Come Back Caz I need a wine expert.

[Bip 88]

This is where Caz would be invaluable.

I have been following Oz Clarke and his sidekick James May around the United States tasting wines from the vineyards in California, it’s a television program, I haven’t actually been there tagging along with them. Stupid!

In this one episode they were visiting a vineyard that bottled the grape verity they call Zinfandel.

This particular week both of them were singing the praises of this wine, so much so when I shopped at Asda I made an effort to tunnel my way to the wine aisle.

After several sorties along the myriad of bottles on both sides from the four corners of the planet and beyond, I found the USA California section and low and behold there was several bottles left for my delectation.

I chose a bottle from the back thinking to myself ‘you look lonely!

James May isn’t a wine expert not like Oz Clark is, James tells it as it is and basically that’s what I like about him, no bull shite. Oz Clarke is a wine puff.

I tried the wine they were going crazy over; it tasted like nothing they had described it as.

So may question is, are all red wines crap? Or is it my pallet spoilt by years of beer drinking.

Bip.

[Beefsteak 305]

Now I'm no expert Den but I can still taste the difference between a good red and a bad red ,try a Shiraz or a merlot to get the juices flowing

While we are on the subject of booze Mick did you know they sell Vishnuovka (Polish cherry vodka ,I know thats not how it is spelt ) at the Poacher>

[Limey 242]

....and, can somebody please explain to me how (or why) wine from California is cheaper in England than it is here? Not to mention that wine from anywhere else in the world here is cheaper than that which is brewed here? It don't make any sense, especially since most of the stuff from France and Oz is better than the stuff from California!

Sorry to rant!

To answer Den's question - I think it is all a matter of what you like, and are used to. For example, the other day Den mentioned a bottle of Liebfraumilch. I presume it is to his taste, but I can't stand the stuff. Can't say I am particularly fond of Zinfandel either - it seems very difficult to find a good one, but a decent Cabernet, Merlot, Shiraz, or Beaujolais even, and I'm there!

And then, there is beer......

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

For a start Den, Zinfandel is not a red! it's more of a rose, when I lived in California we could buy most wines at very reasonable prices. Mind you, we did live in a very large wine "growing" area in the foothills.

Some of the best wines I've ever tasted were in South Australia and Northern Victoria of Australia. I'm not a wine snob, I just like what suits my palate, much the same as beer. Bitter, mild or lager, each to their own.

Now a little education. Whites are vinted from whites, reds from reds, obvious! now Rose, vinted from reds or pale reds without the skins. The skins add tannin to a wine like in Cab Savs etc. I need to work out how to add that little dash in Rose......

Now when we lived in Sacramento, there used to be a store that sold wines, spirits and beers from all over the world, what a dream to go in there. They went out of business, sob, you could buy anything brewed, vinted, or distilled at the lowest prices anywhere! Finest single malt Scotch for a few bucks per bottle, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, New Zealand or Australian wines at rock bottom prices by the bottle or case! Every vineyard in America incuding South America was represented!

I've spent hours in that store when it was in business!

A cornicopia for us drunkards! !laughing!

[Beefsteak 305]

And as a quick foot note from me, did you also know that you can get white wines from red grapes, and reds wine from white grapes??

[Bip 88]

For a start Den, Zinfandel is not a red! it's more of a rose,

I don’t know what spectacles you wear John but mine are defiantly not rose coloured.

Could there have been a mix up at the bottling plant because the bottle I opened with a nice fresh label on it definitely said Zinfindel [Zinfandel.]

The wine was a deep red colour with an after taste of Beetroot in Vinegar.

There were three producers of this particular grape variety on Asda’s shelves, the first one I tried was marked down in price to less than £6 a bottle, the following week I tried the next cheaper one down and that was less than £5 a bottle, I have yet to try the bargain basket one at less the £4 a bottle.

If the previous two are anything to go by I won’t be indulging my pocket money on the last producers pressings, as you have guessed I wasn’t impressed with either.

See link below.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Zinfandel

Bip.

[Limey 242]

Den - you are absolutely correct! White Zin was "the drink" of the 80's in the USA, and I drank my fair share. Now I find it too sweet for my taste - prefer Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay.

[katyjay 5,091]

There's a chain of stores in the West called Trader Joe's, that sells wines and imported beers from all over the world, at a very reasonable price. One of the wines they sell is by Charles Shaw, at $1.99 a bottle, hence it's name 'Two Buck Chuck'. Ain't half bad either. Even their really good ones you don't pay much more than $3.99 for.

[Beefsteak 305]

Sorry I can't explain ,but I can give you another example , a mate of mine was in New Zealand just as Charlotte was born and I asked him to bring me a bottle of 'Cloudy Bay' (A rather fine White fron N.Z.) home as a celebratory drink .It's about £15 ($30) a bottle here, and it was £17 a bottle over there

[Limey 242]

There's a chain of stores in the West called Trader Joe's, that sells wines and imported beers from all over the world, at a very reasonable price. One of the wines they sell is by Charles Shaw, at $1.99 a bottle, hence it's name 'Two Buck Chuck'. Ain't half bad either. Even their really good ones you don't pay much more than $3.99 for.

Yep, we have "Trader Joes" too - a buddy of mine buys "Two Buck Chuck" by the case there!. I buy most of my wine at Sam's Club! They actually have a very good selection at decent prices.

It's snowing!

[Bip 88]

The odd couple I refer to have been to Two Buck Joe’s, and yes, they did find his wines quite reasonable in taste and price, pity we over here in the land of the illegal immigrant don’t have access to such low prices.

Been into Beeston today to do a little bit of shopping, was looking for a nice small carpet for me hallway. While I was there I popped into a cheapo supermarket and came across a bottle of Zinfindel for £2-99 produced by Route 88. I have yet to try it will inform you how I go on with the tasting that’s if I don’t have to have my stomach pumped after drinking it.

it's bloody freezing hear.

Bip.

[katyjay 5,091]

Hi Limey

Didn't realise T.J's was back that far east, I stand corrected. They're really good for imported cheeses too, if you're having a bit of a knees up.

[Beefsteak 305]

Just bought some White Stilton with Cranberry ,it's delicious, I am eating some now with a bottle (Or two) of Sandpiper Merlot (He makes the sound of Hannible Lecter in 'The Silence of the Lambs'

[Limey 242]

Just bought some White Stilton with Cranberry ,it's delicious, I am eating some now with a bottle (Or two) of Sandpiper Merlot (He makes the sound of Hannible Lecter in 'The Silence of the Lambs'

I luv cheese! (To quote another famous movie!)

Unfortunately, the doc doesn't like that I like cheese - high colesterol and all that! The stilton with cranberries does sound good, and at this time of year I am particularly partial to a bit of aged Gouda!