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Delicious Wines

itsstillmatt

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So, to me this was the best post of the last month in this forum, and it concerned a totally overlooked subject in these days of intellectualizing food and wine, and in a culture which searches for grails, and pays for them, while disregarding what is simple and lovable.

Originally Posted by foodguy
a truly great burgundy is a grail wine. but as someone who has been drinking a lot over a long time, what i'd really like to see is more appreciation for wines that are simply delicious. i do still enjoy occasionally finding a wine that people get up and make speeches about, but there is absolutely nothing wrong -- not even "lesser" -- about wines that just make you really, really happy.

I thought about it for awhile, and then I read this post which included perhaps the apotheosis of delicious wines, the Tempier Rose. It is, year in and year out, a wine that makes me smile, and one that is included in the memories of so many good times.

Originally Posted by tattersall
^ good topic. I have a case of Domaine Tempier Rose reserved; a case of Hippolyte Reverdy Sancerre pending delivery; and, a new favorite already cooling in the cellar: from BC's Naramata Bench in the Okanagan Valley, Joie Farms Rose at only ~$20 a bottle - this is one of the few BC wines that are starting to appear on US winelists, including Chez Panisse... very refreshing and easy to drink, not high in alcohol and nicely balanced acidity make it hold up to food very well but it drinks equally well on its own too...

Other simply delicious wines I can think of are some of the great Cru Beaujolais, and some of the Chinon Roses I drink each summer. So let this be the thread in which we discuss and suggest wines that are purely pleasurable. They can also be great, in their own right, as the Tempier is, but stick to those things you love to drink because they taste great and make you happy. In some ways I'd also include the Sancerre listed above, and I'd definitely suggest some of the really nice Muscadet to go with your cold seafood.
 

SField

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A good sauv blanc that is lighter on alcohol will almost always be delicious to me. So simple, lovely experience. Papaya and asparagus.

You know my policy on paying for wine. I really don't like spending more than 20-30, and if it isn't delicious, you're an idiot for drinking it.
 

itsstillmatt

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Originally Posted by SField
A good sauv blanc that is lighter on alcohol will almost always be delicious to me. So simple, lovely experience. Papaya and asparagus.
You should try the Hyppolyte Reverdy. It is as good a typical Loire SB as I have ever had.
 

gomestar

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since it was mentioned earlier as well, a great Albarino.

and after dinner, a Sauternes
 

Mark from Plano

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I was reorganizing my cellar this weekend and found that I had a bottle of the Tempier Rose ('08?). I will drink it soon and report back on the smileage factor.
 

gomestar

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it's funny, I'm fairly book smart on wines, but I haven't read any of that stuff for quite a while now. Nor have I been taking any tasting notes or anything. It has been more about the enjoyment and appreciation of the overall experience and less on extolling any particular wine. It's odd considering the "level" of wines I've been drinking lately has been quite high. I'm not sure if this has come through on my wine posts, but it is at least the direction I'm taking as a consumer.
 

Manton

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Lately I have been finding all of the Mondavi "Napa" offerings -- all of them <$20 -- to be "delicious."
 

SField

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Originally Posted by gomestar
it's funny, I'm fairly book smart on wines, but I haven't read any of that stuff for quite a while now. Nor have I been taking any tasting notes or anything. It has been more about the enjoyment and appreciation of the overall experience and less on extolling any particular wine. It's odd considering the "level" of wines I've been drinking lately has been quite high. I'm not sure if this has come through on my wine posts, but it is at least the direction I'm taking as a consumer.
No offense to many of the people I've met in "food/wine literature", but as someone else said on writing about music, writing about wine is like dancing about architecture. ******* enjoy it, shut the **** up, what you're tasting is not terribly illuminating nor interesting to me. All it lets me know is that I should avoid your boring, pretentious ass at parties unless we have some professional reason to meet. I used to read tasting notes then realized that my palate is quite good on its own, and the rest I drink wine is to have fun and enjoy something delicious. Food writing can be annoying but it does not even come close to approaching the clinical level of faggotry that wine writers seem all to eager to attain.
 

itsstillmatt

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Originally Posted by SField
No offense to many of the people I've met in "food/wine literature", but as someone else said on writing about music, writing about wine is like dancing about architecture. ******* enjoy it, shut the **** up, what you're tasting is not terribly illuminating nor interesting to me. All it lets me know is that I should avoid your boring, pretentious ass at parties unless we have some professional reason to meet. I used to read tasting notes then realized that my palate is quite good on its own, and the rest I drink wine is to have fun and enjoy something delicious. Food writing can be annoying but it does not even come close to approaching the clinical level of faggotry that wine writers seem all to eager to attain.
Honestly, I think this is one of the reasons that foodguy's section is so good.
 

SField

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Originally Posted by iammatt
Honestly, I think this is one of the reasons that foodguy's section is so good.

THere are guys like him that understand the purpose of food, as something that is necessary for sustenance and as a social catalyst. What I feel doesn't go for everyone in the profession, and it's a reason I like people like Ruhlman who also actually cook something.
 

Piobaire

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I would make the case that most of the wines I drink, that I have in my cellar, are wines I simply find delicious and make me happy to drink. Say what you will about your typical RRV Pinot but they tend to be easy to drink, approachable, easy to pair with food (which really is what wine is about IMO), and just plain enjoyable to drink.

So with that in mind, I had an 08 Purple Pachyderm Hurst Vineyard from Claypool Cellars last night. Just an easy sipping, RRV.
 

SField

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I second Beaujolais... gets so little love yet I like to drink it a lot.
 

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