Wine

[Mr. Saint]

First of all, I know that I am not 21 and legally I can’t drink anything, but this is from a purely culinary point of view. I love to cook; I even cook professionally right now. I am working on my skills of paring wines with food. My parents have allowed me to have some wine with dinner for a few years now. I currently have a far amount of knowledge about wine; most of my experience is for local vineyards. I live near both Sonoma and Napa Valley. Not that California wine is bad; I have my share of favorite vineyards. I am wondering if anyone knows of any well priced, good wines that are not from California?

[smallestoftheclan]

Ok Mr Saint. If your parents have been allowing you to have some wine with dinner for a few years there is a big problem.
You are 16, so two years ago you were 14, 7 years or three years, 13 and 8 years under the legal drinking age. And that is a crime. Providing alcohol to a minor is illegal, parent or not.
Now to wines, wait til you are 21.
Your parents allowing you to have women stay, and condone you having sex and providing you with alcohol leads me to think that they have some very large issues.

[sera300]

Depends on what good priced and the type of wine you want. A heavy red or a fruity white. That helps more...and what are you thinking of having for a meal. But if you give me a idea, I have a few favorites...

Yea, BTW...supposed to be older!

[sera300]

If you can get your hands on a bottle of Phelps Insignia 2001...I'll even ignore the doctors "no alcohol" ban!

[Mr. Saint]

When I say my parents let me have a little wine I mean less then a glass and when I was younger just a sip or two out of my mom’s glass. I had wine for the first time when I was late 14. In many countries it would not be strange or illegal at all. In fact when I was in Italy when I was fourteen, I was often offered a glass at a nice restaurant if my parents ordered a carafe.

A good price would be under $20 for a bottle not $200. My personal preference is a dry white, especially a very clear Chardonnay. I tend to find a wine I like and cook a meal around it. What is your favorite?

[sera300]

I like the heavier types; like a good Bordeaux. I love the Phelps if drinking a red. Chardonnay I am not much into any more. I have shifted to red varietals such as St. Julien Connetable De Talbot or a Chateau St. Pierre [1999].

Whites? I love the Sauvignon Blancs & Fume Blancs. There are quite a few which do not exceed the high costs & yet are great such as Frog's leap. If chilled nicely, I find it out performs a Chardonnay. We have a local winery here which imports their grapes from Ca., and throughout the Russian River Valley--they do very well if you want a Chardonnay. I would only PM the name it since it's named after my town.

[Mr. Saint]

Oh, Frogs Leaf is very good, one of my favorite. But I am trying to get away from Napa. Almost all the good wine that is affordable that I have tried are from Napa. The one you sent me in the PM sounds great. I have never heard of them. I have to see if I can dig up a bottle of there’s. I have heard of Saint Julien’s and hear that some good wine comes from there, but have never tried it. I will have to some time. I recently had a ’06 Baron Herzog Chardonnay; it was surprisingly good for being so young. It was little bit fruity, but very good.

[sera300]

http://www.shop.appellationnyc.com/196134

This is the good one, in my opinion, if you want a good priced bottle yet with good finish. If you enjoy cooking, why not try an "enthusiast class" at Greystone?

Do you like the fruity or the buttery Chard's?

I would think you can buy it in CA. since the one I sent you the name of; the vineyards out by you were purchased for their manufacturing. I cannot import wine though in my state!

[Jonathan_Philips]

I cannot help you, but it sounds to me as though you have a very healthy attitude towards drinking. Far better a young person's introduction to alcohol be like yours than getting wasted on cheap booze with your bored friends as is usually the case.

[smallestoftheclan]

Saint, no matter what the laws are in other countries the law in the US is 21. And thru a purely culinary point of view, I truly doubt that you are cooking professionally right now. To me that would mean that you are paid to cook. I've taken many culinary classes, kinda majored in foods back in high school, and it's been a passion of mine longer than, well you're only 16 and I've been OUT of high school for 29.
Grow up, stop trying to be who you are not!