Wine Recommendation Game - If I Like This Wine, What Else Would I Like

Participating in the forum and reading all the threads, I’ve realized that there is an obscene amount of wine knowledge here, from enthusiast to MW level and everything in between. The threads asking for best producers in a region or category are a wealth of information.

I’d like to see if we can encourage more participation on the board by directly helping each other find new wines to enjoy.

When I was a retailer, one of the most fun exercises was to have a customer ask me for a recommendation with only some examples of other wines they’d liked. Not prescriptive about what my answer would be, just using their preferences as a guide.

I’d like to start a game where posters can write down a wine they liked (can be as specific as a particular producer and vintage or just something more broad like “old bordeaux”). Other posters can make suggestions of other wines or categories they might like (please use the quote feature).

If a suggestion ends up being successful, the first poster can say so, and a point will be awarded to any and all good suggestions.
I will occasionally keep track of the posts and tally up who is making good recommendations. Of course this is just for fun.
Two ground rules:
1)Your suggestion should ideally cost less than the original wine (unless the request specifies price is no object)
2)Please no links to online stores or wine-searcher.

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I’ll go first.

I’m looking for recommendations for each of the following wines:

Zind-Humbrecht Muscat
Montevertine
Occhipinti Frappato

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Here’s my crazy one

If you like Heitz ‘Marthas Vyd’ , hunt down an older Cousino Macul ‘Antiguas Reservas’ CS. The latter can develop a minty/eucalyptus flavor as time goes on.

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Hey Arv,

That’s actually another good application of the thread! I didn’t think of that. I used to call these wines “Stunt Doubles,” where they had a strong similarity (to my taste) to another more famous or expensive wine.

Timing couldnt be better… I had a 2013 Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Blanc de Noirs Cote de Bechalin at a restaurant this past week and loved it. Everything I hoped for in a BdN. Anything similar maybe lower price point?

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low hanging fruit so to speak, but for occhipinti try Cos. And if you like that minerality try some carricante.

and if you havent tried the occhipinti grotte, it’s elite

i had it once many years ago and it was very young and tight! i used to love COS but the last few that i’ve had have been quite bretty.

Podere Le Boncie Le Trame

Istine Chianti Classico Vigna Istine or Vigna Chavarchione

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Different grape and flavor profile here. This is more about the spirit of the wine, as well as the way it fits in at table.

Birichino Bechthold Vineyard Cinsault

Paolo Cali — many frappato and blends, and all are quite good

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Really enjoyed the '18 Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Sage and Saunders Vineyards alongside the '18 Ontogeny at their SoCal Tasting Event.

Very generous pours from Victoria and Pumpkin :slight_smile:.

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thanks for posting this. ive always wondered if its worth the step up in price considering how much I already like the Il Frappato. ill have to try to hunt some down.


for Montevertine my suggestion is definitely Felsina Rancia. runner up choices to most of the Isole e Olena lineup as well as the Fontodi lineup (depending on which Montevertine you’re trying to replicate)

people who like occhipinti should absolutely check out the wines from Salvo Foti at I Vigneri and I custodi. its not exactly the same, but the Sicilian spirit is there.

Great idea! Was recently thinking about stealing a Reddit thread “I like these two books, recommend a third”.

I loved the Casino Mine Ranch - Simone (Co-fermented 52% whole cluster Grenache with 48% destemmed Mourvedre. Shenandoah Valley, 30% new, 70% neutral French oak).

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Let’s see…

never been able to duplicate the singular Beaucastel’s Roussanne Vieilles Vignes (the one that sells for US$ 150 or so, not the regular blanc that is around $50), despite trying multiple Rhone blancs.

This might be cheating (since it is made by Occhipinti), but her SP68 red. Cheaper and similar profile, if not quite to the same level.

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Dauvissat Sechet (non-oxidized)

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This is a really interesting suggestion and I should be able to find it locally. I’ll report back!

Calabretta Nerello Mascalese Vigne Vecchie

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I really like both of those suggestions! I remember Rancia and Foti being a bit more concentrated than Montevertine and Occhipinti respectively. I’ll check out I Custodi and Isole e Olena.