For the love of the grape.

Aongus Von Bismarck

I'm currently sitting here in my apartment enjoying a glass of Reisling. It's my favourite type of wine, and this 2007 Monchhof Urzig Wurzgarten Kabinett is a stunning example of the style. You initially notice the fresh fruit flavours - white peach, pear, gooseberries, with just a hint of pepper. The finish is long and slightly chalky. It's smooth, but with just enough mineral nose to mark out the variety and style.

There's a reputation in Ireland amongst a certain set that German wines aren't up to much - a reputation probably gained from listening to the older generation go on about Black Tower and dinner parties in the 80's. It's a shame that this reputation continues to exist, as the German viticulture movement is in really good shape at the moment, with many young producers making exciting wines. Rather like the burgeoning craft beer movement in Ireland.

Do the good folk of AH have a favourite variety or style of wine? Do you fancy yourself as an amateur sommelier, or are you more the type who picks up a few bottles of Chateau De Topaz on the way home? Would you ever darken the door of your local Lidl if looking for a bottle to impress a potential lover, or are you happiest having a good chat with the owner of your local boutique off-licence looking for something unusual and exciting?

Stheno

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

I'm currently sitting here in my apartment enjoying a glass of Reisling. It's my favourite type of wine, and this 2007 Monchhof Urzig Wurzgarten Kabinett is a stunning example of the style. You initially notice the fresh fruit flavours - white peach, pear, gooseberries, with just a hint of pepper. The finish is long and slightly chalky. It's smooth, but with just enough mineral nose to mark out the variety and style.

There's a reputation in Ireland amongst a certain set that German wines aren't up to much - a reputation probably gained from listening to the older generation go on about Black Tower and dinner parties in the 80's. It's a shame that this reputation continues to exist, as the German viticulture movement is in really good shape at the moment, with many young producers making exciting wines. Rather like the burgeoning craft beer movement in Ireland.

Do the good folk of AH have a favourite variety or style of wine? Do you fancy yourself as an amateur sommelier, or are you more the type who picks up a few bottles of Chateau De Topaz on the way home? Would you ever darken the door of your local Lidl if looking for a bottle to impress a potential lover, or are you happiest having a good chat with the owner of your local boutique off-licence looking for something unusual and exciting?

There's a food and drink forum you know?

mackeire

Pints of Smithwicks ONLY!!

Stheno

mackeire wrote: »

Pints of Smithwicks ONLY!!

I thought it was all about the Dutch Gold in here?

mackeire

mackeire wrote: »

Pints of Smithwicks ONLY!!

And the odd Guinness

Kovu

Buckfast with one of those fancy umbrellas.

the evasion_kid

MD 20\20 aka "mad dog"

http://www.bumwine.com/md2020.html

kneemos

German wines are like French beer.

Banjo String

6 x large bottles of perlenbacher, German Pilsner (so beer) from Lidl at €7 does me rightly.


Wine hangovers can fcuk off tbh.

Matta Harri

I love Black Tower.......

Timberrrrrrrr

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

I'm currently sitting here in my apartment enjoying a glass of Reisling. It's my favourite type of wine, and this 2007 Monchhof Urzig Wurzgarten Kabinett is a stunning example of the style. You initially notice the fresh fruit flavours - white peach, pear, gooseberries, with just a hint of pepper. The finish is long and slightly chalky. It's smooth, but with just enough mineral nose to mark out the variety and style.

There's a reputation in Ireland amongst a certain set that German wines aren't up to much - a reputation probably gained from listening to the older generation go on about Black Tower and dinner parties in the 80's. It's a shame that this reputation continues to exist, as the German viticulture movement is in really good shape at the moment, with many young producers making exciting wines. Rather like the burgeoning craft beer movement in Ireland.

Do the good folk of AH have a favourite variety or style of wine? Do you fancy yourself as an amateur sommelier, or are you more the type who picks up a few bottles of Chateau De Topaz on the way home? Would you ever darken the door of your local Lidl if looking for a bottle to impress a potential lover, or are you happiest having a good chat with the owner of your local boutique off-licence looking for something unusual and exciting?

For someone who constantly boasts about his high power well paying job you sure like the cheap plonk.

Tony Beetroot

Isn't Germany just great altogether.

kneemos

Tony Beetroot wrote: »

Isn't Germany just great altogether.

Can't win a war to save their lives though.

The Backwards Man

All wine is pish, waste of good grapes.

Grapes have one useful purpose, to make brandy.

Lisha

Pinot Grigio is my favourite wine.
Bellinis are my favourite cocktail.
Bacardi and coke if out in a night club.
Bottle (never ever a can) of Heineken for a drink at home.

maxwell smart

On my monthly sojourn to Zurich I recently discovered a very respectable German wine. It was a 2008 Emrich-Schonleber Monzinger Halenberg Riesling.

It was full of minerals but very balanced. I'd imagine it would benefit from some aging and be quite a sublime drink after several more years.

Previous to this experience I had some very nice Alsace (which might as well be in Germany) Pinot Noir.

I imagine most people think Nederburg is actually German!!

Chucken

Banjo String wrote: »

Wine hangovers can fcuk off tbh.

You're not meant to drink so much as to become hungover.


Peasant.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

I like Riesling and Rioja and something else I can't remember the name of, I don't really know that much about wine so beyond the price and the variety I'd never really pay that much attention to the label. More of a beer person, in general. Of course the good thing about wine is that if you come home to find you've bought a crap one you can just lob in some 7up or orange juice or something!

Amirani

If I'm splurging, I'd generally go with a Cabernet-heavy left-bank Bordeaux. Haven't really developed a love of Pinot Noir at this point, so good Burgundy would be wasted on me.

If I'm only spending modestly, I'll go with Tempranillo/Grenache from Rioja or an Argentinian Malbec.

Banjo String

maxwell smart wrote: »

On my monthly sojourn to Zurich I recently discovered a very respectable German wine. It was a 2008 Emrich-Schonleber Monzinger Halenberg Riesling.

It was full of minerals but very balanced. I'd imagine it would benefit from some aging and be quite a sublime drink after several more years.

Previous to this experience I had some very nice Alsace (which might as well be in Germany) Pinot Noir.

I imagine most people think Nederburg is actually German!!

Like 7-up/fanta etc?

Doesn't sound v appealing.

Cienciano

Kovu wrote: »

Buckfast with one of those fancy umbrellas.

Buckfast? Ohh, la-di-da. Noblemans is where it's at these days

maxwell smart

Banjo String wrote: »

Like 7-up/fanta etc?

Doesn't sound v appealing.

No not like 7up / fanta strangely enough

130Kph

When faced with challenging social situations in the past, I used to ask myself “What would Gerald Kean do?”

But no longer - from now on, I’m on team Aongus Von Bismarck!

I’ve only savoured the piquancy of an Australian & South African Reisling and very good they were, so I will endeavour to source a German flavour before Summer’s end.

Chucken

Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1982 is one of the greatest wines ever made, but is it really worth the price? How much better can it really be than any of the super-seconds from the same year, at a fraction of the price?

Aongus?

porsche959

That's a very fine Chardonnay you're not drinking, Chrissie.

I don't drink but when I have to bring wine to a dinner party or something, I find out what's being served and tell the guys in the wine shop and they select a few to choose from. I know nothing about wine, and see no point in learning when I don't drink it and there's at least some expertise available.

Aongus Von Bismarck

Chucken wrote: »

Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1982 is one of the greatest wines ever made, but is it really worth the price? How much better can it really be than any of the super-seconds from the same year, at a fraction of the price?

Aongus?

You'd hardly pop open a bottle of any good 82 Bordeaux while sitting down to devour a Chinese and watch the X-Factor. Of course there is a premium to be paid for that sense of exclusivity and rarity. I doubt it matters to those who are buying and drinking the wine.

I'm having a great example of the Reisling style for about €17. Is it the same as splashing out €150 for an extraordinary example of the style in a Michelin starred eatery? Of course not.

The Backwards Man

Of course the best thing about wine is that brings even the most pretentious and grandiloquent of folks down to the level of gibbering, slobbering idiot if they cope enough of it into them.

GLaDOS

I like red.

I don't like white.

Thus ends my knowledge of wine.

Now beer, I could waffle on all day about that

fleet_admiral

My favorite wine is a good mature St. James Gate 2015

dmc17

Hard to beat a good Spanish Red.....

4zn76tysfajdxp

I like my wine like I like my cranberry juice: red and in a carton.

LizT

Wynter Hallowed Unicorn wrote: »

I like my wine like I like my cranberry juice: red and in a carton.

and mixed with vodka.

fleet_admiral

porsche959 wrote: »

That's a very fine Chardonnay you're not drinking, Chrissie.

Dont just stare at it, eat it

Eutow

I like red wine, hate white. My knowledge ends there. I like good beer.

Don't like wine
Rosé champagne maybe

Sekt is alright with orange juice after a few cocktails...

Candie

Candie wrote: »

I don't drink but when I have to bring wine to a dinner party or something, I find out what's being served and tell the guys in the wine shop and they select a few to choose from. I know nothing about wine, and see no point in learning when I don't drink it and there's at least some expertise available.

I bring chocs. Everyone loves ferrero

c_man

I do well for myself in life so do frequently go for the E12.99 bottle of wine. If it's a special occasion or I want to pair it with an extra nice meal, I'll splash out on the E15.99 bottle of wine.

I once had a glass of a E45.00 bottle of wine. It was amazing. It was red.

Fr_Dougal

Alcohol is not the answer, Aongus.

GLaDOS

Anyone else think Champagne is nasty and feel like a weirdo when other people seem to think it's a treat when celebrating?

4zn76tysfajdxp

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

Alcohol is not the answer, Aongus.

Definitely seems "clinically fed up."

ScienceNerd

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Anyone else think Champagne is nasty and feel like a weirdo when other people seem to think it's a treat when celebrating?

Cheap champagne is nasty
Although I like moet rose which is in the "slightly less cheap" category if that ...
Be curious to try the proper fancy ones sometime!

bluewolf

bluewolf wrote: »

I bring chocs. Everyone loves ferrero

My go-to treat for Embassy dos.

Chucken

What about Fetzer Coldwater Creek? It is the first wine to be served ‘on tap’ like beer from JD Wetherspoon pubs. You could, theoretically, put good wine on tap, but as a rule of thumb, the more a vessel deviates from a 750mL capacity, the worse its contents. On that scale, a 115 litre keg foreshadows a dismal beverage. This is truly awful stuff.

Aongus?

4zn76tysfajdxp

Candie wrote: »

My go-to treat for Embassy dos.

The Ambassador(s) must love you.

Wynter Hallowed Unicorn

Wynter Hallowed Unicorn wrote: »

The Ambassador(s) must love you.

Don't be explaining my jokes Wynter Hallowed Unicorn!

Hope you're freezing

Not G.R

I don't think malted barley, fresh water, carefully chosen yeast and aromatic hops will ever be beaten. Keep yer French swill :P

4zn76tysfajdxp

Candie wrote: »

Don't be explaining my jokes Frada!

Hope you're freezing

Got a 5l box of Tesco Value red in the freezer now for later.


It's gonna be a long night.

Eutow

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Anyone else think Champagne is nasty and feel like a weirdo when other people seem to think it's a treat when celebrating?

Yes, I would rather have a quad or double imperial stout.

Señor Fancy Pants

Me and wine aren't talking to each other since the "incident" in 2008.

Ribena is where it's at.

Wynter Hallowed Unicorn

Wynter Hallowed Unicorn wrote: »

Got a 5l box of Tesco Value red in the freezer now for later.


It's gonna be a long night.

For all of us.