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Alex Svenson, and anyone else interested in getting into wine.

Sol1821Sol1821 Posts: 707 ✭✭
hey guys i saw one of Alex's posts about his cigar book and he mentioned he wanted to get into wine but was put off by all the over complications.

i got into wine a few years ago and around the same time i discovered this British program.

its called oz and jame's big wine adventure.
its about oz clark, world wine tasting champion teaching a novice everything right from the beginning. no over complications no crap.

the first series is devoted to France, the second is Californian wine, and the 3rd is British wine/beer/spirits.

here is a link to series one episode one part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTzPozCEt9E

first episode is just getting into things, there's lots of info in a series thats built up slowly over the episodes.

Comments

  • RedtailhawkozRedtailhawkoz Posts: 2,915
    sol1821:
    hey guys i saw one of Alex's posts about his cigar book and he mentioned he wanted to get into wine but was put off by all the over complications.

    i got into wine a few years ago and around the same time i discovered this British program.

    its called oz and jame's big wine adventure.
    its about oz clark, world wine tasting champion teaching a novice everything right from the beginning. no over complications no crap.

    the first series is devoted to France, the second is Californian wine, and the 3rd is British wine/beer/spirits.

    here is a link to series one episode one part 1

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTzPozCEt9E

    first episode is just getting into things, there's lots of info in a series thats built up slowly over the episodes.

    LOL I live an Hour from Napa... go to Winerys all the time, WIne country is in every nook and cranny in my area.. I do not drink ! I watch these people into wine..... If you want to lose your mind and alot of money get into wine! LOL ITS INSANE!
  • xmacroxmacro Posts: 3,402
    Redtailhawkoz:
    If you want to lose your mind and alot of money get into wine! LOL ITS INSANE!
    Are cigars so different to people who don't smoke them? ;)
  • ThewelderThewelder Posts: 682 ✭✭
    Could be worse, you could get into beer. That is a rabbit hole that you don't want to fall in to. I love the stuff, and I got into it about a year and half ago. with all the different kinds out there, and the variations of them. It's crazy, but sure is good
  • Sol1821Sol1821 Posts: 707 ✭✭
    Thewelder:
    Could be worse, you could get into beer. That is a rabbit hole that you don't want to fall in to. I love the stuff, and I got into it about a year and half ago. with all the different kinds out there, and the variations of them. It's crazy, but sure is good
    lol my interests include, cigars, wine, bandy, whiskey, beer, guns and motorbikes.
    i have literally no money because of them.
    hoping to get my own full mash brewing gear soon
  • RedtailhawkozRedtailhawkoz Posts: 2,915
    xmacro:
    Redtailhawkoz:
    If you want to lose your mind and alot of money get into wine! LOL ITS INSANE!
    Are cigars so different to people who don't smoke them? ;)

    Maybe but I really dont think its the same thing. LOl I guess when you can Buy cigars on every street corner and store and it is pretty much socially acceptable we might be able to compare, Wine good or bad can be bought anywhere from 3 dollars a bottle to thousands of dollars a bottle. cigars pretty much the same thing.
    Both will Kill you... WIne I am sure has the ability to kill you much quicker seeing as though it's is a mind and mood altering substance and mixed with driving causes thousands of car accidents a year many fatal...... I dont know Alcohol has been the ruin of many a human So i guess thats the difference.... Its all sour grapes from where i stand! LOL
  • xmacroxmacro Posts: 3,402
    sol1821:
    lol my interests include, cigars, wine, bandy, whiskey, beer, guns and motorbikes.
    This man has the right priorities
  • RedtailhawkozRedtailhawkoz Posts: 2,915
    Thewelder:
    Could be worse, you could get into beer. That is a rabbit hole that you don't want to fall in to. I love the stuff, and I got into it about a year and half ago. with all the different kinds out there, and the variations of them. It's crazy, but sure is good

    Beer .... mmmmmmm was a downfall of mine for sure, the guy that played guitar and was our singer in our metal band in the 70s and 80s didnt drink at all untill I got him drinking , now he is a world famous Microbrewer with a very successful brew pub go figure!
    look here
    Enjoy
  • doromathdoromath Posts: 576
    My wife is a wine enthusiast for sure and cites it as her one vice in life. I love the way she handles it though since she's about as laid back as you can be. It's the same attitude I have towards cigars: You like what you like, nobody can tell you what you like and cost is the last thing you should look at as an indicator. One of my favorite quotes from her about wine is "Wine is made to be drank" which basically means don't overcomplicate it, or worry about "saving for a special occasion", etc.

    Before we met I didn't know much about wine other than I liked reds, and had a few good bottles of Merlot when I worked in a restaurant. From a recent newbie I can give you some good advice to start. Don't worry about picking out flavors, or notes, etc. Find GOOD wine (to me, that's usually botique wines from Napa or Sonoma) and just figure out what you like to drink. Then: drink it. Try picking out what you like about it, and use that to find other wines that share those (just like you go on the hunt for "the next great Habano" or are really "feeling like a maduro").

    For me my starting point was a small winery who purchases their grapes from locals and blends some fantastic reds called Thumbprint Cellars. Their reds are great, big bold and go fantastic with a peppery/spicy cigar.

    Anyways, sorry for the long winded diatribe but long story short: Falling into wine is no harder than falling into cigars. Don't worry about overcomplicating it: just drink good wine.
  • Joeyjoe21_8Joeyjoe21_8 Posts: 2,048
    hell yes he does lol...cigars, wine, beer and all included....live the lifestyle and dont become a alcholoic makes you a hero in my book lol......some people just cant handle their booze lol. I drink regularly and enjoy wine more and more but am fairly picky. Right now i tend to like the sweeter wines like pinot or zins.
  • KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
    doromath:
    My wife is a wine enthusiast for sure and cites it as her one vice in life. I love the way she handles it though since she's about as laid back as you can be. It's the same attitude I have towards cigars: You like what you like, nobody can tell you what you like and cost is the last thing you should look at as an indicator. One of my favorite quotes from her about wine is "Wine is made to be drank" which basically means don't overcomplicate it, or worry about "saving for a special occasion", etc.

    Before we met I didn't know much about wine other than I liked reds, and had a few good bottles of Merlot when I worked in a restaurant. From a recent newbie I can give you some good advice to start. Don't worry about picking out flavors, or notes, etc. Find GOOD wine (to me, that's usually botique wines from Napa or Sonoma) and just figure out what you like to drink. Then: drink it. Try picking out what you like about it, and use that to find other wines that share those (just like you go on the hunt for "the next great Habano" or are really "feeling like a maduro").

    For me my starting point was a small winery who purchases their grapes from locals and blends some fantastic reds called Thumbprint Cellars. Their reds are great, big bold and go fantastic with a peppery/spicy cigar.

    Thanks for the info Dan, and good to see ya back! Anyways, sorry for the long winded diatribe but long story short: Falling into wine is no harder than falling into cigars. Don't worry about overcomplicating it: just drink good wine.

    "Long ashes my friends."

  • KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
    I buy my wine from Costco...surprisingly, they have a decent enough collection that won't break the bank...but hey, i dont know *** about wine...so I could be drinking a $20 bottle of crap for all I know...but it sure does taste good.

    "Long ashes my friends."

  • RedtailhawkozRedtailhawkoz Posts: 2,915
    Joeyjoe21_8:
    hell yes he does lol...cigars, wine, beer and all included....live the lifestyle and dont become a alcholoic makes you a hero in my book lol......some people just cant handle their booze lol. I drink regularly and enjoy wine more and more but am fairly picky. Right now i tend to like the sweeter wines like pinot or zins.

    Live the Lifestyle? Oh Brother you dont know *** about Living a Lifestyle or What makes an alcoholic an alcoholic......... It has nothing to do with someone who cant handle their alcohol......... thats killin me! LOL if your heros are those who drink every day and think they can handle it and are Living some kind of Lifestyle...... your in More trouble than I thought! LOL My Life and My education is in Substance abuse and Counseling.......... I spilled more booze than youll ever see in your lifetime, I didnt have a Drinking Problem........but you wouldnt understand. let see your 21..... Im almost 49...... I have been thinking about when I was 21 drunken egomaniac , know it all fool............ Give yourself a Break and Wake up before you end up in places you dont want to brother......
  • RedtailhawkozRedtailhawkoz Posts: 2,915
    Krieg:
    I buy my wine from Costco...surprisingly, they have a decent enough collection that won't break the bank...but hey, i dont know *** about wine...so I could be drinking a $20 bottle of crap for all I know...but it sure does taste good.

    There you have it! LOL they do have a Great selection!
  • Joeyjoe21_8Joeyjoe21_8 Posts: 2,048
    Oz...if u have a issue with myself or want to talk further..email me man. You singled out my post for whatever reason cuz you have a issue with me. Email me, lets talk.
  • denniskingdennisking Posts: 3,703 ✭✭✭
    :note to self - don't piss of Ozzie.. kiddin brother, you know I love ya Wink [;)]
  • doromathdoromath Posts: 576
    Krieg:
    I buy my wine from Costco...surprisingly, they have a decent enough collection that won't break the bank...but hey, i dont know *** about wine...so I could be drinking a $20 bottle of crap for all I know...but it sure does taste good.


    Good to be back and done with all the holiday travel!

    It's all about drinking what tastes good to you. Some of our favorite wines are <$18 a bottle from Publix and we much prefer them to some $80 bottles of wine we've tried. Hit me up if you ever need/want any suggestions for stuff either local or botique.
  • cooch36cooch36 Posts: 714 ✭✭
    I enjoy and have enjoyed wine for a long time now. The other day a female friend asked what I saw in cigars and could not understand the attraction. We got into an hour conversation about cigars and at first it wasn't going anywhere but I've enjoyed several bottles of wine with her and her husband over the years so I was able to show how her experiance of wine is simular to my experiance of cigars it is very much the same. It made it very easy for her to understand the complexity of all adult beverages and cigars if one does something to enjoy it and experience it, that they like many of us will tend to enjoy many finer thing.
  • RedtailhawkozRedtailhawkoz Posts: 2,915
    dennisking:
    :note to self - don't piss of Ozzie.. kiddin brother, you know I love ya Wink [;)]

    LOL I love you too Dennis! Not like that at all, on the other hand.......HEHEHE
  • HeavyHeavy Posts: 1,591 ✭✭✭
    Not a huge wine guy here, but I've definitely grown to enjoy a glass (or 2) with dinner every so often. We just got a Trader Joe's nearby last year, so I have become a dedicated Two Buck Chuck man! I swear it's as good (to me) as many $10-$12 bottles of wine.
  • TatuajeVITatuajeVI Posts: 2,378
    xmacro:
    sol1821:
    lol my interests include, cigars, wine, bandy, whiskey, beer, guns and motorbikes.
    This man has the right priorities
    +1 And knowing sol, the only reason "Women" isn't on that list is that it was just too obvious to add to it.
  • docbp87docbp87 Posts: 3,521
    Very much into wine myself, but compared to the cigar world, it is just so huge. Where I feel I have a pretty good grasp on the cigar world, and different marcas, and their products, as well as what I like and dislike, and why, I doubt I will ever feel that way about wine, as it is just too big.


    Some of my favorite cigar people have just launched a wine site, called Spitbucket (their hilarious motto is "We spit so you don't have to") link: Spitbucket. Sign up, and use me as your reference, so I can win whatever the prize is :P. But really, Ken Gargett is a true wine connoisseur, and the other fellas he does Spitbucket with (aside from Rob "The palate of the people" Ayala) are all professionals who really know what they are talking about. Rob Ayala is the largest cigar retailer in Australia, and is a pillar of the Habanos/international cigar community. He's also a lush. :P

    I own a small library of books on wine and spirits, and for my money, the bet investment I have ever made in terms of a wine book was Karen Macneil's The Wine Bible. It is simply the easiest wine book, most accessible, and full of good information, and should be useful to both the casual wine drinker, and the hardcore enthusiast.
  • nailsnails Posts: 18
    I'm 64 and have been a drinker and smoker my whole life.I manage both very closely to avoid the dark side.I've always liked beer but went through the various trendy stages-scotch,bourbon,rum,brandy,porto,and have been happiest with wine.My goal is to find the best bottle available and not to exceed $20.00 per bottle.If you have a good wine merchant you can have a lot of fun.I have two favorites.1st-Oddfellows-an Australian red blend that goes head to head with many $50 bottles.2nd- any French Sauterne ( non American) a sweet desert wine.
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