French Country Wines, Tutilli, and Houston Wine Merchant all do free tastings on Saturday. If you hit all three you'd get to try 12-14 different wines over the course of an afternoon for free.

Excellent thoughts and advice.

I have done tastings for younger people, and it's just great they're interested in wine and learning to appreciate it. One issue is that so many try wine, like a $6 glass in a restaurant or bar, (which is from a $6 bottle) and it's just crap. What I then suggest is that four of them each chip in thirty bucks and go buy a $120 bottle and each have a glass - it then at least gives some notion of what's out there. And honestly they'd spend that on a drink or two on a Friday night anyway.

Quote:

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Keep learning and enjoy the journey!

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Best advice ever!

cecil77 said:

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Excellent thoughts and advice.

I have done tastings for younger people, and it's just great they're interested in wine and learning to appreciate it. One issue is that so many try wine, like a $6 glass in a restaurant or bar, (which is from a $6 bottle) and it's just crap. What I then suggest is that four of them each chip in thirty bucks and go buy a $120 bottle and each have a glass - it then at least gives some notion of what's out there. And honestly they'd spend that on a drink or two on a Friday night anyway.

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Keep learning and enjoy the journey!

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Best advice ever!

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This is really good advice

Take a class at the Texas wine school…you will taste a ton of wine of the course of a few weeks. Rent a small locker at AOC, lots of free tasting cone with lover rental…all good ways to figure out what you like to drink.

I like Vin Santo on Memorial as a good wine bar good BTG.

cecil77 said:

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Excellent thoughts and advice.

I have done tastings for younger people, and it's just great they're interested in wine and learning to appreciate it. One issue is that so many try wine, like a $6 glass in a restaurant or bar, (which is from a $6 bottle) and it's just crap. What I then suggest is that four of them each chip in thirty bucks and go buy a $120 bottle and each have a glass - it then at least gives some notion of what's out there. And honestly they'd spend that on a drink or two on a Friday night anyway.

Quote:

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Keep learning and enjoy the journey!

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Best advice ever!

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That's a great way to get wine newcomers to level up without criticizing their choices.

jh0400 said:

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French Country Wines, Tutilli, and Houston Wine Merchant all do free tastings on Saturday. If you hit all three you'd get to try 12-14 different wines over the course of an afternoon for free.

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You can't beat that!

One thing that I've found to be very helpful in documenting how my tastes have evolved and finding new things to try that I'm more likely to enjoy is the running thread I have with ChatGPT. To get started, I spent a few minutes telling it what I enjoy and what I don't particularly care for, and then asked it "why". It's really good at piecing similarities together between varietals, regions, and vintages. From there it is a great recommendation engine that can handle food pairings, price points, and quick parsing of restaurant wine lists.

Half bottle of Amarone last night to go with dinner. Glad I held onto this.

This is a spectacular idea!

jh0400 said:

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One thing that I've found to be very helpful in documenting how my tastes have evolved and finding new things to try that I'm more likely to enjoy is the running thread I have with ChatGPT. To get started, I spent a few minutes telling it what I enjoy and what I don't particularly care for, and then asked it "why". It's really good at piecing similarities together between varietals, regions, and vintages. From there it is a great recommendation engine that can handle food pairings, price points, and quick parsing of restaurant wine lists.

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Thats a new use for AI that I hadn't thought about before. I like it!

ATL Aggie said:

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jh0400 said:

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One thing that I've found to be very helpful in documenting how my tastes have evolved and finding new things to try that I'm more likely to enjoy is the running thread I have with ChatGPT. To get started, I spent a few minutes telling it what I enjoy and what I don't particularly care for, and then asked it "why". It's really good at piecing similarities together between varietals, regions, and vintages. From there it is a great recommendation engine that can handle food pairings, price points, and quick parsing of restaurant wine lists.

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Thats a new use for AI that I hadn't thought about before. I like it!

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Yes, AI is actually pretty good at this too. I've asked it for recommendations based on my likes. I've tested it on a few I knew and it's pretty good.

Edit - use Gemini.

Objective Aggie said:

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Chipotlemonger said:

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Very tasty Chardonnay from New Zealand. I've had some sharp, mineraly, electric Chardonnays like this one from Oregon and Anderson Valley. It's a fun change up from typical Chardonnay and from other wines in general. They let this one hang a bit at 14.5%, but it is crisp and lean even at that ABV.

I do not think I've had a New Zealand Chardonnay before this one. I have had some Aussie Chards though (and Pinot for that matter) that have been excellent. Fun to have off the beaten path stuff.

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Oh wow. Never seen this wine before it was on menu at Hotel Swexan bar in Dallas. Went with a Sancerre for minha esposa but I almost got this one

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I looked online and it was actually a Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc not Chard. No year listed.

Taking inspiration from WestUAg's birth year bottles, I prompted ChatGPT to give me some 1970 recommendations for a birthday celebration. Citing Bourdeaux, Barolo and Rioja as the best regions for 1970, it narrowed it down to the left bank first growths plus Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino Riserva and Bruno Giacosa Barolo plus Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva and Marques de Riscal Gran Reserva. It also threw out Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle.

I have some hunting to do.

EclipseAg said:

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EclipseAg said:

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Whoa Nellie said:

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The wines on this thread are starting to make me feel bad about myself and occasional run to Specs.

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I know some young people who are getting into wine and starting to learn a bit here and there. I always tell them it's a journey; you start with what you like, learn more along the way, graduate to a better quality as you understand some of the background of winemaking, etc., etc.

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One suggestion that has helped me (you maybe already have a place like this and if so, bravo):

Find a nearby wine bar that has a deep, rotating selection of by-the-glass so you can experiment with a lot of wines without breaking the bank. It's even better if the proprietor is good with recommendations.

If you are in Houston ... We go to Sonoma Wine Bar in Katy (there is also one in the Heights) and the manager there has never steered us wrong with a recommendation. He'll let you sample several wines before you decide and he has a pretty good selection of bottles you can buy.

Another good place to sample is 60 Vines in Rice Village. They have a ton of wine on tap from around the world and you can build your own flights.

We've also been to Vine Memorial a few times. Nice atmosphere and a pretty good selection.

I'm sure folks on here can throw out more options.

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EclipseAg,

Thanks for the good tips. My wine game needs some work.

carl spacklers hat said:

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Taking inspiration from WestUAg's birth year bottles, I prompted ChatGPT to give me some 1970 recommendations for a birthday celebration. Citing Bourdeaux, Barolo and Rioja as the best regions for 1970, it narrowed it down to the left bank first growths plus Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino Riserva and Bruno Giacosa Barolo plus Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva and Marques de Riscal Gran Reserva. It also threw out Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle.

I have some hunting to do.

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I have a couple I'd be glad to trade/deal.

1970 Bodegas Carlos Serres Rioja Carlomagno
1970 Chteau Cos d'Estournel

I'd be glad to make a deal or trade for them.

My email is in profile. -- Cecil

We drank them for my 70th a couple years ago. Scroll down and you can see pics and comments.


https://texags.com/forums/67/topics/1933033/321

Just looked at your birthday celebration post - wow! What a lineup!

I'm some months out from the date but I'll shoot you an email. Probably looking at the Cos d'Estournel. I haven't started looking for any of my target wines in earnest, yet.

Qbcade,
I will be in st Helena in late April, let me know if you're around. Im not as cool as BSD but I promise to bring good bottles!

WestUAg said:

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Qbcade,
I will be in st Helena in late April, let me know if you're around. Im not as cool as BSD but I promise to bring good bottles!

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I should be around, just let me know dates as you get closer. Will PM you.

WestUAg said:

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Qbcade,
I will be in st Helena in late April, let me know if you're around. Im not as cool as BSD but I promise to bring good bottles!

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Hahaha.

Man, we need to plan better. We're heading out in early April for our anniversary.

We will be there last weekend of April for wife's bday

I guess we'll just have to stay a few extra weeks.

An easy drinker from HEB for $14. I may buy a case of this to have on hand throughout the spring.

I was looking through some old pics on the computer and came across this. Ah the good old days…

Magic




IMO, CM was the winner. HB was #2 and Promontory in 3rd. Maybe some more age would've changed this result for P. That said, HB is my least favorite of the 1st Gs.

The condenser on one of my wine fridges has crapped out. Anyone have a reputable repair guy in Houston? I have a spare condenser so I only need labor, not parts.

I love HB but for some reason the 2000 HB has always been underwhelming for me. It's touted as an exceptional vintage but that HB has never really moved the needle, I can't tell if it needs more time or it's just never going to be great. Margaux from a magnum is awesome! Where was this dinner?

WestUAg said:

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I love HB but for some reason the 2000 HB has always been underwhelming for me. It's touted as an exceptional vintage but that HB has never really moved the needle, I can't tell if it needs more time or it's just never going to be great. Margaux from a magnum is awesome! Where was this dinner?

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Campbell, CA. I contributed the Margaux, my buddy brought the HB and the Promontory.

Oh my!!! I do love me some Margaux!

JCA1 said:

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The condenser on one of my wine fridges has crapped out. Anyone have a reputable repair guy in Houston? I have a spare condenser so I only need labor, not parts.

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WestU sent me the name of a guy a while back but I can't seem to find it. I suck.

Unreal value here. Best Pinot Gris/grigio that I have had in memory. I'm sure there are some great Alsatian ones that might supersede this but it is hard to beat the value here on this Austrian wine. I'm not even a PG person but this one I found to be so good that I wanted more than one small taster glass and am planning to get more of it.

Just a heads up if anyone is looking for a flavorful white wine crowd pleaser. The body, texture, and balance is superb. Mineraly on the nose (volcanic soils), some saline effect in the texture, and I get a ton of peach and melon in the fruit.

When in India

That's cool. I always love trying wines of the country I'm visiting. Had some interesting wine in Morrocco a few years ago. I thought making alcohol was illegal there but it was definitely not

We tried a new wine bar this weekend -- Paul's Wine Pix in the Bellaire Triangle area. It's been open about five months. Nice decor and a fairly good selection of wines by the glass. You can also order by the bottle and buy bottles to go.

I had a Turley Juvenile zinfandel and a Dearden Little Giant cab.

Food was good, too. Give it a try.

Nice to know this. I drove by it last week and was wondering. Will have to cHeck it out.