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: Zinfandel
Kosher South African Wines
A wine begins its koshering once plucked from the vine, as it is sown and cultivated in the same way as other wines. It may be picked by anyone, not necessarily a kosher or Jewish person. The grapes to be used for the wines are then taken to the winery, where they are crushed. This process needs to be performed under a rabbi’s supervision. The rabbi physically tips the grapes into the crusher and sometimes operates the necessary equipment. This is an integral requirement for a kosher wine’s production.
The barrels in which the kosher wines are to be fermented need to be judged worthy for such a use. After the grapes have been crushed under rabbinal supervision, the rest of the process and even the handling of the grapes and juice need to be performed by a Jewish person that observes the Sabbath faithfully. Even thought the rabbi does not necessarily need to be involved in the wine-making process, he does need to oversee the entire progression to the final product. Kosher wines even need to be opened by a kosher waitron. None of the work involved in producing a kosher wine may be done on the Sabbath.
Meshuval wines are kosher wines that have been flash-pasteurized by boiling (or nearly boiling) and cooling them very rapidly. Advanced technology means that there is very little, if any, difference to the taste of these wines kosher wines compared to non-meshuval wines. Pasteurising the wine in this way renders it kosher immediately, regardless of how it is handled thereafter. In South Africa, though, meshuval wines are rare and are more common in North America and Israel. The rabbi would operate the pasteurization equipment.
The wines carry an official seal of approval called the hechsher. The reason that a wine has to be deemed kosher (since it contains none of the forbidden foods of Judaism) is owing to its important role in non-Jewish religions. Using it for these purposes is considered to be idolatry. Therefore, wines need to be kosher to ensure that they are free from any form of idolatry before being consumed by a Jewish person. Of course, kosher wines can not contain anything that is derived from a non-kosher source, such as gelatine or isinglass.
South Africa, along with a few other countries around the world, has recently seen an increased demand for kosher wines. This may be related to the fact that methods for ensuring correctly koshered wines are becoming more widespread.
In South Africa, good quality kosher wines are available from Norman Goodfellows, Kleine Draken and Nwanedi. Some recommended vintages include:
· Eshkol Shiraz 2003 – the Eshkol Winery in Paarl produces excellent kosher wines.
· Welnerberg Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 – From South Africa’s Swartland, this full-bodied red is ideal for red meat dishes.
· Welnerberg Pinotage 2005 – this wine enjoys fruitier flavors and a slightly lighter body.
Make Wine At Home Wine Making Kits
Wine making has become steadily a fun hobby for many, in particular wine lovers. Due to ease of wine production wine making kits offer, not only an experienced wine lover but a beginner also can prepare his wine by following few simple steps. Many stores specialized in brewing wines sell kits which usually contain required wine making accessories and equipments, making the comprehensive procedure of wine making easier. Although it is considered widely that best wines can be made in big wineries only but this has become the believe of past as now if one practices the wine making procedure at home then he can gain mastery over it in a short span of time and this all can be done with home wine making equipments contained in home wine kits.
A wine kit usually comes with instructions that are to be followed in order to craft a tasty wine. But it gets imperative to make sure before get into the procedure of wine production that you have all the equipments in your kit and also the wine supplies. Here is a list of items which you need to have beforehand while going to make wine
Fresh fruits or grapes
Sugar
Fermenters or gallon bucket with lid
Winemaking recipe handbook
One glass or gallon jug
Airlocks
Hydrometer
Cleanser
Wine yeasts
Carboy
Corker
After getting assured that you have all the required items, you can start the procedure by following these simple steps mentioned below
Pressing
First step is getting juice from fruits or grapes and it can be done with the help of presser.
Adding the sugar
It is not an essential step as it can be avoided if fruits are already very sweet. Generally, the main purpose of adding the sugar is the fermentation of alcohol but naturally sweet fruits like grapes dont need the addition of sugar. It is believed that the more will be the use of the sugar, the more will be the content of alcohol once the process is finished.
Add the yeasts
Further, yeasts should be added as they convert the sugar into alcohol like fermentation.
The last but not the least steps are the fermentation and bottling or aging of wine. These are the procedures during which wine gets ready to use after leaving it for around one month at the temperature of 40 to 50 degree F.
Thus, go ahead and get started for enjoying the journey of wine making by following aforementioned steps with the help of home wine kits. For more information visit: http://www.artfulwinemaker.com
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Wine Cabinets For Storing Your Bottled Wine
Bottled wine is really sensitive to environmental factors and can spoil rapidly if not properly kept. White wines are especially sensitive to changing environmental conditions so you need to take proper care whenever stocking this kind of wine. For those who actually want to maintain the flavor and flawlessness of your own wines and permit them to mature carefully while acquiring sophistication, make sure you stow your wine bottles in a competently made wine cellar.
If you don’t possess a room or space obtainable for constructing a wine cellar, well then a chilled wine cupboard could protect your wines in a suitable atmosphere. Wine cupboards are fashioned particularly to help keep the appropriate heat range and dampness for holding wine.
There are plenty of forms and types of wine cupboards available today. Dependent upon your finances as well as your use, you can obtain a superior wine cabinet just for several hundred bucks. Naturally, this kind of wine cupboard will probably be small and will have capacity for not very many wine bottles.
The bigger the wine cupboard, the greater you will be charged. Having said that, in case you have a considerable selection of wine and you simply wouldn’t want your favorite wine to decline as a result of substandard safe-keeping, purchasing a sizeable volume cupboard that can easily contain every one of your bottles of wine can be viewed as a good buy. A large wine cabinet that enables anyone to incorporate, take away or alter a few shelves will provide you with extra freedom. When you need additional room, you’ll be able to simply include extra shelves and when your assortment of wine is reduced, it is possible to just take away the additional racks.
When choosing wine cabinets, it is advisable to pay close attention to the unique highlights of the wine cabinet. The look and tone ought to match with the rest of your furnishings and fittings. Coordinating the styles of your furniture, fixtures and home appliances can give your household an even more arranged and unified ambiance.
Nonetheless, it is very important look beyond the look and tone of the cupboard. Keep in mind that elegance ought to go with efficiency. You don’t actually want to purchase a wine cabinet exclusively for ornamental applications so be sure that you select your cabinet well and that also it is big enough for your personal wine collection.
Warmth will probably influence the quality of your bottled wines. Ensure that your cabinet has a temperature stabilizer. Remember that swift alterations in temperature will swiftly ruin your wine. To permit your wine to age gradually it ought to be kept between 10 and 15 degrees C (50 – 59 degrees F).
Moisture is every bit as essential as heat in saving wine effectively. Your wine cellar or wine cabinet ought to preserve a dampness of close to 70% to stop the wine bottle corks from shrinking and thus allow wine to escape from the bottles and allow air into the bottles.
Napa Valley Wine Country And Wine Growing Region
Napa Valley is truly an unbelievable Mediterranean oasis in the middle of Northern California’s gorgeous rolling hills. Nestled inside of what many refer to as the “wine country,” Napa is world-renowned for the incredible grapes and wine it produces. Visitors to the town will be astounded by both the incredible beauty of the area as well as the amazing amount that wine has infiltrated the culture here. It seems that everywhere you turn there is either an entrance to a majestic vineyard, rolling hills of vines, a quaint wine shop, or a sophisticated restaurant offering an extensive menu of fine wines for you to enjoy. A getaway to Napa will truly let you escape from your hectic everyday life, letting you live, if only for a moment, the Edenic, blissful life of Napa Valley.
Located in the heart of the region known as “Wine Country,” Napa contains more than 350 wineries for your enjoyment, most of which ship wine internationally and have gained international fame for their taste and overall quality. More than 3 million visitors per year visit this astounding region, wishing to catch a glimpse of the natural abundance for which the Napa Valley is famed. The reason Napa is so adept at growing grapes is the dry, warm Mediterranean climate afforded to it by its location in a protected valley of Northern California. The soil is very rich and arid, and this fertility combined with the magnificently temperate weather and moderate yet consistent waterfall means an almost ideal location – similar to that of the famed grape-growing regions of France and the rest of southern Europe – for vineyard cultivation. The Napa Valley is already well on its way to becoming an international wine powerhouse, but the discovery of its fertile soil is by no means a new development.
In the middle of the 19th century, pioneer George Yount moved to the Napa Valley and planted the very first crop of wine grapes ever in the region. During his lifetime, the wine industry did not take off, but after he gave his business to his son-in-law, Yount’s original intention finally came to fruition. Grape-growing soon flourished in the fertile Napa Valley, attracting many more affluent growers from around the country and world who were seeking out the Next Big Thing in American agriculture. Charles Krug began Napa Valley’s first actual winery, distilling and creating the first signature wines of the Napa Valley and in the process transforming the valley from what was just an agricultural area into the prosperous distilling and bottling region we know and love today. Interestingly, you can still visit the historic Krug family winery today, bottling many kinds of fine wines such as Cabernet, Chardonnay, Pinor Noir, and Merlot. At the turn of the 20th century, Napa had begun its rise to becoming the formidable and prosperous viticulture region to which visitors now flock from all over the world.
One of the best ways to take advantage of this wine-growing region is to take tours of the seemingly endless number of wineries located in Napa Valley. Surrounded by the majestic, rolling hills that will likely resemble the gorgeous slopes of Tuscany to any who have visited there, these tours will be a great way to get a taste (literally!) of the natural wonders of the Napa Valley as well as get a hands-on look at how some of your favorite wines are created. Usually, these tours take you on a guided tour around their various crops of grapes, then give you a behind-the-scenes look at how their winery operates, from the crushing of the grapes to a glimpse at the carefully-maintained barrels that infuse the grapes with the winery’s signature flavor. These tours can be a great way to get a behind-the-scenes look at how your favorite wines are crafted – and many times they offer free wine tasting as part of the package!
Napa Valley is truly one of the most exquisite regions of California. Covered in glorious vine-lined hills and dotted with quaint little towns that truly make you feel like king or queen for the weekend, taking a trip to this luxurious northern California valley will surely be a highlight of your year.
About Golden Horizon Travel: Golden Horizon Travel offers a different brand of service. A variety of qualities that make our touring experience unique and memorable. Our services are professional, designed to make each tour a personal experience. Top of the line vehicles, for groups of various sizes, ensure that the tour is comfortable.
Dual Zone Wine Cooler
Becoming a wine collector is a hobby that costs quite a bit of money, especially if you become such an enthusiast that you have hundreds of bottles in your home at once. Not only do you have to pay for the wine but you also have to pay for some sort of storage for the wine in your collection. Wine storage options include an individual chiller, a cooler, a refrigerator, a thermoelectric cooler or a dual cooler. A dual zone cooler can help you store both red and white wines at their required temperatures without affecting either type being stored.
The wine cooler is separated into two compartments by the control panel. Each of the two compartments has its own thermostat, allowing the owner to set the temperature for each individual compartment based on the wine being stored. A dual cooler is the perfect appliance for someone who hosts many dinner parties that feature wine with the food being served. It is always a classy move to pull out both a red and white wine from your dual zone cooler and offer a glass of either wine to a guest.
If you are interested in purchasing a dual zone cooler, you can spend anywhere from $ 300-$ 1,500 for one cooler, with the average money spent coming in right around d $ 800. The price depends on the how many bottles the cooler can hold, the brand of the wine cooler, and the company from which you purchase the cooler. Should you be tight on space in your home, a twelve bottle dual wine cooler will be best for your home. A twelve-bottle cooler with dual zones can be placed on your kitchen counter, your dining room buffet server, a table in the living room or any other room in your home since it is so small.
When looking for a dual zone cooler, make sure you perform research into each cooler you are interested in before making a purchase. One feature to look for in a wine cooler is one that has a locking door. A cooler that has a locking door is perfect for wine enthusiasts who have kids living in the house with them. The locked cooler will keep your kids away from your collection, no matter their age, keeping them safe from the alcohol. Another feature to look for when purchasing a dual zone cooler is one that looks like a piece of furniture. There are coolers with dual zones that look like chests from a dining room set, adding to your furniture collection in your home. Then, on the other side of things, there are wine coolers with dual zones that look like refrigerators with glass doors. These coolers can hold close to 60 bottles on each side, can be locked, and will cost anywhere from $ 500-$ 1,000 per wine cooler. Dual zone coolers can be shipped to your location or you can pick them up at your convenience.