PZ's Tuesday Night Wine Bibbing Corner

[Zaphoon]

Welcome to PZ's Tuesday Night Wine Bibbing Corner!

(Why Tuesday night? The wife has a business meeting on Tuesday nights!)

I confess that up until now, my wine bibbing has been restricted mostly to snitching altar wine as an altar boy in the 8th grade.

Recently, however, it has been brought to my attention that wine (in moderation) is good for the belly; particularly red wine.

Tonight, a red wine is the topic of my discussion with you. On the way home, I stopped at one of Springfield's finer wine stores, The Brown Derby, and selected their brand name merlot, "2006 Rave Merlot Paso Robles".

First, on a comment on the color; it is not red its purple, like a dark grape.

Secondly, the lady at the fine wine store (I think Boones Farm was available, too) did not pronounce the "T" in merlot. I'll have to write the store manager...

Lastly, it set me back $8.

This beverage tastes pretty good, especially after your tastebuds have been sufficiently numbed after drinking half the bottle. I am enjoying my bottle with a dish of sharp cheddar, green olives and crackers.

I give this bevy 3 thumbs up (which is how many i'm seeing now).

Let me guess, your suppose to drink this stuff differently than you'd slurp down a coke, right?

PZ

Your comments on similar experiences invited...

[brooksea]

Check out Jim-a-snacks, as they go well with wine (or beer):

Layer in this order-
Rosemary Triscuits
Ground Mustard
Sharp Cheddar or Colby
Pepperoni slices

Great when watching football!

Recently discovered Flipsides crackers! Pretzel on one side and cracker on the other. Those would be good too!

[BethU]

PZ ... yes, when drinking Coke, you have to take it slow, as the bubbles need time to settle. With red/purple booze, er, wine, it's giddyup!

[Zaphoon]

Beth, thank you! It makes so much sense! I thought I was drinking it correctly.

CJ, I'll try the recipe next Tuesday! Thank you!

The bottle says it has 12.5% alchohol by content.

I'm just looking for something to numb the twitches & cramps and I think I found it!

I'll have to manage a way to pick myself up off the floor before Mrs. PZ gets home.

I have pasted a link to an unbelievable toddler playing air guitar and lip sinking incredibly well for your entertainment!

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1610699488?bctid=31812464001
Pz

[GlenBrittle]

Well PZ , that was a funny video.

Do you drink the red (poiple) wine at room temp or slightly chilled ?

Glen

[Zaphoon]

Glen, It started out slightly chilled but quickly got to room temperature. I got through about 1/3 of the bottle, started to cop a buzz and put it in the fridge.

I thought that video was a hoot! A kid like that in the house could put me in laughing hysterics for a long time.

[Zaphoon]

Okeedokee,

Another nice, quiet Tuesday evening with a new, fine (ahem...) bottle of wine. I'm new at this wine bibbing thing and just want to share this adventure with you.

This bottle tastes like old shoe laces. I purchased it at a convenience store and I'm sure it was in the slot where Boone's Farm Strawberry use to be kept.

This is a bottle of: SUTTER HOME Family Vineyards California 2008 WHITE ZINFANDEL The Original.

Zaphoon

[paleshia]

drats PZ, i should have joined in...i just split a yuengling lager light with my hubby last night....maybe next week.....

[rose]

PZ, some good advice far as developing your bibbing skills, is to avoid anything that says it is a white zin.... red zins are often quite good though. The bottle probably won't say red, just zinfandel, you'll just be able to tell by looking at the bottle that its not white, which of course is in actuality pink.

[Zaphoon]

Okay, this stuff was pink but the bottle said white so, white is pink? Let me rephrase that.

In wine, white wine can be either white or pink.

Red wine, then, is not pink but more of a grape color?

I'm trying to hone my skills with this stuff and appreciate all of my tutors!

PZ

[DgtofTNfan]

PZ you are bringing back memories. I am not much of a wine drinker but hubby and I use to buy a bottle of Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill when we were dating. It sold for $1.50 back then. We were fancy and drank from plastic cups. Good times!

Now it is hugely expensive at $3.49 for 750ml. I don't recommend it unless you are short on cash :-D

[rose]

PZ, waaaaayyyy back when I received training in wines as an international flight attendant ~aka sky goddess ~ I was told that the shape of the bottles says much about what is inside. Sloping neck bottles are milder, and strong shouldered ones (with a neck defined body of bottle) are bolder. So, for reds, the pinot noirs and shirazes are less intense than merlots and cabernets. Same goes for whites. Another trick in knowing if the wine is good, (usually works, but is not without exceptions) is the deeper the dimple (the concave bottom of bottle), the better the wine. I know, I know, there are some good wines out there with flat bottoms, but, still, I've handled a lot of bottles over the years, poured a lot more wines than I've had the opportunity to taste (pesky FAA ) (LOL) and the popular ones with my passengers on the planes, the majority of the time had the deeper dimpled bottom. Without even consciously noticing I'm doing it, that's the first thing I check out when I pick up a bottle of wine, my finger slides under it to feel the shape of the bottom.

I'd check out either California or Australian wines, as both are affordable. Also wines from the pacific northwest US.

Down in the thread I started on wines, there are several suggestions for reds. I don't remember if anyone had whites to recommend or not. I'm pretty much a red wine girl, so I can't give you much personal input for them. I think that Pinot Grigio is a nice type of white wine. ... I do like the spumante wines, which are white... and yes, white zin is pink. and zin is red, but it doesn't say red on the label, just "zinfandel" .

[Zaphoon]

Rose, Thank you for the education! I am finding out that you have to pay more than $4 for some good stuff.

PZ

[thelma313]

PZ you are so cute. :)

[KeeKer]

Rosella, I agree with you on that one!

[Zaphoon]

Well, well, well!

I missed my regularly scheduled Tuesday Night Wine Bibbing Corner so, I'm making up for it tonight (Wednesday).

I have found a wine that does not taste like a nasty shoe string or an old bar of soap. This stuff is goooood (to the last drop, even) !!

Try this, you'll like it! I almost guarantee!

Menage' A Troit by Folie A Duex winery, California. The have it in red and white but I've only tried the red.

I have taken up having a glass of wine (or 2) in the evening because I've found it takes a little of the edge off of the constant cramps in my legs. I'm new to this stuff (the wine, not the cramps).

PZ

[KeeKer]

Okay, this stuff was pink but the bottle said white so, white is pink? Let me rephrase that.

In wine, white wine can be either white or pink.

Red wine, then, is not pink but more of a grape color?

I'm trying to hone my skills with this stuff and appreciate all of my tutors!

PZ

Just wondering how many bottles for this confusing entry?:confused:

[BarryG]

How many bottles? Known knowns and known unknowns I would say!

[KeeKer]

You too?! I'm going for a glass right now. I've got to catch up!

[KeeKer]

ok, got some Domaine D'Or. Knew I had a cask somewhere. the things you lose when you move! Tastes better when drunk with my sister in law.

[mare]

Just catching up with this thread- can't believe I missed it.

PZ- here's my motto: "Life's too short to drink bad wine" .

[Zaphoon]

I'm trying to get things right, Mare. Your slogan is true!

This is one area where I've decided I'm not too proud to ask questions. The clerks at the fine wine establishments I've visited have been helpful in furthering my education regarding the art of imbibing. Of course, moderation is key here and my motivation is purely medicinal (ahem...).

I may even give a go at distilling the stuff myself, as has Joel. A little basement winery operation may prove to be entertaining. I can picture the label now:

(share any ideas here...)

[brooksea]

PZ's Winery Twitch Zinfandel ?

[Zaphoon]

Shucks! Got home late from tuning and hardly any time to imbibe tonight.

Got a humdinger for you, though: "BLACKSTONE WINEMAKER'S SELECT PINOT NOIR CALIFORNIA 2008".

Kind of tastes like old socks that were worn too many times but have some cheese, crackers and olives with it and there you go!

PZ

P.S. I invested in one of those butterfly winged cork scews. The hardest thing about drinking a bottle of wine (aside from getting over the taste of some of the stuff) is removing the stupid cork from the bottle!

[KeeKer]

Drats, I missed the party! Will try again next week. Want to keep you company.

[rose]

The hardest thing about drinking a bottle of wine is removing the stupid cork from the bottle!

Kim,

My dad passed away (several years ago now) and I was all alone in my parent's house, packing things up in preparation for it to be sold. My mom had gone to live with my brother in another city, so, it was just me. .. Some wine bibbing was definitely called for. I purchased a bottle at the local grocery store, which I thought was very cool that it was so easily attainable, got back to the house.... no cork screw.... back to the grocers... only thing I could find was a wine "opener" and its on a cardboard card encased in plastic. So, I ask the checkout girl if she thinks there are instructions as to how to use it inside the package (now really, why would I take the check out girl at the grocers word on this??? but I did)... back to the house.... these things were like tweezers. I guess they are designed for removing a cork without damaging it, like for cork collectors (who knows) I could not get it out, after a lot of struggling I finally pushed it IN ! And there I sat, alone in this house, drinking wine from a plastic cup (glasses packed up) from a bottle with the cork floating in it, pieces of cork floating on the top of wine in my cup.... trying to find a radio station I didn't hate..... no cheese, olives or crackers (or chocolate cake my fav to have with wine) but it still tasted great. Mellow is good.

[Zaphoon]

Rose, Great story! You painted a colorful picture and I can just see the check-out girl, you struggling with the tweezers and the pieces of cork in the glass.

One thing is for sure, if you're already 3 sheets to the wind (or pretty well on your way to being shnockered...), there's now way your going to have it together enough to open a bottle of wine unless it has a screw cap! Of course, I wouldn't know this from personal experience!

PZ

[mare]

PZ-
Presumably, the reason you are "shnockered" in the first place is because you already got the bottle open! LOL

[Zaphoon]

Marianne,

Okay, a person could get shnockered at a Christmas party, have their designated driver bring them home and then try and open the bottle of, let's say, Menage A Trois. I just don't see it happening.

Of course, I don't go to Christmas parties and get shnockered to begin with. I'm just saying....

[Zaphoon]

Another Tuesday night almost gone! Tonight, it's a glass of Menage A Trois (the wine made from 3 different kinds of grape).

I'm not sure what it is about this stuff that I like so much. Perhaps it's more about the absence of what I don't like (taste of dirty sock, musty basement, etc...).

As usual, it goes down well with cheese, crackers and green olives!

PZ

Post Script: I have finally conquered cork removal. I use one of those winged cork screws that work nicely!

[GlenBrittle]

OK .. definitely know nothing about wine.

I have started taking a glass of red wine per night. Seems to lift my spirits , pun intended.

What I ended up with was a sweet wine (4) named Maria Christina. Its got a screw top, so I am assuming its not a critics choice.

I like it . That counts for something eh!

Glen

[Zaphoon]

Glen,

Good news for you! I have recently heard that more wineries are going to screw tops, even some of those who make good wine.

Thanks for letting me know about Maria Christina. It is now on my list to purchase.

PZ

[KeeKer]

Can't do corks unless I have some help. Arthritis. Screw tops aren't much better. I guess that's why I like my cask. Has a nozzle with a push button. At least I can do that on a good day. Guess that stops me from drinking alone.lol

[mare]

Kim-
Since it is almost New Year's Eve, perhaps you would enjoy some "bubbly" to ring in the
New Year!

Bele Casel Prosecco is a sparkling white wine from Italy; not as dry as some Champagne but not as sweet as Spumante. I like to say it is "soft". It is a very nice wine, and at $14-15 it is much less than some so-so Champagnes. I have served this at many parties & it is always a big hit!

If you can't find that brand, I can't personally vouch for other Proseccos, but at that price I would be willing to try them! There is something about drinking a "bubbly wine" that feels very festive & celebratory!

FYI- Champagne is a region in France & where the sparkling wine from that area gets its name. If it doesn't come from there, it can not be called champagne- it is sparkling wine!

Happy New Year and Cheers!

[thelma313]

Check out this fabulous wine made by my very own dad! My sister and I decided it would be great to make a wine label for his very last batch and we printed out more than enough for all the bottles. My sis did the drawing you see on the label. Isn't she talented? It's a drawing of my father's perfectly manicured backyard. My dad built the deck you see in the drawing as well as the arch. He is awesome!

This is a picture of his delicious red wine made with the Barbera grapes. The white wine is a Chardonnay. It has its own label of course, and is equally fabulous.:wink:

[BarryG]

Rosella, your dad is very lucky to have such talented daughters. Good job!

[mare]

Rosella-
I'm afraid I will have to report you for "advertising"! LOL

The labels do look great!

[KeeKer]

Looks really professional! You sure are a talented bunch! Is that your beautiful tree?

[thelma313]

Thanks Barry, Mare, and Colleen. That's my mom's pretty tree. My dad can see it from his hospital bed.

[Zaphoon]

Mare,

Thanks for the wine tip! I'll hunt a bottle of that down and give it a go.

Rosella, it is evident you come from a very creative and artistic family!

Tonight's glass contains a brew from a local winery, the St. James Winery and it is poured from a bottle of their "Velvet Red". This stuff is so sweet, it could coat a lollipop!

I would suggest sipping this with a good, stout, limberger cheese!

PZ

[KeeKer]

Isn't a really sweet wine supposed to go with dessert?

[Zaphoon]

In the short time I've been a wine bibber, I've run across some folk that only prefer sweet and it doesn't matter if dessert is with it or not but dessert wines are sweet. My question would be, are all sweet wines dessert wines?

Bottoms up!

[rose]

Rosella,

LOVE the label! I agree, your entire family is very special and talented. How ironic that I feel I would have been robbed not to have had the chance to get to know you, but yet, on an ALS forum?! Life is funny that way.

Kim,

No, not all sweet wines would necessarily be a dessert wine. Chianti is a red wine which can be sweet (ish) but, generally white wines are less dry i.e. more sweet. If the label says "brut" then it definitely is not sweet BTW.

Now.... as "my" wine thread seems to have been left in the Bibbing thread's dust, I will add a new cheapo wine we tried. At first I didn't think it was ok, but then after a glass or so, it grew on me. We bought it for the label, 8) Its by Big House winery. out of Santa Cruz CA. The wine is a 2006 Sirah, and named The Slammer. really cute label. screw cap (not sweet LOL)

[GlenBrittle]

In the short time I've been a wine bibber, I've run across some folk that only prefer sweet and it doesn't matter if dessert is with it or not but dessert wines are sweet. My question would be, are all sweet wines dessert wines?

Bottoms up!

I have no problem with calling a glass of wine after supper - Dessert !!!

[rose]

Glen,

My sentiments exactly... right along the line with "___" goes with everything.

[thelma313]

Oh Rose, that is the sweetest thing! I am all choked up. You sure are special yourself. Spectacular I'd say. It is pretty funny how things work out. On the one hand ALS is the worst thing that has ever happened to my family but on the other hand, we've never loved and appreciated each other more than we do now... and then there is this forum. Seriously, I can't believe the collection of extra special people that are gathered here in this corner of the internet. We are such a quirky little group too! We all never would have met otherwise. It's pretty nutty... in a good way.

PZ, you should try Porto next. Talk about a sweet wine but is sure is yummy!

And yes Glen there is nothing wrong with calling an alcoholic beverage dessert. What about a flaming Sambucca? Or Tia Maria with milk? Those are pretty dessert-like cocktails.

[Zaphoon]

Rose, I apologize! Your wine thread is much more legitimate and should be resurrected!

And thank you for sharing the tip on "The Slammer" by Big House Winery. I'll give it a go!

Rosella, Thank you for the tip on the Porto!

PZ

[BarryG]

Yahoo! Gumby is back (for now)

[GlenBrittle]

Hey , the green dude is back. Or I have had too much wine tonight.

Rosella, Flaming Sambucca ... mMmmmMmm ! You say Tia Maria , I say B52's . Drop the bomb !

Glen

[peter57]

All this talk about Tia Maria and Sambucca etc has got me to look in the cupboard, and yes i have them and many other mixes from days gone by.
I think in 2010 i must cut down on the weight on the shelf grin::grin:

cheers
Peter

[rose]

Baileys on the rocks.... YUM

Mudslides YUM YUM.

My best Mudslide recipe, so simple.... take one airline mini bottle each of vodka, Kahlua, and Baileys. Pour them all in a glass, stir, add ice, stir... drink... open three more bottles...

another recipe... the Tootsie Roll
Fill shot glass halfway with chilled Kahlua. Float orange juice.

Or... coffee ice cream (preferably Ben & Jerry's)...pour lots of Bailey's on it, hot fudge doesn't hurt either.

Happy New Year :)

[Zaphoon]

Okay! Another Tuesday night and filling the glass!

This evening, it's a round of Pinot Noir by Yellow Tail. It has a nice aroma (smells real good - don't stink or nothun...) and a nice fruity taste. I suppose that would have something to do with having been made from grapes...

I'd buy another bottle of it. Anything in your glass tonight?

[GlenBrittle]

Well , there was a glass of wine in front of me.

Strange how that inexpensive twist off cap bottled fruit juice with a kicker (OMG almost said keeker) seems to disappear .

I think one is enough .

Glen

[Zaphoon]

One of my daughters was maid of honor in a wedding party last weekend. It was her duty to throw a bachelorette party for the bride (the bride is pentecostal). Anyway, the twist off cap, sparkling grape juice was used in lieu of the snorting, rip-roaring, get-thee-tipsy, genuinely corked, grade A, true-to-life, honest-to-goodness, cheap wine. They hardly touched the grape juice so we wound up with the Welches here.

What did you put in yours?

[Melodyparrish]

Ahh Rose-I discovered Mudslides on our family cruise last month! My husband and I have adopted a new attitude about life/living, and have embraced the philosophy of drinking is good...it makes the yucks go away!!!

[KeeKer]

Hah Glen, you can't get me off of your mind! I'm flattered. Still doing my strawberry wine with the bubbles. Have to finish it before the bubbles go, and I'm the only one that drinks it! Oh, the sacrifices I make!

[indigosd]

741

This is for the men!

[rose]

Kay Marie, how did you get that picture of me????

Here's a new wine to try: "Portrait of a Mutt" zinfandel by Mutt Lynch Winery, 2006 sonoma county.

(I kid you not, I was typing while looking at the label, checked out what I'd written before hitting the submit reply button, and I'd typed "Butt Lunch Winery" ... I guess that's why we proof read!

[indigosd]

bwahhhh rotflmao "Butt Lunch Winery" Do you like the photo? I thought it was soooo appropriate in a slightly inappropriate way :]

[rose]

Yeah, its a great picture, I love those old fashioned style photo's with the naughty text added. It was so funny when I caught what I'd written in error, I spent the longest time after, trying to figure out how it happened. This keyboard is not full sized, so I'm continually hitting the stupid caps lock key, but that doesn't explain transposing the "m" and "b"... maybe it was subliminal, and I need therapy 8)

[rose]

... maybe it was subliminal, and I need therapy 8)

Wait! that's probably Glen's line.

[paleshia]

Ahh Rose-I discovered Mudslides on our family cruise last month! My husband and I have adopted a new attitude about life/living, and have embraced the philosophy of drinking is good...it makes the yucks go away!!!

it's also biblical proverbs 31:6

6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish , and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. (king james version

and for the beer lover..the new international version:

6 Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish

[indigosd]

I no longer to feel guilty! Thanks Jen :]

[Melodyparrish]

Oh AWESOME...I'm being diligent to God's word!

[GlenBrittle]

I'm in anguish. Slurp ..... nope still there . Will keep slurping until its all gone.

[Zaphoon]

Well, my Tuesday evenings are now busy facilitating a program designed for kids to help them avoid "life controlling issues". While they are in a class with me, their parent(s) are going through a program designed to help them get free of various and sundry addictions.
Basically, my wife and I are trying to help kids escape the entrapment their folks have experienced.

13 kids! Ages 5 - 11!

My Tuesday evenings of wine bibbing are toast! Besides, the wine cellar has run dry, no thanks to a lofty $1245.47 head gasket repair on car #1. Car #2 awaits its turn for repair with the estimated cost to repair its engine at $1800. A guy could buy a lot of wine for that kind of money!

PZ

[kelly]

Not usually a Merlot girl..but drinking a 2007 California Merlot called Smoking Loon! Perfect Name! I feel like a loon half the time. It is yummy! I think it is 10ish dollars!

[Zaphoon]

Kelly, where do they come up with the names for some of these wines? Smoking Loon? It draws up an image of some kind of bird one toke over the line or a bird being smoked on the grill. It's another one I'll have to put on my list for future imbibing! Thanks!

PZ

[kelly]

Funny..reading the back of the bottle now..it says "Besides his bein' kinda crazy, they called him the Smoking Loon 'cause he was so dam' efficient." Jake began, snubbing out his cigar. "Hed take care of business an'get in an'out before anybody'd see him comin"...leavin' no trace 'cept the lingerin'sound of his eerie, loon-like cackle. No one was really sure who he was or who he worked for but when word got out someone needed his services., The Smoking Loon just appeared on their doorstep, like outta thin air or somethin"

I copied the way it was written exactly...please noone sue me for coprywrite laws.

[Zaphoon]

Very intriguing! Wonder what kind of business they are referring to?

[kelly]

Hmmmmm. ....maybe if I drink more I will figure what the heck they are talking about! LOL!

[KeeKer]

PZ can we do another night? We can sip tea?

[Zaphoon]

I feel like a wino - got a big check in the mail and was able to afford a $6 bottle of this...wine.

You'll just have to experience this one for yourself:

H-R-M
REX - GOLIATH
FREE RANGE
GIANT 47 POUND ROOSTER
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
CALIFORNIA

One sip will have you crowing! (my words)

[KeeKer]

So.... are Tues back on? Or have you picked a new night and forgotten to tell the rest of the club?

[GlenBrittle]

I feel like a wino - got a big check in the mail and was able to afford a $6 bottle of this...wine.

You'll just have to experience this one for yourself:

H-R-M
REX - GOLIATH
FREE RANGE
GIANT 47 POUND ROOSTER
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
CALIFORNIA

One sip will have you crowing! (my words)

One sip and you are seeing 47 lb roosters - Newfie screech can have the same effect.