Red wine glasses are characterized by their rounder, wider bowl, to give the wine a chance to breathe. The more mature and full-bodied the wine, the wider the bowl of the wine glass. The wider bowl not only promotes oxygenation or breathing but also the development of the aromas. Since most red wines are meant to be consumed at room temperature, the wider bowl also allows the red wine to cool more quickly after hand contact has warmed it. The...more
If there is one thing we all love I think we can all agree it would be food. In many cultures around the world food is a very important aspect of life with special occasions and food intertwined with each other. Food is a social and fundamental part of society. Face it going to dinner with a friend is much more fun than eating dinner alone. Perhaps that is why dinner parties are such a genius idea, the notion of a group of people getting...more
I have been wondering about the difference between red wines and white wines. To me, they taste quite different. Red wines are heavier and more complex than white wine, and often tend to be less sweet. Why is this? Actually red and white wines are made quite differently. The differences between red and white wines include the kinds of grapes used, the fermentation and aging process, and the character and flavor of the wine.White wines are almost always made from white grapes, although they can be made from black grapes, since the juice in most black grapes is clear. When white wine is made, the skins of the grapes are separated from the juice when they are put into a crushing machine. Then yeast is added to the juice for fermentation, until the juice becomes white wine. After filtering etc, the wine is aged by storing it in stainless steel or occasionally oak containers and bottled after a few months. White wines, then, are made without skins or seeds and are essentially fermented grape juice. They have a light character and have crisp fruit flavors and aromas. They can be sweet or dry or somewhere in between. Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio/ Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc are...more
When thinking about a vacation in France, there is always the image of going on one of the many delightful, relaxing and wonderfully delicious Bordeaux wine tours. The Bordeaux region of France has long been known for the amazing wines it has produced - and continues to produce. The Bordeaux region was divided into four wine producing areas by...more
If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the Alsace region of northeastern France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local white Pinot Blanc wine.Alsace ranks tenth out of the eleven French winemaking regions in terms of vineyard area. Don't be...more
If you are hankering for some fine German wine and food, you should take a look at the Rheinhessen region of southwestern Germany. Who knows, you may even find a bargain, and I think that you'll enjoy yourself on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local red Dornfelder.Rheinhessen is a relatively small area, sometimes called the land of the thousand hills, nestled between the Rhine and the Nahe Rivers. It already was known for its wines in the days of Charlemagne. To some extent it is famous or infamous for Liebfraumilch, to be reviewed in another article in this series. It is the German region with both the largest area planted in wine grapes and the highest wine production. Rheinhessen alone claims over a quarter of the German wine acreage and wine production. It is also produces the highest percentage of generally low quality table wine, coming in at almost 12%. More than 60% of Rheinhessen wine is middle quality QbA wine, and a bit more than 25% is higher quality QmP wine. About seven of eight bottles contain white wine, but the percentage of red wine is increasing. The most widely grown varieties are the German hybrid Mueller-Thurgau and Silvaner. The...more
The saying, "it's lonely at the top," is true for cigars. A type of smoke that makes the Marlboro man look weak rather than rugged, cigars have a way of excluding themselves from the group. Yet, you can't fault the cigars. They might not want us to...more
There are a lot of counterfeit items in this world. Just to mention a few, there is counterfeit money, counterfeit credit cards, counterfeit identities and from what I have been hearing lately about some of the Chinese cars, there may be some...more
When it comes to the holidays, there is a right and wrong way to get the presents you want. For instance, making a detailed list and giving it to family and friends is the right way, performing a lap dance for the local mall Santa is the wrong way,...more
Ah, bottle shock. Some people know it for its true definition; others imagine it's what a bottle of red feels whenever a bottle of white is chosen instead. Whatever meaning you lean towards, one thing is certain: bottle shock isn't a term with which...more
AppearanceLike it or not, the first quality of a wine that lends itself to the taster is the visual clue given by the appearance of the wine in the glass. To appreciate the true colors in the wine you must tilt the wine at an angle of about forty...more
Wine really does deserve some serious attention if you ask me, it's a lot more than just a drink. It is for this reason that I find it very strange that there is no defined tasting procedure which has a universal acceptance. It is common that the...more