
This is a bit about wine and my likes / dislikes.
- Wine:
- The main factor that determines the basic flavor and most likely whether a person likes that wine or not is the type of grape (aka varietal)
- Single grape wines are known as varietal wines
- Multiple grape wines are blends
- If the wine does not identify the single or multiple grapes then it is almost certainly a blend
- Some blends do identify all the grapes included (they may even indicate the percentages of each), but some do not, (eg. most French wines)
- If the blend lists the grapes but not the percentages then the order is from largest to smallest percentage
- There are dozens and dozens of grape types, some popular and common, some not so popular and quite rare
- Many countries specialize in certain grapes, for instance:
- Baco Noir in Canada (Niagara)
- Carmenère in Chile
- Malbec in Argentina
- Pinotage in South Africa
- Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand
- Shiraz in Australia
- Tempranillo in Spain
- Zinfandel in California
- Grape types sometimes have multiple names, for instance:
- Shiraz is also known as Syrah
- Zinfandel is also known as Primitivo (in Italy)
- Although I have tried many grape types, there are dozens more that I have not had the opportunity to try yet
- Style is another determining factor, including in particular (in general):
- Old World Wine - lighter, less oak used
- New World Wine - heavier, more oak used
- Most people tend to favour one or the other style
- My preference is towards New World Wines but not in every case
- Of the grapes that I have already tried, here are some of the grapes that I like, in order of preference:
- Reds:
- Zinfandel (California)
- Shiraz (Australian heavily oaked New World style)
- Malbec
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Cabernet Franc
- Zweigelt
- Blaufrankisch (Austria) / Lemberger
- Pinot Noir
- Baco Noir (Canada)
- GSM Blends (Australia)
- Petite Sirah
- Petit Verdot
- Tempranillo (Spain) / Tinto del Pais (Spain) / Tinta Roriz (Portugal) / Aragoñez (Portugal) / Aragonês (Portugal)
- Nebbiolo
- Nero d'Avola (Italy)
- Pinot Meunier
- Marechal Foch
- Grand Noir (Portugal)
- Trincadeira Preta (Portugal)
- Blends that identify all the grapes and do not include the ones that I do not like, (see below)
- Ice Wine
- Ruby Ports
- Sparkling Shiraz (Australia)
- Whites:
- Chardonnay (heavily oaked - the more the better)
- Gewürztraminer
- Ehrenfelser
- Chenin Blanc (eg. French Vouvray)
- Off-Dry Riesling (eg. German Spätlese or Auslese)
- Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio
- Trebbiano / Ugni Blanc
- Vidal Blanc
- Blends that identify all the grapes and do not include the ones that I do not like, (see below)
- Ice Wine
- Asti (Italian off-dry sparkling)
- Of the grapes that I have already tried, here are some of the grapes that I do not like:
- Reds:
- Carmenère
- Merlot
- Primitivo (Italy)
- Syrah (Old World style)
- Blends that identify all the grapes and include any of these ones that I do not like, no matter how small the percentage
- Blends that do not identify what grapes are included, (eg. most French wines)
- Tawny Ports
- Whites:
- Chardonnay (un-oaked or lightly oaked)
- Kerner
- Dry Riesling
- Sauvignon Blanc / Fumé Blanc
- Sémillon
- Blends that identify all the grapes and include any of these ones that I do not like, no matter how small the percentage
- Blends that do not identify what grapes are included, (eg. most French wines)
- Sherrys
- White Ports
- Champagne
- Here are some of my favorite wines (alpha order):
- Reds:
- Bodega Catena Zapata Catena Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina)
- Bonterra Cabernet Sauvignon (organic, California, USA)
- Concha y Toro Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon (Chile)
- Fox Creek JSM Shiraz Cabernet Franc (Australia)
- Gnarly Head Old Vine Zin (California, USA)
- Kaiken Malbec Ultra (Mendoza, Argentina)
- Penfolds Thomas Hyland Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia)
- Rancho Zabaco Dancing Bull Zinfandel (California, USA)
- Robert Biale Zinfandel (various) (California, USA)
- Seghesio Old Vine Zinfandel (California, USA)
- Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel (California, USA)
- Whites:
- Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay (Napa Valley, California, USA)
- Byron Chardonnay (Santa Maria Valley, California, USA)
- Cedar Creek Ehrenfelser (Okanagan, Canada)
- Cedar Creek Gewürztraminer (Okanagan, Canada)
- Gallo Laguna Ranch Chardonnay (Russian River Valley, California, USA)
- Gray Monk Gewürztraminer (Okanagan, Canada)
- Guy Saget Vouvray (Chenin Blanc, Loire Valley, France)
- Martini & Rossi Asti (Off-Dry Sparkling, Italy)
- Mollydooker "The Boxer" Shiraz (McLaren Vale, Australia)
- Mt. Boucherie Gewürztraminer (Okanagan, Canada)
- NK'MIP Qwam Qwmt Chardonnay (Okanagan, Canada)
- Pfaffenheim Grand Cru Steinert Gewürztraminer (Alsace, France)
- Quails' Gate Chenin Blanc (Okanagan, Canada)
- Quails' Gate Gewürztraminer (Okanagan, Canada)
- Quails' Gate Family Reserve Chardonnay (Okanagan, Canada)
- Ridge Santa Cruz Chardonnay (Monto Belloe Estate Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA)
- Rombauer Chardonnay (Carneros, California, USA)
- Rustenberg Five Soldiers Chardonnay (Stellenbosch, South Africa)
- Spy Valley Chardonnay (Marlborough, New Zealand)
- Spy Valley Gewürztraminer (Marlborough, New Zealand)
- Summerhill Pyramid Ehrenfelser (Okanagan, Canada)
- Therapy Chardonnay (Okanagan, Canada)
- Tinhorn Creek Gewürztraminer (Okanagan, Canada)
- Villa Maria Private Bin Gewürztraminer (New Zealand)
- Wente Riva Ranch Chardonnay (Arroyo Seco, Monterey, California, USA)
- Wild Goose Gewürztraminer (Okanagan, Canada)
- Wolf Blass Gold Label Chardonnay (heavily oaked, Adelaide Hills, Australia)

Patrick Fitzsimmons
[www3.telus.net/public/pfitz]
Copyright © 1995 - Present -
Patrick Fitzsimmons -
This Page Last Updated: 2009-05-03 @ 11:00