The Best Red Wine And Red Wine Benefits

Not only does soaking the skins give red wine its color, it also imparts a substance known as tannin. Tannin is what gives red wines a complexity that is beyond that of most white wines.
Do you know why red wines age better than white?
It is the tannin which gives the smell of wine in your mouth. Over time, the qualities of the tannin will mellow and blend harmoniously with the other characteristics of the wine. This is one of the main reasons that red wines usually age better than whites.
Benefits - Anti-Oxidants in wine
Red Wine contains Anti-Oxidants which is good for health. Drinking red wine can improve heart health and circulation while also preventing cancer. This site is for those looking for information, articles and news on red wine and health.
Aging Process
Red wines are most often aged in wood barrels to provide a deeper, richer flavor, sometimes described as woody, while white wines are not stored in wood to maintain their usually cleaner, clear taste. There are also guidelines on the types of wine to drink with different types of food, but many find the guidelines are not all encompassing.
Types of Best Red wines
Merlot
Merlot is one of the finest vintages of red wine and also one of the most popular. The higher alcohol content of merlot makes it an especial favorite among restaurateurs with an affinity for gourmet fare. Merlot has a rich and full-bodied flavor.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is the most common red wine that you will find most commonly in homes across America. This rich, full-flavored beverage goes well with most any dish other than fish or seafood.
Zinfandel
The Zinfandel varieties of red wine are most often classified as ladies wine, due to their subtle and light flavor. Zinfandel can be found in both red and white varieties, it is the red which is most popular among wine drinkers who appreciate the richness of a red wine, but the subtlety of white.
What foods go fine with red wine?
For the most part, guidelines say that red wine should be consumed with red meats and white wines with white meat. However, with the different flavors of the different types of wine, people are finding that some red wines taste better with fish and some white wines go better with their beef. Essentially, it is a matter of individual taste that determines the flavor of the wine, regardless of the meal.
Do you know that not all wines are made of grapes!
Not all wines are made of grapes, and these types of wine are usually indicated by their name such as apple wine or elderberry wine. There is also several types of wine that are made from grains such as rice, but they usually have a closer resemblance to beer instead of the smoother taste of wine. There is even wine made from grapes that have been frozen on the vine known as ice wine that offers a crisper taste.

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Personality of Wine?
Feb 09, 2008 @ 05:43 am by wine
Just as you can imagine the different flavors of steak, chicken, and pork chops without actually eating them, you can learn to imagine the flavors of zinfandel, pinot noir, merlot, and other wine varietals. Being conscious of the differences makes buying wine and pairing it with food much simpler.
PINOT NOIR
Personality: Sensual and understated. Pinot noir is one of the most food friendly red wines, thanks to lots of inherent acidity.
Origin: The Burgundy Region of France, though great examples also come from California and Oregon.
Aroma, flavor, and texture: Rich Loamy earth, mushrooms, warm baked cherries; usually medium-bodied flavor with a smooth, supple texture that’s often described as silky.
Cost: From $20 for a decent American version to more than $100 for a top-quality French Pinot.
Try it with: Grilled salmon, most anything with mushrooms (Risotto with mushrooms!), roasted chicken, and duck breast.
SYRAH/SHIRAZ
Personality: Rich, dramatic, even a bit wild
Origin: Northern Rhone Valley of France; also made in Australia (where it’s called shiraz) and the US.
Aroma flavor, and texture: Wild berries, chocolate, black licorice, black pepper with hints of meatiness; medium to full bodied flavor, with a soft, thick mouthfeel. Australian shirazes, in particular, are big, plush examples of the wine world.
Cost: Modest (good shirazes can be had for $15) to $40 plus for the top French examples.
Try it with: Lamb or slow-cooked hearty meaty stews and casseroles.
MERLOT
Personality: Depends on price - inexpensive merlots are simple, basic red wines of little character. But if you spend $25 or more, you’ll get a wine as rich and majestic as cabernet sauvignon.
Origin: The Bordeaux region of France; California and Washington State.
Aroma, flavor, and texture: Cocoa, red plums, cassis, espresso, cedar, tobacco; medium to full bodied. The top merlots have a lot of structure.
Cost: From $10 for inexpensive Chilean merlot, $20 to $40 for a very good merlot from California, to more than $2000 for a bottle for the top Bordeaux made merlot.
Try it with: Meat dishes such as roasted chicken, braised short ribs, or steak.
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Personality: The preeminent classic red variety, thanks to its complexity, majestic structure, richness, and capacity to age for decades - the Sean Connery of red wines.
Origin: Bordeaux, France, but terrific examples are now produced in virtually every great red wine region of the world.
Aroma, flavor, and texture: Similar to merlot, only bigger, deeper, more intense, and powerful. Watch out, though, for poorly made, cheap cabernet sauvignon, which can be dank and weedy.
Cost: Moderate ($15) to expensive ($75); plan to spend at least $25 for a very good bottle.
Try it with: Grilled steak (cabernet and grilled steak are considered a classic American pairing) and roast beef.
ZINFANDEL
Personality: Thick and jammy, like blackberries simmering.
Origin: Croatia, though virtually all of the top zinfandels are now grown in northern California.
Aroma, flavor, and texture: Like a big boysenberry pie with vanilla ice cream - full bodied, mouth filling, and flannel soft.
Cost: $12 to $30.
Try it with: Meat loaf, barbecued ribs, burgers, bean and vegetable casseroles, or pot roast. Open a bottle with Chipotle Barbecue Burgers with Slaw.

Wine Drinking Guidelines

Drinking is a part of almost every social gathering. It has become a tradition now to drink on several happy occasions. So drinking is a socially accepted thing now. On such occasions people drink alcohol without judging their drinking limits that results several inconvenient and embarrassing situations. Studies show that around 60% of road accidents happen due to over drinking.
To avoid such situations, and enjoy the taste as well as effect of wine, you need to be in your limits, and should never go beyond that. If you’ll follow this principle strictly, you’ll keep yourself away from all those embarrassment and inconvenience caused by over drinking.
Well, alcohol affects directly on our nervous system, and even a little amount of alcohol is harmful and can create dangerous situation. People think that they have a safe limit of drinking wine, but the truth is different, there is no safe limit when it comes to wine or other alcoholic drinks. According to people their have a safe drinking limit, even after that they can perform all chores of their daily life properly.
There are different set safer drinking levels for men and women, based on medical and scientific researches. We should remember that there is no level of drinking that is safe for everyone all the time. There are several factors like health, age, weight, and individual will power which directly affect this safe limit of drinking for individuals. For some people the only safe option is no drinking.
Specially, women should avoid drinking wine during pregnancy. Drinking is directly related with Body-Mass Index (BMI) of people, thin people should also avoid drinking too much of wine, or other alcoholic drinks. After drinking people should avoid activities which need instant decision making, like driving, boating, scuba diving, or operating complex machinery.

The Stages of Inebriation

When a person consumes alcohol, the body responds to that alcohol in stages. A person typically won’t go from sober to completely trashed right away. It’s a gradual thing. The six stages of inebriation are euphoria, excitement, confusion, stupor, coma, and death.
Euphoria
A person is in euphoria if their blood alcohol content, or BAC, is between .03 and .12. During this stage, the person may be more self-confident and daring. In addition, they might have a shortened attention span and may appear flushed. Euphoric people have lessened judgment. This means that, during a conversation, the individual may say the first thing that comes to mind rather than give an appropriate comment for the situation. Euphoric people may have trouble with fine movements like writing or signing their name.
Excitement
Excitement is the stage when a person’s BAC is between .09 and .25. This stage overlaps with the later stages of Euphoria as different people react slightly differently to an amount of alcohol. Excited people become sleepy, may have trouble understanding or remembering events, and do not react to situations as quickly. In addition, they demonstrate uncoordinated body movements and begin to lose their balance easily. The senses start acting up as well as they may have trouble hearing, tasting, and feeling as well as experience blurry vision.
Confusion
Confusion is classified as the stage in which the inebriated person has a BAC of between .18 and .30. This too overlaps with Excitement. It is called confusion as the drunk may not know where they are or even what they are doing. They might feel dizzy and stagger, rather than walk, when moving. Confused people are highly emotional. They are capable of being aggressive, withdrawn, and overly affectionate in quick succession. They exhibit uncoordinated movements, are sleepy, can’t see clearly, have issues not slurring their speech. The most dangerous part is that they may not feel pain as easily as a sober or less drunk person.
Stupor
People in a drunken stupor typically have a BAC of between .25 and .40. These people are barely moving, and do not respond to stimuli, for the most part. In addition, they are not capable of standing or walking. They might also vomit and lapse in and out of consciousness. A person who achieves this stage should not be left alone as they may vomit and choke to death on it if they are not conscious when vomiting. These people should be monitored and sleep on their sides.
Coma
People in a coma have a BAC of between .35 and .5. They are unconscious, have depressed reflexes, feel cool or cold, breath more slowly or shallowly, and may have a slower heart rate than normal. At this stage, death is possible.
Death
People with a BAC of more than .5 typically die. They stop breathing and then die.

Chenin Blanc and the Loire Region

Chenin Blanc is a white grape variety that appears to produce wines built to last eternally. While many Chenin Blanc wines are somewhat insipid, at their best they compete with the finest of any varietal. For the most part the best Chenin Blanc wines start young, with a level of acidity that disprove the sweetness waiting to mature; as these wines age, they develop a full, smooth body that is unrivaled in nearly any other wine. A good Chenin Blanc can continue improving for over a decade, and can apparently last eternally.
Chenin Blanc is a predominantly resourceful grape that is used to create dry white wines, sparkling wines, dessert wines and brandy. It provides a somewhat neutral taste for the appearance of terroir, vintage variation and the winemaker’s treatment. In cooler areas the juice is sweet but high in acid with a full-bodied fruity varietal taste. In the variable summers of northern France, the acidity of under developed grapes was often masked with inadequate outcomes; despite the fact that now the less developed grapes are made into popular sparkling wines such as Crémant de Loire. The white wines of Anjou are possibly the greatest appearance of Chenin as a dry wine, with flavors of quince and apples. In nearby Vouvray they intend for an off-dry style, cultivating honey and floral distinctiveness with age. In the best vintages the grapes can be left on the vines to develop noble rot, producing an intense, viscous dessert wine which will improve considerably with age.
The best depiction of the Chenin Blanc grape can be found in the Loire Valley of France more specifically, the regions of Vouvray, Savennieres, Anjou and Samur. The adaptability of the grape permits it to produce wines both dry and sweet, still and sparkling and you can find all examples in the Loire. It’s found in South Africa as well, where it’s called Steen and is usually made in the dry style.
In California, the wines made from Chenin Blanc have a tendency to be mass produced wines for common use, and as such are significantly more unbiased in tone and character than the Loire Valley Vouvrays. Much of this has to do with the amount of yield the vines are pushed to, with California Chenin Blanc producing many times the grapes as those in the Loire Valley. It is rare for Chenin Blanc to be combined with any other grape, particularly in its sweeter incarnations. When it is matched with another grape, however, it tends to be combined with either Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, both of which complement Chenin Blanc’s acidity

Purchasing Low Sulphite Wine

Sulphur dioxide is used in the wine making process for fermentation as it can preserve the character of the wine including taste, flavour and colour. Sulphites are a natural byproduct of winemaking and has not been considered dangerous in small quantities. Over time, cheap bottles of wine have added sulphites to help enhance the flavour cheaply. However, some people are highly allergic to sulphur and therefore they should avoid anything that contains it. Low sulphite wine contains quite negligible amount of sulphites and therefore consuming it is normally considered safe even for people allergic to sulphites.
Though sulphur dioxide is used to preserve the taste of wine, if used in excess quantity, it can cause an unpleasant taste evident at very low concentration. Wines with high level of sulphur dioxide are known to cause some health issues including fatal allergic reactions and terrible hangovers. Another reason for people to look for low sulphite wine is that when sulphites are added in high quantity to wines, fewer grapes are required to make a bottle of wine, thus making it cheaper to produce.
Different types of wines contain different levels of sulphites and the knowledge about this factor will help a person in finding out a low sulphite wine for consumption. Red wines are having the lowest level of sulphites because they naturally contain anti-oxidants acquired from their stems and skins during fermentation. However, wine makers add some sulphites anyways to this low sulphite wine to maintain the flavour on the cheap. White wines and roses have higher levels of sulphites as they need anti-oxidants in the form of sulphur since they are not left in contact with their skins during fermentation. Sweet wines will be having the highest level of sulphites as sugar will combine with sulphur. Therefore more sulphur is added to get the same level of free sulphur dioxide.
The difficult task of finding low sulphite wine has been made easy by the Internet. You just need to do a quick search in the search engines to find a good low sulphite wine. There are a lot of online stores that provide the product and you can purchase it online as well.

Popular Wine Rating Systems

One of the top and most widely used wine ratings system is Parkers 100 Point Scale. The scale, which was founded by Robert Parker and his friend Victor Morgenroth, rates wines from 50 - 100, 100 being, “An extraordinary wine of profound and complex character displaying all the attributes expected of a classic wine of its variety. Wines of this caliber are worth a special effort to find, purchase, and consume,” and 50 being, “A wine deemed to be unacceptable.” All wine rankings are based on the wine’s color, appearances, taste, aroma, bouquet, flavor, finish, and overall quality level or potential.
Another wine ratings scale is Wine Spectator’s 100 Point Scale. The scale was imitated from Parker’s Scale and used mostly for their magazine readers. It has the same principles as Parkers, but a little less detail in the actual rating and it’s more frank. A wine rated at 100-95 is considered a “Classic: a great wine,” and 74-50 is rated as a “Not recommended.” A score that was given a range is usually the preliminary score and is usually based on barrel tasting. As of March 2008, the wine ratings have switched to rolling four point spreads for unfinished wines. Wine Spectator believes it will “better reflect the subtle differences between wines, and give our readers better information for their buying decisions.”
A different wine ratings site is Wine Enthusiast Magazine. They have a unique search engine that allows you to find wines based on rating, price, type, vintage, blend or varietal, region, brand, special qualifiers, publication date, reviewer, and records per page. Their wine rating system is also based on a 100 point scale with 100 being “Classic,” and 80-82 as being, “Acceptable.” They do not include any lower numbers since none of their users look for anything under 80. You have a choice to either smart search or field search on their web page for the wine of your choice.
As a final point, we have our own wine ratings expert Michael Zimberg. He has an actual grading system for wines instead of a point system. He uses the school based method of grading from A-F. He believes that regardless of the cost of wine “region and rarity also play a factor.”He also grades based upon something that is fun and different to try so it may merit a higher grade. He has an exceptional sense of taste and always knows the perfect thing to drink.
Lindsay Alston is a contributing editor for Classic Wines, specializing in wine ratings

5 Keys to Cooking With Wine

Many of us have fond memories of the late Julia Child enthusiastically adding wine to many of her most popular dishes. Europeans, particularly the French and Italians, have been creating culinary masterpieces with wine for centuries. Americans, in recent times, have started adding wine to popular recipes. Achieving success cooking with wine is relatively easy, provided one follows some basic guidelines.
The “rule of thumb” when selecting a cooking wine is to select a wine you would not mind drinking. Definitely avoid selecting a wine you prefer to drink. The truth of the matter is that all fine wines lose their wonderful characteristics during the cooking process, anyway. It is a good policy to avoid “cooking wines” from the grocery store, as they are often laced with additional sodium. In fact, it is perfectly acceptable to use whatever wine you have on hand. The type of wine used for cooking does not have to match the wine being served with the meal.
The great fun of cooking with wine is the experimenting! Their are very few hard and fast rules. Generally, white wines are better for cooking with poultry, fish and pork. Red wines are generally better with beef. Your taste buds are always the best judge. White wines can add some needed acidity to rich, creamy sauces. Unless it is specifically noted in the recipe, use dry wines for cooking rather than sweet wines.
The amount of wine you add to your dish depends on personal taste and the volume of food being prepared. You want to be sure that the wine has the opportunity to “cook off”during the simmering process. Too much wine will make that process take too long. Once you have determined the right amount of wine to add to a particular dish, definitely make a note on the recipe of the amount. Voila! the trial and error is done. Knowing how to cook with wine will greatly enhance the flavors of many of your favorite dishes.
Ultimately, experimenting is the key to your success. Oh, and what fun that is!
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Fine Red Wines

It wouldn’t be a complete cocktail experience without overflowing drinks like margarita, tequila, vodka, wine and champagne. Partygoers desire to savor a night of live entertainment with a glass of refreshment on hand. In a classy social scene, fine California red wines are a much preferred array. A unique wine savoring experience is usually shaped up with blues music, distinguished bigwigs, formally clad waiters serving gourmet appetizers, and interesting conversations among attendees.
The West is not just a home to sophisticated fashion and high-tech gadgets but it is also where tasty choices of mouthwatering food and beverages are shared by party butterflies. Wines are part of the nightlife aspect of mankind, and in California, they’re popular concoctions. Thus, a wine festival is celebrated every year. Santa Barbara takes a festivity on savoring red and white wines while listening to the blues music. On a sunny day, everyone just seems to experience exotic dining and wine tasting of hundreds of types of fine California red wines. With waving palms and glittering white sands giving the ambiance, the event just goes perfectly as expected. As the sun sets, everyone parties with more wine servings to enjoy.
Fine California red wines are also much preferred to be served at charity auctions and corporate cocktail parties. These particular wines are distinctively tasty. There are even benefit gala or local charity events that put up a wine tasting weekend as one of the prizes for bid winners. A serving of California wine can perfectly match the classiness of any five-star hotel ala carte meal. Makers of wines in Cali have been producing highly standardized array of wines since the 1970’s, and up to this date, they are up for distributing handcrafted wines that suit the taste of both the young and mature crowds.
California’s climate has something to do with being a strategic location for growing grapes that make up fine California red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Navarro Zinfandel Mendocino, Merlot, Rubicon Estate Zinfandel, among others. These wines leave a desirable linger taste among wine connoisseurs. Flavors of cherries, dark fruits, blackberries and plums are what they provide. At present, hundreds of wineries are committed to circulate the the finest selection of not just red wines but also sparkling ones and champagnes which the socializing crowd would prefer to sip while exchanging good thoughts in a social event.
Fine California red wines are manufactured by major winery firms with the global distribution and marketers like wine shops. At the standard winery, the makers of wine put in passion and skills to deliver every aspect what a fine wine is supposed to taste and look like. Higher quality of grapes make up finely produced wines of all kinds.
Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author.
To learn more about fine wine, please visit Fine Wine Shop for current articles and discussions.
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The Manhattan Wines

Till date, you would have tasted several different varieties of wine types. Among the different wine varieties, the most flavored and tongue tasting wine are the Manhattan fine wines. Manhattan fine wines are really flavored and they are considered as the best choice to cheer your love and friendship amidst your near ones. If you are an ardent wine lover, then Manhattan will be the best and absolute choice for you to taste the real flavor of your branded wine variety. Whenever, while anyone thinks about Manhattan, what will be the first favorite item that you will be heard? Of course undoubtedly the Manhattan fine wines.

Around the population of 8.2 million individuals living in New York and people around 1.6 million live in Manhattan, there have been planted with extensive vineyards without bothering about the climate. With this report, Manhattan fine wines are known familiar and they are increasingly growing popular among the wine lovers. This variety of wines has been stored in wide racks in the Manhattan Beach, which in the region of South California. The experts add the essential additional to add the best flavor to the Manhattan wines. These varieties of wines are getting increasingly popular, as they are flavored with grand taste and sensation.

Grand variety of wine and crunches aside will be an excellent experience to spend your leisure hours. Flavored wine will assure you for good fun and they teach you the best cheerful moments of happiness. If people are not aware about the Manhattan fine wines or they never have the idea about its flavor and taste must have to taste it at least once when they get a chance. When you are planning for any cruise vacation, you can enjoy an elegant and tasty dining with a magnificent flavor of Manhattan wines. It will be really awesome when you enjoy your pleasurable moments with your dear ones! The moment will turn with double pleasure, when you’re dining gets decorated with Manhattan fine wines.

In the region of Southern Bay, the Manhattan fine wines are recognized with the publications like Wine Enthusiast, Connoisseurs Guide, Wine Advocate, The LA Times and other more. You can also find several wide ranging critic choices and you can choose the best variety of wines matching your taste and flavor. It is absolutely worthy to take a trip ahead to Manhattan, where you can rejoice with your near and dear ones.

Wendy Pan is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about Manhattans’ fine wine, please visit Fine Wine Site for current articles and discussions.

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History of the Viognier Wine Grape

In 1965 only a miserable eight hectares of Viognier (pronounced Vee-on-yay) grape existed in its Northern Rhône homeland appellation of Condrieu. Amazing, since some believe the grape had grown here for at least 2000 years, possibly transported to the Rhône from its birthplace in Dalmatia by the Romans.

Since 1965 the grape and its wine has increased in popularity and in its price. At first the increase in planting was gradual with only 20 hectares recorded in 1986, 40 hectares in 1990, 80 hectares in 1995, but climbing to 108 hectares in 2000. But even today this is just over half of the 200 hectares permitted for cultivation in Condrieu at the northern end of the Northern Rhône.

It consists of seven communes located on steep terraced hills, where Viognier is the only variety of grape allowed in this appellation devoted solely to white wine. Any bottle originating from Condrieu is totally Viognier. Some say that low yields, difficult growing conditions and late harvesting contribute to the exceptional, concentrated flavours of Condrieu that ensure prices well over $40 a bottle.

Regulations restrict the maximum permitted yields to a low 30 hl/ha, despite this in the last twenty to twenty five years yields have, on average, only managed to reach 15 hl/ha.

During the 1990s winegrowers from other parts of the Rhône and further a field in France saw the mounting interest in Viognier. Initially the grape was grown to blend with other whites and reds, bringing extra character to well know varieties, and softening the Shiraz wines of the Côte Rôtie.

Temperamental it may be but versatile it certainly is. Now it is increasingly being grown in its own right enlarging the range of pure Viognier wines on the shelves. It is the rapid increase in Viognier plantings in California and Australia that has helped to push the wine onto the world stage.

Before 1990 there were hardly any vines in California - today there are around 800 hectares devoted to the vine. The first vines were introduced in the early 1980’s at Calera, but since 1990 have been planted widely due to the massive demand from Americans. It has been termed a cult wine in the US and accordingly has attracted relatively high prices ($20-$40 a bottle) well exceeding the quality of some of the wines.

The Californians have experimented with combining Viognier with Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Colombards.

In Australia, there are over 200 hectares grown in South Australia alone and close to that in Victoria. Alcohol content of Australian wines tends to be high at around 13%+. Other parts of the world demonstrating an interest are Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada and Japan.

Viognier is a remarkably difficult grape to grow. It is prone to mildew, produces notoriously low and unpredictable yields, and needs to be picked when fully ripe. If it is picked too early it fails to develop its classic aromas and rich tastes. But despite, or perhaps because of, this precariousness it has the most amazing clear, golden colour and the aroma of flowers and fruits at their freshest. Many talk of being surprised by the taste; the colour and nose hinting at something sweeter but the actually taste being dry with a variety of nuances both on the tongue and afterwards. In appreciating the surprising dryness of this wine don’t miss out on the few bottles of late harvested, dessert wines that escape from places like Condrieu.

Although low-acidity Viogniers do not require the heavy oaking to provide balance, some sensitive use of oak barrels can enhance the overall flavour. Oz Clarke describes this as a ’swooning wine .. wine that just oozed sex and sensuality.’ It is best known for its apricot, peach and spice flavours, together with high alcohol (often over the 13% mark) and low acidity.

As with many white wines it is generally best consumed young, although the classic Viogniers of the North Rhône (and increasingly wines from the oldest vines in California and Australia) can develop well for much longer. Condrieu has been called ‘the most expensive early drinking wine in the world.’ But with all this talk of quality young wines let’s not forget that there are also an increasing number of late harvest dessert wines that will also last much longer.

You can drink it with many foods or none. Try matching it with spicy Thai cuisine, Chinese takeaways, Mexican dishes, medium to strong and salty cheeses, strong flavoured fish dishes, pork and chicken and fresh fruit.

The Gurdies Winery is one of Australia’s premium cool climate wineries. The weekly newsletter gives you a snapshot of ‘This day in wine history’, more articles like this plus vineyard and winery news. Sign up by sending a blank email to whatson@thegurdieswinery.getresponse.com

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History of the Shiraz Wine Grape

If you live in Australia you drink Shiraz and if you live in other parts of the world (especially near Avignon in Frances’ Rhone Valley) you drink Syrah. Same grape, different name.

Legend has it that during the 13th century Crusades a French knight called Gaspard de Sterimberg discovered wonderful grapes near Shiraz in Persia. And, as winery people tend to do, he ‘liberated’ some cuttings to plant back home at his Hermitage (farm) in the Rhone Valley.

The city of Shiraz is the provincial capital of Fars and is around 935 km from Tehran. Shiraz lies at an altitude of 1,600 meters that makes for mild winters and moderate summers. An ideal climate for grapes. The Shiraz region had some of the world earliest vineyards. Greek amphorae have been unearthed in Hermitage but this could work both ways. It could have been the Roman legions who brought their own wines with them as we know wine was grown in the Rhone Valley during Roman times.

Unfortunately, DNA testing by Dr. Carole Meredith of the University of California has shown that Shiraz is a native of the Rhone Valley and not Persia. It was a good story while it lasted. Syrah accounts for the majority of wines coming from the northern Rhone Valley. Two of the worlds most famous Shiraz appellations are in the northern Rhone Valley: Hermitage and Côte-Rôti. The southern half of the valley is the origin of the Rhone blends, traditionally a blend of Shiraz, Mourvedre and Grenache grapes.

Australia and France seem to be obsessed by the grape. About 40% of all red grapes planted in Australia are Shiraz. France has somewhat less than this but is still way in front of any other country.

The first cuttings of Shiraz made it to Australia, probably with James Busby in 1832 and were incorrectly labelled Scyras which is a popular northern Rhone Valley variety. The cuttings first reached South Africa from Europe. They were then picked up by the first fleets when they took on provision in South Africa and made it to Australia. Recent DNA testing by Dr. Harold P. Olmo of the University of California shows Shiraz as a cross between Mondeuse Blanche and Dureza grapes. Dureza is from the northern Ardeche region west of the Rhone Valley. Mondeusa Blanche comes from the Savoie region and the earliest recorded plantings of Shiraz in France date back to 500BC.

Grosse Syrah and Petite Syrah is another divergence of the Shiraz branch. The only difference being berry size. Petite Syrah tends to produce dry, dark wines with lots of tannins, spice and black pepper. Petite Sirah (that’s an ‘i’ and not a ‘y’) is a completely different grape. In the 1880’s Dr Durif in France was promoting a mildew resistant variety that he naturally called: ‘Durif’. It was planted in the United States and somehow the naming didn’t make it across, it was incorrectly labelled Syrah. Phylloxera wiped out a lot of the grapes in the late 1890’s and it wasn’t till the 1970’s that Californian Syrah was correctly identified as Petite Sirah. DNA testing in 1991 confirmed the Durif label for Petite Sirah.

Australian Shiraz is made in two different styles. The big, full, rich, tannin laden wines and lighter fruitier ‘drink now’ styles with lots of blackberry and raspberry. You’ll often find a bit of Grenache in with some of the cheaper and nastier ones just for a bit more flavour. But this is just a small portion as there are some fantastic examples around. The Hunter Valley in NSW produces Shiraz that has a trademark ’sweaty saddle’ characteristic while the Barossa Valley produces a more peppery and herbaceous style with less fruit nose and more tannin. The cooler climates produce rich fruit driven wines with lots of pepper.

Shiraz grapes are used to create the world famous Grange Hermitage. Now called Penfolds Grange as the name Hermitage was a casualty in the great France versus the rest of the world naming debate. Max Schubert created Grange in 1952. He pioneered the use of refrigeration to control the rate of fermentation and hence the flavour extraction from grapes and the use of new oak barrels to store and mature wines. Both these practices are now standard for premium red wines but were revolutionary in their day. And, it took more than 10 years for Grange to be accepted as a great wine. It was universally criticised when first released and only Max’s determination to see it succeed kept it alive. Imagine the loss to the wine world had Max listened to everyone and given up.

Shiraz is a very vigorous growing grape. It produces large bunches of anywhere up to 130 berries per bunch. They are long and loose bunches with very good disease resistance. Shiraz does very well in our cool climate and thrives in warm spring weather to produce a strikingly peppery wine.

And one final legend on Shiraz grapes, from Cyrus Kadivar, The Iranian: One ancient Persian legend says that Jamshid, a grapeloving king, stored ripe grapes in a cellar so he could enjoy grapes all year long. One day he sent his slaves to fetch him some grapes. When they did not return he decided to go to the cellar himself only to find that they had been knocked out by the carbon dioxide gas emanating from some bruised fermenting grapes. One of the king’s rejected, distraught mistresses decided to drink this poisoned potion, only to leave the cellar singing and dancing in high spirits. The king realised that this fruity liquid had the wonderful and mysterious power to make sad people happy. When Alexander overthrew the powerful Persian empire he entered Darius’s palace in January 330 AD. During one of the conqueror’s orgies soldiers raided the wine cellars. In a drunken moment Alexander ordered the destruction of Persepolis.

The Gurdies Winery is one of Australias premium cool climate wineries. The weekly newsletter gives you a snapshot of ‘This day in wine history’, more articles like this plus vineyard and winery news. Sign up by sending a blank email to whatson@thegurdieswinery.getresponse.com

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Some of the Benefits of Wine

Wine is part of culture, it has been in existence for a long time in history. It is produced from natural fermentation of fruit juices. The most commonly used fruits are grapes, apples, elderberry, barley and rice. Other ingredients added are enzymes and yeast to convert fruit sugars into alcohol. This product is rated as per flavor and vintage products. The tastes varies and one can choose from varieties.

Wine has great benefits in human life. It has great taste, brings relaxation and its an appetizer for it makes food more appealing. Besides this, wine it has nutritive value in human body. Its known to purge fever, disinfect open woods, help in regeneration of the red blood cells and has significant amount of minerals and vitamins. The antiseptic effect is brought by the fact that germs and bacteria cannot survive in presence of wine acids.

Scientific research has shown that the benefit of wine during a meal is to help prevent coronary disease. However, most people do not take it as a dietary supplement. They use it to enjoy sheer pleasure of quality of drink, relaxation purposes and for making certain dishes taste delicious. For example, pork or venison go well with red colored drink while poultry, fish or sea fruit are combined with white one.

Other benefits are that the drink has been used widely in social occasions like birthdays, anniversaries and closure of business deals. Currently, people has taken it as a custom of sending a bottle of the same and a card to show appreciation and express congratulations. This has given it a formal role in occasions.

Peter Gitundu Researches and Reports on Wine. For More Information on Wine, Visit His Site at WINE You Can Also Add Your Views About Wine At WINE

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The Popular Red Wine

Many people like wine and are finding that red wine is beneficial because it goes with so many things from red meat to chocolate. Also there are many health benefits to drinking red wine in moderation. It is good if you are not familiar with the different kinds of red wine that you go to a wine tasting so that you can try the varieties and decide what kind you like.

* Merlot wines are great because they are clean and refreshing wine that is not too heavy so you can drink it with something or by itself. it also works well with dinner pastas and red meat.
* Barolo is a very fragrant wine rose and violets and us usually eaten with BBQ. The color is a very rich and deep burgundy.
* Cabernet Sauvignon is a very popular California wine and has a great taste as well. Goes well with cheese, chocolate and lamb.
* Cabernet Franc this is a great fruit wine and goes well with pastas and poultry.
* Sangiovese is a high acidic wine with a strong taste and goes well with aged cheeses and meats.
* Malbec is arobust wine that has intense flavors and goes well with Indian and Mexican foods.

These are just a few of the many red wines that are available to you. It is important that you learn all the information about how these wines are produced and made so you can enjoy these unique flavors. It is always a great idea to go to a wine tasting so that you can learn more about the wines and taste them for yourself.

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Bryan Burbank is an expert in the field of Wine and Wine Tasting

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Best Italian Wine and Food

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Aosta Valley region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

The Aosta Valley is a tiny corner of northwestern Italy bordering on France and Switzerland. This beautiful valley is surrounded by high mountains, including Europe’s highest peak, Mount Blanc. While some other regions of Italy are bilingual, this is the only one where French is extensively spoken. With a population of only 120 thousand this is by far the smallest region. Its largest city is Aosta, home to some 35 thousand people. Tourist attractions include the remains of a Roman amphitheater, churches and other buildings dating back to the Middle Ages, Mount Blanc, and the Matterhorn.

The Aosta Valley devotes a mere fifteen hundred acres to grapevines ranking it dead last among Italy’s 20 regions. It produces about six hundred thousand gallons of wine a year, putting it at the bottom of the list. Some 90% of this limited wine production is red or rosé (only a bit of rosé). The region produces a single DOC wine, subdivided into 23 categories. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin. Almost 23% of this region’s wine carries the DOC. The Aosta Valley is home to almost three dozen major and secondary grape varieties, with somewhat more red than white varieties.

Before reviewing the Aosta Valley wine that I was lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Pazzarella; Small Pizza with Porcini Mushrooms, Mozzarella Cheese, and Porcini Mushrooms. As the second course try Fonduta; Fondue with Melted Cheese, Eggs, and Grated Truffles. For dessert indulge yourself with Pere Martin al Vino Rosso; Pears cooked in Spiced Wine with Whipped Cream.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Les Crêtes Torrette 2006 12.0% alcohol about $22

Let’s start with the marketing materials. “Petit Rouge is Valle d’Aosta’s claim-to-fame grape. It produces darkly colored and very perfumed red wines. Many think of roses and peonies when they smell this pretty red wine. It is a naturally low-yielding variety that produces very small berries. This is a virtue, because the small berry size produces wines that can be very aromatic and flavorful with a good core of acids and tannins for balance. Enjoy it with braised beef dishes or a wild mushroom risotto.”

And then there was one. Over the past two and a half years I have tasted wines from eighteen of the twenty regions of Italy. All that was left was the Aosta Valley and Liguria, the Italian Riviera, neither of which export much wine to North America. As soon as I saw that my local wine store imported an Aosta Valley wine I jumped at the opportunity. Perhaps my expectations were too high.

On the first sipping I found the wine nice and long with tannins in the background. It was round as well. The first pairing was with a slow cooked beef stew accompanied by potatoes and carrots. The wine was mouth filling and tart. I got the feeling that the grapes were slightly unripe. It actually improved when consumed with a relatively mild tomato-based salsa. On the other hand a Turkish hot pepper sauce, Harissa, did not improve the wine.

The next meal included a commercial barbequed chicken leg with the paprika dusted skin, barbequed chicken wings in a sweet and sour sauce, potatoes roasted in chicken fat, and more of the salsa. The wine tasted of black cherries. It had palate-cleansing acidity with no tannins at all (like a Beaujolais). The potatoes melted in my mouth but made the wine sour. And the wings were more powerful than the wine. The salsa cleansed the palate and muted the wine.

The final meal was an omelet with smoked salmon. The wine was fruity displaying pleasant acidity but was short.

The first cheese was a cream cheese that took away the wine’s fruit. In the presence of a marbled Cheddar cheese the wine was sweet and fruity.

Final verdict. The Aosta Valley is an expensive part of Italy. This wine was overpriced. I’ve been doing a column on $10 wines and the best of the lot compete with this one. Perhaps I was overly excited about this wine because of its location. Actually the wines from this part of Italy don’t have a special reputation. I won’t rush to taste another one, not at this price. Next stop, Liguria.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian, French, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and spend time with his wife and family. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. Among his many web sites he is particularly proud of his new love and relationships site celebrating mostly spiritual and on occasion physical love at http://www.loveamourlove.com. You will find a wide range of articles devoted to various aspects of love, and a special collection of love quotes in both English and French (with translations.) Check out his global wine website at http://www.theworldwidewine.com with his new weekly column reviewing $10 wines.

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Best Terroir

The Greeks realized it, the Romans realized it and the French and modern Europeans have codified it into law. The place a wine’s grapes are grown has an impact on the aroma and flavor of the wine.

In one sense this is obvious because a wine grape is really nothing more than an agricultural product. It grows on a vine in the ground and is subject to the conditions of the soil and the prevailing weather during its ripening. It makes sense that the grape vine has certain minimum requirements for its healthy growth so it won’t flourish where it’s too cold or too hot, where there is too much or not enough rain, or where the ground is just plain inhospitable. But, aside from the fact that the grape grows and ripens, what impact does the place of its growth have upon its aroma and flavor as a finished wine?

If wine were not so intriguing a beverage this question would not be asked at all. And if wine were not such a valuable commodity the answer would not be important to anyone.

The fact is that wine has always been valued based largely upon where it comes from. Greek and Roman writing differentiated between the merely good and the great wines of their day by noting where the vineyard was located. Before them the vineyards that supplied wine to the courts of the Mesopotamian monarchs were located in the far off mountains and required expensive shipping to be enjoyed in the palace. From earliest times, wine had prestige and added value because it was rare and expensive compared to malt beverages brewed from grain. The grape type was relatively unimportant for many centuries although it was recognized that the grapes of a particular vine species, which came to called the vtis vinifera, was most dependable.

Through the span of Mediterranean and European history place continued to be the most important factor in determining a wine’s value. The great white wines of Germany (Reisling), the great red and white wines of Burgundy (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay), the red wines of Bordeaux (Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) etc. where all known by their regional identities.

Grape types have come and gone but the regions remain great. At one time there was very little white Sancerre, it was known more for its red wines made from Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon is a relative baby, being the offspring of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc within the last three hundred years. Even wine styles have fluctuated over time. The red wines of Italy’s Peidmont region were significantly sweeter a hundred years ago. So to, the white wines of the Loire Valley were prized by the Medieval French kings for their honeyed sweetness although today’s tastes require far more dry white wine.

There is no place in the world of wine that makes a larger fuss over the impact of the vineyard site than Burgundy in France. Here, very intricate maps have been drawn demarcating individual vineyards, some very small, all close to one another along the hillsides of the Cote d’Nuits and the Cote d’Ore. Some vineyards are called “Village” vineyards because they are in the environs of particular villages like Fixin, Gevrey or Puligney. Others are rated higher and called “Premier Cru” or “Grand Cru”. They are also associated with certain villages but have a proper name of their own like Les Charmes or Batard-Montrachet. It was a confederation of Medieval monks who started this practice. They made wines from all the vineyards but noted subtle and consistent differences depending upon the vineyard location. Curiously, and to this day, the more expensive wine comes from vineyards located at mid slope. Vineyards on the flat land or too high up on the slope produced good but not great results. Looking at maps of Burgundy today you can pick out two vineyards that are side by side and yet, the wine from one is village-level and relatively cheap, while the wine from the other is a Grand Cru and demands astronomical prices.

The modern acceptance of this idea dates back only about eighty years to a time when French wine was in crisis following World War One. Vine diseases of different kinds, the infestation of the Phyloxera louse and the devastation of war brought the European wine industry to its knees. The French, to combat the sale of generic bulk wines as fine wines from an historical vineyard, created their appellation laws. AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controlee) dictated what kind of grapes were legal for each growing zone as well as the vineyard techniques and the winery practices that had to be used. Thus, in order to be labeled as a “Chateauneuf-du-Pape” the grapes had to be grown in that place only and follow distinct rules of ripening, fermentation and blending in order to qualify.

The French AOC system seemed to be a success so other countries followed suit in the decades between the world wars. Today There are AOC in France, DOC in Italy (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) and AVA in America (American Viticultural Area). These are all systems of legally recognized geographical grape growing zones. With the creation of these lawful zones the idea of terroir was reborn. The French phrase, gout de terroir literally means, “taste of the earth” and had been used in earlier times to refer to poorly made, rustic local wine that tasted “earthy”. It was a derogatory word for a fruitless, bland or even bitter and distastefully smelly wine. It tasted like the earth, yes, like a mouth full of dirt. It was only after the creation of the AOC system, and the idea that specificity of place really mattered, that the derogatory term became a term of respect.

I believe that the place a wine comes from does make a difference and I believe there is a distinction worth recognizing between the wines of Europe and the wines of the New World. But I think the mystical yet commonplace use of the word “terroir” is mostly about marketing. Everyone likes to claim that their wine expresses the terroir of its location but, frankly the idea of terroir is too big to add cache to specific wines.

Terroir is the combined influence of vineyard aspect (how a vineyard faces the sun, its exposure or shelter from wind and weather and its physical location on a hillside or in a valley), its soil (rocky, sandy, rich and fertile etc.), the specific weather conditions during the growing season (rain, heat, damaging frost or hail) and the myriad decisions made by experienced vineyard managers and wine makers. These are conditions that all wines share to a degree, merely by the fact that they are wines. It is undeniable that different wines taste distinctly different. Heck, it undeniable that the same wine tasted twice, or from two different bottles, can exhibit distinct differences. It’s clear that some wines, from some places are consistently extraordinary while others are average. It can certainly be argued that wines from very similar locations have a regional resemblance, and that different wines made by the same wine maker share a certain family resemblance. But is this because of some mystical thing called terroir?

I do not believe that the location of a wine’s production is any guarantee of quality, though some AOC or AVA (whichever) do seem very consistent. European appellations have many more rules and that means more similarity between wines of a certain place, so it’s more possible to have an idea of what a wine might taste like before you open a bottle from Europe. But wine making, even where strict guidelines are in place still breeds variation and, outside of Europe there are few guidelines. When you taste a wine from a place you know about I think you can conclude that some aspects of flavor and taste are the direct result of prevailing weather, geography or geology. I also think that, without that foreknowledge it’s pretty rare to able to correctly describe anything about the vineyard or the vine.

Wine lovers love to sniff and swirl, discuss and speculate and the finest, rarest wines in the world, or one that has been diligently aged offer subtle, sumptuous pleasures. And wine is unique in it’s depth and personality, its complexity and expressiveness … at least the good stuff is. But wine is also a commodity. The modern marketplace demands rationalization and explanation, especially when higher prices are being asked. The idea of terroir may shine with more clarity from certain wines but it is just that, an idea. Hatched by French regulators and taken up by wine makers and writers the world over, terroir has become something everyone wants to claim, like their grapes are “picked at the peak of ripeness”.

Enjoy your wine. Be interested in its interesting aspects but take the terminology with a grain of salt.

Warren Gregory can be reached at warren@warrenswineworld.com Have a wine related question or live in or near the Twin Cities in Minnesota? Plan a wine event. Warren is a certified sommelier and writes professionally and leads classes in wine tasting and knowledge. Visit http://www.warrenswineworld.com for more fun information on wine and Warren’s adventures in wine and food

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Best Grenache

It is uncertain where Grenache originated but it has been around for a long time. From the island of Sardinia, where it is called Cannonau, it may have found its way to Spain and/or southern France during the period when the Moorish kingdom of Aragon ruled the entire area (from about 1250 to 1650 CE). It is well suited to the vast stretches of rocky, windy vineyards along the Mediterranean coast. Grenache is a tough, woody vine that buds early and, with a long, dry growing season produces high sugar levels that can translate into fleshy, fruity wines of high alcohol. The juice is more translucent than dark and often expresses a rustic, peppery charm with more than a hint of sweetness. If the yield of the vineyard is strictly controlled the juice is darker and more concentrated and the result can be a very age-worthy red wine. Grenache also dominates many of the best dry, lively and refreshing rose wines of the Mediterranean world. Its silky texture, hint of fruity sweetness, fleshy mouth feel and spicy acidity make Grenache a good balance in blends that include (or perhaps star) Syrah, Cabernet, Mourvedre or Tempranillo. It’s often a “second fiddle” but Grenache is a very important player.

Most any wine labeled as a Cotes-du-Rhone (CdR) is bound to be mostly or entirely composed of Grenache. The words mean, “the area of the Rhone”, so a Cotes du Rhone wine is one derived from vineyards that are not in any of the other AOC appellations of the Rhone valley, but in the lands around and between these other appellations. There is a small amount of CdR that comes from the northern Rhone valley, containing a higher percentage of the darker more tannic Syrah grape, but most is from the south. You can tell by price how seriously the wine maker takes this wine. Often it is inexpensive and a perfect example of a country wine, light and fruity, for week night sipping.

There are also a class of wines called Cotes-du-Rhone Villages, wines made in the same style but coming from more restricted vineyards round about certain specific villages. Rasteau, Valreas, Sablet and Vaucluse are some names you may see on labels of village Cotes-du-Rhone. These wines follow more rules, attain a higher degree of concentration and are generally a bit more expensive although still reasonably priced.

Gigondas is a village right in the middle of the southern Rhone valley that was elevated from CdR status to be its own appellation in 1971. A Gigondas can’t be more than 80% Grenache, with Syrah and Mourvedre making up most of the remainder. Costing as much or more than a village level CdR, Gigondas can be delightfully untamed and a good value because it follows the same rules in its production as more expensive neighbors. A good Gigondas is rich and expressive with jammy, alluring fruit and dried herb character. The best examples can age and improve for ten years. Vacqueyras is another village that has been raised up from CdR-Villages status. It is next door to Gigondas and the wines are made on a similar pattern so they offer good value and, in some cases, equal quality to Gigondas.

Right down the road from Gigondas are the vineyards of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, (ChndP) the most esteemed if somewhat variable Grenache based wine from France. These words mean “the new house of the Pope”, and refer to the vineyard’s history of supplying wine to the table of the French pope who lived in Avignon during a period in which there were two rival popes. Like all the Grenache wines of this area a Chateauneuf is most often a blend of grape types. Up to thirteen varieties are allowed; Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Cincault are the most notable black grapes and even some white grapes can be used. There are some 100% Grenache ChndP being made as well and there is a small amount of white ChndP made from another collection of up to seven grape types. A white Chateuneuf can be remarkable. White or red, Chateuneuf-du-Pape wines sport a trademark crest of the pope embossed on the bottle and demand high prices but they have more structure and are more powerful and seriously age worthy than their neighbors. But remember, these are not California Cabs or Australian Shiraz. Grenache produces a fundamentally medium bodied wine with spice, zest and a kind of sun-baked, powerful fruitiness.

Tavel and Lirac are two Rhone villages that specialize in Grenache based rose wines that should not be dismissed. These are not sweet, as many wine drinkers with experience of white zinfandel might assume, but resoundingly dry and crisp with charming, ripe fruity flavors that light up a warm summer afternoon.

Near the Spanish border, right on the most south-west edge of France, perched on hillsides overlooking the sea are the vineyards of Banyuls, France’s most complex and intriguing dessert wine. It is both sweet and savory, made from very ripe Grenache grapes that are difficult to harvest from the steep hillsides and are even partly shriveled up and dried by the time they’re picked in October. The resulting wine is powerful, concentrated and heady. A great match to dark, bitter chocolate, Banyuls can also be paired with a savory entree with a touch of sweetness for a real culinary adventure.

Although other grape types are involved in the blend, as is often the case with Grenache wines, you can look for Fitou, Minervois, Collioure and St. Chinian on labels to select other wines from this same area of southwestern France.

In Spain Garnacha plays a role in just about every red wine you can find, although Tempranillo may dominate in many places. Campo de Borja, Jumilla, Cigales, Yecla, Priorat and Valdeorras are some of the DO appellations of Spain that feature Grenache prominently in their blends. There are more acres of vineyard land in Spain than any other country although Spain ranks third or fourth in terms of production. It’s a huge country, with only a couple really world class appellations and yet the overall value of Spanish wine is outstanding. If you’re the kind of person that enjoys wine (especially red wine) on a regular basis you must exploit the bargains of Spain.

If you know where in Spain a red wine comes from you can predict the relative influence of Garnacha in the blend. All the above mentioned Spanish DO appellations are in the south, or near the sea which is Garnacha country. The wines of northern Spain, from places like Rioja or Ribera del Duero especially are Tempranillo based.

There are Spanish wine producers who have not woken up to the revolution and continue to make tired, overly heavy and alcoholic wines. But the new tradition of Spanish wine making combines low yielding vineyards with clean technology in the winery for great results. And, there are many refreshing Spanish white wines coming up in quality these days as well.

Warren Gregory can be reached at warren@warrenswineworld.com Have a wine related question or live in or near the Twin Cities in Minnesota? Plan a wine event. Warren is a certified sommelier and writes professionally and leads classes in wine tasting and knowledge. Visit warrenswineworld.com for more fun information on wine and Warren’s adventures in wine and food

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