Wine

[Sergius]

Inspired by a lovely bottle of Dingač (2001), I've decided to make us this thread on wines.
I would like to start by recommending this particular Croatian wine from the Pelješac peninsula, that I'm enjoying right now. It's a strong, 'vigorous' wine that will surely go well with most food from the Mediterranean kitchens. The wine is made in relatively small amounts by Ivo Skaramuca, who has an annual production of 50.000 bottles of different wines, Dingač probably being the best one of them.
Sent with my strongest recommendations.

[Menydh]

I was wondering what the stock was, so I searched for it:

Dingac
The first Croatian top quality wine of protected geographic origin: Geneva –1961.

Dingac is made from the indigenous Plavac Mali grape variety grown in the limited locality known as Dingac on the steep southern hillsides of the Peljesac Penisula. It has a deep ruby red color, remarkably distinctive and rich bouquet and subtly pronounced varietal aroma.

Wonderfully balanced and full-bodied flavor that lingers
on the palate is what makes this wine so unique. Chilled
to 18 °C, Dingac pairs incredibly well with delicious dark meat dishes and quality food fish.

Good to know that it is a local stock. I don't like it when it is cabernet sauvignon everywhere. Worth to give it a try, but we don't have that much foreign wines here.

[Savage]

A light and irrespondible happy wine, suitable for studio exesses...

Here 3 liters cost about 400 Nok. , but according to the price level here, one get much for the money.

[vascongado]

I think that's the best wine of Spain...

[Menydh]

I have great memories with Vega Sicilia.

Shame that prices today put it out of reach.

[vascongado]

Yes, nowadays the price of Vega Sicilia is too expensive .

However, we have other excelents wines in Spain, for example:

Marqués de Cáceres



Marqués del Riscal



Other good election is this wine, more cheap, from Cooperativa Santa Daría (Cenicero, La Rioja):

[Menydh]

It makes sense that a Basque will prefer wines from La Rioja.

They are the most popular in Spain. The main stock there is Tempranillo (it's called Ull de llebre here too). Very good wines.

However, I suggest other varieties from other denomination regions:

From El Penedès, wines mainly from the Merlot stock. Similarly full-bodied as the wines from La Rioja, with a slight reminding of cherry in the palate.



From El Priorat, wines mainly from Garnatxa Negra stock. Rich wines with a herbal and tannic palate.

[vascongado]

Very good wines those that you propose, Mynnyd!

I haven't drunk many wines of El Penedes. They have said to me that are more fruity that those of La Rioja and that look like a bit the wines of the Gironda, in France.

[Sergius]

My new favourite dessert wine: Pineau des Charentes
It is, as the article says, made from unfermented grapes and cognac. Somehow an unusual taste that reminded me of both cognac and a fruit-like porto. And much better than any porto I can find at that price.
Only problem is that I could drink it like fruit juice, and my wallet wouldn't allow that.

[Theobald]

Originally Posted by Ljubomir

My new favourite dessert wine: Pineau des Charentes

Very good choice. It was the first wine I drunk, when I was 11 or 12, on vacation in the Charentes (Island of Oleron).

Originally Posted by Mynydd

I have great memories with Vega Sicilia.

Shame that prices today put it out of reach.

I am curious... How much does a bottle of Vega Sicilia cost in Spain ?

As for myself, my all-time favourites are Sauternes and Monbazillac, though I drink much more local Alsatian wines. Great memories with Tuscan Chianti as well.

[Ariets]

I hate wines, maybe from my experience from el cheapo wines

[Menydh]

Though I don't fancy much white wines (mostly those from the verdejo stock and the Galicians from the albariño stock), this summer someone brought me a few bottles of an Italian Pinot Grigio which I enjoyed quite a lot.

Originally Posted by Theobald

I am curious... How much does a bottle of Vega Sicilia cost in Spain ?

That depends on the harvest year.

A bottle of Vega Sicilia "Unico" Gran Reserva 1991, around 160 - 175 euros.
A bottle of Vega Sicilia "Unico" 1989, around 200 euros.
A bottle of Vega Sicilia Unico Doble Magnum* Gran Reserva 1985, around 2,500 euros (*this is a 3l. bottle).
Vega Sicilia "Unico" 1995, around 165 euros.
Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5º Año Reserva 2001, starts around 70 euros.
Vega Sicilia Unico Reserva Especial (this is an old Spanish tradition to mix wine from the best harvests of different years, attaining an equilibrium), around 130 - 180 euros.

Then there are the rarities, old bottles for which the price will vary much. E.g., a 1990 bottle can cost around 500, a 1968 bottle can cost around 1,500, etc.

There have been a couple of bottles that have reached 85,160 euros in an auction (both Magnum of 2l., from 1987 and 1989 harvests each).


Note: the Vega Sicilia bottles that I used to drink were a present that someone used to make my father every year. And the best part is.. my father doesn't drink!


The best thing to buy wines is to know a few providers of restaurants and get from them wines which are not widely known to the public yet. You have to buy at least a box or two, but what you get is a wine that is affordable and of a quality often as good as others with high price tags.