View Full Version : Wine connoisseurs?
So, I went wine tasting for my first time this past weekend. First, we hit a wine bar in Ensenada and tried 2 different wines. They were a local - Tempernillo or something like that, one was mixed with a Cab, the other was not mixed at all. Very interesting experience.
So on the ship, they offered wine tasting for $10 p/p. My best friend, MIL, Aunt, and I all signed up and did it. We got 5 different wines to choose from: Cabernet Sovignion (sp?), Merlot, White Zinfandel, Chardonnay (YUCK!), and a Riesling called Piesporter.
A little history, I'm NOT a wine person. My BFF works for a winery in the world famous Napa Valley, CA. She likes reds, and if I have to drink wine, it's white if I have a say.
Well, I am going to say that Piesporter was amazing! It's actually a drink I can enjoy! It's fruity, light, and goes with anything.
The paper that had the list of wine on it said "Piesporter, Spatlese, Germany".
I want to find this wine somewhere.. I found Piesporter at BevMo, but I know they'll all be different.
Has anyone tried it? Any recommendations?
Not too sure about the specifc brand and if you really liked the one you tried you are going to want to know the vintage, year it was bottled, as this can radically change from one year to the next.
As a side note if you enjoyed the Riesling you would also mostl likely enjoy Sauvignon Blanc. Oyster Bay make a great one.
WebLady
05-08-2009, 05:50 PM
I considered going on a wine tour while in FL a couple of weeks ago, but I don't really know anything about wine. I just know I like White Zinfandel and sometimes that cheap flavored wine you get and the grocery store is good too ;)
I do like to cook with red and white though wines though.
So yeah, no help here :cheers:
Not too sure about the specifc brand and if you really liked the one you tried you are going to want to know the vintage, year it was bottled, as this can radically change from one year to the next.
As a side note if you enjoyed the Riesling you would also mostl likely enjoy Sauvignon Blanc. Oyster Bay make a great one.
Hi! Actually, I've found Gallo Vinyards Private Reserve Sauvignon Blanc to be my favorite up until I tried the Piesporter. Now it's Piesporter hands down. Unfortunately we didn't get the year. I guess I"ll just have to try all of em :rofl:
Brandi, I like the boxed Blush. It's light and sweet similar to the Piesporter. Mom's and MIL's favorite is White Zin. So far I'm not too crazy 'bout it.
Whitewater
05-09-2009, 12:01 AM
Piersporter is a good Riesling! I'm with you, I prefer Rieslings over any other type of wine.
Although recently, I surprised myself by really liking an Australian shiraz -- I couldn't believe it, because I typically do NOT like anything red. But one of the big private wine sellers here in town had their annual sale recently, and when they do, they pour wines for you so you can 'try before you buy' . . . and they'll open ANY bottle for you. I tried sherry, porter (beer, yuck!), shiraz, merlot, cabernets, you name it. A lot of bottles were already open, and you could just pour a taste for yourself. They also had cheese and crackers to taste too. It was fun, and a really cheap date!
And rieslings still came out on top, although there was an Italian Pinot Grigio that I fell in love with. Again, an out-of-character choice, since I typically find most white wine too dry.
That sale really helped to educate my palate :)
Fiance and I bought a bubbly pink riesling for our wedding night (well, he doesn't know that's what it's for yet!) and a couple different plain rieslings, along with the shiraz and the pinot grigio.
I hate chardonnay too. It's just too dry. But Fiance and I both like reislings and thank goodness for it, because they will pair well with just about any food. So far, I haven't found a reisling that I won't drink, although the ones that are boring and just sit there in your mouth aren't preferable. I like the ones that wake your mouth up and make you go 'Wow' -- but those are $25/bottle or more!
With luck we'll drink some of the wine we bought as part of the pre-wedding festivities. A wedding is a good excuse!
Whitewater (who gets a buzz from two glasses of wine . . . )
ChristineLS
05-09-2009, 10:52 AM
Piersporter is a good Riesling! I'm with you, I prefer Rieslings over any other type of wine.
Although recently, I surprised myself by really liking an Australian shiraz -- I couldn't believe it, because I typically do NOT like anything red. But one of the big private wine sellers here in town had their annual sale recently, and when they do, they pour wines for you so you can 'try before you buy' . . . and they'll open ANY bottle for you. I tried sherry, porter (beer, yuck!), shiraz, merlot, cabernets, you name it. A lot of bottles were already open, and you could just pour a taste for yourself. They also had cheese and crackers to taste too. It was fun, and a really cheap date!
And rieslings still came out on top, although there was an Italian Pinot Grigio that I fell in love with. Again, an out-of-character choice, since I typically find most white wine too dry.
That sale really helped to educate my palate :)
Fiance and I bought a bubbly pink riesling for our wedding night (well, he doesn't know that's what it's for yet!) and a couple different plain rieslings, along with the shiraz and the pinot grigio.
I hate chardonnay too. It's just too dry. But Fiance and I both like reislings and thank goodness for it, because they will pair well with just about any food. So far, I haven't found a reisling that I won't drink, although the ones that are boring and just sit there in your mouth aren't preferable. I like the ones that wake your mouth up and make you go 'Wow' -- but those are $25/bottle or more!
With luck we'll drink some of the wine we bought as part of the pre-wedding festivities. A wedding is a good excuse!
Whitewater (who gets a buzz from two glasses of wine . . . )
I wish the shop around here would do that! I mean, I live in a wine area, so really I have no right to complain...
We have a Canadian ice reisling for our wedding toast... I'm excited. I just like wine, as long as it's something interesting.
I am a big Riesling fan! If you really liked that Riesling, you may like most Rieslings. In all my years of sipping, I've only come across one Riesling I didn't like. If you can't find the exact one you had on the ship, pick-up a few other Rieslings and try them ~ you'll probably like them!
Kirby
05-10-2009, 11:34 PM
I love wine. My favorite types are Pino Grigio and Pinot Noir.
Thank you for all your feedback!
I had tried a Reisling about a year and a half ago with a friend of mine and I wasn't too crazy about it - it was also about $4 a bottle, that could have been why.
Haven't tried Pinot Grigio or Pinot Noir... Hmmmm.
My BFF offered to take us tasting in the Napa Valley. Because she works for a vineyard, she can take up to 4 people plus herself tasting for freeeeee!!!! WOOOHOO!
Jacobs_Girl
05-11-2009, 08:59 AM
I considered going on a wine tour while in FL a couple of weeks ago, but I don't really know anything about wine. I just know I like White Zinfandel and sometimes that cheap flavored wine you get and the grocery store is good too ;)
I do like to cook with red and white though wines though.
So yeah, no help here :cheers:
If you like White Zinfandel you would love Beringer Moscato, it's a real sweet wine. I use to drink White Zinfandel all the time until I tried Moscato. Beringer will run you $6-$10 per bottle but you can get the more expensive brand for $20 per bottle which taste a lot smoother than the beringer.
Nekochanpurr
05-14-2009, 12:16 AM
Haha, sorry, i wish i could be helpful.. But i just like the cheap fruity stuff! :D
WBandMe
05-14-2009, 01:22 AM
I don't mind a riesling once in awhile, but my wine of choice is moscato d'asti. It is too sweet for some, but I love it. I get Saracco usually, although we have tried some others. I don't like anything too strong and I can't stand reds because I don't like drinking warm (okay, well, not cold) liquid, ick. So, moscato d'asti it is for me!
ilovespaz
05-15-2009, 01:14 PM
someone should start a wine class thread.
someone should start a wine class thread.
A wine what thread?? :bbeek:
Whitewater
05-18-2009, 03:18 AM
A wine class -- you know, where somebody who knows their wines backward and forward (and how to do things like taste all the flavors they swear are in the wine, which I can't do) teaches you, the wine newbie, all the tricks.
Dunno how practical that would be on an internet forum, but it's a cool idea.
Whitewater
ChristineLS
05-18-2009, 07:22 AM
how to do things like taste all the flavors they swear are in the wine, which I can't do
I'm half convinced people are making those up :rofl:
Whitewater
05-18-2009, 02:18 PM
Me, too. Sometimes if it's a red wine I can taste a berry flavor, but most of the time I can't identify the 'hint of lemon' or whatever the heck the professionals insist is in there.
I'm actually kind of nervous about the Yellowtail Reisling I bought. I got it for a friend of mine, because she likes the Yellowtail brand, but the reviews online weren't very encouraging.
On a whole other note, recently I was out to dinner and the place had a wine list. I remembered this thread and took a look at the list, and I was so surprised to see not one, but TWO of the bottles we have at home on this restaurant's list!
I guess we picked good ones :)
Whitewater
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