WineXpert Old world and new world wines

[markb1983]

What are your top 5 favorite old and new world wines?

 

[garymc]

Looks like this question is just as hard for everybody else to answer as it is for me.

 

[sour_grapes]

Three questions:

(1) By "wines," do you mean varietals or particular vintners/vintages? I.e., "Cabernet Franc" vs. "2009 Domaine de la Noblaie Chinon"? (I have never had that wine, it is just an example.)


(2) By "new-world wine," do you mean a new-world grape varietal, or can we include old-world varietals grown in the new world?

(3) Why don't you go first?

 

[markb1983]

Old World

1) Amarone, no way around it. The flavor, complexity is indescribable.
2) Barolo. Something about a dark chewy heavy red complementing great food.
3) Sangovese, Either in a blend or alone.
4 French Bordeaux, There is something about a good quality French wine.
5) Port. I love port. Ruby, tawny, it doesn’t matter. I could drink it daily in a normal wine glass… and I do 

New World
1) Zinfandel. I love a fruity light wine as a table wine.
2) Cabernet Sauvignon. I love the oaky flavor as well as the complexity.
3) Syrah. I am not sure why, I just enjoy a glass 
4) Pinot Noir, Smooth and easy drinking
5) Ill toss in a white, sauv blanc. Its hard to beat a good crisp white wine on a hot summer day



Now what reccomendations do any of you have to expand my taste!

 

[Boatboy24]

Now what reccomendations do any of you have to expand my taste!

Well, you have a fairly comprehensive list there. But here are some of my "not on your list" faves:

Carmenere - can be big and chewy, like a good cab
Tempranillo - lighther, but solid. Good fruit. Like Pinot Noir though, there is a lot of garbage in the lower price ranges.
Torrontes - Not a ton out there. Floral and crisp.
Malbec - Great all-around red. Good fruit and typically good structure.
Viognier - another good white. Can be quite floral with tropical and stone fruit, sometimes honey and citrus.

 

[SouthernChemist]

Old World (in no particular order):

1) Bordeaux blend
2) Cotes du Rhone
3) Chablis
4) Super Tuscan blends
5) Malbec from Cahors

New World (again, in no particular order):

1) Syrah/Shiraz
2) Viognier
3) Cabernet Sauvignon
4) Zinfandel
5) Pinot Noir

 

[sour_grapes]

Not a lot new from me, but here goes:



New World (I principally drink wine from the Americas):
1) Zinfandel. (Mark, you characterize this as "light." I tend to enjoy big, bold Zins, with tar as well as fruit.)
2) Cabs, Merlots, and Meritages
3) Malbec
4) Carmenere
5) Viognier (not that I don't like a nice Chard, too!)

Old World (I drink very little old-world wine.):
1) Bordeaux blend. (My problem is that, at my price point, these are not very good! Beyond my price point, of course, they are much improved!)
2) Rhone, both north and south (St. Joseph and Chateauneuf-du-Pape especially)
3) Gruener Veltliner
4) Blaufrankisch
5) An easy-drinking Dornfelder

 

[markb1983]

I was reading about french wines in wine enthusiasts I believe. The article states that the best wines are still from France. I'm not quite sure how Italy isn't number 1.

What do you guys think of de'nero avola, or montepulciano???

Do any of you guys have a "must have wine" in your cellar?

 

[Gwand]

I don't believe there is a best. Some many wonderful varietals and styles. Vineyard, weather and wine maker are key. The Italian wines are so food friendly. More so than even the best French wines! IMHO. However I also love French wine too.

Old World reds
Burgundy- cannot afford the great ones except special occasions
Northern Rhone Syrah - also a rare treat. Try an aged Hermitage. Yikes!
Brunello
Many traditional Bordeauxs that have not succumbed to American style.
Barbera, Nero d' Avola and Noble Montepulciano

New World reds
Argentinian Malbec
N American Zin
Some California Cabs

But I also love Southern Rhones, many Spanish varietals, not to mention German Rieslings.

I guess I just love good wine. And there is so much out there.

 

[markb1983]

What is behind creating an expensive wine. I was in my local wine shop and looked at a 5,000.00 dollar bottle of wine. What makes it cost so much? ? Natural I picked up a case =)

 

[markb1983]

Are there any kits that could produce a good burgundy wine?

 

[Gwand]

What is behind creating an expensive wine. I was in my local wine shop and looked at a 5,000.00 dollar bottle of wine. What makes it cost so much? ? Natural I picked up a case =)

Supply and demand, hype, important wine reviewers liking it and absolute quality - usually.

 

[markb1983]

Soooo does Boones farm have a chance if the demand goes up?

 

[sour_grapes]

Are there any kits that could produce a good burgundy wine?

Well, this year WE had a Limited Edition of Oregon Pinot Noir. You might still find a box of that somewhere. (Oregon Pinot is generally considered to be done in the Burgundian style.)

 

[markb1983]

Seriously, I learn more and more about wine everyday on here =) I didn't know that

 

[REDRUM]

I haven't drunk enough 'old world' wines to do this justice but from what I've tried I enjoy southern Rhone red blends, Mosel riesling, Rioja tempranillo, and some good Italian reds ... incuding nero d'avola from Sicily, nebbiolo from Piemonte (but can't afford Barolo!) and Tuscan sangiovese...

The Aussie wines I like most include old vine shiraz & grenache from the Barossa & McLaren Vale, cabernet sauvignon from the Coonawarra or Margaret River, Clare Valley riesling... some good sangiovese, montepulciano, fiano and other Italian & S European varieties around too.

 

[Rocky]

Interesting subject. I don't buy a lot of wine any longer, having developed a major case of "cellar palate" and preferring my own wine. When I do buy wine, e.g. when traveling or out to dinner, I like some of the following:

Brunello di Montalcino
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Vernaccia di San Gimingnano (white)
Nero D'Avola
Barolo

... and just to prove I can drink wines from countries other than Italy, Chateau Margaux.

 

[Gwand]

Interesting subject. I don't buy a lot of wine any longer, having developed a major case of "cellar palate" and preferring my own wine. When I do buy wine, e.g. when traveling or out to dinner, I like some of the following:

Brunello di Montalcino
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Vernaccia di San Gimingnano (white)
Nero D'Avola
Barolo

... and just to prove I can drink wines from countries other than Italy, Chateau Margaux.

Great list Rocky. You mention Château Margaux. Someone in the thread asked what makes for a very expensive wine and I gave my humble opinion.

On my birthday in 1999 I bought myself a bottle of 1996 Château Margaux. I think I spent about $75 at the time. It is in my cellar aging. Now it seems to be worth close to $1000 a bottle. I'm sure the wine does not taste any better just because it is $1000 a bottle versus 75 I paid for it originally, even if I take into account the amount of time the wine has aged. The high-quality wine business is full of paradoxes.

 

[SouthernChemist]

What is behind creating an expensive wine. I was in my local wine shop and looked at a 5,000.00 dollar bottle of wine. What makes it cost so much? ? Natural I picked up a case =)

I generally think of price not as a reflection of quality (though the two can go along with each other) but more a reflection of things like quantity and supply. Good example is Viognier from the Condrieu AOC. The grapevines tend to yield less than other clones of Viognier, and geographically the AOC is pretty small. Wines from the Chateu-Grillet AOC (located within Condrieu) are produced from less than 10 acres of grapevines, The end result is that a relatively small number of cases of wine are produced each year, and it's expensive. Supposedly it is great wine, though.

 

[sour_grapes]

Great list Rocky. You mention Château Margaux. Someone in the thread asked what makes for a very expensive wine and I gave my humble opinion.

On my birthday in 1999 I bought myself a bottle of 1996 Château Margaux. I think I spent about $75 at the time. It is in my cellar aging. Now it seems to be worth close to $1000 a bottle. I'm sure the wine does not taste any better just because it is $1000 a bottle versus 75 I paid for it originally, even if I take into account the amount of time the wine has aged. The high-quality wine business is full of paradoxes.

Okay, I have to ask: sell it or drink it?