George and Weedon Grossmith couldn't have put it better.

The best red I ever tasted was a [url=http://www.airliewinery.com/wines/?c=marechal-fochMarechal Foch from the Airlie Vineyard in Oregon[/url

There are also some great Burgundy's - wines of which are comparable with any top Bordeaux, Northern Rhone, Barolo, Southern Australian Shiraz etc.



Nowhere is Pinot Noir produced at the quality it is in Burgundy - unless you are talking Champagne. As for Chardonnay again it is without equal.



Yes you pay but if you get the correct grower - say Jobard or Barthod then their basic wines offer excellent value for money.



As for the Rhone the wines in the North especial the better growers such as Chave, Guigal are equally as expensive as the counterparts in Burgundy La Mouline is the price of Grand Cru Burgundy. Even Beaucastel in the south is now serious cash.



If you want a Ferrari then you have to pay. If you want a mini drink Kiwi pinot noir or Aussie Chardonnay.

My local Frenchman, as it were, runs a French deli around the corner from where I live. He educated me about Chardonnay, in terms of how it can be decent.



Great fun seeing people's faces now, though, if I ask if a bottle is unoaked.

I'm not a big fan of Pinot Noir in general, as so many are too thin for me.

But, if and when I do, Burgundian is the tops.

My overall preference in red wine is more for a herby Mourvedre or a big Grenache (wine with shoulders) ... hence I'm a fan of the Southern Rhone and also, over in Spain, Rioja (providing it's not too oaky).

A lot of people are sniffy about Chardonnay, completely ignoring (or ignorant of) the great wines that it goes into... Champagne, Chablis, White Burgundy etc.

Chablis[i is [/ia white burgundy. Made in the Yonne department in Burgundy.

Duh, sorry, of course it is.

Comparing wines simply because they use the same grape variety is futile. France and New Zealand are miles apart, NZ vines are on average 30 years old Burgundy vines were planted over hundreds of years ago. The temperature in NZ creates wines high in alcohol very deep and full bodied, this is not the case in Burgundy. The soil structures are very different you will not find Burgundy in NZ.

Peggy, for whites, red and rosés, what would you recommend?



I ask on the basis that I suspect you have a damned good idea about wine – well, the French stuff at any rate.

Terroirist.

Owwwww!!!!