The thread on wine

[Omo]

In times of anti-alcohol campaigns everywhere it might not be the most fashionable thing to do, but I still would like to start a thread on wine. Any other fans here?

Do you like to drink Sauvignon Blancs from the Loire, a Traminer from Alsace, an Assyrtiko from Greece or rather a Hungarian Tokaji? Do you prefer Veltiner to Silvaner, or are you a fan of Amarone?
Or are you into New World wines? Do you have your sundowners from Stellenbosch, a Cabernet Sauvignon from California or a Pinot Gris from New Zealand?

Red, Ros? or White? Any favourite grape varieties or wine regions? Dry or not? Cork or no cork? More questions to come.

[Liam]

Any favourite grape varieties or wine regions?

The Celts will drink anything, as will the Slavs... LOL.

However, my favorite variety has to be the muscat grape, preferably from California. It's so light, it's almost like juice.


Bottoms up (and I mean that both ways)
L.

[hdw]

I taught English to adults in Sweden back in the 70s when the Swedes were still grappling with the concept of a British-style pub, and being able to order a second beer without the barman calling the police.

Some of us Brit teachers in the Folk University used to teach them suitable vocabulary for using in the pub when they went on holiday to Britain. One teacher I knew used to teach "Here's fluff in your navel!" as an alternative to "Bottoms up!"

In my last evening class with a rather laid-back group of (male only) consultant engineers - who brought in cans of strong beer (from the state liquor store) for the occasion, and put up bunting to be festive - I did a skeleton dialogue on the board based on the situation where you're in a tough pub in Scotland and you've just spilt a pint of beer over a complete stranger. And you want to get out of there in one piece.

Harry

[Liam]

the situation where you're in a tough pub in Scotland and you've just spilt a pint of beer over a complete stranger. And you want to get out of there in one piece.

Here goes my dream of roaming the heather-covered hills of Caledonia one day! I heard Scottish lads were pretty macho. I just wouldn't be sure how to talk to one. Especially since I have a pink triangle stamped on my forehead. Don't think I would get out of there in one piece, now...

[Mirabell]

Dry red wine (My grandfather sends me some hungarian wine sometimes that I love). I'm generally boring: Rioja. I'm still developing a taste. Very very much a beginner. Oh, and my favorite way of having it served to me is from a lover's warm body. I don't like fizzy drinks a lot.

[titania7]

Oh, and my favorite way of having it served to me is from a lover's warm body

I'm sure we're all very glad to know that, M. .

~Alexis

[Colette Jones]

The talk of Scottish pubs reminds me of the time I ordered a pint of 80 Schilling in a pub in Perth. A man at the bar said, by way of warning, and because of my accent: "That ain't your Budweiser, Lassie".

[Ramblingsid]

Well a nice Scotch is my tipple of choice really. Though I am also very fond of a nice warm beer preferably Bitter - our local brewery (Harveys) does a really tasty one.

As to wine- well Cabernet Sauvignon is my red quaffing wine of choice - love also the Gamays and the Pinot Noirs. But anything fruity really.

Whites - something crisp dry and fragrant - Chablis, Sancerre or Meursault even

now I feel thirsty - somewhere I have a few bottles of Fullers ESB

[Mirabell]

I'm sure we're all very glad to know that, M. .

~Alexis

yeah. haven't had that pleasure in a while now. and not just because I moved on to vodka as my alcoholic beverage of choice.

[saliotthomas]

Morocco produce few very decent table wines but not high quality.They just put the prices up and a fancy bottle but there is very little difference with the average product.
If you ever travel to Morocco the best table wines are :
Domaine Sahari(normal not reserve because the use those oak barrel that cover most of the taste of the grape),
Gerouane rouge and gris,
The Cabernet President use to be good but had a very bad year in 2007, it slowly come back to it's original standard.
Most of them are produce near Meknes.

Of cousre i miss the variety of French wines,where you can every day try a different one and now and then,like with books,find a pearl you can come ba to for a while.
I will also be soon close to the Italian border and look forward to some nice Barberras.

[miercuri]

I can drink anything dry and medium dry I guess, I'm not much of a conaisseur though. Romanian wines are very sweet, not exactly to my liking.
My recent ambition is to try all the cocktails from a bar downtown, the count has reached 16 so far but I still have a long tipsy way to go.
And in winter I like my Unicum, a quick shot right before leaving the house. Keeps the cold away. I am also planning to get my hands on a bottle of Becherovka this winter.

[Omo]

Currently I'm drinking a Silvaner (dry, of course) from Escherndorfer Lump, Franconia, Germany. Not bad, not bad. This year is the 350th anniversary of Silvaner in Franconia and they are advertising it a lot, although Silvaner has there the same position as Riesling has in the Rhine areas.

I guess my faourite grape variety is still (Gew?rz-)Traminer, not only from Alsace but also from Germany. I generally prefer white to red wine, the only red grape varities I really like are Zweigelt and Pinot Noir/Sp?tburgunder. I also like dry whites from Georgia.

I know some people here are from the Americas, so I wonder whether anyone has tried American grape varities with the famous fox tones?

Edit: And, thanks to Global warming, one can grow wines in more northern areas now. Have you tried wine from Denmark, Latvia or England?