Trying to pick a wine amongst a sea of wines!

Sky King

You know the situation: A supermarket shelf stretching onto the horizon with a sea of reds and whites and green bottles just waiting to be picked....

My problem is that I love some, but not all red wines and I am completely boggled when it comes to the selection. My local has maybe a hundred ones to chose from. I don't know where to start. I like to get one a week but I'm really just clutching at straws at the moment.

I had thought that by spending a little bit more money I would get a wine that I would enjoy more, but that doesn't seem to be the case either. Like, I bought a bottle in Dunnes three weeks ago that I loved (Chile reserva) but I bought one on Friday that tasted like something you would use to de-grease an engine block.

I know the basics... serve the red at room temperature, open cork an hour in advance, don't fill the glass to the top... I am aware of the different grapes (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon etc etc) but I still can't strike a formula that works for me!!!

The labels are no help either, because they are written by people who are trying to get you to buy the wine... accoring to each bottle, they are all perfectly balanced and ideal with any dish.

I don't want an encyclopedic knowlege or to sit around boring people with my extensive wine lectures. In fact I don't even want to talk about it at all. I just want to drink it.

what I REALLY want is just to be able to just walk into an offie... read a few wine lables and go 'yep, this is definitely the one I will enjoy most' and buy that with confidence instead of gambling over a tenner every weekend and often ending up with something that would be better suited to a garden shed with paintbrushes in it.

I bought a case of 'traditional' french wine in a chateaux in bordeaux over the summer... the bottles worked out at about 6 quid each, and I haven't tasted anything like it since. Beautiful. Spotted a Bordeaux red then a short while ago and bough that and it tasted like someone had already used it to clean insects off their windscreen.

Sorry for the vent. Anyone got any thoughts on what I should do?!

Slaphead07

Avoid supermarkets, find a real wine shop. Enjoy your wine with peace of mind.

the beer revolu

Yup, if you develop a relationship in a decent wine shop they will advise and get to know what your tastes are.

Beruthiel

Sky King wrote: »

Spotted a Bordeaux red then a short while ago and bough that and it tasted like someone had already used it to clean insects off their windscreen.

I also love wines from around Bordeaux, especially around the Saint Emilion area. So, I'm going to guess that you like a good full bodied wine.

When trying to choose a bottle, check it for grading, eg:
Reserva
Grand cru
Grand cru classe
Premiers grands crus
If they have been awarded a silver or gold medal.

My favourite wines are from Saint Emilion, France. Rioja, especially with the tempranillo grape, Spain. Chianti from Italy.
I tend to drink wine that has been in an oak barrel for at least a year.

I never buy wine in a supermarket.
Get your wine in an off licence and spend a bit more money on a bottle.

I recall a funeral directer being asked for a bit of advice on life, his reply:
Never buy a cheap bottle of wine.

Life's too short to be drinking antifreeze.

Sky King

Hiya - thanks for the replies - are supermarkets that bad!? With hundreds of bottles on sale they can't ALL be manky can they?

Beruthiel I'm with you on the antifreeze! But personal preference still comes into it... You're probably right. I just checked out that one I enjoyed from Bordeaux and it was described as full bodied, spicey and aged in oak barrels.

But then I bought a bordeaux wine the last day and it was pure mank! And I got a Chianti about a month ago and it was like nail polish remover. (Though granted it was 7 quid in Dunnes - so probably not really what you had in mind).

All this experimentaion is costing a fortune !

Technocentral

I don't know much about wine but like some red now and again, this is the nicest I've tasted in a long time , was 15 euro in M&S Grafton Street.

http://www.marksandspencer.com/Marqu-eacute-Del-Costal-2005/dp/B000WIVOWI?ie=UTF8&ref=sr_1_8&nodeId=122006031&sr=1-8&qid=1319546186&pf_rd_r=1KG44SR4XNKT1FDY228K&pf_rd_m=A2BO0OYVBKIQJM&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=122006031&pf_rd_p=215570647&pf_rd_s=related-items-3

johnnyskeleton

For you, I recommend Castello del diavolo from chile. A fairly consistent new world red, if you don't like claret.

FruitLover

I'm going to disagree with the anti-supermarket vibe here, as I've had some cracking wine from supermarkets. Have a look for Tesco's 'finest' own-brand wine, and Superquinn's equivalent. I'm not necessarily saying they're all winners, but I've never found a better price-to-taste ratio in Ireland.

Some I used to get regularly in Tesco and SQ were their chianti classico and ripasso (valpolicella aged with amarone pomace, highly recommended), and I seem to remember Tesco also do a very nice rioja.

You might be better off sticking with a particular kind of wine for a while and getting a feel for it, comparing different brands, etc etc before moving on to another kind. See how different wines go with different foods, on their own, etc.

Slaphead07

if you like your wine selected by accountants who wouldn't drink it themselves.

Bigcheeze

For people searching drinkable Bordeaux, my rough rule of thumb is they tend to be pretty rough if priced around €10 although the Superquinn own brand Bordeaux is good value. It's bottled by Chateau Pey la Tour.

Guyett

Sangre de torro is a fairly cheap but consistently good wine.

Beruthiel

Sky King wrote: »

Though granted it was 7 quid in Dunnes - so probably not really what you had in mind

LOL
You are never going to get a good bottle of wine in this country for 7 quid.
The government gets the first 3 euro of every bottle that comes to this country.
The shop/wholesalers/wine maker gets to split the last €4 euro?! So if it's 7 quid, it's antifreeze.
In an off licence, I would tend to spend 20+ on a bottle.
Luckily for me, I know a lovely French man who brings in wonderful bottles for great prices.

Guyett

Beruthiel wrote: »

LOL
You are never going to get a good bottle of wine in this country for 7 quid.
The government gets the first 3 euro of every bottle that comes to this country.
The shop/wholesalers/wine maker gets to split the last €4 euro?! So if it's 7 quid, it's antifreeze.
In an off licence, I would tend to spend 20+ on a bottle.
Luckily for me, I know a lovely French man who brings in wonderful bottles for great prices.

with the amount of money going on taxes and stuff you'll find that a 10 euro wine is nearly twice as good as a 8 euro wine after you take away the money the government, shop, wholesaler ect takes off. It pays to spend that extra 2-5 quid and stay away from the big supermarkets

Sky King

I never thought of it like that Guyett. Though i spent 12 quid last friday on insect repellant so I still can't seem to get it right.

The logic for using supermarkets is economies of scale.... Surely a €10 wine in a supermarket is better than a €10 wine in an offie where they're throwing a 40% markup on the product?

Guyett

Sky King wrote: »

I never thought of it like that Guyett. Though i spent 12 quid last friday on insect repellant so I still can't seem to get it right.

The logic for using supermarkets is economies of scale.... Surely a €10 wine in a supermarket is better than a €10 wine in an offie where they're throwing a 40% markup on the product?

not really as the quality of wine that the supermarkets buy in bulk isnt normally as good as wines in a good offy.
Offy's usually have 30% profit on wines after vat (20-25% on beers)
BTW I work in an offy so I'm slightly biased here

endabob1

Do a wine tasting course,
Chile reserva is a Merlot I think, I will be biased but new world wines represent a lot better value than French wines. Try some South African Merlot's for value.
A lot of wines sold in the UK & Ireland are rebranded for export at source so the same label might actually be from different estates and ergo will be actually be a different wine. To be 100% sure you need to buy wine which is from a recognised vineyard.

irish_goat

Learn what grape/regions you like.

Find a decent wine off license and ask if they have bottles open for tasting/run tasting events.

mikep

I think discounting the multiples is a bit of a generalistion as many DO stock decent wines and also many off licences/wine shops stock undrinkable muck also!!

My advice would be to work your way throught various different wines and note which ones you like and why you like them....you will then build up an idea of whats for you and what isn't...

Most of all don't get hung up on it...it's supposed to be enjoyable!!!

Beruthiel

Sky King wrote: »

Though i spent 12 quid last friday on insect repellant

I'm afraid you'll get feck all in this country for 12 either.

As I said above, check to see if they have a grading. Check for aging in an oak barrel for 12 months plus, and learn what type of grape you like.

You could give the Rioja wine: Faustino 1 Gran Reserva. (Not to be mistaken with V or VII) a go.
It goes for about €22.
Marques de Riscal is also a wine from the Rioja region.
They are not the most fantastic wines on the planet, but they are very drinkable and I believe they are in the area of your taste.

Slaphead07

Guyett wrote: »

not really as the quality of wine that the supermarkets buy in bulk isnt normally as good as wines in a good offy.
Offy's usually have 30% profit on wines after vat (20-25% on beers)
BTW I work in an offy so I'm slightly biased here

Supermarket margins are closer to 70%. I'm biased as I own a wine shop!:D

Guyett

endabob1 wrote: »

Do a wine tasting course,
Chile reserva is a Merlot I think, I will be biased but new world wines represent a lot better value than French wines. Try some South African Merlot's for value.
A lot of wines sold in the UK & Ireland are rebranded for export at source so the same label might actually be from different estates and ergo will be actually be a different wine. To be 100% sure you need to buy wine which is from a recognised vineyard.

Bordeaux can be over priced but other french stuff like Rhone can be good value. Italian and Spanish is good value and I'd usually go for Australian if I wanted new world stuff

Edit

Reserva means sweet fck all on a bottle of wine from Chile, there is no control over what it means on each bottle. It only matters in Spanish wine and to an extent in Italian wine.

Chesapeake

the Protocolo @ O'briens is hard to beat for €9 if you like your red.

Sky King

Guyett wrote: »

Reserva means sweet fck all on a bottle of wine from Chile, there is no control over what it means on each bottle. It only matters in Spanish wine and to an extent in Italian wine.

Now THAT is interesting!

Hmm, I might take Endabob's advise and do a tasting course, there's an evening of it in Kilkenny this weekend actually for the Savour festival, which is rather convienent. AND it's my birthday!

and Beruthiel, 'Faustino 1 Gran Reserva' is duly noted!

mikep

Faustino I is on offer in tesco at the mo...for €15, buy six and get an extra 25% off!!!

And I thought you couldn't get decent wine in supermarkets!!....:rolleyes:

Bigcheeze

mikep wrote: »

Faustino I is on offer in tesco at the mo...for €15, buy six and get an extra 25% off!!!

And I thought you couldn't get decent wine in supermarkets!!....:rolleyes:

what would the usual retail price be ?

mikep

Normally retails around the €22 mark....

Sky King

mikep wrote: »

Faustino I is on offer in tesco at the mo...for €15, buy six and get an extra 25% off!!!

And I thought you couldn't get decent wine in supermarkets!!....:rolleyes:

Thanks for the red hot tip! Pity kilkenny is the only county in Ireland without a Tesco though!

But yeah this is what I am talking about re: supermarkets. To say that a hundred different brands of wine are sh!te just because it's a supermarket that's selling them makes no sense to me. Surely there's a decent bargain to be had.

But Having said that the personal touch and advise in a wine trader store is nice - though they can be full of spoofers as well.

How does the I compare to the V and VII anyway? The bottle looks very familiar.

mikep

Regarding the faustino wines the difference between the three is the aging of the wine.

I'm referring to the reds only by the way, mind you the white V is also good.

Faustino I is the gran reserva, which under spanish labelling laws must have undergone at leat 5 years againg before release, of which at least 18 months must be in oak and at least 36 months in bottle
The V is the reserva which has to be aged for at least 3 years, I year in oak
I think the VII is a crianza which needs 2 years aging, 6 months in oak.

The Faustino I is available in the '99 vintage in tesco which is a nicely mature smooth Rioja. Delicious to savour on a cold autumn evening!!!

Try all three and see what you prefer...

By the way being from KK you have a great wineshop in Le Caveau, which has a really wide variety from bargain wines to bank busters!!

Enjoy....

gizmo555

Sky King wrote: »

I know the basics... serve the red at room temperature

The thing about this is that room temperature in modern centrally heated house is usually too warm. 18C is about right, low to mid 20s as most houses would be these days is too warm - you lose a lot of the subtleties and it just highlights the alcohol. I actually find too warm red wine even less palatable than too warm white. This is a good article on serving temperatures: http://www.thewinedoctor.com/advisory/openservetemperature.shtml

As the writer notes:

The ideal serving temperature for many fine red wines is perhaps 14ºC to 18ºC, somewhat cooler than modern houses, although this was a common temperature indoors in centuries gone by! Many reds, unless stored somewhere cool, will benefit from half an hour in the refrigerator.

Sky King wrote: »

open cork an hour in advance

Better still is to decant red wine. As a wine merchant friend says, "bad wine needs it and good wine deserves it!"

Slaphead07

gizmo555 wrote: »

Better still is to decant red wine. As a wine merchant friend says, "bad wine needs it and good wine deserves it!"

Even into a kitchen jug. If it's a genuinely good red it could well have sediment so you can catch that at the 'shoulder' of the bottle as you pour. Rinse the bottle and then pour the wine back into the bottle (a funnel helps). You'll have aereated it twice.

Howjoe1

While I agree a lot of Supermarket wine may be average, I'm I alone in saying that, on the odd oscasion I have gone to a wine shop and spent €20 plus on a bottle I have got some awful tasting stuff and dinner guest have not noticed anything better about it