Exotic Wine...

The New Wine Diet: How Adding Wine To Your Meal Could Also Add Years To Your Life

2007-09-21T10:41:00.000-07:00

Below, you'll find extensive information on leading wine cooler articles and products to help you on your way to success.

By Randy
You like to look and feel great -- and you love your glass of red wine at dinner -- but conventional diet gurus say you can't have both.

How can you rationalize keeping the wine when you want be healthy?

If you think that you have a tough decision to make, then think again, because most diet plans don't take into account all of the latest facts.

More and more studies are showing that although there are about 120 calories in a six-ounce glass of red wine, you should not stop having wine at dinner, because there are too many significant long-term health benefits and they outweigh the mere calorie intake.

In fact, wine might even be considered the new health drink.

For example, heart disease is the number one killer in the US and clinical studies have proven that, in moderation, men can lower the risk of heart disease by 50% by drinking two glasses of red wine a day. And women can reduce their risk by almost 30%, by drinking one glass of red wine a day.

Another top killer is cancer. Because red wine contains antioxidants, which scavenge destructive free-radicals that cause cellular damage, drinking wine in moderation will help prevent certain types of cancer such as prostate, colon and skin cancer.

Wine also helps our body to excrete excess sodium, so red wine acts like a diuretic, which lowers our blood pressure.

And in recent years, research studies have trumpeted a growing list of health problems that red wine can help fight such as arthritis, cataracts and kidney dysfunction. And, a new study in mice holds out hope for Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

If this list doesn't convince you that red wine should remain on your table at dinner and be long term part of your life, then check this out -- wine helps reduce stress and digestive problems.

So,

if you are a busy person and live life in high gear (as so many of us often do), then its recommended you enjoy at least one glass of wine with your meal, because wine relaxes us (including our digestive muscles). And we all know that digestive problems and high stress levels are the cause of innumerable health problems.

Now that you're convinced that keeping wine at dinner is a good idea, you probably want to know; "Are all wines equally 'healthy'?"

And the answer is NO. Red wines in general contain more antioxidants than white wine (and all other alcoholic drinks as a matter of fact).

And, even among red wines there are those that will do you more good. Specifically, red wines that improve with age, which means French Bordeaux, premium Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir as well as Merlot and Malbec.

It's been shown that red grapes grown in higher altitude and cooler climates (like Chile, Argentina, some parts of California, Oregon, and in New York's Finger Lakes) have more antioxidants than grapes grown in warmer climes on valley floors.

There are two reasons for this. First, the production of antioxidants are stimulated by ultraviolet light, which are more intense at higher altitudes. Secondly, in cooler climates, grapes ripen more slowly and therefore tend to be harvested later, which allows for a greater concentration of antioxidants (and better flavors too).

In summary, the decision is easy. Keep the wine and get rid of some other calorie source, because it couldn't possible come close to the health benefits of a glass of a good red wine.

So enjoy your wine at dinner and let's toast "To Good Wine and Healthy Pleasure!!!"
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Taste Your Way To An Affordable, Well-stocked Wine Cellar

2007-09-21T10:40:00.000-07:00

Below, you'll find extensive information on leading wine rating articles and products to help you on your way to success.

By Randy
Does the phrase "wine collector" conjure up an image of a millionaire living in a large home with a temperature-controlled room dedicated to holding fine wines?

It shouldn't. If you buy wine, you are a wine collector.

First off, you don't have to have a special room dedicated to storing your wine. As long as you keep your stash in a quiet, dark, coolish place where bottles can lay on their sides, you have a wine cellar. It could be under the bed, on the closet floor, in a refrigerated cooler, or in a basement room.

Secondly, you don't have to be rich to stock your "cellar" with fine wines; you just have to be smart. The operative concept is taste the wines and decide for your self. Doing your own tasting "homework" is an essential part of accumulating a wine cellar that you will enjoy.

Be aware that higher price does not necessarily mean the wine is better or that you will like it more than a less expensive wine. I live by the motto, "if you can't taste the difference, don't pay the difference."

In general, you will stock your cellar with three categories of wine. First are the table wines you drink within the first 12 to 24 months, before they lose their youthful fruitiness. These are your favorite everyday wines for under $15 a bottle. A whopping 90% of the wines produced in the world fall into this category!

Next are the mid-priced wines that can be drunk now, but will benefit from time in bottle. These are special occasion wines costing $15 to $25 a bottle. Keep them for about five years and they will have slightly more varied aromas and flavors. These reflect 9% of all the wines in the world.

And the last 1% of your stock is reserved for rare wines. It's not for everyone, but collecting some special vintage year bottles -- the age worthy ones that only get better with age -- can be a fine investment.

Here are six strategies to use so you don't have to empty your wallet in order to fill up your cellar with your favorite wines.

1. Experiment with less familiar grape varieties for bargains. Take the road less traveled and

try wines you have never heard of. For example, the low-priced premier red of Portugal, called Bairrada, or South Africa's Pinotage might be unfamiliar, but they often deliver as good a quality and taste as the more expensive wines of California or Australia.

2. Find understudies for your favorite wines and you can save 20% to 30%. For example, when you need a stand in for Chardonnay, try Spain's top white, Albarino, or let Malbec from Argentina go on stage, and give Cabernet the night off.

3. Buy the "next door neighbor." Seek out wines from up-and-coming areas adjacent to famous vineyards and save a bundle. These well-made wines are easy on the wallet and offer real value. So start tasting Merlot-based blends - not from pricey St Emilion and Pomerol - but from their neighboring areas.

4. Sniff out the "wanna-bees." Megastar Tom Cruise went from being paid $75,000 as a wanna-be to getting $75 million for his three "Mission Impossibles." Your mission, if you accept it, is to find those budding megastar wines before they become famous and unaffordable. For example, a bottle of Elyse Cabernet, sold for just $14.50 in 2000, and is now at $56 and climbing.

5. Ask specifically for "second labels" of famous red wines from Bordeaux and Cabernet and Bordeaux-like blends from California. These are premium wines made from grapes that just weren't quite good enough to go into the top brand, but they are dead ringers for their more privileged cousins -- only they're about one-third the price.

6. Buy famous wines in poor vintages. World-class wine producers have to ruthlessly cull out poor grapes in off vintages to make excellent wines. Still yet, off vintages are priced lower than wines from an ideal growing season. Their loss is your gain.

Remember, you can be a wine collector and not have to pay a lot for the pleasure. Follow the 6 strategies provided and they will give you affordable drinking now, and in the years ahead.
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Wine Country Corporate Events

2007-09-21T10:39:00.001-07:00

Below, you'll find extensive information on leading wine opener articles and products to help you on your way to success.

By Kris
There are many wines touring services that combine industry knowledge and local expertise to help satisfy all your travel, incentive program and meeting needs in the Wine Country. These services know the Sonoma Valley and Napa Valley regions inside out, and are capable of revealing its various secret charms to you, whether you are visiting for a day, a week, or longer. Once these services are apprized of your wishes, time, needs and budget,

their main goal is to strive towards creating that perfect off-site program or corporate event in the Wine Country. Touring services can be of great help when it comes to booking the ideal lodging, transportation, activities, and restaurants for you and your group.

For most touring services, it is the main aim of the staff to make sure that the event or program that is designed for you will surpass all expectations, and will meet your specific needs. With this aim in mind, tourists are cordially invited to visit Wine Country to ensure that the fun events and unique venues are suitable for you and your group. In some cases, corporate experts will guide you to restaurants, hotels, and wineries that are just perfect for you and your group.

Corporate events would involve the following:

. Group Tours: From Wine Tours to Historic Tours to Architectural Tours to Garden Tours and even Art Tours, there are different types of group tours. From providing limo buses to limousines to coaches, transportation is taken care of right from the start. An experienced and knowledgeable tour guide will also be included in some of these packages. In addition, a typical tour would also involve going to ancient sites and visiting the first few wineries in the area. If your group is interested in viewing fine buildings, the tour will take you to different wineries known for their remarkable architecture. Garden lovers will have a field day because of the beautiful gardens and vineyards that they will get to see.

. Team Building Events: Team building events in Wine Country will give you the

opportunity to work alongside your colleagues, and chances are you will be rewarded with excellent wine whether or not you win. From honing your communication, to decision making, to planning, to teamwork skills, these tours will help you all work together to solve a challenge. It could be anything, from blending the wine, taking the grapes to the crusher, stomping grapes, building a chateau, to even participating in a scavenger hunt.

. Winery Lunches and Dinners: What could be more exciting than having your lunch or dinner at the same winery where the wine was made, and the food is chosen carefully to match the wine? From a scrumptious four-course meal in a small wine cave, to a lunch box at the pastoral vineyard, you get the chance to choose an ideal winery for your special Wine Country lunch or dinner.

. Wine Seminars: If you are on the look out for a more intense and informative Wine Country experience, then there are tour services that can arrange for barrel tasting, food and wine pairing, wine blending, and a sensory seminar.

. Culinary Delights: Being the food and wine capital of America, Wine Country tours can help you enjoy the art of cooking by allowing you to prepare meals and selecting wines to accompany them.

. Sports Events: Its diverse weather and incomparable topography make Wine Country the best location for you to try your hand at various sporting activities like hot air ballooning, golf, horseback riding, hiking, kayaking, and bicycling. For the adventure sport lovers, helicopter tours are scheduled, and formula racecar driving is performed.

To make sure that you and your group gets off to a hassle-free start right from the airport, most wine touring services provide experienced professionals to meet you and your group at baggage claim, and escort you from there to the waiting vehicle. Sometimes porters are also included as part of the package.
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The Greatest Wine Making Regions In Spain

2007-09-21T10:37:00.000-07:00

Below, you'll find extensive information on leading wine online articles and products to help you on your way to success.

By Derek
Spain produces an extraordinary amount of wine each year and growers have significantly refined the production process as well as the quality of the wine itself. However, before the end of the 19th century, Spain was actually known for cheap, tasteless wine that didn't offer much for the serious oenophile. But all of that changed after Phylloxera,

a small insect related to an aphid, invaded the vineyards of France in the late 1800s devastating crops and causing merchants to turn toward Spain for wine production. Classic Bordeaux-style techniques such as barrel aging and de-stemming were introduced and today the country is known for producing some of the world's finest wine.

The Rioja district, which is actually divided into three separate parts, produces perhaps the finest quality of wine and has been deemed one of the greatest winemaking regions in all of Spain. Located in the northern portion of the country and situated in the valley of the river Ebro, Rioja contains sub-regions that are known as Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Baja. Red varieties of the famed wine produced in Rioja are known as tempranillo, garnacha tinta, graciano, and mazuelo. Rioja is also renowned for its selection of white wines such as viurna, garnacha blanca, and malvasia.

Another region of Spain famous for its production of amazing wine is Ribera del Duero. With moderate rainfall, dry summers, and a high altitude, this area nestled along the northern portion of the Iberian Peninsula creates a full-bodied wine that offers a distinctly rich, fruity taste. The small region of Cigales has long been associated with aromatic rose wines but producers have recently begun to show an interest in creating red wines as well. This region
has been compared to Ribera del Duero and experiences moderate to low rainfall, dry, hot summers and harsh winters.

Other portions of Spain famous for their wines and vineyards are Castilla Y Leon, Requena, Bierzo, Jumilla and Rias Baixas, located in the northwestern most corner of the country. Navarra is also situated in northern Spain and was known only for its output of rose wines until the last few decades when its red wine production increased dramatically.

There are several terms listed on wine labels that are produced in these regions which indicate the length of time as well as how the wine may have been aged. One of these terms is bodega, which is the Spanish word for a winery, or it can also mean an above ground storage place for wine. Cava, Spanish for cellar, is another word commonly seen on wine labels and it may refer to sparkling wine as well. If crianza appears on a label it means that the wine has been aged using oak, and alternately, sin crianza indicates that it has never been aged in oak before the bottling process.

The term gran reserva on Spanish wine indicates that it has been aged for a minimum of five years, with at least two of those years aging in wood, before being released. For white and rose wines the period is four years with at least six months of aging in wood. Reserva on a bottle of red Spanish wine tells the oenophile that it has been aged for at least three years with at least one of those in a wooden barrel. Reserva on bottles of rose or white wines indicate that it has been aged for two years with at least six months aging in wood.
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Winter Wines?

2007-09-21T10:36:00.000-07:00

Below, you'll find extensive information on leading wine cellar articles and products to help you on your way to success.

By Kris
With the holiday season fast approaching, most people are tackling the difficult task of purchasing wines that can be paired with the special foods of the season. Apart from the universal saying of Drink What You Like, there are a few useful tips to help you select the proper holiday wine.

. Forget about all the traditional reprimands, like pairing red wines with red meat and white wines with seafood.

. Try pairing full-bodied wines, either red or white, with full-flavored foods, and lighter wines with lighter food items.

. Foods with sauces generally require a medium to full-bodied wine.

. Boiled, steamed or lightly sauteed food should be matched with dry and light white wines.

. Chicken, Pork, or Veal are best suited with any full-bodied white wine.

. Spicy food items and off-dry white wines make an excellent match.

. Fat rich food items like foie gras and cheese should be paired with sweet wines.

. Sweet dishes and desserts go very well with wines that have high apparent sweet flavors, or you might prefer it with other beverages.

Like most marriages, pairing wines with a particular food item perfectly is rare and difficult. However, there are a few such classic marriages, like chocolate and Cabernet Sauvignon, duck with Pinot Noir, stilton or any blue-veined cheese and Port, foie gras and Sauternes.

In most cases, marriages are by chance incidents or happy accidents. Like wines, food preparations also tend to vary greatly, and a marriage largely depends on certain compatibilities. On one hand, one wine may match a certain food preparation. On the other hand, similar wines may not match another type of preparation.

For all the meat eaters out there, here is a list of wines that should be paired with certain holiday meats:

. Turkey: The wines that match this meat very well are

Gamay, Pinot Blanc, Dry Rose, Grenache, Valdiguie, and Dry Gewurztraminer.

. Duck or Goose: The perfect wine matches are Sangiovese, Chianti Classico, Rioja, Pinot Noir, and Tempranillo.

. Ham: You can pair any type of Gewurztraminer, off-dry Rose, or Riesling.

. Well done Prime Ribs: Your best options would be dry Gewurztraminer, Dry Chardonnay, and dry Riesling.

. Rare to medium Prime Ribs: The best wines for this meat are Rioja, Sangiovese, California Barbera, Chianti Classico and Tempranillo.

. Roast beef or steaks: Merlots go well with roasted meats, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

. Grilled or Roast Lamb: Only one wine will go with this: Syrah.

Before going ahead and buying yourself holiday wine, remember to first differentiate between the full-bodied and light-bodied wines. For instance, some of the most famous light-bodied white wines are the Muscadet, Dry Riesling, Tank-fermented Sauvignon Blanc, Malvasia Bianca, and the Dry Gewurztraminer, while some of the full-bodied white wines are the Chardonnay or white Burgundy wines, Barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc and aged Sauvignon and Pinot Blanc. On the other hand, some of the light-bodied red wines include Rioja, Tempranillo, Barbera, Grenache, Chianti, Sangiovese, Red Burgundy, Pinot Noir, Gamay and Beaujolais. And, some of the most famous full-bodied red wines include the Petite Sirah, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Merlot.

However, the most famous wine that is absolutely perfect for all holiday meals is the bubbly or champagne, which always sets a festive spirit to the holiday season. So, follow these guidelines and tips and you should have no problem buying your holiday wines!
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Current Trends In Cal-ital Wines

2007-09-21T10:34:00.000-07:00

Below, you'll find extensive information on leading wine making articles and products to help you on your way to success.

By Kris
For the past few centuries, winemakers in California have mainly looked upon the Barbera Grape to provide Americans with a good quality Italian-styled Californian wine. Unfortunately for the winemakers, the American consumers never really took to it. Not until the rush to terroir movement in the 80s did the vineyard owners begin to seriously explore more suitable sites for these grapes. More agreeable sites were found in the Central Coast regions and the Sierra Foothills. But the wines, though they had improved considerably, were still unable to attract more consumers.

In the early 90s, the Cal-Ital wines took a new turn. Firstly, the winemakers and representatives of the wine industry conducted a subtle, educational based campaign to inform the consumers that the great red grapes of Italy were definitely not Barbera. But Nebbiolo and Sangiovese grapes, which only a handful of Californians had heard about.

One of the foremost efforts to spread more publicity was by Piero Antinori when he purchased Atlas Peak Winery in Napa Valley. He replanted most of the vineyard estate to Sangiovese, and endeavored to inform the American wine consumers that it was the principal grape used in every Chianti Classico and Chianti blend. These early efforts to produce good quality Sangiovese at attractive prices proved to be very promising, but did not do very well in the market. The reasons were plenty: Was it because of the terroir? Or inexperience on the part of the winemakers? Or maybe the nature of the grape itself?

Were these the reasons why the Californian Sangiovese was stuck in the 90-100 bracket for such a long time? Traditionally, the Italian Sangiovese is blended with small quantities of other wine varieties to allow the wine to acquire balance, complexity

and body. By the early 90s, Sangiovese finally made it into the outstanding category of wine ratings and one year later Altamura, which is an example of a Sangiovese winery, received 94 from the B.T.I.

Unlike the Barbera, which found some degree of popularity in the Central Coast and Sierra Foothills, the most spectacular Sangioveses were largely concentrated in the Sonoma County and Napa Valley wineries like Altamura, Benziger, Swanson, Consentino, Beaulieu Vineyards and Coturri, to name a few. For instance, Santa Cruz, Santa Ynez, Monterey, the Sierra Foothills, and Paso Robles received rave reviews from some critics, while undermined or ignored by others. Perhaps these critics were looking for the same depth and richness of the great Cabernets, or the magnificence of the Pinots, or a similar high alcohol and fruit concentration as the Renwood and Eberle Barberas.

One thing that most European winemakers have always considered as essential to fine wine, but always takes second place in most reviews, is balance. There are many American reviewers who sometimes describe a particular wine as elegant, giving us an image of light style, which is not particularly favored by the American wine drinkers. However, few of us have grown out of the the bigger the better pattern of our youth. We tend to favor explosive flavors, concentrated fruit, and high alcohol contents, the very elements that cover up the fragile balance of flavors in painstakingly prepared foods. If there is something commendable about Italian wines, it is that they are crafted to pair with the various foods that they were intended to accompany, not to subdue them.
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How To Make A Cheap And Easy Gourmet Wine Gift Basket

2007-09-21T10:33:00.000-07:00

Below, you'll find extensive information on leading wine bottle articles and products to help you on your way to success.
By Helen
Buying a gourmet wine gift basket can be expensive. You can easily make a beautiful, custom, personalized, gourmet wine gift basket cheaply. You can use champagne too.

Gift baskets are always popular and a great idea to give as a gift. People love to receive gift baskets. Making your own gourmet wine gift basket is cheap and easy. You can fill your gift basket with a variety of good wine or champagne and inexpensive items; you have lots of choices.

I've put together a few great ideas for making gourmet wine gift baskets, complete with instructions on how to make them. You can make inexpensive wine gift baskets or expensive wine gift baskets depending on your budget. You can easily customize each basket to your recipient.

You can add one or two bottles of expensive or inexpensive wine. You can save money on your wine purchases by going to a wine shop and asking to see the less expensive good wines or you can go to Costco for some great wine bargains, but still very good wines. The wine for your gift doesn't have to be expensive.

You can find many inexpensive items for use in making your gift baskets or filling your gift baskets, at 'dollar' stores, craft stores, party stores, discount outlets, flea markets, close-out stores, etc.

For wine gift containers you can use: any type of basket, wicker basket, straw basket, bucket, champagne bucket, antique trunk, hamper, Asian-style trunk, picnic basket, or seasonal container. Make sure it's sturdy enough.

For gift basket liner you can use: tissue paper, shredded paper, shredded newspaper, tea towels, dish towels, hand towels, kitchen towels, colored towels, colored napkins, placemats, or fabric pieces.

For gift basket filler you can use: shredded colored paper, straw, crumpled newspaper comics, a bed of wrapped chocolates or other wrapped candy.

For items in the container it'll depend on the specialty or theme of the gift basket - in this case a gourmet, wine gift basket. Here is a small random sampling of what you can include besides the wine.

Gift certificate for massage or spa visit, scented oils, scented massage oils, gift certificate to favorite store, gift certificate for restaurant, loofah, fragrant candle, matches to light candles, CD of nature sounds, favorite artist CD, DVD of newer release movie, handwritten poem, perfume, cologne, watch, framed photo, inspirational book, spa pillows, bath pillows, spa supplies, bath and body products, facial and body scrubs, handmade soaps, fragrant soaps, shampoos, hand and foot lotion or fluffy towel.

Fancy chocolates, boxed chocolates, chocolate bars, giant-size boxed candy, gourmet chips, pretzels, gourmet nuts, gourmet pasta, gourmet olive oil, pre-packaged food items, gourmet crackers, wrapped gourmet cheeses - two or three different kinds, fruits,
any foods you like, Italian recipes, Mexican food recipes or other ethnic recipes, wine glasses or champagne glasses.

For gift basket wrapping you can use tulle netting or I like to use cellophane wrap. You can buy it in large rolls. Look for specialty packaging outlets where you can buy it wholesale. Tie off the wrapped basket with ribbon. Wired fabric ribbon is best if you have it.

For bows: You can use pre-packaged bows but making your own bow is easy and the best presentation if you can do it. Use a large or huge bow.

Assemble all your gift basket items, tools you need, etc. Now line your selected gift container. Then stuff the selected filler into the wine gift basket to give added height to your items. Place, layer and arrange your selected items on the filler in the gift container. Put the larger items in the back, the smaller items in front.

Fill in the holes or prop up with more filler (shredded paper, Easter basket grass, wrapped chocolates, napkins or holiday napkins etc.)Also you can use 'picks' of artificial flowers to fill in space.

Place your cellophane or other wrap under the gift basket. Center the gift basket on the wrap. Bring the cellophane or other wrap over the top of the gift basket and tie it with ribbon and or a beautiful bow! Use ribbon and bows to match your theme colors.

Tuck a card in the ribbon and that's it!

You can find fabric or wired ribbon cheaply at Costco-- especially in the fall prior to Christmas but often throughout the year in some stores. You can shred paper in a paper shredder.

If you're going to need a lot of cellophane you can purchase it wholesale through the packaging specialty stores throughout the U.S. but should be easily found in craft stores.

General tips: Try to use non-perishable items except for fruit for fruit baskets. Use freshly packaged food items, because even packaged crackers and cookies can go stale in a couple of months.

You can find filler flower 'picks' at garage sales for pennies. If you buy wholesale they are usually around a dollar each.

Tips: It's best not to use fragrant items in your wine gift basket. You can easily check out gourmet wine gift baskets on the Internet to see what typically goes in them.

Also there's nothing like learning how to make wine or other gift baskets from a video or DVD for making cheap and easy gift baskets. You can view it over and over again and share it with your children, other family members and friends. You can even charge for classes with your new-found knowledge and/or start a home based business. In any event, making a gourmet, custom, personalized wine gift basket is cheap and easy.

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We strive to provide only quality articles, so if there is a specific topic related to wine that you would like us to cover, please contact us at any time.
And again, thank you to those contributing daily to our wine bottle website.

Wine Guide For Beginners

2007-09-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

Below, you'll find extensive information on leading wine basket articles and products to help you on your way to success.

By Jamie
You do not have to spend a fortune or spend hours reading labels to make good wine selections for your dinner guests. Here is a concise wine guide for beginners.

Wine Styles
Although the basic winemaking process is always the same, every wine has a unique flavor, depending on a number of factors, including the type of grape and the conditions in which the fermentation occurs.

Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc grapes make white wines. Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir grapes make full, rich red wines. Merlot grapes produce lighter, softer red wines.

The six styles of wine are:

Red: Includes Bordeaux, Burgundy, Cabernet, Chianti, Merlot, Petite Sirah, and many more.

Sparkling Red: Includes Brachetto, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gutturnio, Lambrusco and Syrah/Shiraz.

Soleras: Includes Malvasia delle Lipari, Marsala, Moscatel, Palomino, Pedro Ximenez and Porto.

White: Includes Chablis, Chardonnay, Frascati, Goldmusketellar, Meursault, Muscat, Riesling, Vidal Blanc and many more.

Sparkling White: Includes Champagne, Moscato dAsti, Spumante and more.

Pink: Includes Busuioaca de Bohotin, Lagrein Rosato and Rose.

Most red wines improve with a bit of aging, some for as long as ten years. Most red wines are not distributed until about two years after they are put in the bottle. Most white wines, on the other hand, do not benefit from aging (except for champagne and sweet dessert wines.)

What kind of wine should you choose?
While there are guidelines, there are no hard and fast rules, because wine pairings really are a matter of personal preference. The general rule of thumb for selecting wine to complement your meal is to choose a light bodied wine with lighter fare and a full bodied wine with hearty, robust dishes.

Red wine is traditionally paired with beef, veal, ham, poultry, pasta, lamb, and pork. For poultry, ham, pork, and veal, try a Beaujolais or a red Zinfandel. For pasta, beef, and lamb, consider a merlot or a cabernet sauvignon.

White Chardonnay complements pork, poultry, seafood (including shellfish) and strong cheeses. For appetizers, mild cheeses, desserts, ham, lamb, poultry, and seafood, you might choose a white Zinfandel or Rose wine.

Sparkling wines, such as Champagne or Spumante can also be served with mild cheeses, appetizers, and desserts.

Wine Categories
Wine is often classified as one of the following:

1. Aperitif: Appetizer wines such as Madeira, Sherry and Vermouth.

2. Red: Dry wines typically served with red meats and pasta dishes.

3. Rose: Pink wines typically served with seafood and pork dishes.

4. White: Dry to sweet wines often served with chicken and seafood.

5. Sparkling: Wines often served in formal settings as an appetizer. If a sparkling wine comes from the Champagne region of

France it is named after that region.

6. Table: Inexpensive, lower quality wine, usually served with lunch or used to make cocktail beverages.

7. Dessert: weet tasting wine, often served with desserts.

8. Cooking" Salty, poor quality wine used for cooking.

Eight More Helpful Tips
1. Alcohol Content: Wine is considered an alcoholic beverage unless otherwise indicated.

2. Chilling Wine: Place the wine bottle in a bucket of ice water for 10 to 15 minutes. For sparkling wine, refrigerate for at least 4 hours prior to serving (or place it in the ice bucket for 30 minutes.)

3. Labels: If you reside in North America, you will want to remember that domestic wines will be labeled with the type of grape used followed by its origin, whereas imported wines will list where the wine was made and then the type of grape used.

4. Chilling: Sparkling and white wines are best served chilled. A red wine should be served when it is only slightly below room temperature. Both wines are best left to stand before opening. Some red wines have sediment, which should stay at the bottom of the bottle.

5. Serving: You can serve a white wine immediately after removing the cork, but a red wine benefits from breathing for about half an hour after the bottle is opened. For best results gently decant the red wine into another container. This allows a greater surface area of the wine to breathe and leaves the sediment behind in the bottle. Filling a glass just half full also allows the wine to breathe.

6. Storage: Wine storage involves cool temperatures, preferably away from heat and light. Cellars can still become hot, humid and sticky during the summer months and it is suggested that keeping wine in a constant, cool environment will allow it to age properly and achieve its best attributes.

7. Variety: Also known as terroir. The climate, soil, land slope or slant, type of grape(s) used, elevation, weather conditions, topography, fermentation process and yeast cultures are all key factors in the wine appearance, aroma and how the wine ultimately tastes.

8. Vintage: Further classification involves the year that the grapes were harvested. For example, the wine output from one vineyard might taste significantly different from one year to the next Good wines usually have their year of production on the bottle. This is called the vintage. Some years produce better wines than others.

Once you become familiar with the different types of wine available on the market, you will feel less intimidated and more apt to impress your guests with excellent selections. Enjoying wine is a life long process because there are always new sights, aromas and flavors to discover along the way.

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A Guide To Wine Tasting

2007-09-21T10:31:00.000-07:00

Below, you'll find extensive information on leading kosher wine articles and products to help you on your way to success.

By MIKE
In terms of wine tasting, there are a number of rules to consider in order to get the most out of the experience. Without following some of these rules, the experience you have could end up missing the bar. You should learn a few of the fundamentals and follow them when it comes time to taking part in a wine tasting.

There are essentially three steps in wine tasting: look, smell and taste. It is important to remember these three steps in wine tasting when you get set to participate, as they will influence your entire decision making process and can make you look like a real pro in front of your friends or in front of your date.

You can tell a lot about a wine just by being a spectator. This refers to simply looking at the wine first. As a wine spectator, you can determine many things about the wine. The wine should be poured into a clear glass and placed in front of a light, preferably with a white background so that you can carefully check out the color of the wine.

Colors of wines vary a great deal, even among the same variety of wine. A red wine isn't always just plain old red and a white can contain different color notes that may not be immediately discernable.

There are many aspects to think of when you are looking at the wine. More color in a white wine can mean that is has more flavor and that it is aged more. Most whites are not actually white.

They are, instead, a shade of green or yellow. If the white wine has gone brown, it may mean that it has actually gone bad. In terms of red wines, try looking for a lighter color to the red as when the red wines age they become lighter.

The smell of the wine is important, too. You should start this process by

swirling the wine in your glass. Not only will swirling the wine assist you in visually observing the body of the wine, it will also help in releasing the smell to the air.

Take a quick whiff of the wine as it swirls to get a first impression. If you like what you smell, take a second deeper whiff of the wine. You should concentrate on the smell of the win at this point. Resist the temptation to take a giant gulp of the wine and simply contemplate what you have smelled.

Taste is up next, of course. The secret to good wine tasting is knowing your personal preferences. Wine tasting relies on patterns, so learn to follow patterns and consider making personal notes of the wine you have tasted to compare those patterns. Take an initial taste of the wine first and gather your first impressions, much the same way that you did with smelling the wine.

Your taste buds will respond to the sensations in the wine. After this, swirl the wine around again and take in a bit of air with the wine. You will want to practically gulp the next sip. You are looking for a more complex vision of the flavor on your taste buds. Concentrate on aftertaste, too.

Consider the wine on the whole after you complete the wine tasting steps. You should give careful consideration to the food you will be having and think about how the wine stands up to the food.

Send the wine back if it does not match up and ask for a new bottle of something else. As you learn more about wine tasting, you will develop more discerning tastes that will gain you more respect from your peers.

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Restaurant Guide - Making Your Own Wine

2007-09-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

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By Josh
One of the things that can put your restaurant on the map is serving your own in-house wine. Perhaps with some skill, you can compete with a name label. But even if your wine-making skills don't put you in ranks with the top French vineyards, the point is that you make your own house wine! Wine-making supplies are readily available through most larger culinary supply stores, and it's surprising how little is involved. Several selections of in-house wine can be a delicious and unique addition to your entertaining menu and will allow you to express your business's creativity and unique tastes.

To begin, some simple equipment is needed for your wine-making adventure. This is a basic list, with explanations for each of the items. As with most specialized activities, it's best to use equipment and pieces that are specifically designed for wine making. In general, glass or plastic equipment and containers are preferred, and plastic should be avoided, with the possible exception of white plastic of the proper grade. Polypropylene is best, because other types of plastics may be too porous and will leach chemicals out of your wine as it ferments.

You will need an airlock, which is an S-shaped tube that fits through a stopper or cork. You will put a one-percent metabisulphite solution in this bend to keep air out of your wine as it goes through its first fermentation step. The carbon dioxide which is produced can bubble out through the metabisulphite solution, but air and impurities will not be able to pass through this liquid into the wine. Some experts recommend putting a few drops of food coloring in the metabisulphite solution so that the bubbles produced by rapid fermentation are easier to see. And you'll need to keep an eye on your airlock to ensure that the liquid doesn't evaporate during the fermentation process. It is important to keep the airlock sealed with the solution to keep rogue bacteria and yeast out of the wine.

Next, get a plastic funnel and siphon tube. You will find that a tube of a legth between six and eight feet will allow you to transfer the wine between the containers without pouring. Pouring wine directly between containers makes it to easy to accidentally pour in sediment.

You will need a fermentation container made of glass or polypropylene at least five gallons capacity. This container is where your wine will begin the fermentation process, with a lid that can be fitted with the airlock. The entire container must be airtight. Filters or filter paper are sometimes needed as well, in order to strain small bits from your wine before bottling it.

Wine bottles made of glass are best to store your wine for the final fermentation and aging process. These need to be the kind of bottles that use a cork seal, and they must have no nicks or rough edges at the top of the neck to ensure the seal is air-tight. Corks or stoppers are of course used to close the wine bottles. A handy tip is to moisten the corks to lubricate them before closing the bottles. Green bottles are traditionally used for red and rose wines, the reason being that it helps protect your wine's quality from deterioration due to exposure to light.

That's it, you're ready to go!

All equipment must be sterilized. It is very important that your wine does not come in contact with rogue yeasts or bacteria that can
spoil its taste or make it unsafe. Once you sterilize a piece of equipment, keep it sealed up to prevent contamination. One method of sterilization is to heat the items in an oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour. Boiling water or a pressure cooker can also work. You can also sterilize equipment chemically using sodium metabisulphite. Mix two and a half ounces with each gallon of water and soak your equipment in this solution for one hour. Rinse everything well with sterilized water - you don't want to use tap water on something you just sterilized!

Now it's time to pick a wine recipe. Wine can be made of nearly any fruit; if it's made from something besides grapes it's called 'country wine'. Recipes are plentiful on the Internet. Your recipe will give you directions for preparing the fruit for fermentation. In general, you can count on needing juice, sugar, and yeast. The yeast should be special wine maker's yeast, the kind that we generally use for baking won't do here. Brewer's yeast is good to make beer, but hold on - we're making wine here, so we can't use that either!

Remember that the fruit used to make wine should be sterilized, as well, either by boiling or rinsing it with a sulphite solution. The juice will need to be extracted from the crushed or chopped fruit. Most fruit recipes will call for sugar at this point - make sure this is cane sugar. Mix and cook the ingredients that the recipe calls for in sterile containers, and add the wine yeast as the recipe recommends. The liquid form of the yeast is often easiest to work with, but it also comes in a powdered form that needs to be mixed. Some recipes may also call for a yeast nutrient to help the yeast grow properly.

You put this mixture into your primary fermentation container, remembering to keep all equipment, storage, and measuring utensils sterile. Seal the lid and attach the airlock, then fill the airlock with the metabisulphite solution. Store the container in a warm place at about 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit to ferment, but keep it out of direct sunlight. The mixture will ferment rapidly and you will see bubbles of carbon dioxide escaping through the airlock. Your recipe will provide directions for this phase, but mostly this fast fermentation will take place in about one to two weeks. The bubbles will gradually trickle down to a few pops and then stop, indicating that the first phase of fermentation is completed.

Finally, we rack the wine. Racking is the process of siphoning your wine from the fermentation container into the bottles where it will be stored to age. You will want to do this promptly, because the wine will have sediment that has settled to the bottom of the container. This sediment can impart a bad taste if the wine is left with it for a long time. Check again that your siphoning equipment and the wine bottles and corks are fully sterilized. If there is a large amount of sediment or if your wine is especially cloudy, you may wish to filter it. Fill the bottles to about half an inch below the cork line. The wine can now be stored in the racks, turning periodically to prevent sedimentation. The time to ferment when racked varies, but generally a year will produce your first young wine.

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Australia As A Wine Making Region

2007-09-21T10:28:00.000-07:00

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By Derek
Over the last twenty years, Australia has become the world's fourth largest wine producer with exports to over a hundred countries and is known for its uniqueness and quality. The largest importer of Australian wines until this year was the United Kingdom followed by the United States. In 2007, the United States overtook the United Kingdom as the primary importer of Australian wines. Australian wine exports mainly comprise the products of large commercial vineyards which competed with other wines on quality for price. Certainly, fine, higher priced wines are also exported from smaller vineyards as well as the larger vineyards; however they do not have a high market share.

One of the most interesting aspects of Australian wines is the diversity of flavours as a result of the influence of soil and climate on a number of grape varieties. This is due to the size of the continent and the fact that grapes are grown in many diverse areas. Australians are very fortunate in that even the less expensive wines tend to be good. The quality of the grape stock combined with the skill and experience of Australia's wine makers has produced a wide variety of Australian wine styles of superb quality.

Australia has a long history of wine making which began from plantings imported from Europe and was primarily created for export to England. European grape production is said to have begun in 1791 when grapes were harvested from vines in the Governor's garden. Between 1820 and 1840, many vineyards were established around the country. In 1822, Gregory Blaxland shipped 136 litres of wine to London where it was awarded a Silver Medal by the Royal Society of Arts.

These days, Australia boasts about sixty wine producing regions, most of them being in the south east of the country where the climate is cooler. However, it is possible to find viable vineyards in other parts of the country. The most popular wine growing areas are in South Australia (Barossa Valley, Clare Valley and Coonawarra being the most well known), Victoria (Rutherglen, Swan Hill and Yarra Valley are good examples) and New South Wales (Hunter Valley, Mudgee

and the Riverina are the main producers). Most of Australia's wine comes from these areas; however Tasmania, Queensland and the south west of Western Australia (particularly the Margaret River and Swan Districts) also produce some well known brands.

Australian wines are usually named for their grape variety. The most popular varieties of red wine in Australia are Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Grenache and Merlot and for white wine are Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Traminer, Verdhelo and Semillon. Wine makers also create a number of blends from these popular varieties. While these are the most popular Australian wines, there are certainly a great many more varieties that have their adherents.

Four major conglomerates produce seventy percent of Australia's wines: Beringer Blass, The Hardy Wine Company, Southcorp, and Orlando. These companies produce the most well known and successful export brands of Australia: Jacob's Creek, Nottage Hill, Banrock Station, Hardy's Stamp, Lindeman's, and Wolf Blass. Successful though these brands undoubtedly are, there is a growing increase of complaints from wine connoisseurs that among the big brands it is becoming difficult to tell one wine from the other. Such complaints are not likely to be heard from ordinary people who are seeking a good quality wine for a reasonable price which, quite frankly, is the intention of the wine makers. They are not trying to fill the fine wine niche. Nevertheless, there are other excellent Australian brands that manage to do both. These include Peter Lehmann, McGuigan, St Hallett, Yalumba, Cape Mentelle, and Wynn's.

Australian wines offer good quality at affordable prices as well as superb quality for much higher prices. It is an industry that is evolving, developing and improving continually. If you plan to visit Australia, taking a tour of one of the many wine growing districts can be a highlight. In the meantime, you can get a taste of Australia when you sip an Aussie wine.
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Hungarian Wine Tradition

2007-09-21T10:20:00.000-07:00

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By Carl
Despite what many may think, the area known as Hungary holds more wine tradition than any other country in Europe. Most of this very tradition is just now surfacing in the light, with people finally starting to catch wind about everything Hungarian wine has to offer. Even though many wine drinkers aren't familiar with Hungary - there are many who are.

Hungary is home to over 20 wine regions, fully of forests, vineyards, and orchards. With several different varieties of grapes to offer, the vineyards found in Hungary have flourished since the great Roman Times. The weather in Hungary is seasonal to say the least, with cold winters and extremely hot summers. This weather allows the soil in the country to be diverse, which allows wine makers to create a variety of quality wines.

Despite the communist control in the past, there are several different wines found in Hungary. Although the vineyards here produce a lot of excellent wines, Tokay Aszu is by far the favorite here and the wine that locals always love raising their glass to. Tokay Aszu is a popular wine with meals or dessert, in Hungary and also happens to be one of the most popular dessert wines in the entire world.

Tokay Aszu was discovered in the mid 17th century in Hungary, quickly becoming a favorite for many European aristocrats. Even though it was great to the taste, many believed that certain types of the wine had mystical healing powers. Although this was strictly a rumor, it actually helped the wine become more popular than ever. Over the years, Tokay Aszu was one indeed the most popular wine in Hungary, spreading to other areas of the world as well.

Egri Bikaver, also referred to as Bulls Blood is another

popular wine found in Hungary. This is another popular wine for locals, and can be found throughout the world as well. Getting its name from its color, Bulls Blood is truly a feast for anyone who likes wine. The wine is dark red in color, yet sweet to the taste. The wine was first developed back in the 16th century, and remains popular even to this day.

If you ever visit Hungary, there are many places you can visit to get some great wine. You should also make a point to visit Tokay, located in the northeast. You can take a train from Budapest and arrive here in a few hours. There are several different wine flavors and varieties here, sure to please just about anyone. The wineries found throughout the Tokay area are normally open for tours and tasters from May to the end of October. If you visit during these months, you can tour the underground cellars, sample the superb wine, and learn more than you ever thought possible about the manufacturing of Hungarian wines.

All in the all, the wine found in Hungary is great to have in your collection or just have around the house for special occasions. You can get it by the bottle, the glass, or by the case. All types of Hungarian wine has been perfected over the years, making it something that you really can't go wrong with. If you like to drink wine, as most of us do, you really can't go wrong with any type of Hungarian wine. Hungarian wine gives wine lovers plenty to study, plenty to order, and plenty to drink. The wine is very tasty and refreshing - and it helps to keep the nation of Hungary thirsty for more.
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Loire Valley Wines - Five Wine Appellations Sprinkled Among The Historic Chateaux

2007-09-21T10:18:00.000-07:00

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By Corina
The Loire River in France winds through the Touraine area for almost one hundred kilometres dotted with many amazing French chateau open to the public and a wonderful location for a holiday. There are 5 AOC wines (Appelations d'origine Controlees - wines of controlled origin and quality) awarded throughout this area: Touraine, Touraine Amboise, Touraine Azay-le-Rideau, Touraine Mesland and the latest being Touraine Noble-Joue awarded its AOC status in 2001. The combination of vineyards and castle make the Touraine region of the Loire Valley an incredible destination for any wine lover and his or her family.

The Touraine Amboise vineyards totalling 236 hectares are situated between Tours and Blois extending along both banks of the Loire. The reds are a wild cherry colour produced from a blend of Cabernet and Gamay Noir and have scents of red fruits. Their palate is solid and full. The whites produced from Chenin Blanc give dry, medium and sweet white wines. Their straw yellow colour turns gold after 3 to 4 years of cellaring. Their aroma is all quince and honey and they have a supple palate because of the more mild climate that favours late-ripening grape varieties. The roses are light in colour with a bouquet of lilac and roses and are refreshing to taste and suitable for early drinking.

It is delightful to combine a day of tasting Touraine Amboise AOC wines with a visit to Chateau Close Luc, Leonardo da Vinci's castle now a museum with working models of many of his inventions and an amazing interactive park adored by children and Chateau Amboise which is da Vinci's final resting place.

The Touraine appellation covering 5,282 hectares differs depending on the terroir on the slopes of the River valleys. Half the production is red. The Cabernet and Gamay reds are cherry coloured. The Gamay has a strawberry or cherry flavour. They have a dominant fruitiness with discreet tannins and should be drunk within two years. The Cabernet red has a raspberry, green pepper and liquorice fragrance and can be laid down for 2 to 4 years because of its good tannic support. White wines made from Sauvignon produced mainly in the Cher valley are straw yellow in colour and have a floral fragrance with a touch of gooseberry or blackcurrant mingled with traces of spices. On the palate the sauvignon whites are delicately lively. The methode traditionnelle sparkling wines have mouth-filling flavours of apple and brioche.

The must see Chateau to visit in the region of this appellation is Chateau Chenonceau which spans the River Cher.

Touraine Mesland is situated west of Blois, planted on the slopes of the Loire facing Chateau de Chaumont, which holds an amazing garden festival each summer based on a different theme each year and definitely worth a visit especially if you have children tagging along.

The reds have a substantial taste and are the colour

of a well-ripened cherry and have complex aromas of prunes and very ripe fruits. The roses sparkle with salmon highlights and have a fresh delicate aroma of spices and red fruits. They have a solid palate making them suitable to accompany a whole meal. The whites carry an aroma of pear and spices and are lively and round on the palate.

The appellation of Touraine Noble-Joue is only 25 hectares producing a characteristic rose with flower aromas of hyacinth and peony followed by notes of cherry, redcurrant and ripe pear. The rose palate is round with flavours of morello cherry and a dash of cloves.

The chenin blank whites of the five Touraine appellations are all straw yellow can be cellared for 5 to 15 years.

The Touraine Azay-le-Rideau is a small region totalling 45 hectares south-west of Tours stretching along the Indre valley between Montbazon and the Loire river producing whites and roses. The roses are dainty with an aroma of marshmallows, lilac, roses and almond. They are delightful and lively to drink in summer. The whites are fresh and have fruit and floral aromas of peach apricot and green apple with a soft mineral edge.

You must visit the spectacular Chateau du Azay-le-Rideau when in this appellation area. The chateau is turreted and surrounded by water which gives amazing reflections for the sound and light spectacle held in high season.

The Touraine Azay-le-Rideau is a small region totalling 45 hectares south-west of Tours stretching along the Indre valley between Montbazon and the Loire river producing whites and roses. The roses are dainty with an aroma of marshmallows, lilac, roses and almond. They are delightful and lively to drink in summer. The whites are fresh and have fruit and floral aromas of peach apricot and green apple with a soft mineral edge.

You must visit the spectacular Chateau du Azay-le-Rideau when in this appellation area. The chateau is turreted and surrounded by water which gives amazing reflections for the sound and light spectacle held in high season.

As well as these five AOC wines there is also Cheverney, Cour-Cheverney just South of Blois and Vouvray in the Touraine.

What better way to enjoy these lovely wines than driving through the Loire Valley visiting historic castles, maybe a hot-air balloon ride in the morning, gourmet lunch in village bistros, meeting cheese and wine producers sampling their products and returning at night to a friendly inviting boutique chateau hotel. Don't just visit a french castle - stay in one and truly experience the grandeur of living in a castle in France. You will be amazed. Make your next holiday a gourmet wine lovers castle holiday in the beautiful Loire Valley. If you love great wine you will not regret it.
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If You Are A Wine Connoisseur You Have To Visit Napa Valley

2007-09-21T10:15:00.000-07:00

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By Gregg
California is a state that simply must be visited at least once in a lifetime. Whether you choose to travel alone or as a family, California is full of things to see and do. If you're a newly wed, planning a honeymoon, or just a romantic at heart, California is calling you. If you're looking for movie stars, go to Hollywood or Beverly Hills. If you're looking for a relaxing vacation, beautiful scenery and some sweet spirits, then wind your way around to Wine Country. Recreational places like the wineries in Napa Valley and Sonoma are waiting for you.

Napa Valley and Sonoma County in Northern California is only an hour's drive from San Francisco. Otherwise known as Wine Country, Napa Valley and Sonoma County are popular among newlyweds, honeymooners, wine enthusiasts, gourmets and other hopeless romantics who wish to enjoy all the good things in life. There are so many exquisite places to stay and visit in California's Wine Country, the choices are overwhelming, but well worth your time.

Napa Valley, which actually consists of six towns, including: St. Helena, Oakville, Calistoga, Rutherford, Yountville and Napa. Each of these towns feature their own first class wineries, spas, resorts, hotels and restaurants, not to mention the breath taking scenery of the Wine Country itself. The experience of the California Wine Country will rejuvenate your being and will create wonderful memories to last a lifetime.

Sonoma County is the birthplace of the California wine industry. Sonoma Valley is 17 miles long and sits between two glorious mountain ranges, where numerous wineries host tasting events and tours on a daily basis. The Plaza is encircled with boutiques, adobe structures and restaurants in Sonoma's town square. For over a century, the hot springs have drawn thousands of health conscious guests to the area and even today, is host to a number of world class spas and resorts.

Some of the smaller, family owned wineries will give tours by appointment only. It would be best to call and set up the appointment well in advance of your visit to Wine Country, so you are

sure to get in. This can be a very rewarding experience, because this will give to time to have a one on one conversation with the wine makers themselves without being caught up in a group of tourists. Many of the large and small family owned wineries make themselves available for outdoor weddings and other special occasions for additional costs. Most only offer wine tasting, tours of their wineries, and host other special events.

If you are planning to visit California's Wine Country, try to make your visit in the middle of the week, because the weekends are often over crowded and that can make traveling and sightseeing fairly difficult and thus less enjoyable. During the week, there is less traffic to deal with and some of the hotels can have lower rates. It's always best to call ahead to the hotels to make sure there is room available for you when you arrive. If you decide to use Silverado Trail as your driving route, you will encounter less traffic and have a more scenic route to enjoy. The scenery is one of the best parts of visiting Wine Country, so stop and smell the roses as often as possible.

If you are looking for a picnic area with a great view, try visiting Rutherford Hill Winery's picnic area. If you choose to use a picnic area belonging to a specific winery, you may choose to buy a bottle of wine from them as a courtesy, for you to enjoy with your picnic meal. A delicious addition to your picnic basket would be a selection of fruits, cheeses and baked goods from the Sunshine Market in St. Helena. You can also pick up your plates, napkins and utensils for your picnic while you're there.

Gordon's on Yountville is famous for their tasty coffee, which is a delicious addition to breakfast. For a scrumptious lunch or dinner, try eating at the French Laundry. There is a wide variety of fine restaurants in Wine Country from which to pick and choose, even if you don't have a reservation, you have a good chance at getting in.
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The Flavors Of Wine

2007-09-21T10:14:00.001-07:00

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By John
Although the four main flavors - sweet, salty, sour, and bitter are all your tongue is really capable of tasting, the long lasting impression that wine leaves in your mouth is far more complex. When you drink or taste wine, your taste buds and your sense of smell are involved, adding to the way you interpret wine overall. The flavors, aromas, and sensations that wine is comprised of provide the interaction that you taste when you sample wine.

Sweetness is something that wines are well known for. With most types of wine, grapes are responsible for the sweet taste. Grapes contain a lot of sugar, which breaks the yeast down into alcohol. The grapes and yeast that were used to produce the wine will leave behind various sugars, which your tongue will be able to quickly detect. Once your tongue detects these various sugars, the stimulation of sweetness from the wine will be ever so present in your mouth.

Alcohol is also present in wine, although your tongue doesn't really know how to decipher the taste of alcohol. Even though the tongue doesn't really taste alcohol, the alcohol is present in the mouth. The alcohol found in wine will dilate blood vessels and therefore intensify all of the other flavors found in the wine. After you have samples a few types of wine, the alcohol level can easily have an effect on your taste buds, making it hard to distinguish other drinks that you may have.

Another flavor is acidity, which will effect the sugars. With the proper balance of acidity, the overall flavor of wine can be very overwhelming. Once you taste wine that contains it, the flavor of the acidity will be well known to your tongue. Although acidity is great with wine, too much of
it will leave a very sharp taste. With the right levels, acidity will bring the flavors of the grape and fruits alive in your mouth - providing you with the perfect taste.

Yet another effect of flavor are tannins, which are the proteins found in the skins of grapes and other fruits. If a wine has the right amount of tannins, it will give your tongue a great feel, and bring in the sensations of the other flavors. Once a wine starts to age, the tannins will begin to breakdown in the bottle, giving you a softer feel to the taste. Tannins are essential for the taste of wine - providing the wine has been properly aged.

The last flavor associated with wine is oak. Although oak isn't put into the wine during the manufacturing process, it is actually transferred during the aging process, as most wines will spend quite a bit of time in oak barrels. Depending on how long the wine is left in the oak barrel or cask, the ability to extract the flavor will vary. Most often times, wine will be aged just enough to where the oak taste is visibly there - and adds the perfect sentiment to the taste.

Although there are other flavors involved with the taste of wine, they aren't as present as those listed above. The above flavors are the most present in wine, and also the flavors that you need to get more familiar with. Before you try to taste wine or distinguish flavors, you should always learn as much you can about the components responsible for the flavors. This way - you will know more about what you are tasting and you'll truly be able to appreciate wine.
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Making Wine From Grapes

2007-09-21T10:12:00.000-07:00

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By Gregg
In the ordinary way, recipes for wines made entirely from grapes are not a practicable proposition. This is because grapes are merely crushed and fermented without either sugar or water being added. Provided you have enough grapes, making wines from them is the simplest winemaking of all-that is, of course, provided they are fully ripe.

Small unpruned bunches often contain a lot of small undeveloped fruits between the large juicy ones and these must be removed before the bunches are crushed. The whole bunches, stalk as well, are used as these add something to the wine. The yeast forming the bloom on your grapes may be the kind that will make excellent wine, but we cannot be sure of this owing to the near-certainty that wild yeast and bacteria are present with it. As we have seen in previous chapters, we must destroy these yeasts and bacteria and add yeasts of our choice to make the wine for us.

You will need at least twenty pounds of grapes to be assured of a gallon of wine-and this amount may not make one gallon of wine, though it make one gallon of strained 'must'. Therefore the more grapes you have the better.

If enough grapes are available, the process is as follows:

METHOD: Put all grapes in a suitable vessel and crush them, making sure each grape is crushed. Measure as near as you can or judge as accurately as possible the amount of pulp you have and to each gallon allow one Campden tablet or four grains of sodium metabisulphite. Dissolve this in an egg cupful of warm water and stir into the pulp and leave for twenty-four hours.

After this, give the mixture a thorough mixing and churning and then add the yeast. The mixture should then be left to ferment for five days.

Following this, the pulp should be strained through a strong coarse cloth to prevent bursting and wrung out as dry as you can. The liquor should then be put into jars and fermented the same ways as other wines.

A good plan when doing

this is to mix a quart of water with grape pulp and to crush this well to get as much from the skins as you can. If you do this, you must add one pound of sugar and dissolve it by warming the juice just enough for this purpose. This thinner juice may be mixed with the rest but before the better quality juice is put into jars.

Where grapes only are used with water (as suggested above) it must be borne in mind that to get enough alcohol for a stable wine we must have between two and two and a half pounds of sugar to the gallon. Juice crushed from grapes rarely contains this much, therefore it would be wise to add one pound when the fruit is crushed and before the juice is put into jars. If the wine turns out dry, it may be sweetened.

We may use a hydrometer to find the sugar content so that we know how much to add to give the amount of alcohol we need, but this is not for beginners without previous experiences in this sort of thing. The better plan is to follow my suggestions above, and if the wine is dry to sweeten it and then preserve it with Campden tablets or metabisulphite.

Since the color comes from the skins, if we want a red wine from black grapes we ferment the skins as directed earlier in this chapter. A white wine from black grapes is made by crushing the grapes and pressing out the juice and fermenting the juice only. The difference in the process already described is that instead of fermenting the skin for five days, the juice is pressed out after it has been allowed to soak for twenty-four hours.
If you happen to be making some of the fruit wine such as elderberry, plum, blackberry or damson, at the same time as making grape wine, it would be a good idea to put the strained fruit pulp which would otherwise be discarded into the 'must' of the other fruit and let it ferment there.
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Beginning Your Wine Making Adventure

2007-09-21T10:11:00.001-07:00

Below, you'll find extensive information on leading napa wine articles and products to help you on your way to success.

By Jimmy
If you want to make wine there is no excuse for not doing so: you need neither license nor cellar and the utensils may already be in your house, flat or caravan -for wine may be made in the smallest of places. To make a couple of gallons of wine is no more bother than to bake a tray of cakes or pickle a few jars of onions, and in comparison the rewards of your labors are far more pleasurable.

A word of warning: The fact that home-made wines do not exceed fourteen per cent (by volume) of alcohol leads the uninitiated to believe that they can drink unlimited quantities without it having effect upon them. How wrong they are! It is a saying in country districts that 'home-made wine is all right when you know how to drink it. The unsuspected kick in home-made wines has to be felt to be believed. Drink home-made wine as you would drink neat whisky.

I ought to say that two people using the same recipes do not necessarily turn out identical wines any more than they would turn out identical sponge-cakes by using the same mixture.

Water and ingredients doubtless have a lot to do with this variation of wines turned out from the same recipe. Fruit and vegetables of different varieties in one brew; harder or softer water in various districts; a wet or dry summer, which would affect the sugar content of fruits; rich or poor soil in which the roots were grown - all these must be allowed for. Commercial producers offset such differences in the quality of their grapes by careful blending, which is a highly skilled operation carried out in laboratories, and which results in each brand of wine containing all the characteristics that have made it popular.

Thus two bottles of the same brand of wine will taste identical, even though one bottle may contain as many as eight or nine different wines of varying ages against the other's four or five.

If commercial producers have this advantage over us home producers, do not begrudge them it, for it is the only one they have - as we shall see.

The best utensil to use for boiling ingredients and juices is one of good quality enamel; one sold under a proprietary name is most reliable. It must not be chipped.

Cheap enamel utensils often contain lead in the glaze and this might be boiled into the brew; if this happened the wine would be dangerous.

If aluminum or copper is used there is a slight risk of minute particles of the metal being boiled into the brew. This might poison the yeast, and fermentation would not take place.

For fermentation purposes and for soaking fruits and flowers we may use a china vessel or one made of polythene. China vessels should not be too wide at the rim as this exposes too large a surface to the air. A polythene bucket is ideal - but do make sure it is of polythene, as some plastics are not suitable. And choose a pale color or a white one. Where large batches of wine are made, a polythene dustbin makes an excellent fermentation vessel, as does a strong polythene bag, lining a worn-out barrel or similar vessel.

Now that you have your basic wine making tools, you're going to need to look at getting some ingredients because you can't have wine without grapes!
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Experimental Wine Making

2007-09-21T10:09:00.002-07:00

Below, you'll find extensive information on leading fine wine articles and products to help you on your way to success.

By Jimmy
Vegetable wine, fruit wine, flower wine - there are hundreds of recipes, all different yet all basically the same; and if you like to experiment there is a vast field in which to do so. If you consider the sherry recipes as examples of fruit and vegetable mixtures for the purpose of making delicious wines, you will see at once that experiment is worth while.

During the last war, when sugar for wine-making was unobtainable, tinned syrup and 'sugar' obtained by boiling packet dates with the little real sugar I did happen to acquire, helped to keep my little brewery working, if only to the extent of half a dozen gallons a year. The wine was not nearly as good as that turned out today, but cheer was hard to come by and anything reasonably good was better than nothing at all.

Since the war, and especially since the de-rationing of sugar, experimenting with various recipes has been my hobby. The result of one such experiment, with a strongly-flavored orange wine and mildly-flavored potato wine, I at once called orange brandy. However, I thought that to make two varieties of wine in order to produce one really good one seemed an odd way of doing the job, so I studied both recipes and then set to work. The result, which really was wonderful, I called Bravery's Extra-Special Fine Old jungle-juice. Thus experimenting with two recipes and two varieties of wine proved not only the worth of experiment, but also the value of blending.

Readers following any recipes, bear in mind all I have said about the best ingredients, sterilization of utensils, fermentation, the removal of scum during simmering, and the clearing process, will turn out really magnificent wines. Nevertheless there are many recipes waiting to be discovered.

Therefore
I say, experiment. For who knows what might turn up quite accidentally?

I have proved that what appears to be a good idea is usually worth following up. So when you have had a little experience, and are turning out rich, crystal-clear wines with professional regularity, and when you have mastered the technique of blending - if you try this -many ideas for recipes will occur to you. Try them out in half-gallon lots and when you have turned out something really good of your own, test it on your friends. Then work the recipe once more, taking careful note of all you do. When you have perfected a recipe - but not before - pass it on.

Many people jealously guard secrets, which should be handed on. Typical is the case of a late friend of mine who, with the aid of his three sons, brewed stout each year from elderberries.

Many of times I have tried to winkle the recipe out of him, but a sly wink and the up-ending of his glass was his only response. Since I enjoyed his stout so much I thought it wise not to be too inquisitive. Imagine my surprise when, after his death, the lads explained that all they had been allowed to do was collect the elderberries and help to crush them. After which the cunning old devil - as they affectionately called him -brewed his stout behind locked doors. Search as we might, neither recipe nor notes did we find.

Knowledge gained from years of experiment both with recipe and method was all kept in his head, and he took it with him. The moral of the story is, if your experiment's successful, write it down so others can enjoy it too!
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Growing Wine Grapes

2007-09-21T10:09:00.001-07:00

Below, you'll find extensive information on leading rack wine articles and products to help you on your way to success.

By Jimmy
I think it quite safe to say that more has been written about the cultivation of grapes than has - or ever will be - written about any other fruit. This is not surprising, considering that the grape is probably the oldest of known fruits. Evidence that grapes have been grown here for centuries is found in certain parts of the country where careful inspection of sloping land shows remains of terraced vineyards.

Contrary to general belief grapes are quite easy to grow outdoors in this country and should be grown by the ordinary householder far more than they are. It is a mistake to believe that grapes need tropical weather to grow and ripen well; if this were so they could not be grown in Russia and Canada, where the vineyards are buried under snow each year. Even the vineyards of France are not harmed by an annual blanket of snow. Then why should they suffer here?

The abundance of advice offered by experts about growing grapes, and the recommendations they make, are more likely to deter the would-be grower of grapes than encourage him in this worthwhile hobby. In any case, the advice and recommendations of experts usually apply to tender vines needing specialist treatment - not the good all-round varieties that do well almost anywhere. Here the reader will find sufficient detail to enable him to get on with the job and to make a good show of it into the bargain. Surprisingly, grapes do not need loads of manures and fertilizers; they grow well on quite poor soils and need little after-attention.

The soil above the vine I once grew was covered with crazy paving, the only part exposed to sun and air being about a square yard where the vine had been planted

years earlier. So you can see that lack of space is no excuse for not growing grapes. The roots will search out and find what they want; all we have to concern ourselves with is where to put the top-growth - the vine itself.

If one wall of your house faces south, south-west or even west, that problem is solved very easily. If you cannot plant the vine under that particular wall, plant it round the corner and train the vine round to the sunny side of the house. Grapes may be grown in the open garden in similar fashion to loganberries, or they may be trained over sheds, garages, out-houses and such-like.

Vines are not expensive - about 10 shillings and sixpence is a decent price to pay for a vine (at the present time), and if two are planted, the yield for one guinea may be regarded as fantastic when considering the value of the wine that may be made for many years.

The best outdoor, general-purpose vine is undoubtedly brandt. This is a free-growing black that crops heavily and does well almost anywhere. Brandt is the vine for the amateur wherever he may be living, for it is very hardy and needs very little attention. It is the only variety I need concern myself with here.

Planting is best carried out in autumn and in any case before Christmas. If planting against a wall, take out a hole about two feet each way and plant so that the stem of the vine is about fifteen inches away from the wall itself. It's very hard to make wine if you can't even get the vine to grow so pay close attention to where you plant the vine.

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California Wine Tours For Bikes: A Quick Guide

2007-09-21T10:07:00.002-07:00

California is one of the must-visit places at the moment for so many reasons. You can experience so much from just one place that it is impossible to get bored. However, you will not have experienced California properly until you go on a wine tour. Certain areas of the American state are all about the wine and this is most definitely the case in Napa Valley. Those looking for something different may still want to go on a wine tour, but something like the California wine tours for bikes.

You can easily ride from winery to winery in Napa Valley because there are over three hundred within a relatively small area. You can visit several within a short space of time. California wine tours for bikes may therefore be worth a go!

California wine tours for bikes have a distinct beauty about them. Not only are you riding through the most beautiful countryside in the United States and will be blown away by the stunning landscape, you will also be able to access some of the best wineries in the world. There are some huge vineyards that would take all day to walk around but there are several other little treasures dotted all over the place that you can quite easily visit within the space of a day. Small family businesses often provide some of the best wines and you can truly experience the wine culture in California. Discovering these little gems would be a result of the California wine tours for bikes!

The weather in California is perfect for California wine tours for bikes. The blue skies are present for most of the year and make the bike ride an absolute joy. As an extra bonus for those going on California wine tours for bikes, there are lanes on public highways especially for bikes so you can get from winery to winery without risking your life! You can arrange your own California wine tours for bikes or go with one of many companies that actually provide them as par for the course. There are many of these, but they are matched in number by bike hire places in the Napa Valley. You can hire a bike for the day or book onto California wine tours for bikes that last for a specific amount of hours with likeminded people. The choice is entirely yours!

California wine tours for bikes may also be offered as a vacation package with meals and accommodation thrown in. These are fantastic because you spend all week or weekend going around wineries experiencing the win and the atmosphere with people that may become friends! California wine tours for bikes should be a part of your vacation there, however you choose to book it or spend it. The experience is truly amazing!

By: Wade Robins
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Yoy can find more info on Napa Valley Wine Tasting Tours And North American Wine Tours. Bestwinetourguide.com is a comprehensive resource to known more about wine.

Learn About Wine Storage Racks For Home and Commercial Venues

2007-09-21T10:07:00.001-07:00

Modern wine storage racks serve many different purposes. They have become more then a mere storage unit for your wine. Now they also serve as a focal point, or as a unique piece of art, which adds sophistication to any setting. Beautiful as well as useful, wine storage racks have gained popularity not only with the individual connoisseur, but also in the commercial setting.

All wine enthusiasts know that the proper care and storage of the bottle is essential in preserving the tannins or taste of the wine and that is why they own a wine storage rack. Without proper storage, the wine can begin to break down, and lose much of its distinct original flavor. The wine storage rack is the answer to proper storage. Moreover, depending on the rack design, multiple bottles can be displayed without utilizing any surface area than a single bottle!

As the wine storage racks built for private use, commercial wine racks have also morphed into elegant displays. Many restaurants prominently display their racks behind the bar, whereas wine racks predominantly were kept behind closed doors. Commercial wine racks can serve multiple purposes. They are very efficient and safe for storing unopened bottles of wine. In addition, they are aesthetically pleasing and a sale point to the customer.

A well placed wine rack acts as its own menu. The customer can see the selection, thus creating an increase in sales, since most purchases are made by an attraction. The commercial wine rack helps market the wine itself thru this attraction. With the proper wine storage rack, labels on bottles are easily visible, selection is obvious and quantity is easy to ascertain.

Wine storage racks are a great addition to any wine enthusiasts abode, whether to be used at home or in a restaurant for commercial purposes. They are both functional and decorative. Both individual wine racks and commercial wine racks are customizable. They are no longer just a stack of square boxes, but come in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes to suit any need or desire. Wine storage racks ensure proper storage for your wine. They are convenient to use, and a great value for your money.

Wine Storage Racks Yesterday And Today

2007-09-21T10:06:00.000-07:00

by David Faulkner
Wine is becoming the mealtime beverage of choice in many American homes, just as it has been in European homes for centuries. But as more American households become home to more and more bottles of wine, the issue of where to keep the lovely elixir until it is time to imbibe can be a problem. So thousands of American households have now, and gratefully, discovered the wine storage rack.

The wine storage rack of centuries past was a novelty usually reserved for the rich and noble. Crafted by master wood workers of the best hardwoods, wine storage racks were simply a luxury few people could afford, but, my, how the times, they have a-changed. Serviceable and attractive wine racks are now quite affordable, and hardwoods are not always a part of the package.

Modern Wine Storage Racks

Wine storage racks are now available in a variety of materials from particle board to metal to plastics; the particle board is not ideal because of its susceptibility to moisture damage, but the plastic and metal racks border on indestructible. The racks are designed either to stand on the floor or be suspended from the ceiling, and the storage capacity of wooden wine racks can be expanded to meet the requirements of a growing wine collections.

While maple and mahogany wine storage racks are available from a variety of home furnishing stores, DIYers can purchase kits and built their own wine racks. The wood in the kits is already pre-drilled and the wrench and bolts are included, so the assembly is very fast and simple.

Choosing The Right Wine Storage Rack

Corked wine bottles should always be stored horizontally, in order to keep their corks moist and prevent shrinkage, which would allow air to penetrate the bottles and destroy the wine. So wine storage racks with rows of mini tunnels into which the wine bottles can be inserted on their sides are the proper choice when the wine is to remain in them long term. Wax-sealed bottles, however, require vertical storage, or their precious content will leak away.

Prices Of Wine Storage racks

Wine storage racks range in size from those which can store a bottle or two to those which can accommodate thousands, and are used in wine cellars, restaurants, and bars. For most home small to medium sized wine storage racks are more than adequate, and will usually cost between $20 and $100.

About the Author

You can also find more info on Wine Storage Furniture and Wine Storage Racks. Winestoragerating.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Wine Storage.

Having Difficulty Choosing Wine Rack Plans To Build Your Own Wine Rack?

2007-09-21T10:05:00.000-07:00

by Celine Yong

When you decide to build your own wine rack, you can either select ready-made wine rack plans, or choose to design and build your own wine rack. Either way, the entire process can be both fun and bewildering. On one hand, you want to build a wine rack that really suits your own needs. On the other hand, you can't help being swamped by the immense design possibilities.

To cut down on confusion when browsing through wine rack plans to build your own wine rack, carefully consider the exact or likely items to be stored, and the space that the finished wine rack will occupy. When going through your wine rack plans, note the dimensions such as wine bottles, wine cases and wine glasses to be stored.

In many cases when you build your own wine rack, you can't be exactly sure what your finished wine rack will hold. In that case, it would be wise to choose a wine rack plan that builds in as much flexibility as possible, or at least some form of flexibility. incorporating drawers and cabinets of different dimensions. Drawers provide great storage because they'll hold so many different items while keeping them clean and accessible, but out of sight. Cabinets are easy to build and can be used to display your collections if you don't install doors.

Designing To Fit A Particular Space

If you design and build your own wine rack to suit a particular space, you'll want to fit the space visually. When you work on your wine rack plans, be careful not to span the entire space available. Do leave a bit of room on either side and above to create a visual frame of sorts. Often, you may want to match existing cabinetry, such as a wine cabinet cabinetry, such as building a wine cabinet to serve as a dedicated base cabinet that matches the style of your kitchen or living room.

When you build your own wine rack, you can sometimes borrow design elements from a nearby piece of furniture, such as a particular edging profile or door frame treatment. As part of your wine rack plan, you can personalize your wine rack further by "signing" it with your own custom wood pulls or faux finish.

Allowing for Future Expansion

Don't forget to plan ahead, especially if you have more than one wine collector in the family! You may think you'll never buy more than 48 bottles of wine at a single shot when you first build your own wine rack. Uh huh. In any case, incorporate some extra (preferably a lot more) space from the start. And preferably whether you choose from ready-made wine rack plans or come up with your own wine rack plans, choose a design that still looks great as you add more units.

How to Dress Up Your Wine Rack

Do you know that when you build your own wine rack, you can make it look really expensive and classy? You can dress up your wine rack relatively inexpensively by using veneer. In case you didn't know, wood veneer is real wood!

Veneer is a thin slice of wood cut from a log with a slicing, peeling, or sawing machine. It is used on plywood, fine furniture, and laminated shapes for decorative and architectural purposes. Before a log is cut into veneer, it is often steamed or soaked in a bath of very hot water.

This "cooking" process softens the log so that veneers can be sliced without tearing and splitting. After the veneer is sliced, it's pressed flat between heated platens and bundled into stacks in the same order that it was removed from the log.

Veneer opens a whole new world of woodworking to even the most experienced craftsperson. With an exotic veneer, simple wine rack projects can be turned into works of art. In fact, a highly figured veneer can often be the qualifying characteristic that makes one wine rack project stand well above the rest.

Veneer gives you a unique opportunity to work with some of the most beautiful and exotic woods in the world without having to dip into your retirement account. Wood veneer has several distinct advantages over solid lumber that can't be overlooked. For example, veneering allows you to match an exposed back panel to its case wood without having to buy an entire piece of expensive hardwood plywood. It is these advantages that have brought the art of veneering into most professional cabinet and furniture shops.

The good news is that with the right tools, veneering is relatively easy and it's now becoming a mainstream technique used by weekend warriors to turn even the most mundane wine rack projects into heirloom quality masterpieces.
About the Author

Celine Yong is a wine and DIY enthusiast who can show you how to build a wine rack in less than four hours by choosing from twelve wine rack plans and more than twenty wine rack designs! Visit http://www.howtomakeawinerack.com to subscribe for free to her 4-part mini-course and free wine rack plan worth $37.

Discover Hanging Wine Racks and Wine Floor Display Racks

2007-09-21T10:04:00.000-07:00

Hanging wall racks make use of available space. Many of us have overhead wall space in our kitchen that is either filled with an eclectic hodgepodge of dust collectors, or left bare. This space could be better utilized by many, with a hanging wine rack.

Hanging wine racks come in a vast selection of sizes and styles. Typically, a matrix or boxed style functions well in the kitchen. These wine racks are mounted to the wall or are hung on supports. Each individual bottle is generally enclosed in its own box or space. By having separate compartments, the bottles remain in pristine condition, the labels are not damaged by rubbing or scrapping against other bottles and breakage is kept to the bottle you are handling.

On the opposite direction of hanging wine racks, wine floor display racks are also a great way to store and show your favorite bottles. Every wine connoisseur has a few favorites, be it the one from your wedding, or the one your grandfather gave you at graduation. What better way to display these special bottles than in a wine floor display rack.

True to their name, wine floor display racks sit on the floor. They can be either metal or wood in construction and either decorative or functional. It is important when selecting a wine floor display rack to ascertain the area the wine rack will be used. If the wine floor display rack is going to be in a public area, then a decorative wine floor rack should be your choice. If you are looking to store and display your bottles in a discrete area, like a pantry or cellar, a less expensive, more substantial wine floor rack might be your choice.

Hanging wall racks and wine floor display racks are a great way to properly store and display your wine collection. Both of these wine racks use space that is generally neglected or filled with unnecessary dust collectors. Use your space wisely and to its fullest potential. Buy a hanging wall rack or wine floor display rack and show your style!

Wooden Wine Rack Vs. Metal Wine Rack

2007-09-21T10:03:00.000-07:00

There is more than one kind of wine rack on the market and choosing the right wine rack for your wine collection is no small task. You have a choice between a metal wine rack and a wooden wine rack, these are the most favored type of wine racks to date. Each wine rack has its own set of benefits and the wine rack that you choose will take a couple of things into consideration such as personal taste and home d cor.

A wooden wine rack is nice because it looks great and is generally pretty easy to put together. Not many people have too much trouble with the average wooden wine rack. A wooden wine rack also tends to be quite light while still being able to hold an enormous amount of weight.

There is also flexibility to a wooden wine rack and that is in its paint ability. You can paint this type of wine rack to match just about any home d cor. It is even easy to build your own wooden wine rack if you like to build things for the home and this type of wine rack is very durable and can last you for years to come. There is another perk to a wooden wine rack and that is the fact that if you were to bump your wine bottle a little hard on the wine rack for some reason accidentally it is less likely to shatter on a wine rack compared to on a metal wine rack.

A metal wine rack is also very popular among today s wine enthusiasts. You can get shapes and styles in a metal wine rack that you simply cannot get in a wooden wine rack. For many people this itself is the selling point and the fact that a wine rack will last you forever and you can find a metal wine rack is any shape size or color and down the road if you want to repaint it you can.

If you do choose a painted metal wine rack though, make sure that it has been painted with chip resistant paint or you could find it losing its paint right away. Metal racks are strong and they are durable but when they break they are much harder to repair than their wooden wine rack counterparts. You cannot just whip up a quick fix for a metal wine rack so make sure that the one that you choose is high quality.

Custom Wine Racks - Do You Really Need One

2007-09-21T10:02:00.000-07:00

by Melanie Hudson

Many people are searching for custom wine racks without realizing they may not need a custom rack at all. Custom wine racks are in some cases considerably more expensive as those -off the shelf- wine racking products. Additionally to that, custom wine racks require substantial amount of good nerves as it may last several weeks or even months to get them manufactured, without even counting in the time to negotiate right dimensions and style with the producer.

The reality shows that custom wine racks are rarely the only solution that matches ones wine storage needs. People will decide for a custom wine rack predominantly for one of following two reasons. They want a wine storage rack that perfectly fits the room in terms of dimensions; or they want a wine storage rack that matches their specific ideas on design and style.

Let us say that you search for a wine rack which dimensions are optimal for your wine storage room. Firstly check out at least 5 different wine storage racks vendors before giving your hopes up. In days of excellent world wide web accessibility, a simple -wine storage rack- googling will throw out thousands of wine rack stores and manufacturers. Going through first 10 hits should do the trick of finding the dimension you need. And even if you do not find your dimension displayed directly on their website, do not be lazy and write them a mail. A short mail does not cost you anything, but it can save you hundreds of dollars on custom wine rack.

If a specific material, design or style is conditioning your wine rack purchase, you should get acquainted with at least 20 different wine rack producers. The choice of styles and designs on the market is overwhelming. There are over 1000 different styles to choose from just in category wrought iron wine racks, not even mentioning the choice of colors and other material. It is highly unlikely not to find a style that comes really close to your expectations. Almost certainly there is a wine rack that will feel as made just for you. The market is being flooded with cheap wholesale wine racks and makes it even easier for you to find a specific and unique wine rack with smaller vendors. Only few people in the world will own a limited production wine rack from a smaller but established boutique wine rack manufacturer. So your wine rack will besides matching your style expectations, come pretty close to the definition of a unique wine rack. And it will still be cheaper than a custom wine rack.

The time and the effort needed to find that specific wine rack are sometimes just not worth the pain. And it just may be the case that you will not find the specific dimension or the specific style. In that case custom made wine storage racks are unavoidable. Than again some rare but truly dedicated wine collectors will just not scarify their dreams of a perfect custom wine storage rack.

About the Author

Check out {http://www.wine-storage-racks.com/custom-wine-rack.php"}custom wine racks at wine-storage-racks.com, a popular website that offers free advice on wine storage.

Wine Rack Storage: Simple Guides on Choosing The Right Rack for Your Wines!

2007-09-21T10:01:00.000-07:00

When you hear the word wine , most probably the thing that pops-up to your mind is celebration . Most, if not all, are using wines as symbols of merrymaking and festivities; most celebrations, gatherings and special occasions include wine.

When a friend visits you at your place, wine will be poured; when your children got awards and honors at school, the elders drink wine to celebrate; and when you re promoted, surely, there s wine. There are even households that include wine in their meals. Indeed, wine has become part of some people s lives over the years that they even make collecting wines as hobby.

And if you re among those some who enjoys collecting wines, you must be in need of wine rack storage; you ll need wine rack storage especially if your collections are getting big. If this is the case, you can get wine rack storage; there are dealers who offer wine rack storage for different needs. Whether you need wine rack storage for business, at the office for clients or simply at your personal wine bar at home; there are wine rack storage that will surely fit your preferences.

Wine rack storage mostly comes in different designs and you can use them whether in decorative purpose or utilitarian. But, all wine rack storage comes to one common ground; that is to hold wine bottles to free up space in your bars or cellars.

Some wine rack storage are designed to:

Safely store bottles
Or simply to display wine

A wine rack storage can:

Add ambience to a room
Protect wine in a cellar

In choosing your wine rack storage, determine if you re going to need it in your cellar or in your wine counter or bar.

There are wine rack storage called cellar style wine rack storage:

These kind of wine rack storage can be modular or stackable thus you can buy as few or many as you need

These wine rack storage are usually made of wood; most often made of pine

Cellar style wine rack storage are rectangular in frames and without front or back; usually stand on a wide foot

The wine rack storage in this type have frames with vertical runners that forms small square compartments

A small modular wine rack storage normally holds 10 bottles of wine

If you don t have cellars and only need wine rack storage for your bar counters or tables, there are ornate wine rack storage:

Most of these wine rack storage are available in materials like wrought iron

These wine rack storage are mostly crafted in various designs, e.g a ribbon that is gracefully wrapping around it; this can hold a single bottle of wine.

Most of these wine rack storage are used as purely decorative wine rack storage on counters or table for a romantic dinner.

Simple wine rack storage like wine cabinets is also available. They come in various types and sizes. These wine rack storage may come as small as 4 x7 or as large as 7 x10 . Wine rack storage are also available in varieties of purpose, d cor and personality; the latter referring to your personal choices.

Some types of wine rack storage available in the market are:

Grid wine rack storage

Short wine rack storage

Diamond cube wine rack storage

Wine tasting table wine rack storage

Wall wine rack storage

Tree wine rack storage

These are just among the many innovative wine rack storage designs that are available. Wine rack storage is mostly available at department stores and other specialty shops. You can also avail wine rack storage on online stores; you can browse their catalogues of various wine rack storage.

Displaying Your Wine With A Wine Rack Bar

2007-09-21T09:59:00.000-07:00

The challenge when decorating a living space lies in the ability to provide a comfortable, functional environment while still including all of the design elements that you enjoy. With the display of items that have meaning to you, you draw people into your home and give them a glimpse into your personality. For wine lovers, the display of a beautiful collection can add instant sophistication to any room. And the functionality of a wine rack bar allows you to accomplish this while still maximizing space and providing useful storage

A wine rack bar serves a dual function, storing and displaying wine bottles, while providing space for serving drinks. It can be a wonderful way to pull a room together, ridding it of clutter, and organizing wine bottles into an effective and usable system.

When choosing a wine rack bar, look first at the overall look of the room in which you will place it. Be sure the wine rack bar blends into your general d cor; this can be achieved quite easily as wine racks come in a variety of styles, colors, and materials. Constructed of solid wood of many varieties, metal, and wrought iron, the wine rack bar can lend itself to a range of different decorating themes. So if a contemporary design is what you re looking to achieve, then a wine rack bar made of metal or sleek wood will easily fit your requirements; if it s a country feel you enjoy, then a lighter wood or even wrought iron design may help you achieve your desired result.

A wine rack bar should also correspond to both the size of your living space and the size of your wine collection. For the display of just a few bottles or in smaller living environments a simple, smaller wine rack bar will fit quite nicely. For larger wine bottle collections or in larger living spaces you can get away with a more grandiose wine rack bar. Additionally, if you also choose to display and store stemware and barware, you may choose to look for a wine rack bar that has a bit more accessories than the simpler designs.

Once you take space, style, and price into consideration you re ready to find the perfect wine rack bar. Start by looking in furniture stores you may be surprised at the affordable beautiful designs. But no matter where you purchase your wine rack bar, you will surely find its presence one that brings organization and sophistication to your home.

Homemade Wine Recipes: Discovering Exciting Possibilities With New Ingredients

2007-09-21T09:53:00.000-07:00

Homemade Wine Recipes: Discovering Exciting Possibilities With New Ingredients
Homemade wine recipes have been around for several years. In fact, for hundreds of years, people have come up with different types of homemade wine recipes. Wine making techniques improved over the years, and many of the recipes have evolved along with the changes in the past.

This has given birth to different possibilities in the wine making process. These recipes changed over the years, with people adding or taking out certain steps or ingredients. With these homemade wine recipes you can explore almost everything under the sun.

This attitude has given birth to all kinds of variations in homemade wine recipes by utilizing different ingredients. In order to easily discover a new variation, use any of the recipes you already have only as a guide.

If you think of recipes as guides and you measure the variables you can, you will naturally find yourself adjusting ingredients to fit your circumstances.

A simple variation to your recipes that will yield a significant difference is by using alternative choices in grapes. These are a welcome change from standard grape vintages, and will add a unique characteristic to your recipe. The four types of grapes I would recommend experimenting with are Tempranillo, Graciano, Garnacha, and Malyasia.

Tempranillo grapes were brought by Spain to the pilgrims during the Crusades, and give wine a deep, rich color. Graciano grapes are found more in France than anywhere else. Garnacha is a red grape that is used most commonly for blending. Malyasia is of the white grape variety, and used in many wines. Of course this is not an exhaustive list, but it's enought to get you started.

Another option to your homemade wine recipes is by substituting different fruits in place of grapes. Many wine makers are experimenting with making wine out of fruits and berries. Any type of fruit will work, whatever you prefer.

Home vintners have long experimented with various fruits with traditional local fruits. If you can think of a fruit, you can pretty much bet that someone has made a wine out of it.

Delicious homemade wine can be made from many fruits, berries, and other foods. Some that can be used are blackberries, strawberries, peaches, watermelon, plums, grapefruit, apricots, almonds, apple cider, pears, pineapples, bananas, cranberries, dates, figs, carrots, cherries, garlic, ginger, mint, melons, onions, pea pods, honeysuckle, jelly, kiwi, pumpkin, raspberries, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and zucchini.

Bland fruit will compel you to add more fruit than the recipe calls for, but even this may not be enough if the flavor is really poor.

So, if the fruit lacks flavor, spike the must with more flavorful base. This may mean changing the character of the wine with, say, nectarines or kiwi fruit or fresh pineapple chunks.

As you apply your individual creativity and personality will surely find many, many exciting possibilities. I would like to be the first to wish you good luck as you discover your new homemade wine recipes.

By: David Hall
David Hall is recognized as a leading expert on wine and wine making and author of 'The Wine Connoisseur' ebook and audio book. Discover even more homemade wine recipes and wine making secrets! Get instant access to his free mini-course at www.Wine-Handbook.com

Wine Storage is the Key to Preserving and Aging Your Wine

2007-09-21T09:51:00.002-07:00

Wine storage is key to the success of any collection. If you enjoy collecting fine wines then you will want to look into the best of all wine storage options. There are many different ways to store your wine but no matter which wine storage solution you choose you will need to keep the conditions constant.

The temperature of any wine storage space needs to be at a constant 50-60 degrees. There should also be plenty of ventilation of the area and this wine storage should be far away from the main area of the house. You do not want to have your wine collection suffering due to too much vibration and you need to keep any source of light to a minimum. No sunlight should be permitted into the wine storage area.

You can use a wine cellar for your wine storage or you can have a special cooler. Wine racks are a necessary part of your wine storage. The wine racks can be made of metal or wood and the wine storage that you choose will be a matter of personal taste. Both of these sorts of racks are wonderful to look at but the metal racks tend to be more flamboyant and stylish while the wood racks are classic and traditional in style.

You may want to choose your racks in order to have them match the rest of your wine storage solution. The final choices that you make will be affected somewhat by whether or not you are planning to show off your wine cellar to your friends. If you are then your wine storage solutions will need to be a little more coordinated.

So look into the wine racks and other wine storage options that will all look well together. Your wine storage area can look like those of a professional wine collector. It is not hard to do but it can cost you a little money.

Your temporary wine storage options are a little simpler. Just before you serve your wine you will probably want to chill it, this of course depends on the wine. In order to store your wine for chilling you can look into cool wine storage solutions. Wine coolers are easy to find, you can find them in many department stores or wine stores. Even the Internet is a great source for finding these types of wine storage options.

You Can Look Up Everything That You Need To Know About Wine Online

2007-09-21T09:51:00.001-07:00

If you are a genuine wine lover or even if you are just slightly interested in the subject you can find everything that you need to know about wine online. Looking up wine online is simple and easy and it takes almost no time at all. No matter what you want to know about this fascinating subject you can find about wine online.

Looking up wine online has never been easier than it is today and as time passes it will only get even easier. This is because there are so many people just like you out there who love to learn as much as they can about wine. Since there is this need for information more and more people are putting the knowledge that they have about wine online. All of these wine online websites will give you all kinds of info.

Start your search of wine online by deciding what it is you are looking for exactly. The more you can narrow your search the better your search for wine online will be. So if for example you are doing a search in google about wine cabinets you will type this into the search box. You should then get a list of all the wine online sites that have this kind of info. Then all you have to do is click on the links and go to town. You can read about your subject matter as much or as little as you need to when you are doing a wine online search.

You can also purchase wine online. This is a great way to buy your wine whether you are a collector or even if you are just looking for that special wine to celebrate a special occasion. When you search for wine online you can compare the prices and the years and any other characteristic of your wine that you want.

Buying wine online is just as easy as looking for information about wine online is. There are thousands of wine merchants who will be willing to ship you as much wine as you want. You can find wine online from another country even. It is nice to be able to get Italian wine online without ever having to go there!

So the next time you need some info about wine or you are looking to purchase some wine online just check the internet.

Wine Cellar Innovations

2007-09-21T09:49:00.000-07:00

The basic purpose of a wine cellar is to effectively control the aging process of wine. Once bottled, wine starts to mature, so proper storage is essential for it to mature in the right manner. The advantage of having a wine cellar is that you don't have to go out and get a bottle of wine every time you are ready to sit down and eat, or want to enjoy a glass. Having your own cellar enables you to plan and store wines for special occasions, even the odd unforeseen ones.

A wine cellar is basically a storage place for wine. Any dark cool room will do; it doesn't necessarily have to be underground. A wine cellar can be any location from a spot below the basement staircase to a room built especially for this purpose. Innovators work with the homeowner to design a cellar, which might include carvings, pillars, molding along the wall and perhaps a decorative wine-tasting table that is usually positioned outside the cellar. Traditionally, a wine cellar was underground because such a location kept the wines at a proper temperature. Ideally, a wine cellar should be dry and cool. The ideal temperature to be maintained is 50 - 55 F, but a reasonably consistent temperature between 45 F and 70 F is acceptable. What's important is that the temperature remains constant. If there are changes to the temperature, the change shouldn't be drastic. Although wines age faster in warmer temperatures, excessive heat can damage the wine. Expertise lies in getting the temperature just right.
Wine cellar air conditioning units control the temperature in order to age wine in perfect conditions. They also provide the ideal humidity level for a wine cellar. The type of cellar that you need depends on the kinds of wine in your collection.

The Ten-minute Sommelier A Wine Guide

2007-09-21T09:45:00.000-07:00

Below, you'll find extensive information on leading wine bar articles and products to help you on your way to success.

By Josh
Of course, if your restaurant is serious about serving wine, you will want to have a wine expert on hand. This kind of expert is called a "sommelier", which is French for wine steward. However, for the restaurant that wants to just keep a few bottles on the menu, a basic working knowledge of wine will be enough to get a grip on the subject.

Wine has enjoyed an explosion in popularity recently. Medical research has confirmed that not only is wine enjoyable to the senses, but it is good for the body as well. The newly-discovered health benefits of wine have led to a resurgence in its popularity.

But, of course, wine has always been popular with the serious gourmet. Wine fanciers are a pretty sophisticated lot, and wine knowledge is so intricate and esoteric that you're almost guaranteed to find no end of things to learn about it. Get used to the idea that you will meet "wine snobs", who hold their knowledge of wine to be some kind of distinguishing mark of their high class. If you're catering to the wine elite, this article obviously won't be for you. For the rest of us common folk, here's just enough to know the basics.

Wine goes into two categories: red and white. These are also known as "mostly sweet" and "mostly dry", or tart. Some exceptions exist so that some red wines are tart and some white wines are sweet, but they are rare. The general rule of thumb for serving with dishes is that white wines go with seafood and poultry and red wines go with everything else.

In the category of white wines, we have: Chardonnay, which is the most popular, being flexible with a wide range of flavors and usually dry and full-bodied. Sauvignon, which is sharp and dry, kind of like aged cheddar with a bite and a kick. Riesling, which is usually German, having the character of being light with some dryness. Finally, there is White Zinfandel, which is mildly sweet.

The other category is red wines, with the most popular kinds being: Cabernet, which is the most popular; it has a medium to bold taste, and is sometimes sweet. Merlot, which is deep in color and flavor and very, very full-bodied. Pinot Noir, which is a gamble, since it is expensive, hard to get fermented just right, but very tasty when it's done right and hence held in wide esteem. And at last we have Red Zinfandel, which like its white cousin is also very sweet and light.

In addition to sorting wines with these breeds, there is also categories of wines designating their intended purpose. So there is the Aperitif, used for a before-meal appetizer; it is often flavored, and it includes Sherry and Madeira. Table Wine, which is served with the meal or as a stand-alone refreshment. Dessert Wine, which, as the name suggests, is very sweet and goes well with cake or cheese; these include the varieties of Port, Tokay, and also Sherry.

And finally, there are the other categories which fit alongside grape wines. Sparkling Wines are what we commonly call champagne. Of course, your chef will know about cooking wines which are meant to fry your flounder in and not for drinking, and are usually very salty or spicy. At last we have the category of "country wines", which

are made from something besides grapes; country wines can and are made from everything from apples to gooseberries, and may be separated into sub-categories just like grape wines.

The flavors and characteristics of wine have their own jargon. Wine grapes, without any additives at all, can encompass a huge array of character in taste and smell. Taste is usually described in many terms. They may be: Sweet, which will mean either sweet as in sugar, or sweet as in a vanilla or apple taste. Dry here means tart or tangy, with the alcohol content showing through.

Besides dry a wine can also be described as tart, like in citrus. Fruity wines can have an under-taste ranging from raspberries to bananas - and still contain just grapes! Jammy means it has a really full-bodied fruit taste - see Merlot for a good example. Spicy can mean one of the spice tastes such as black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. Oaky means that it is subtly flavored by the oak barrels which fermented it, which is seen as a desirable feature in some wines. Last, an earthy taste is not like literal earth, but a very ripe, full taste.

Eventually as you deal in more wine, you will encounter a bad bottle. This happens in the finest establishments and vineyards, and is not to be taken personally. You usually cannot tell if a wine has gone wrong until you've opened it. The complicated business of fermenting wine leads to some mishaps involving matters of delicate chemistry.

The problems to watch for are these: Corked means the bottle's cork has gotten moldy so that the wine will smell like a mildewed cardboard box. Buttery will mean that it has a taste like butter, which is caused by some complicated yeast chemistry; however in Chardonnay some butter flavor is encouraged on purpose.

Oxidized will simply mean the wine is flat, with very little taste except for the alcohol and acid. Finally, reduced means it has an overpowering musky or burnt odor, which comes from the wine not getting enough oxygen. These are not subtle errors. When wine is too bad to drink, you will know as soon as the bottle is opened; the smell should tell you right away. All of these problems are highly uncommon.

Alcohol content is evident from the flavor: the lighter the flavor, the lower the alcohol, and the fuller the flavor, the higher the alcohol. The color, however, is determined by tannins, which are the residues left from grape skins. So red wines are allowed to have contact with the grape skins while white wines have no exposure to them. Tannins also contribute to a wine's longevity, so white wine ages faster, while red wines can be stored for much longer. 'Bouquet' is another word for aroma, and most of what applies to taste applies to aroma as well.

These are just the basics, probably most of what you need to know if your establishment keeps about five or six brands on hand for serving. If this is your set up, try to have one each of the more popular varieties. About six wines will be enough to handle most of a simple menu.
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Champagne Or Sparkling Wine?

2007-09-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

Below, you'll find extensive information on leading buy wine articles and products to help you on your way to success.

By Evelyn
Many people don't realize it, but there is a difference between sparkling wine and real champagne. Champagne is only champagne if it comes from a certain area of France and it actually says "Champagne" on the label.

Beside the fact that Champagne is only made in France, there are other strict guidelines to how Champagne is made.

Unlike most wines, champagne goes through a secondary fermentation process which is done in the bottle. That's what causes natural carbon dioxide gas to get caught inside. This trapped co2 is what causes the bubbles.

Sparkling wines do not go through a secondary fermentation process. Sparkling wine is made from regular wine with co2 injections. This is done the same way as when they make coke or any other type of soda.

But does sparkling wine taste the same as champagne? The answer to this is that they may taste close, but the real difference can be told with a taste test. Champagne is bubblier and a bit lighter and sparkling wines will always carry a taste from the region they are from. Most people tend to prefer the real champagne.

The best way to chill champagne is not in the freezer, but rather in the refrigerator for not more than a couple of days. Better yet, 30 minutes before you are ready to drink the champagne, put it in a champagne cooler that is filled with equal parts ice and water and chill.

When you are ready to open the bottle, make sure that it is always pointed away from yourself and anyone else. To be on the safe side, keep your thumb on top of the cork and with your other hand separate the wire from the bottle. Hold the cork and top part of the bottle firmly in your hand while holding the bottom

of the bottle with your other hand. Slowly turn the bottom of the bottle. You do not want the cork to pop, but in case it does and champagne comes pouring out of the bottle do not turn the bottle upright, but rather at an angle which will stop the flow of champagne.

So how do you know what to look for when choosing your champagne? Assess the bubbles. How many are there, how big are they and how fine are the beads? A young champagne will have lots of bubbles where as an older champagne will have less bubbles. Vintage champagne is any champagne that has a date on the label. It means all the grapes were picked in that same year. Non vintage champagne is a mix of various years and a mix of different kinds of grapes.

Labels can tell you more than whether the champagne is a vintage or not. You can also tell how dry the champagne is. For example, "Brut" is the driest of champagnes with almost no residual sugars. Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry and Dry are the four different levels of dryness you can get. It can be misleading because by the time you get to "Dry" you are actually drinking champagne which is more on the sweet side.

What type of glass should you use to drink champagne from? It all depends on how many bubbles you want your champagne to have. Narrower glasses or flutes keep the bubbles in the best. If you were to pour champagne from a flute to a martini glass, you would see almost of all the bubbles disappear. But this does not mean your champagne has gone flat. Pour it back into the flute and the bubbles will come back.
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Wine Producing States In America

2007-09-21T09:43:00.000-07:00

Below, you'll find extensive information on leading red wine articles and products to help you on your way to success.

By faye
According to an issue of Travel+Leisure magazine, Virginia is one of the five up-and-coming wine destinations worldwide. Parts of Italy, Chile, Spain and New Zealand rounded out the Top Five. Virginia is home to over 100 wineries and there are wine trails that make tasting trips easy to plan.

These regions have a mix of restaurants, lodging and other attractions, he said, such as the Boar's Head Inn in Charlottesville. "The idea is there's a critical mass of stuff," he said. "I think of it as great places to stay, a terrific local cuisine and wines worthy of seeking out to visit." These regions don't match Tuscany or Napa Valley, but they are emerging as wine tourism destinations, he said. "These are places that are the next echelon," Schoenfeld said. "Now the idea is where to go next with places that will surprise you."

This is a welcome boost for the state's wine industry after crops were slammed by a storm late last month. Many grape crops were ravaged by pounding hail and strong winds during a storm, and farmers will have to determine if any of the vines will survive.

Texas ranks fifth among wine-producing states. It's becoming a hot industry down there and consumers want to drink more and more homegrown vino. The popularity has piqued the interest of many people who are considering getting into the business, but growing grapes is not all wine and roses.

From The Southwest Farm Press:
"A lot of people associate owning a vineyard with some kind of Napa Valley lifestyle, but it's not for the faint of heart, especially while you're getting through the start-up period." he said. "Anyone getting into this business needs to realize it's the ultimate hands-on farming operation. There's a lot of work to do in the field, plus you have to be aware of weather, plant disease and many other factors beyond your control." The eclectic mix of growing environments in the North Texas region pose greater challenges than other

areas of the state, added Fran Pontasch, Extension viticulture advisor for that area. "Every limiting factor (to wine-grape production) can be found in the region," she said. "Low pH, high pH, heat. It pretty much depends on where you are. That's why site selection is so important." Pontasch counsels newcomers to viticulture to have their soil and water tested before planting, she said.

Each region presents its own challenges, but for those with a passion, it can be a great way to spend your life!

While Idaho, has been known for a long time as one of the states in the U.S. that isn't that easy to get a drink in. In fact, they only recently lost one of their last "dry" counties, so they are bursting at the seams it seems. Now that they can drink, they can also start planting their own vineyards and making their own wine along the Snake River Valley. This river goes through a pretty large portion of the state, so this is a pretty big deal.

From Idaho Wine Industry Gets Major Boost:

It's a first for the state of Idaho that could bring in big dollars. The U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau has designated Idaho's Snake River Valley as an American Viticultural Area, or AVA. That distinction brands the southern portion of the state as America's next great wine region.

As of April 9th, Idaho's Snake River Valley will take its place among 236 AVA's in the U.S.A. a third of which are in California. "It's an exciting time," said Ron Bitner, owner of Bitner Vineyards and the acting director of the Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission, "We are finally going to take off and be part of the Idaho culinary experience."

The AVA extends along the Snake River, east to west, from the Twin Falls area into Oregon. Several factors make this region prime for growing grapes.
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Wine And Food Pairings

2007-09-21T09:42:00.000-07:00

Below, you'll find extensive information on leading wine articles and products to help you on your way to success.
By Saleem
Wine is formed when grapes are crushed and the juice ferments. It ferments due to the naturally occurring yeast on the skins of the grapes. Of course there is a great deal more involved in the making of a good wine. It starts really with the planting of the vineyard or even before that with all the planning and preparation that goes into it first. Some grapes are more suited to making wine than others, so this has to be taken into consideration as well.

Once the grapes are successfully growing on the vine, it's important to choose the correct time for harvest. Sugar levels of the ripe grapes must be at a maximum. An expert in the field, chewing on the seeds and skins and sampling the sweetness of the grape juice, discerns this. Once it is decided that the grapes are at the perfect stage for harvesting, workers commence cutting the bunches as quickly as possible. Every delay means that the grapes will be over-ripe and thus unfit for making wine. The bunches of grapes are dropped into bins and transported to the winery.

In the old days, harvested grapes were crushed by means of people treading on them with their bare feet. These days they are crushed by machines, a rather more hygienic way - and the fermenting process is carried out in stainless steel vats. Although yeast occurs naturally on the skins of the grapes, the wine-maker will add more yeast of a special culture for winemaking. During fermentation, the yeast that is present in the mixture will begin to digest the sugars that are present. When all the sugar has been digested, the yeast then gradually drops to the bottom of the liquid. This is then poured off into barrels to complete the aging process. These barrels are traditionally made of oak and play an important part in the process of wine making. During the aging process, the wine is moved from full to empty barrels several times, with the solids in the bottom of the barrel removed, and the barrel used again. This process is called racking.

After several months in barrels, the wine is poured into bottles where the aging process is continued. Eventually the wine will reach the consumer in top condition, ready to help him celebrate life or mourn death. Most wines are made from grapes, however wine can also be made from other fruits and even from the flower of the dandelion.

Since there are many factors involved in making wine,

there are also many factors to take into consideration when deciding what makes one wine better than another. Some would assert that the age of the wine is the biggest factor and that the older the wine the better it is, but this is not always true. Some wines do not age well.

So what makes one wine better than another? Often it is only in the opinion of the taster, however there are a few points to consider. The variety of the grape is one important consideration. Many different kinds of grapes are used in winemaking and each has its own unique flavor and aroma. Purists would claim that each has its own texture as well. But even before we get to the type of grape, there is the difference in the soil they grow in. This is not just the quality of the soil for it will of necessity be as good as possible. Some soils are chalky and others rich and loamy. Each has bearing on the type and flavor of the grape it produces.

Another consideration must be the climate the grape grows in. Not only the climate geographically, but the kind of year it has been weather-wise in a particular grape growing area. While some climates are ideal for grape growing, you might get a year that is too wet, or too dry. Or the rain comes rather earlier, or later than is ideal. In some cases the type of weather that suits one kind of grape is disastrous for another in the same vicinity. Certain types of grapes need moist, humid conditions to grow well, other need drier weather. It all plays a part in the finished product. Some years have been considered the perfect year for winemaking but sometimes this is unknown until the wine is actually opened and tasted when it is fully matured.

Since wines are kept in wooden barrels to age, some people assert that the most important consideration is the type of wood the barrels are made of. Traditionally, barrels made of English oak were considered the only way to go, but in later years, American Redwood has been used, as there were simply not enough oak barrels available. The temperature during fermentation and the type of yeast culture used also play an important part in the end result. Luckily, there is always a wine that will suit each person, no matter what the weather, soil or grape variety is.

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Wine Making For Beginners

2007-09-21T09:13:00.000-07:00

If you are interested in wine making then you need to do a little homework before you get started. Wine making is not something that you can just plunge into and learn along the way, you need to do some research so that you know that you are not missing any vital wine making steps or processes. If you do miss these wine making your wine could very well turn out tasting like anything but wine.

Wine making is a something fun that you can do in your spare time and at the end you will have a glorious result. Wine making is something that people tend to get hooked on because the very first batch is not usually perfect, it may taste delicious but it will not be perfect. As you learn about wine making and as you get the wine making experience behind you your wine will get better and better. You will undoubtedly pick up tips and tricks to help you improve your wine making capabilities.

The vast majority of wines use the grape for a reasons and this is because this little grape will have so many of the necessary wine ingredients already infused into it. In wine making your success is going to be all about balance and chemicals and the grape has many of the necessary chemicals in it already.

For good and delicious wine making you need to have the right balance of sugar, tannin, moisture and nutrients, well, it just so happens that the grape fits the bill to perfection. This allows for the grape to ferment, as it needs to for successful wine making. Choosing the right grape is only the beginning of your wine making journey though.

There are many different grapes that you can use and when you get more skilled at wine making you might want to add a little of some other fruits to the mix to give your wine some extra depth and flavoring. Read about the different grapes that can be used in wine making and how they affect the outcome of the wine making process. You know what kind of wine you like so this will give you an idea of which direction to take your wine making in.

Wine making is fun, remember that as you go along. If you make any mistakes along the wine making way don t worry about it, you are new and it happens to everyone once and awhile.

Giving Gift Baskets With Wine

2007-09-21T09:10:00.000-07:00

There are so many occasions in which you may want to honor someone with a gift. You may want to thank them for a job well done or to commentate a wonderful event such as a birthday or a holiday such as Christmas. But often we are at a lost at what to buy the people we care about and love. Have you ever thought about giving these such people gift baskets with wine?

You may all ready know that a gift basket is a wonderful choice in a present. It is convenient to buy, ship, deliver or give. It is easy to find that perfect gift basket for every occasion and if you have certain items you wish to include, you can also personalize the gift basket yourself. Plus, lets not forget the fact that you can buy gift baskets in all sizes, shapes, variations and price range.

When you add a nice bottle of wine to that gift basket, it suddenly becomes more than just a gift basket. It becomes an elegant gift basket.

What types of wine might you consider adding to the gift basket? If you know the recipient's favorite wine, than by all means be sure to add it. If you do not know any favorites, you can add what you like, what the salesperson recommends or experiment with some brands and vintages.

Some favorites are, of course, the dry white wines, red wines or the red, red wines, Tuscany wines, Strawberry wine and port wine. You may even want to subscribe the recipient to a fun wine of the month club. Then he/she can sample a new unique taste, each and every month for the following year. This is a great way to make sure your gift is remembered.

When giving a wine basket, be sure to add some delicious foods into the basket such as: cheese spreads and crackers, cookies or wafers, candies and chocolates, breads or breadsticks, nuts, etc.

Add a couple of nice wine glasses and your gift baskets with wine will not only be complete but happily received.

By: My Gift Basket Ideas
My Gift Basket Ideas is an online gift basket store that specializes in gift basket ideas for any occasion.http://www.mygiftbasketideas.com/

Kosher Wines

2007-09-21T09:09:00.000-07:00

Many believe that if a wine is made in Israel, it has to be Kosher. Well, that is not always so, and in fact there s a complete set of rules that make a wine kosher. In this article I will try and answer the question What is a Kosher wine? .

Generally speaking, a kosher wine is a wine that was produced according to the halacha - the rules of the Jewish religion. Those rules apply to every stage of the wine making process, and make sure that all steps have been carefully conducted.

The rules of the halacha state that the production process must be handeled by an orthodox Jewish person, and he must make sure that all stages are done properly without neglecting any of the orders. For example, the grapes must not be picked before the vineyard is 3 years of age, other kinds of fruits and vegetables must not be growing in the same field etc.

A kosher wine is called kosher , or kosher lemehadrin , while an unkosher wine is called nesech , and that means a wine that has been produced by not jewish workers. According to the halacha , even the pouring of the wine into glasses must be done by a Jewish person. The only exception to that is for cooked wines those become kosher as soon as the wine temperature is greater than 75 degrees (Celsius), even if a non Jewish person handled it.

When shopping for a kosher wine for the Passover, one must pay special attention to the kind of the hechsher and see that the product is also kosher for Passover (pesach), meaning that there are no hametz materials involved in the process, that is materials such as wheat flower and dough.

In past years it has been quite difficult to find kosher wines, especially in countries other than Israel, but today, there are many Israeli and non Israeli wines that are kosher, and the selection is quite large worldwide.
Lechayim! (Cheers)

How To Choose The Appropriate Wine Glasses For Every Situation.

2007-09-21T09:07:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been in the situation of not knowing exactly which wine on the menu goes best with what you ve ordered? Have you ever had trouble selecting wine glasses because you weren t sure about the difference between them? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, your wine education needs some improving. The Wine School of Philadelphia is the perfect place to take an enjoyable and educational wine course. At wineclass.net you can read professional wine reviews, get information on wine courses and much more.

The traditional wines are made out of fermented grape juice. As you probably know, the classic wine classification is according to its color. Therefore, the most common wines can be divided into red, white and rose. Most people believe that the color of the wine is given by the color of the grape juice. The truth is that grape juice is usually clear and the wine s color comes from the presence of grape skin in its composition. Red wine is commonly made from black or red grapes. However, its color is the result of leaving the skin in contact with the grape juice throughout the fermentation process. White wine doesn t have to be made out of white grapes. On the contrary, white wine can be the product of any color grapes, as long as the skin has been properly removed. Rose wines are in fact white wines made of very dark grapes thus receiving a pink color. Anther highly appreciated wine variation is the sparkling wine. Champagne is probably the most renowned sparkling wine and its main characteristic is the incorporation of carbon dioxide. No matter which one of these wines is your favorite, remember that a good wine can turn into a fantastic one if served properly.

Drinking wine is supposed to be one of the greater pleasures in life. Knowing how to pair wine and food is essential to enjoying your meal. If a wine is chosen properly, it will enhance the tastefulness of the food and you will appreciate your dining experience more. Simple rules, such as choosing white wine for white meat, are not that difficult to grasp. However, knowing which white wine from that long list you are presented is the most suitable and will give you the maximum pleasure, is an art. Reading wine reviews can help you get a good idea about certain wines but only completing a wine course will bring your wine education to the next level.

Most people underestimate the importance of correctly choosing their wine glasses. A wine glass can enhance the aroma and offer a beautiful visual presentation. Crystal glasses are considered to be the elite in this area, offering a beautiful light reflection. Wine glasses can be divided into three main categories, according to the type of wine to be served: the red wine glass, the white wine glass and the champagne flute. Red wine glasses are somewhat larger than the other two variations and are characterized by a wide, round bowl. This bowl format allows the wine to breathe and cool quickly after coming in contact with the consumer s hands. Red wine glasses can also be divided into distinctive categories, such as Burgundy glasses or Bordeaux glasses. White wine is usually served in narrower glasses, with tulip-shaped figures. The champagne flute is definitely the narrowest and tallest wine glass. This distinctive design helps the wine retain its sparkling properties during the serving period.
If you want to enjoy wine to the absolute fullest, there are certain things you should know first. For instance, wine glasses need to be chosen correctly for you to have the best wine drinking experience. Wine reviews reveal the experts opinions on a certain wine and help you get a general idea about it before trying it out. At wineclass.net you will find the best wine reviews online and much more useful information.
By: Ken Wilson
Drinking wine should be an experience that delights all of your senses. To get everything out of your wine drinking experiences, make sure you know how to choose the right wine glasses. Read more fantastic wine reviews on our website.

What You Can Learn From Wine Labels

2007-09-21T09:06:00.000-07:00

Have you ever stood in the wine aisle staring at row and row of wine bottles wondering which wine you should buy? Most people will select a wine because they like the label. They are usually drawn to an interesting graphic or clever name on the label. Wine labels are important marketing tools, but there are also facts to be learned by actually reading the label.

Who? The wine label will always tell the name of the winery that made the wine. Wineries often add a proprietary name to the wine. This is usually a marketing tool to encourage interest in the wine.

What? The label will state what type of wine is in the bottle. If it is labeled as a specific type of wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, this means that at least 75% of the wine was produced from Cabernet grapes. Blending juice from other types of grapes is a common practice and often will improve the flavor and aroma of the wine.

When? Vintage is the term used to refer to the year in which the grapes were grown. In the United States wineries are allowed to blend in wine from other years. However, 85% of the volume must be from the year on the label. Not all wines are bottled as vintage wines. If you don t see a year on the label, it is not a vintage wine. Vintage becomes important when wine from a particular year is known to be of better quality than wine from other years. Vintage is also important in aging wines.

Where? When a wine label states that a wine is made from California grown grapes, 100% of the grapes used to produce that wine must be from California. Other states are not as strict and usually require that 75% of the grapes come from a particular state.

Sometimes wine labels will specify which officially designated viticultural area a wine came from; usually this is a region such as Napa Valley that is noted for high quality wines. When this occurs, it means that 85% or more of the grapes must have been grown in that area.

Some vineyards have become known for producing wine of a superior quality. The winery will want to mention the vineyard on the label. Vineyard specific wines like these need to use 95% or more of the grapes from that particular vineyard.

There are wineries that specialize in estate bottled wines. Usually this would be included on the label. Estate bottled means that all of the grapes were grown by the winery and that all of the wine making processes were also under the winery s control.

The next time you are shopping for a bottle of wine, take a closer look at the wine label. You will find that wine labels can be quite informative.

Decorate With Wine Stoppers

2007-09-21T09:04:00.000-07:00

More and more people are using wine stoppers to accent their home decor in their kitchens and dining rooms. Just place a wine stopper in an empty bottle from your favorite winery and it becomes the focal point of a table centerpiece. To decorate a counter space, take several wine stoppers and use them with bottles of different colors, shapes, and sizes and you have an elegant countertop display. Bottle stoppers can be used in a variety of ways to add color and style to your home. No matter your personal style or taste, there is likely a wine stopper perfect for you.

Wine bottle stoppers are made from a variety of materials and come in an array of designs and styles. Typically the base of a stopper (the part that is inserted into the bottle) is made from chrome or cork. The top part of the wine stopper is where all of the variation occurs.

At the extremely elegant end of the style spectrum are wine stoppers that are hand-crafted with crystals and often precious metals or stones. Faberge, famous for the jeweled eggs of czarist Russia, makes a line of bottle stoppers patterned after some of their most famous eggs. Renown designers, like Jay Strongwater among others, use Swarovski crystals to decorate their elegant stoppers. Bottle stoppers like these are considered collectible works of art. You can find other high-end wine stoppers from prominent companies like Tiffany and Waterford-Wedgewood.

Also elegant, but not quite as expensive, are blown glass wine bottle stoppers which come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. These can range quite a bit in price. Typically the most expensive ones come from Murano, Italy famous for its glass blowing craftsmen. You can also find glassblowers in many local communities that create their own designs.

If your style is more shabby chic, there is company, called Knobstoppers, that makes wine stoppers out of vintage door knobs. Glass doorknobs are the most common, but you'll also find them made out of metal, wood, and porcelain. Each Knobstopper ends up being unique since they are made from actual vintage doorknobs. Often bits of paint from a bygone era will give the door knob character and make it one of a kind. This company also makes wine stoppers out of vintage pool balls.

For a rustic look, you can find stoppers made from wood. Generally these are made from hand turned hard woods and come in a variety of shapes and colors. For a western or Texan flair on your wood wine stopper you can find them enhanced with metal discs with different designs like cattle, the state of Texas, and cowboys.

Most common are pewter wine stoppers which have the most variation in shapes and themes. In addition to traditional unpainted pewter stoppers, you can find many that are painted with bright bold colors. Because of the variety of pewter bottle stoppers available you can usually find one that matches the theme of your decor. For instance, if you have a beach theme to your home, you can find pewter stoppers shaped like ships, lighthouses, sea shells, dolphins, and a variety of other nautical items. If you have a more romantic flair, you can find pewter bottle stoppers in the shape of roses, angels, hearts, and cherubs.

If you are seeking something more fun, you can find many whimsical wine stoppers. Lolita has a collection of stoppers that are adorned with feathers, beads, and faux crystals that are painted with bright colors and have fun names like "Birthday Girl", "Shopaholic", and "The Queen."

No matter your design preference and price range, you can find a wine bottle stopper that can be used to enhance your home d cor and add some extra panache to your overall decorating theme. Not only do the look great, but they still help preserve your wine!

David Scott is the proprietor of Su Vino Winery in Grapevine, Texas. You can find them on-line at www.suvinowinery.com . This award winning winery also carries a wide selection of wine stoppers, wine accessories, and wine gift baskets.

Wine Storage: Nothing New Under The Sun

2007-09-21T09:03:00.000-07:00

There is so much more to wine that putting the bottle of white out on fish nights and the bottle of red out on beef nights. Wine is at the heart of a culture and those who belong to that culture are on intimate terms with its history, which they find every bit as interesting as wine tasting.

And a big part of the history of wine is the history of wine storage. Knowing what has been understood as successful wine storage in the past may shed some light on present and future effective wine storage techniques. Wine storage, it seems, has changed surprisingly little over the millennia.

In The Middle Ages
Wine storage techniques were developed in medieval times in order to ensure a steady supply of wine during times of war, siege, and famine. Wine, in those times, was not only a beverage; both wine and beer provided dietary nutrients to those whose diets were often lacking them.

The first wine storage containers were wineskins , made of animal hides and bladders. They were followed by clay pottery; Greek and Jewish potters produced amphoras capable of storing several liters of wine. The amphora was ideal for wine storage, as it prevented both light and heat from reaching and destroying the wine, and is still used for wine storage in many areas of the world.

The First Bottles

When glass began to be produced efficiently and economically, it was not long before wine, in keeping with its elegant mystique, was bottled in crystal, glass, or porcelain. It was some time before those materials were available to anyone but the privileged class.

Today vineyards bottle their wines in glass, which is the predominant medium for of wine storage. There are, of course, six packs of wine, and some cheap win is sold in plastic containers, but plastic is neither eye-pleasing nor suitable for protecting wine from light and heat. Those who buy wine in plastic bottles, however, are probably not the same people who keep it stored for years and the wine in the bottles is likely released shortly after purchase.

Wine Storage Today

Today wine storage can involve the use of intelligent wine storage units, with different compartments the temperature and humidity of which can be adjusted to suit the needs of different wines. Wine storage techniques also has evolved to adapt to the use of cork sealed bottles, which must be stored on their sides in suitably humid environments, so that the corks stay moist and do not shrink.

But the knowledge that heat and light are the enemies of wine has been around for thousands of years, and remains the basis for all wine storage systems even today.

By: David Faulkner
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
You can also find more info on Wine And Storage and Wine Storage Cabinets. Winestoragerating.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Wine Storage.

Finding Great Wine Stores

2007-09-21T09:02:00.000-07:00

When you have a great taste for wine and want to enjoy it with your family and friends, you have to go to a wine store to look for the best wine you can have. Finding a nearest wine store where you can get all kinds of brands is something you need to do. There are so many varieties of wine available at wine stores to choose from.

In addition to that, you will also find great wine accessories to go with any kind of brand wine you love. If you are planning to give a wine basket as a gift, going to a wine store will prove to be very helpful as there will be a wide variety of wine to choose from.

Wine stores have all kinds of wine; red, white, blush and fruit wine to suit your or your friends taste. Once you step into a wine store, you are going to get an air full of wonderful and fine wine collected from the best vineyards all over the world. You can even buy wine to have a collection of your own combining different brands together.

There are many online wine stores that let you browse through their collection and buy the ones you want. Most of these websites offer special discounts and many other bonus packages that are very attractive for any wine lover. You can even customize a wine basket and have it delivered to your doorstep to enjoy your favorite wine for many days to come.

Counting Carbs With Wine

2007-07-26T04:48:00.000-07:00

The best course of action to take sometimes isn't clear until you've listed and considered your alternatives. The following paragraphs should help clue you in to what the experts think is significant.

The recent health claims that wines have antioxidants in them that may
block free radicals, prevent heart disease, cancer, and other conditions
associated with aging seems to have some validity. Polyphenol, catechin,
and cholesterol - reducing resveratrol are found predominately in red wines
in various degrees. Solitary thought as to why some of these antioxidants
are present in red wines is that grapes that have been distressed during
their growth bequeath exhibit the highest proportionate of antioxidants. Red - skinned

grapes seem to have better growing success in less temperate climates but
flourish the effects of stressful weather conditions in the form of higher
levels of resveratrol. Before all you wine enthusiasts start drumming, " I
told you so! " let me point over that many of the twin antioxidant benefits
can further be found in dark beers, radically.

What low - carbohydrate dieters are most concerned about with wine,
however, is its carbohydrate combine, loosely a function of the wine's
residual sugar blessed. Although residual sugar levels are often made
available by vintners and are a good indication as to the thinkable
dryness or altruism of a wine ( the higher the number, the sweeter the
wine ), we can't, unfortunately, extrapolate the carbohydrate count of the
wine from this figure without a full lab analysis.

Some wine - related Web sites say that there are no carbohydrates in dry
wine, a glaring example of people who have no idea of the mechanics of
fermentation. The movement of converting sugars to alcohol and carbon
dioxide during fermentation is limited by the attenuation of the yeast or
the domination of the fermentation by the vintner. In order for a wine
to have no carbohydrates in it, it would have to be pure alcohol, in
incomparable words, clear. Of range at that point, the sap would no
longer be wine, but brandy or cognac. Unabridged - and I underscore - all wines,
including barrenness wines, have some residual sugar apart behind beside the
fermentation evolution ends. Residual sugar equals carbohydrates. If it
were possible to use fermentation to friary a sugary liquid into a drink
that was free of carbohydrates, the process of distillation would be a
obtuse procedure. Only after distillation, when the resultant juice
is transformed into ethyl alcohol ( ethanol ), will a once - fermented liquid
truly become carbohydrate - free.

You capability notice while shopping for wine that some fruit - blended wines
actually carry a nutritional analysis statement on them. For any wine
with an alcohol content of less than 7 % by volume, the Food and Drug
Administration actually has jurisdiction over the nutritional labeling of
the product. However, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau ( TTB )
has jurisdiction thanks to the mandated government warnings that are also
launch on the labels of these wines and of faultless alcohol - based products.
This is one of the few times that the FDA gets involved in the realm of
daring beverages with the TTB. You'll also find nutritional information
on ciders under 7 %.

Tempranillo is the cool red wine grape variety from the Rioja region
in Spain. It is now challenging Sangiovese as the up and coming star of
the red varietal wine scene in Australia.

What kind of a margin of error does the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Field
Bureau confess in the measurement of carbohydrates in wine? From the TTB
decision: Statements of carbohydrates and fat contents [on wine labels or
advertising materials] are spanking provided the actual carbohydrate or
fat haul, as determined by ATF ( Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and
Firearms, the former alcohol function regulatory agency ) lab analysis, are
within a reasonable range below, but in no case more than 20 % above, the
labeled amount.

If you're on a low - carbohydrate diet and enjoy the occasional pressings
from " the noble grape, " the following guide of wines with their
carbohydrate counts should help you keep your colloquial carb intake in sign:

Barton & Guestier

Cabernet Sauvignon ( '02 ) 5 oz 1. 70 g
Chardonnay ( '02 ) 5 oz 1. 10 g
French Tom Cabernet Sauvignon ( '02 ) 5 oz 1. 30 g
French Tom Chardonnay ( '02 ) 5 oz 1. 10 g
French Tom Merlot ( '01 ) 5 oz 1. 40 g

Ecco Domani

Cabernet Sauvignon ( '01 ) 5 oz 4. 00 g
Chianti ( '01 ) 5 oz 3. 60 g
Merlot ( '01 ) 5 oz 4. 05 g
Pinot Bianco ( '96 ) 5 oz 3. 50 g
Pinot Grigio ( '02 ) 5 oz 3. 15 g

For more information on the carbohydrate comprehend of more than 1000
worldwide brands of beer, 400 wines, 60 liqueurs, and filtered wares,
go to www.lcbartender.com.

Bob Skilnik is a Chicagoland freelance writer who has written for the
Chicago Tribune, the Collector Magazine, the American Breweriana
Association's Journal and the National Association Breweriana
Advertising's Breweriana Collector on the subjects of beer, brewery
history and breweriana. He is a 1991 graduate of the Chicago - based Siebel
Institute of Technology, the oldest brewing school in the United States,
with a degree in Brewing Technology.

I trust that what you've read so far has been informative. The following section should go a long way toward clearing up any uncertainty that may remain.
His interests in beer and brewing were cultivated lastingness serving as a
German translator in West Germany for the United States Legion. Skilnik is
the Associate Editor for the ABA Periodical and The Fix upon newspaper, and a
member of the Society of Midland Authors and the Culinary Historians of
Chicago. He has appeared in the Chicagoland area on Media One's
television program, The Buzz, WTTW's Chicago Tonight with Bob Sirott and
Phil Ponce, Chicago's Public Radio station, WBEZ, Springfield, IL's WUIS
Radio and the WOR Morning Show with Ed Walsh in New York. Skilnik's
governmental television appearances have been on the Cold Pizza morning display
on ESPN2 and Fox News Live.

Skilnik's original effort is The Low - Carb Bartender, published by Adams
Media. This reference book of hundreds of beers, wines, liquors, and
liqueurs with their carbohydrate counts and a collection of over two
hundred despondent carb tortuous - drink recipes will be available in bookstores in
November, 2004.