Thread: The Wine Conneseiur

Like my wife always says, drink what you like. My uncle's homemade rhubarb wine was just as good as any more expensive wines I've had.

In this respect, I'm proud to be a redneck.

It's true- if it tastes good, drink it! I'm personally a fan of the Riunite brand. It's dirt cheap, but it tastes far better than some more expensive wines I've had. Another favorite of mine is Elderberry wine. My recently passed away great grandmother swore by the stuff as a fix all when it came to ailments, and I'm apt to believe her (not to mention it tastes pretty good).

Originally Posted by Quick Orange

I would jump all over this, as we have some great wines made here in Oklahoma, but we can't ship or receive wine via mail here

What do you mean you can't ship or recieve wine? Why is that? Because the bottles are fragile? Bcause the US post ofice doesn't allow it? Because it's liquid? Because foreign wine attacks the Napa Valley interests? I don't get it?...

Because it's illegal in his state, as it is in mine. Illegal for alcoholic beverages to be shipped into the state without the state getting their cut of the sales - tax.

Originally Posted by fpessanha

What do you mean you can't ship or recieve wine? Why is that? Because the bottles are fragile? Bcause the US post ofice doesn't allow it? Because it's liquid? Because foreign wine attacks the Napa Valley interests? I don't get it?...

I can't even ship it to a bordering state, so it's nothing against Europe. Actually, as far as defending Napa's interests, California has unrestricted shipping of wines.

I'm from Texas, and grew up in Grapevine, back when they were restoring the Delaney vineyards, and I can tell you, the wine coming out of the vineyard, for the first 10 years or so, was undrinkable. nowadays it's on the good side of mediocre, so if you want something decent for not much, try it out. another decent Texas wine is from the Llano Estecado (for all you yankees, that's pronounced "yah-no") vineyards out in west Texas, I don't much care for their stuff but the little woman swears by it.

if I'm enjoying something a little bit further from home (and thus, usually, more expensive) I prefer St. Frances. it is a nice blend between price and subtle complexity. had some nicer stuff than that, but it gets to be too expensive to drink every day.

Well... got it now. It all boils down to taxation of the free enterprise! But serioulsy, now... do you really think there isn't a way of getting past the formalities of taxation? What if someone sends you a bottle of foreign wine as a "gift"? Does the government tax that?
My government taxes in arround 40% everything bought in the US and shipped to Portugal. They call it custom fees or even "de-custom taxes" but all that is shipped within the EU is tax free (well... there are taxes, but the free trading of goods gives you that).
But it seems that my plan of gifting my american friends with portuguese wine and being gifted american wine by my american friends goes down the drain. Too bad for the connaissance of foreing goody-good wines...

But... if you ever find portuguese wines in the US give yourself the treat of experience and try them out.I really don't know what is exported into the US but I take it that it's worth the try.

It could probably get through, but I don't think I'd want to try. If they're so testy they don't want me shipping some goodies to Kansas, they wouldn't be too kind with European hooch.

My wine tastes are really simple. a $50 bottle of wine is wasted on me.. The last ETBT I was at, I (oh, you can make a donation below, btw.. hint...hint), My share of the booze that I brought along was several bottles of 2 buck chuck ... if you have a Trader Joe's, you'll know what I am talking about, its $1.99 a bottle.

The ETBT is held in wine country, Napa... and I was given such a hard time for bringing that "swill" to Napa...

Sacbreathe.org:

Good company will make a bad wine acceptable. Bad company makes a good wine necessary.