What should Joe serve the non-wine geeks at his wedding?

Please look at the options, and remember that this is for the uninitiated wine drinkers.

Thanks!
Joe

Hmmmm... there should have been a 5th option for "other"

Please list anything you feel would be an "other" wine.

Thanks!

The Cuvee Granit is great fun, but assuming that non-wine geeks want something more substantial to hang on their tongue, the Shadow is the way to go.

Plus, assuming you've met Steve, you could tell everyone at the wedding about the personal connection between you and the red wine they were drinking.

Bring it all full circle.

What about white? Can we vote on that too?

(I just went through this two weeks ago with a friend of mine for his wedding, as he had me searching through websites of wine shops and I recommended a lovely selection of Cahors, Bourgogne rouge, or Barbera for red, and Menetou Salon, Macon chardonnay, or several German QbAs for white. Next thing I know his wife thinks my tastes are too "sophisticated" and they're serving Conundrum for white and Simi Cabernet plus other sorts of California monstrosities for red. Hey, it was their wedding. And it was lovely to tell the truth...)

The Cuvee Granit is great fun, but assuming that non-wine geeks want something more substantial to hang on their tongue, the Shadow is the way to go.

Plus, assuming you've met Steve, you could tell everyone at the wedding about the personal connection between you and the red wine they were drinking.

Bring it all full circle.

What about white? Can we vote on that too?

(I just went through this two weeks ago with a friend of mine for his wedding, as he had me searching through websites of wine shops and I recommended a lovely selection of Cahors, Bourgogne rouge, or Barbera for red, and Menetou Salon, Macon chardonnay, or several German QbAs for white. Next thing I know his wife thinks my tastes are too "sophisticated" and they're serving Conundrum for white and Simi Cabernet plus other sorts of California monstrosities for red. Hey, it was their wedding. And it was lovely to tell the truth...)

I think that I'm good for whites. I'll have some cold Vinho Verde on hand for anyone who gets the shrimp, otherwise I've been very impressed by the Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava.

The good stuff is reserved for those likely to appreciate it.

Thanks for the advice!

Best,
Joe

p.s. never met Steve, believe it or not. He visits Thor every so often, but I'm somehow elsewhere...

Please look at the options, and remember that this is for the uninitiated wine drinkers.

Thanks!
Joe

Hey Joe,

Aren't these wines you listed all pretty big, deep, dry reds?
If so, I don't know if I would serve any dry red to the uninitiated. And a wedding? Are you serving food with it? What kind? There are host of issues that relate to what you should serve. Are your friends "non-wine geeks" like you say, or are they "non wine-geeks", because there's a big difference in the two. Maybe you would do well to define "uninitiated" - what it means to you, and add that "other" category to your poll as well. If I was serving any number of the "uninitiated" at my wedding I would get several bottles of different styles ranging from bubbly, to white, to pink, to red, to allow for the diversity of the palates so as to prevent any kind of an exclusion factor. But that's just me. However, I think if you could give us a few more details it would help tremendously in fine tuning this thing for you.

Hope this has been helpful, Aaron.

Joe,
I'm impressed w the 2005 CRB Gamay for this niche. Offered currently for as little as $9, easy drinking, and a good complement to food. Had the 2005 Vajra Rosso the other night, also easy drinking but with some real flavors and discounted at $8 this week. And it's made by a good Barolo producer.
Charles

[David M. Bueker]

I hate to say this, but for non-geeks the Las Rocas may be th way to go. Talk about easy-access. People want fruit, and like getting a buzz.

I haven't had the Shadow, so left it out of consideration. I voted for the '03 Rocas. The Rioja would be second choice, the Granit last. That's the reverse of how I like them. But I've found those Spanish grenaches are generally a hit with the non-geek crowd.

[Robin Garr]

Please list anything you feel would be an "other" wine.

Joe, I voted for the Las Rocas because of the good reasons that David stated, but here's an intriguing "other" option: Why not tickle their taste buds with something like Brun '05 L'Ancien Beaujolais? It's fruity and slurpy enough to please anyone, and yet it's got the structure and earthiness that wine geeks love ... and it's affordable.

Las Rocas here also...if we have to choose from this list. Grenache based wines will, generally, appeal to the newcomers. But as was mentioned above gamay is great way to go. And Cru Beaujolais is relatively inexpensive and a lot better than Nouveau.

Richard

Aren't these wines you listed all pretty big, deep, dry reds? If so, I don't know if I would serve any dry red to the uninitiated.

Hi Joe ~

I tend to agree with what Aaron and others had to say concerning the wine options you listed. If some of your guests are "uninitiated" in the sense that they do not possess a palate educated in the appreciation of dry wine complexities, I would not serve them at all. IMO, it will only tend to reinforce the inexperienced palate misconception that wine isn't fun and enjoyable and tastes "awful," as dry wines are not what I enjoyed drinking when I was a newbie. My personal suggestion would be Banfi's Rosa Regale Brachetto D'Acqui 2005 for approx. $16.00 a bottle. It is light, fruity and "bubbly" a little like a champagne, and this is a wedding afterall...it should be a festive libation! BTW...congratulations on your impending nuptials, Joe!!

I like Brachetto D'Acqui too, though haven't tasted this one. Very different from others suggested in that it has very low alcohol, which could be either good or bad. I assume it has significant sweetness and would not expect it to be "the red."

Some of what is being (un)said is about the O-word. Something like CRB Gamay is fruity but unoaked, as is the Brun (though a little less a friendly puppy dog). If you think nongeeks need oak, then would definitely look elsewhere.

Charles

I think we need some real live non-geeks to come here and give us their opinions!

Personally, I don't think dry wines are a problem for non-geeks, they drink them all the time, don't they? We don't need to dumb all the way down to wine coolers. That sounds drastic.

That said, lush but dry and still respectable could be the way to go.

Personally, I don't think dry wines are a problem for non-geeks, they drink them all the time, don't they? We don't need to dumb all the way down to wine coolers. That sounds drastic.

That said, lush but dry and still respectable could be the way to go.

I'm with Rahsaan here. I assume Joe is talking about people who drink wine but are not geeks (folks who don't drink wine at all are not going to suddenly switch their minds en masse because of a wedding!). I tend to find ripe fruit forward wines are the first drained in such situations.

Oh, and congratulations Joe!

Voted for the Syrah. Back in '99 the editors of Wine & Spirits devoted their fall "Special Issue" to wines for all activities associated with weddings. They did extensive taste tasting with groups just like the one you are planning for. The overwhelming preference was for Shiraz for the red and Chardonnay for the white. Even though Shiraz is not my favorite red for quaffing, and even though I loathe Chardonnay in most of its current iterations, I have recommended this combo to a least a dozen folks who ask my opinion over the past six years, and all were happy with the outcome.

The Shadow's Syrah, not Shiraz
Charles

Why should I help you with my expert advice? I never got an invitation. hmpf.

Is it going to be webcast?

[James Roscoe]

Why should I help you with my expert advice? I never got an invitation. hmpf.

Is it going to be webcast?

Will the Fox channel televise it in place of the OJ special? Will it end up like the OJ situation only in reverse? Will anyone dare to sneak in a white zin? What type of beer will be served? What band is playing, David B. and the Riesling Rockettes? Will Amy really go through with it after she reads over all this advice"?

Why should I help you with my expert advice? I never got an invitation. hmpf.

Nobody has! I've been told that "Save The Date" cards are coming in the next few weeks, but invitations are inappropriate until 6 months before the wedding.

Well, so far Amy's been smart enough to say, "Um, yeah, sure, someday, let's say...oh, next year maybe?" without actually making a written confirmation. You must be worrying that the closer you get to a deadline date the more likely she is to come to her senses and run screaming into the night.

You could rent the flick 'Runaway Bride' to test her response, I guess. Shame the movie sucks so bad though (but not as much as that Dune disaster).

Just remember to keep her well sedated for a few days prior to the event, and all should go well, Joe.

Well, so far Amy's been smart enough to say, "Um, yeah, sure, someday, let's say...oh, next year maybe?" without actually making a written confirmation. You must be worrying that the closer you get to a deadline date the more likely she is to come to her senses and run screaming into the night.

You could rent the flick 'Runaway Bride' to test her response, I guess. Shame the movie sucks so bad though (but not as much as that Dune disaster).

Just remember to keep her well sedated for a few days prior to the event, and all should go well, Joe.

How wrong you are. Amy has played me like a skilled trapper. I, the proud Arabian Colt, - last of his kind - have wound up exhausted, sides heaving, with cliffs in front and to the right, and ocean on my left. To the rear lies a saddle, stirrups and corral.

And so, one of the world’s last wild mysteries is extinguished...

[quote=[/quote]

How wrong you are. Amy has played me like a skilled trapper. I, the proud Arabian Colt, - last of his kind - have wound up exhausted, sides heaving, with cliffs in front and to the right, and ocean on my left. To the rear lies a saddle, stirrups and corral.

And so, one of the world’s last wild mysteries is extinguished...[/quote]

When did you give up drinking cheap swill and start dropping acid?
Talk about a fantasy on steroids!

Please look at the options, and remember that this is for the uninitiated wine drinkers.

Thanks!
Joe

Hey Joe,

Aren't these wines you listed all pretty big, deep, dry reds?
If so, I don't know if I would serve any dry red to the uninitiated. And a wedding? Are you serving food with it? What kind? There are host of issues that relate to what you should serve. Are your friends "non-wine geeks" like you say, or are they "non wine-geeks", because there's a big difference in the two. Maybe you would do well to define "uninitiated" - what it means to you, and add that "other" category to your poll as well. If I was serving any number of the "uninitiated" at my wedding I would get several bottles of different styles ranging from bubbly, to white, to pink, to red, to allow for the diversity of the palates so as to prevent any kind of an exclusion factor. But that's just me. However, I think if you could give us a few more details it would help tremendously in fine tuning this thing for you.

Hope this has been helpful, Aaron.

Aaron, thanks for the advice. The people I have in mind are not wine drinkers in any sense of the term as we understand it. In fact, I'm not even positive the wines will be drunk (which is why I need to make sure that I can palate the leftovers). I could serve Little Penguin, but this is my wedding and my chance to share a small part of myself with the non-wine drinkers among Amy and my friends and family. If I started offering numerous options to folks, I would probably confuse them and undermine what I wanted to do. There will also be a number of food options and I am not going to complicate this with musings on which red fits best.

Thanks,
Joe