Wine Thread

[Kat Kid]

Favorite chard is made by cuvaison. Get the s block if available.

no offense, but you sound like an enormo douche.

cab is ok, but chard?  GTFO!

[Saulbadguy]

I just go to liquor store, find wines rated above 80 or whatever, and less than $15. 

[steve dave]

Favorite chard is made by cuvaison. Get the s block if available.

no offense, but you sound like an enormo douche.

cab is ok, but chard?  GTFO!

true story:  On phone at the time and didn't know how to spell chardonay (sp?)

[pissclams]

sys, KC

ask piss which store to go to, and then turn yourself to their mercy.  there's no way you'll do better on your own.

Lukas Liquor @ 119 and Metcalf on the KS side, or Lukas Liquor @ 103rd & State Line on MO side.  The MO one does wine tasting in store.  Both stores have the best selection and knowledgeable staff in KC.

since you mentioned red wine, try a couple of these blends-
Ferrari-Carano Sonoma County Siena (~$25)
74% Sangiovese, 26% Malbec

Estancia Meritage (~$25)
58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot

Both should still be available @ Lukas, I know the Siena is.  Sometimes the Estancia is hard.  If they aren't, they have a ton of other meritages/blends.

It's probably best for you to start with a couple of good blends so you can get used to the taste.  Bad blends are bad.  Set a baseline with the good blends then work your way down to $10-$15 varietals, then back up to more expensive varietals.

[Saulbadguy]

Lukas is ginormous.  Never seen a liquor store that huge. 

[pissclams]

Lukas is ginormous.  Never seen a liquor store that huge. 

yeah, it's pretty much the greatest thing ever invented in the history of mankind.  cool part is that they actually hire people who know their crap.  the problem that you run into at a lot of liquor stores when you ask the people who work there for help is that they're really just puppets for the distributors, meaning that they're going to push you to the wines that they're getting the best margins on through their distributor.  same thing happens at a lot of restaurants, their wine lists are filled with wines that the distributor bought cheap b/c no one else would buy it, then they unload it at bars/restaurants/liquor stores.

also you have to be carefull when you buy wine b/c of the rating, there's so many ratings out  there now that they've lost their value.

[Saulbadguy]

Lukas is ginormous.  Never seen a liquor store that huge. 

yeah, it's pretty much the greatest thing ever invented in the history of mankind.  cool part is that they actually hire people who know their crap.  the problem that you run into at a lot of liquor stores when you ask the people who work there for help is that they're really just puppets for the distributors, meaning that they're going to push you to the wines that they're getting the best margins on through their distributor.  same thing happens at a lot of restaurants, their wine lists are filled with wines that the distributor bought cheap b/c no one else would buy it, then they unload it at bars/restaurants/liquor stores.

also you have to be carefull when you buy wine b/c of the rating, there's so many ratings out  there now that they've lost their value.

Ya I agree about the wine ratings, but I can't really discern good wine from bad wine so it's no biggie as long as I don't spend much. 

Lukas has a good beer selection too but I like the Royal Liquor here at 103rd and state line, lots of hard to find stuff there.

[ew2x4]

The best wine under $40 is Joel Gott. It's a Chardonnay.

[pissclams]

Lukas is ginormous.  Never seen a liquor store that huge. 

yeah, it's pretty much the greatest thing ever invented in the history of mankind.  cool part is that they actually hire people who know their crap.  the problem that you run into at a lot of liquor stores when you ask the people who work there for help is that they're really just puppets for the distributors, meaning that they're going to push you to the wines that they're getting the best margins on through their distributor.  same thing happens at a lot of restaurants, their wine lists are filled with wines that the distributor bought cheap b/c no one else would buy it, then they unload it at bars/restaurants/liquor stores.

also you have to be carefull when you buy wine b/c of the rating, there's so many ratings out  there now that they've lost their value.

Ya I agree about the wine ratings, but I can't really discern good wine from bad wine so it's no biggie as long as I don't spend much. 

Lukas has a good beer selection too but I like the Royal Liquor here at 103rd and state line, lots of hard to find stuff there.

Royal is ok, too expensive imo. 

[Saulbadguy]

Lukas is ginormous.  Never seen a liquor store that huge. 

yeah, it's pretty much the greatest thing ever invented in the history of mankind.  cool part is that they actually hire people who know their crap.  the problem that you run into at a lot of liquor stores when you ask the people who work there for help is that they're really just puppets for the distributors, meaning that they're going to push you to the wines that they're getting the best margins on through their distributor.  same thing happens at a lot of restaurants, their wine lists are filled with wines that the distributor bought cheap b/c no one else would buy it, then they unload it at bars/restaurants/liquor stores.

also you have to be carefull when you buy wine b/c of the rating, there's so many ratings out  there now that they've lost their value.

Ya I agree about the wine ratings, but I can't really discern good wine from bad wine so it's no biggie as long as I don't spend much. 

Lukas has a good beer selection too but I like the Royal Liquor here at 103rd and state line, lots of hard to find stuff there.

Royal is ok, too expensive imo. 

ya, spent a couple bucks too much on a del trems and southern tier creme brulee stout. :(

[jtksu]

Creme brulee stout?  Were they out of the appletini wine coolers?

[Saulbadguy]

Creme brulee stout?  Were they out of the appletini wine coolers?

Hah.  It's not that sweet. Plus it's a fuckin stout.

[asava]

IMO almost anything that is coming out of Argentina or Chile (specially the Malbec's) are phenomenal for the price.

If you have the opportunity take a wine class. K-State offers one for credit. When your homework is to drink 1 new wine a week, you're doing alright.

$40 is a huge cushion. You can really find some great Pinot Noir's starting round about $25. Oregon has been producing some decent cheaper, while Napa, as always, is putting out phenomenal Pinot grapes.

For the price i think the shiraz's are pretty tough to beat.

but honestly, follow these steps to a happy life of wine:

1. Learn how to properly address and keep a wine (not very tough, youtube probably has instructionals).
2. Learn how to taste. It also helps if you recognize what you are looking for or what the varietal is supposed to accomplish.
3. Drink a ton of it. Order flights every chance you get and taste as much as you can.

[CNS]

In downtown KC, I used to go to Cellar Rat(on Baltimore iirc, around 18th st.).  They are small, but have a decent selection and seem to know quite a bit.

In NKC, Gomers used to be pretty good too.  Knew their crap.

Everywhere else, I agree on Lukas.

[EllToPay]

Rimann has a good seletion, I think.

[jtksu]

Creme brulee stout?  Were they out of the appletini wine coolers?

Hah.  It's not that sweet. Plus it's a fuckin stout.

I prefer the more coffee-flavored ones over the more chocolaty ones.  Prob just a bit jealous because I imagine it tastes fantastic.  Plus, seemed like a pretty good time to bust your balls.

[Saulbadguy]

Creme brulee stout?  Were they out of the appletini wine coolers?

Hah.  It's not that sweet. Plus it's a fuckin stout.

I prefer the more coffee-flavored ones over the more chocolaty ones.  Prob just a bit jealous because I imagine it tastes fantastic.  Plus, seemed like a pretty good time to bust your balls.

Southern Tier also produces "Mokah" - a coffee/chocolate stout.  Superb. 

[jtksu]

sys, KC

ask piss which store to go to, and then turn yourself to their mercy.  there's no way you'll do better on your own.

Lukas Liquor @ 119 and Metcalf on the KS side, or Lukas Liquor @ 103rd & State Line on MO side.  The MO one does wine tasting in store.  Both stores have the best selection and knowledgeable staff in KC.

since you mentioned red wine, try a couple of these blends-
Ferrari-Carano Sonoma County Siena (~$25)
74% Sangiovese, 26% Malbec

Estancia Meritage (~$25)
58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot

Both should still be available @ Lukas, I know the Siena is.  Sometimes the Estancia is hard.  If they aren't, they have a ton of other meritages/blends.

It's probably best for you to start with a couple of good blends so you can get used to the taste.  Bad blends are bad.  Set a baseline with the good blends then work your way down to $10-$15 varietals, then back up to more expensive varietals.

  That's a reserve, isn't it?  Their reserve pinot noir is badass, too. 

[pissclams]

Ya they call it a Reserve but I don't think that means anything.  Costco had it last year for $19 a bottle.  I drank a million gallons of it, give or take 10 gallons.

[treysolid]

owen roe makes good wines.  sinister hand (cab sauv) will run you 20 bucks a bottle.  agree about the malbecs.  almost everything coming out of spain right now is worth a swig.  look into some alvaro palacios.

[jtksu]

I think the reserve thing prob means something, but not much.  Marketing excuse to charge a few extra bucks per bottle.

[EllToPay]

getting much better at telling the diffy's between reds.

 

[j rake]

Vermeil Wines

www.vermeilwines.com

[Saulbadguy]

Vermeil Wines

www.vermeilwines.com

[KITNfury]

I like wine, but I've determined I will not learn to like the good stuff. I did that with beer and there's no going back to crap like bud light. I like cheap wine right now, and as long as I don't start trying more expensive stuff it will stay that way.