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”

What Is the Ideal Temperature for a Wine?

The ideal temperature to drink a wine is a subject that must be taken into serious consideration when thinking about drinking it.

And what is the ideal temperature for a wine? “At room temperature?” Totally wrong, imagine that you are in a tropical country in mid-summer, with tempratures reaching 38ºC. Ever imagined the terrible experience that is to taste a wine at 38ºC?

Now think precisely the opposite, like Siberia at -20º C… will you taste a frozen wine?

Wine temprature afects our senses?

Yes, definitely! The temperature of the wine considerably affects our smell, palate and touch, and for this reason, we cannot enjoy a wine if it is hot or very cold.

When the wine is at 18ºC, the aromas are better perceived, when it is at 10 ° C, the sensitivity decreases, and when the temperature is below 4 ° C our taste buds are almost insensitive to these aromas. So, warmer the wine, the sweet elements become more noticeable and the alcohol is better perceived by our senses. When Colder the bitter elements, acidity or astringency are more easily perceived, due to the tannins. Continue reading “What Is the Ideal Temperature for a Wine?”

Do Sulfites in Wine Cause Headaches?

I am often asked why nearly all wines contain sulfites and whether it is really necessary. The reason that most wines have a small amount of sulfur is to protect them from spoilage, predominantly from bacterial attack but also from oxidation. It is used both as as a preservative and an antioxidant so that the wine can be kept for a reasonable length of time without deteriorating. Sulfites are also introduced to stop fermentations at a desired time.

Yeasts are naturally occurring in grapes and therefore are in wine as well. It is these yeasts that consume the grapes sugar during fermentation producing bi-products of carbon dioxide and alcohol. When the fermentation finishes most of the yeast cells will die and be removed from the vessel by racking (pumping liquid off a sediment), but a few will remain within. Without the addition of a controlling amount of sulfite, the wine could soon develop off-flavours and turn ‘musty’ very quickly.

Winemakers know how much sulphite to add after analysing their wines, and should the addition be excessive this would be very noticeable on the nose and overall flavour in the glass. The secret is to make your wine in as hygienic an environment as possible, preferably in a stainless steel vessel, and monitor the wine for yeast or bacterial growth regularly – then take action straight away. Continue reading “Do Sulfites in Wine Cause Headaches?”

Types of Corkscrew and Wine Openers and How to Use Them

When I first started to write this article, I had a small list of corkscrew types, but I had forgotten all the obscure types so the list grew much larger. I decided to start with the three most popular like the Waiter’s Corkscrews, Wing Corkscrews and Lever type wine opener. I know everyone is familiar with these. First thing is to remove the foil from the top of the bottle before using any corkscrew, it makes things easier and it looks so much better.

The waiter’s corkscrew is the most popular and used in most restaurants. I’ve read some articles that say the waiter’s corkscrew is difficult to use but I don’t agree. To use a waiter’s corkscrew start the point of the screw in the center of the cork and simply twist the screw straight down into the cork until the last curve of the screw has penetrated the cork, place the notched lever on the lip of the bottle then raise the handle up and the cork is removed. Once you open a few bottles it will be like riding a bike. They are very reliable and virtually last forever. If you need more information on waiter’s corkscrews, see my article “Waiter’s Corkscrews Styles – Which ones right for you”.

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Do (Wine) Supertasters Exist?

If you have ever participated in a wine tasting event alongside “expert tasters”, you may be left to wonder how these wine jargon-sputtering enophiles can possibly detect so many aromas and nuances or, perhaps, if your own tasting abilities might be subpar. And if you are of the male type, chances are you may be further disadvantaged. It can be quite daunting when time comes to opine on the wine’s attributes.

Do supertasters really have special abilities to discern so many aromas, flavors, and discriminate all the subtle nuances, or are they mere snobs trying to impress the average wine enthusiast?

Although science has not confirmed this, it is believed that the human nose can perceive several tens of thousands of odors; estimates range between ten and fifty thousands. Robert M. Parker, Jr.-unquestionably the most influential modern-day wine critic who popularized the 100-point scoring system known to either make or break wine sales-is believed to be endowed with super tasting abilities, presumably capable of identifying specific producers as well as different vintages of the same wine. Others claim that it’s all nonsense, but not according to Parker; he had his nose and palate insured for $1 million. Interestingly, Avery Gilbert cites an experiment in What the Nose Knows where even professionals could not identify more than three odors from a prepared complex mixture, and that “no one could bust the four-odor limit,” or what is known as the Laing Limit based on Australian psychologist David Laing’s work. This begs the question “How can anyone smell a multitude of odors in wine?” And could Parker be able to bust the Laing Limit under laboratory conditions? Who knows? (Okay, the pun was intended.) Continue reading “Do (Wine) Supertasters Exist?”

Red Wine Headaches – What Actually Causes Them?

Headaches from red wine are a genuine and troubling phenomena, troubling because any certain sufferer will get a headache from certain red wines and not from others. But there doesn’t seem to be just one individual cause. Red wine headaches vary in their severity from mildly gentle to full-on migraine.

Just half a glass of wine can trigger an attack within fifteen minutes or thereabouts, and these attacks can last for several hours. Two average sized glasses of wine could even trigger a migraine in those people who are prone to getting them.

Some experts question whether the sulfites in the wine are the source of red wine headaches (RWH), for these reasons:

Breathing problems (which include asthma attacks), and not headaches, typically react more to sulfites;
Red wine is most likely to be the trigger, however many sweeter white wines contain considerably more sulfites than red wines, because they have a much higher sugar content;
Numerous other foodstuffs contain sulfites, so these headaches should not be particular to any red wine.

A few allergy experts think that tannins are responsible for the severe headaches. The Harvard Health Letter noted, Continue reading “Red Wine Headaches – What Actually Causes Them?”