Snooth Talk: Grad student new to Snooth

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: Grad student new to Snooth; Posted by echoxander, Jun 7.; I thought I already posted this last night, but I don't see my previous post. So if this is a duplicate just ignore the other one.

My name's Xander, I'll be a grad student at Eastman school of music next year for composition. Wine is a very new hobby for me, and I'm quite interesting in tasting as many different types as I can. The problems I find myself running into are price (I'm a grad student...not exactly rolling in dough), and storage, even of cheaper wines. If I'm living alone, and probably eating by myself at least of the time, and want to have a glass of wine or two a day, how do I spread a bottle out over a couple of days so that its both economical but that it lasts? I've tried the inert gas solution, and that works alright, but the flavor definitely changes by the next day, and often I can taste some metal/oxidation.

So, that's one issue. The other is finding good wines that are cheap - any suggestions? Lastly, what environment should I be storing wine in? I've heard 55-60 degrees, and cooler for whites, but I've also heard the colder the better (not frozen, of course!).

Thanks, looking forward to the site and chatting it up.

Xander

10 1139: Reply by dmcker, Jun 8.; Welcome, Xander!

As it happens, another thread very close to yours is discussing the open-bottle storage issue right now:
http://www.snooth.com/talk/#http://www.snooth.com/talk/topic/open-bottle-storage/

In re hunting down cheap wines, you can use Snooth to define a search for the type and price of wine you're interested in, then point you to merchants in your neighborhood. I also suggest finding the best couple of wine stores near you and cultivating a relationship with their staff. You'll be able to learn a lot that way.

And regarding storage, cool and dark and relatively vibration-free is best. Somewhere that won't be disturbed by others and where the temperature fluctuations are minimal. A relatively unused closet? An old refrigerator with the temperature turned up (you don't want to drop much into the 40s because cold over time can damage wine, too)? A discounted wine fridge? Unused space in a friend's actual wine cellar? Look around and see what's best and available in your immediate environs....

Cheers!

2517 1738: Reply by Gregory Dal Piaz, Jun 8.; I'll just add to the cheap wine angle here. We are swimming in cheap wine, especialy from Portugal and Spain, though there is also ton's from Australia, South America, Italy and France that is attractive.

My first question to you Xander is; What do you like to drink and what do you want to try first. Give us some meat to your question and I'll be happy to flesh it out with specific examples!

7 4: Reply by echoxander, Jun 8.; Hey guys - thanks for both of your quick and helpful responses.

Gregory (Greg?), for reds I enjoy heavy dark reds, although with some lighter meats I really like Pinot Noirs. The one Rhone Valley wine I really enjoyed (although it was called Terres des papes instead of Chateauneuf du pape..?), although, while the book I have (Zraly's complete course on wine) covers French wine more in depth, I've had less chances to taste them due to prices. I also tried the Rock & Vine cab sauv from california last night which I thought was delicious.

Whites, I also like the dryer end, and had a cheaper Bordeaux white the other day that I really enjoyed. Also like butter chardonnay's and drier rieslings with certain foods (Thai/chinese).

Would love to hear anyone's suggestions - hope that's enough info!

X

10 1139: Reply by dmcker, Jun 9.; Sounds like, in the Terres des Papes experience, you like grenache. Look for other Cote du Rhone blends and any Chateauneuf du Papes in your price range. Also look for Garnacha from Spain, though in many cases from there you might want to let the wine breath for several hours before drinking.

Regarding pinot noir from Burgundy, look for wines from the Cotes Chalonnaise or Maconnais districts in the south of that area. They're cheaper than the more famous wines from the Cotes d'Or further north. Going a little further south along the Rhone (but not all the way to where wines that carry the river's name are made, like the Neuf du Papes) you'll find Beaujolais, where the gamay grape (which has similarities to pinot noir) is used and the prices are yet lower. Right now Greg is running a tasting initiative on Beaujolais that you can read about at the top of this forum.

Pinot noir in California, Oregon and Washington cover a range of styles and prices and are well worth checking out, too. I've enjoyed several of them in California from Monterey (Pinnacles district), Napa (Carneros district), Sonoma (Russian River district) and Santa Barbara counties.

If you like Bordeaux whites that probably means you like sauvignon blanc or semillon. Look for whites from the Graves district of Bordeaux, as well as the nearby Entre-Deux-Mers, which is at the lower end pricewise but, when the right version is found, can provide an excellently dry counterpart to seafood (had one last night with shellfish that was nearly perfect at a $9 Tokyo price which should be even less in the US). Also Sancerre and its neighbors in the Loire River valley further north. In California and the Pacific Northwest you'll find many alternatives under that varietal name, or even under the 'Fume Blanc' name that Mondavi popularized with its sauvignon blanc version that he tried to model after Pouilly Fume along the Loire River near Sancerre.

I'll stop here and let Greg or someone else pick up the slack...

6 6: Reply by DeLovely, Jun 10.; thank you, Mr. "dmcker", and from here, as a fellow future-graduate-student and pocket-change-conscious new Snoother, I will lend a teeny bit of slack and suggest a Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze. Quite a lovely pinot noir, and I like that it makes me want to let the rim of the glass linger on my lips.

7 4: Reply by echoxander, Jun 10.; Isn't that particular wine really expensive? From the quick search I did, and what I know of Burgundy wines, that's a Grand Cru chateau isn't it?

6 6: Reply by DeLovely, Jun 10.; yes, yes, and probably just a glass would put you out of a check for utilities. Apologies--I was thinking of another Louis Jadot; let me go search around and get back to you. It was something I had this past week.

2517 1738: Reply by Gregory Dal Piaz, Jun 10.; Ok, even though I don't see an slack here I'll pick it up.

So you're going to school so I will keep my recommendations to, shall we say, attractively priced wines.

Ok so a list of regions/wines that offer killer bang for the buck.

Tres Ojos -I picked up cases of this for the summer at $72 a case.
http://www.snooth.com/wine/tres-ojos-calatayud-old-vines-garnacha-2007/

and other Garnacha from Spain are some killer values,
http://www.snooth.com/wines/garnacha+spain/1/1/0/5/sr/0/

And since we're on summer reds for the moment try Tempranillo from Rioja, a crianza is fine but a joven is slurpable and offers wonderfully purity of fruit.
http://www.snooth.com/wines/tempranillo+rioja/1/1/0/6/recommended/0/

Mencia from Spain, a little different with some passing resemblance to Cabernet Franc, but better.
http://www.snooth.com/wines/mencia/1/1/0/6/recommended/0/

So Many Portuguese reds are killer values,
http://www.snooth.com/wines/portugal+red/1/1/0/6/recommended/0/
Porca de Murca is one of my favorites but it doesn't seem to be in stock with any of our retail partner but keep an eye out for it

Sobon Zinfandel. I love Zinfandel and Sobon makes some of the most drinkable, enjoyable examples.
http://www.snooth.com/wines/sobon+zinfandel./

Negro Amaro from apuglia, the grape at the heart of Salice Saentino and Copertino is rustic and rich
http://www.snooth.com/wines/negro+amaro/1/1/0/6/recommended/0/

Carmenere from Chile, smoky, spicy, deep reds.
http://www.snooth.com/wines/carmenere+from+chile/1/1/0/6/recommended/0/

Malbec from Argentina. A Chameleon of a grape great affected by terroir and winemaking style but some are just delicious!
http://www.snooth.com/wines/malbec/1/1/0/6/recommended/0/

Here are some notes from a tasting:http://www.snooth.com/talk/topic/argentine-malbec-comes-of-age/

Whites

Muscadet from the Loire Valley, minerals and lemons and perfectly refreshing. One of the great values in wine.
http://www.snooth.com/wines/muscadet/

Albarino from Spain, though the Alvarinho from across the border in Portugal is as good and usually even cheaper!
http://www.snooth.com/wines/albarino/1/1/0/6/recommended/0/

South Africa is producing great wines, I'm partial to their Merlot and Syrah but they are really producing some great white. Try a Sauvignon Blanc Of Chenin Blanc, that needs to be added to another thread here.

http://www.snooth.com/wines/south+africa+white/1/1/0/6/recommended/0/

And if you can find it the Cederberg Bukettraube is a great change of pace for when something with a touch of sweetness is called for. Another wine that's hard to find but it's worth making a note about it!

And then take a look at some Grillo from Sicily and Some Vernaccia, or Fiano or...

Ok One has to stop at some point!

Lots of ideas here so take a look see and let us know if one of these sounds like the right direction for you!

10 1139: Reply by dmcker, Jun 10.; Good call on the Muscadet, Greg. Made from melon de Bourgogne grapes some distance away from the other Loire wines I was talking about, down nearer the mouth of the river. It's another one of my favorite standbys for many years past with shellfish and other lightish, simply prepared seafood, though I would probably go with something else for, say, salmon in a heavier sauce. Of the three types of French wine I traditionally leap to in my mind for seafood (Muscadet, Graves whites and chardonnay from Chablis), two of them are, fortunately, still quite economical even in this day and age.

And you definitely picked up that slack every bit as well as I guessed you might... ;-)

Oh, and I just had last night a relatively cheap (though not in Muscadet or Entre-Deux-Mers territority) red from the Priorat region of Spain, Barranc dels Closos 2004, bottled by Igneus, that was a blend with a lot of garnacha tinta (80% with 20% carignan, I believe) in it. Unfortunately this was slightly damaged somewhere between Barcelona and my house in Western Tokyo, but I still could detect a more sophisticatedly layered and tasty wine than I expected. Hints of chocolate licorice, hillside herbs and peppery spice, with lush fruit (especially roasted cherries). If I'd had this blind I might have guessed it was a pinot noir from an iconoclastic French winemaker I hadn't yet tasted.That a-typical for the Spanish grenache I've drunk so far. Pinot noir heading towards Port? And a great value for its price. The damage affected its balance (tannins vs. acids) a bit so I'll be looking for bottles from other shipping lots (or at least liquor stores), to see if I can find a healthier one.