Wine suggestions for dinner

[canderson]

Kind of OT but since you are all talking about wine, here goes:

 

DH and I mainly drink red wines, Cabs, Merlot, Chianti and sometimes we will order a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc or champagne for special occasions.

 

We received as a gift a bottle of ice wine, Ancient Coast, the label also says Vidal and VQA Niagara Peninsula, it is a Canadian wine. Is this a dessert wine? Is it to be served chilled? Sorry to sound uninformed, but we aren't big drinkers, most of the time only having wine in restaurants. The person gifting this to us usually gives a nice bottle, so I'm sure it is good, but I would like to know how to serve it before I open it. Thanks, sorry to be so naive about it.

Yes, it's a dessert wine from a winery called "Ancient Coast" made from Vidal grapes. Most of the ice wine in Ontario is made using this grape. They won a silver for that wine a couple of years back in the Fingerlakes competition.

 

As above, I wouldn't get too carried away with chilling it -- you might miss out on a lot of the flavor.

[greygypsy]

Yes, the ice wine is a sweet, dessert type wine that should be served cold. If the original poster likes cold, dry white wines, I strongly suggest a sauvignon blanc from New Zealand or a French white burgundy. Most California Chardonnays are very creamy, oaky and a tad sweeter than they used to be. Jeff

[Mike2131]

Kind of OT but since you are all talking about wine, here goes:

 

DH and I mainly drink red wines, Cabs, Merlot, Chianti and sometimes we will order a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc or champagne for special occasions.

 

We received as a gift a bottle of ice wine, Ancient Coast, the label also says Vidal and VQA Niagara Peninsula, it is a Canadian wine. Is this a dessert wine? Is it to be served chilled? Sorry to sound uninformed, but we aren't big drinkers, most of the time only having wine in restaurants. The person gifting this to us usually gives a nice bottle, so I'm sure it is good, but I would like to know how to serve it before I open it. Thanks, sorry to be so naive about it.

 

Hi!

The advice above is right on. When you think about the area around Niagra Falls the first thing that comes to mind is not wine (at least it doesn't for me), but it does produce some excellent dessert wines like the one you received. Enjoy!

[Mike2131]

Sounds like we have some very similar tastes, so here's one for you to investigate. One of the very few Riesling hybrids that actually turned out a true winner is the Scheurebe grape. Not too many German vineyards are planted in this, and I have yet to run across a bad one -- it seems the vinters who are planting Scheurebe are also paying close attention in the cellar. I haven't tried the Kracher (Austrian) yet as I can't seem to find it here in CO.

 

More specifically, they do make Auslese and BA (sometimes TBA) wines from this grape. It usually has the floral intensity of a muscat grape but with a bit more refinement, and since it's grown in the right part of the world, more often than not it has that acidity that's needed. If you run across any Lingenfelder BA, that'd be a good start.

 

We took a couple of bottles of '90 Lingenfelder BA with us in the Dec 04 Summit cruise. Our sommelier said she couldn't find the grape in her "wine bible" (she needs another one!) and Ivo (sp?), the head sommelier, popped up from the Normadie to check it out, and was the person who pointed out the Constantia in their list. As a side note: the '90, now 15 years old, won't be hurt a bit by another 5 or 10 years in the cellar. So much for the old adage about whites not aging, eh?

 

Just goes to show that there is always an exception to the "rule". I found the same thing with a Champagne ('64 vintage?) back in the late 70's. It was past its expected peak, but it was outstanding.

[Mike2131]

What wines do ya'll (I'm a Louisiana girl!) recommend? We were on Galaxy in November and will be on her again in October. It seemed like we spent a lot of time with our sommelier each night trying to find a wine to enjoy with our meal. I prefer very cold and very dry wines. My husband could care less what it is, as long as it tastes good. I am by no means a connoisseur of fine wine (I prefer frozen drinks :o ), but do enjoy wine when we are cruising. What wines have you had on Celebrity that you would recommend?

 

Donna

 

Hi Donna!

I know it seems we kind of went off on a side trip regarding white and dessert wines (I enjoy them - I alway learn something!). Did we help?

[pamkev]

Hi Pam!

Are you talking about Ice Wine? If so, I agree it is wonderful. If you have tried the Canadian, give the German and Austrian wines a taste. They are superb!

 

I found a nice, reasonably-priced, dessert wine at one of the wine tastings on the Coral Princess - Essensia produced by Andrew Quady in Madera, CA. If it is available on Celebrity, give it a try. Another personal favorite is Tokay Aszu, a tremendous Hungarian wine that was rumored to be Napoleon's favorite!

 

 

Yes Ice Wine is what I am talking about. I will look for the others! Pam

[dakrewser]

With all this chatter about Eiswein, BA, TBA, Tokaj, Essencia, etc. I'm surprised no one has spoken up for the truly regal members of trhe dessert wine set - the Sauternes & Barsacs of France and the Portos and Madeiras of Portugal. Some will be available on the ship and none (of sufficient age and maturity) should ever be passed on when given the opportunity to try them.

 

50 year old Sauternes and 150 year old Madeira can be eye-opening experiences.

[excitedofharpenden]

Dave, I am not one for sweet wines, but I've seen the Sauternes in the hypermarkets in France, I think. Very golden yellow in colour? Some of them were VERY expensive:eek:

 

Phil

[Mike2131]

With all this chatter about Eiswein, BA, TBA, Tokaj, Essencia, etc. I'm surprised no one has spoken up for the truly regal members of trhe dessert wine set - the Sauternes & Barsacs of France and the Portos and Madeiras of Portugal. Some will be available on the ship and none (of sufficient age and maturity) should ever be passed on when given the opportunity to try them.

 

50 year old Sauternes and 150 year old Madeira can be eye-opening experiences.

 

Hi Dave!

 

I remember when Chateau Y'quem was actually affordable! Seriously though, they can be magnificent! I have limited experience with Port or Madeira. Maybe it's time to change that.

[canderson]

50 year old Sauternes and 150 year old Madeira can be eye-opening experiences.

A 50 year old bottle of d'Yquem can also be a wallet opening experience! Celebrity did have a d'Yquem on their wine list, but I do not recall which vintage... something from the early 90's as I recall. Infanticide.

[dakrewser]

Dave, I am not one for sweet wines, but I've seen the Sauternes in the hypermarkets in France, I think. Very golden yellow in colour? Some of them were VERY expensive:eek:

 

Phil

 

Well, sure, the grand cru wines (like the Yquem that others mention) are every bit as pricey as their red Bordeaux brethren, but good cru bourgeois chateaux from Sauternes or Barsac (the next town over) retail for $20 or less (compared to the Yquem at, say, $200-300). But this is really a wine to buy by the glass because of the sweetness. I usually buy it in half-btls when I can (and I do wish cruise ship wine lists carried a lot more 1/2 btls!)

[CajunLiner]

Mike, yes you have all been very helpful! I have enjoyed reading all the posts, not just the ones directly addressed to me! Very informative!!!

 

Keep posting!

 

Donna