I am an admitted complete idiot when it comes to wine. I have found I do like cabs and port. I have a wine that a lady from my church gave us called Mission Hill Reserve Riesling Icewine 2004 that is awesome. Am I tasting olives? Or is that my imagination?
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Actually, I know a good number of locals who will ONLY drink Cab. Not sure if that qualifies them as snobs or not, but they won't even taste anything that doesn't say Cab on a label.

I'd rather drink beer, and I do, than drink all sorts of "animal labels" wines, if that's snobish, then be it. Meaning drinking less, but better quality (we ALL do that with cigars, no?). But something also tells me that I drink way more adventurous/interesting wines, in general, since I do not discriminate by grape, region or label, I may simply prefer some to others depending on company and food that day.
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Greg,

Icewine is usually sweeter than Auslese and by law it has to be picked when berries are frozen. They literally grow these in colder climates (Germany and Canada) and simply let the grapes stay on vines until winter hits. What that does, the cold snap I mean, is evaporate most of the liquid out of berries in turn concentrating what's left with the sugar inside (they usually pick in snow). Imagine raisin like berries (deflated) full of sweet juice. Then they pick and press.

Have not tasted that particular wine. If you taste olives, then olives it is :-)

Italians do something similar with red grapes, Amarone wines. They pick, destem the fruit (picking berries off the stems/clusters) and lay them on special mats under the sun. Achieves same thing: water evaporation and sugar concentration. When berries get raisiny they are pressed and fermented, same as ice wine. The biggest difference may be the use of oak in Amarone to age wine versus stainless steel tanks for icewine.

Best Canada made icewines are pricey, but I've seen some at Costco at decent prices. German Reislings made from frozen grapes are really expensive as are Alsace Gewurtztramiers. But if there is a time to splurge, once a year or whatever, they can be mild blowing experiences, you simply pour some in a glass and sit back sniffing the wine for all its complexity and concentration.

Try a few more affordable German Reislings with spicy cuisine. I've seen some at Trader Joe's and Costco. Just make sure they are at least Spatlese (shoul be on the label) or Auslese. Trader Joe's sold some Beerenauslese (next step up) for $20 per, a 375ml bottle.
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Thanks Greg for the info. This particular one was made in Canada by John Simes if that helps. Once again I am not too spiffy when it comes to wines. The bottle says I should be tasting Lemon-lime, green apple, guava and praline. Not sure but my wife and I both taste the olive. It's like when you sniff it you get the olive, then when you taste it you get the olive for just a second and then it turns to a fruity taste. I really like it though.
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Cab is best blended as is most wine. Only a few grapes are really "meant" or can stand to be by themselves.

Buy wines from an chateau, estate, or producer. Wine should come from a specific place, not a wild animal print or fake entity.
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But but but...how will I know what I should like if no one gives me options :-)
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Well seeing as we seem to have the same pallets in other matters:-)

Find the St. Francis Old Vine Zinfandel

It is my absolute favourite red that is a medium value (not too expensive) non vintage.

Although California grown (Sonoma Valley) it is done in the old world style of Zinfandels and is really really good. It tastes of ripe black cherries and has a nice toasty oak taste. It finishes long and smooth and is not strong on tanins. This has been my house wine for some time.
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Actually I do know what they are used for...as for a blind tasting I would be happy to...and be able to tell the diffference not only between say a napa cab and sonoma cab but a oakville vs a stags leap or howell mtn.

As for this thread it seems everytime you post all you do is try to prove your smarter then everyone else..just in case your wondering your not:-) all I was doing was trying to give a new wine drinker some inexpensive domestic cab recomendations.
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Greg the icewine that you were refering to is Mission Hill Family Estate. I am sure you can have your local wine shop order it for you or find it on the internet...winezap is a good place to start a search.
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Are you looking for wine to drink with dinner or enjoy a glass with a cigar?
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They aren't allowed to ship cuban cigars either last I checked :-)
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And if you do, then you'd know they are used to TAKE OUT tannin, they do not add anything in. In your post you challenged me when I stated that OZ wineries making cheap wine ADD stuff in. Tannin included among many other things.

I'd be happy to set up a blind tasting for you, next time you're in CA let me know and I will be happy to oblige. Just don't get too giddy, falling hard is the norm in blind tastings rather than success.

For someone who boasts of easily telling wines apart in a blind tasting I find it very strange that you have no idea the wine you recommended to the board doesn't even exist. Talk about expertise.
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Tell you what, since no one is listening.

Start the PIF. Let me know how far you get :-)
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And what wine would you be refering to that does not exist?
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Blind tastings are really difficult, especially if they are of same body and color. Not every wine is true to its terrior either which further complicates it.

I am a believer that weather can have an effect on a wine performs. We have all experienced it. The same wine on different days, one time it's awesome, the other it's fair... The same case, same glass, different day. Why? And I am talking about hearty wines that should not vary per OWC and the difference is not cork or bottling related.
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Thanks Ryan, I am hoping to get a discount from the lady who gave it to me. She works for a distributor.:-)
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Riddick I am curious as to why you are so venomous in this thread. While I agree with your opinions on Australian wines in general I think your delivery is hostile and aggressive.

There are actually many Australian wines that I very much enjoy and find them comparable on many levels to the wines of the world...........I am assuming this doesn't make me stupid only of different tastes than others.

The OP was asking for opinions on Red Wine...........seems most folks where trying to do that, as luck would have it we all have opinions. Whether or not you agree with them is certainly your right, but to attack peoples knowledge or lack thereof based on them freely providing their opinions (as asked) to the OP seems somewhat self serving. You clearly are passionate about wines and seem to have a very good knowledge base but again I question your motives and your approach.

I am sure the OP would love some options of great wines that he could try based on your obvious depth of knowledge but attacking others because they like something seems well just rude. I have smoked cigars for years......I have tried hundreds upon hundreds of Non Cuban varieties and in truth I don't find much to like so I stick to Cubans............when people ask for advice on Cuban cigars I give what I know freely and hopefully friendily (not a word but it fits the purpose) what I don't do is hunt down Non Cuban thread recommendations and let loose a tirade on how there are a myriad of things that I don't like about NC's.

This thread has gone way of track of the OP's initial request and by this post I have contributed and for that I apologize.

Oh and on the shipping of bottles..............so far I am 15 for 15 in the past year, not that I am interested in doing a wine PIF just saying that what you say is impossible has been done. I would never recommend that someone circumvent the laws of their country or state.
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There is a lot of good info in the thread, thanks! There is a total wine down the street from my house, I will have to try a tasting.

Shawn I will have to find some of the St. Francis Old Vine Zinfandel and give it a try.

What are some of the Valley's cheaper wines? Just for starters
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I suggest you just try a bunch of different varietals, this is the easiest way to find what meets your palate
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A good general rule (feel free to argue) - Don't buy a red wine over 14.1% alcohol unless it's a CdP. Yes, Zin's are an exception, but don't buy over 14.5%.

To put this in perspective, the world's most expensive and coveted wines are 13.5% and under. Many around 12%
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