Wine

[Kimozz]

With so many producers and varieties,

I always wonder how do those professional Sommelier remember all of these. Especially Les Amis Group which carries a huge wine selection of different vintages.

 

[GY_Ren]

oh that's great. which ones did you get and for how much?

sorry.... forgot about the brands but one is from Australia ($95+/-) while another one is from new zealand ($65+/-). both are small bottles at 375ml. the staff recommended me these two, her name is Cindy, IIRC....

 

[Kimozz]

I like the idea of New World vs Old World (similar varietals from both old and new world go head to head) for the next gathering.

So probably it would be like NZ Sauvignon Blanc go heads up again a Sancerre Blanc? for example.

 

[ducklegsux]

searching for a bottle

hello guys, anyone knows where can i buy Château Le Crock Saint-Estèphe 05 off the shelf? had this a few times and liking it a lot. If can advise the price that would be best =P

thanks in advance

 

[ikileo]

hello guys, anyone knows where can i buy Château Le Crock Saint-Estèphe 05 off the shelf? had this a few times and liking it a lot. If can advise the price that would be best =P

thanks in advance

hi where did u first buy/drink this wine?

 

[Kimozz]

Just had a Eugene Klipfel Gewurztraminer 2009 from Alsace.

Generally it was bright yellow in colour, with very nice floral aroma, a hint of sweetness but I couldn't exactly identify what fruits I could pick up on my tongue. How do you get your tongue to pick up those flavours???

 

[ikileo]

Just had a Eugene Klipfel Gewurztraminer 2009 from Alsace.

Generally it was bright yellow in colour, with very nice floral aroma, a hint of sweetness but I couldn't exactly identify what fruits I could pick up on my tongue. How do you get your tongue to pick up those flavours???

u got that from wine connection?

picking up flavours takes practice. lots of it. it is a skill set. it's when your brain can pick up the flavours through focusing on the flavours and know what you are tasting. if you've never had cassis before, how would you know what cassis tastes like even though other people describe it as such. so you have to go out there to really taste and smell everything around you. and learn how to isolate those components in your head.

You can break it down to various components to make it easier to understand.

Flavour - This has 3 general parts, the initial attack, the mid-palate and the finish. Ideally there should be a variety of flavours that come up during these segments of tasting.

I assume you know the technique of tasting wine by sucking in some air while the wine is in your mouth so the volatile components of the wine will vaporize will go up your nasal passageway to get more flavours?

Body - This describes the weight and texture of the wine. It could be a light bodied, medium bodied, heavy bodied wine. It could have a smooth silky texture, it could have a thick viscous texture etc...

Acidity - This is the zing you get from the wine in your mouth that balances out the flavours. A wine with higher acidity tends to keep and age better in general.

Tannins - Mostly for red wines. Tannins are the phenolic components from the grape stems, seeds and skins. it also acts as a preservative for the wine that helps it age. A young wine may be very rough and tannic and dry in the mouth due to the tannins. As wine ages, the tannins will soften as it precipitates as sediment at the bottom of the bottle.

more info here. watch the full video for both of these videos. it's worth the time.

start from 2:34

 

[Kimozz]

Yup it was from wine connection.

A last minute decision to drop by there last night.
The wines look rather cheap but don't know if its value for money though!

I'm aware of the tasting technique by sucking in air. The only problem I have is picking up the flavors. Going to watch the video now and try out the method

 

[looiwte]

Sure! Hvn't get to go there yet. U prefer I get from u or to tott?

It's up to you, if it's not that convenient for you to go down to Tott then I can just bring one bott along for the next outing? Lemme know.

For the next outing, I'm ok with anything, they all sound pretty good.
Le Chasseur is fine as well, always wanted to try the place.

 

[ikileo]

Yup it was from wine connection.

A last minute decision to drop by there last night.
The wines look rather cheap but don't know if its value for money though!

I'm aware of the tasting technique by sucking in air. The only problem I have is picking up the flavors. Going to watch the video now and try out the method

wine connection has a decent selection at moderate prices. but my fave place because there are some hits and misses. not many big names but some hidden gems and producers that can be found there.

their wine selection, in my opinion, is clever because it targets the mainstream and casual wine drinks; and there is nothing wrong with that.

most people who drink/dine/chill at wine connection are there to relax and more of having the wine as a social lubricant rather than the focus of the evening. hence the wines there IMO are catered to a very mass appeal in terms of taste.

the flavours are very appealing and overall delicious for several of the wines, but it's all in a similar fashion. most of their wines (reds) are in that fruit forward category, because it's more palatable for those who don't drink wine that often.

doesn't mean they are bad wines, these are decent wines to pretty good wines that give lots of pleasure. the down side for me is that i don't get variation of flavours and differences in wine making styles. the wines are mostly made in a modern international style that is easier to approach.

that being said, i do go there from time to time to get something. 2 days ago i was there to pick up a Chateau Pesquie bottle. They are producers from the Ventoux region in the rhone valley and had their Cote du Ventoux wines to match with some yakitori i had later in the evening. it went very well together. It cost me all of $32.

 

[lousylah]

2007 Saint-Émilion

i had the pleasure to sample a 2007 Saint-Émilion brought by a french colleague during a CNY gathering. unfortunately i can't remember the château.

i'm a noob to wine and i mostly stick to whites as i have gotten wrong so many times with random reds (mostly australian) at restaurants, bars and from the supermarkets.

however i could taste the difference with the first sip from the three bottles of french merlot the host was serving prior to the Saint-Émilion. i found the taste and flavour to be very balanced. even the other french guest enjoyed it and he commented on how 2007 was a good vintage for Bordeaux wines.

i am hooked and have been craving for that taste and flavour since.

just like to share with the pros here my noob experience.

 

[Kimozz]

Very interesting video you shared there Ikileo.

Just wondering why the guy bought those fruit compote/jams and not the fresh ones.

My friend did share this way of training the tastebud before. However, his was to pop the "ingredient" into a glass of water, let it soak for a while, then smell and take a sip to try and get the subtle flavor left in the water.

And yea I noticed the wine list they got, all seems to be the very approachable, targeting the mass market style of wine.

 

[ikileo]

Very interesting video you shared there Ikileo.

Just wondering why the guy bought those fruit compote/jams and not the fresh ones.

My friend did share this way of training the tastebud before. However, his was to pop the "ingredient" into a glass of water, let it soak for a while, then smell and take a sip to try and get the subtle flavor left in the water.

And yea I noticed the wine list they got, all seems to be the very approachable, targeting the mass market style of wine.

I believe he mentioned that it was a cheaper option. You can buy the real fruit and do it if you like; I have done it before. But not everyone may want to fork out that extra cash for it.

The water thing works fine, so depending on what you like and what works for you, just do it.

 

[ikileo]

i had the pleasure to sample a 2007 Saint-Émilion brought by a french colleague during a CNY gathering. unfortunately i can't remember the château.

i'm a noob to wine and i mostly stick to whites as i have gotten wrong so many times with random reds (mostly australian) at restaurants, bars and from the supermarkets.

however i could taste the difference with the first sip from the three bottles of french merlot the host was serving prior to the Saint-Émilion. i found the taste and flavour to be very balanced. even the other french guest enjoyed it and he commented on how 2007 was a good vintage for Bordeaux wines.

i am hooked and have been craving for that taste and flavour since.

just like to share with the pros here my noob experience.

that’s great. Actually now with technology just snap a picture of the stuff u drink. I write down my tasting notes and record them online (via www.cellartracker.com) because it helps me track what I have drunk before, what I liked, what I disliked, which regions I have been focusing on and which regions I can l can look forward to trying.

What have your negative experiences been with reds so far in general? Too dry and tannic? A good portion of red wines (and good white wines too) need a portion of time to breathe before they show themselves. A good wine straight out of the bottle would probably not taste as good versus if it had been decanted or left to air for a while (half and hour to 24 hours even!)

Actually I hate to be a deal breaker but the 07 vintage in bordeaux was considered not one of the better vintages, especially in between better years like ’05 and ‘09/’10. But then again st emilion fared a little better in ’07 and produced pretty good wines. And this is a great example of how ‘rules’ or ‘pre-conceived notions’ versus actually tasting and following your palate and differ.

The ‘experts’ say 07 is not the best vintage, meant for early drink and not for the long haul. But you have enjoyed that wine and ‘crave’ it so. And if it gives you pleasure then good for you.

What are the other whites you have enjoyed thus far? And don’t discount your experience as a ‘noob’ versus ‘pros’. We are all noobs here in the grand scheme of things. The wine world is huge and you can learn everything within your lifetime.

 

[Condor]

I should be going. Anyone?

 

[xiao_bear_bear]

hi ppl any recommendations for wine as wedding gifts?

 

[ikileo]

i will always check with myself or whoever what your budget is, is there a certain type you are looking for? (red, white, sweet, sparkling etc...) any specific style of wine you want?

these questions will help narrow down your selection.

 

[ikileo]

more temptations from Grand Vin:

http://library.constantcontact.com/...2674675-406/Wine+Offer+-+More+Great+Wines.pdf

 

[lousylah]

What are the other whites you have enjoyed thus far? And don’t discount your experience as a ‘noob’ versus ‘pros’. We are all noobs here in the grand scheme of things. The wine world is huge and you can learn everything within your lifetime.

i mostly stick to moscato or german rieslings. stuff i can share with the ladies.

i have enjoyed not bad chardonnay from australia/nz. sauvignon blanc now and then.

not very adventurous as you can guess.

 

[ikileo]

those sound delicious.

what type of wines or varietals or countries do you think you would like to explore more?