What's your latest wine fascination?

[Jenise]

We all go through phases. We try a little of this and a little of that. Then along comes a magic bottle, maybe something beloved years ago that fell out of favor, or some new wine discovery has cast a spell on you and now you are paying extra attention to that grape or growing area. Whatever it is, it's your current 'jones'. You can't get enough of it.

What, for you, is that wine right now?

White burgundy, here.

Bordeaux of the 2000 vintage from lesser chateau. I'm on a quest to find a bad one. Haven't yet, but I'm having fun trying.

Cheap Cote de Ventoux, around $10 U.S., mostly Grenache I think, rustic, tannic, with very nice juicy fruit underneath. Can't recommend it because I think most would find it objectionably tannic/rustic, but I like it.

Savigny and Pernand Vergelesses. Great clarity and of course the price was right.

Most of my near-term attention has been given to sec/demi-sec Vouvray and Beaujolais.

Whatever it is, it's your current 'jones'. You can't get enough of it.

Drinking a bottle of red on Thursday evening in addition to the usual Friday and Saturday. Thus I only have to wait for four days.

[James Roscoe]

Right now it's a Cotes de Rhone. Tomorrow, who knows?

For me it continues to be French Pinot Noir. Recently had Drouhin's Clos des Mouches 01, which took me to a very happy place. Had it twice: once at home alone and a second time and another bottle shared with friends in NYC last weekend. I know there is more Burgundy wine to taste, but first I may need to find me a rich sugar daddy with a love for travel, opera, and more importantly, wine....

In all seriousness, I continue to be fascinated by wine in general, and how a wine changes. Earlier this week I had a Carignano del Sulcis of Santadi, which kept relaxing and opening up by the hour; by day three it actually showed more complexity and spice that was a lot more pleasing to me than on day 1. So this truly fascinates me about wine's evolution - luckily the wine got better with time.

[James Roscoe]

For me it continues to be French Pinot Noir. Recently had Drouhin's Clos des Mouches 01, which took me to a very happy place. Had it twice: once at home alone and a second time and another bottle shared with friends in NYC last weekend. I know there is more Burgundy wine to taste, but first I may need to find me a rich sugar daddy with a love for travel, opera, and more importantly, wine....

In all seriousness, I continue to be fascinated by wine in general, and how a wine changes. Earlier this week I had a Carignano del Sulcis of Santadi, which kept relaxing and opening up by the hour; by day three it actually showed more complexity and spice that was a lot more pleasing to me than on day 1. So this truly fascinates me about wine's evolution - luckily the wine got better with time.

Sell the stock in the Tuscan wine venture!!!!

You mean the UMBRIAN venture, James?

We all go through phases. We try a little of this and a little of that. Then along comes a magic bottle, maybe something beloved years ago that fell out of favor, or some new wine discovery has cast a spell on you and now you are paying extra attention to that grape or growing area. Whatever it is, it's your current 'jones'. You can't get enough of it.

What, for you, is that wine right now?

White burgundy, here.

Hungary. Oh, and dry Muscat, and for that matter dry Hungarian Muscat. I'm never satisfied with red wine these days...

German Riesling's (Spatlese and Auslese) from 1993-1998 - fascinating trying the different vintages, different producer's and even more fascinating - the differences between vintages from the same plot from the same producer.

I love it young, I love it old, and anywhere in between. It has become my go to red. I love old tempranillo once the oak has blown off and it has opened a bit with fish. I match it anywhere I can use an American Pinot Noir as well as with spicy dishes . It goes so well with Cajun foods.

During a recent north-south roadtrip we did some tasting in Virginia, and North Carolina. General impressions are: When they do their own thing as in a Traminette-Chardonel-Vidal Blanc blend, or eastern tried and true as in Riesling; they do OK. When they try to do California as in Cabernet Sauvignon they do not measure up. The latter are refreshingly low in alcohol and have some finesse, but even comparing to ole time Mondavies, there is no comparison.

Back home, Carl

...When they do their own thing as in a Traminette-Chardonel-Vidal Blanc blend, or eastern tried and true as in Riesling; they do OK...

I just bottled a blend of Vidal-Vignoles-Cayuga. My current fascination is with Vignoles. This is the first time I've made it in about 15 years - hard to find.

Unusual Italian whites and almost anything from Gevrey-Chambertin, especially Mazis-Chambertin.

I love it young, I love it old, and anywhere in between. It has become my go to red. I love old tempranillo once the oak has blown off and it has opened a bit with fish. I match it anywhere I can use an American Pinot Noir as well as with spicy dishes . It goes so well with Cajun foods.

You should come visit.

Other than the usual Sherry, lots of St. Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage and Cotes du Rhone lately.

For me these days it is aged Domaine Tempier Bandol (see my note on the 1988 La Migoua bottling). Lovely stuff, and I'm lucky to have access to some of the 88,89, and 90 bottlings. Jim

Hungary. Oh, and dry Muscat, and for that matter dry Hungarian Muscat.

Bill, you and I seem to really converge on Central European wines. I, too, love dry Muscat ... but then again, I love dry aromatic wines period: witness my perennial fascination with dry, crisp and boldly aromatic varietal labrusca wines.

The fascination I've been concentrating on most recently, though by no means is it a new one, would be Grüner Veltliner. There's just something about the onset of warm weather and patio livin' that screams GV to me.

Well, thanks to St Innocent and Kim Crawford - Chardonnay. The Unoaked from Kim Crawford was refreshing; the St Innocent 2005 Anden and 2005 Freedom Hill knocked my socks off. I want to drink some everyday ( but I have restrained myself) !

For me, it's been New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc for quite a few years. However, I have been answering to the call of Viognier more and more the past year.

-- Clark

[David M. Bueker]

Muscadet and Bordeaux - though the Bordeaux thing will drop off as the temps rise. I will likely break into my meager stash of Beaujolais.

Was Southern Italy. Now Greek. Next ???