Aussies, Shiraz, and Neophyte Drinkers

by jgnat 28 Replies latest jw friends

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  jgnat

  This post is in honor of Ozziepost, one of our long-standing Australian posters. I am probably posting this in the perfectly WRONG time of day, so if one of our Australian friends could bump this thread when you are all waking up, I'd appreciate it.

  Ozziepost is well known for his love offfair with Shiraz, an Australian wine.

  You may not know this about me, but I am a neophyte drinker. I like to be in charge (is anyone surprised), and acohol unacceptably takes away my sense of self-control. I also belonged to an evangelical church for over twenty years that preached abstension from alcohol. When I "woke up" to my own reason, I questioned many of my foundational beliefs, including abstaining from acohol. About the same time, dad took up wine-making. And after much soul-searching, I decided it was a greater disrespect not to enjoy the fruits of my dad's labor than to hold on to an old taboo. I now partake, in moderation. Though I'll never be a drinker. Control, I can't live without it.

  WHICH LEAVES ME WITH, what wine do I choose? Dry puckers. Red's bitter. I ask for sweet, and the wine veterans sneer. I get by with a laugh, explaining I have no clue. I take what they give me.

  Some old friends recently introduced me to a German Reisling. It's easy for a neophyte drinker like me to remember, because it comes in a blue bottle. http://www.schmitt-soehne.com/mainframe.asp

  WHICH BRINGS ME BACK to Ozziepost. Whenever I see Shiraz on the label, I think of my internet friend. And I am pretty sure I am going to enjoy the experience. Thanks, Ozziepost!
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  jwfacts

  It is midnight, so not too many Aussies awake.

  Shiraz is not the best place to start, as it is one of the driest and heaviest of the reds. You may find Merlot a little easier, and most red wine drinkers seem to like Cabernet Sauvignon.

  If you like sweet I recommend you try Rose'. It is a pink and light, and a great place to start.
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  greendawn

  I am not very good with wines but I know that the Australians have some of the best wines of the new world and they developed shiraz (it's the original French syrah a rather ordinary wine in France) into a top quality wine. Otherwise globally chardonay is the king of the white wines and cabernet sauvignon of the red. Numerous countries and thousands of producers make them but not all are of good quality.
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  serendipity

  Hi Jgnat,
  I like my wines sweet too: Zinfandel, Spatelse & Auselse Reisling, Gewurtzraminer, Asti Spumante, Muscat/Moscato.
  
  There are a few sweet red wines: Porto (very strong), and sangria. There are sweet sparkling red wines, but I forget the names.
  
  Don't worry about the wine snobs, drink what tastes good to you.
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  Cellist

  Seeing that you're a Canadian, try the Pelee Island Merlot. It's a nice wine. There's a red-headed woodpecker on the label.
  
  But, yes, the Australian Shiraz is probably our favourite. Much heavier than the Merlot though.
  
  What kind of wine is your Dad making?
  
  Cellist
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  Bumble Bee

  MMM, I love Auzzie reds. Rosemount Estates and Banrock Station are two of my favs. Try the Banrock Station Shiraz Mataro - blended wines give you the best of both worlds. It also depends on what you are serving with the wines. Bold wines require stronger flavoured dishes, the Shiraz' is excellent with a nice medium rare bbq steak.

  Hey - we have a new bbq - wanna come for dinner, I have several bottles of red wine we can experiment with!!

  The Pelee Island recommended is a good one too (it's easy to find with that beautiful pic of the woodpecker).

  BB
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  Finally-Free

  I tried the Little Penguin Merlot recently and liked it a lot.
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  Cellist

  I agree, the Little Penguin Merlot is good. We like to keep a bottle (or two) on hand.
  
  Cellist
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  nvrgnbk

  Serendipity,

  Good call on the Gewurtztraminer. It tastes great, pairs well with spicy foods(Thai,Indian,Vietnamese), and best of all sounds really sexy when properly pronounced.
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  Scully

  I've learned that taste in wine is something that evolves over time. As a young person, I found that I needed a relatively sweet wine and as I've gotten older, I've gradually acquired a taste for the drier variety. I'm still not fond of red wine to drink, although I will cook with it. I did try one of Ozzie's picks - Tyrell's Long Flat Red - an Australian shiraz. It was nice, but I'm just not a red wine person... it doesn't agree with me for some reason.

  I recently had a good review with an Italian pinot grigio (white wine) that I served with light luncheon fare for our book club meeting. I'm also partial to white zinfandel (which is not a white wine, but a rosé). They're lighter tasting, not too sweet, not too dry.

  If you want something super sweet, you can always try Inniskillin Ice Wine. Canadian Ice Wines are a hot commodity in Japan - a 375 mL bottle retails here for about $55, but in Japan it can sell for the equivalent of $600. Our local wine shop carries a 2-serving mini bottle for around $8. It registers at 22 on the sugar content scale. Serve it with dessert though. Mr Scully wanted to try it and I warned him that it should come with a side order of insulin.

  If you ask for recommendations at the local wine shop, the people who work there tend to really know their products and can steer you in the right direction.