Wine

[bacon]

Can someone point me to a place where I can get Inniskillin Ice Wine? I couldn't find them at Cold Storage or NTUC finest.

 

[looiwte]

Culina at Dempsey has them. I just saw them at NTUC Finest Clementi, you have to look at the glass door separated 'cellar' section. They were on offer, but still >100 bucks.

hkm: Saw the Franciscan Magnificat on sale at Finest - 55, 06 vintage, quite a good discount if you have 'extra space' haha..

 

[hkm520240]

Yup, noticed the Franciscan Magnificat is on Finest CNY sale. As the offer till 8 Feb I have plenty of time to consider (or rather make space for the Magnificat haha)

 

[looiwte]

Cool, have not tried a meritage before, so can't wait to try. Just read on wiki that for the second syllable it's supposed to be pronounced more akin to 'heritage' rather than 'garage' heh.. more American and rhyming with heritage, one of the definitions of this conjoined words.

Btw just came across this rather informative map on Barolo vineyards:
http://www.jdemeven.cz/wine/Barolo_map.pdf

 

[bacon]

Culina at Dempsey has them. I just saw them at NTUC Finest Clementi, you have to look at the glass door separated 'cellar' section. They were on offer, but still >100 bucks.

Thanks for the tip. Am being invited to a dinner and I know the hosts like sweet wines, other than Inniskillin are any other good sweet wines you would recommend?

 

[ikileo]

there are many types avilable.

but even when it comes to sweet wines, there's degrees of sweetness. does you host veer towards the icewine style or something a touch less in sweetness?

btw bacon, are you keen to join us in our next wine outing?

 

[looiwte]

Yeah there are many types done with different methods, generally to concentrate the sugars within the grape, via climate (ice), fungus rot (Botrytis), timing (late harvest) or drying/sunning grapes like raisins.

Past recommendations here include:

Chateau De Fesles Bonnezeaux (Loire Valley, France) - Available at Carrefour
Isole Olena Vin Santo (Tuscany, Italy) - 1855 Bottle Shop (Somerset/Sixth Ave)

If you have the time you can drop by Culina where I think you can taste at the bar both icewine and Vin Santo to see which you like. They sell both at their deli shop.

I like Vin Santos, they are really excellent dessert wines. A common practice is to dunk a hard, brittle almond biscuit (cantucci) in it, as a nice, crunchy, nutty, sweet yet wet combination.

You can also try sweet German rieslings of residual sugar classification Auslese and above (Beerenauslese, trockenbeerenauslese) though these can be as pricey or even more than the Inniskillin.

I've tried this Austrian sweet wine as well: Tschida Zweigelt Strohwein, a straw wine of the Zweigelt grape, very nice. Available at Alfa Intl/ewineasia:
Hans Tschida Zweigelt Strohwein 2004 (37.5cl) - ewineasia.com

 

[looiwte]

Btw any takers for the 07 Guidalberto at Cornerstone, I wanna order soon lest it's gone again.

 

[MuthuCurry]

aiya, seem like i missed out the fun for Magnum tasting, was away on sat.

anyway, thanks alot for lootiwte and folks for recommending wines for the party. I managed to find what i want for the party -
2009 Pascal Jolivet Sauvignon Blanc Attitude

i bought one bottle early on from enoteca @ taka upon the recommendation from the sales assistant. just opened it last weekend, i was drawn to its refreshing lychee smell on the nose, and very crisp and decent finishing, with balanced accidity. It is one of the better whites that i have tasted recently, and i went back to taka yday to buy all the bottles in store. now, i have dillemma tt whether i should keep the bottles for my own consumption or use them to serve the guests .. hehe..

i also bought Brunello di Montalcino Castellani 2006 from wine connection @ $59. again, this was recommended by the sales manager, as i dun have much knowledge for italian. but, the guy said this bottle is drinking well now and it is very value for money. anyone tried this b4, as i cant find much info on the tasting note for this bottle...

 

[bacon]

there are many types avilable.

but even when it comes to sweet wines, there's degrees of sweetness. does you host veer towards the icewine style or something a touch less in sweetness?

btw bacon, are you keen to join us in our next wine outing?

I'm not too sure but I've heard them rave about Inniskillin so I thought to buy something they like. Thanks for the invite but I will be at the bottom of the barrel of your wine community. I seriously know nothing about wines.

Yeah there are many types done with different methods, generally to concentrate the sugars within the grape, via climate (ice), fungus rot (Botrytis), timing (late harvest) or drying/sunning grapes like raisins.

Past recommendations here include:

Chateau De Fesles Bonnezeaux (Loire Valley, France) - Available at Carrefour
Isole Olena Vin Santo (Tuscany, Italy) - 1855 Bottle Shop (Somerset/Sixth Ave)

If you have the time you can drop by Culina where I think you can taste at the bar both icewine and Vin Santo to see which you like. They sell both at their deli shop.

I like Vin Santos, they are really excellent dessert wines. A common practice is to dunk a hard, brittle almond biscuit (cantucci) in it, as a nice, crunchy, nutty, sweet yet wet combination.

You can also try sweet German rieslings of residual sugar classification Auslese and above (Beerenauslese, trockenbeerenauslese) though these can be as pricey or even more than the Inniskillin.

I've tried this Austrian sweet wine as well: Tschida Zweigelt Strohwein, a straw wine of the Zweigelt grape, very nice. Available at Alfa Intl/ewineasia:
Hans Tschida Zweigelt Strohwein 2004 (37.5cl) - ewineasia.com

Thanks will go check out.

 

[ikileo]

I'm not too sure but I've heard them rave about Inniskillin so I thought to buy something they like. Thanks for the invite but I will be at the bottom of the barrel of your wine community. I seriously know nothing about wines.

inniskillin is a good producer and the most famous one in canada and one of the top producers in North America.

as for the invite, don't worry about knowing nothing. we don't know everything either and we have a full range of wine enthusiasts ranging from less than a year to a couple of years.

as long as you have interest you will be fine. you can ask fellow forumers who just started out as well like 'reign', on how the meet ups are like. we really hope to see you at our next outing if you can make it. it's always good fun, good wine and food and great company

 

[ikileo]

Taberna has a tasting of 9 Donnhoff wines next wednesday. 6.30-8pm. $65 incl finger food.
It will be presented by Mr Donnhoff himself and moderated by the Taberna owner, Ying Hsien. I think $65 is a steal for this level of wine and knowledge at this tasting.

that day i will be on half day so i can attend it.

 

[looiwte]

Wow, Helmut himself! Would like to come but don't think I can make 6.30.

 

[LightBlessings]

Can anyone recommend wine that goes well with steak?

 

[Beta_Tester]

wanna ask you all..

Have u ever had any wine u really dont like. Like a total disaster.

For me no, not yet.

 

[ikileo]

Can anyone recommend wine that goes well with steak?

there's so many! what's your budget? and where will u be having the steak?

 

[ikileo]

wanna ask you all..

Have u ever had any wine u really dont like. Like a total disaster.

For me no, not yet.

i have...i can't remember what it was but i have. i could take a sip and say 'bleagh' and spit it out and not finish the remainder of the glass.

it's usually very off balanced or spoilt wines with loads of volatile components.

 

[looiwte]

Just to share, here are some more wine sales, for peeps who are still in 'acquisition' mood..

Green Grocer (Indoguna): http://www.greengrocer.com.sg/winesale2.pdf
Cornerstone CNY offers: http://www.cornerstonewines.com/pdf_files/gc_cny_clearance_sales_2012.pdf

 

[ikileo]

haha...this year cannot be in acquisition mode, saving for ring and housing haha...will try to deplete what i can

 

[looiwte]

Love a good steak, whether at a restaurant or sizzling it up at home on a griddle pan, or better, BBQ.

I usually like Cabernets (New World) or Bordeaux/Rioja/Rhones/Rosso Montalcinos (Old World) to go along with steaks. But many Cabernets on store shelves may need some time to tame, though I've found Californian Cabernets to be quite approachable.

There's:

(Sonoma/Napa) Kendall-Jackson Vinter's Reserve Cabernet ($30+, sold at most supermarkets, cheapest at Giant $29.90 on offer)
(Napa) Franciscan Magnificat Bordeaux Blend ($58, on offer now at Fairprice Finest)
(Tuscany) Argiano/Fanti etc. Rosso di Montalcino ($40+ at wine shops like 1855, Bottles&Bottles, Straits Wine)
Some discount or half bottles of Bordeaux/Rhone are also available at the Caveau Outlet at Shaw Centre.