To celebrate my 30th birthday.

[Aztecface]

On saturday I'll be celebrating my 30th birthday with my girlfriend and I was wondering if you guys could give me some pointers on some great red wine and also some champagne or mousating(is that spelled right?) wine? If it were only for me i know what wine i would choose but since my gf also will be drinking I am looking for some rather fruity wine that will go well with lamb if possible. Pricewise I'm looking for something in the max of $50 for wine and $50 for the champagne or mousating. If the price is to little I am willing to go higher.

Also I was wondering if you have any recomendations for a good cigarr. I'll be going to a shop specialized in selling fine cigarrs and cigarills(is that spelled right?).

I know I might be a bit short on time but unfortunatly it didn't come to me sooner.

Since I live in Sweden the availability of the products you guys recommend might not be here but I'll let you know as soon as i've checked it.

I welcome all advice and I am looking forward to your answers.

Jani

[jeffb]

I am far from a champagne expert, but I will suggest one that I really like.

http://www.queenannewine.com/veuvclicvinr.html

We drank this in NY for my bachelor party, and have had it a couple of times since and really liked it. Enjoy whatever you go with and have a happy birthday!

[Xavier]

I am no expert, but I always heard that there was a little brother of Cristal and/or Dom Perignon that was highly recommended. Maybe someone could help... I think it was a Brut but not sure which.

[jeffb]

It could be this http://www.thewineclub.com/120140.

[Flaxorca]

SWMBO and me are not big on champagne, but we do like the Spanish version Cava (look under mousserande here (http://www.systembolaget.se/Applikationer/Sok/ResultatLista.htm?Sok=e2&SokKriteria=cava&Butik=0&SidNr=1&SortKol=namn&Asc=1&BackUrl={DCC10888-403B-4301-82F3-0C27A0A28286})). Systembolaget has a variety of these and you can choose based on how "sweet" or "dry" you like it.
Some wines we found at the Systembolaget are:
*Coto d'Imaz (100 SEK)
*Primicia (70 SEK)
*El Coto (70 SEK)
*Casillero del Diablo (70 SEK)
*Echeverria (90 SEK and up)
And yes there is a little bit of a theme here since these are all Spanish or Chilean :wink:.

But since we moved to Sweden we have not been able to find most of the wines we used to drink back home and we are not too keen on experimenting because of the prices :crying:. Hur som helst Grattis!

[Aztecface]

Thanks for the advice guys. Not quite what i was looking for when it comes to ordinary wine but very much where it comes to mousating wine or champagne. I might just go for that and choose a sweeter wine for desert. I'll let you guys know. If anyone has other advice I look forward to it.

Thanks for the congrats.

Flaxorca, Tack min vän.

[Lynchmeister]

Hi there. Sorry I can't comment on a wine, but I'll throw out some cigar ideas. Since you're in Sweden, I'm not sure about the availability of non-cuban cigars. I know there out there, but you aren't bound by a silly outdated embargo, so go for maybe a mild to medium Montecristo, Romeo y Julietta, or maybe even a Partagas.

Happy birthday!

[Doc4]

Hey, is this the same girlfriend you were telling us about a few months ago? Glad to see things are going well. :ladysman:

For wine, the traditional pairing for lamb would be a Bordeaux (or a Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot blend). Maybe more to the Merlot or Pomerol (Bordeaux region that focuses on merlot) side, for her.

Are you going to a restaurant or dining at home? If a restaurant, hope for a good somelier who can suggest something that they have; if you're going to be buying it from a wine merchant/store, see what they have ... and beware that much of the best Cabernet/Bordeaux can take a decade or so to age to it's potential, so you probably need to ask a good wine merchant to suggest something in your pricerange that will be good to drink right away.

[Aztecface]

Hi there. Sorry I can't comment on a wine, but I'll throw out some cigar ideas. Since you're in Sweden, I'm not sure about the availability of non-cuban cigars. I know there out there, but you aren't bound by a silly outdated embargo, so go for maybe a mild to medium Montecristo, Romeo y Julietta, or maybe even a Partagas.

Happy birthday!

I was looking for something mild to medium. Preferably something with a hint of chocolate... ?:rolleyes:

Thanks.


Hey, is this the same girlfriend you were telling us about a few months ago? Glad to see things are going well. :ladysman:

For wine, the traditional pairing for lamb would be a Bordeaux (or a Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot blend). Maybe more to the Merlot or Pomerol (Bordeaux region that focuses on merlot) side, for her.

Are you going to a restaurant or dining at home? If a restaurant, hope for a good somelier who can suggest something that they have; if you're going to be buying it from a wine merchant/store, see what they have ... and beware that much of the best Cabernet/Bordeaux can take a decade or so to age to it's potential, so you probably need to ask a good wine merchant to suggest something in your pricerange that will be good to drink right away.

Yes, sir. Same girl. Things have gone very well.

We are dining at home and I'm making the food. I was thinking about making lamb or a viel(spelling)stake with pumpkin and potatoes. Dining out would be much easier but not as much fun.

[Doc4]

Yes, sir. Same girl. Things have gone very well.

We are dining at home and I'm making the food. I was thinking about making lamb or a viel(spelling)stake with pumpkin and potatoes. Dining out would be much easier but not as much fun.

Congrats!! :thumbup:

Veil would work with the same wine as lamb. Maybe ... a nice young northern Italian wine? If you can get a good Valpolicella ...

(Again, ask your local wine merchant for recommendations ... there's just too many variables and options out there for me to suggest something from this distance, that odds are you can't find in your local stores.) Happy Birthday!!

[professorchaos]

With lamb, I would choose a Côtes du Rhône such as Châteauneuf du Pape whose "large" tannins would compliment the rich lamb rather well. Alternatively, you could go with a Syrah/Shiraz (the primary grape in Côtes du Rhône wines). In this category, I am particularly fond of wines from cooler climate regions, such as Australia's Margaret River.

[judge]

lets see:

a nice champagne would be
http://www.veuve-champagne.sparklingdirect.co.uk/Veuve_Clicquot_Demi-Sec.asp

this one is often well received as the demi sec is a little sweeter than the dry brut. whole some like Bollinger, it tends to be heavy. Veuve, it lighter and crisper.

Since you are in Sweden, Monte Christo No. 4
http://www.cigars-review.org/Montecristo-Montecristo-No-4.htm

[Aztecface]

Thank you everyone for the congrats and the great advice.

I'll see what the local wine merchants have to say.

I think I'll go with the Monte Christo No:4's.
Thanks for the advice.

[Lynchmeister]

I was looking for something mild to medium. Preferably something with a hint of chocolate... ?:rolleyes:


I see you've decided to go with a Montecristo No. 4. Sounds like a good choice. If you're having second thoughts, though, I can always FedEx a Perdomo Fresco to you. :wink:

[Aztecface]

I see you've decided to go with a Montecristo No. 4. Sounds like a good choice. If you're having second thoughts, though, I can always FedEx a Perdomo Fresco to you. :wink:

Please do. What do you need?

[SilkySmooth]

SWMBO and me are not big on champagne, but we do like the Spanish version Cava (look under mousserande here (http://www.systembolaget.se/Applikationer/Sok/ResultatLista.htm?Sok=e2&SokKriteria=cava&Butik=0&SidNr=1&SortKol=namn&Asc=1&BackUrl={DCC10888-403B-4301-82F3-0C27A0A28286})). Systembolaget has a variety of these and you can choose based on how "sweet" or "dry" you like it.
Some wines we found at the Systembolaget are:
*Coto d'Imaz (100 SEK)
*Primicia (70 SEK)
*El Coto (70 SEK)
*Casillero del Diablo (70 SEK)
*Echeverria (90 SEK and up)
And yes there is a little bit of a theme here since these are all Spanish or Chilean :wink:.

But since we moved to Sweden we have not been able to find most of the wines we used to drink back home and we are not too keen on experimenting because of the prices :crying:. Hur som helst Grattis!

+1 for Casillero del Diablo!

[TimmyBoston]

Have a fantastic birthday!

[Aztecface]

Have a fantastic birthday!

Thank You. I'll do my best.:biggrin:

[SilkySmooth]

I hope you had a nice birthday!


==Tom

[Aztecface]

I hope you had a nice birthday!


==Tom

My birthday is on the 6th of October(this Saturday).