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How to Make Homemade Wine

Monday, October 27th, 2008

How to Make Homemade Wine | Discover How to Make Your Own Unique Wine

If you want to learn how to make homemade wine, there is no reason for not doing it. You don’t need a license, a cellar, and the utensils you need are probably in your home to begin with. It doesn’t take a lot of work either to learn How to Make Homemade Wine.

The first issue you need to learn is the do’s and don’ts of winemaking.

Do
- Rack at least once, and twice if possible.
- Use new corks and boil the old ones.
- Keep your first ferment covered.
- Keep the secondary fermentation air-free.
- Keep your equipment clean.
- Keep all bottles filled.
- Add sugar by stages and keep records with high level of detail.
- Keep red wines in dark bottles so they don’t lose their color.
- Use trustworthy yeast nutrient frequently.
- Make wines too dry rather than too sweet: add sugar later.
- Use fermentation traps.
- Taste the wine at intervals to make sure the process is going well.

Don’t
- Sell your wine. It is illegal. Don’t try to distil your own wine either.
- Let vinegar flies come in contact with your wine.
- Use metal containers.
- Use tools or containers made out of resinous wood.
- Forget to stir a must twice a day.
- Use too much sugar.
- Try to speed up fermentation by increasing the temperature.
- Be impatient.
- Let dead yeast or sediment anywhere close to your wine.
- Filter for no reasonor too soon.
- Store your wine in unsterilized jars or bottles.
- Bottle your wine before it’s done fermenting.
- Employ screw-stopper bottles.

Now that you have a good sense of what you should do and what you shouldn’t, I will share with you one of my favorite wine recipes and in no time you can learn How to Make Homemade Wine.

Either black, green or amber grapes can be used for this recipe and the resulting wine will suit almost every taste.

2 bags (4 lb.) of grapes - 2 bags (3½ lb.) of sugar - 1 oz. yeast
1 gallon water.

Separate the grapes from the stalks and then crush them by hand. Pour the boiling water over them and leave to soak for forty-eight hours. Strain and put the juice through a jelly-bag. Allow to drain and then pour into the fermenting vessel and add the sugar.

Mix until the sugar is dissolved -this will take a lot of time with cold grape-juice. When all the sugar is mixed well sprinkle the yeast on top and stir in. Seal, and ferment for fourteen days; after which proceed with bottling. It’s so much bliss to learn How to Make Homemade Wine.

If you want to get over 145 step-by-step recipes and learn all the secrets to making your own wine, visit my website: www.SecretsOfWinemaking.com - How to Make Homemade Wine

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A Guide To Wine

Monday, October 20th, 2008

photo credit: Paco CT

By Caley Walsh

Coming upon the long wall of wines at your local grocery store can be an intimidating experience. With so many different choices within so many different wine categories, how can you possibly choose the perfect wine to serve with your meal? Perhaps more importantly, without knowing what all these wine terms mean, how do you choose a wine that you and possibly others will enjoy? To be quite frank, unless you sit down with every bottle and taste it with the meal (not recommended), you will never know exactly what wines will go perfectly with that meal. Wine and food pairing is not a perfect science that you can learn. Instead, Recipe4Living would like to offer some general guidelines for success in pairing wine with food and several do’s and don’t for the beginner’s enjoyment of wine. This article will outline the most popular wine varieties and how they differ. In no time, you’ll feel comfortable schmoozing with the biggest wine snobs.

Enjoying Wine

* Let go of your wine assumptions, especially the belief that wine is expensive. You can easily get a great bottle of wine for under $10. As with cooking, the key to good wine is all about balance and not necessarily the rarest grapes.

* Have fun! Experiment! Enjoying wine is about what you like, not about what you are supposed to like according to the experts. When you find a wine you really like, simply note the winery and the variety. As you gain more experience with wine, you can include descriptions of different elements in the wine. Better yet, act the sophisticate and host wine tasting parties with friends and discuss different wines.

* Look for the increasingly popular screw-cap, as opposed to the cork. The problem with natural corks is that a moldy spoilage can occur in the wine (in 3-5% of natural corked bottles!) because of a reaction that sometimes occurs in the cork. Synthetic corks have attempted to solve this problem, but they are much harder to remove and cannot be used to re-seal the bottles. Old habits die hard, but more and more wineries are switching to the screw-cap.

* Certain wines are better at certain temperatures. For example, a freezing cold Chardonnay will lose much of its taste. Keep these guidelines in mind:

o Whites should be served cold between 43°F and 53°F. This can be done by chilling the bottle in ice for an hour before serving. You do not want to keep a glass of white wine in the refrigerator for long periods of time.

o Sparkling wines and champagnes should be served cooler, around 45°F.

o Although room temperature is ok, red wines should really be served between 55°F and 65°F, or cellar temperature.

* Despite its reputation for pretension, invest in some quality stemware if you want to truly enjoy wine. The right glass will truly enhance the flavor of the wine and your appreciation of it. Wine glasses need to have a large cup or “bowl” to allow the wine to breathe, because the interaction with the air releases all the wines aromas and flavors.

Removing Red Wine Stains- Truly essential information in the enjoyment of wine.

* White wine- Ironically the best stain-fighter for red wine, white wine will neutralize the wine and make it easier to remove. Simply pour some on the stain and blot gently with a rag. Don’t rub or you will force the stain deeper into the clothing or carpet fibers. After blotting up most of the wine, simply clean with your favorite carpet cleaner or stain-fighter as normal.

* Club Soda- The carbonation in club soda helps to lift the wine from the fibers.

* Salt- Salt acts as a buffer to keep the stain from setting while you look for other cleaning options.

White Wines

Chardonnay- A very drinkable white wine differentiated from other varieties by a special aging and fermentation process in oak barrels. The special oak barrels give the wine its unique aromas ranging from nutty to creamy. This wine can include tastes of vanilla, pear, lemon, pineapple, peach and more. Chardonnay is usually regarded as the white table wine.

Muscat/Moscato- This low-alcohol wine has an intensely perfumed aroma and a distinctive musky taste, and is often used as a dessert wine. The aroma of the wine can include gardenia and honey and the taste includes elements of citrus and tropical fruits.

Pinot Grigio- More colorful than other white wines, Pinot Grigio is soft and delicately perfumed. The acidity of the wine gives it a nice crispness. The wine’s elements can include flowers, subtle spices, pear, and citrus.

Riesling- This lower-alcohol wine comes from the most famous of German grapes and is characterized by a unique fruit and acid balance. Unlike many other wines, Riesling is rarely prepared in oak barrels, making it more adaptable to many types of food, including hot and spicy choices. Riesling is usually a dry wine, with sweet elements of peach and honeysuckle.

Sauvignon Blanc- One of the most aromatic wines with fragrances of grass and citrus, Sauvignon Blanc is spicier than the Chardonnay varieties. The taste can have hints of melon, gooseberry, and black currant. New Zealand produces some of the finest Sauvignon Blanc.

Red Wines

Barberra- This deep red wine comes most successfully from the Piedmont of Italy, and is heavily planted in the Central Valley of California because of its ability to withstand high temperatures. A full body, luscious berry flavors and crispness from the high acidity characterize this wine.

Cabernet Sauvignon- These full bodied, intensely flavored red wines tend to improve with aging, often spending 15 to 30 months aging in oak barrels. Such aging gives the wine toasted vanilla and cedar tastes, while the wine also features plum, black cherry, and spice elements. Now the most widely planted grape in the world, the Cabernet Sauvignon grape actually come from a cross between two French varieties: Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc.

Merlot- A softer and much less intense red wine than cabernet that is ready to drink sooner. The dry smoothness of the wine makes it a popular choice in restaurants. Merlot is often mixed with cabernet to soften its acidity. Descriptions of the wine’s tastes include many of the same as cabernet and green olive, herbs, and chocolate. The Merlot grape responds well to cooler climates making it very versatile.

Pinot Noir- Widely regarded as the most difficult grape to grow, this delicate wine is logically one of the most sought after varieties of wine, originating in the Burgundy region of France. This elegant wine can include elements of raisin, black cherry, and strawberry.

Sangiovese- This dry red wine is characterized by a smooth texture, medium-bodied spice flavors, and an earthy aroma. Made from a grape native to Northern Italy, Sangiovese is often used for Italian Chianti wines.

Syrah- This flavorful wine originates in the Rhone region in France and has many raspberry, pepper and spice aromas and flavors. In addition to France, the grape for Syrah is now also very successful in Australia.

Zinfandel- Although much of Zinfandel is turned into a sweet blush wine called White Zinfandel, Zinfandel is a red wine made from the most popularly grown grape in California. The hearty grape is very adaptable to a producer’s manipulation, making it very versatile. Zinfandel is very fruity, with raspberry, cherry, and plum tastes.

Blush Wines- Blush wines or rosé wine, which have a lighter pink color, are made by removing the skins of red grapes early in the fermentation process. This technique also lightens the flavor of the red grapes, creating a more delicate wine. White Zinfandel is actually produced as the product of “bleeding” regular Zinfandel, or removing some of the juice to heighten certain flavors and color in the wine. The juice is then fermented separately.

Sparking Wine & Champagne- Carbon dioxide resulting from natural fermentation of the grapes makes these wines bubbly. Although often used interchangeable, laws in many countries dictate that champagne can only refer to wine produce in the Champagne region of France. The major varietals used to make French champagne include Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. American producers of sparkling wine use the same nomenclature as European producers. Ironically, on a scale from driest to sweetest, sparking wine or champagne is labeled thus:

Natural (Brut Nature)- Driest

Brut

Extra Dry

Dry (Sec)

Semi-Dry (Demi-Sec)

Sweet (Doux)

Wine and Food Pairings- Traditional wisdom on pairing wine with food dictates that white wine pairs well with white meats and red wine with red meats. In recent years, more creative sommeliers (the person in charge of wines at a restaurant) have shown that this rule is not always necessary or even correct. The sauce and the preparation of the food are most important to wine pairing, and many different wines may work well with a certain dish. In general though, the best rule of thumb is to try and match more delicate flavors with lighter wine like Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc, hearty cream flavors with medium bodied wines like Chardonnay and Merlot, and thicker meaty or spicy flavors with fuller wines like Syrah. When reading through these suggestions of wine and food pairings, keep in mind that there are no set rules.

Beef

Zinfandel- roast beefs

Syrah- beef stews, barbecue

Cabernet Sauvignon- steak

Cheese

Riesling- most cheeses

Sauvignon Blanc- earthier cheeses

Chocolate

Cabernet Sauvignon- dark chocolate

Dessert

Muscat/Moscato- sweeter desserts

Riesling- most desserts

Fish and Seafood

Pinot Grigio

Sauvignon Blanc

Chardonnay- Richer seafood dishes and most shellfish

Lamb

Cabernet Sauvignon- roast lamb

Syrah- stews

Pinot Noir- chops

Pasta

Sangiovese- great for most pasta dishes

Barberra- especially good with lasagna

Pizza

Barberra- most tomato sauces

Syrah- spiced meats and sausages on pizza

Poultry

Chardonnay- grilled chicken and cream sauce chickens

Pinot Grigio- turkey

Merlot- grilled chicken, barbecue

Syrah- Duck or other fowl

Pork

Merlot- chops

Pinot Noir- tenderloin, sausage

Zinfandel- roast pork and garlicky dishes

Salads/Vegetables

Sauvignon Blanc

White Zinfandel

Pinot Grigio- for salads and vegetables with creamy sauces or dressings

About the Author: http://Recipe4Living.com features more than 10,000 user submitted recipes, ideas and recipes from Wolfgang Puck, reference guides, healthy living advice, tips for kids, and much more. You can find all recipes mentioned in this article at http://www.recipe4living.com.

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Buying Wine: How To Read A Wine Label

Monday, October 6th, 2008

By Marcia Parks

I must admit, that for many of us, walking into a store to buy a bottle of wine can be a little like visiting a foreign country and not knowing the language. If you’re buying wine for yourself that’s probably not a big deal, although it might be nice to be somewhat knowledgeable so that you’re more likely to buy something you will enjoy. However, if you are buying a bottle of wine as a gift, then being able to interpret information on the label becomes a bit more important. But, first things, first.

Your first consideration should probably be where you will be shopping. If you live in a state where alcohol sales are controlled or restricted, your options may be limited. I happen to live in Pennsylvania where consumers are only permitted to purchase packaged wine and alcohol from state-operated Wine and Spirits Stores or a privately owned Pennsylvania Winery. You may, of course, travel out of state to purchase a limited amount of alcoholic beverages, but these purchases are subject to an 18% state tax. (However, I can’t say that I know anyone who has travel out of state to buy wine and actually fessed-up, claimed their booty, and paid that outrageous tax.) To find the best selection of wine in a state where alcohol sales are controlled check on the internet for information and locations of any retail outlets. For example, PA has premium wine stores and you can get a listing of their locations by visiting the PA Liquor Control Board web site.

If you live in a state with more liberal alcoholic beverage laws, you probably have more options available for buying wine: Large retail chains like Wal-Mart and Target, large drug store chains, supermarkets, independently owned liquor stores, specialty wine shops and wine warehouses. You can buy excellent wines at all these venues, but the independently owned stores have the potential to vary in the quality and quantity of their inventory. One of the best avenues for selection and price is a wine warehouse and if you’re really lucky, you live in a state where you can order wines online from a wine distributor.

Not all wine shops are created equal so there are some issues you should be concerned with when choosing where to purchase wine. One consideration is how the wine is stored. Exposure to excessive heat, wide temperature fluctuations, and bright spotlights may cause deterioration, so take note of any wine that may be stored next to radiators or heating vents. You should also observe the general aesthetics of the store. Are things well-organized, and neat or is the merchandise dusty and in disarray? A sign of a quality wine shop is when a store carries more than one vintage of a particular wine. This would indicate the shop owner is interested in the depth of their offerings as well as the breadth.

Every retail store has organization and a wine store is no exception. Even though all those bottles may look deceptively similar, a closer look will probably reveal some system of how the wine is displayed. They may be broken out in such wide categories as the type of wine i.e. red, white, or sparkling. They may also be categorized by region: Napa Valley, Sonoma, Loire, Finger Lakes, Italian, South African, etc. or by varietals: Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Zinfandel, Chenin Blanc, etc. Getting an idea of the layout of the store will at least help you find a particular section you may be interested in.

Now on to the label…

There are laws that mandate what information must be included on a wine label. These laws vary from country to country and are based on where the wine is marketed rather than where it is produced. Much to the dismay of the producer, this may mean that one wine will have several different labels. After the label is designed it must be approved by various governmental agencies.

Most wines bottles will have two labels affixed to it. In addition to these labels providing the legally mandated information, they are intended to help market the product. The front label is designed to attract the consumer’s attention by the use of marketing tactics such as logos, interesting graphics, color and lettering. The back label will often try to entice your senses. A Pinot Noir that I have in my inventory but have not tried yet states “…Rich in texture with a lingering finish and versatile enough to compliment just about any cuisine.” It caught my attention! These optional endorsements are not governed by law.

Labeling requirements for the United States are established by the Treasury Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. These requirements include:

Identifying brand name or brand identification- This may be the owner’s name, trademark name, winery name, growing area, appellation or grape variety. The brand name must not be misleading as to the quality, origin, age, or grape varietal. In the U.S., a wine cannot be labeled a particular varietal unless it contains at least 75% of that varietal. For example a wine may not be called zinfandel if it only contains 74% zinfandel grapes.

Class of wine, type or designation- The wine is labeled with the class number or with a description similar to those described here:

Class 1 - May be labeled “Light Wine”, “Light White Wine”, “Table Wine”, “Sweet Table Wine” “Red Table Wine”, or something similar. A Class 1 wine must have an alcohol content between 7% and 14% by volume.

Class 2 - May be labeled “Sparkling Wine” or something similar. A Class 2 wine has been made sparkling by a natural method only.

Class 3 - May be labeled “Carbonated Wine” or something similar. A Class 3 wine has carbon dioxide injected into it.

Class 4 - May be labeled “Citrus Wine” or something similar. A Class 4 is wine that was produced primarily with citrus fruit.

Class 5 - May be labeled “Fruit Wine” or something similar. A Class 5 wine was produced primarily of fruits other than grapes or citrus.

Class 6 - Wine that has been made from agricultural products such as vegetables.

Class 7 - May be labeled “Aperitif Wine” or something similar. A Class 7 wine has an alcohol content of not less than 15% by volume; the grape wine has been compounded with added brandy, or alcohol, and flavored with herbs and natural aromatic flavoring.

Class 8 - May be labeled “Imitation Wine” or something similar. A Class 8 wine contains man-made materials.

Class 9 - May be labeled “Retsina Wine” or something similar. A Class 9 wine is a grape table wine has been fermented or flavored with resin.

Alcohol content by volume- The alcohol content must be listed on the label only if it contains more than 14% by volume. Wines that contain more than 14% alcohol are taxed at a rate four times higher than those containing less alcohol. These are considered “fortified wines” even if the high alcohol volume is attained by natural fermentation. For wines with an alcohol content of 14% or greater, a 1% variation is allowed. Wines that have less than 14% alcohol by volume are permitted a 1.5% variation. Wines containing less than 14% alcohol must state it on the label or be labeled by the appropriate class or description such as “light table wine”.

Net volume of contents- In 1977, the U.S. government mandated that metric measurements be used as the wine industry standard. The most common bottle volume is 750ml. If the volume does not appear on the label, look for it molded into the glass bottle.

Name and address of the bottler, producer and country of origin- This information is required on all American wines and the words “bottled by” must immediately precede the name and address of the bottler. The term “produced and bottled by” may be used if the bottler also made no less than 75% of the wine by fermenting the must (juice) and clarifying the wine. “Made and bottled by” may be used if the named winery fermented and clarified at least 10% of the wine or if the winery changed the class of the wine by fortifying it, adding carbonization or making it a sparkling wine by adding a secondary fermentation process. When the words “cellared”, “vinted” or “prepared” are used, it means that the named winery cellared, clarified or barrel aged the wine at that location. “Blended and bottled” indicates that the named winery mixed the wine with other wine of the same type and class at that location. The country of origin indicates where the wine was produced and not necessarily where the grapes were grown.

About the Author: Nicole Adams is a successful freelance author who specializes in writing articles about wine and wine-related products. You can find more articles wrtten by Nicole at: www.wine-reviewer.com

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How To Choose A Wine That Tastes Good; Some Tips For Wine Selection

Sunday, October 5th, 2008

By Jodie Smith

We’ll start this article by asking the questions: “Why is wine so confusing?” and “Does selecting a wine intimidate you?” If your answer is yes, then you are not alone!

Most people have been to a liquor store or a restaurant and been absolutely overwhelmed and intimidated by the sheer variety and number of selections offered. Herein lies the problem: too many choices.

So what is the solution?

If you’ve just begun to learn about boutique wine, even choosing a bottle may seem intimidating. The variety of choices among wine varieties, brands, labels, and prices seem almost infinite. Here are a few tips to point you in the right direction.

Discover Your Palate

Many people know when they like a wine. The difficult part is understanding why. What do you like about it, and how do you communicate your feelings? Is it light or full bodied? Is it tannic or not? What are tannins anyway? Is it fruity or sweet? Do fruity and sweet mean the same thing? And, if you try and like a Shiraz, does that mean you will like all Shiraz?

All these questions can be answered by tasting, and then tasting more. Yet tasting is not enough as you must pay attention to what you are tasting. Even better, in my opinion, is to learn with comparative tastings.

Consider the Chardonnay grape. It is grown in Mornington Peninsula, Victoria as well as in a region in Margaret River, Western Australia. Tasted side-by-side, you may think they have little in common, yet they are both made with the Chardonnay grape.

When you taste them side-by-side, you easily begin to get the idea of full body versus light body, and fruity versus mineral.

From such tastings, you may form a preference, or you may like them both, simply wanting one or the other depending on the occasion or your mood.

So given the above, here are some tips on how to choose a wine that is right for you:

Step 1:

Decide whether you want a white wine, red wine, sparkling wine, dessert wine or fortified wine. This will narrow down your choices and give you some direction.

Step 2:

Have a think about your wine tasting preferences

As a minimum, decide whether you prefer a dry vs sweet wine. (Dry is the term used to describe the absence of sweetness in a wine.)

If you are a little more knowledgeable on your wine preferences you may like to decide on which of these wine characteristics you prefer:

1. Low Tannins vs High Tannins: Tannins are a vital ingredient in wines, especially red wines. It comes from the stalks, skins and pips of grapes. Tannins in a young wine produce a bitter, puckering taste on the palate.

2. Short Palate vs Long Palate: The “length” of a wine is the amount of time the sensations of taste and aroma persist after swallowing. Usually, the longer the better.

3. Low Acid vs High Acid: Acids of various types are present in wine, and are essential to the wine’s longevity and also to your enjoyment. Too little can affect the wine’s quality and too much can spoil the wine. A higher acidity makes the wine more tart and sour tasting; whereas a low acidity results in flat tasting wine that is more susceptible and spoilage. It is that quality that makes your mouth water and your lips pucker, and without it, wines (and anything for that matter!) taste pretty flat and one dimensional. However, when acidity is present in the right quantities, it is the element that makes all of the other flavors in the wine stand out, including the undertones of fruit, spice and herbs. Note that when people discuss cool years and warm years in regards to the vintage, one of the most important elements they are alluding to is the acidity level in the wine. A cooler year will produce wines with more acidity whereas a warm year will produce wines with less acidity The flavor in wine that you would describe as tangy, sharp, refreshing, bracing, bright, crisp or zingy is the acidity.

4. Light Bodied vs Full Bodied Understanding the differences between a light-bodied wine and a full-bodied wine is about as simple as understanding your preferences for milk. Think of light-bodied as skim milk and full-bodied as cream. In between you have 2%, and right there you have your body range.

What makes it even easier, is that a wine’s body is directly proportional to its alcohol content. On every wine label you’ll notice a percentage of alcohol by volume, just as with any alcoholic beverage. Note how it applies to body:

7.5% - 10.5% indicates light body

10.5% - 12.5% indicates medium body

12.5% and over indicates full body

no oak vs heavy oak

Wines might be stored in oak containers, usually to impart extra and more complex flavours. French, American and German oak barrels are widely used in Australia, but are getting quite expensive as oak trees become scarcer. Oaky Describes the aroma or taste quality imparted to a wine by the oak barrels in which it was aged. Can be either positive or negative. The terms toasty, vanilla, dill, cedary and smoky indicate the desirable qualities of oak; charred, burnt, green cedar, lumber and plywood describe its unpleasant side.

Step 3:

It’s important to purchase wine from stores that take proper care of their inventory. Extreme heat or cold, direct sunlight, and dramatic temperature fluctuations are enemies of wine. Also, before you buy, make sure the wine is filled up to the neck of the bottle, the cork is not pushing out of the bottle, and there are no signs of leakage.

Step 4:

There’s no reason not to explore all of the wines that Australia has to offer in all its diversity. Don’t stick only to the well-known varieties like Chardonnay or Shiraz — experiment with other whites like Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Gewurztraminer or reds like Zinfandel, and Pinot Noir. Also, try examples of a variety from different wine regions to understand how regional conditions affect wine character. Expose yourself to every type of wine.

Step 5:

When you find a wine you really like, consider buying wine by the case (12 bottles). Most wineries will offer you a 10% or 15% wine discount when you purchase a case of wine or more.

Step 6:

The ultimate goal of wine buying is to buy wines that taste good to you. Just because a merchant, friend or writer says a wine is good doesn’t mean you’ll like it. Conversely, don’t shy away from a wine because someone else trashes it. The only arbiter of good taste in wine is you.

And most importantly, be open to possibilities and then, make note of them.

About the Author: Article by Jodie Smith of http://www.boutiquewineries.com.au a leading online cellar door offering uniquely different wines from over 120 boutique wineries. It makes finding the hard to get wines of Australia’s small wineries easy.

Source: www.isnare.com

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Become A Wine Expert… Follow These Steps And You’ll Know How To Taste Wine Like A Pro

Saturday, October 4th, 2008

By Jodie Smith

It can be amusing sometimes to read the labels on the back of wine bottles… you’ll see wine given some very interesting and amusing descriptions, for example “This wine has an aroma of fresh citrus, pear and orange blossom” OR “This wine has a hint of white truffle chocolate, spearmint, spice and black pepper flavours”.

While I always enjoyed a good wine, I never quite understood those wine descriptions. I used to wonder where those descriptions came from. How could these flavours come from fermented grapes?

That is, until I learnt how to drink a wine so that I could fully appreciate its aromas and flavours. Now I understand that by smelling and tasting a wine in the correct way I can smell the aroma and taste the flavours described on the label. You just need to open your mind to it!

Most people associate the look-smell-taste wine drinking style with wine judges/experts. But with a small amount of knowledge and by following their example, you can easily improve your experience of wine. Drinking the wine is only a small part of the experience!

Here are 3 simple steps you can use to maximise the enjoyment of your wine drinking experience:

Step 1: Look

It’s important to have a good look at the wine. If the wine doesn’t look good you may not want to drink it. Make sure you’ve got good light, a white background and clean glassware.

White wine should be clear and sparkling with no sediment or haze. The colour of the wine will be affected by the grape variety, whether or not it was aged in oak, the sugar content and bottle aging. But generally as it ages, the wine becomes darker in colour; changing from straw, to yellow, to dark yellow, to gold.

The colour of red wine varies depending on the grape variety. It will also depend on the quality of grapes; length of time the wine was fermented with the skins and bottle aging. Young red wine is generally a vibrant “purple” colour and as it ages the colour will change from plum, cherry, brick red, to tawny.

Step 2: Smell

The smell of a wine can be very interesting and can be almost as enjoyable as drinking the wine!

When you pour a wine, only fill the glass to a third full. The best wine glasses are those that close in towards the top to trap the aroma. Hold the glass by the stem, and give the wine a swirl to coat the glass with wine. This will release the full aroma. Then, stick your nose into the glass, breathe in and concentrate on what you can smell.

When you first start doing this, you may want to compare what you smell with the winemaker’s description on the label. It’s interesting that you really can smell the aroma as described by the winemaker, such as “fresh dark cherries and plum, spice, white pepper and liquorice”.

Step 3: Taste

Sip your wine. Hold it in your mouth for a moment, and then swallow. Look for:

- Fruit flavours or other recognisable tastes

- Wood flavours – has the wine been fermented in oak?

- Nutty flavours – from yeast aging

- Acid tastes – which contributes to the crispness of the finish

- Palate length – does the flavour start big and then drop away in the middle palate? Or is it long and lingering?

- Astringency – can you detect involuntary “puckering” of your mouth as the tannins hit your tastebuds?

As you can see there is a little more to drinking and enjoying wine than simply swallowing, especially if you want to gain the maximum pleasure. Try the look-smell-taste method and compare the difference.

This is also a great topic of conversation at a dinner party… see who can pick the aroma and taste that the winemaker suggests on the label!!

The bottom line though is: drink the wine that you enjoy. The best way to find out what wine you enjoy the most is by tasting as many wine varieties as you can and make a note about what you thought.

About the Author: Article by Jodie Smith of http://www.boutiquewineries.com.au a leading online cellar door offering uniquely different wines from over 120 boutique wineries. It makes finding the hard to get wines of Australia’s small wineries easy.

Source: www.isnare.com

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Identifying Your Favourite Types Of Wine - The Basic Principles Of Wine Tasting

Friday, October 3rd, 2008

By Chloe Alster

There are more types of wine than we can count and how on earth are we to choose one when faced with a huge bank of bottles. Educating yourself in the wines you like is quite easy if you just make a few notes following a set pattern so that you can compare the wines you have drunk to find the ones you like best. Tasting wine is as much an art as a science and there is no right and no wrong way to do it. There is only one thing that matters – do you like that type of wine? I use a few basic pointers to help me remember the wines, for me there are four principal elements to tasting a wine, appearance, aroma, taste and overall impression.

Appearance falls into three subsections, clarity, colour and ‘legs’. Clarity - the appearance is important. Whatever its age it should look clean and not cloudy or murky. Very young reds from rich vintages can often look opaque but they should still be clear and not have bits floating around. Occasionally you can find a few tartrate crystals in the wine, red or white but this does not affect the wine and is not a fault. Colour - tilt the glass at a 45 degree angle against a white background which will show graduations of colour – the rim colour indicates age and maturity better than the centre. The colour gives clues to the vintage, generally speaking with reds, the lighter the colour the more lively the taste, fuller and more concentrated colour indicates a weightier wine. Whites gain colour with age and reds lose it so a young Beaujolais with be purple with a pinkish rim whilst an older claret will be more subdued with Mahogany tints. ‘Legs’ - you can get a hint of the body and sweetness of a wine from its viscosity. Swirl the wine in the glass and let it settle – watch the ‘legs’ on the side of the glass. The more pronounced the fuller (and possibly more alcoholic) the wine and vice versa.

The Aroma, Bouquet or ‘Nose’ of a wine is a very personal thing but should never be neglected. Always take a few seconds to smell a wine and appreciate the variety of scents that will change as the wine warms and develops in the glass. Smell is the most important element in judging a wine as the palate can only pick up sweet or sour and an impression of body. Flavours are perceived by nose and taste buds together. Swirl the wine to release the aromas and stick your nose deep into the glass taking a few short sniffs to get an overall impression, too much will kill the sensitivity of your nose. Young wines will be fruity and floral but an older wine will have more of a ‘bouquet’ sense of mixed fruits and spices – perhaps with a hint of vanilla, especially if it has been aged in American rather than French oak.

Taste is combination of the senses and will change as the wine lingers in your mouth. The tongue can only distinguish four flavours, sweet on the tip, salt just behind the tip, acidity on the sides and bitterness at the back. These can be changed by temperature, weight and texture. You may think it looks silly but ‘chew’ the wine for a few seconds taking in a little air which allows the nose and palate to work as one, hold the wine in your mouth for a few seconds to get an overall impression and only then swallow. Some wines will attack your taste buds - the first impression, and then follow through after swallowing. Some, particularly New World wines are very up front, while others have an almost oily texture (Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer) as they have low acidity. With reds you will pick up tannins (dependent on the oak barrels as well as the grape) on the back of the tongue. If the wine is young and tannic it will feel like your teeth have been coated. Tannins help the wine age well but can sometimes be a bit harsh unless the wine is well balanced.

Overall impression and aftertaste are often not given enough importance by the some of the Wine ‘gurus’ – for the rest of us it is what matters most! Cheaper or younger wines will not linger on the palate, the pleasure is ‘now’ but over quickly. A fine mature wine should leave a clear impression that persists for a while before fading gently. More important still is balance, one that has enough fruit to balance the oakey flavours for example, or enough acidity to balance the sweet fruits so the wine tastes fresh. Equally a wine which is very tannic with no fruit to back it up as it ages is unbalanced.

The most important thing, however, is to enjoy a wine. A few seconds spent tasting a wine before diving into the bottle can greatly enhance your pleasure – and you will have some idea of what you are drinking and what types of wine you to look for when you go shopping!

About the Author: Brought up in a family of Wine Lovers Chloe Alster has a broad ranging interest in many types of wine, it’s cultivation, and history as well as the more social aspect of wine appreciation. Her views and opinions are well respected within the ranks of fellow enthusiasts. She writes extensively on Wine related topics at Wine And Bottle

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Beginners Guide to the Numerous Types of Wines

Sunday, September 21st, 2008

Author: Korbin Newlyn

Throughout history wine has been very popular. In many different places throughout the world there have been many types of wines created over the years. Some of the most well liked wines are the white wine, red wine, the table wine, as well as the sparkling wine and the cooking wine.

Within these various wine groups there are also are sub types to them. Nevertheless, because these different elements are so numerous and varied to mention and may simply confuse the beginner; we will go into the four most popular kinds of wines.

The White and Red Wines

In terms of the popularity of wines, the red wine as well as the white wine are constantly on the top of the rankings. Numerous individuals throughout the world enjoy drinking these kinds of wines during as well as after having dinner. In the majority of European nations, it is very common for the people there to drink red and white wines. As a matter of fact, numerous Europeans would not think of their meal as complete if they don’t have a glass of wine.

The question often arises of; what determines a wines color? The answer is quite simple; the absence or the presence of the skin on the grapes determines a wines color. To produce white wine the skin of the grape is removed prior to extracting the juice.

On the other hand, the production of red wine happens by allowing the red skin or the grapes to come into contact with the juice while the fermentation process is happening. Because the majority of the flavor is concentrated on it’s skin, it is typical for red wine to have a stronger flavor in comparison to white wine.

Because white wine has a flavor that is light it usually goes well with meals that are subtly flavored as well as meals that are light. In contrast red wine is more ideally suited for meals with a stronger flavor.

The Sparkling Wine

An additional type of wine that is popular is the sparkling wine. Sparkling wines have a higher level of carbon dioxide which is manifested in it’s bubbly consistency. There are some wines that have much lesser amounts of carbon dioxide which is in direct contrast to sparkling wines that are purposely injected with carbon dioxide during the process of fermentation to give it a fizzing effect when consumed.

Numerous people refer to the sparkling wine as champagne style wines. Because this kind of wine fizzle is very much like there champagne counterpart, numerous people choose to use this kind of wine in place of champagne during times of celebrations.

The Table Wine

Another kind of wine is the table wine which has become very popular over the years. In this type of wine there is a greater content of alcohol compared to other kinds of wines. In the USA, the level of alcohol content of table wine if just within the 8.5% and the 14.5% content range. However, in the regions of Europe, table wines typically contain more than 14% alcohol.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/wines-and-spirits-articles/beginners-guide-to-the-numerous-types-of-wines-539297.html

About the Author:

Listen to Korbin Newlyn as he shares his insights as an expert author and an avid writer in the field of food and wine. If you would like to learn more go to Wine Accessories advice and at Homemade Wine tips.

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How To Choose A Wine That Tastes Good; Some Tips For Wine Selection

Saturday, September 20th, 2008