Wine Cellar Cooling Systems – How to Build A Cool One

Wine cellar cooling systems are designed specifically to maintain a constant temperature between 55 to 57 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity levels between 50 to 70 percent. The right humidity levels will keep your corks moist and swollen enough thus ensuring a tighter seal while the right temperature moderates your wine’s aging process.

Always keep in mind:

• If humidity is too low, you dry out the corks, thus allowing air to slip into the bottle and if oxidation occurs, the wine will surely be ruined.

• If humidity is too high, you risk growing mold in your corks, labels and wine racks.

• If the temperature is too cold, the wine becomes dormant and would end up tasting flat instead of being fruity and sparkling.

• If the temperature is too high, you risk cooking the wine and aging it prematurely.

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The Difference Between Bordeaux and Burgundy Wine Glasses

The beauty of wine is that it is all different. Each has its own color, flavor profile, body, nose, notes, tannin levels and finish. The experience of each is taken into consideration when a really fine crystal wine glass is crafted. The size, shape, lip–everything-about the glass is researched so that type of wine is experienced to its greatest potential. An excellent example of the concept of form following function in wine glasses is the difference between Bordeaux and Burgundy crystal wine glasses.

Bordeaux Wine Glasses

The glass consists of three parts: bowl, stem and base. There are three variables when creating a wine-specific glass: size, shape and rim diameter. Bordeaux-specific wine glasses typically have a large, tall bowl. A perfect example would be the impressive Riedel Sommeliers series Bordeaux wine glass for reds (there are many other fine crystal manufacturers that make wine-specific glasses, but for the purpose of this article I’m using one of my personal favorites). It is a simple, unadorned-yet-elegant glass engineered specifically for the heavier reds of the Bordeaux region of France (or their international counterparts), which produces not only the varietal, but also the many blends that include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Carbernet Franc and Petite Verdot grapes. The large bowl of the Bordeaux-specific glass provides ample surface area for the full-bodied reds to be swirled to aerate and open up the nose of the wine and evaporate alcohol, taking into account the interaction of the fruits, minerals, acids, tannins and alcohol of the wine. The tall height of the bowl allows for the optimal amount of oxygen to fill the glass and enable the person drinking it to experience a heightened sense of the aroma, or bouquet. The cut rim allows the wine to direct smoothly onto the center of the tongue, creating the perfect balance of fruit, tannin and acidity. Continue reading “The Difference Between Bordeaux and Burgundy Wine Glasses”

Satisfying Wine and Beer Pairings for Lamb

So you want to showcase your culinary skills at the upcoming dinner party you are hosting this weekend with a delectable lamb feast? Be sure you choose the right beer and wines to match the flavors of your dish!

Although both red and wine are great for any American lamb meal, it is important to match the right type to compliment the particular ingredients in the meal you are preparing. As for beer, finding a match is a bit more of a challenge. Once you decide on the recipe you want to prepare, it is helpful to know which batches and bottles to serve with your lamb course. Continue reading for delicious wine and beer pairings perfect for a variety of lamb dishes.

White Wines:

Pinot Gris – Pairs well with Lamb Goat Cheese Salad

Pinot Gris is a light-bodied wine celebrated for its citrusy flavors and crisp, clean finish. These light attributes makes it perfect for lighter lamb dishes.

Sauvignon Blanc – Pairs well with Lamb Roast and Root Vegetables Continue reading “Satisfying Wine and Beer Pairings for Lamb”

A Wine Taster’s Guide to Environmental Wines – A Look at Lageder Reds

With today’s global attention focused on environmental health, entrepreneurs, citizen groups, and national governments attempt cooperation to improve air, water, and soil quality, to safeguard oceans and forests and especially to control climate change.

You can join the effort at your next wine tasting party by choosing wines from an eco-friendly winery like Alois Lageder. As you pour your guests a glass of these planet conscious wines, you can pass on knowledge that shows this historic Italian winery is no newcomer to environmentalism. This article looks at the aspects of eco-friendly winemaking including how winemakers create a natural balance to increase the vitality and pest and disease resistance of vines with a focus on one of the long time advocates of environmentalism in wine.

Alois Lageder

Winemaker Alois Lageder is one of many with environmental concerns, but for him, they are not recent. Born in 1950, Alois Lageder owns family vineyards located on steep Alpine slopes far from any beaten path in Alto Adige. The region borders Austria where residents speak both Italian and German and the past still dominates viticulture and winemaking. However, Alois Lageder’s visionary plan has always embraced modern technology. Instead of operating at cross-purposes, he sees nature, humans, and technology as cooperative forces with art as an expression of nature that informs people, an outlook that sends him to the top of any eco-friendly red wine club list. Continue reading “A Wine Taster’s Guide to Environmental Wines – A Look at Lageder Reds”

Low Alcohol Wine, Good For Your Health

At the end of the day there is nothing better than winding down with a glass of wine. So let’s look into low alcohol wine and see why it is good for your health.

If you have visited a wine bar or hotel, you might have noticed that the size of these glasses has increased by as much as 50 per cent in volume. So what, you might say, but this is a cause for concern.

It is obvious why this is happening – to boost sales and increase profits for businesses, possibly struggling in difficult times. The introduction of these large wine glasses, especially in pubs and wine bars, is no doubt great for business, but it’s not great for your health.

I’m sure many consumers agree, and can’t see what the fuss is about. While the contents of one bottle will fit into perhaps just four glasses instead of the usual six, are these producers and vendors swaying away from a moral responsibility? Some will say yes they are, others, absolutely not. This is where there is room for a low alcohol version. Continue reading “Low Alcohol Wine, Good For Your Health”

Wine Cooler Brands – What You Should Know Before You Buy

Are you a connoisseur of wine or just the occasional wine drinker who likes to impress his friends? One way to do this depends on the wine cooler brand you choose to display and chill your wine. Knowing the features you would prefer in a cooler will go a long way in aiding you make a choice in a brand that you will enjoy for a long time. Below is a brief description of some of the more popular brands of wine coolers available on the market today.

Avanti

Avanti produces a variety of storage units for wine including specialty racks and cellars with special emphasis on multipurpose refrigerated wine units. In spite of their unique style and design, the Avanti wine coolers are still within most family budgets and generally have a black design trimmed with stainless steel. Being able to double up as a refrigerator in your bar at home or as a wine aging center means these coolers can be put both to short-term use as well as long-term use. The glass doors which allow easy viewing of the bottles as well as the digital thermostat are a nice addition to the Avanti wine cooler line. Continue reading “Wine Cooler Brands – What You Should Know Before You Buy”

Can Light Really Affect My Wine?

The short answer is that light can definitely affect wine, but we need to take a closer look at the physics and chemistry of it all to understand why and how in what is called light-strike reactions, which can impart off-odors to wine, what the French call goût de lumière.

Wine is sensitive to the damaging rays of light, particularly ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight and fluorescent lighting; that’s why wine (and beer) is packaged in dark bottles-the best example is Port in those familiar, dark, opaque bottles. Wines packaged in clear glass bottles are meant for quick consumption and should be stored in carton boxes until such a time.

All forms of radiation, including visible light ultraviolet (UV) rays and X-rays, have energy that is directly proportional to their frequencies or inversely proportional to their wavelengths-that is, high-frequency waves have short wavelengths, and vice versa. And the greater the energy, the greater the catalytic effect of chemical reactions in wine.
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How Malolactic Fermentation Softens Wine

Malolactic fermentation is frequently referred to as “MLF”, or “malo” in winery terms. What is a malolactic fermentation and how does it affect a wine?

MLF normally occurs after the primary fermentation has completed, when the grape sugars have been converted by yeast, into alcohol and carbon dioxide (CO2). Lactic acid bacteria, Oenococcus oeni, and some other species of Lactobacillus and Pediococcus are responsible for this conversion.

The major function of these bacteria is to convert the main wine acid, (there are two main acids and many minor ones found in grapes) called L-malic acid, to another type, L-lactic acid. During this conversion CO2 is produced hence the term, fermentation.

Many wines that undergo a malolactic are improved by it, however those wines that rely on a higher acid level to show their full potential, such as Rieslings and Sauvignon Blancs, or similar younger varietal styles would never benefit from it. They require the crispness in the acidity and youthful freshness to show through. Continue reading “How Malolactic Fermentation Softens Wine”

Top 10 Hottest Trends in Wine

Do you want to know what’s hot in the wine world? Here’s the top 10 trends:

1. Rose Wine
2. Grower Champagne
3. Metropolitan Wineries
4. Natural Wines
5. Fruit days, Root Days…
6. More Wine Drinkers in America
7. Screwcaps & Box Wines
8. Lower Alcohol Wine
9. Biodynamics & Eco-Friendly wine
10. Dessert Wine, Port & Sherry

1. Rose Wines

Rosé wines are all over the shelves in local Seattle wine shops but the trend is still growing! I’ll let you in on the secret: rosé wines are perfect for BBQs, lazy afternoon tea time, light lunches and family gatherings. What makes these wines so great is that they beg to be drunk and enjoyed, not brooded over like their darker counterparts. Here are a couple great rosé wines to try:

Barnard Griffin Rose of Sangiovese – omg the color of this wine is incredible w/ tangy citrus fruit, blood orange, peach and sweet cranberry Continue reading “Top 10 Hottest Trends in Wine”

Understanding the Health Benefits of Moderate Red Wine Consumption

Earlier epidemiological studies suggested that alcohol-and therefore, wine, beer and spirits, was the compound responsible for claimed health benefits though its negative effects such as alcoholism and social impacts, cognitive developmental deficiencies, fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), and increased risk of breast cancer in women are undisputed.

In moderate consumption, alcohol has been shown to increase the amount of tPA, or tissue Plasminogen Activator, a substance that catalyzes the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin, the major enzyme responsible for clot breakdown. And in the May 31, 2009 issue, Wine Spectator cites a Stanford University research which claims that aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2)enzymes process the alcohol and “eliminate toxic byproducts created by the breakdown of fats in cells during a heart attack. Eliminating the byproducts prevents additional damage to the heart cells.”

Although alcohol does play a favorable role, more recent studies have demonstrated that red wine provides further protection against illnesses and diseases and, therefore, that there are other important healthy compounds in red wine not found in white wine, beer or spirits. These healthy compounds belong to a class of compounds known as polyphenols of which there are two types in red wine: nonflavonoids and flavonoids. The word “flavonoid” is derived from the Latin flavone, meaning “yellow”-and not “flavor”-which tends to confuse people. Continue reading “Understanding the Health Benefits of Moderate Red Wine Consumption”