Wine

[ikileo]

recently went to a lunch and drink a sweet sparkling wine or champagne (not sure is which) it has fizz in it and taste quite good with a light alcohol taste. anyone can intro me something that is sweet or semi sweet with not strong alcohol taste sparkling wine? something that i can get from cold storage maybe? for my family on cny eve dinner..

is moscato a sparkling wine?

hey sorry for the late reply.

moscato is both the name of a grape variety and also a type of wine.
most commonly known internationally as a light freshingly sweet white wine.

It is usually, semi sparkling. the most commonly available ones and well know are Moscato d'Asti, meaning Moscato wines from the 'Asti' region in northern italy. there the soils, temperature and micro climate are suited to make the best styles of Moscato.

Moscato is made in many other countries like australia and american and the australian ones in sg are the most commonly available. but italian moscato d'asti are best in terms of production although they can be marginally a teeny bit more expensive.


as to whether sparkling or non sparkling, on the australian labels, they will say Sparkling Moscato like the brand Wolf Blass or Jacobs Creek, so it's quite straight forward.

most Moscato d'Asti from italy that are available in Singapore are semi-sparkling of 'Frizzante' as they would say in italian. that means it's not as effervescent as say a champagne or a sparkling wine but there are still bubbles and refreshing enough. there are some styles of moscato d'asti in italy that are sparkling and they will say 'Spumante' on the label, which means sparkling.

Depending on your budget and your guests, while stuff like the supermarket labels are easy and cheap, if you want something top notch and really good quality you can check out this local importer. I'm not involved in the business so i'm not advertising, just giving a recco. I bought 6 bottles of his moscato (he has 2 types) and my guests are guzzling it down like crazy. but they're all really well made.

you can check out my other thread i started on moscato and find out more info there:

http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/e...][wot]-moscato-recomendation-dec-4491195.html

 

[ikileo]

to all HWZers, what was your wine/beverage as you celebrated 2014?

i have been ill for the past week so nothing for me. haha...

 

[godchuanz]

Proseco and Pinot Noir!

 

[ikileo]

Do u recall the producers for the Prosecco and Pinot Noir?

 

[ikileo]

Casual session at Extra Space last evening (17th Jan 2014). The HWZ first session of 2013.

Delicious pizza from EXTRA VIRGIN, Arnold Fried Chicken and Roasted meats from Clementi.

Line-up (L-R)
2008 Pepper Tree Limited Release Semillon, Hunter Valley, Australia (semillon grapes)

NV '68' Sorelle Bronca Particella Prosecco Superiore, Valdobbiadene, Italy (90% Glera 5% Bianchetta, 5% Perera grapes)

2012 Torre Dei Beati "Giocheremo con I Fiori Pecorino", Abruzzo, Italy (pecorino grapes)

2012 Domaine de l'Hortus Grande Cuvee Blanc, Pic Saint Loup, France (70% chardonnay, 30% viognier grapes)

2012 Pecchenino san luigi Dogliano, Dogliano, Italy (dolcetto grape)

2010 Pecchenino bricco Botti, Dogliano, Italy (dolcetto grape)

2004 Giorgio Pelissero Langhe Long Now, Piedmont, Italy (50% nebbiolo, 50% barbera)

2009 Weingut Joh. Hart Riesling Spatlese Piesporter Goldtropfchen, Mosel, Germany (riesling

 

[reign]

For those that are interested to join us for any outing. Just post your interest and we love to have you with us!

 

[SibehEng]

hey sorry for the late reply.

moscato is both the name of a grape variety and also a type of wine.
most commonly known internationally as a light freshingly sweet white wine.

It is usually, semi sparkling. the most commonly available ones and well know are Moscato d'Asti, meaning Moscato wines from the 'Asti' region in northern italy. there the soils, temperature and micro climate are suited to make the best styles of Moscato.

Moscato is made in many other countries like australia and american and the australian ones in sg are the most commonly available. but italian moscato d'asti are best in terms of production although they can be marginally a teeny bit more expensive.


as to whether sparkling or non sparkling, on the australian labels, they will say Sparkling Moscato like the brand Wolf Blass or Jacobs Creek, so it's quite straight forward.

most Moscato d'Asti from italy that are available in Singapore are semi-sparkling of 'Frizzante' as they would say in italian. that means it's not as effervescent as say a champagne or a sparkling wine but there are still bubbles and refreshing enough. there are some styles of moscato d'asti in italy that are sparkling and they will say 'Spumante' on the label, which means sparkling.

Depending on your budget and your guests, while stuff like the supermarket labels are easy and cheap, if you want something top notch and really good quality you can check out this local importer. I'm not involved in the business so i'm not advertising, just giving a recco. I bought 6 bottles of his moscato (he has 2 types) and my guests are guzzling it down like crazy. but they're all really well made.

you can check out my other thread i started on moscato and find out more info there:

http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/e...][wot]-moscato-recomendation-dec-4491195.html

thanks for the detail explanation.. might be buying 1 bottle to try first, so far only saw moscato from cold storage priced ard 25+ if i rmb..although looking through cold storage website realised it was classified under wine instead of sparkling wine.. if its the sweet and refreshing taste then i am looking for then will buy a few bottle for my family reunion dinner..

 

[kaichee]

For those that are interested to join us for any outing. Just post your interest and we love to have you with us!

Count me in.

 

[ikileo]

Count me in.

you wanna PM me your mobile and name? I am checking with the group as to when is the next session and the theme. it will likely be in feb (after CNY)


maybe you can also let us know more about what kind of wines you like or have tried before?

 

[ikileo]

yup i agree with the note on clare valley in aus. their rieslings esp are really good. lots of good producers there and stylistically different from their german counterparts which i love as well. i'm stocked with grossets, petalumas, pewsey vales and a whole bunch more.

i've always wanted to do an aussie riesling taste off with lots of focus on clare and eden valley.

 

[ikileo]

very bontique i would say. eden valley i neh go. out of the way. let me psyco my frd lol. i dun drive nor have a car. cos have to see my frd interest to go there.

another reason to why i have a blind spot tasting on white is that i am very weak with sour bud. i like sour but i have no tolerance for it. slight dab of lemon can drive me crazy up n down. to me, all of them are just bitter like beer, sour like lemon.

do u hv a apps-chat group on wine?

yeah diff people have diff tolerance on key flavours. i'm in the food industry and my colleagues in the R&D depart do taste calibration to identify individual tolerance and sensitivity levels.

some are naturally more sensitive or tolerant towards sweet, salty, bitter, sour. i guess for you your sensitivity for sour is very high, so maybe thats why you prefer sweeter wines with less acid?


we have a group chat for the hwzers that are involved in the monthly meet up. that's about it. i take part in other wine forums but those are based in the US like cellartracker.

 

[ikileo]

oh...i rike ur comment on face thick thick join in for free tasting on plat. labels

i also jin thick face, netwk, tcss and get a free tasting on paid wines...

honestly, when i go cellardoors, i always ask for 30 ml wine. tasting not drinking sessions moi no like ATs and local aust college kids for that reason. damn ugly sight. they whack tasting until drunk cos it is free

it really depends on the type of winery in the various countries. some countries and wineries you have to make an appointment. i prefer those as it's more personal and you can take your time.

 

[ikileo]

Maybe in Aussie like that. Other countries so far in Italy and France. U pay for the tasting though but it's manageable. No purchase commitment.

 

[ikileo]

Penfolds makes a couple of higher cuvees. Which one are u looking at? The flagship is the Grange. But all of these need 1-2 decades for it to shine.

 

[ikileo]

IN tasting menu i think the older range is included. sorry i am not very good with names. memory issue. the paid tasting usually will include those very good ones

what does curvee means?

a cuvee (koo-vay) is a french term given to explain grades of wine by a producer, particularly differentiating between the different batches and vats

Cuvée - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


this translates into the different quality levels of wines.

for example Wolf Blass has many cuvees. ranging from their yellow/red label to grey, to black to platinum label. these are all individual cuvees.


in the Penfold's case, they too make a wide range of cuvees from the basic Kanoonga Hill to the ultra premium Grange and everything in between.

 

[ikileo]

had a good reunion dinner just. friend brought a bot of low price range good basic shiraz

amphora shiraz 2010. -- barrossa valley

I would have to say it is a fruitly shiraz, considered a medium body. very smooth to drink. Almost no tannin.
alot of currant/mulberry/cherry smell notes.
Claim to have american oak/ french oak notes, but TBH, i never quite differiate the oak from drinking. There is OAk notes. but i just not learnt enuff to differiate. it is almost like merlot minus away merlot distinctive vanilla, strong plum/prune and sweeter taste.

Best part, there wasnt any allergy tigger today so i managed to have 2 glasses. i would have whack the whole bot myself within 2 hrs if i was having it by myself. very smooth to drink and will go well with brie/creamy heavy cheese and quiche.

cellardoor cost price is 17aud, retail price in bottleshop is 32aud, but in singapore shud cost ard $50(personal guess) from wine shop.

it is actually smoother than jim barry [3 Little Pigs] for the same region shiraz and same year. so between JB n AMPhora, I will choose this amphora bottle.

A easy red wine / shiraz to drink for beginneer, a quiet alternative from wolf bass / brown brothers / Linndelmann/ deer valley

there is a difference between the 2 major types of oak. there's others like slovenian oak but it's not as well known as the american and french counter parts.

actually the vanillin note u get from the reds is not from the grape but from the oak itself. when the wine is oaked it doesn't mean you're supposed to taste the wood. if u do, then that's bad.

the best concise answer was given by a reply in the Wine Spectator column:

What's the difference between American oak and French oak for barrel-aged wines? | Ask Dr. Vinny | Wine Spectator

I like to refer to oak barrels as part of the metaphorical spice rack that vintners use to make a wine of their style. Barrels are made from oak trees grown all over the world, but the most popular barrels are made from oak trees grown in France or the United States.

Barrel-destined oak trees ideally grow in cool climates, which gives them a chance to mature slowly and develop a desirable tight grain. Most of the French oak for barrels comes from one of five forests, some of which were originally planted during Napoleonic times for shipbuilding. The main forests, mostly located in central France, are Allier, Limousin, Nevers, Tronçais and Vosges, and each is considered to have distinctive characteristics. When you order a barrel, you could very well specify from which forest you wish your barrel to be sourced.

On the other hand, American barrels aren’t typically distinguished by forest, and oak for barrels is grown in 18 different states, mostly in the Midwest and in the Appalachians, as well as Oregon. It’s estimated that the 5.2 billion white oak trees in the U.S. cover a total of about 235,000 square miles.

Keep in mind that there are a lot of variables when it comes to oak aging. Some producers use exclusively French or American barrels, while others mix it up. Even if a producer uses exclusively French or exclusively American barrels, there are other variables, such as different barrel producers, different levels of toast (the heating of the inside of the barrels), and mixing newer (and therefore stronger) with older (more neutral) barrels. Some winemakers might barrel-age their wines for only a few months, while others can go a couple of years or more.

Speaking in broad generalities, French oak barrels are typically more subtle and spicy, offering textures of satin or silk. American barrels tend to be stronger in flavor, often described as cream soda, vanilla, or coconut, resulting in wines with a more creamy texture.

the world of oak is huge as well because u start getting to the different subspecies of American/French oak, toast level and the quality of the barrel-makers (cooperage). but that's a bit of an advanced discussion for another time.

 

[mistraele]

chanced upon this thread and just thought i would say hello. am always on the lookout for easy on the budget wines for everyday drinking and there seem to be some knowledgeable people here!

i had stopped buying wine for a while seriously but of late have found a SO who also loves to drink so have been catching up on lost time and trying to replenish wine stocks as well.

i dont have any particular preference for either old world or new but if pressed i would say from the old world probably prefer right bank, cote rotie and CDP.

for new world, some cab sav but of late seem to be drinking quite a lot of shiraz. still trying to find some nice new world pinot.

am not a fan of young wine, and do prefer some bottle age hence have been on a bit of a hunt for stuff to lay down but at same time also need stuff to drink now!

current favourite - yarra yerra shiraz viognier 2003 from at the straits wine sale last year. a really lovely wine. just a shame they had limited stocks. sadly the vineyard also got burnt down in a fire in 2009 not sure they have released any more wines since.

 

[ikileo]

chanced upon this thread and just thought i would say hello. am always on the lookout for easy on the budget wines for everyday drinking and there seem to be some knowledgeable people here!

i had stopped buying wine for a while seriously but of late have found a SO who also loves to drink so have been catching up on lost time and trying to replenish wine stocks as well.

i dont have any particular preference for either old world or new but if pressed i would say from the old world probably prefer right bank, cote rotie and CDP.

for new world, some cab sav but of late seem to be drinking quite a lot of shiraz. still trying to find some nice new world pinot.

am not a fan of young wine, and do prefer some bottle age hence have been on a bit of a hunt for stuff to lay down but at same time also need stuff to drink now!

current favourite - yarra yerra shiraz viognier 2003 from at the straits wine sale last year. a really lovely wine. just a shame they had limited stocks. sadly the vineyard also got burnt down in a fire in 2009 not sure they have released any more wines since.

hi mistraele, welcome to the wine thread! from the looks of it you've got quite a bit of drinking experience already!

i've not had that bottling of Yarra Yerring but that's a good producer. which are your everyday wines you've had recently that you enjoyed?

 

[seianko]

yarra yerra shiraz viognier 2003

aust produce? if so i can check it out at wine fair 2 weeks from now. not in sg tho.

ikileo, is there any special / particular range or bot u would like to share with me to try? i most prolly keep my distance from white. so that i can drink from 11 to 6

 

[Wryer]

Good morning folks.

I'm looking for a wine chiller to properly stash and collect my bottles. What should I be looking out for? For a start, I'm looking to store not more than 30 bottles at one time. Budget at 400-500$.

Are chillers with varying temperatures very expensive? It will be nice to keep my whites and beers at lower temperature than the reds.

Any recommendations?