Can someone explain wine to me...

[Juke99]

I am excruciatingly jealous over people who like wine....They make it sound like sooooo much fun...and it sounds so damn sophisticated...yet everytime I try it, red or white, I hate it...

I am fearful I am doomed to being low class for the rest of my life..and don't get me wrong, I like ordering chocolate milk with my dinner at a restaurant..but I am tired of the looks I am getting from the waitors....

So, what's the secret?

 

[trickblue]

Just remember a few things... the wine color normally goes with the color of the meat dish...

Red Meat-Red Wine
Fish/Chicken-White Wine

There are exceptions of course...

Blush wines, such as White Zinfandel are frowned upon by serious wine lovers.

You have to figure out what you like. The scale goes from dry to sweet. Sweet is self explanatory but dry means it finishes with a "bite".

California Reds are trendy and the entire 1990's were considered very good, with 1994 being excellent.

Texas Reds are considered some of the best "table wines", that being a good quality red that is not expensive that sits on the table for all to share.

Popular reds include merlot, cabernet, shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, bordeaux and chianti. There are many more of course.

Reds are considered more sophisticated than whites, but a chardonnay is a popular white that goes well with most any "white dish". It is a bit on the dry side as is a sauvignon, but those are the more popular in whites.

Popular whites are chardonnay, sauvignon, pinot blanc, riesling and chenin blanc.

I highly recommend the Australian wines by "Yellow Tail". They aren't expensive and are considered excellent wines. They make about every popular type of reds and whites. I really like the shiraz they make.

If you are ordering wine in a nice restaurant, the waiter will normally bring the bottle open it and pour you a small sample into your glass. You smell it (the bouquet) and taste a small amount and let it stay on your tongue for a few seconds. If you like it, tell them it is fine. If you don't, send it back.

Dallas Cowpoke is a chef and probably knows a great deal more about wines than do I.

 

[TruBlueCowboy]

I am excruciatingly jealous over people who like wine....They make it sound like sooooo much fun...and it sounds so damn sophisticated...yet everytime I try it, red or white, I hate it...

I am fearful I am doomed to being low class for the rest of my life..and don't get me wrong, I like ordering chocolate milk with my dinner at a restaurant..but I am tired of the looks I am getting from the waitors....

So, what's the secret?

I still hate most white wines. I have yet to taste a chardonnay that I think goes well with anything.

However, I'm always game for a good robust Merlot. Try Chianti, I find that is a good one to introduce folks to red wine. For white wine, buy a good German Riesling.

 

[DallasCowpoke111]

Dallas Cowpoke is a chef and probably knows a great deal more about wines than do I.

Sirrrrrrrrr, I refuse to neither confirm nor deny this statement, as certain nefarious characters I may or may not know, may chose to bring up incriminating incidents from my past. :

I will say this. I am, this very moment, enjoying a delightful glass of Boudreaux and a few slices of aged Gouda.

If you can do this, and come away saying, “I don’t get wine”, well, I’m afraid there’s little hope for you.

 

[Crown Royal]

You might start off with a Johannesburg Riesling. For me, this was a starter wine - just a glass or two after dinner with some cheesecake.

I now enjoy reds and whites, though I am not so deep that I know pairings or anything. But I started with the above, learned to like it and started to enjoy it more.

Learning to like wine is exactly the same as learning to like coffee - no one likes it at first, but after a while, if you concentrate on the taste, you can taste subtle differences and what not.

One other culinary item to which this concept applies: chocolate.

 

[Crown Royal]

Sirrrrrrrrr, I refuse to neither confirm nor deny this statement, as certain nefarious characters I may or may not know, may chose to bring up incriminating incidents from my past. :

I will say this. I am, this very moment, enjoying a delightful glass of Boudreaux and a few slices of aged Gouda.

If you can do this, and come away saying, “I don’t get wine”, well, I’m afraid there’s little hope for you.

Which lends the question - which restaurant, and can I afford it?:

 

[DallasCowpoke111]

Which lends the question - which restaurant, and can I afford it?:

lol... I'm actually only doing consulting work now CR. I help restaurants, R&D firms and catering Company’s develop and price menus etc.

I've been meaning to ask you, why are you in Ponchatoula?

I lived in N.O. for a few years while in the service, and went to culinary school in Baton Rouge back in 91-92, and always looked forward to the Strawberry Festival there. That must be coming up in the next month or so.

Talk about seeing a lifetime's worth of spandex stretch-pants in a weekend, THAT'S the place to do it!

 

[Yeagermeister]

Try buying a wine that has a cork instead of a box

 

[DallasCowpoke111]

Try buying a wine that has a cork instead of a box

I know you're just trying to be funny, (not one of your stong suits IMO : ) but there are some pretty decent $15-$25 box wines out these days.

I always keep a box of red and white in our garage fridge, mostly for cooking, but I'll have a glass w/ a meal on occasion w/ a meal or snack.

 

[bbgun]

I still hate most white wines. I have yet to taste a chardonnay that I think goes well with anything.

Don't you prefer Alamo Beer? :

 

[Mitcha68]

Sirrrrrrrrr, I refuse to neither confirm nor deny this statement, as certain nefarious characters I may or may not know, may chose to bring up incriminating incidents from my past. :

I will say this. I am, this very moment, enjoying a delightful glass of Boudreaux and a few slices of aged Gouda.

If you can do this, and come away saying, “I don’t get wine”, well, I’m afraid there’s little hope for you.

I just got started in the food industry. I was a buyer for a cruise line for years and something came up a I got a shot a being Kitchen/Purchasing manager for a vegan restaurant. I've been dabbling in Chefdom at my new job as I am a foodie. The restaurant has been closed since hurricane Wilma so its like starting a new restaurant. Its been quite hectic but tons of fun.

I tried a Rodney Strong Chardonnay Chalk Hill '03. Beautiful wine, it blew me away.

 

[Crown Royal]

lol... I'm actually only doing consulting work now CR. I help restaurants, R&D firms and catering Company’s develop and price menus etc.

I've been meaning to ask you, why are you in Ponchatoula?

I lived in N.O. for a few years while in the service, and went to culinary school in Baton Rouge back in 91-92, and always looked forward to the Strawberry Festival there. That must be coming up in the next month or so.

Talk about seeing a lifetime's worth of spandex stretch-pants in a weekend, THAT'S the place to do it!

I'm an insurance adjuster out here - we have a house rented here.

Actually, I think that is either next week or the week after - I had hoped I would be home before the festival - unfortunately, my adjusters don't seem to be ignited when it comes to closing their claims, so who knows when I come home?!? Seems I will be going to the festival afterall.

 

[Juke99]

I'm an insurance adjuster out here - we have a house rented here.

Actually, I think that is either next week or the week after - I had hoped I would be home before the festival - unfortunately, my adjusters don't seem to be ignited when it comes to closing their claims, so who knows when I come home?!? Seems I will be going to the festival afterall.

What kinda crap is this? What happened to my wine thread??

 

[Hostile]

What kinda crap is this? What happened to my wine thread??

There's a lovely red I like. I think you would too.


Red Wine

 

[adbutcher]

There's a lovely red I like. I think you would too.


Red Wine

:laugh1:

 

[Crown Royal]

What kinda crap is this? What happened to my wine thread??

Uhhh...


And speaking of Louisiana, Justin Wilson was quite the wine connoisseur!

 

[lane]

juke.........bud light goes with any damn thing.

 

[StanleySpadowski]

To have a true appreciation of quality wine, one must start by sampling the classics first. This site should help.


www.bumwine.com

 

[Rack]

I am excruciatingly jealous over people who like wine....They make it sound like sooooo much fun...and it sounds so damn sophisticated...yet everytime I try it, red or white, I hate it...

I am fearful I am doomed to being low class for the rest of my life..and don't get me wrong, I like ordering chocolate milk with my dinner at a restaurant..but I am tired of the looks I am getting from the waitors....

So, what's the secret?

I can't stand the taste of wine. It tastes like crap and upsets my stomach.

 

[Mitcha68]

My wife loves Pinot Grigio, you might like giving that a try. It's an Italian white wine, really light and refreshing. Lots of good ones on the market, but the BEST one is Santa Margharita from Italy. It's great with any pasta meal, chicken, fish, fruit, or on it's own. My wife isn't into too many red wines, but she loves a chilled Brouilly, which is a young red popular in Paris - it's hard to find, but worth it if you can. A great line of wines is George Deboeuf - not expensive, good quality.