Top favourite red styles

[catchnrelease]

Figured this might be interesting, and there might be a few 'other' votes (if so, what should I have put up there?) too?

Might be hard for some to pick one, so I've let you pick two.

Discuss...

[TiggerK]

Always an interesting topic. The 10 very best red wines I've ever had would cover most of those boxes, so having to choose just two of those was tricky. Went with Cabernet and Pinot Noir in the end, but it was hard leaving Nebbiolo out! And then there's 20-30 year old Syrah via Guigal's LaLa's... wow wines.

There's no best grapes, only best wines?

[Ozzie W]

I chose Pinot & Nebbiolo. If I'd answered this question a year ago or 5 years ago, I would have chosen differently.

[catchnrelease]

Always an interesting topic. The 10 very best red wines I've ever had would cover most of those boxes, so having to choose just two of those was tricky. Went with Cabernet and Pinot Noir in the end, but it was hard leaving Nebbiolo out! And then there's 20-30 year old Syrah via Guigal's LaLa's... wow wines.

There's no best grapes, only best wines?

My picks were the same. Pretty clear cut for me though.

I figured there's so much diversity in winemaking style, blending etc that 'best grape' might be a bit too narrow.

[phillisc]

Order restored...somewhat
Cheers
Craig

[Rocky]

Easy, Cabernet and Pinot

[paulf]

I do drink everything that is on that list and more than a few that aren't as well, but when it comes down to it, I drink more Cabernet and Pinot than the other styles. 10 years ago, it would have been shiraz then cabernet

[Diddy]

If I'd answered this question a year ago or 5 years ago, I would have chosen differently.

Makes me nervous thinking of my Shiraz dominant cellar! Need to start diversifying!

[Ozzie W]

If I'd answered this question a year ago or 5 years ago, I would have chosen differently.

Makes me nervous thinking of my Shiraz dominant cellar! Need to start diversifying!

According to CellarTracker, I'm still shiraz dominant at 42%. My next most popular variety is Pinot Noir at 19%. I'm certainly a lot more picky with the Shiraz I buy now compared with a couple years ago and I've stopped buying a lot of Shiraz labels that I used to. But I'll still continue to buy my favourites annually by the case from producers such as Standish, Sami-Odi, Marius, Castagna and Best's. I've also started cellaring a bit of high-end Sparkling shiraz too. So I can see myself staying Shiraz dominant for the foreseeable future.

I have diversified considerably in the last 12 months. But when thinking about how to answer this survey question I had to admit that I'm finding Piedmont/Nebbiolo a lot more interesting than Shiraz (and Cabernet) at present. But that doesn't mean I still don't love my old favourites. For me, exploring new styles is both exciting and enjoyable, but I think eventually the "shiny new toy" factor will wear off and then it'll just be another of many grape varieties/styles that I enjoy. Thankfully I've got enough free space in my cellar to continue the journey.

[Benchmark]

I am in the same boat Ozzie.

Its tough going when your 'shiny new toy' is expensive

[winetastic]

All aboard the Nebbiolo train!

Same boat for me.

[Chris H]

Cellaring is tricky. If I can provide any advice to anyone starting on the collecting and cellaring journey, DO NOT go hard on one type of wine, particularly big Aussie reds. Many people's tastes alter as they get older and as they drink more styles of wines - dare I say, become more sophisticated and crave more complexity and diversity.

Many of the guys I know who have been cellaring for over 15 years, have found they have lots of wines in their cellar they no longer want to drink (note how much older Australian red ends up in the auction scene).

[Ozzie W]

I am in the same boat Ozzie.

Its tough going when your 'shiny new toy' is expensive

Agreed. The high cost of wine from old world wine regions that start with the letter 'B' limits my purchases and will ensure that my beloved Aussie Shiraz is well represented in my cellar for the foreseeable future.

[mjs]

Cellaring is tricky. If I can provide any advice to anyone starting on the collecting and cellaring journey, DO NOT go hard on one type of wine, particularly big Aussie reds. Many people's tastes alter as they get older and as they drink more styles of wines - dare I say, become more sophisticated and crave more complexity and diversity.

Many of the guys I know who have been cellaring for over 15 years, have found they have lots of wines in their cellar they no longer want to drink (note how much older Australian red ends up in the auction scene).

Chris,
I've been cellaring stuff for well over thirty years (OK, a couple of the repositories from over twenty years ago might test the definition of "cellar"), but I have been and continue to really enjoy Australian stuff that was bought on release in the mid 80's to early nineties, and obviously a lot more beyond that as well. Don't think I can name anything that hasn't been good, and I'm generally talking stuff like 389, 707, BL, JR and the like. Just don't have any Burgundy unfortunately!! Not a lot of big Barossa shiraz either!
cheers, Malcolm

[Chris H]

Plenty of people on this board like you Malcolm. I understand that, but that is just my advice. People are free to take heed or ignore it

[swirler]

Chris,

I'd certainly second your sentiments. Complexity, flavour without heaviness, etc.

You can get some pretty good European wine at JR/389/St Henri/Giaconda/Moss Wood prices if you shop around.

[Theporkrail]

While my cellar is quite shiraz heavy, they are very different styles of Shiraz, from Hunter to Barossa styles, which really are very different wines regardless of what grape they come from. Went with Cab Sav as second although have growing love for Pinot and Nebbiolo and a slight perversion for Brunello

[Ozzie W]

It appears that Cabernet is King at Auswine.

[mjs]

Plenty of people on this board like you Malcolm. I understand that, but that is just my advice. People are free to take heed or ignore it

Chris,

Understand and accept that

cheers, Malcolm

[Mahmoud Ali]

I think what Chris meant by "big Aussie reds" were some of the Barossa and McLaren reds we know of today, not the ones from the 80s and early 90s that Malcolm was referring to, a big difference in my opinion. Though I rarely buy Australian reds anymore (I have enough) I do wish I had more older wines, particularly from the Hunter.

Anyway, I answered the poll from the perspective of what wines I would like to buy more of, Burgundy and Pinot Noir as well as Piedmont, meaning Nebbiolo AND Barbera.

Mahmoud.

[Diq]

It appears that Cabernet is King at Auswine.

It has been run down by Shiraz and Pinot today, that lead is significantly smaller than it was yesterday.

Nebbiolo an (unsurprising considering the love for it on this forum) dark horse as well. Would be very interesting to compare this to everyones Cellar ratios and the general populaces favourites and see how different the stats come up.

[Chris H]

The drinking on the forum doesn't reflect the general populace. Lower quality and narrower range. A lot of people wouldn't be able to differentiate a Barolo from a Bazooka.

[JamieBahrain]

Piedomont & Rhone/classical Aussie shiraz for me.

I'm always told all roads lead to Burgundy and I drink the good ones but just not for my palate.

[rooman]

I tend to also agree with Chris. I've watched numerous collectors go hard stocking up on Shiraz, especially big SA names, only to completely ditch the stuff as their palate develops. Sadly most Shiraz doesn't take on the same degree of complexity over the years that Cab Sav and Pinot acquires. Naturally there are exceptions but these tend to be cooler climate Shiraz.

[Rocky]

Would be interested to see a favourite white style list. Anyone? I suggest it would be dominated by Chardonnay and Riesling.

[JamieBahrain]

rooman

Classical Australian shiraz ages magnificently in a controlled environment and I wouldn't limit it to cool climate.

I drink more Rhone than Aussie shiraz these days and I have to say the challenges with cellaring Rhone provide as many headaches as Aussie shiraz- though this is based around vintage and a number of other factors which fuel inconsistent and uninteresting wines with age.

[ticklenow1]

Grenache and blends for me, Shiraz a distant second. I like a few here also have a cellar with WAY too much big Barossa Shiraz's. I've really scaled back my purchases of this style the last couple of years and am trying hard to diversify. But then I have one of those Barossa Shiraz's that is really good and I get tempted again. I'm still tossing a coin on whether or not to order the Sami-Odi this time around.

Every now and then I buy some Supposedly decent Pinot but I'm sorry, but I just don't get the attraction. I've been told by wine drinking friends that as I like Grenache, I should like Pinot. I sort of hope I don't as looking at the price of decent stuff, my credit card would melt!! I do enjoy a good aged Cabernet but I've found a lot from Coonawarra are too green and lean for my taste. But the good ones are exceptional. Also really like Cab/Shiraz blends too. Wynns Centenary is just a freak wine.

Cheers
Ian

[Michael McNally]

I tend to also agree with Chris. I've watched numerous collectors go hard stocking up on Shiraz, especially big SA names, only to completely ditch the stuff as their palate develops. Sadly most Shiraz doesn't take on the same degree of complexity over the years that Cab Sav and Pinot acquires. Naturally there are exceptions but these tend to be cooler climate Shiraz.

Hi Rooman

I have heard this "as your palate develops" you move away from Shiraz statement a number of times (so not having a go at you at all rooman, really). Are we seriously trying to say that if someone's taste preference is different to another's or stays the same while another's changes that the one is 'developing' while the other isn't? Sounds like my preference is better than your preference to me.

In a subjective game like preference for a particular style of wine the idea of development doesn't really fit for me in terms of wine blends. The ability to appreciate different aspects of wine might develop. Change of preference, certainly. Or perhaps the idea of development being inherently good is the problem? Or maybe I have drunk too much of this Grenache dominant blend........

Grenache + dominant blends was the easy choice for me. Choosing between Shiraz and Cabernet more difficult and went for Shiraz mainly for its versatility. Cabernet/Shiraz or Shiraz/Cabernet would be my hands down winner if it were listed!

Cheers

Michael

[Hacker]

My palate has developed over the last 15 years to appreciate a wider variation of styles, but I still love what first interested me, mainly Barossa Shiraz, but in less quantity. Now I am more likely to reach for a number of other styles like Nebbiolo, pinot, both old world and new world, Cabernet, both old and new, and a number of whites, like chardonnay and riesling and chenin, again old and new. In summary I think my palate is more balanced now and apreciates a myriad of different styles and regions. luckily I have anticipated the variation by buying much of them over the last 7-10 years. Btw I voted Pinot 1 and Shiraz 2. There is so much variety out there to take advantage of. Plus I need to take my wife's tastes into the equation.

[Hacker]

Btw I have a sweet tooth so Barossa Shiraz will always have a special place in my heart, together with some riper Pinot styles. Vive la difference!