I know there is much more variety of Red Wine but normally this two are the most popular one.

What do u prefer? Merlot or Shiraz? Cabernet Sauvignon? Pinot Noir?

This post has been edited by adriankhoo153: Mar 3 2010, 10:06 PM

wat difference?

i try Malbec, nice.

south african wine??tried before?
its nice!!esp year 2006

Shiraz too dry for me.

Don't like Shiraz. I prefer Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Merlot as single varietals or in blends in the various Bordeaux blends (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, in varying percentages, depending on the region and winemaker) or Burgundy blends (mostly Pinot Noir).

For lesser known but tasty reds, try Frankovka (Czech), Plavac Mali (Croatia), Lambrusco (Italy), Beaujolais-Villages (France).

You seem to have good taste about wine. How to determine whether that wine good or not?

Pinor Noir is my favorite, very smooth wine. Shiraz is very dry and strong. Cabernet Savignon is like a balance between Pinor Noir and Shiraz, i love it too.

Jacobs Creek is the safe choice if you're looking for reasonable priced wine.

Oxford Landing and Alan Landing is my choice, but I can't seem to find Alan Landing anymore!

I still prefer white wine by the way.

2 ways:

1. Be all snobby and do it the "experts" way >> buy a bunch of wine books, take tasting lessons and buy only the "good" (expensive) stuff.
2. Do it the cheaper way, and taste the wine... if you like it, it's good; if you don't like it, it's bad.

Oklah.. a 3rd way that is somewhat in between:

Buy a decent intro to wine book (I suggest books by Hugh Johnson or Oz Clarke, they are easy to read; maybe also the Wines for Dummies).
Go to a few tastings by local wine shops - normally they open the cheaper stuff; good way to learn what kinds of wine you like.
As you develop your taste, buy a wine guide (my favourite is Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Guide - there is one issue every year) and use it to help you pick wines to buy or drink at restaurants. Then as you discover the different grades of wine as marked by the professionals, match that to your own personal tastes so you know what you like. Different people have different tastes.

My favourite winemakers:

France (Bordeaux): Margaux, Lafite-Rothschild, Angelus, Figeac, La Conseillante, Mission-Haut-Brion, Haut-Brion, Pape-Clement, Cos d'Estournel, Pape-Clement, Pichon-Lallande (formerly known as Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande), Leoville-Barton, Pontet-Canet
France (Sauternes): d'Yquem, Suduiraut

USA: Robert Mondavi (especially the Reserves, and Moscato Bianco from La Famiglia du Robert Mondavi), Opus One, Beringer (Stone Cellars Cab Sauv is especially good value; also the White Zinfandel Limited Vineyard Selection), Kendall-Jackson, Stag's Leap, Lamoreaux Landing (Riesling)

NZ: Cloudy Bay (especially Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc, and the Pinor Noir), Oyster Bay

Chile: Errazuriz (Don Maximiamo Founder's Reserve)

Germany: Dr Loosen, Fritz Haag, MonchHof

Hungary: Oresmus (Tokaji Aszu - get 4-6 puttonyos)

Czech: Tanzberg Mikulov

Italy: Bolla (Valpolicella)

Canada: Inniskillin

My recommendation for cheap but good drinks:
Italian wines - Valpolicella, Lambrusco
German wines - stick to Riesling Auslese/Spatlese (sweet) from Fritz Haag, Dr Loosen, Peter Nicolay
Austrian wines - Zweigelt
Czech wines: Frankovka (one of the cheaper varietals), most wines are cheap
Hungarian wines: Kekeporto, Tokaji Aszu (very sweet dessert wine)
French wines:
- Bordeaux (Cab Sauv/Merlot/Cab Franc blend): Pavillon Rouge (Margaux), Alter Ego (Palmer), Clementin (Pape-Clement); wines from Pauillac, St-Emilion, Pomerol, Pessac-Leognan (all sub-regions of Bordeaux)
- Sauternes (very sweet dessert wine): generally very exp, so you can find similar wines from Barsac or Cadillac.
- Burgundy (Pinot Noir): had good Burgundy from Volnay, so that's a good region
- Alsace (Riesling): Trimbach
- Beajoulais-Villages: George de Beouf
US wines: [stick to Robert Mondavi, Beringer, Kendall-Jackson; you can't go wrong with these 3.
- Cabernet Sauvignon: Stone Cellars (Beringer), Robert Mondavi (Napa Valley or Oakville), Kendall-Jackson
- Pinot Noir: Robert Mondavi (Napa Valley)
- White Zinfandel: Beringer Limited Vineyard Selection
- Riesling: Lamoreaux Landing (Finger Lakes, New York)
- Sauvignon Blanc: Robert Mondavi (Napa Valley), Beringer
Chilean wines: try those from Errazuriz, Caliterra,
Argentine wines: try those from Nicholas Catena (price ranges from cheap to very expensive)
NZ wines: Stoneleigh
Australian wines: Hunter's

I dislike: E & J Gallo, Jacob's Creek, most Chardonnay, all Shiraz, Culembourg (South Africa), Lou Lan (China), most Cabernet Sauvignon below 5 years old, US wines from other than California or New York, etc.

As you can see, my tastes differ from others, like Makakeke (who likes Jacob's Creek, which I dislike). There is no one best wine, IMHO. Everyone has different tastes. If you like a wine, don't let others change your mind if they are "snobbish" about it. It's you who are drinking it right?

Also more expensive doesn't mean better. For example, Tanzberg Mikulov had a blush (pink/rose) wine that I liked a lot, many of my friends loved it too when I opened a bottle at a wine party I held. Cost to me was RM20 since I bought it at the vineyard in Moravia directly. Chateau Lynch-Bages is supposed to be one of the top wines in Pauillac (Bordeaux), and price is expensive too. But when I tasted it, I really didn't like it. Neither did my 3 friends.

Agreed with Traveler. Everyone has different cup of tea. Myself i love Jacob's Creek Merlot.

Thanks Traveler for such a great guide.

noone try Montes or Hardy before?

i only knw australian wines..cheap ma

1) penfolds grange
2) penfolds 389
3) henschke (spelling correct?)
4) rosemount estate - balmoral
5) some sweet wine- Noble 1


some french wines la

1) la fitte

2) rothschild

3) la tour

Can anyone recommend me a not too pricey but nice red wine?

Australian Yellowtails are nice.

For asian foods, try Chilean Anakena 2005 Reserve Merlot, 2005 Reserve Carmenere-cabernet Sauvignon.

very deep lor

Vineger + ribena= redwine

This post has been edited by Pain4UrsinZ: Jan 27 2009, 11:19 AM

just got myself jacob creek merlot. doesnt seem to be in traveler's cheap n nice wine list. hope i wont regret.

My friend said that expensive wine taste like a grape juice and the chep one taste like (*&^..is that true?