Wine

[MuthuCurry]

guys...we should have another wine session!

the theme i would like to propose is: "Wines from countries/regions/varietals that you've never had"

you cool with that?

does this mean that i need to start making my own wine? confirmed tt noone had tt b4!!

 

[ikileo]

does this mean that i need to start making my own wine? confirmed tt noone had tt b4!!

lol...i think i'll pass....

 

[a562140]

what will keep this thread going is "cheap and good wines on offer at supermarket" or something like that.

 

[ikileo]

what will keep this thread going is "cheap and good wines on offer at supermarket" or something like that.

yes that would be popular, however i can't guarantee that we will visit a supermarket everyday to stake out the deals.

i envisioned a forum for both noobs and wine enthusiasts to take part in good wine discussions. if you have seen, we frequently update this thread with deals we see in wine stores ranging from $20s, $30 up to higher price points.

so i hope people can showcase the wines they've tried that have good deals for the benefit of all the people who visit this forum. i know where are many lurkers around.

Speaking of deals, i just bought a 2011 Jim Barry Watervale Riesling from the Clare Valley, Australia. I got it from Bottles & Bottles at Tampines One earlier this evening to have for dinner tonight. It was an affordable $31. This watervale riesling was actually meant for their domestic market so I dunno how that got out of australia.

Like many clare valley rieslings, this had a nice mix of fruit but overall a dry riesling. note of white fruit, acacia flower, ginger, lots of minerals. Very aromatic and worked well with seafood and stewed chicken. I even had this with a bittersweet chocolate cake from Rive Gauche, it worked pretty well.

I like this effort from Jim Barry. Although Petaluma Clare Valley riesling was a bit better but it's more expensive. u should try it.

 

[looiwte]

guys...we should have another wine session!

the theme i would like to propose is: "Wines from countries/regions/varietals that you've never had"

you cool with that?

Welcome back! Your experience of wine abstinence sounds meaningful, in a Zen way heh, take one step back to go three steps further.

So... wines we've personally haven't had, or something the whole group haven't had?

Btw, was at this Greek restaurant Blu Kouzina, along Bkt Timah Rd, a few weeks back, nice Mediterranean food! One good thing is that they have Greek wines priced reasonably - most are about $40-$60 - so you can try stuff like Assyrtiko, Xinomavro etc native Greek varietals.

 

[MuthuCurry]

what will keep this thread going is "cheap and good wines on offer at supermarket" or something like that.

Maybe we should define what is "cheap"(probably at the price range $30 - $40), which good or daily /casual drinking. IMO, this px range will probably have more choices but always happy if someone uncover cheaper option!

 

[ikileo]

Welcome back! Your experience of wine abstinence sounds meaningful, in a Zen way heh, take one step back to go three steps further.

So... wines we've personally haven't had, or something the whole group haven't had?

Btw, was at this Greek restaurant Blu Kouzina, along Bkt Timah Rd, a few weeks back, nice Mediterranean food! One good thing is that they have Greek wines priced reasonably - most are about $40-$60 - so you can try stuff like Assyrtiko, Xinomavro etc native Greek varietals.

The abstinence thing is pretty good cos it helped me focus on what is impt in my life (which isn't wine)

For the theme it should be wines that we personally haven't had. Ideally it should be major regions that we haven't had rather than really small appellations.

I have heard good things bout the greek place but javent tried considering how near i live to the place. Greeks are more known for their whites.

 

[ikileo]

Maybe we should define what is "cheap"(probably at the price range $30 - $40), which good or daily /casual drinking. IMO, this px range will probably have more choices but always happy if someone uncover cheaper option!

yeah and that's fine. i'm hoping more people can share their 'lobangs' so that the people visiting this forum can benefit and go out to buy.

like the jim barry i just had this evening was well priced at $31.

 

[ikileo]

Was at Gattopardo at Fort Canning Hotel for my pre-birthday dinner with my gf. Lovely Sicilian cuisine. I brought a white and a half bottle of red. Sicilian cuisine is more seafood based hence the biasness towards the white.

2009 Shaw + Smith Chardonnay M3 Vineyard, Adelaide Hills, Australia
2004 Vina Fuentenarro Reserva, Ribera del Duero, Spain

The chard was very nice both on the nose and palate. The oak was gentle and subtle while showcasing the lovely fruits of the chardonnay fruit. Good restraint and elegance; truly one of the best known chard producers in Australia. It is generally priced around the $50+ range but well worth it. It went well with a whole range of seafood, salads and pastas.

The Spanish wine was bought by my gf 2 years back during her trip to spain. 2004 was a very good vintage for the region and it showed in the wine. Matured in French oak for 2 years, this is the higher end wine from this producer. 100% tempranillo and the nose was classic and telltale. The toast and chocolate from the oak came through but the wine was still very primary and very young. This needs a lot of age but too bad it’s my only bottle and it can’t be found in SG. This paired with a rich lamb shank.

Had a food and wine coma after dinner last night. Went home and crashed for 2 hours, before waking up to shower then crashing again!

 

[Kimozz]

Had the same bottle of Shaw Smith Chardonnay before as well. I must agree its a very beautiful bottle of wine.

Looks like you have been drinking quite a lot these few days. Haha.

 

[ikileo]

Yep birthday week a lot of wine sia....

Will post notes soon. Just concluded my belated birthday dinner at home with friends. I cooked the good and brought the wines. My friend brought one also

 

[stayhappy21]

Welcome back! Your experience of wine abstinence sounds meaningful, in a Zen way heh, take one step back to go three steps further.

So... wines we've personally haven't had, or something the whole group haven't had?

Btw, was at this Greek restaurant Blu Kouzina, along Bkt Timah Rd, a few weeks back, nice Mediterranean food! One good thing is that they have Greek wines priced reasonably - most are about $40-$60 - so you can try stuff like Assyrtiko, Xinomavro etc native Greek varietals.

Hi, sorry I joined this thread late.. Like many of you here I am a wine lover.. Too bad I missed the Bordeaux tasting session.. But I would like to join in for future tastings.. How about stating both a theme and a price for future tastings, and make it a little more specific? Like South American wines for under $50, or Chardonnays between $30 to $50 kind of tasting?

 

[ikileo]

yeah we can do that. usually we have always stated a price range so as to minimize people bringing in plonk but yet able to enjoy other people's nice wines.

we can even have value sessions where we bring wines we think over deliver on the price and costs under $40 etc...

currently the wine theme i had proposed was wines from regions we've never had before, as I would like for all the participants to try wines are far and wide as possible. but we can always have other themes.

 

[stayhappy21]

Great! Pls count me in!

 

[ikileo]

sure thing!

just to recap on the stuff i drank:

Tuesday @ gattopardo:
- 2009 Shaw + Smith M3 Vineyard Chardonnay
- 2004 Vina Fuentenarro Reserva

Thursday @ Zeffir - I was invited to join a tasting group also. At their inaugural tasting, the theme was "non-burgundy pinot noirs and they were served blind.

Aperitif:
- NV Fournier Cremant de Bourgogne Blanc des Blancs (sparkling chardonnay from burgundy)
- NV Guy Charlemagne Champagne Rose Brut

Flight 1:
- 2009 Domaine des Salices, Languedoc, France
- 2008 De Loach Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, USA

Flight 2:
- 2009 Secano Estate Pinot Noir, Leyda Valley, Chile
- 2009 Bindi Original Vineyard Pinot Noir, Victoria, Australia (mine)

Flight 3:
- 2007 Furst Spatburgunder Centgrafenberg, Franken, Germany
- 2006 J.Hofstatter Riserva Mazon Pinot Ner0, Alto Adige, Italy

Flight 4:
- 2006 Tenua Mazzolino Pinot Nero Oltrepo Pavese, Lombardy, Italy
- 2006 Mount Marry Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia

Flight 5:
- 2006 Weniger Pinot Noir, Kaikofen, Burgenland, Austria

My faves were mine and the german one.


Saturday Post Birthday Dinner @ My House:
- 2001 Nyetimber Blanc des Blancs (British sparkling wine)
- 2010 Donnhoff Riesling QBA, Nahe, Germany
- 2000 D'Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia
- 1990 Castello di Monsanto NEMO Cabernet Sauvignon, Tuscany, Italy
- 2009 Celler Pinol Josefina Dulce (Spanish red dessert wine made from Grenache grapes)

I am wined out as of last week...have to abstain for a while....

 

[MuthuCurry]

sure thing!

just to recap on the stuff i drank:

Tuesday @ gattopardo:
- 2009 Shaw + Smith M3 Vineyard Chardonnay
- 2004 Vina Fuentenarro Reserva

Thursday @ Zeffir - I was invited to join a tasting group also. At their inaugural tasting, the theme was "non-burgundy pinot noirs and they were served blind.

Aperitif:
- NV Fournier Cremant de Bourgogne Blanc des Blancs (sparkling chardonnay from burgundy)
- NV Guy Charlemagne Champagne Rose Brut

Flight 1:
- 2009 Domaine des Salices, Languedoc, France
- 2008 De Loach Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, USA

Flight 2:
- 2009 Secano Estate Pinot Noir, Leyda Valley, Chile
- 2009 Bindi Original Vineyard Pinot Noir, Victoria, Australia (mine)

Flight 3:
- 2007 Furst Spatburgunder Centgrafenberg, Franken, Germany
- 2006 J.Hofstatter Riserva Mazon Pinot Ner0, Alto Adige, Italy

Flight 4:
- 2006 Tenua Mazzolino Pinot Nero Oltrepo Pavese, Lombardy, Italy
- 2006 Mount Marry Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia

Flight 5:
- 2006 Weniger Pinot Noir, Kaikofen, Burgenland, Austria

My faves were mine and the german one.


Saturday Post Birthday Dinner @ My House:
- 2001 Nyetimber Blanc des Blancs (British sparkling wine)
- 2010 Donnhoff Riesling QBA, Nahe, Germany
- 2000 D'Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia
- 1990 Castello di Monsanto NEMO Cabernet Sauvignon, Tuscany, Italy
- 2009 Celler Pinol Josefina Dulce (Spanish red dessert wine made from Grenache grapes)

I am wined out as of last week...have to abstain for a while....

Wah, jus wondering if u were having bday party or wine party... Maybe u shld extend the bday celebration for a few more wks, so tt we can celebrate with you and shower u with lotsa wines!! Hehe.

 

[reign]

YA!!! We can come! If u need us to help to clear the bottles.

 

[ikileo]

haha...my birthday was on the 11th. On 10th celebrated with gf. on the 11th celebrated with family and gf (but that one no wine), 12th was the pinot dinner then 14th was the last one at my house.

this week i will take a break. also this weekend is the Wine and Spirits Asia convention at expo.

 

[reign]

this weekend is the Wine and Spirits Asia convention at expo.

Is it for trade only?

 

[ikileo]

yeah should be trade. i have a pass for the FHA so i dunno if that includes WSA