Dom Perignon in Colombia

YEP says on Jan 6, 2005, 09:33:

Remember some nice red and white too
you would like to make it a perfect day for him and his wife too !! right ;-)

Just saw and advert with a special single malt whisky for the cute price of around USD 350+ :D

Glenfiddich vintage Reserve 1972 70 cl. (240 numbered bottles)

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Just another scandinavian getting ready to explore South America

------------------------------------------------------------------- Just another scandinavian getting ready to explore South America

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vladimiro says on Jan 6, 2005, 10:09:

Dom Perignon That's a good idea; you can't buy Dom Perignon in Colombia.

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Raleigh1590 says on Jan 6, 2005, 10:40:

What a nice romantic gesture.

Good luck!!!

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Lionheart says on Jan 6, 2005, 11:10:

general knowledge How well educated are Colombians about the fine wines and liquors from Europe? For example, if I bring a really special malt, would it be recognized without me bragging about it?

I bring this up because I am tired of bashing in heads of "connoisseurs" here in the USA with empty malt bottles (never a full bottle.) Malt is the big fashion here and the bar tenders and dealers are well trained marketing puppets, not understanding that at least 1/2 the malts offered here don't exist in Scotland, and if they did, Scotland would have to be the size of Russia to produce that many bottles. Not that the Scots already feel that big ....

I have noticed similar issues with Champagne, Cognac, Armangac, Grappa and other high-end products. If well-educated Colombians would know the European standards, bringing the US marketing crap would be a bad thing to do. On the other hand, if Napolean middle shelf-quality is considered top of the line, why bother with top-shelf? At least in the beginning. I would build-up a strategy for the future, slowly work yourself up the shelves with your father-in-law whenever you return from abroad, that will guarantee you his support forever.

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Jan 6, 2005, 11:34:

lionheart I'd say that a small percentage of the upper-class Colombians would actually have more than a rudimentary knowledge of fine wines, cognacs and champagnes of Europe. They're more familiar with the US produced varieties. I usually take a bottle of Scotch or middle-priced cognac to elderly gentlemen in the family and they are always appreciated, but I doubt if they really know that there are even better brands.
Colombia is not a wine-drinking country, really, except some rather modest production of drinkable table wines produced in La Union, Valle (Hermanos Grajales) there's not a national brand that is of any quality.
You'd have to brag about your malt, most likely.

Cheers,
Desi

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

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Lionheart says on Jan 6, 2005, 11:51:

desi ... ok, I will go after the fancy bottle then that can be used as a decoration as well.

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juanalejo says on Jan 6, 2005, 13:08:

well educated I would tend to say that well educated Colombians are well aware of wine qualities, but never obviously to the extent of a European. Nowadays Exito and Carrefour have a huge selection of wines for sale ranging from the obvious Chilean, Californian and French to newer Spanish, Argentinian, South African and Australian. I read an article not long ago that Colombia had the fastest growing wine consuming trend in Latin America, and although it was still small compared to Chile or Argentina, is was higher now that most other countries. Malt is not that common but it is quite exotic to offer it now a days. Glenfidich is quite available but it is the only one you really see. I did came across one called Glemorangie and Laphroagh (excuse my writing) during this last Christmas parties and it was the hit of the party (I still remember the names of them, and I hardly remember much more that night). Johnnie Walker black and Blue and Chivas are the most popular blends around here. Don Perignon is considered top champagne together with Veuve de Cliqcot. There are very expensive here but you can find them in specialized stores.

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ReinaDeLa Baile says on Jan 6, 2005, 13:11:

Go with Mad Dog 20-20 and drink it straight out of the bag Forget the fancy French stuff. Go with Mad Dog 20-20 and drink it straight out of the bag.

That was Elmo's advice to me, and it got me happily married AND the talk of the party. Fortunately for me, I was not yet conversant in Espanol, so I didn't know exactly WHAT the talk meant.

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fzrdan says on Jan 6, 2005, 13:42:

I just bought a bottle. It was funny to see the reaction from some people. They thought it was great and a lot of questions. "Who is that for?" "Is that for you or is it a gift?" "Can we open it now?" Damn people, buy some for yourself.

Maybe I will take it with me and maybe not. Lionheart had a good idea. Start him off with some mid level stuff and save the good stuff for later.

When I first met him, his eyes lit up when I told him I was from Califronia. Maybe I will just take a couple bottles of a decent California wine. I don't know squat about wine though.

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Jan 6, 2005, 13:55:

a couple of years back in Tierra Mestiza in Cali ( my favorite hang-out for listening Colombian music and Nueva Trova) the wine list they presented didn't have anything drinkable init, so I just asked if they could bring me a nice bottle of Chilean Cabernet. They had to send a waiter to the nearest estanco to get it. I had seen lots of Chilean, Argentinian, Californian and even some French and Spanish wines at the Exito, Carulla and La 14, so I thought it was pretty standard.
I'm sure people in Bogotá are more knowledgeable about wines, but in Cali they still drink cherry wine and other sweet stuff that I can't stand.

Cheers,
Desi

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Jan 6, 2005, 13:58:

You mean like Manishevitz? I was served that once at a Bogota social gathering. Here, even Jewish comedians make jokes about how bad it is.

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Miamigo says on Jan 6, 2005, 14:50:

juanalejo, where did you run across Glenmorangie and Laphroaig? I ask because I am a big fan of The Macallan, and usually where one can find Glenmorangie, one find Macallan. I can only find Glenfiddich, and I'd rather drink blended scotch like Black Label before I buy that swill.

I usually end up picking up a couple of bottles of The Macallan at the Miami duty-free (most duty-free shops sell a special Macallan called Elegancia, a somewhat lighter version) and bringing them down. La Riviera duty-free in El Dorado carries Macallan, too, so I know the stuff is getting into the country.

Mi suegro no toma, but my wife's mom enjoys un traguito de vez en cuando, and she loved the Macallan.

As to wine, I agree that tastes seem to be improving -- I can find the superb Chilean Los Vascos anywhere. However, I don't think there's a wine revolution going on or anything. I was in the Carulla at 85 con 15 and bought a bottle of Los Vascos cabernet that was coated in dust. When I got it home, it turned out that the cork was so dried out, it just crumbled when you tried to open the bottle. They gave me a hard time when I returned it, but did eventually take it back and let me exchange it.

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