Best Fine Wine .com

Are you one of the many people who enjoy drinking red wine but find that you get headaches after drinking it? You don’t get them after drinking white wine but those reds really seem to bring the ache on. Have you like others blamed it on sulfite? If you have, consider that the majority of wines, both red and white, contain sulfite. Sulfites (usually the potassium metabisulfite form) are found in many grocery foods as it is a common preservative that inhibits bacteria growth.

So, it’s probably not this common food preservative that is causing those headaches. What else could it be?

Many red wines are subject to a “malolactic fermentation” (MLF). Lactic acid bacteria are introduced either along side the first yeast fermentation or after the yeast have completed their job of turning the sugars into alcohol. These bacteria break down the harsher tasting malic acid that can be found in higher quantities in some wines and turn it into lactic acid. The process helps to soften the taste of those wines that have high levels of malic acid. Malolactic fermentation is generally not carried out with most white wines.

MLF introduces other chemicals into the wine as a side effect of this fermentation, including histamine. Histamine of course can have severe effects on those individuals who are susceptible and can cause mild to severe headaches and other unpleasant symptoms. So if you enjoy the flavors and aromas of red wine and it’s intoxicating effects, what can you do to avoid the unpleasant effects?

Why not make your own red wine? The easiest way to do this is to purchase one of the many wine kits that are available. These kits can result in superb wines that will rival many of the store bought bottles. Kit wines should never undergo a malolactic fermentation as the producers of those kits have already balanced the juices and juice concentrates that go into them. No malolactic fermentation means no chemical bi-products that include histamine.

Learning how to make wine is not that difficult, and the kits that are available make it very easy and simple to bottle wines you will be proud to serve your guests.

Ian Hugh Scott has been making his own wine for years. As well as wines from commercially available kits, he has discovered the pleasures of experimenting with other ingredients such as black currants, strawberries, blueberries, and even ginger and parsnip! Follow along with Ian’s regular home winemaking activities.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/wines-and-spirits-articles/are-the-red-wine-headaches-preventing-you-from-enjoying-red-wine-try-this-1397888.html

Just like in any literary genre, the genre of wine writing varies greatly.   The straight-forward wine and cocktail guides, sure, are still prominent.  But they have been joined by wine writing that take off from various viewpoints:  there are wine books for armchair scientists, historians, adventurers, academics, as well as those simply for the avid drinker.

The world of booze has never offered so many wonderful and different books to enjoy while, of course!, enjoying a nip as well.  So keep your wine/cocktail guides at the ready, get those feet up on the ottoman, and enjoy some wine education in the comfort of a good read and glass of wine.

For those inclined towards history and are lovers of wine, there are several books of note:

Champagne: How the World’s Most Glorious Wine Triumphed Over War and Hard Times and Wine & War: The French, The Nazis, and The Battle for Frances Greatest Treasure by Donald and Petie Kladstrup.  If you love war history and wine, both of these books are excellent choices.  The Kladstrup’s have done thorough research and write in a style that never bores.

The Widow Cliquot by Tilar Mazzeo.  Mazzeo from the outset of her book admits that there were few materials to work with when she undertook her endeavor, as the Widow’s story is mostly one that “lives in the shadowy half-life of oral folk legend.”  Nonetheless, she is a more than impressive biographer, and Veuve Cliquot’s life – and all she accomplished – is nothing short of impressive.

Judgement of Paris by George Taber.  California wines besting French Bordeaux?  Mon dieu!  Get the real true “Bottle Shock” story from the man who first broke it in 1976.  Taber is the real deal – and unlike that botched movie starring Alan Rickman (who, it must be said, I adore) Judgement will keep you on the edge of your seat.  Even if you do already know the ending.

Now for the scientists in the house:

To Cork or Not to Cork by George Taber.  Yes, it’s true.  I’m a fan.  This guy is a tried and true reporter and in this fascinating book on cork vs. screw-cap (yes, that modifier “fascinating” is correctly placed), he takes a thorough look at the industry of bottling wines and what he finds may come as a surprise.

What the Nose Knows by Gilbert Avery.  Not a wine book, exactly, but Avery – a sensory specialist who works at the Monell Institute in Philadelphia, has written an amazing book on that least used of all senses:  smell.  For those who like to appreciate their wine by first taking in a deep inhalation of its aromas, this is a must for you.

Lastly, for those who love good adventure stories and “meeting” interesting folks from around the world:

The Battle for Wine and Love: or How I Saved the World From Parkerization. Ms. Feiring makes no bones about the wines she most loves – they are those that are all about terroir and cultivated and produced by traditional, oft-times, small time farmers from around the globe (mostly Europe, though).  This is an especially entertaining read when it comes to Feiring’s rants on Robert Parker, and specifically those wine producers who seem to create wines specifically for his pallate (and a 90+ rating).  Funny, clever, incisive, bold Alice.

Red, White, and Drunk All Over by Natalie McLean and Bacchus and Me by Jay McInerny.  These two books make terrific companions as both McLean and McInerny travel the globe in search of more wine knowledge and more than one great sip.  McLean’s curiosity is infectious while McInerny’s writings have never been better.  Both books are sensuous in their descriptions of wines so be sure and have a favorite bottle nearby for when you start to salivate.

First Big Crush by Eric Arnold.  Whereas our adventurer Arnold goes to New Zealand for a year to work at Allen Scott Winery and learns from field to vat to which way and that all there is to know about the winemaking industry.  Oh, and did I mention he knows next to nothing when he starts out?  Arnold’s book is bawdy, laugh-out-loud riotous at times, yet still manages to impart great knowledge of what it must be like to run a winery.

So what are you waiting for?  Get thee to your local book/wine merchants, and get to it.  That wonderful crisp weather is just begging you to stay inside.  For extended reviews on most books mentioned here, please visit www.wineclass.net.

Jenny Park works at The Wine School of Philadelphia

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/wines-and-spirits-articles/great-wine-reads-1347276.html

What makes a hunter valley tour special is the fact that while enjoying wine day tours you do not have to bother about drinking and then driving. Thus, you get plenty of relaxation while enjoying the wine, food and scenery. Hunter valley is at the manageable distance of 160 kilometers from the capital of Australia. Roughly it takes two hours to drive to this place from Sydney vide Sydney tours. 

Boutique tours or winery tours are flexible and can easily be customized according to the wants and needs of travelers. Normally day tours around Sydney start early in the morning and offer a complimentary pick-up from the hotel you are staying at or from any convenient location in the city. Sydney luxury tours or hunter valley wine tours provide you with a fourteen seat tourist vehicle. The comfortable journey of two hours takes you to the wine paradise. During the journey the guide of Sydney wine tours explains the detailed winery options that will be offered to you. He also makes you aware about the history of Australia, its culture and its wines. Some quality boutique tours Sydney and wine tours Australia also provide a DVD presentation using onboard television. These presentations help in exploring wine industries in Hunter Valley as well as in the rest of Australia. Most of the hunter valley tours make a halt on the way so that the travelers can stretch their legs as well as grab some snacks. 

Hunter valley wine tours being flexible in nature can easily be customized to suit the tourists. Tourists are at the liberty of giving their suggestions regarding wine-styles and wineries. But it is always better to go with the expert knowledge of the tour guide in order to make the best out of your hunter valley wine tour. The lower hunter valley contains more than 80 cellars and boutique wineries and it sounds good enough to make the day special and memorable. 

Countless varieties are grown in this region and some of the finest include Chardonnay, Semillon, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc. The most esteemed Wineries located in this area are Peppers Creek, Tyrrell’s Vineyards, Lindemans, Rosemount Estate, Wyndham Estate and Lake’s Folly. Most of the Sydney wine tasting on wine day tours is absolutely free and even significantly large groups can be catered if the booking has been done in advance. Other remarkable features of Sydney luxury tours include bicycling, ballooning, sampling fine local chocolates and cheeses, gourmet picnicking using local produce and horse riding.