Prosecco

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Champagne, ghostofawriter, Glera, Italy, Northern Italy, Prosecco, Sparkling wine, Wine, Wine tasting descriptors

Prosecco is a dry or extra dry sparkling white wine produced in Italy. This is made from Glera grapes which are commonly grown in Northern Italy. In recent years this white wine has become a popular substitute for Champagne as it is easier on the budget and has a slightly different flavor which appeals to many. This wine was introduced to the common U.S market in 2000 and demand for it has grown since.

Prosecco has its second fermentation in stainless steel tanks which makes it less expensive than it largest competitor, Champagne which has second fermentation within the bottle. This sparkling white wine is mainly produced as fully sparkling, also known as spumante, or lightly sparkling, frequently called frizzante or gentile. The more expensive variant is the Prosecco spumante. A still wine is also made  from the Glera grapes, but this is not commonly exported.

To increase the sweetness of the wine some Pinot Bianco or Pinot Grigio may be added to it. It is available in “Brut”, “Extra Dry”, and “Dry” flavors.

Like other sparkling wines, Prosecco is best when served chilled. Prosecco can grow stale inside the bottle because the second fermentation takes place outside of the bottle, and it should be consumed while young, preferably within three years of its vintage. A few of the higher end bottles can be kept for up to seven years.

Prosecco is lower in alcohol than most sparkling wines, containing just 11 to 12% alcohol by volume. Prosecco is a light fruity flavor with an intense aroma. It has a fresh crisp flavor that lays pleasantly on the palate. This beverage is usually served unmixed, but does appear in several mixed drink recipes including the Bellini and Spritz cocktails. It is also commonly used as a less expensive replacement for Champagne in other cocktails such as the Mimosa.

Next time you have a celebration instead of doing the usual and buying Champagne, why not try something new and pick up a few bottles of Prosecco? Raise your glass with an Italian sparkling wine and start a new tradition.

Do you need a wine cellar?

Tags

Bottle, food, ghostofawriter, Refrigerator, shopping, Temperature, Wine, Wine cellar, Wine Storage

 

A wine cellar is a ‘must have’ for any true collector of fine wines. When you hear the term cellar you tend to think of a dark underground room with racks and racks of dusty old bottles, unfortunately not all of us live in a castle or a mansion. Luckily there are wine aficionados out there who have solved our problems for us.

A wine cellar is a very similar appliance to a wine refrigerator. A wine refrigerator is designed to chill your wine and maintain it at a perfect service temperature. A wine cellar maintains storage temperature of about 55°F which can be different than the serving temperature. A wine cellar also controls humidity at a perfect level which will prevent the cork from drying out or molding. A proper wine cellar should maintain a humidity level of 50 – 70%, the average wine refrigerator is typically below 50% humidity.

Long term storage of wine in your household refrigerator is not a good place as the household fridge is too cold and has temperature fluctuations every time the door is opened to remove its content. To maintain its integrity wine must be kept in stable conditions. A garage or closet might be a slightly better storage solution, but your bottle will still be susceptible to temperature and humidity variations.

A wine refrigerator is fine for wines that will only be kept for about two years. Any longer than that and you run the risk of spoiling the wine. Most wine refrigerators are susceptible to vibration. They run on a vapor compression system, when the compressor activates the refrigerator is vibrated a small amount. Even this small amount of vibration can disturb the sediment in the bottle which can ruin a bottle for long-term storage. A wine cellar is built to protect itself and remain vibration-free.

If you are going to be a serious wine collector then it is best to get yourself a wine cellar, but if the wine will be consumed within about two years a wine refrigerator is fine. If the wine is only going to remain in your presence to a matter of days the household refrigerator or a simple wine holder is more than adequate. Decide what you plan to do with the wine before you make a huge investment on something you might not need.

 

Definition of Champagne

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Champagne, France, ghostofawriter, Sparkling wine, Wine

Moet champagne and glass. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Champagne is a sparkling white wine made from grapes grown in the Champagne region of France. The primary grapes used in the creation of champagne are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. In order to be called Champagne it must meet certain requirements.

1. There must be a secondary fermentation within the bottle which creates the carbonation
2. The grapes used in the production of the wine must be grown within designated plots within the Champagne region of France.

If it does not meet those requirements then it is referred to as a sparkling wine.

To create the second fermentation process the winemaker takes still wine and adds a few grams of sugar and yeast. This yeast and sugar then convert to carbon dioxide,which form the bubbles, and alcohol. The carbonation increases the pressure in the bottle to about 80 psi. For champagne the second fermentation occurs within the bottle. For sparkling wines the second fermentation can also occur in the fermentation tank, it’s up to preferred method of the winemaker.

Champagne first gained its reputation because of its association with the anointment of French kings. Royalty throughout Europe spread the message of this unique sparkling beverage and its association with luxury and power. The producers at that time did not discourage that notion and it quickly became associated with nobility and royalty. Through advertising and packaging that was ahead of their time they sought to associate Champagne with high luxury, festivities, and rites of passage. Their timing was excellent as the middle class was emerging and they were looking for ways to spend money on symbols of upward mobility and class.

Sparkling wines and champagnes are categorized by their sugar levels, however different terms are used to define them.

Extra Brut – is “extra” dry
Brut – dry
Extra dry – middle of the road dry, between dry and sweet.
Demi-sec – semi sweet
Doux – The sweetest of Champagnes and sparkling wines

Champagne is designed be consumed shortly after purchase and is not meant to be collectible. Most Champagnes and sparkling wines will begin loosing quality within about three years.

What is Reisling?

Tags

Aging of wine, Germany, ghostofawriter, Mosel, Riesling, Wine

 

English: 2006 Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Spätlese from St.-Urbanshof. A semi-sweet wine from the Saar subregion of Mosel (in 2006 still called Mosel-Saar-Ruwer). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Riesling is a white wine which originated in the German river valleys of Rhein and Mosel and is still very popular in Germany today. This wine can span a wide variety of pallets from dry to sweet, light to full-bodied. These pale wines are gaining in popularity as wine lovers discover the many flavors Rieslings have to offer, this has made it the fastest growing white wine in the United States.

 

This light-colored grape is highly adaptable and flourishes in a variety of climates but prefers colder climates. While it is still found primarily in Germany, this fruit can also be found in France, Austria, Czech Republic, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, US, Canada, South Africa and China. The fruit of this vine is considered to be “terrioir expressive” meaning that its flavor is highly influenced by the soil conditions it is grown in. Wine from each region and country have their own unique flavors.

 

Riesling is perhaps the most versatile of wines as its own variance between sweet and dry varieties lend its flavors to almost everything. This wine works well for all courses from appetizers through to desserts. It also pairs well with everything from sweet to spicy.

 

One problem many consumers have is that producers do not put enough information on the label and consumers are unable to tell if the Riesling is a sweet or dry variety. One way to tell is to look at the alcohol content. If the wine has under 10% alcohol then the wine will be sweet, 10-12% would be a slightly sweet wine and higher than 12% would be a noticeably dry wine.

 

This is a fantastic wine for collectors as it ages well. The aging potential in Rieslings come from the naturally low pH level. The aging potential of this wine increases as the sugar level increases, dessert-style sweet Rieslings have the potential of aging well for 100 years. By keeping your wine properly stored and maintaining a constant 50-55°F you will help you wine age gracefully.

 

If you’re looking for a crisp, refreshing and versatile wine, then you have found your match the assortment of available Rieslings.

 

Merlot

Tags

Cabernet Sauvignon, France, ghostofawriter, Grape, Greece, Merlot, New Zealand, Switzerland, Wine

Merlot from Concha Y Toro in Chile (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Merlot is a dark bluish-black wine grape that is used as both a blending and varietal wine. It is believed that its name originated from the French word ‘merlet’ which refers to a young blackbird. Merlot wine usually have a medium body with hints of berry, plum and currant. This is one of the primary grape varieties grown worldwide. Until recent years this was not independently bottled and was only used as a blending wine.

 

This grape grows best in colder climates that have long hours of sun exposure. This vine buds early in the spring which leaves it susceptible to frost and its thin skinned berry increases its susceptibility to rot. A characteristic of the Merlot grape is the propensity to over ripen quickly and it can be a matter of days between the point of barely ripe to overripe. Many vinters disagree on the ideal time or stage of ripeness to pick the fruit.

 

Almost 2/3 of Merlot vines are grown in France. The vine has become very popular worldwide with numbers rivaling that of Cabernet Sauvignon. especially in areas with a cooler climate. Some of the other countries it is grown in are Italy, U.S. Romania, Australia, Turkey, Canada, Switzerland, Mexico, New Zealand, and Greece.

 

Merlot-based wines are enjoying a steady climb in popularity and rivals Cabernet Sauvignon as the most popular wine. These wines are known for their medium body and low tannins. Due its ‘softness’ Merlot is almost always blended with harsher grapes. It was not sold independently until more recently. This is not a wine that ages and should not be cellared as an investment. Merlot should be consumed within three to five years of its vintage. The ideal service temperature for Merlot is 64°F

 

Merlot is a diverse wine that pairs well with a wide variety of foods. It matches perfectly with beef or pasta and makes a nice accompaniment for heavier chicken dishes. Dark chocolate is an excellent compliment for a glass of Merlot. Merlot also works well with most shellfish and the heavier fish such as salmon.

 

 

Traditional vs. Modern Wine House

Tags

ghostofawriter, Grape, harvest, Vineyard, Wine, wine house

Wine tasting room (Photo credit: cizauskas)

Traditionally a wine house referred to a farm that grew vines on their own land. The grapes grew in the vineyard and the wine was produced in the wine house. They dealt with all aspects involved in creating the final product. A traditional wine house was responsible for everything involved with the grape including harvesting all the way through to the ageing and bottling process. They were self-contained wine factories. The five primary stages a wine house had to deal with were grape harvesting, crushing, clearing, ageing and bottling. All stages of the product were stored in the wine house until distribution.

Today the term wine house has a much broader use. The wine houses of today rarely have anything to do with the harvesting or brewing process. Many are still located on a vineyard, but they are there as a retail or tasting outlet. Several wine houses have been converted over to restaurants that offer the vintages from the local vineyard.

Most modern wine houses, which are not located on a specific vineyard, offer a wide variety of wines from several vineyards. This makes them a one-stop shopping adventure where you can find all of your favorite wines. Many of these wine houses have wine bars where you can stop in and sample many of their offerings.

Wine house has also become a broader term used to describe cafes and bistros which are set up, in a similar style to a traditional British tea house, where small meals can ordered to accompany the wine. Like a coffee-house these frequently host local artists. They also host tasting events where they offer discounted samples of a wide variety of wines.

When looking at visiting something that calls themselves a wine house it is good to be prepared so you know what style of wine house you might be visiting. If it is a traditional wine house then you can be certain that you will only be sampling wines from the vineyards they are associated with. Non-traditional wine houses tend to offer a wider selection. When visiting any wine house always drink responsibly.

Wine and Spirits

Tags

alcohol, Alcohol by volume, alcohols, Fortified wine, ghostofawriter, Spirits, Wine, Wine tasting descriptors, wines, Yeast

Wine and spirits are terms that are often confused, yet they are two distinctly different varieties of alcohol and are created through different methods. The main difference between wine and spirits is that wine is the direct product of fermentation while spirits are the final product of distillation.

Wine is produced by the addition of yeast to a fruit juice. Fermentation is created as the yeast converts the sugars in the juice to alcohol. The fermentation process usually stops at about 12% – 14% alcohol by volume as the alcohol content kills off the yeast. A dry wine has had more of the sugars converted to alcohol than a sweet wine, which does not mean that the dry wine has a higher alcohol content, it merely means that the juice had less sugars in it to begin with. Mead is also referred to as a wine because it is created by the fermentation of the sugars within honey.

Spirits are created through a process known as distilling. Distilling involves boiling off the alcohol and catching the alcohol vapors. The vapors are then cooled and condensed back in to a liquid form. This is an effective way to removing the alcohol from a liquid body as alcohol has a lower boiling point than water. The condensed alcohol is usually clear in color and is frequently referred to as a Liquor. This form of alcohol received the name spirits because the twisting steam was said to resemble a captured spirit. Spirits are used to create most of the hard alcohols currently available on the market. Spirits can be made from wine, but wine can not be made from spirits.

Fortified wines bridge the gap between wines and spirits as they contain both elements. This is a wine which has had a spirit added, usually brandy. If the spirits are added during the fermentation process the excess alcohol will kill off the yeast, leaving a sweeter wine. Drier fortified wines are created by adding the alcohol either towards the end of the fermentation or once fermentation is complete. The resulting beverage has a higher alcohol content than either wine or spirits.

Fine Wine Fraud

Tags

Beverages, Bordeaux, Bottle, Ebay, Fraud, ghostofawriter, Investment, Vintage, Wine

 

Château Margaux, a First Growth from the Bordeaux region of France, is highly collectible. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fine wine is a very generic term that covers almost any wine that retails over about $30 per bottle. Many people see these wines as investments believing that the value of these bottles will increase over time.
The fine wine market, like any trending market, is rife with fraud. There are many people who will prey on the purchasers ignorance of the wine market. One common fraud is to charge high prices for poor wines that originate in famous regions such as Bordeaux and claim that they are offering a sound investment opportunity from an excellent vintage. These fraudsters are targeting the most ignorant collector by offering them something from a region with a well deserved reputation for excellence. Even the best vineyards have off vintages.
The simplest technique many fraudsters use is to simply change labels, the label from a coveted vintage can be easily put on a bottle from a less favorable year. Another trick many use is to refill the bottle of a prized vintage with a lesser variety. Empty bottles are easy to acquire and many of these empty bottles can be found for resale on places such as Ebay.
Unfortunately this is a hard scam to avoid and even the biggest and most educated collectors have been caught up in it. It is difficult to verify with 100% accuracy the true vintage of a wine without opening the bottle and once the bottle is open, the value is lost.
The best way to avoid being caught in one of these scams is by doing your research.

1. Know everything you can about a bottle before you purchase it, ensure the price is reasonable for comparable bottles.
2. Research the seller and find out how long he has been in business
3. Find out where the bottle was acquired and if possible contact the previous owner for verification
4. Make all purchases using a credit card, this helps prevent you from being taken advantage of as most credit card companies have fraud protection.
5. Hire the assistance of an expert to verify the bottle
6. If for any reason you are uncertain then it might be best just to step away from the purchase, sometimes it better to be safe than sorry.

Wine is very difficult to trace and is one of the easiest things to forge. Always be careful when making any sort of investment purchase.

 

The Pros & Cons of Buying Wine On Line

Tags

Beverages, Bottle, Chardonnay, food, ghostofawriter, Retail, shopping, Vintage, Wine, wine lovers, wine on line

 

Purchasing wine on line can be a rewarding experience, but it does have its pitfalls.

Pros

• On line shopping for your wine gives you a much wider selection than what you would find at your local grocery or liquor store.
• By shopping for wine on line you can do some research and look for reviews on the wines, the vineyards and the bottlers and see what others think of them. Many online retailers request that customers review their purchases, some even offering discounts on future purchases for reviewing a wine. Another feature of on line wine shopping is that many stores have forums where people discuss the different vintages offered. If you can’t find a forum on the site you are looking at then browse around and find some generic sites that are simple dedicated to wine lovers, you are very likely to find someone there that can answer any questions you may have.
• Discounts are usually available on line especially if you purchase multiple bottles, several of the retailers will frequently offer great deals of mixed packages of different wines in the hopes of enticing you to try new varieties.
• Once you’ve decided on a vintage you can do a little on line sleuthing and find the best deal in a matter of minutes.
• Door to door delivery is a fantastic reason to make your purchase online. The vendor handles the packaging and shipping and you have no need to lug the heavy and awkward bottles home. Many retailers give discounted or even free shipping if you purchase a minimum requirement.

Cons

• The selection available online can be overwhelming, you may want a Chardonnay, but you are suddenly finding yourself presented with a selection of hundreds rather than a mere handful.
• There is no one tending shop who can offer recommendations or steer you away from a bad vintage. You must do all research yourself which can be time-consuming and frustrating.
• The only discounts offered are the in-store sales, and rarely do you get a discounted price for purchasing multiple bottles.
• You have no way to shop around to find a better deal on your chosen wine unless you start driving or calling. Comparison shopping for wine can take hours of your time and waste valuable fuel.
• Wine purchases must be made in advance and future events must be planned. You must wait for your purchases to be delivered to you before you can have it with dinner.

The advantages and disadvantages are about even but need to taken into account when buying wine on line. It’s entirely up to you which way you prefer.

 

Going on a Wine Shop – crucial tips

Tags

Aroma of wine, Chanel, food, ghostofawriter, Glass, Recreation, Vineyard, Wine, wine shop, Wine tasting, wine tour

 

When going on a wine shop or tour it’s not just about the wines themselves, it’s about enjoying the whole wine experience. You get to hear the stories behind the labels and learn the history of the vineyards. You lean what gives makes each vineyard and winery unique.

1. Before you go on your trip you to plan it. It is best to only visit two or three vineyards so that you have a chance to truly take in and enjoy what they have to offer. By limiting your vineyard visits you don’t feel as rushed to move on to the next one and spend some time to truly get to know the wine.
2. Plan to have a designated driver or use public transportation. Odds are pretty good that you will imbibe more than you realize and it’s always better to play it safe.
3. Avoid wearing scents. Aroma is one of the key points for any successful wine, to truly enjoy the wine-tasting experience you must smell the mingled aromas permeating from the beverage, these are difficult to pick up when the person next to you is wearing a strong layer of Chanel.
4. Every vineyard offers a plate of wine or crackers which are put out as pallet cleanser. They are to ensure that one taste does not blend with another. Between taste sample take a bite or two so that your pallet will be ready for the next experience.
5. Drink at least one glass of water between winery visits. This helps to reduce intoxication and keeps you hydrated throughout the day.
6. When moving through samples start with the lightest wines and work towards the heavier and sweeter wines so the previous wine does not overpower the lighter ones.
7. As you see each sample don’t forget to go through the basic sampling process of see, smell and taste. When you hold up the glass analyze its coloration and clarity then slowly swirl the glass to aerate it, Watch how the wine trickles down the inside of the glass leaving ‘legs’. Next hold the glass below your nose and note the aromas. Finally take small sip and hold it in your mount as you inhale over top of it. The air releases the flavors and aromas and allows all of your sense to ‘taste’ the wine.
8. The final step of any wine shop tour is to enjoy yourself and perhaps pick up a bottle or two at your favorite winery.

When you go on a wine shop following these simple pieces of advice will enhance your touring experience and make it an enjoyable event you will not hesitate to repeat.