Tag Archives: Tasting
Wine Tasting– A Choice For Red Or White
A glass of wine Tasting– A Choice For Red Or White
For most of us wine is something of an enigma as well as when we are acquiring red wine it comes down to an easy choice in between red and white as well as what our regional grocery store has available in its “special offer” bin. However white wine truly isn’t such an enigma in all and also, in this location at the very least, a little knowledge can get you a really long way.
The starting point is to recognize the different kinds of white wine readily available and here we can divide wines into five main groups.
Red Wine.
Red wine is fermented from what many individuals would certainly describe as red grapes but which remain in fact more correctly called black grapes. In the instance of red wine the grapes are utilized whole for fermentation, that is to say complete with skin and also pips, as well as it is the skin which provides the white wine its red color.
There are a wide range of black grapes offered each with its very own unique taste which is acquired mainly from the dirt as well as climate in the area where the grapes are grown. This, along with the winemaker’s art of blending, enables us to enjoy a series of red glass of wines from the deep blackcurrant color of the robust and extremely flavored white wines generated from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape to the lighter cherry and also raspberry taste gained from the Pinot Noir grape.
Rosé white wine.
Rosé wines are once more created from black grapes yet, in this situation, the juice is separated off part means with the fermentation procedure as well as at the point at which the winemaker identifies that the juice consists of sufficient color to provide the ended up red wine the pink color that he is trying to find.
When again the flavor of the ended up a glass of wine depends really much on the grape utilized for fermentation and also several of the finest rosé glass of wines are created from the Grenache grape. Often assumed of as a French grape, Grenache noir is the globe’s most commonly grown grape as well as most likely stems from Spain. Along with often being made use of to produce rosé white wines, it is likewise frequently used as a base for many blended red wines including such well understood names as Chateauneuf du Pape and Cotes du Rhône.
Blush red wine.
Blush red wine is often referred to as California’s variation of rosé white wine as well as is created in much the exact same means as rosé red wine. In this instance nevertheless the grape frequently utilized is the Zinfandal grape which generates a somewhat sweet pink red wine which likewise shows a rather blue shade. The Zinfandal grape comes from Croatia however has actually been expanded extensively in the US for greater than 150 years now and also is thought about aboriginal to California.
White wine.
Believe it or not gewurztraminer can be made from either white or black grapes, as the juice from either grape is colorless and also it is only the skin of the black grape that gives red wine its shade.
The tastes offered across the array of gewurztraminers differ enormously according to the grape utilized, the wine maker’s art as well as the level to which various juices are mixed to produce the ended up a glass of wine.
Dry white wines usually come from grapes such as Muscadet or Sauvignon Blanc while richer fruit-flavored white wines are most likely to be based upon the Chardonnay grape.
Sparkling white wines.
Champagne, of which Sparkling wine is clearly the finest known instance, are based upon a completely dry white a glass of wine. Right here the red wine is bottled and also a solution of sugar and yeast is included before the container is secured. The sugar and yeast remedy causes a secondary fermentation and securing the bottles at the begin of this process catches the gas created by this fermentation within the a glass of wine to provide it its glimmer when the bottle is opened up.
A Wine Tasting Morning: Nuits-saint-georges
A Wine Tasting Morning: Nuits-saint-georges
On a morning’s tasting we met several of the finest, and friendliest, winegrowers on the Côte de Nuits. After a see to Vosne-Romanée we motored down the road to Nuits-Saint-Georges to satisfy Fabienne Bony. Through the deluxe Land Wanderer’s open home windows our guide David mentioned the Romanée-Conti, La Tâche and also Richebourg vineyards. Scenes from an oenological fairy story, the 2 Australian couples with us gazed as David revealed us how a strip of premier cru vines, Vosne Romanée Premier Cru Les Suchots and also Beaumont, are surrounded to the left as well as right by grand crus. There are seven grands crus right here, arguably the best of the Côte d’Or: Romanée-Conti, La Tâche, La Romanée, Romanée-Saint-Vivant as well as Richebourg in Vosne-Romanée cover 64.7 acres; Grands-Echézeaux and Echézeaux are in Flagey-Echézeaux and also complete 115.8 acres. Grand crus account for a small 2% of all wine produced in Burgundy.
The petite Fabienne stood beaming at us close to her substantial tractor as we drove right into the yard. Gallant attorney and also banking males in our group reported after that they felt like leaping out to concern her help. The big high-clearance winery tractor overlooked her like a praying mantis. However Fabienne Bony can not utilize assistance from our soft workplace hands. She functions the estate totally on her own. Her other half is a permanent livestock as well as cereal farmer. Their one and also three year-old daughters are looked after by granny while Fabienne remains in the vines or hectic in the wine rack. She is of the brand-new generation of Burgundy cultivators that have done so a lot to boost high quality and have actually moved from mainly bulk wine sales to containers.
We collected around her on the side of a winery adjoining the house for a brief lesson on the particularities of Chardonnay and also Pinot Noir grapes. It’s not only the skin colours which differ. The shapes of the leaves, the lots each vine, the vines’ behavior specifically weather conditions– all differ significantly. The grape explanations over, we bent our heads as well as filed down the stairs right into the cellar. Fabienne syphoned a couple of centilitres from barrels, squirting dark ruby coloured sampling samples right into each of our glasses as we progressed around the cellar. We observed some extremely significant adjustments in wines relying on the kind of oak used, some seemed sweeter than others, some had a really smoky preference. She described exactly how her premier cru wines are matured in 100% new oak while the various other wines are aged in 2, 3 and four years of age barrels.
From the barrel to the container; the container sampling was kept in the Bony household kitchen area. Conveniently installed around the dark oak kitchen area table we were led through a puzzle of appellations, vintages and specific plots. Fabienne speaks fairly great English so Lynne’s translation services were seldom called for. Sampling all the Nuits-Saint-Georges from parcels of vines only a few metres from each various other but so different in flavour was a huge learning experience. Lynne took us through some of the flavours as well as aromas to be anticipated in young Pinot Noir wines– raspberry fruit and cassis berry. After a discussion of the barrel aging procedure David explained fragrant features in older red Burgundies. We tasted three different vintages of the single winery Nuit-Saint-Georges Les Damodes as well as discovered a range of mushroom and also earthy farmyard scents! Among our brethren from down-under asked Fabienne which wine she preferred. ‘Everything depends on the dish which is going along with the wine’ she smiled. On hint, we bid goodbye to the lady winegrower from Nuits-Saint-Georges and also head down to Le Morgan in Savigny-lès-Beaune for lunch.
An attracting food selection of typical Wine red cuisine with special trademark dishes of the cook maintained us hovering before we could make a decision. Owner Jean-Pierre invited us, took our order, prepared the food and also served it. And also he cared for the other 2 tables of lunching winegrowers with as much treatment as he did us.
An Aussie accent called out, “Rought, how mach time do we ‘ave for a snooze before going on to number 3?”
Wine Tasting– Comprehending The Wines Of France
Wine Tasting– Understanding The Wines Of France
Are you frustrated by the massive variety of French wines as well as completely shed when it comes to deciding which wine will best fit your needs?
Each of the 8 wine producing regions of France specializes in generating wine of a certain type and also taste and this easy summary will hopefully make picking French wines a little much easier.
Burgundy
Wine red wines are generated from the black Pinot Noir and Gamay grapes and from the white Chardonnay grape.
The Pinot Noir is possibly one of the world’s oldest grape ranges as well as is notoriously challenging to grow. It does nonetheless generate some of our best wines which are full-bodied and abundant and also at the exact same time could be light, soft and also creamy. Pinot noir wines frequently have an aroma of cherries come with by a spiciness that is reminiscent of cinnamon or mint.
The Chardonnay grape is a really preferred grape which generates light, delicate dry wines with an unique however commonly hard to define aroma conjuring up a vision of apples, peaches or lemons.
Bordeaux
The wines of Bordeaux are accordinged to the related black Cabernet Franc and also Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, located particularly in the Medoc district of Bordeaux, and also the black Merlot grape.
Cabernet Sauvignon wines enhance considerably with age and are frequently among the world’s truly great wines. With age the distinctive blackcurrant fragrance of wines from this grape develops overtones of cedar, violets and also leather and the wines, which are typically deep in flavor, often become smooth and soft.
Wines made from the Merlot grape are extremely much like those created from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape however have a much less distinctive scent and also flavor.
If it appears unusual that gewurztraminers need to be generated from black grapes after that remember that grape juice, whether from black or white grapes, is basically colorless and also it is the skin of the black grape that offers the wine its color.
Rhone
The grape selections frequently seen in the Rhone valley are the black Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grapes and the white Muscat grape.
Syrah grapes produce intense rich wines which are practically black in shade and which have a fragrance that is spicy in nature. The Rhone Syrah grape forms the base for lots of blended wines consisting of the well understood Chateauneuf du Pape
The Muscat grape generates extreme, wonderful wines with a solid and also easily acknowledged aroma. In enhancement, and uncommon for a wine, wines from the Muscat truly do taste of grapes.
Loire
The grapes of the Loire consist of the black Pinot Noir as well as the white Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris grapes.
The Sauvignon Blanc grape is grown all over the globe today and it is very commonly used for mixing. In the situation of the Loire however it is utilized making a distinctive unblended dry white wine with a particular sharp and hostile odor.
Pinot Gris wines often show a somewhat floral and also lightly lemon flavor and also, depending after the ripeness of the grape at harvesting, wines that are either light as well as zesty or rich, rounded and full bodied. Pinot Gris makes one of minority gewurztraminers that could be said to age well.
Alsace
Although the grapes of the Alsace resemble those utilized in the Loire, expanding conditions in this region have the tendency to generate wines which birth the qualities of numerous German rather that French wines.
The wines in this region resemble Riesling and the sweeter German wines. Some rosé wines are also produced in Alsace.
Champagne
The primary grapes of the Sparkling wine area are the black Pinot Noir as well as Pinot Meunier and the white Chardonnay.
The wines of the Sparkling wine region could best be explained as slim and also tart as well as supply the best base of what lots of think to be the world’s finest champagne.
Beaujolais
Beaujolais wines are made from the black Gamay as well as white Chardonnay grapes.
The wines of this region are frequently light in nature, fresh tasting as well as with a somewhat fruity flavor. Several Beaujolais wines are additionally slightly fizzy in nature.
Featuring the Wines of Umbria at Your Next Wine Tasting Event
If you’re planning a wine tasting event in the future, consider serving the wines of Umbria, Italy. The colorful ancient history of this region provides the perfect backdrop for giving your guests a little more than a glass of wine. By sharing this knowledge of Umbria, you can bring a wine alive in more ways than taste. This article looks at the Umbria winemaking region of Italy, focusing in on one of its red wine club favorites, Arnaldo Caprai.
Umbria
Umbria is a combination of pastoral countryside and mountain wilderness. Nurtured by the Tiber and its tributaries and Italy’s fourth largest lake, Lago Trasimeno, this region known as “the green heart of Italy” produces fine olive oil, truffles, grains, tobacco, and livestock along with its vines. Umbria also has a cluster of ancient cities that offer a glimpse into the past. The Umbri, Etruscans, and Romans all left their mark here.
Magnificent Orvieto is perched on a plateau that looks down on the vineyards below. Its grand Duomo is among the greatest of Italy’s Romanesque/Gothic cathedrals. Perugia’s ancient center embraces a 15th Century Duomo and the city’s most extravagantly decorated church. Founded in the 10th Century and rebuilt in the 15h, the Duomo stands beyond the old walls.
Medieval Assisi with its beautiful views and piazzas is the home of St. Francis, who is buried in a basilica frescoed by Giotto among others. The nearby hill towns of Todi, Spello, Gubbio, and Montefalco blend medieval monuments with Roman remains. Spoleto, surrounded by woods, is the loveliest of the hill towns and hosts one of Europe’s leading art festivals in June and July each year.
Noted mainly for its white wines, such as Orvieto, Procanico, Malvasia, Grechetto, and Trebbiano, the region also produces two noble red wines a favorite of red wine club members with special DOCG status, Torgiano Rosso, which is called Rubesco, and Sagrantino, both unmistakably grand wines capable of aging for decades. The sweet white Vin Santo is a local favorite and is made from semidried Grechetto or Malvasia grapes.
Among the many outside varieties planted in Umbria, Merlot and Barbera have been prominent for more than a century. More recently, Pinot Nero and red Cabernet Sauvignon have produced some fine wines appearing on many red wine club lists.
Arnaldo Caprai
Arnaldo Caprai is located in Umbria, Toscana’s eastern landlocked neighbor. The Umbrian hills, valleys, and soils are extensions of Toscana’s prestigious Siena-Montalcino-Montepulciano triangle. Until Marco Caprai produced his award winning Sagrantino di Montefalco 25 Anni in 1987, the area showed no promise of measuring up to its illustrious neighbors in Toscana.
When Marco’s father Arnaldo, a textile manufacturer, bought the property in Val di Maggio in 1971, Sagrantino had almost disappeared. Five hectares remained when Arnaldo decided to plant five more. Today, Sagrantino has become the signature wine of Umbria because of Marco Caprai’s success with the variety. The estate has expanded to 370 acres, 220 of which are planted to vines on three different estates, the principal one in Montefalco, another in Bevagna, a village in the hills of Montefalco, and Gualdo Cattaneo, a village near Spoleto.
In addition to native Sagrantino and Sangiovese, Marco has planted a whole series of foreign varieties, including Tannat, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay. He has enjoyed so much notoriety from his accomplishments, especially with Sagrantino, that others have arrived in the Montefalco zone to mimic his success.
In 2001, Marco was named “Best Italian Producer of the Year” by the Italian Sommelier Association for his success in respecting the long tradition of Italian winemaking while incorporating innovative research and technology practices. In 2005, Caprai was named the “Winery of the Year” by Gambero Rosso, the most important and most consulted wine guide in Italy.
The history of Umbria and the winemaking expertise of Arnaldo Caprai make a perfect partnership that can enhance your next wine tasting event. Sharing the ancient past of this area is sure to make the wines of Umbria come alive for your guests.