Posts Tagged ‘red wines’

Bring Out the Full Flavors in Wine

Friday, November 27th, 2009

Deciding on the best way to let your wine breathe can be a difficult one.  When I open a bottle of wine, I am ready to relax with my glass of wine. I generally don’t have much patience for allowing it to breathe.Why does wine need to breathe?  By letting your wine breathe or aerate it allows for the full flavors to emerge and make the wine more palatable. While there are many wines that do not need to go through this process, it is good to know the little details that can make a big difference. Here are a few tips to help you enjoy your wine to its fullest potential.

The reason why wines needs to breathe, or age, is because of tannins. Tannins can transfer into wine during the fermentation process from seeds and skins of grapes. They are a natural preservative that diminish overtime allowing fuller flavors to emerge. White wines and some red wines have low levels of these and therefore do not need aging, or periods of breathing, before drinking. Generally all red wines can benefit from aeration, but those that are lighter and fruitier generally don't require much aeration.

The term breathing refers to the mixing of oxygen with wine allowing the breakdown of tannins. A decanter exposes more surface area of the wine to oxygen and brings out the full body and flavor of wine.

If you choose to allow your wine to breathe, you still have one more decision to make. Do you use a decanter or an aerator? If you have at least an hour to let your wine breathe, then go ahead and use your decanter. This is plenty of time for your wine to mix with oxygen and for its full flavors to emerge.Pour your bottle of wine, or the portion you want to drink, into the decanter and let it remain there.Surface area is key to the amount of oxygen that can reach the wine; the more area, the sooner you can enjoy it.

If you just opened a bottle of wine five minutes before guests arrived, or you are only wanting to drink a single glass, decantors may not be the best way to aerate your wine.  Aerators serve the same purpose of decanters, but can achieve the same effect in the time it takes you to pour a glass. Two types of aerators are available: one that is seperate from the bottle, and one that attches as a spout directly in the bottle of wine.

The Vinturi wine aerator allows you to speed up the breathing process by mixing the perfect amount of air for the perfect amount of time to bring out the color, aroma, and flavor of your wines. Just hold the aerator over your glass and pour your wine. A drip free stand elminates the need to clean up wine spots.

The second option, which is more user friendly especially for multi-tasking person, is the Nuance Wine Finer . Pour a perfectly oxygen enhanced glass of wine with this easy to use aerator. All you do is open your bottle of wine, place the Wine Finer in the bottle and pour. When finished simply place the top back on the Wine Finer as you would a stopper and let sit until you are ready for your next glass.

So before you decide whether to get yourself a decanter or an aerator, consider your time constraints. Make sure you have the time to wait for the decanter or be safe and allow your wine to breath immediately with Vinturi or Wine Finer.

 

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Enjoying Different Types of Red Wine

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

Today, there have been some health benefits found from drinking limited quantities of red wine each day. The health benefits are from the tannins in the red wines, which are usually higher in the full bodied, drier wines rather than the sweeter, lighter red wines. Even though there are some health benefits, there are also cautions about utilizing red wine on a regular basis. The first is that the health benefits only pertain to a woman having one, four ounce glass of red wine per day and for a man, it is two glasses. More than that negates the health benefits and increases the risk of alcoholism. In addition, researchers say that the same health benefits can be obtained from eating products with grapes in them so that people who do not currently drink red wine should not start just to obtain those benefits. They should just eat some grapes or products that utilize the whole grape instead.

Wine

There are many types of red wine on the market today. This is beneficial to consumers because they can find the type of red wine that fits the meal that they are preparing or fits their palate. There are certain types of red wines that are more palatable to people who are just beginning to appreciate red wine and there are other types that are full bodied and great accents to spicy meals and heavier red meat dishes.

Many wineries have wine tasting where you can sample different types of red wine. There are also wine clubs. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are medium dry wines with a fruity taste and a smooth finish. Burgundy and Chianti are darker in color and dryer in taste. Port is a desert wine and is quite sweet. The different varieties of wine are produced by using different grapes. Red wines are fermented with the skins of the grapes. For white wines the skins are removed before fermentation.

The type of red wine that you chose will depend on your personal taste. Some people like very dry wines like Beaujolais, while others prefer sweeter wines. Wine is something of an acquired taste, many people don't like it the first time they try it. At one time most imported red wine came from France and Italy, but newer exporters include Israel, Australia, Chile, and some eastern European states.

 

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Selecting The Right Wine

Monday, April 27th, 2009

There are no set formulas for selecting the right wine for that special meal, event or person. In fact people have their own preferences when it come to wine. We have listed a few suggestions below to help you pick the right wine for the right moment or special meal. We hope it gives you some helpful insights to serving wines that should please any palate.

1. The White Wines:  Most commonly served as the first course, these wines do not have a really strong flavor, therefore leaving the taste buds relatively unaffected for the next course.  Do not be afraid to ask the wine salesman for his advice.  They will know exactly what year and which grape is best at this time.

A sparkling white wine such as the Rolls Royce of wines the champagne are reserved for those very special occasions such as a wedding, anniversary or engagement party.  Again, you may want to ask the local wine connoiseuer what would be just perfect for the event.

2. Red Wines: A good red wine such as merlot wine is great anytime, but when considering which wine to serve with a particular meal, a red is normal chosen for the heartier meals of beef, pork or lamb.  A good Merlot, Burgundy, or Cabernet would all be perfect choices.

The Pinot Noir, while not as commonly served as a Merlot or Cabernet, is a unique blend of plum, vanilla and blackberry. Oregon produces Pinot Noir where the blackberries grow wild and are sweet and juicy. This wine will certainly be a hit.

The peppery flavor of the Shiraz would be a great accompaniment to spicy Mexican or Italian meal.  This is another wine that would also go well with a meal of beef or pork.

Italian food with its hearty and robust tomato sauces requires a Chianti. A Chianti can range in price and quality. You may be able to find one that is rather inexpensive but the quality is perfect for you.

A robust Burgundy would be the red to choose for a fine standing rib roast or delicate filet mignon.

As you can see from the suggestions above you may wish to have both a white wine and a red wine on hand when hosting a dinner. Some guests will most likely pick the wine they prefer and stay with that choice for the entire evening. Another may choose a white for the start of the evening and finish with a red. So always be prepared.

If wine is your hobby you may want to consider producing your own wine at home.  There are several fruit wine recipes that are not complicated turn out a great wined to serve with desserts or chilled on a hot summer afternoon.  Look for some recipes at a it wine making site online.

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Taking A Look At The Varieties Of Wine

Friday, April 17th, 2009

grape

Wine is considered one of the many pleasures of the world that can be enjoyed by anyone. While there are those that are not tremendous fans of wine, it is one of the most common beverages in the world as it can served before, during and after a meal. Wine has tremendous cultural significance in many countries and can add a pleasant experience to an otherwise ordinary day.

The word wine refers to the processing, fermentation, and production of the grape. Grapes are naturally balanced to ferment on their own without the help of any chemicals, extra sugars, or enzymes. This makes the taste and flavor of wine one that is very natural and uninhibited. Other fruits are sometimes added to wine for their fermentation qualities, including apples and black currants. When fruits of this type are used to make wine, it is called an "apple" or "elderberry" wine.

Red wine and white wine are the two primary categories of wine.  They are then sub-divided into many other subcategories. The varieties that fall under each umbrella, are typically determined by the type of grape or the region in which the grape was grown.

Red Wine is divided into styles like Merlot, which comes from anywhere from Argentina to the United States. Merlot is a red wine that usually has a medium body and contains hints of plum or berry. It is also considered one of the most flexible types of wine and is often served with meals involving red meats or darker foods. There is a white merlot that is also in circulation, which is made with a hint of raspberry.

A popular type of white wine is the Riesling. It comes from a white grape variety of the same name and is grown historically in Germany. Riesling is  very versatile and is considered appropriate to serve with almost any type of food. It is, however, most popular with white fish or pork. Riesling is also known as one of the few wines that can stand up to the bold flavors of Asian cuisine such as Thai or Chinese food.

There are many different ways that people choose to use wine. Whether as an apertif before a meal, as a table wine during a meal, as a cooking wine during meal preparation, or as a dessert wine, it is one of the most versatile beverages in the world. People enjoy wine in many settings around the world because of the immense variety available. Wine is certainly earning its reputation as the drink of choice for many people.

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