonnay, and I went with the chardonnay as I think more people like it. 3687. judithathome - 3/27/2006 5:24:19 PM I hate merlot and always have...I cheered the guy in Sideways when he went off on his little merlot rant!
I have always preferred a beaujolais and my fave is Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages. Have never been disappointed in it. With that range of entree, it would be just the ticket! A lighter red but still a red, you know? 3688. TheWizardOfWhimsy - 3/27/2006 5:48:28 PM Beaujolais is a bit robust for the fish part of the menu, but if white is also an option I love it too; however it's not in the origianal option, I'd go with the "claret" (as Rumpole would say) between the two choices because I'm partial to dry over fruity. 3689. judithathome - 3/27/2006 6:07:16 PM Wiz, beaujolais-villages isn't robust in my book but what do I know... 3690. thoughtful - 3/27/2006 6:31:29 PM ok, but my choices are as follows...
white: chardonnay or pinot
red: merlot or cabernet
That's it.
I chose the chardonnay and merlot.
Do you think that would be ok? 3691. wonkers2 - 3/27/2006 6:47:05 PM Just tell us when and where! 3692. judithathome - 3/27/2006 6:52:51 PM Sounds fine to me.
3693. thoughtful - 3/27/2006 7:50:29 PM OK thx.
I figure after we drink enough, no one will care anyway. 3694. TheWizardOfWhimsy - 3/27/2006 9:57:36 PM Got that right! 3695. TheWizardOfWhimsy - 3/27/2006 10:05:33 PM 3689. judithathome - 3/27/2006 11:07:16 AM
Wiz, beaujolais-villages isn't robust in my book but what do I know...
Although Beaujolais may have up to 12.5 degrees of alcohol, it should always taste lively and fruity. The colour is a youthful, violetty red, and it is one of the only red wines to actually taste "grapey", bursting with natural fruit from the Gamay grape. There is always a refreshing acidity, which makes the wine all the more drinkable, and no discernible tannin.
3696. TheWizardOfWhimsy - 3/27/2006 10:10:55 PM WINE 101
3697. thoughtful - 3/27/2006 10:38:09 PM You are aware, are you not, that blind taste tests by supposed wine experts were unable to tell the difference between red and white wine when served at the same temperature? And also, when served a wine and told it was a white described it in far different terms than when they were served the exact same wine and told it was a red?
3698. TheWizardOfWhimsy - 3/27/2006 10:38:22 PM Speaking of Sideways and Pinot Noir . . . and if you like complex wine . . .
My Favorite Winery
My Favorite Wine (2001 if you can still get it)
3699. TheWizardOfWhimsy - 3/27/2006 10:48:47 PM You are aware, are you not, that blind taste tests by supposed wine experts were unable to tell the difference between red and white wine when served at the same temperature? And also, when served a wine and told it was a white described it in far different terms than when they were served the exact same wine and told it was a red?
You are aware that I wasn't trying to be a pretentious know-it-all or step on anyone's toes. My only motivation was to help by sharing some experience and defend my adjective of "robust" without being obnoxious.
3700. wonkers2 - 3/28/2006 1:32:30 AM Yes, but red wine usually gives me a headache. White does not. 3701. arkymalarky - 3/28/2006 4:03:24 AM I like merlot, and I love the beaujolais Judith mentioned and she and Keoni are the reason I know it's so great! I don't like chardonnay. But I know zip about wine. If I like the taste and a couple of glasses don't make me feel icky, it's good.
Red wine can cause headaches. Sometimes I get them with red wine and sometimes not, but I read somewhere that the precursor to a migraine may actually be a craving for red wine rather than being caused by it, and I think that's at least sometimes true, at least for me. 3702. thoughtful - 3/28/2006 2:52:11 PM the headaches from red wine have 2 causes...histimines and nitrites. White wines also have them, but less. I drink only italian whites as they are the cleanest wines and rarely get headaches from them. When we were in italy, we drank a lot of wine and never got drunk and never got headaches. Very nice stuff. 3703. wonkers2 - 3/28/2006 3:03:02 PM I can drink a lot of good Spanish sherry (e.g. La Ina)without getting a head ache. But it does make one drunk!
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