Wine drinkers questions

Barefoot is good wine. I used to drink it but I've moved on to other more obscure $10 bottles with more cachet. These other wines don't taste any better than Barefoot but I'm sure the guy that empties my recycling can every two weeks is impressed by the fancy labels.

Luna de Luna also puts out some excellent wine for very little money.

And, never spit the wine out, unless it tastes like vinegar.

We started with the White Zin thing and as our palate matured, made our way through Red Zinfandels, Shiraz, Syrah, Pinot Noir, some Merlot, Cabs now and again and also Malbec.

Lately, we've been on a Meritage kick. Great with any type of red meat and also drinks well by itself. I'd recommend Mondavi Private Selection - 2007 was the best year I've tried yet - however 2009 doesn't disappoint at all. It's a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petite Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc.

For a special occasion, if a hearty beef dinner is being served nothing beats a good bottle of Amarone. It'll set you back $35 - $50 when you can find it but it's well worth it. Be warned - let it breathe for at least 30 minutes before drinking. Better yet, have a little nip when first opened - it'll taste pretty bitter. After letting it breathe, have another little nip and you'll notice a huge difference. Definately better with a meal though - excellent.

While in San Antonio several years ago, we happened upon a nice Italian restaurant however neither of us were very hungry. That's when I stumbled onto one of my favorite combinations. Cheesecake, drizzled with chocolate and a glass or two of Red Zinfandel. Absolute taste explosion.

Allowing certain wine to breathe can work at the extreme end. Sometimes, like homemade chili or potato salad, a red is better stoppered when half full and finished the next day.

Ohio resembles 10th century Transylvania in several ways, but it is getting better. Bargains are available at times. Last month I bought out our grocery store's supply of Redemption Zin when it went down to $9.99.

All this wine talk is fun, but one must remember that the original post was about entry level wine drinking. I would not suggest any dry wine to such a person. That taste must develop over time.

I think taste is more varied than that. Sweet might seem to have more training wheels, but we all react differently and I know I cut my wine teeth on reds--and often some big stuff--and it took me quite a while to "warm" to whites because, quite frankly, the whites I was presented were cheap and not dry enough. Two great starters are Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. Some maniacs are really pushing tannins on the latter, but overall balanced Pinots predominate. SBs, with their herby, floral, flinty notes sit easily on the palate, as opposed to a big massive Chardonnay, but they don't come across like Lucky Charms. I think that's one reason why Pinot Gris is soaring, as well, now that vintners have gotten away from the Boone's Farm mentality.

A very good resource is Sunset Magazine and it's monthly wine feature. And there's a very good enhanced wine section in the current issue. Sunset rocks with its sophistication-for-the-masses approach and if it's in print it's not some obscure, can't-find-it-anywhere offering. And value predominates at every price point.

Wine is best when consumed as a complement to food. Although wine and food pairings can turn into a snickety art form, the off the cuff general rule is to serve reds with hearty, red meat dishes and whites with lighter fare.

Wine is not meant to be guzzled. If you find yourself "not liking" wine, try a glass of red with a steak dinner or a white with chicken of fish. Enjoy a couple of sips between bites of your meal

"Such a person" was someone who had expressed distaste for dry. Not all persons need to go that route. I liked Scotch the first time I tried it, and a St. Emilion we could hardly afford at Le Napoleon in Quebec 40 years ago was an absolute revelation. However, the sweet-to-dry route is the most common route.

Agree about "Sunset" walking the wine tightrope well. It's one of Mag's favorite mags.

Whatever one's preferences are to start, there is a learning process. Trying the same wine with and without food is an essential step in the process. We drink more wine alone than with food- it's just the way it goes at our house. Another benefit of ordering wine as an aperitif and then continuing to drink it with the meal (which is what we nearly always do when dining out) is that one gets to experience the wine at a range of temperatures. Just be sure to leave it alone during the salad course.

I tried maybe ten Sauv Blancs last winter and disliked eight of them. It seemed to have been an off year. Grassy watery nothings, unless you stepped up for a big one or went to NZ grapefruit. So for now, in the under fifteen dollar field, I operate under the theory that an iffy Chardonnay might still be pleasant, and can be salvaged by oak treatment, while an iffy Sauv Blanc is much tougher to save.