Wine

[Engelbrecht]

Originally Posted by Seekers

When I was in Pfalz, I even had some excellent local red wine from Weingut Karl Schaefer.

I had the same experience when I was in Pfalz. Not sure if it was the very same vinyard, but I tasted a really good red wine too. I think it was made of Spätburgunder aka Pinot Noir.

[PaleoYankee]

COuld someone please tell me how non-grape based wines are viewed in Europe. (Altough I think wines are techinically only grape, there are many other things called wine here.) Here in Missouri I've had blackberry wine and cherry wine. My family also has apple wine from Pennsylvania. Are non-grape "wines" popular at all? Also, do you ever drink any american grapes like catawba?

[Menydh]

Non grape wines? You surely mean liquors, schnapps,distills of berries, ... but wine?

E.g., Patxaran, a distilled of blackthorns macerated in a mix of anise spirit and the spirit of the pomace of the grape (I hear that the percentages vary), and sometimes cinnamon and coffee beans, made in the north of Navarre and Aragon.



A nice presentation above, but you find more often this classic presentation, for home-made patxaran.




The blackthorn fruits

[Aptrgangr]

Originally Posted by PaleoYankee

COuld someone please tell me how non-grape based wines are viewed in Europe. (Altough I think wines are techinically only grape, there are many other things called wine here.) Here in Missouri I've had blackberry wine and cherry wine. My family also has apple wine from Pennsylvania. Are non-grape "wines" popular at all? Also, do you ever drink any american grapes like catawba?

Here in Hesse/Germany Apfelwein is very popular. Recently there was an attempt by EU to ban the name "apple wine" since wine is exclusively for drinks made out of grapes, but it was cancelled after protest. During Christmas season Glühwein is very popular.
Blackberry-, raspberry-, elder-, cherrywine are popular too, as well as Honey wine, Mead.

[Vincent]

I can talk about Croatia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, and Serbia. Here blackberry wine is also popular. Not as much as grape wine, but still...

Most of them have a low precentage of alcohol (4 %).

[Llywarch Hen]

I never learn... I persist in buying Armenian Pomegranate Wine, in the hope that maybe one day it'll be nice!

It's not a spirit, so I don't know what you would call it, if not wine. ?

[Sergius]

Since we do not have wine production here, there is no tradition for fruit "wine." I think that's the main reason why we only have really terrible cherry, apple, etc. "wines." Only 13-year-olds drink it, I think. I remember it being quite a phenomenon when I was that age.

[Menydh]

Originally Posted by Llywarch Hen

It's not a spirit, so I don't know what you would call it, if not wine. ?

You don't call cider wine, do you?

[Savorgnan]

Ultimately, with the Winter's arrival, I've been regularly eating Raclette cheese with a good French white Arbois. Simply sublime, I just can't stand a week without it.

[The Duke]

Macedonian "T'GA za JUG"

[Big Bwana]

Italian wines....homemade ones are the best IMO....i used to live near Pienza which is near Montepulciano and not far from Montalcino where the great Italian wines come from.
The best wines were made by the local people for home consumption......but i used to get my beedy hands on them as well.

Much like the olive oil round here.......my father in law gave us fifty litres a couple of weeks ago....and its like nothing youll ever find in the shops.

Anyway back on topic......home made Sardinian wine is also very good if you can find it.......as i can

(I seem to have a knack for for these things)

[Germanicus]

French Cabernet Sauvignon cannot be surpassed in my opinion, i have a liking for Bulgarian, and Chilian,...........Tonight i have a rather good Californian "Rivercrest"Ruby Cabernet,
Shall give you an update on it later,