Well well well, you big burly hairy assed woodsman and your facy wines
I really like Italian Reds, Valpolicella and Chianti right at the top. MASI is one of my fave winemakers.
I have no palate for sweet wines at all, and though I am not a big fan of strong Oak or Current or Smoke on my wine, I would take them any day over sweet.
I worked for a while in the Edith Cavelle dining room at Jasper Park Lodge when I was younger. Wine tastings were often, and we had a small group who also tasted outside of work.
Though I rarely buy Canadian, Sumac Ridge Gewürztraminer white is as nice as I have ever tasted in a "sweeter" wine. If I lived in BC they'd be chasing me off the property!
When I lived in Alberta before moving to sask, I did not know what was at my fingertips as far as wines. here is Sask, like in NL the liquor stores are Government run, therefore there are only a few and they all are stocked with products that appeal to the masses, and rarely are there freebies or sales. In alberta, where the stores are privately owned you can find certain stores that carry wines you could only get in a 5 star 4 diamond dining room, or special reserves etc. and amazing selections. (this goes for scotch too)
Drink what you like. Something that guests used to do for us, is if they had a nice bottle of wine, or had an expensive bottle, say $350 or more, they would leave about half a glass in the bottle. Then we in the Kitchen would get to expand our knowledge by having tasted a wine we weren't familair with, or could not afford to have tasted on our own.
At 300% or more mark up in a restaurant, don't be fooled by those who brag about prices. Most of my favs and most people I know who drink wines a fair bit, spend between $10 and $18 a bottle, and the $18 stuff comes out not too often. Not cause of price, just that there are many nice wines for 12 or 14 $.
Unless you are a wine drinker and know a bit, expensive wines makes the everyday normal drinker look like he is trying to promote something he is not.
The only xception, is one I would wish on no one, ...;
You are a novice or amateur wine drinker, taste an off the shelf $60 or more bottle of wine and are hooked cause it is what you love. You poor bastard.
It happens a lot with Scotch (victim
)
My suggestion for finding the wine you'll love with whatever food, is to invite a bunch of friends over for a feed and when they ask (as they always do) "what should I bring?" , tell them to bring a bottle of red wine.
If there are a number of you, you may get to have 6 or 7 different ones and get an idea where you're leaning.
My pic is go with MASI it will be in the Italy section.
It is a great Italian red winery as well as white. If you don't like it, leave Italy altogether and head for Austrailia or Chile or Another fav South Africa.
