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Some Important Wine Making Tips

2006-12-24T11:33-05:00

So, you have decided you would like to have a bash at making your own wine. You also want to do it properly, and turn out some really great tasting quality wine. The first thing you must do, is some research, to learn the basics of the art, as there are a few fundamental tasks you should perform if you want to stand a good chance of ending up with a fine tasting product.

When wine making it is extremely important to ensure that any equipment you use is sanitized, I don't just mean clean, I mean free of any bacteria whatsoever. To do this you need to obtain some special solutions which are freely available. It is a good idea to become obsessed with cleanliness in your wine making operations, so as not to slow the fermentation process down. If you are a beginner, make sure you get hold of a good recipe and then follow it religiously. As ever, the internet is a great place to look for recipes, as there are quite a few good sites that are dedicated to the art of wine making.

One piece of equipment you will need is called a hydrometer, and fortunately these are not expensive. You use a hydrometer to measure the progress of the fermentation process. You can also use it to help you find out the alcohol content by taking a reading at the start of fermentation, and then taking another one at the end.

It is absolutely critical that you use a thermometer and maintain the correct temperature in the room where you are fermenting the wine. If the temperature is too high it will ferment too quickly and you will probably end up with the wine not tasting very good, and you will also run the risk of bacteria growth. If, on the other hand the temperature is too low, the wine will take too long to ferment or even not ferment at all. The correct temperature is in the range of seventy to seventy five.

Last but not least, during the wine making process you must ensure your wine is not exposed to too much air, as this will cause oxidization which discolors the wine and gives it an odd flavor.

About the Author

James Hunaban is the owner of http://wine-making.jims-info.com/ a site full of Wine Making information.

A Vine Story

2006-12-24T11:29-05:00

by Alison White

Stuart and Elizabeth Smith are a lovely couple of 59 and 55 years, entering in to a buoyant English wine market which currently supports around 400 commercial vineyards in English and Wales. The couple lives near Huddersfield, West Yorkshire and has been growing vines "for donkey's years". As this summer has brought a very good weather, with warm June and hot July, vineyards owners are predicting that 2006 would be a year to look back at with pride, in the history of wine market. On this kind of circumstances, the Smiths are hopping that they can add to the burgeoning success of the British wine industry and in the same time, they are also willing to create the country's most northern commercial vineyard. "It is a big commitment," says Elizabeth. But when the opportunity to buy some land came up, the couple just took it right away, as they wanted to make their dreams come true and create the Ryedale Vineyard. "It's always been viable to grow vines in Yorkshire and there's growing confidence in the climate being warmer. It just felt like the time to do it." They describe their financial investment in their dream as being "rather frightening". But even though, many people at their age would be just contemplating a quiet, regular life, Stuart and Elizabeth Smith are hopping for the best with respect to their financial situation. It is clear they are committed and believe in the vineyard's viability. "Dreams don't come cheap," says Stuart cheerfully. However, Stuart explains that they have planted 7,000 vines in April from which 3,000 on the three acres between York and Malton and 4,000 on four acres at an organic wine holding a couple of miles away. "We have a few batches of pinot noir and chardonnay and quite big batches of ortega which is a white wine. It's a lovely, peachy fruity wine and with a bit of red it can make a delicious rose." Says Stuart. "We could produce more but we'd rather keep the quantity down and the quality up," he then adds. They also run a 20-year-old business called The Vinehouse, selling grapevines to vineyards across the country and sourcing them from across the world. Their organic crop makes them the largest producers of organic wine, in the North region of London. Because of that, they hope to produce between 10,000 and 15,000 bottles a year of red, white and sparkling wine. Also, they have been planted many other different vines, including a variety of new hybrids on the organic site, such as regent, rondo, solaris, phoenix and seyval. The Smith's non-organic vines are situated on two south-facing slopes, which actually means that they will get all the sun that they will need and in the same time, be protected of the possible spring frosts. The soil is also making the investment worth as it is well drained and light. With respect to the success of their business, Stuart Smith says: "There is a tremendous interest in local food and drink, certainly in our area, so that's quite promising for sales". He also adds that they "took some wine samples to the Ryedale Food and Drink Festival, all the wine varieties we're planning to grow, and they were really well received and the opportunities that came up from the trade side were fantastic." Supporting the idea of her husband, Elizabeth firmly adds: "It's going to work".

About the Author

Stuart and Elizabeth Smith are a lovely couple of 59 and 55 years, entering in to a buoyant English wine market which currently supports around 400 commercial vineyards in English and Wales.

The Unknown of the Organic Wines

2006-12-24T11:25-05:00

by Alison White

The idea of a career hit them in a restaurant in London, as they saw on the wine list the description of a "hangover-free alternative" type of wine. Shelley Breckenridge and Lynsey Watson who were at that time involved in careers of the field of customer services and financial management, decided to create their own website, Vine Organic.

Based in Glasgow, the site is dedicated only to the selling chemical-free and biodynamic wines. Breckenridge and Lynsey Watson who are both fascinated by wines, share the idea that "Organic wines have an earthy natural quality that you don't find in conventional wine. The aromas are superior, the palates have better fruit intensity and purer flavours".

In a mission in Scotland, at the present, Breckenridge and Watson want to prove that organic wines have the same quality as the natural wines do. They plan to back up their theory by analysing the characteristics of 91 wines from 11 different countries.

The two passionate wine persons have chosen to set up a trading deal with English-based Vintage Roots company, in order to not waste their time on negotiating contracts with wineries, directly. Therefore, they picked only a couple of wines to be the Vine Organic exclusive, such as Vin de Pays d'Oc Sauvignon Blanc and some other wines, sold to restaurants in Glasgow and Aberdeen.

The minuses of the website are that there is no actual definition about what an organic wine is and the creation of Breckenridge and Watson seems to be a little cluttered since they provide no information about the founders-aspect which might be considered important by the customers. Some tips from the taste test made by Breckenridge and Watson At the category of fizz wines, the Cava Brut 21 Albet y Noya, at the price of £12.49 has a yeasty biscuity aroma, chalky creamy texture, but finishes very bitter. Among the white category, there is Rheinhessen Kabinett Riesling Trocken 2005 Weingut Klaus Knobloch, at the price of £6.99. This starts well, with light floral bouquet, fleshy lush fruit palate, but this German white falls well short on the finish. Other white wine is Domaine St Paul Sauvignon sur Lie and it costs £6.49. It is clean, refreshing southern French Vin de Pays, lacking Loire's minerality. Also it has a light creamy body, being a very easy French quaffing aperitif. At the red category, there is Thistle Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 which costs £17.49. This wine it is unbalanced, old, tired and past its sell-by date - an over-priced Aussie red. Buenas Ondas Malbec 2005 is another red wine, and it will cost you £6.99. You will buy therefore, a rich damson fruits wine, very young tight- knit fruits, some depth to palate, earthy notes; a good value quaffing red from Argentina. Also a red wine is Coyam 2003 which can be found at the price of £11.99. This is very spicy, tight austere Chilean Bordelais blend and rich concentrated fruits, spoilt by an astringent finish. As an argument for why did the Breckenridge and Watson have chosen to made this study, Breckenridge said that more and more high quality vineyards are becoming certified. However, among the wine producers there are many who are choosing the organically method but in the same time, they just do not bother to certify and label them as such. On this kind of actual situation, Breckenridge and Watson are willing to sell only certified wines, even if that means that the choice of quality wines available for them to list is still rather limited.

About the Author

The idea of a career hit them in a restaurant in London, as they saw on the wine list the description of a "hangover-free alternative" type of wine.

Knowing Australian Wines

2006-12-21T21:54-05:00

by Jerry Hall Leo

Drink the wine that you like.

Sounds obvious, doesn't it? Sometimes, however, we get so caught up in what is the right wine and what is the wrong wine that we forget the most important thing: we have taste! We have our own individual taste and love drinking the wine we love to drink. Sure, certain wines traditionally match certain foods and flavors, but ultimately you are the judge of what you like to drink, no matter what the enologists say!

Australian wines are made from a careful perfection of fermentation and patience to produce great tasting wine. The country's vast land produces different kinds of wines where tasting each wine makes it harder to believe that they were made from the same country.

Here are the different types of Australian wines that are most popular on the market today:

1. White wines have extraordinary and a unique taste that still stands out among the others. They vary in color based from what part of the country they were made. Since Australia is an enormous country, temperature may vary too, which produces Australian white wines that vary in different color hues of yellow when poured in a glass. The deeper the hue, the richer the flavor is. The technique of swirling the glass around and sniffing it will give you a faint smell of fully ripened grapes.

2. Red wines have an unbeatable classic taste. The countries different climate conditions produce different Red wine tastes. Warmer climate regions produce more flavorful, richer and warmer tastes. While cooler climate regions produce lighter, cooler and more delicate tastes.

3. Fortified wines have a longer process of fermentation compared to any other variety of wine. It is usually blended with brandy to emphasize the wine's alcohol taste. This process will also help retain the flavor and color of the wine. The concentration of flavor and aromatic smell depends on the number of decades it was left to mature. Warm climate regions of the country usually have an advantage in producing fortified wines.

4. Dessert wines are distinguished in their textures. Its a honey-like and glutinous texture that is made by a natural occurring fungus. These natural fungus draw in moisture, which causes the increase in sugar concentration, acidity and fruit flavor. The wine is best served along with fruit desserts, blue and soft cheese that balances acidity and creates an excellent taste.

Australian wine makers are grasping the fast and dynamic technology to produce a world-class variety of wines. They are using their expertise and variety of techniques to satisfy consumers and introduce them to a whole new taste experience.

White with fish, red with meat? Not always.

Everyone knows that fish meals should be accompanied by white wine and meat dishes should be accompanied by red wine. But adhering to strict wine rules takes the fun out of choosing wines. Trust your own sense of taste. A wine should do one of two things: complement or contrast. Not all fish dishes are cooked in the same way, so why should they all be accompanied by white wine? Consider the dish, the way it is cooked, the spices and seasonings added, and then choose a wine that complements those elements or contrasts, that is if you want a more intense experience. Learn the art of Wine Tasting.

About the Author

Learn the art of Wine Tasting

Exploring Wineries in Ithaca, New York

2006-12-21T21:51-05:00

by Xavier Moldini

Although most people look to the West Coast for the top wineries in the United States, New York has a lot to offer the wine enthusiast. Exploring wineries in Ithaca, New York, is a good way to verify this.

Exploring Wineries in Ithaca, New York

Ithaca, a small town located in western New York, may not seem like the place to go for great wine. A closer look, however, shows that Ithaca is located in the Finger Lakes region of New York, a region that is known for producing some of the United States' best wines. New York wines are gaining in popularity - due to the different varieties of wines and blends that are produced here. The climate and soil is excellent for growing grapes, and Ithaca winery excursions are becoming a large part of many tourists' vacations in the area.

One of the most popular winery exploration packages in the Ithaca area is offered by Finger Lakes Winery (315-828-6289), based out of nearby Geneva, New York. Finger Lakes Winery offers many different forms of transportation for your experience; including stretch limousines, cars, buses, and trolleys. The company is willing to pick you up from any spot in New York State (although most people choose to stay in the Finger Lakes region). The company is also willing to create a custom private experience for you and your group, and can accommodate groups that are large or small in size.

When touring the wineries of western New York, you have a choice of several different "wine trails". The Seneca Wine Trail is most often recommended to people who only have a short amount of time to see the area. There are over 30 different wineries that are located on this trail, and each of them is open and willing to do tastings for groups. Many different varieties of wines are produced on this trail, and you will be able to taste all of the different types from the region while visiting this area. The Cayuga Wine Trail is a bit more relaxed - here, you can take the time to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Finger Lakes region as well as see the vineyards.

The Keuka Wine Trail includes eight wineries, but some of these are the most well known of the area. Your trip on this trail starts with a horse drawn hayride through a vineyard, and you will learn about the wine making process while riding. Additionally, you can enjoy the scenery of beautiful Keuka Lake (one of the few "Y" shaped lakes in the world) as well as stopping at world renowned wineries Bully Hill and Dr. Frank.

Experiencing all of the wineries in Ithaca, New York, can't be done in a single day, so if you want to see all three of the wine trails, you will need to spend quite some time here. Of course, the beauty and surroundings of the Finger Lakes make a longer vacation here very enjoyable.

About the Author

Xavier Moldini is with WineriesforYou.com - information on wine tours throughout the world.

Exploring Barossa Wineries Down Under

2006-12-21T21:48-05:00

by Xavier Moldini

With a name like Barossa, your taste buds should be tingling with anticipation if you are going to make the trip to Australia. Here is some information on exploring the wineries of Barossa that will help you set up your trip.

Exploring Barossa Wineries Down Under

The Barossa Valley in Australia is home to many different wineries and vineyards. Australia is relatively new to the wine making world, but more and more varieties and wineries from this country are becoming popular in the US and Europe. Known for introducing the world to the red wine known as Shiraz, Australian vineyards are producing wines that are rivaling those from the Napa Valley in California, and even those that come from France. Barossa wine excursions are a great way to explore this part of Australia, and enjoy some of the wines that this area has to offer.

One company that has spent years introducing wine enthusiasts to the Barossa Valley and surrounding areas is Barossa Vintage (+61 8 8524 5353), located in Lyndoch, Barossa Valley. Barossa Vintage offers chauffeur driven excursions to the many wineries in the area, as well as packages that include accommodations or transfers to and from the airport in the region. The company will be happy to help you arrange accommodations in one of the many bed and breakfast establishments located in Barossa Valley, or if you've booked a room already, they are willing to pick you up from any area spot in Barossa Valley, Adelaide or Adelaide Hills.

Most of the packages offered by Barossa Vintage take place in their roomy Kia Carnival (a minivan type of vehicle) and can range from a short half day to a custom full day event. The half day package will take you to at least three wineries in the Barossa Valley, and include either morning or afternoon tea. This is a good way to get a glimpse of the wineries available in the area, but most people opt for a full day outing in order to enjoy all of the wineries and tastings Barossa has to offer.

A full day excursion starts out with a morning tea, which is provided by the local Lyndoch Bakery (known for their fresh baked cakes) and also includes a "bistro lunch" where wine can be purchased by the glass. You will be able to see at least four different wineries while on the full day excursion, and you will be able to taste some of the many full bodied red wines produced here, as well as some white wines and even fortified wines (such as port). Additional stops can be arranged to see different parts of southern Australia aside from Barossa Valley. These stops can include seeing the McLaren Vale wine area or the Clare Valley wine area.

The Barossa Valley of Australia is fast becoming a popular destination for wine lovers from all over the globe. If you enjoy the full bodied taste of an Australian red wine, then this trip is for you.

About the Author

Xavier Moldini is with WineriesforYou.com - your information resource for wineries.

A Look At Bordeaux And Burgundy Wines

2006-07-08T15:52-04:00

by Gregg Hall

The regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy in France are world renowned for producing some of the best wines available anywhere. Let’s take a look at them individually.

First we have Bordeaux, this world famous region in France near the Southeast coast makes some of the best and most famous red wines as well as white wines and dessert wines. Of these, the most notable of the red wines come form Medoc, Saint-Emilion, and Pomerol. Most of the high quality white wines hail from the area called Graves while the best dessert wines are found in Sauternes and Saint-Croix-du-Mont.

With the red wines of Bordeaux we usually see blends including Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and occasionally a little of Petit Verdot. The dessert wines and white wines from the Bordeaux region are mainly of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillion. Some of the most expensive and in demand wines come from the Bordeaux region including the world famous Chateaux Lafite-Rothschild.

The Bordeaux region is a diversified wine growing area with nearly ten thousand wine making chateaux, and over thirteen thousand wine growers. Due to the sheer numbers you will find a variety of wines from old and established aged Bordeaux wines to young wines. Bordeaux wines offer everything from the top quality wines like the Rothschild mentioned above which deserves the price it brings, to even the more common table wines that are much less expensive but still of superior quality. You can’t go wrong with a wine from this region.

The Burgundy Region is located in North Central France reaching from Dijon south to Beaujolais. It is said that the farther north you go in Burgundy the better the wine. The far northern area of Burgundy called Cote d’Or means hills of gold and probably for this reason! It is here that we find the Pinot Noir grape that is responsible for some of the world’s most delicious and complex wines. Some of the very best vineyards in Burgundy are right here in the hills, sitting in the actual hillsides.

Beaujolais is located in the southern area of the Burgundy region and instead of the Pinot Noir grape, the wine producers here choose the Gamay which is known to be fruitier. These wines are made to be consumed while they are young and it is recommended that they be chilled to even further enhance the berry taste. A good Beaujolais wine will be fruity and yet still be dry.

Many of the Burgundy vineyards are ranked “Grand Cru” which indicates the very best vineyards and quite a few others are labeled “Premier Cru” which means exceptional. When looking at the label of a wine from the Burgundy Region you will find the exact location the grapes come from and that is usually all the information given.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about the Bordeaux and Burgundy regions and their famous wines, now go out and get some and try it for yourself!

Gregg Hall is a consultant for online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida. Find out about personalized wine bottles at http://www.winebottlespersonalized.com

A Look At Cabernet Sauvignon And Merlot Wines

2006-07-08T15:49-04:00

by Gregg Hall

Grown in the famous Bordeaux predominately, the Cabernet Sauvignon grape is one of the most versatile and widely used of all grapes for winemaking. It is the grape used for many of the highest quality red wines in the world and adapts well to nearly any climate that is not overly cold. Recently, the Cabernet Sauvignon grape has been producing award winning wines in the American wine country of California’s Napa Valley.

The rich, full bodied, berry flavor of a wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon is also recognized by the distinctive flavor of tea and other herbs. The wines made from this grape are very herbal in nature.

One of the greatest qualities of Cabernet Sauvignon is its ability to blend so well with other grapes and bring out the best qualities in both. When blending Cabernet with Merlot it gives you a smoother Cabernet while maintaining its own unique character.

As with many high quality wines, the aging process is of utmost importance to the final outcome of the taste and flavor of a Cabernet Sauvignon wine. Using different woods for the barrels that they wine is aged in gives each wine a slightly different and unique taste as the wine takes on some of the flavor of the wood. Many winemakers will age the wine in several different woods to give it an even more complex taste. Another trick of experienced wine makers is to use a very small barrel in order to get the greatest effect from the interaction with the wood.

Merlot is a more subtle wine with a fruitier taste reminiscent of blackberries. One of the other major differences of the Merlot vs. the Cabernet is that the Merlot is not nearly as acidic as the Cabernet, being very rich and complex but hardly tannic and quite enjoyable to drink.

In contrast to the smaller Cabernet grape, the Merlot is a good bit larger and has a thinner skin giving the wine a sumptuous consistency that blends well with appetizers or as a main course drink. Many times Merlot is blended with a Cabernet to soften the Cabernet and make it more complex.

Merlot has really developed into a fine premium wine that does well on its own without blending and can be chosen for many different situations. Another great thing about Merlot is that it doesn’t require the attention during the aging process that Cabernet and other wines do. Because of its fruity and soft nature and the fact that it has many of the same characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot has become increasingly popular especially when paired with beef or lamb.

Merlot is such a pleasant tasting wine that I often see people out at a local drinking establishment just sipping on a glass of the delightful tasting wine.

Gregg Hall is a consultant for online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida. Find out about personalized wine bottles at http://www.winebottlespersonalized.com

How To Understand Labels On Wine Bottles

2006-07-07T10:46-04:00

by Gregg Hall

There is already a stigma attached to wine of being a high class beverage and above the ordinary citizen without the added feeling of ignorance when trying to understand and comprehend what the terminology on the labels means. Wines produced in the Americas and in Australia are generally better with this and usually make it clear what type of wine is in the bottle and also name the vineyard from where the wine came. Conversely, the labels on wine bottles from the Old Country have so many different classifications and types along with town names, names of vineyards, and even little pet names from the actual producer of the wine. It is little wonder that the average wine drinker has no clue what he is looking at.

In order to try to make a little sense out of the whole situation and avoid having to drag an interpreter around with us when we go shopping for wine, let’s take a look at some of the things we should be looking for in the label of a wine bottle.
First off if we are looking for a high quality French wine we want to see the term, “Cru”. This signifies that the wine is from the regions of Bordeaux, Alsace, or Burgundy and state that the wine is of a high quality.

Another indication that a wine is of higher quality believe it or not is one that is labeled to have been grown in poor soil and dry conditions. The reason for this is that the vine, when put under these conditions, puts everything into ripening the grape and hardly anything into the leaves which gives you a better grape.

If you see the term “Methode Traditionelle” on a bottle, mainly in the Americas and Australia it means that the wine is produced in the same way as traditional champagne, it means Traditional Method and will usually be more reasonable in price as well.

Another indicator of a high quality wine is the term, “Vieilles Vignes, which means old vines. These vineyards that are designated, “old vines”, tend to have more concentrated juices and the other attributes of the wine tend to be richer also.

Another reference to a high quality wine is the term, “Estate Bottled”, which means that the wine was grown, produced, and bottled all at the same place which infers that the wine maker oversees every part of the operation and does not contract it out to any other source. This is usually found in French wines, for example Mis en Bouteille au Chateau.

Gregg Hall is a consultant for online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida. Find out about personalized wine bottles at http://www.winebottlespersonalized.com

Is Drinking Red Wine Really Good For You?

2006-07-07T10:44-04:00

by Gregg Hall

Many of us have heard the claim that drinking red wine can actually be healthy, but how much is healthy? This claim first came to light a decade or so ago when a prominent doctor espoused the use of red wine to reduce heart disease giving the example of the low incidence of heart disease in people in France even though they eat very high fat diets but drink red wine with many meals.

First let’s look at what is at the root of hear disease in the first place. The disease is created by cholesterol building up in the arteries. This cholesterol comes from two places, our diet and from our own bodies. Some people have a natural predisposition to creating more cholesterol than others. When the arteries experience this blockage the heart is robbed of needed oxygen and can be damaged.

So how does red wine help with this problem? Well, according to many medical studies it has been shown that a moderate intake of no more than two glasses of red wine a day can actually reduce the risk of a heart attack by as much as fifty percent. The studies also indicated that he consumption of moderate amounts of red wine can even help to circumvent future heart attacks even after you have already had one.

To understand how red wine helps in this area it is necessary to know the difference in types of cholesterol. Low density lipo-protein the so-called “bad” cholesterol or LDL for short is the one that blocks arteries and causes us all the problems. The presence of high density lipo-proteins or HDL cleans the bad out and reduces the instances of blockage. The way red wine helps in this area is by increasing the HDL and creating more of a balance as well as having a blood thinning effect similar to the intake of aspirin.

It has been known for quite some time in the nutritional community that wine is rich in vitamins and minerals as well as in natural sugars that have been shown to be of importance in maintaining good health. Wine is also high in potassium which has been shown to be good for the heart as well as being rich in Vitamin B. The main reason that red wine has more of these nutrients than other wines is due to the process of making red wines which requires the grape juice to remain in contact with the skins of the grapes longer which is where the majority of the nutrients are.

Wine is also known to have a calming effect on the body when taken in moderation and can aid in sleeping which is also beneficial to overall health.

Gregg Hall is a consultant for online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida. Find out about personalized wine bottles at http://www.winebottlespersonalized.com

How To Know What Wine To Order In A Restaurant

2006-07-07T10:42-04:00

by Gregg Hall

It can be embarrassing if you are out on a date at a fancy restaurant and you don’t know the right wine to order, it’s even more embarrassing if you are out with another couple. Even though ordering a bottle of wine while dining out isn’t all that different than buying from a winery you do have people watching you and that can make the situation a little uncomfortable if you don’t have at least some kind of knowledge of basic wines.

The thing to remember is that not even the so-called wine masters that go to all the wine tasting events know every wine. What is important to you as a novice is to just study up a little if you have a big date coming up and you have an idea where you are going and what kind of food and wines are likely to be there. You should also try to get an idea of what the cost will be ahead of time so you aren’t surprised by that as well.

The majority of dining establishments these days offer a wine list but that list can vary even more than the meal selection of various restaurants. Usually the wine list will be printed on a menu just like the food selection and the different types of wines will be listed by the color and type of wine as well as by region plus the smarter restaurateurs will have the list numbered which keeps you from having to try to pronounce that fancy French or Italian wine properly.

What type of meal you will be eating is of superior importance when considering what wine to order. This is when it pays to have done your homework or at least be familiar with the wines that the particular restaurant you are dining at offers. If you are in a higher class restaurant they will usually have a wine steward you can ask for advice as well.

Now that we have some of the preliminaries out of the way, let’s look at some more specific advice. One thing you should avoid in most cases is ordering the house wine, it is there out of convenience and like most things in life that are convenient they come with a price. House wines generally are marked up in price more than others; you may get a much better wine for only a few dollars more.

To help you avoid overpaying look over the wine list and note the average price, if you keep around that figure you should be safe. Thirdly, you should order a wine that is from the same region as the food you are ordering if at all possible. If you are dining at a restaurant known for exquisite Spanish meals then Spanish wines should be made available. You can also ask your waiter for some suggestions and if they have any specials that he recommends. Keep in mind when you are ordering that if you plan on having a few glasses of wine it is always less expensive to order a bottle.

Gregg Hall is a consultant for online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida. Find out about personalized wine bottles at http://www.winebottlespersonalized.com

How To Taste Wine Like A Pro

2006-07-07T10:39-04:00

by Gregg Hall

Nobody likes to look like an amateur when doing anything and wine tasting is no exception. By simply following a few guidelines you can look as if you have been to dozens of wine tastings even if you don’t know a cabernet sauvignon from a pinot noir. Chances are that no one is going to come up and ask you to be a head judge!

The first step to tasting wine is a visual one, fill the wine glass to no more than half full at most, one third is better. Secondly, hold the wine glass by the stem so as not to influence the taste by heating it with the heat from your hand and also so that you are able to better see the wine. Observe the intensity of the color as well as how transparent the wine is. When observing the intensity you should look at it from above.

Now comes the fun part, swirl the wine in the glass to prepare it for tasting. The wine will leave small traces inside the glass, the more alcohol the more traces it will leave. Next, observe the color which shows the variety of grape that the wine comes from. Generally speaking you will find a cabernet sauvignon is usually violet to dark while pinot noir is more of a ruby color.

The color of a wine is also determined by the conditions of the climate during the season of growing and harvesting that the grapes went through. For example a very hot summer combined with a dry fall will produce full ripe grapes with a very dark color while a cooler summer and wet fall will give more undeveloped grapes which are much lighter. The type of wine making process has a lot to do with the color as well; red wine is fermented with the skin and the longer the process the darker the wine ends up.

The age of a wine also tells its color. When a wine is young it is full of coloring agents that make it denser and rich looking and as time goes by these agents are affected by chemical reactions that result in sediment being formed at the bottom and the color lightens up. When you see a wine with a lot of sediment at the bottom you can usually assume that it is older and has been aging for quite awhile.

So there you have it a basic overview of wine tasting that will at least give you some semblance of knowing what you are doing, so enjoy!

Gregg Hall is a consultant for online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida. Find out about personalized wine bottles at http://www.winebottlespersonalized.com

How Temranillo Has Exploded On The Australian Wine Scene

2006-07-07T00:27-04:00

by Gregg Hall

In the Rioja region of Spain Temranillo is known as the exclusive red wine from the grape of that area. Now across the ocean from Spain this delicious red wine is now on the verge of dethroning Sangiovese as the top red varietal wine in the land of Oz, not that Oz, Australia!

The win growers in Australia are now harvesting plantings of the Tempranillo from over the last few years and the new grape on the Australian wine scene is becoming more popular than any other wine as far as a percentage basis is concerned.

So what is it that is so special about this particular grape? Some of the characteristics that are making it so popular are that the wines that come from it have a great color and delicate fruit flavor as well as being very low in acid and tannins which make for an effortless drinking style.

The Temranillo variety also has a short growing season in the vineyard which makes it suitable even for cooler areas which expands upon the regions of the country in which it can be grown.

The Temranillo variety is the main wine in the Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions of Spain where it is sometimes blended with Graciano or even sauvignon.
In Portugal Temranillo is utilized as a minor part in port, and in some red table wines. In other areas of the world the major vineyards are found in Argentina and California. In California it is called Valdepenas and is generally thought of as unsuitable for making fine wine.

The popularity of the Tempranillo variety has increased in Australia just in the past few years. The renowned Brown Brothers have long been a pioneer of the variety, but now there are over 50 other producers of the variety in about half of Australia's sixty wine regions and even though McLaren Vale has the highest number of producers the Tempranillo variety is widely planted throughout the mainland Australian wine regions.

The highest rated Tempranillo wine according to James Halliday's Wine Companion 2005 is that which hails from Manton's Creek Vineyard in the Mornington Peninsula. Casella Wines, the makers of the hugely successful [yellowtail] range are also actively involved in the variety.

The fate of Tempranillo as far as Australia is concerned lies with the winemakers and the growers many of which are just beginning to experiment and learn how to use the variety. Some enthusiastic fans of Tempranillo claim that it will be the premium red wine in Austraila while some of the traditionalists stick by the Italian Sangiovese. One thing is certain, only time will tell but in the meantime I will continue to enjoy the competition.

Gregg Hall is a consultant for online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida. Find out about personalized wine bottles at http://www.winebottlespersonalized.com

The Relationship Of Wine And Food

2006-07-07T00:25-04:00

by Gregg Hall

The relationship between wine and food goes back a long way and there are long standing traditions governing the pairing of certain wines with certain foods. This proper combination of the appropriate wine with a delicious meal results in an enjoyable experience by all who are participating in the event. By choosing the correct wine the taste of the meal can be enhanced greatly and the same is true of the correct dish being served along with the wine. It is not necessary to spend lavish amounts of money at some exclusive restaurant to achieve satisfaction; you can have the experience in your own home.

The rules for pairing certain wines with certain foods goes back to the 1800s when French chefs were traveling throughout Europe and sharing their opinions on what wine should be drank with a certain meal. This is where the basis for serving white wines with seafood comes from and that of serving red wines with red meat and wild game. Sometimes in modern times these rules have been bent or broken due to more availability of a greater variety of wines.

The key to the proper harmony of wine with a meal is to always take care that the wine and the meal compliment one another and not compete with each other, for example serving a premium wine with a more average meal instead of trying to combine the best wine and the best meal all at the same time. Another key point is to serve regional wines with their equivalent local dishes, for example certain Spanish dishes are best served with a Spanish wine from the region the food originates from.

To help you make the right choices in matching the appropriate wine to a meal bear these things in mind:
Always consider the richness of both and choose a heavier full bodied red wine in most cases for a rich red meat or wild game meal. There are some white wines that could be appropriate as a matter of personal taste.

Never serve a dry wine with dessert, always choose a wine that is at least as sweet as the confectionary delight being served.

Wines that are higher in tannins should served with high protein meals which mix with the tannins and lessen the tannin taste. If you attempt to serve a high tannin wine with fish or other seafood they will sometimes give an unpleasant metallic taste or even taste bitter with salty dishes.

So keep the old rules in mind when making your choices but also remember that they can be bent a little in consideration of an exceptional wine or rare meal.

Gregg Hall is a consultant for online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida. Find out about personalized wine bottles at http://www.winebottlespersonalized.com

A Closer Look At How Wine Is Made

2006-07-07T00:22-04:00

by Gregg Hall

Many of us love wine and enjoy the taste but many people really don't know exactly how wine is created. While almost any fruit juice can be used to make wine, the vast majority of wine is made from grapes.

The ingredient that makes the difference between simple grape juice and wine is of course yeast. One interesting little tidbit that most people don't know is that there is actually enough yeast in the air around us to turn juice into wine if an unopened bottle of grape juice is left out long enough, though it wouldn't necessarily be something you would really want to drink!

The process of fermentation is a result of yeast consuming the sugar in grape juice. The wine industry chooses the yeast used in the fermentation process from numerous strains that are raised exclusively for winemaking. The particular strain of yeast used along with the temperature during the fermentation process also determines some of the taste of the wine.

The yeast spores reproduce continually until there in no longer any sugar left to consume during the fermentation process. It is during this event that the alcohol content and carbon dioxide is created. The yeast falls to the bottom of the container once all the consumable sugar is gone and the wine is then taken from the container and placed in a new container to mature.

Wine gets its color in much the same way it gets its taste, from the grapes that are used but it is by allowing the skins of the grapes soak in the juice that creates the color. In fact nearly all grape juice is nearly colorless. The longer the skins are allowed to soak in the juice, the darker the color of the wine. Believe it or not Champagne is which comes from black grapes is made white by not allowing the skins of the grapes to have any contact with the juice.

The taste of each individual variety of wine is determined predominately by the varying factors in each variety of grape. Every type of grape produces different aromas and flavors depending upon the soil, climate, and the type of grape.

Winemakers also influence the taste of the wine by altering the temperature and by the yeast that they choose during the fermentation process. The containers that the wine is stored in have a lot to do with the taste as well with oak barrels being the container of choice for many winemakers.

There are so many different varieties of wines available that one would be hard pressed to find and taste them all in a lifetime but it would be fun to try!

Gregg Hall is a consultant for online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida. Find out about personalized wine bottles at http://www.winebottlespersonalized.com

How Rare Varietal Wines Are Changing The Australian Wine Industry

2006-07-07T00:19-04:00

by Gregg Hall

Forward thinking winemakers and grape growers are changing the face of the winemaking industry in Australia by bringing in new varieties of grapes and experimenting with them in new regions. The Australian wine industry has actually exploded onto the international scene in recent years with the success of making quality wines and offering them at very good prices, a feat that has led many to brand the wines down under as being lackluster.

Just as with the original pioneers of Australia, the innovative free spirit of the winemakers is causing a revolution in the country with a large assortment of grape varieties being experimented with.

Although there are well over a hundred varieties of wine grapes grown in Australia, the wine industry leans heavily on the classic varieties which are all of French origin. The whites are Chardonnay, Semillon, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc with the reds being Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Shiraz, and Grenache. Another thirty varieties consisting of thirteen whites and seventeen reds also contribute and are considered second tier varietals according to the leading wine journalist-author James Halliday. The other seventy or so varieties are only used by about ten wine producers, but these are also the producers who are pushing the Australian Wine Industry into a new era.

Some of these are exotic grape varieties such as the Graciano from Spain, the Petit Manseng of France, Italy's Lagrein, and the Russian Saperavi. In addition there are also grapes of Australian origin and mutations of others that are being experimented with.

The traditionalist vineyards and winemakers are aghast over the developments of some of these more aggressive winemakers and their use of such a wide assortment of varietals to develop new wines but the fact of the matter is that these new pioneers are introducing new wines that could very well birth the next premium Australian Wine.

These forward thinking winemakers are taking cast off and lesser thought of grapes and blending them into much desired wines. The Viognier variety underwent a similar process in Europe in the 1960s when it was nearly gone with just a few acres in the Rhone Valley and now it is all over France and California as well as being used by over a hundred winemakers in Australia alone.

If you want to take a vacation to Australia and are a wine connoisseur you should consider a vacation in November when the Australian Alternative Wine Varieties Show is held on the banks of the Murray River in Midura. During this event you will find grape growers and winemakers from all over Australia and New Zealand showing and introducing new products with the goal of introducing a growing variety of new wines to the wine loving community.

Gregg Hall is a consultant for online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida. Find out about personalized wine bottles at http://www.winebottlespersonalized.com

A Look At Red Wines and White Wines

2006-05-20T20:40-04:00

by Gregg Hall

Most of us know that wine comes from grapes that are aged. But have you ever wondered what helps the grape age properly and why red wines need more time to age than white wines?

The process of aging starts immediately after the grapes are picked, crushed and pressed. The grapes are then put into an oak barrel or steel vat, with some winemakers preferring to add oak chips to the vat. During the aging process acids, sugar and tannin interact. By having more tannin present the winemaker is able to age the wine for a longer period without fear of oxidation. This along with temperature, light conditions, and alcohol complete the aging process. Wines age faster with a warmer temperature. So the winemaker tries to maintain a cool
stable 55-65 degree temperature in a dark area as the ideal aging atmosphere. A big fluctuation in temperature or light conditions on a daily or weekly basis is detrimental to a good wine.

Now why are red wines aged more than white wines? A simple explanation is that all grapes are white inside, which means that red wine needs to allow the exterior skin to mix with the interior when being crushed to give it the red color. This mixture contains tannin, which also aids the aging process significantly. You also get tannin from the oak sides of the barrel. Compounds within these, known as phenolics, allow the wine to age longer while keeping the wine from oxidizing. So the red wine is able to age longer and develop a more full flavored bold taste.
White wines have these same compounds but at much lower levels. This is because the inside of the grape is what wine manufacturers mostly use and by not using as much of the exterior skin less tannin is present. This results in a considerable shorter aging process than a vat with a large amount of tannin present. Attempting to age most white wines over an extended period causes it to flatten and lose some of its aromatic freshness.

So go ahead and save that special red wine for your Grandchild’s marriage, but be sure to serve the white wine within two or three years.

Wines go through the above process to be ready for consumption. Next the wine is bottled and stored in wine cellars to finish the ageing process. Most wines are consumable when the purchased. The main reason is because no one expects to plan the dinner menu for that special party two or three years in advance in order to age the correct wine for the occasion. And how many people have a wine cellar to complete the aging process of their favorite wine?

Wine is also used in religious ceremonies in many cultures. The Bible mentions wine no less than 191 times. The references in both testaments often admonish the reader to use wine, but to use it properly and not to misuse it.

Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida. Get personalized wine bottles at http://www.winebottlespersonalized.com