Im 36 and used to be a beer drinker. I always thought wine was for other people - the only time I ever got to taste wine was weddings and the like (I dislike sparkling wines - I know that!).

Then a friend introduced me red wine - seemingly we drank a couple of bottles of a really good one. I really enjoyed it!

'Cept for age, thank goodness.. LOL

My advice:

You're going to need some proper glasses (Bordeaux).. It sure helps you appreciate the wine better..

And I would stick to the $20 US range, primarily, until you can appreciate the differance between that and the more expensive stuff..

I know I still can't appreciate the difference very well..

My ratio for now will be 5 to 1 $20 to $50-$100 bottles.. :)

And try a variety of red varietals.. Shiraz, cab-sauv, claret, merlot, bordeaux, zinfandel, etc..

The wine was a Benedictine he says. Its around $10 a bottle (that seems very cheap to me).

"My friend is from a small village in Scotland and (Coatbridge) and tells me this is the most popular wine there by far."

The Scots being cheap.. Who'd have thunk? :)

My friend claims he can also tell how good a wine is just by reading the label.

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My ratio for now will be 5 to 1 $20 to $50-$100 bottles.. :)

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Appellation Controle'e , or AOC, or Simply AC

The highest rank. The wine region might apear between the "A" and the "C" part..

I.e. Appellation Bordeaux Controle'e

Vins Delimites de Qualite Superiere or VDQS..

2nd best.

Vins de Pays : Country wines. 3rd..

Vins de table Vins de table. Table wine. 4th..

I dunno if this is still the case, as the book I got the info from is from '95..

But if he's talking about European wines, this would definately give him an edge, as other European nations like Spain(DO), Italy (DOC), and Germany (QbA) also have label info which give an indication of the wine region, and the quality standard..

" Is that a week?"

LOL

No.. That's the ratio of wine I strive for in the wine fridge.. I have about 12 bottles in there now..

Bog standard Appelation Bordeaux Controle at £5. Vin de Pays D'Oc Cabernet/Merlot Blend at £5. The VDp is almost always far, far better.

Another example, take Rioja, designated DOC, the highest spanish wine ecelon. Ribera del Duero is only a DO, lower than all riojas. Vega Sicilia is a DO wine costing around £150. Berberana Joven Rioja is a DOC wine costing £4.

Its from the Buckfast vineyard in Devon. So it is an English wine. I never even knew the English made wine.

True of all wines..

Depending on what studies you believe..

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Originally posted by Unfathomable Depths

Ive now got myself a crate of the wine my friend gave me that night.

Its from the Buckfast vineyard in Devon.

It also claims to have medicinal properties

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For a new wine drinker you are very lucky to have such knowledgable friends.

You know how travel writers know wonderful places that they never write about and keep as a secret among a small circle of cognescenti?

Well, you have stumbled upon the wine equivalent. This is a wine that wine experts never recommend because they want to keep it for themselves. Notice how MisterChris (who is a Wine Journalist and WSET Tutor) cleverly refrains from commenting on the wine and gives some generalities. And Doug Zdanivsky again avoids commenting. They both know the truth and hope to hide your post by piling on bland responses.

I know I am going to get some serious criticism from fellow writers -- hell, I might even get expelled from the Cape Wine Academy and the Circle of Wine Writers and have my WSET certificates cancelled. But sometimes you have to tell the truth.

As you say, Buckfast Tonic Wine is indeed an elixir. Those of us in the know take a couple of glasses every day. It has the great advantage for those in the wine business of preventing hangovers. You can drink three bottles of wine, then have a couple of glasses of Buckfast and the bad effects of alcohol are neutralised. It keeps illneses away and (this is the big secret) through the presence of GH3 and therefore active ingredient procaine buffered and stabilised by the addition of Benzoic acid and potassium metabisulphite as an antioxidant. (Whereas straight procaine has a pH factor of 7 GH3 has one of 3.3 which makes it an acidulous balance ensuring the prolonged stabilisation which is so crucial to its efficacy and also eliminating the anaesthetic qualities (which are not wanted anyway). GH3 breaks down in the intestine into its constituent parts (PABA and DEAE) and these ingredients play vitally important roles prior to final metabolisation in preventing aging.

Hugh Johnson is 130, Jancis Robinson is 102 and Andy Barrow is 66, but they all look years younger. Now you know why.

But - on second thoughts - perhaps you should edit your post and remove the name of the wine, and I'll do the same. We'll keep it a secret, and you can become an honorary member of us wine experts. I'll get Eric to upgrade you to "God" status. And if you do, I'll tell you the other special wine that is rarely mentioned - initials BN!

Top notch reply Mr May.

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Originally posted by Unfathomable Depths

Rumbled.

Top notch reply Mr May.

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Thank you for coming clean.

For the benefit of those that didn't understand the references in Unfathonable Depths posts, Buckfast Tonic Wine is a cheap 19% abv British fortified wine beloved of tramps, teenagers and others for whom the desire for alcohol overrules taste.

It is particularly favoured in Scotland, and said "to have almost a cult status in certain parts of the country, including the so-called 'Buckfast Triangle', which covers Airdrie, Cumbernauld and Coatbridge.*" (see earlier reference to Coatbridge by Unfathonable)
where, known as Buckie, it is has a poor reputation for encouraging alcoholism. MP Helen Liddle has called for it to be banned, and one grocers shop there was allowed an alcohol licence on the condition it didn't stock Buckie.

It is also known as Benedictine (see reference in earlier post) 'commotion lotion', 'wreck-the-hoose juice' and 'Mrs Brown', and

British wine is a legal definition that means a manufactured beverage made from imported must, condensed wines or dried grapes reconstituted in the UK. It has lower tax levied and can thus be sold cheaper than proper wine. English wine is the term for wine made from freshly harvested grapes grown in England or Wales.

Interestingly, the name Buckfast comes from Buckfast Abbey in Devon where it was first concocted and it is still made by Benedictine monks to support their monastery. See http://www.buckfast.org.uk/TONIC.HTM

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Originally posted by MisterChris

Tudor Rose anyone?

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The Tudor Hotel? An infamous Buckie haunt.

Wee factiod - The Tudor Hotel is where Billy Connolly (NOT a Buckie drinker) recorded the now infamous 'Cruxifixtion' sketch.