Wine-savvy

[KCJeff]

I am a wine person - curious... are there any good ones from Manila? I prefer reds - shiraz being my favorite.

[masi]

This is  a good thread.  Also, maybe we should involve our girlfriends/wives in wines, and help them appreciate wines too.  But it is hard for me to explain the finer points of wine to them since I am not that knowledgable.  It is also good if we had a WEB (wine eye ball) instead of a SEB. 

 

It should be an orgasmic experience for them too. Besides, wine is more romantic than getting your date drunk on San Mig Light.  If only champagne was cheap I'd be drinking it all the time.

 

Ako din naman, I drink what tastes good to me -- whatever vintage, whatever, year from nearly every country except China.  I know what I don't like - table wines and mixed wines which taste like sour grape juice.

 

Masarap ba yung China wines?  Mura sila.  Siguro lasang champoy.  :boo:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

there is no such thing as starting late nor early when it comes to wine. it is an appreciation of life and living, get your wife, husband, boyfriend, girlfriend and friends into wine.

 

i started more than 10 years ago and i was clueless. try starting by buying reasonably priced wines. Wines from Chile are reasonable. Ranging from 250 to 500 per bottle (and this would be top end). I started out by reading about how to taste wines, what flavors to look for, is it dry or sweet, its texture, its boquet (the smell). Also try appreciating 1 type of grape at a time like cabernet sauvignon, merlot, or pinot. Try to master the smell of this grape variety before you take on a different grape type.

 

some tips... make sure the bottle and wine glasses are clean. once you uncork it observe the cork...look at the color at the tip (red or almost violet to black) dont smell the cork. you dont get anything from the cork. pour a little in a glass then twirl the glass, this allows air to mix. then smell it and figure out what you smell..

 

then take a small sip and wet your entire tongue and gums. swallow the wine then inhale some air through the mouth. then identify the flavors in your tongue.

 

it is also good that you let an open bottle "breathe" for about 15 minutes before you serve it. it allows air to mix with your wine and all the flavors come out.

 

if you dont have time, you can "decant" your wine... bibilib ang mga kaibigan mo sa yo. but this would entail additional expense as you need to buy a decanter.

 

i hope i was able to contribute something with this long reply..

 

enjoy... live life! :cool:

[masi]

Masarap ba yung China wines? Mura sila. Siguro lasang champoy.

 

The most traditional and popular Chinese wine is know as ShaoShing. It is rice wine. It is usually served warm.

 

It is decanted in a small container which is dipped in warm water.

 

It is served in cupitas.

 

Depending on your host, sometimes ShaoShing is mixed with either, slices of ginger, slices of lemon, a few piece of kiamon, or crystalize sugar. These ingredients can either be mixed in the decanter or in each cupita.

 

If you are invited to a chinese banquet you are expected to drink with everyone in the table, bottoms up. This is quite an experience.

 

Of course like any other wine there is regular ShaoShing and really expensive ShaoShing. 1 bottle could be more expensive than a bottle of Dom Perignon or Johnnie Walker Blue Label.

[obiwan662003]

My sister highly recommends a california wine that made good during one of the wine tasting conventions in Europe. It costs only two dollars hence it's called two-buck chuck.

[bods1000]

thank you bods...you're so good to me  

 

the show will be on November just in time for the coming Holiday Season. It will be a double purpose visit for me since i am also going to do some sourcing for my gift baskets business.

 

mixing business with pleasure :upside:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

you've always been good gracing the pages of the Thread

do share some tidbits about that November wine show, ok?

 

Business with pleasure is always the best mix!

Cheers!

have a nice week.....

[freakish]

My sister highly recommends a california wine that made good during one of the wine tasting conventions in Europe. It costs only two dollars hence it's called two-buck chuck.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

is that really the name, two-buck chuck? who's the maker? i'm interested coz the gourmet food and wine show i'm going to will feature wines from california region so might as well check that out...hmmnnn interesting name though :cool:

[bods1000]

This is  a good thread.  Also, maybe we should involve our girlfriends/wives in wines, and help them appreciate wines too.  But it is hard for me to explain the finer points of wine to them since I am not that knowledgable.  It is also good if we had a WEB (wine eye ball) instead of a SEB. 

 

It should be an orgasmic experience for them too. Besides, wine is more romantic than getting your date drunk on San Mig Light.  If only champagne was cheap I'd be drinking it all the time.

 

Ako din naman, I drink what tastes good to me -- whatever vintage, whatever, year from nearly every country except China.  I know what I don't like - table wines and mixed wines which taste like sour grape juice.

 

Masarap ba yung China wines?  Mura sila.  Siguro lasang champoy.  :boo:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

ccl says it tastes like cough syrup, and I take his word for it

[bods1000]

I am a wine person - curious...  are there any good ones from Manila?  I prefer reds - shiraz being my favorite.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

there are some good wines available here ....if shiraz is your preference, Bin 555 from Wyndham Estate is readily available off grocery shelves and it's quite good at its price point..an obscure shiraz - Moss Brothers - is not readily available but i heard it's a bloody ripper of a wine...

[bods1000]

there is no such thing as starting late nor early when it comes to wine.  it is an appreciation of life and living, get your wife, husband, boyfriend, girlfriend and friends into wine.

 

i started more than 10 years ago and i was clueless.  try starting by buying reasonably priced wines.  Wines from Chile are reasonable.  Ranging from 250 to 500 per bottle (and this would be top end).  I started out by reading about how to taste wines, what flavors to look for, is it dry or sweet, its texture, its boquet (the smell).  Also try appreciating 1 type of grape at a time like cabernet sauvignon, merlot, or pinot.  Try to master the smell of this grape variety before you take on a different grape type. 

 

some tips... make sure the bottle and wine glasses are clean.  once you uncork it observe the cork...look at the color at the tip (red or almost violet to black) dont smell the cork.  you dont get anything from the cork. pour a little in a glass then twirl the glass, this allows air to mix.  then smell it and figure out what you smell..

 

then take a small sip and wet your entire tongue and gums. swallow the wine then inhale some air through the mouth.  then identify the flavors in your tongue.

 

it is also good that you let an open bottle "breathe" for about 15 minutes before you serve it.  it allows air to mix with your wine and all the flavors come out.

 

if you dont have time, you can "decant" your wine... bibilib ang mga kaibigan mo sa yo.  but this would entail additional expense as you need to buy a decanter.

 

i hope i was able to contribute something with this long reply..

 

enjoy... live life! :cool:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

pare I'm amazed - not only are you a cigar fancier - you are one bloody wine enthusiast! Thanks for the contributions - you couldn't have demonstrated the finer points of wine better!

[bods1000]

Masarap ba yung China wines?  Mura sila.  Siguro lasang champoy. 

 

The most traditional and popular Chinese wine is know as ShaoShing.  It is rice wine.  It is usually served warm.

 

It is decanted in a small container which is dipped in warm water.

 

It is served in cupitas.

 

Depending on your host, sometimes ShaoShing is mixed with either, slices of ginger, slices of lemon, a few piece of kiamon, or crystalize sugar.  These ingredients can either be mixed in the decanter or in each cupita.

 

If you are invited to a chinese banquet you are expected to drink with everyone in the table, bottoms up.    This is quite an experience.

 

Of course like any other wine there is regular ShaoShing and really expensive ShaoShing.  1 bottle could be more expensive than a bottle of Dom Perignon or Johnnie Walker Blue Label.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I once saw a cabernet sauvignon Chinese wine once and I was surprised - do they grow those grapes there? If so, I wondered about the Chinese's level of skill in winemaking.....Having pondered those questions, I decided to just view them as some curiosity - my money I wouldn't waste on them

[bods1000]

is that really the name, two-buck chuck? who's the maker? i'm interested coz the gourmet food and wine show i'm going to will feature wines from california region so might as well check that out...hmmnnn interesting name though :cool:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

hello there!

ok here's the lowdown on Two-Buck Chuck...

 

The formal name of the wine is Charles Shaw wine and it comes in several varietals- shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. It's called Two-Buck Chuck because it sells for only $1.99 at Trader Joe's stores across the US. Actually the price varies from $1.99 to $3.99, depending on location.

Charles Shaw is an easy-drinking table wine sold exclusively at Trader Joe's stores. For it's humble price, the buzz is that it's quite passable and good...

[Spurt]

Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou 2001

hey, bods... wassup.... we got new wines on the list, is it ok to share, i'm not so sure if anyone is distributing it here na. just got back from hk.

ano? busy busy no? hey, i've read the post above, is it ok to decanter wines?

 

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[masi]

my take on decanting wines is that its alright when you do not have time to let the wine breathe especially when entertaining guest and you suddenly have to open another bottle.

 

decanting would make the wine anonymous.

 

i think decanting is a personal choice... just like when smoking a cigar, whether to keep the band or remove it.

[Headroom]

Welcome to the thread, pare!

Well I do think that wine cannot be priced here very high - that's in order to capture the market - which here is still predominantly beer and spirits oriented.

I myself cannot sell my wines equal to their retail prices in Oz because I can see that if I will do that I will be pricing my wines beyond the reach of the otherwise clueless winebuyers here. From what country are you, if you don't mind?

 

The tendency to sell cheap here leads to the presence of cheap (in the sense of awful) wines which flood the market. I'm sure if a wine is good, there is a market here for even those expensive wines. My top-of-the-line wine - yun pa ang unang nauubos sa akin because I have a devoted clientele who always awaits every vintage of that wine.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Hi there Mate,

 

I am an Aussie - have been working here for a number of years.

 

Grew up drinking wine as it was on our dinner table almost every night and as I grew up in an Australian town that has the same climate as Manila when my parents built a house they included a large cold room to store their wines in. They are also shareholders in several winerys throughout Australia.

 

Means I always have a number of good wine sessions with my Dad when I go home for holidays.

 

Agree with the fact that you would price yourself out of the local market if you charged Australian retail prices here. What Australian wine are you selling in Manila?

 

Speaking of awful wines I was at a wine and cheese night a couple of weeks ago and tried one from Russia - no good at all.

[Headroom]

The old Two Buck Chuck sounds like what we call goon in Australia.

 

Cheap wines that come in 5 litre casks - good for table wine if you are not right into wine and also good when you are a poor university students as it is a cheap way to get drunk - about the equivalent of Pesos 500.