Fine wines/Top shelf liquers/Champagnes/Bourbons/Cigars/Etc

**disneysteve** · 09-15-2013, 05:51 AM

I'm not a wine drinker but my wife is. She will be the first to tell you that price is irrelevant. It is all about personal taste preference. There are dirt cheap wines that she really likes and very expensive ones that she wouldn't drink if she got them for free. The high prices are mostly about snobbery and status, not taste.

As for liquor, there is a distinct difference between no-name cheap and well known brands. There is less of a difference between moderate and premium, and most of that is personal taste preference. For example, Fleischman's Vodka is horrid. It burns all the way down. Smirnoff is just fine, especially for mixed drinks. But Gray Goose is all the rage now. Personally, I don't care for it. I much prefer Skyy which is considerably cheaper.

Cigars - no thanks. I don't smoke. I don't understand why anyone does.

**Wino** · 09-15-2013, 08:52 AM

Originally posted by disneysteve View Post

It is all about personal taste preference.

I am a wine drinker (who would have thunk it?), and I agree that this is the key. My passion is to go to liquor stores and buy the cheap wines looking for a diamond in the rough. I've found a few good ones, including Kendall Jackson before it was the rage, and a few other good ones, as well. My personal favorite is Penfolds Bin 407, but that's now among the minor league elites.

Good champagne is miles above bad champagne, but only for the first two glasses. After that, anything that doesn't cause you to cough is good enough.

I also have a problem in that I suffer migraines. There is no rhyme or reason for my response to wines. Some whites give me migraines, and many reds do not. Michelob, Coors Lite, and Budweiser all give me migraines; Miller Lite, Milwaukee's Best ("retirement beer," as my friend calls it), and Leffe do not. There is no pattern that I can discern. But because of the migraine malady, I only rarely vary my distilled grains. I like Skyy and Stolichnaya, both of which are cheap. I do not like Belvedere, but I like Grey Goose well enough if someone else is buying. Smirnoff gives me migraines, so it's right out.

**WISEWOMAN** · 09-15-2013, 02:39 PM

I do enjoy wine. 2 buck chuck is nasty. For me it's about region.

Chardonnay - California/Napa Valley and some Australian wines
Pinot Grigio - Italy
Zins - California/Argentina
Pinot Noir - Oregon/Washington

I also check Wine Spectator/Wine Enthusiast reviews.

My go to wine is between 5.99 and 7.99 on sale. On occasion I pull out the higher priced wine ($10 - $20).

**EarlyRetirementJoy** · 09-15-2013, 03:45 PM

Love wine! And we incorporate wine tasting whenever we can in our travels.

Total Wine, which is a growing retail franchise, offers weekly 10 cent wine tasting of all types and priced wines. The one that continues to win out whenever we do blind bag tastings with our RV club is a $5.99 Merlot by Red Diamond. (I believe Trader Joe's sells it for $6.99)

**cardtrick** · 09-16-2013, 01:04 AM

Never cared for wine. I've enjoyed champagne ever since I can remember. My dad always poured me a glass. I have pictures of myself drinking champagne from when I was 6 years old. Child abuse?

I really only enjoy beer now. Microbrews only. I don't buy the mass produced stuff anymore. And I've cut down on the alcohol significantly. I try to keep it at less than 3 sessions a month.

**feh** · 09-16-2013, 07:15 AM

I pay extra for beer; I think there's a big difference between the national brands and local, smaller breweries.

When it comes to liquor, I stick to the middle shelf; not expensive, but not dirt cheap either:
bourbon: Four Roses
gin/vodka: New Amsterdam

**ua_guy** · 09-16-2013, 07:27 AM

I'm a fan of white wines, and one or two reds. My best luck has been in that $6-$12 range from the grocery store, from local and regional vineyards. Lots of good picks here in the Pacific Northwest in that range.

Hard liquors...I'm all about middle-shelf as I mix my drinks anyway. Champagne is lost on me, completely.

Beers...I prefer light beers, and I don't mind if it comes in a can and happens to be made by Budweiser or Coors.

Smoke.. I don't.

I think the bottom line is, it's not that I don't appreciate high-dollar stuff, because some of it is really good. But for everyday, I just don't find the need to get crazy with it. It's not a hobby, it's just something to pair with food and occasions, as appropriate.

**disneysteve** · 09-16-2013, 07:44 AM

Originally posted by feh View Post

When it comes to liquor, I stick to the middle shelf

What is interesting is that what gets classified as "middle shelf" today is very often what was "top shelf" in the past. There has been a gradual upscaling in this area. For example, "bottom shelf" vodka used to be some no-name like Fleischman's or Banker's Club. Middle was Smirnoff and Top was Stoli. Now Smirnoff is usually the worst you'll find (and it's quite good all around vodka). Only the real dive bars have no-name stuff anymore. Stoli and Absolut are mid-range and top shelf is probably Grey Goose and other "ultra premium" brands.

**hamchan** · 09-16-2013, 10:17 AM

I enjoy wine and mixed drinks, but I drink very rarely. I cannot tell the difference between expensive and bottom of the barrel. They all taste the same to me.

The only thing that I can tell a difference in quality with is marijuana. I have not smoked at all in a few years, but used to socially. I have never paid for marijuana in my life, but the stuff my friends get is usually the good stuff. One hit and I'm done. I also have several aunts and uncles in their sixties who smoke it all the time. I have taken a puff with them on occasion too, and it's what I would consider "ditch weed." I don't get a high from it and it doesn't taste very potent. I do a lot of clinical drug trials now though, and you can't use drugs of abuse in them, so I no longer smoke anything. My husband also loathes the smell.

**disneysteve** · 09-16-2013, 10:26 AM

Originally posted by hamchan View Post

I enjoy wine and mixed drinks, but I drink very rarely. I cannot tell the difference between expensive and bottom of the barrel. They all taste the same to me.

One thing that is often overlooked is the quality of the mixer in mixed drinks. You can use the best alcohol in the world and if you mix it with crap, you get a crap drink.

I had a friend in college who swore she didn't like vodka. I made her try my drink (a screwdriver) one time at a party and she really liked it. It was made with Smirnoff and Tropicana, not Banker's Club and store brand OJ.

When I go to weddings and parties, I will base what I order on what mixers I see behind the bar just as much as on what alcohol they're serving. I won't order anything with OJ if I can't see what brand it is. I won't order anything with cola if it isn't Coke being used.

**JoeP** · 09-16-2013, 01:23 PM

I buy a $70+ bottle of single malt scotch once every 3-4 years. It's not really a lot of money when you consider it lasts me more than a couple years. I like to have 2 or 3 partially used bottles to share with friends so we can compare tastings.

I find it very relaxing to sit on the porch with half a shot in a glass and nurse it for an hour. The aromas and tastes are extremely complex, and I just enjoy the experience.

**hamchan** · 09-16-2013, 01:53 PM

I'm not too picky about mixed drinks either. I just prefer that they not be too strong.

**Caoineag** · 09-16-2013, 06:15 PM

Wine tends to be by region. My version of high end is $20 something (I have had more expensive, I just don't see why you would waste the money, I wasn't impressed).

I don't drink beer (it tastes bad, except for a few select light microbrews) and cheap beer works fine for cooking.

Liquor I can see a greater range but since I usually drink it mixed, not as vital to go for the good stuff. Agree with Steve that mixers matter even more than the alcohol.

And I don't smoke.

**stoney508** · 09-16-2013, 08:49 PM

I like a good wine but dont drink it very often.

I really enjoy a good whiskey Jameson 12-18 year on the rocks or neat (little water) I like some scotch's as well but don't endulge that much a bottle maybe a year unless I get one as a gift. I enjoy a good dirty martini or gin and tonic Hendrix gin and I like many different vodkas but probably choose absolute or skyy.

I love micro brews and IPA's especially as well as some good guiness.

I enjoy cigar's but maybe 1 every 3 years and not sure im going to want to do this after I quit smoking all together.

Fine wines/Top shelf liquers/Champagnes/Bourbons/Cigars/Etc