Ever wonder how to brew wine at home? What do I need? How much will it cost? Is it legal? Well keep reading, I am about to tell you all you need to know to get started on making your wine from home.First you need a wine making kit. These kits, to alot of peoples surprise, are not that expensive. A 5 or 6 gallon kit will cost between $50 and $100. Your ingredients will cost $30 to $70. That comes out to about 2.50$ a bottle.You don't need a...more
Is wine good for you? The answer is, "Yes!" There's lots of research providing proof that there really are health benefits from drinking wine. Flavonoids from the skins and seeks of red grapes are the key to wine being good for you. These flavonoids lower your risk of coronary heart disease by reducing your LDL or bad cholesterol levels. At the same time these flavonoids actually increase your HDL or good cholesterol levels and decrease the...more
Imagine that you are hosting a party for some of your best friends. The atmosphere is bubbling with the excitement of everyone chatting and mingling with each other, when all of a sudden you hear a crashing sound and see the sight that every host prays will never happen; a glass of red wine has taken a swan dive and landed not on your tile floor where it is easy to clean up but on to your very embarrassed guest and all over your furniture. It would appear that Murphy's Law has struck again, but don't panic, it is possible to get red wine stains out!The first thing to do (aside from not panicking) when cleaning red wine spills is to remove the excess spillage. If the wine has been spilled on a couch or carpet take an absorbent cloth (something you don't mind being stained) or paper towel and blot the excess wine, do not rub in any way! The point of blotting it to remove the wine without working it further into the fabric. If it was a piece of clothing that has been spilled on, remove the article and blot in the same manner.Once the excess wine has been removed it is very important to rinse the carpet, furniture or clothing to dilute the wine before it has a chance to set in. The...more
From those of us who have a hundred matrimonial relatives, to those of us who have, ourselves, been married more times than Henry the VIII, chances are we've all attended our fair share of weddings. As we sit through the ceremony, watching two people we care about exchange vows of love, forgiveness, and faithfulness, it's easy to ponder certain...more
Wine making has a rich history. It has been a part of humankind's diet over the centuries throughout the world. History books show this to be the case with the numerous quotes from almost all major civilizations about wine and its beneficial effects. For example, the Bible has wine held as a holy drink and is compared to the blood of Jesus.It is...more
The region of Chianti is a tiny area in the heart of Tuscany between Siena and Florence and overlooks the Elsa Valley. The land is fertile with olive groves, green forests, and those delicious grapes just waiting to be picked off the vine and smashed into the most heavenly of drinks-Chianti wine.For many years, Italians have enjoyed the prestige of being recognized for having the largest harvest of grapes and the finest vintages of wine in the Mediterranean. The present day farmers can thank the Phoenicians for bringing vines to this area. They named the area, 'Oenotria', the 'land of wine.' The ripe fields, combined with the sun and Tuscan air led many others to this area to cultivate the grapes including, the Greeks, Etruscans, and Roman. In many cases, these cultures brought their own vines to mingle with the originals.A plague of insects, called phylloxera, swept through Europe in the18th century effectively halting wine production in the area. The insects were known to feed on the roots and leaves, destroying the vines. Eventually Italian vintners triumphed over the insect and recovered from the loss.In the late 1960's the land of the Chianti area was in a down cycle and...more
If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Abruzzi region of central Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.Abruzzi is located on the central eastern part of Italy...more
The terroir is a group of vineyards or vines from the same area which have a common soil and climate. And nowhere else, other than Burgundy in France, is it held so fondly.Burgundy is a region situated in central east France, which experiences bitter...more
Opening a bottle of wine can be of great difficulty for some people, particularly the wine novice. This is because wine, unlike other types of alcohol, doesn't always come with a twist-off bottle cap or a pull tab that allows for easy access....more
If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Piedmont region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on the fact-filled wine education tour.Piedmont is located in the northwest of Italy. It...more
If you said "A white wine" you are partially correct. But here is a more complete answer.The basic rule for food pairing is "white wine for white meats and red wines for red meats."This rule is fine as far as it goes, but there are many different...more
If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Sardinia region of southern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.Sardinia is the second largest island in the...more