[ale] OT (way out there): switching from beer to wine....

[Kilroy, Chris]

Personally i like red wine, and while i'm by no means a connoisseur, i am learning more about wine as time goes by.


Obviously, like everything personal taste is a huge factor in wine.  Don't be afraid to experiment, and recognize that sometimes you will buy a bottle that doesnt really do it for you.  

I think there are a lot of bottles in the $9-10 price point that are pretty good.  


Ravenswood Zinfandel, Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel, Beulieu Vineyards (BV) Cabernet Sauvignon


these are available at most grocery stores readily.  Costco is a great place to buy wine if you are a member there.  The prices are $1 or more less per bottle.

one thing i also like to do is just go into a wine store and ask somebody there what they recommend, giving them as much information as possible: price range, other wines i liked, etc.  Some of my favorite stuff has been recommendations like this.

There is a BV Cabernet that is closer to $17-20 that will say Napa Valley on it, and i like that a lot.   Don't necessarily give up on a wine because it is from Chile or Australia, Oregon, or some other place that you may not think is "the right place" for a decent bottle to come from.

I am definitely trying to migrate away from beer simply to help me lose some weight.  Personally, i like the way wine tastes and the "buzz" you get from it better than beer anyway now. .

www.winespectator.com is a great resource.  they have rating system that you will often see employeed in marketing brochures for wines, etc.  they have lists of highly rated wines in various price ranges too and that is certainly a good place to start.  You can search through their database of Wine Ratings (90+ is usually a can't miss) with the free 'membership'.  Their full access membership gives you more access, i'm not sure how much more thouhg =).

-Chris




->
->Stories like this
->(http://www.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/conditions/11/11/wine.dementia
->.reut/index.html)
-> make me think hard about giving up beer and switching to wine.  After
->all, a man can't take any chances when it comes to his thinking cap.
->
-><AA FLAME BAIT>Yes, I enjoy beer on a weekly basis</AA FLAME 
->BAIT> with
->varying frequency, but have also enjoyed wine in the past and would
->consider trying the admittedly difficult departure from my good friend
->beer.
->
->However, I'm no wine expert by any means, and really don't know how to
->identify a wine that provides at least some quality for costs that
->approach beer's affordabilty.  I enjoy both white and red 
->wines and would
->like to find a reasonably affordable, palatable, 
->non-gut-rotting vintage
->in each.
->
->Any wine connoisseurs on the list?  Can you point me in the 
->right direction?
->
->Thanks,
->
->John
->
->
->
->
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