Your very first wine indulgence.

[Von Ridler]

Phil Wilkins post of Oh how times have changed brought back memories of my very first wine indulgences back in the 70's.
My very first favourite wine was [ the cringe factor]Lindemans Ben Ean Moselle, well we all have to start somewhere. My tastes now are probably 80% red with my favourite whites now being Clare Riesling and Hunter Semillons.
Where did your first wine experiences begin?
Do Red Bigots begin as White Bigots, I did.





Regards,
Ron.

[Red Bigot]

Do Red Bigots begin as White Bigots, I did.

Ron,
Even RB's started as mostly white drinkers back in the early 60's, actually my first wine was a sweet sherry at home. Early on at Uni (apart from gallons of beer) it was Leibfraumilch (sp?) and sparkling Rhinegolde etc. as the girls loved it and got tipsy on it.

From the late 60's / early 70's I started getting into reds in a big way though.

I still drank white wine a bit up until about 1982 when the light dawned on how many good reds I would miss out on during the rest of my life if I didn't get my act together.

[Neville K]

Do Red Bigots begin as White Bigots, I did.

Ron,
My slippery slide (or climb to the mountain) began with a weekly ritual of Friday lunch at Cafe Paradiso (alas sadly no longer)in Lygon Street with 1980 or 82? Rosemount Show chardonnay bought from King and Godfree across the road. Recommmended by them as VFM the wine went on to win some award which sadly meant the price went up and my mate and I crossed the red line.

I still have a very soft spot for chardonnay.

[DJ]

I started with a taste of port or muscat after Saturday dinner at home and then progressed to red and later white etc.

The title of your post made me think more of the first indulgence purchased. On my 18th Birthday I went to Oddbins on Parramatta Rd and bought a Seppelt Fleur de Lys, 1970 Tulloch Private Bin Red and a 1970 Angove Vintage port - princely sum of $40

[Guest]

The title of your post made me think more of the first indulgence purchased. On my 18th Birthday I went to Oddbins on Parramatta Rd and bought a Seppelt Fleur de Lys, 1970 Tulloch Private Bin Red and a 1970 Angove Vintage port - princely sum of $40

At uni I spent half a TEAS cheque (my student allowance/dole) at a time when a living away from home allowance was $65 on a Grange 1971 which cost $32.50. At the time it was an extraordinary extravagance when I had no money but it was a telling wine investment and still the best Australian wine I have drunk.

Then there was the first $100 wine: a 1985 Compte de Vogue Musigny. I bled for that. To put it in context it was about 6-7 bottles of Jasper Hills Georgia's I was foregoing for one wine. It was a very good wine but not sublime alas.

[Guest]

The title of your post made me think more of the first indulgence purchased. On my 18th Birthday I went to Oddbins on Parramatta Rd and bought a Seppelt Fleur de Lys, 1970 Tulloch Private Bin Red and a 1970 Angove Vintage port - princely sum of $40

At uni I spent half a TEAS cheque (my student allowance/dole) at a time when a living away from home allowance was $65 on a Grange 1971 which cost $32.50. At the time it was an extraordinary extravagance when I had no money but it was a telling wine investment and still the best Australian wine I have drunk.

Then there was the first $100 wine: a 1985 Compte de Vogue Musigny. I bled for that. To put it in context it was about 6-7 bottles of Jasper Hills Georgia's I was foregoing for one wine. It was a very good wine but not sublime alas.

[Neville K]

I started with a taste of port or muscat after Saturday dinner at home and then progressed to red and later white etc.

The title of your post made me think more of the first indulgence purchased. On my 18th Birthday I went to Oddbins on Parramatta Rd and bought a Seppelt Fleur de Lys, 1970 Tulloch Private Bin Red and a 1970 Angove Vintage port - princely sum of $40

At uni I spent half a TEAS cheque (my student allowance/dole) at a time when a living away from home allowance was $65 on a Grange 1971 which cost $32.50. At the time it was an extraordinary extravagance when I had no money but it was a telling wine investment and still the best Australian wine I have drunk.

Then there was the first $100 wine: a 1985 Compte de Vogue Musigny. I bled for that. To put it in context it was about 6-7 bottles of Jasper Hills Georgia's I was foregoing for one wine. It was a very good wine but not sublime alas.

That was me. How do you delete a repeated post?
Neville

[Neville K]

I started with a taste of port or muscat after Saturday dinner at home and then progressed to red and later white etc.

The title of your post made me think more of the first indulgence purchased. On my 18th Birthday I went to Oddbins on Parramatta Rd and bought a Seppelt Fleur de Lys, 1970 Tulloch Private Bin Red and a 1970 Angove Vintage port - princely sum of $40

At uni I spent half a TEAS cheque (my student allowance/dole) at a time when a living away from home allowance was $65 on a Grange 1971 which cost $32.50. At the time it was an extraordinary extravagance when I had no money but it was a telling wine investment and still the best Australian wine I have drunk.

Then there was the first $100 wine: a 1985 Compte de Vogue Musigny. I bled for that. To put it in context it was about 6-7 bottles of Jasper Hills Georgia's I was foregoing for one wine. It was a very good wine but not sublime alas.

That was me. How do you delete a repeated post?
Neville

[michel]

Nice one Neville.
When I was at Uni in the mid 1980s - I blew all my scholarship money on a regular basis on wine. HOG 1986 30 dollars, 1985 salon, Krug Rose 50 dollars, Bollinger Veille Vignes 1981 210 dollars- we went 1/3 in that, etc etc.
I am so glad I did as I couldn't afford to drink all of the premier cuvees of champagne now.

[Kieran]

I'm pretty sure I tasted cask wine and beer while very young, and wasn't really impressed. The first specific wine I remember drinking was Penfolds Club Port. The first I bought was probably a Morris canister Muscat or Tokay. The first dry wine I really remember enjoying was a Henschke Mt Edelstone, vintage unknown but maybe 1990. The first $100+ wine I bought was a 98 Grange.

Kieran

[George Krashos]

My first real wine experience was at the Loose Box restaurant in Perth and a bottle of 1990 Henschke Abbott's Prayer Cab Merlot. It's been downhill since then.

-- George Krashos

[michel]

My first real wine experience was at the Loose Box restaurant in Perth and a bottle of 1990 Henschke Abbott's Prayer Cab Merlot. It's been downhill since then.

-- George Krashos

Gee
Loose Box does really excellent but intense food.
I had stuffed pigs trotter and ox cheek
Actually too rich for me.
The Cullen 98 was excellent though.

michel

[George Krashos]

Hey Michel

My wife and I took some friends there last year when visiting "out west". You're right about the 'intense' aspect to the food - my wife ordered the fois gras entree and couldn't get through it all. "Rich!" she gasped, as she reached for her wine glass.

-- George Krashos

[Rob]

well, it started in 2000. when I helped in organising an international conference in Hunter Valley and was given a bottle of 1988 Limestone ridge meseum release as a thank you gift. I never looked back since.

[Von Ridler]

DJ,
In regards to indulgences purchased I found myself moving onwards and upwards through the different price brackets of wine. Going to levels I never thought I would visit. Penfolds Grange is the plateau I am currently at but found myself saying to a friend last week I must one of these days buy one of the Para 100 year old ports. But before visiting the 100 year old will probably go to the Para 50 year old first.I find the more tasting notes I read and the more tastings I go to, I am always looking for new experiences.
All this is much to the horror of my lady friend who is horrified when she is with me at the cash register at the bottleshop. I make a point now of shopping alone, like last week when I came home with the new release Cullens Cab Merlot. " What did that cost" as I walked in the door, "it was on special my dear , a real bargain.




Regards,
Ron.

[simm]

DJ,
In regards to indulgences purchased I found myself moving onwards and upwards through the different price brackets of wine. Going to levels I never thought I would visit. Penfolds Grange is the plateau I am currently at but found myself saying to a friend last week I must one of these days buy one of the Para 100 year old ports. But before visiting the 100 year old will probably go to the Para 50 year old first.I find the more tasting notes I read and the more tastings I go to, I am always looking for new experiences.
All this is much to the horror of my lady friend who is horrified when she is with me at the cash register at the bottleshop. I make a point now of shopping alone, like last week when I came home with the new release Cullens Cab Merlot. " What did that cost" as I walked in the door, "it was on special my dear , a real bargain.




Regards,
Ron.

Ha ha, oh that is so familiar, but I am finding that now my wife has started sneaking in the skirts and boots etc! My answer is: Then you won't mind me buying... fair trade I reckon, but escalation is an extremely dangerous affair.