Now you're talking!!!!!!!!!!

You can't relaly go wrong with St Emillion. Bordeaux wines are a really good place to start indeed. It really depends what you're into but I can give you a few tips.

First of all, how much of a novice are you? I assume that's you've probably tried a few glasses here and there? Ask yourself what kind of flavour you like. Do you like something very intense and fruity (do you like port for example?) or lighter and fresh (white wine like chardonnay for example).

I would personnaly leave the white wines out for the time being. They are less complex and interesting than the reds as you have less variations of taste with a white. In terms of red I will suggest you try three different (and very distinct) regions. I will only talk about French wines here, not because they are the best in the world (which, of course, they are) but because I know them better than New World wines.

1. Bourgogne (Burgundy)
2. Bordeaux
3. Chateauneuf du Pape (from the Provence Region)

I have classified these three types in order of intensity. The first is a very light wine. Most of its flavour is contained in the vapours / nose which means it does NOT need opening 30 minutes or so prior to drinking. A very flavourful wine but perhaps too light for a cigar. I would however recommend this with a nice steak on the BBQ or light cheese (nothing too overpowering).

The second is my personal favourite. You simply can’t beat a Bordeaux and you certainly can’t beat a St Emillion. Choose a wine which is already around 5 years old. The older the better. Open it and leave it to rest for an hour at room temperature in the bottle or 15 minutes in glasses. If you’ve got a decanter it’s even better. This wine is best enjoyed with cheese , red meat , game or sausage casserole (yum!). It is a wine which will always benefit ageing and its character develops as the years go by. From complex fruity undertones of raspberry to the smooth velvety texture of err…velvet, this is most definitely my all time favourite. Grab yourself a bottle of St Emillion 1999, a Cohiba siglo iv and watch the world go by in clouds of smoke and vapours of this most delicious wine. (Jeez I’m going to stop soon, I need to get back to work!)

Finally Chateauneuf du pape. Very intense. Too intense for my liking but some people simply swear by it. With serious hints of blackcurrant and port you will not be disappointed if you like your wine to be “in your face”. Definitely a wine for game, VERY strong cheeses and will manage to hold it’s own even against a more intense cigar.

There. I’m sure you wish you hadn’;t asked. Next week: Whites wines:

Chablis
Puilly Fume
Vouvray

Happy drinking!