Wine Guide

Drinking wine is the way to go!

I've often enjoyed drinking wine as I've become older. Liqour is too strong and tastes somewhat like poison while beer is too fattening and tastes rough and unrefined. Red wines such as Zinfandel, Cabernet and Shiraz are my favorites but I love all variety of wines from many different growing regions. My problem is that I always forget the names of wines that I really like and sometimes have a hard time finding new ones. There aren't alot of wine guides online that say flat out "this is how to pick a good wine insert name here" so I've decided to build my own. My guide isn't really for the connoisseur but more for the novice looking for good places to start. I enjoy wines with good earthy tones that really make your mouth tingle. I like my wines to be sweet, big and not too dry. Most wine I buy can't be found in supermarkets because they mainly carry a large supply of mainstream Californian wines which aren't really that good. By going to a wine store you can buy better wine at the same price and with a little research it has its rewards. However, as in the case in Baton Rouge, many local supermarkets will go out of their way to supply the public with good wine so definitely look around.

General Rules when Buying Wine:

A little research on what you want to get from your wine can save you alot of money and alot of sour faces due to bad purchases.
Expensive wine never means a bottle of wine is a good wine. So start cheap and figure out what you like first.
Find a good winery and try all their stuff. For example, I enjoy all Clos Du Bois wines.

Malbec This is a grape thats being grown mostly in Argentina. If you like a good Zinfandel you'll love these wines. They're a bit hard to come by for selection due to people in the USA just not knowing what the hell it is. The following you can find easily in wine shops though

Don Miguel Gascon - Here is a link with a description. This wine is so very good.

Cabernet Sauvignon I'm not a particularly big fan of Cabs or Merlots straight up.(I like blends) But this is a cab I loved.

Martin Ray Cabernet Sauvignon Marriage 2000

Louis M. Martini Reserve.(Alexander Valley) 2000. Apparently 2000 was a good year for Cabs.

Rieslng - Very crisp wine that I believe has its roots in Germany. Dr. L has been my favorite of the few I've tried.

Dr "L" Loosen Riesling 2002 - Like eating fresh fruit.

Wine Related Searches:

Buy Wine Online

Wine Ratings

Wine Reviews

Baton Rouge Wine Stores

Baton Rouge Wine Tastings

Zinfandel - My absolute favorite type of wine. Not overly expensive like the Cabs and Merlots. They're very sweet and will please about anyone. My girlfriend complains they're a bit too much on the "Oak" side but most people disagree.

Good Zinfandels..

Burgess 1998 Russian River Valley - Probably my favorite Zinfandel ever.

Schuetz-Oles Korte Ranch 2000 - Strong, refined and so good with any occasion

Clois Du Bois North Coast Zin - Less than $10 a bottle. I bought this wine and got hooked because my wine class instructor mentioned that wines from the Northern areas and Washington were coming out very good.

Rosenblum Cellars makes several very good Zinfandel.

Wine Tastings in Baton Rouge

Matherne's Supermarket - Every Friday night Matherne's on the corner of Perkins and Bluebonnet hosts a wine and dinner event. The one time I've been they served a half dozen wines and a wonderful steak dinner. The cost was $40 a person and a pre-registration was required.

LSU Leisure Classes - LSU offers a wine tasting class in Baton Rouge that is absolutely wonderful. A must if you're in the Baton Rouge area and want to learn more about wine or just enjoy a nice informative evening every week at the Chimes.

Pocorello's Deli [Official Site] - Once every four to six weeks and always on a Tuesday. Give them a call for the set time of the next. Pocorello's is an Italian Deli and their tastings are always a selection of Italian wine.

The Wine Shop Baton Rouge [Official Site] - A great little wine shop and probably one of my favorite wine tastings. They offer a sampling of their wine and foods for their tastings which are held once or twice a month. Get on their mailing list and they'll keep you informed.

Wine Stores - Some stores above in wine tastings section^

Maxwell's Market - Really nice online pictures of this wine & grocery store on Perkins.

Zeeland Street Market - A great wine store and deli. Some of the best plate lunches in town.

Churchill's Wine & Cigars - Excellent place to buy fine wine and cigars on old Jefferson.

Wine Links

Wine Spectator Online - Website of most popular wine lovers magazine.

Vintage Cellars - Neat options for wine lovers. Awesome cellars, storage kits and more.