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: Pinot Noir
Why You Need a Red Wine Aerator
Oxidization or aeration is the process of mixing oxygen into a freshly opened bottle of wine. This process ensures that flavours and essential oils meld together, mellowing and rounding out any harsh or tart elements in younger wines. Traditionally, this was done by decanting a bottle into a wide bottomed vessel and leaving it to air for several hours. Thankfully, a new gadget has come on the market that decreases the time needed to mellow your glass or bottle of wine, in minutes, not hours – this is a wine aerator.
Vineyards and restaurants have adopted the gadgets wholeheartedly – they’re often pulled out at wine tastings, where many bottles need to be served at once. Aerators run around the $ 30 mark, with polycarbonate and glass options, in a variety of designs and styles. Aerators work in several ways, some with single chambers that “bubble” the air into the wine, others separate the liquid into streams, increasing air contact as the wine pours through and along the sides of the glass or carafe. The main culprit in the tart or strong flavors in your favorite red are tannins.
Tannins are “flavinoids” in wine that have that bitter, mouth drying sensation. Tannins come from grape skins, stems and seeds, which is why red wines have more tannin than whites – the skins give the wine its dark colour. Tannins are also added by contact with oak or other woods in the wine barrels themselves, though to a much lesser degree. Since tannins have antioxidant properties, they play a key role in the ageing process of wines. As red wines mature, the tannins accumulate together and settle to the bottom of the bottles in a light film of sediment. (This is why you should always watch that last glass of red…the sediment can be very bitter)
Maceration time has a huge impact on the amount of tannin in your wine, and different varieties are known for their heavy tannic properties when young. Wines made from Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon are known to have stronger tannins, like Bordeaux, Barolo and Port. Italian wines and French wines from Burgundy have less tannin, as do Pino Noirs, Roijas and Beaujolais. Regardless of your preference, most young reds will benefit from a swirl through your favourite aerator – whether it’s a bubbler or a streamer. An added bonus to aeration – you can keep that bottle longer, enjoying a single glass at a time instead of decanting an entire bottle.
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The Value of Kosher Wine Aeration
As a true wine lover, I do not just love to drink it. I love the process of winemaking, I love the decisions a vintner makes to perfectly blend or age a superior wine. I also love the rating system discussions since there is so much room for subjectivity. One genre of wine that often gets ignored is that of kosher winemaking. It is a process of steps that are essential for Judaism, and I have recently learned the value of Kosher wine aeration. Prior to utilizing my Wine areator on the Palwin No. 10 that was purchased, I familiarized myself with the steps of the kosher winemaking.
Like the majority of kosher products, it must receive a seal of approval to receive the label “kosher.” While the winemaking process rarely uses any of the forbidden foods in the typical fermenting and bottling process, there is an element that makes this product different from all others. Kosher wine is actually cooked or boiled, as this is considered to make it unfit for pouring to or for an idol. This follows the laws of Judaism and will keep the kosher status if it is subsequently touched by a an idolater(someone who worships to an idol.)
I have found this process very interesting as kosher wine has a very different taste and bouquet than regular wine. This cooking process also gives the need for aeration in order to bring out the most flavor, and maximize the value of your purchase.
When sniffed my very first pour of kosher wine, I noticed the smell was not quite as vibrant as the Pinots and Cabernets I typically drink. The flavor itself seemed stale, and I knew immediately the wine should be exposed to as much oxygen as possible. Utilizing a decanter seemed in order to make sure there was consistency and a breakup of accrued sediment, but I did not have one available.
The process of exposing the wine to oxygen, also know as letting a wine breathe, is greatly increased when using a decanter or wine aerator as the surface area of the wine is maximized. Since my trusty Wine aerator was on hand, it was used for two separate pours into separate wine glasses.
To make sure I was increasing the surface area of the kosher wine as much as possible I utilized the largest wine glasses available. The shape and volume of the glass allowed for efficient swirling, and increased the oxygen appropriately following the wine aeration.
The bouquet of each glass of wine changed dramatically. Each glass of wine smelled fantastic, and the aroma smelled much more of fruit, as it should. The most dramatic change was in the flavor of the wine, as it went from stale to beautifully aromatic. This was only after a minute of breathing following aeration.
While I may have other wines I would prefer to drink over kosher wine, the aeration with the Wine Weaver proved valuable and certainly brought out the most out of my bottle of kosher wine. If your drink kosher wine at family functions, make sure you bring your wine aerator because everyone will thank you.
Choose A Wine For Your Meal And Order It Online
If you want to throw a dinner party for family and friends what food and wine would you serve? Many of us get confuse with which wine to pair with which food? It is really not that difficult, but at times even experts make mistakes with doing so. The key to knowing what food to club with what wine is, heavier meals and sauces require bigger wine to match their weight and lighter meals and sauces will require lighter and more subtle wines. Here are a few suggestions;
What appetizer to match with what wine?
If The Appetizer is
* Spicy & Creamy : Sharp, young, light-to-medium bodied fruity whites or reds
* Salty & Creamy : Light-to-medium bodied fruity whites or Champagne
* Smoky & Tangy : Light-to-medium bodied reds
* Salty & Crunchy : Crisp, dry sparkling wines
* Sweet & Spicy: Fruity, dry whites
* Meaty & Creamy : Medium-bodied fruity reds with soft tannins
* Sweet & Pungent : Young, light-bodied fruity rose, whites or red
What food to match with what wine?
* With Vegetarian you can have any wine mentioned below
* With Beef you can have Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir or Chianti
* With Cheeses you can have Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon
* With Chicken you can have Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Merlot
* With Fish you can have Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, fruity reds
* With Lamb you can have Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Chianti, Barolo
* With Pasta you can have Reds
* With Pork you can have Merlot, Zinfandel, Beaujolais
* With Turkey you can have Beaujolais, Zinfandel, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir
* With Veal you can have Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Blanc, Barolo, Chianti, Syrah
What wine to serve after dinner?
After you have had your meal you can end by having or serving a port or a chocolate dessert wine.
Now that you have a whole list of food items and wine that can be paired together, you can successfully throw your dinner party and can even order wine online now to make it easier. Just in case you are worried about getting the right type of wine you need, all you have to do now is click your mouse and order wine online. To begin with you can always visit www.holidaywinecellar.com where you can order wine online (San Francisco). Holidaywinecellar.com accepts payment through American Express, MasterCard, Visa, and Discover.
17 things About Wine
You might think you like wine, sipping the occasional glass of fruity Pinot in glorious sunshine or cuddling up with a bottle of cabernet Shiraz on a cold winter night, but how much do you actually know about the tasty tipple we all so regularly indulge in.you like wine, sipping the occasional glass of fruity Pinot in glorious sunshine or cuddling up with a bottle of cabernet Shiraz on a cold winter night, but how much do you actually know about the tasty tipple we all so regularly indulge in. Finish the test and see that you can answer all of wine questions below. Then use them on your friends and show off how knowledgeable you are.
1. When did winemaking begin? The Mesopotamians were credited with producing the first wines in 6000 B.C.
2. Where was the world’s oldest bottle of wine was found? Germany.
3. How much wine is in a bottle? Generally a bottle of wine measures the liquid in milliliters, with 750 ml being the standard amount in most bottles (or about 25 fluid ounces).
4. How many grapes does it take to make your average bottle of wine? It takes about 2 ½ pounds (about eight bunches) of grapes to make a bottle of wine.
5. How many gallons of wine are produced from one acre of grapevines? About 800.
6. How many varieties of wine grapes exist in the world today? Over 10,000.
7. How many grapevines generally make up an acre? 400.
8. How many acres of vines are there in the World? Wine grapes are the single most widely planted fruit crop. There are 20 million acres of grapes planted worldwide.
9. What is wine made up of? Wine Composition: 86% water, 11.2% alcohol, 2.8% other. Over 250 compounds have been identified in “other”. That is why wine making is an art and not a science.
10. How many calories are in a four ounce glass of red wine Approximately 85.
11. Approximately how many bubbles are in a bottle of Champagne? 49 Million.
12. When was the corkscrew designed? Mid-1800’s.
13. How far can a champagne cork travel? The longest recorded champagne cork flight was 177 feet and 9 inches.
14. How much pressure is there in a champagne bottle? The pressure in a champagne bottle is typically between 70 and 90 pounds per square inch. That’s two to three times the pressure in your car’s tyre, about the same as in a double-decker bus’ tyre.
15. Why does a wine bottle have an indentation in the bottom? The purpose of the indentation at the bottom of a wine bottle is to strengthen the structure of the bottle.
16. Does wine turn to vinegar with age? No, old wine almost never turns to vinegar. It spoils by oxidation.
17. How much wine does the biggest wine bottle hold? Nebuchadnezzar is the largest wine bottle and holds 15 litres or 120 glasses of wine.
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Types of Red Wines Around the World – Part III
Wine is the product of the nature. The characteristics and styles of wine are the expression of the grapes it is made from, as well as the natural environment of the vineyard. Thousands of grapes are made into wine. However, there are only about two dozens better known red wine grapes and another two dozens of better known white wine grapes. Here are the other major red wine grapes, made into beautiful wines in the world, to conclude the three-part article series, Types of Red Wines around the World.
Nebbiolo: The northern Italy wine region of Piedmont is home to Nebbiolo. It produces wines with scents of roses, violets, tar, and tea leaves. These unique flavors, high acidity and good tannin make Nebbiolo a darling in the eyes of Italian wine lover.
Pinot Noir: There’s no lacking of tales and mysteries surrounding Pinot Noir. A high maintenance grape in the vineyard, and a capricious wine to make in the cellar, it continue to cast spills on winemakers & wine lovers to come back for more of it. More of its roses, strawberries, plums scents, or savory, meaty flavors! Where does Pinot Noir call home? Oregon, California, Burgundy in France, Tasmania and New Zealand all make different styles of Pinot Noir, from age-worthy to fruity.
Sangiovese: Sangiovese makes the wines of Chianti, Brunello di Montacino, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano from central Italy. Its strengths are good structure and sumptuous flavors supported by the high acidity.
Syrah/Shiraz: Syrah’s give-away is its ink dark color in the glass. Always with a robust structure and body, its medium to high alcohol leaves a warming sensation in the throat, while the flavors of violet, plum and peppery linger in your palate. It is synonymous to its homeland of Rhône Valley and adopted home of Australia.
Tempranillo: Tempranillo gives the un-mistakenly strawberries, bright berries nose. The major Spanish red wine grape, and affectionately called “the little early one” (“Tempranillo”), it makes the intense flavored, medium dark-colored wines in the Rioja region.
Zinfandel: Zinfandel is the blood-relative of the Italian grape Primitivo. It is the most planted red grape in California. When its shortcoming of uneven ripeness in the vineyard could be overcome by great vineyard management, Zinfandel has a lot to offer. Its lively, red fruit – both jammy or bright fruit styles, and spicy notes has long won the love of wine drinkers.
This concludes our three-part series of the types of red wines. However, it is just the beginning of the lasting and rewarding wine experience. I hope you will continue to explore these grapes and the wines they make, as well as more other grapes and wines. Let such wine experience add to your enjoyment of life, and quality time spent with family, friend and associates.
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