Overview To Sampling Wine
The fundamentals of tasting red wine are reasonably straightforward to find out. As soon as the basics are understood, the nuances and details can be enhanced over a lifetime. Like any kind of various other skill, More »
Red Wine Types
Red wine has a lot of different types, among which, the most popular include Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Moreover, More »
Category Archives: Malbec
Spanish Wines (Rioja Wines)
Spain stands out as the third largest producer of wine after France and Italy. The Northeastern part of Spain that is the Rioja Region produces one of the best Spanish wines. This is divided into three geographical zones that happen to be Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja, and Rioja Alavesa. Each zone has its own unique flavor of grapes. The climate and quality in the soil in each of these three subzones influences the category and also the character of its grapes. Rioja wine is made with a blend of grapes from different subzones. Tempranillo grapes are the commonest form of grapes which are made with Rioja wines.
This is what gives its distinguishable flavor. Tempranillo grapes are combined with Grenache grapes or Mazeulo grapes. Grenache doesn’t have that fruity taste and its alcohol content is higher. Rioja Wines are available in three classifications and they are the Crianza, Reserva and the Gran Reserva. Crianza is probably the most affordable one and is viewed as table wine. What they typically do is age this for only a year inside the oak barrel and another year in the bottle. You could get this for five or ten US dollars. Now, let us talk about Reserva. This is aged at least one year inside the barrel and two years inside the bottle. This will amount to around eleven to fifteen US dollars. Aging for the Gran Reserva is completed with all the wine staying in the barrel for two years then in the bottle for 3 years.
This generally is a bit pricey. Unfortunately the Gran Reserva is not offered every year. It is much better that you retain several bottles for special occasions. Rioja wine is often the Spanish version of the Italian Chianti. This sort of wine is best-known for its unique flavor. Now, the Rioja wine is considered one of the most well-liked wines in the world.
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Buenos Aires Cheap Flights and the Wine Roads of Argentina
Its natural beauty, history and culture make Argentina a country worth exploring, more than these, it is especially worth visiting because of its wines. The fifth leading producer of wine in the world, Argentina has eight grape-growing regions producing some of the most prestigious Malbec and Torrontes. Most of the wine production is found in the far western area of Argentina to the Andes foothills. Some of the best wine tours take you through the finest wine cellars in the province of Mendoza. Make time for Mendoza’s casinos, discos, theaters, museums, cinemas, wine bars, pubs, festivals, international cuisine and regional specialties. Two-thirds of the country’s yearly production comes from Mendoza, while the rest are produced in San Juan and La Rioja regions to the north. Catamarca, Jujuy and Salta are home to some of the world’s highest planted vineyards. Pinot noir and Chardonnay are produced in Patagonia’s southern region, covering the Río Negro and Neuquén provinces. Look for “Wine Roads” tours that include these provinces in the itinerary or time your Buenos Aires cheap flights with the National Vintage Festival, held every year on the first Saturday of March to experience the unique flavors or Argentinean wines.
Getting Around the City and Buenos Aires Cheap Flights
Buenos Aires is Argentina’s largest city. Often called “The Pearl” of South America, it showcases the intense cultural life of Argentina, dominated by tango, long coffee klatches and football. You’ll be pleased to know that there are many modes of transport available. These taxis serve the city streets 24 hours a day and you can either flag them on the streets or call for a pick up. You can either flag them on the streets or call for a pick up, the base rate is set at $ 4. 60. Flag-down rates are set at $ 4. 60, every 200 meters, 0. 46 cents is added to the base fare. These buses or colectivos have a minimum fare of $ 0. 80. Buenos Aires also has Remises or private car services with flat rates and per trip, safe and cheaper alternatives to taxis as they will always take the fastest route. Buenos Aires’ subway system is highly reliable and takes you through the city center to its outskirts. Four train terminals (Retiro, Constitución, Once and Federico Lacroze) connect the Capital Federal with the suburbs and the rest of the country. If you want to stop by Uruguay, there’s a ferry system connecting the port of Buenos Aires with the main cities of this nearby country. The city can also be discovered at your own pace aboard a bicycle, with bicycle rental operators offering tours to the Southern and Northern Circuits, as well as tours for literature, history, culture, history and ecology.
Buenos Aires Neighborhoods and Buenos Aires Cheap Flights
There are 48 barrios or neighborhoods in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Several of these have gained fame by being the home of important cultural and heritage sites, being finance centers, serving as the hot spot for the arts, or by just having wealthy residents. Make time for these neighborhoods as they are homes to important cultural and heritage sites, finance centers, and arts hot spots. Palermo, a trendy residential neighborhood with restaurants, bars and boutiques; Microcentro, home to main historical spots; San Telmo, with its colonial-style houses, cobblestone lanes, and underground nightlife; Boedo, a main Tango and historical spot that offers a variety of cafes, Tango houses, libraries, and theaters; Retiro, home of Buenos Aires’s main train station and some of the most luxurious restaurants and shopping centers. If you’re looking for a quiet stroll, head out to Belgrano. This is a peaceful neighborhood that features small shops, restaurants, architectural relics and open spaces perfect for just taking in the sights and sounds of the city.
Buenos Aires Pub Crawls and Buenos Aires Cheap Flights
Pub crawls are a great way to tour a city that you’re visiting. These involve a group of people travelling around a particular city district by foot, they visit most famous or notable pubs, bars, and watering holes while sampling the best each establishment has to offer. Fast becoming popular around the world, pub crawls present travelers an opportunity to learn about a place through local drinks and spirits. So, if you’re ever headed to Argentina, this is a good way to learn more about the country and its people, while having fun while doing it. Go on pub crawls with Buenos Aires cheap flights and get to know more about the “Paris of South America” as you meet city locals while you experience its world-famous nightlife. For approximately 20 USD, you’ll get to join fellow travelers from around the world and sample the best of Buenos Aires by night. Some pub crawl packages include free pizza, complimentary shooters at each bar you visit, drink discounts, an open bar (during registration), and free admission to a club. Take a pub crawl on your birthday and you get the tour for free.
cheap flights are widely available from April to August. Get your cheap tickets and have your fill of some of the best golfing destinations in South America. Catch some
Italian Wine
It is no real secret that much of Europe is passionate about their food and drink. They like to spend time preparing fresh food and eating a meal is more of a social occasion. This is probably what has influenced Italy to be so passionate about their wine. There are lots of different types of Italian wine available on the market to suit every taste budget.
The great thing about Italian wine is that no matter what type of wine it is, they do it well. This means you could go for a Cabernet Sauvignon from Bolgheri or a Cabernet from Sicily and still know that you are going to get a great tasting, well loved wine.
Italian wine is also world renowned for its appasimento style. This is where grapes are hung to dry for a minimum of 3 weeks and a maximum of 6 months before they are used to make the wine. This allows the grape flavour to be really rich and give the wine a full bodied taste. The appasimento range comes in a massive range of flavours from all over Italy but they all use this style to create the base of the wine.
Don’t worry if you are unsure of where you can get Italian wine from locally, because you can easily buy it online. Buying online is ideal, especially if you are looking to buy in bulk. Wine bottles are heavy and easily breakable. By ordering online you can buy as many as you want and not have to worry about how to safely transport your wine home.
Also if you are unsure what type of Italian Wine to buy then look online. There are different resources that recommend different types of wine for various occasions. In fact many websites that stock Italian wine for sale will have paragraphs next to the wines, giving you recommendations on what to serve them with – making your life even easier.
Italian wine is great for numerous different special occasions because of the fact there are so many different varieties and flavours, you can shop around for the exact flavour type you are after.
Wine Trivia
Wine is probably the most storied and legendary beverage conceived by mankind, and its history goes back literally to Biblical times. This makes for some surprisingly fun trivia hunting; wine is the beverage that always has another surprise in store!
Wine’s first purpose was as a water purifier! A long time before modern methods for sanitizing water, primitive peoples developed one foolproof method for ensuring that water was safe to drink: they’d mix in the fermented juice from fruit and found the alcohol was sufficient to kill any harmful organisms.
The fermenting of beer and wine was one of the first applications of alchemy and hence chemistry, going as far back as the year 1000 B.C.
Wine has an important place in more than half of the world’s religions. Jewish practitioners say a blessing over wine on holidays, and Passover is observed with four cups of wine. Wine makes an appearance throughout Christianity, with even one of Jesus’ miracles being to turn water into wine. It is used in the Eucharist of both Catholic and Protestant religions. The ancient Greeks had the god Dionysus, the god of wine and with it, of both madness and ecstasy. Of the major world religions today, only the Islamic ones specifically forbid wine.
While we assume that glass bottles of wine is the preferred standard, glass bottles only came into use after the 18th century. Before this time, wine was traditionally stored and transported in bulk, usually in wooden barrels or clay casks. For individual-sized serving, it would be carried in a wineskin, usually made from leather and originally lined with resin to keep them from leaking.
The use of oak barrels is frequently touted as a contributor to the taste of wine. But actually, oak was originally used simply because oak wood was plentiful and widely used in the old world, as an all-purpose storage container. Oak wood has a tight grain which makes it leak-proof. Oak barrels also favor the aging of wine because they allow very controlled exposure to oxygen.
One of the reasons that so much fuss is made over the proper serving temperature of wine is that human taste-buds function differently at different temperatures. Sweeter tastes come through better at room temperature, while more savory tastes come through better at colder temperatures.
The world’s most influential wine critic is currently Robert J. Parker, Jr. The lawyer-turned-wine-snob is responsible for creating the 100-point wine rating system widely used today. It is said that a 100-point rating from him is enough to drive up the price of a wine. This effect has even given rise to the term “Parkerization” in the wine world, which is the tendency of many establishments to base their purchasing habits on what Parker’s review says this week.
Of the top wine-producing nations in the world, France still ranks number one at 5.3 million tonnes per year. Italy (4.7 tonnes) is second, Spain (3.6 tonnes) is third, and the United States (2.2 tonnes) is fourth. Australia is in sixth place, but very nearly tied with, of all countries, China! However Australia is the fourth largest exporter of wine and has the third largest market share.
The “French paradox” has it that the French have a diet rich in fatty foods, yet have one of the lowest rates of heart disease in the world. It is the French paradox that led to the realization that wine, which the French consume in great quantities, is beneficial to the heart.
The Short History of Malbec Wine Grapes
Geography and History
Malbec wine is in popularity for last forty years.
The major cause is the name. It is known under many diverse names which Malbec wine is at France means too little. Oxford Companion for Wine lists few 400 synonyms for the Malbec so it should have been very popular at certain stage. But now it is known as the minor blending varieties.
Another nail at coffin for the French Malbec came along with disastrous frosts during 1956. This provided the perfect excuse for re-planting some fashionable & robust varieties. But it isn’t all bad as well. Malbec is a dominant red varietal at Cahors region. Appellation Controlee systems for Cahors requires minimum content of seventy percent Malbec in wines created from an area.
Only historic reference to Malbec shows that it’s coming from surname of Hungarian peasant who 1st spread the variety all over France and further afield. During 1869 Professor Poet introduced the Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot cutting from Bordeaux till Argentina. In a warm & dry Southern American climate it flourish & soon thriving all over. Argentina & Chile. Ironically, Argentina ‘vine pull’ program at 1980’s left 11,000 acres of the Malbec in a ground. That is now back till 26,000 acres producing astonishing rich, complex, ink wines with smoother tannins & ripeness Europe may only dream about. In contrast, these 25 thousand acres with roughly 150 thousand acres of the Malbec in ground prior to ‘vine pull’ & you may better appreciate certain loss.
Chile appears to have escaped madness & it is now Chile’s 3rd most largely planted variety. On contrast Australia have just 1,230 acres of the Malbec in a ground at 2002 & that region has been lessening over the years.
1st mention of the Malbec in Australia arrives from 1901 where Himmelhoch establishes his own ‘Grodno’ vineyard in Liverpool nearby Sydney planted to Malbec and Shiraz.
As most famous grapes, Malbec moves under most different names however these are more commonly used when compared to others. In Bordeaux it is known as the Pessac or Cot, in French Alsace & Cahors regions it is called as Argentina, Auxerrois gives it a name of the Fer, Portugal refers that as Tinta Amarela & here at Australia we call it as Portugal Malbec.
Wine Characteristics
The major aromas from rich Malbec includes: cherry, plum, coffee, chocolate, raisins, leather & raspberry.
A key flavors which nice Malbec exhibits includes: plum, cherry, dried fruits, chocolate, and balsamic.
Aging at oak releases vanilla aromas & flavors.