A Wine’s Bouquet

Bouquet is a French term for a wine’s scent. Younger wines have aromas, which are the smells associated with a particular grape and/or spice, its variety, region, or condition. Older ones have bouquet; the complex and deep aromas that develop with age. They are attributed to the process of fermentation, processing and aging, and largely develop after bottling.

You can tell 75% of what you want to know about a wine by the way it smells. Your sense of smell is much better than your sense of taste. You can smell as few as 400 molecules, but you can only taste 25,000 molecules or more. Your nose can distinguish between some 5,000 smells, but your palate can only register 4 tastes: sweet (this is the grape), sour (the acidity), salt (the rare saltiness), and bitter (this is the tannins). It is at the top of your nose that these 4 basic tastes are combined into thousands of nuances. Continue reading “A Wine’s Bouquet”

The Wine Lover’s Guide To Wine Bars

Over the course of the last few years, more people have started to regard going out for light snacks and drinks as a bit more of a fancy affair. They don’t mind getting a little dolled up for a fun evening, and some of the main destinations they have in mind are wine bars.

Wine bars are one of the hottest trends in the restaurant industry, and given the great ambience, convivial atmosphere, and rustic nature of these social hotbeds, it really should be of no surprise to anyone. However, if you’re a wine lover, you might find yourself a bit torn about whether or not it’s the proper way to really enjoy wine.

After all, there are centuries-old documentation of some vineyards, and families still take their stewardship of their family’s wine lineage very seriously many generations in. The notion that such a refined beverage as wine could find itself being consumed in a bar seems outrageous. Continue reading “The Wine Lover’s Guide To Wine Bars”

Wine Storage in the Tropics

Wine storage has been a skill that came along with a technology ever since the first grapes had been fermented. You will find people who have to grasp the most clever methods, for their wine is a good investment that must be protected. There are other people who simply need to know how to preserve the half bottle of wine they did not finish yesterday at dinner.

While all wines are produced in countries with a cool climate, a large quantity of wines are now drunk in the tropical countries and island resorts with tourists coming from the wine producing regions. So restaurants must now come up with careful plans to keep their good wines in tip top conditions. One of the most popular methods will be to use a wine cooler and the Avanti Wine Cooler is one of the most popular choices. The Avanti Wine Cooler comes in a variety of sizes and blends very well in any restaurant or a wine bar.

The Avanti Wine Cooler is quite, does not emit much heat and thereby causing the least problems to the food and beverage outlet. Even though most of us do not have wines of adequate value and high quality to manage and store them for years till they reach maturity as well as excellence, some people do. Average folks may end up with a bottle of wine which deserves special treatment. For example, a young couple may be given a wedding present of wines which will require maturing till the time of their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. This type of bottle will need cautious dealing with and therefore a wine cooler will come in handy

Continue reading “Wine Storage in the Tropics”

Rogar Wine Opener – Why You Should Buy a Rogar Tabletop Lever Wine Opener

The Rogar Lever Wine Opener is one of the most impressive functional wine openers you could own. If you want a wine accessory that is more than just a good opener, or are looking for a special gift for a wine lover, (even if it is you), then the table or bar top Rogar wine bottle opener is one you should consider

The Rogar story:

Rogar is an American company that hand assembles its Rogar lever openers in the state of Virginia. The concept of the Rogar wine opener is based on the “Champion Cork Removal” system patented in 1897. Their wine openers duplicate the design and mechanical concept of the Champion system, but they do it with modern materials and 21st century technology.

The Rogar Lever Wine Opener:

Rogar’s openers work on a very simple concept – pull a lever to uncork your wine, and push a lever to re-cork your wine. So simple. No messing with the wine bottle foil and trying to get a twist-corkscrew centered on the wine bottle cork. No struggling with turning the corkscrew through the cork, and then using brute force to pull it out of the bottle. The Rogar does all this with simple lever action. Continue reading “Rogar Wine Opener – Why You Should Buy a Rogar Tabletop Lever Wine Opener”

A Wine Aficionado’s Guide to the Story of Boeger Winery

Knowing the history and culture behind the making of a bottle of wine can often make that glass of wine even tastier. If you’re planning to serve wine when entertaining, share this incredible story while pouring your guests a glass of Barbera wine from Boeger Winery.

By the early 1970s all most all traces of a once flourishing California wine industry had been destroyed over time, at first by the California gold rush bust that diminished the population, then by the long years of Prohibition during the depression that destroyed the vineyards, and finally by isolation in what had become a remote and sparsely populated region. The story of Boeger Winery begins in 1972 when Greg Boeger purchased an 80-acre property in Placeville, El Dorado County, California, one of four diminished wine-producing counties in the Sierra Foothills.

Grandson of Napa Valley winemaker, Anton Nicholini, Greg Boeger was the first to envision a revival of the region’s bountiful viticultural past and has successfully done so as Boeger Winery has grown to producing 20,000 cases of premium wine a year. After 30 years of viticulture, winemaking, business management, sales, marketing, and serving on the county’s agricultural commission, Greg Boeger now has a partner in the winery, his son, Justin. Continue reading “A Wine Aficionado’s Guide to the Story of Boeger Winery”

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.

Continue reading “Wine Cellar Cooling Systems – How to Build A Cool One”

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”