Fine French wine has new use: Fueling cars

International Herald Tribune/NYT ^ | Oct. 6, 2005 | Craig S. Smith

[Tamar1973]

It's probably best to stay away from the brands with the metal screw-on tops,

With all the problems in recent years with cork taint, you might want to reconsider that position.

[ElkGroveDan]

With all the problems in recent years with cork taint, you might want to reconsider that position.

By some accounts cork taint affects 2-12% of wine bottles world wide. Even if it really were that large, it's a risk I'd be willing to take if the only alternative were switching to drinking hobo syrup.

Moreover quality synthetic cork has been wildly successful and before long it will eliminate that problem entirely.

[COBOL2Java]

It's probably best to stay away from the brands with the metal screw-on tops, and never drink any wine to wash down pork rinds or bean dip.

LOL! My goodness, there actually are Merlot snobs out there? Who knew???

[ElkGroveDan]

My goodness, there actually are Merlot snobs out there?

Me a snob? I said I liked a good Merlot. You're the one who started down the ignorant road of trashing an entire class of wine comparing it to "paint thinner". I was just looking for reasons why someone would come to such a bizarre conclusion. The metal screw on caps and the bean dip are all I could think of.

If I'm any kind of snob it's not restricted to Merlot. I'm lucky enough to live in the heart of wine country and grew up in a family that showed me an appreciation of every good wine.

My guess is that if I were to line up several glasses of good wine including several top Merlots, the Merlot bashers here wouldn't be able to tell me which ones they were.

For the record I am a Pinot Noir drinker, but as I noted at the beginning, I still always enjoy a good Merlot.

[Tamar1973]

My guess is that if I were to line up several glasses of good wine including several top Merlots, the Merlot bashers here wouldn't be able to tell me which ones they were.

Merlot was the first red wine that I tried that DIDN'T taste like paint thinner. Even though I drink mostly Cabernet now if I need a red wine fix, I will never turn my nose up at a Merlot.

[LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget]

My goodness, there actually are Merlot snobs out there?

Me a snob? I said I liked a good Merlot. You're the one who started down the ignorant road of trashing an entire class of wine comparing it to "paint thinner". I was just looking for reasons why someone would come to such a bizarre conclusion. The metal screw on caps and the bean dip are all I could think of. If I'm any kind of snob it's not restricted to Merlot. I'm lucky enough to live in the heart of wine country and grew up in a family that showed me an appreciation of every good wine. My guess is that if I were to line up several glasses of good wine including several top Merlots, the Merlot bashers here wouldn't be able to tell me which ones they were. For the record I am a Pinot Noir drinker, but as I noted at the beginning, I still always enjoy a good Merlot.

Hearty Merlot with a 12 hour veal ox tail stew and freshly baked still slightly hot french liberty bread on a chilly fall night. Only thing that can beat that is Sam Smiths Oatmeal Stout with 12 hr 150° smoked duck over broiled asparagus on the first warm spring evening.