Thread: Wine!

I definately agree that there is a noticeable difference between fine wines and the cheaper ones. You really can tell...!

But you do get to a point where the price just keeps going up, but the quality is no different. Or it can be as a result of hype.

The Penfolds Grange red used to be just another top end red wine until some bright spark wine chappie awarded it 99 out of 100, which is totally unheard of in wine guides. Then the price of it just went through the roof, so a bottle is something like $1000 in Australia! I worked in a specialist wine sellers out there, so I learnt loads..! And having tried it, its definately not a $1000 worth of greatness and flavour. Dont get me wrong, its very good, but would I pay a grand for a bottle? No.

The same is true with some of the Rothschild wines, and some of the French dessert wines, Chateau D'Yquem comes to mind here, where a half bottle is £11,000! Sorry, but I really cant believe theres that much difference in the taste between a £40 bottle and that one, to justify the £10,960 price difference.

When the prices get up to that sort of level its really a bunch of rich wine buffs trying to out-do each other, or its the rarity factor of the vintage.

Things like the 1983 Rothschilds and the Chateau D'Yquem its mostly due to the rarity and what the enthusiasts are prepared to pay.

But when you get a load of footballers chucking £400 on a bottle of Cristal champagne, thats just showing off...! :-)

As TexasBob says, you can tell the difference between a £5 and a £45 bottle. Its really quite easy to tell which is which. But the £45 and a £500? Not so much in my experience!

Now maybe that means I havent developed my palate enough, but somehow I think its just my belief in the law of diminishing returns. Huge difference from £10 - £50, less from £50 - 100 and then even less from there on up and so on..!

EDIT: The prices I'm talking about here are not restaurant prices, rather just wine store prices. Restaurant prices will be much higher, with the bottom end at around £25 - 30 and going up to several hundred pounds.

I voted red wine.

I'm currently working on a batch of mead (honey wine). We're coming up on month 4 of the aging process and it's coming along quite nicely! I'm excited to try the end product.

From my taste tests so far, I'm thinking I might like mead as much as I do red wine.

I voted red. I don't really know much about wine, but I've found I quite like Shiraz, Pinot Nior, and Chianti. Haven't been as much a fan of white's or bubblies, but I'm sure there are those out there I would love too.

There are a special few reds that I like, but you'll typically find me hovering around the Rieslings and Gewurztraminers. I tend to prefer wines on the sweeter, crisp side.

I can't vote in your poll because I like most wines, but not with bubbles. My wife's from Chile and has excellent taste so I just follow her lead. I'm still mostly a beer guy.

Any port in a storm but if forced to choose.. RED!