Thinking about white wine types, you may think for a long time. It is because there are more than one thousand varieties of white wine. Probably some of you have heard about these white wine but there can be a large no. of people who are not aware of these wines.

There is one more interesting fact about white wine types that they are not white at all like curd or milk. The color of the white wine types varies from pale yellow to amber, honey or gold. They are prepared from the skin of the grapes, grape juice and golden or yellowish colored grapes. The colors of the grape used in white wine types reflect the ripeness degree of the wine. As the time passes, the color of the wine turns darker yellow and thus tells about the age of wine.

Different White wine types

Sauvignon Blanc

It is one of the most popular white wines that is liked by majority of people. It is fruity and not strong like other white wines. During summer when you are feeling hot and you are looking for a cool and refreshing drink have a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. The wine smells like lemon, grassy, gooseberry and grapefruit. This wine is largely produced in California and New Zealand.

Chardonnay

When talking about white wine types Chardonnay is one of the most popular selling wines. It has a large and impressive variety of flavors ranging from oak overtones, buttered to the fruit flavors of pears , citrus , apple , and melon .Chardonnay is served with sea food , poultry dishes and heavy cream based dishes.

Pinot Gris / Grigio

A wine you can experiment with and suits your budget too. Flavors of this wine vary from melon, pear, and citrus to honey and smoky flavors. Served with light pastas and seafood it brings richness to your food.

Viognier

Loaded with floral aromas the wine smells like banana and peach. Just be little careful while consuming this wine because alcohol levels are little high.Viognier is paired with spicy food.

Riesling
For wine lovers and people who are ready to spend more on wine , Riesling is their obvious choice. It is produced in cooler climates. Most popular and most costly areas for this white wine are Germany, Alsace Region and certain region of France. It is served with Asian cuisine and spicy food.

Other white wine includes Semillon, Gewurztraminer, and Chenin Blanc etc.

White wine grapes are found in different parts of the world. The can be found in Austria, Germany, Italy and France. In United States, <a target=”_blank” href=”http://brewwineandblues.com/”>white wine </a>grapes are found in New York, Washington, Oregon and California. They are also grown in South Africa, New Zealand, Chile and Australia.

For more insights and further information about white wine types visit our site http://brewwineandblues.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/wines-and-spirits-articles/relish-your-white-wine-1375759.html

Italian immigrants from Tuscany probably introduced the Sangiovese grape to California in the late 1800s, possibly at the Segheshio Family’s "Chianti Station," near Geyserville. It is one of several varietal components of the field blend in many old North Coast and Gold Country vineyards that are often otherwise identified as Zinfandel.

Sanguis Jovis, the Latin origin for the varietal name, literally means "blood of Jove" and it is likely that Sangiovese (a.k.a. Sangioveto or San Gioveto) was known by Etruscan winemakers, although the first literary reference to it was in 1722. It is probably indigenous to Tuscany, whose most famous wine is Chianti.

The basic blend of Chianti was established by Baron Ricasoli in the 1890s. This averages 70% sangiovese as the varietal base (along with 15% canaiolo [red], and 15% trebbiano [white] and sometimes a little colorino [red]). Many vineyards are traditionally planted with this varietal mix. It is difficult even for the Italians to keep up with their own ever-changing and very detailed wine laws, which specify permitted grape types, maximum yields per acre, minimum alcohol content, minimum aging standards before sale, etc. Currently, the minimum amount of sangiovese permitted in Chianti is 90%. Other grapes that may be used now include malvasia toscana, a white grape far superior to the ubiquitous trebbiano. Still, the total white grapes used must not exceed 5% of the blend.

In some ways sangiovese is to Chianti as cabernet sauvignon is to Bordeaux. Both form the base of wines normally blended with other varietals and both by themselves share a certain distinctive elegance and complexity, when well-made.

There are at least 14 separate and distinct clones of sangiovese. At one point, there was some attempt in Italy to identify two separate "families", Grosso and Piccolo, although this seemed to have more commercial basis ("mine’s better than yours") than ampelographic or taste evidence to justify this attempt to classify.

The fruit is slow to mature and late-ripening. With relatively thin skins, it has a tendency to rot in dampness and does not mature well if planted above an elevation of 1,500 feet. Sangiovese vineyards with limestone soil seem to produce wines with more forceful aromas.

For more information see www.veritascrystal.com Wine glasses designed and priced for everyday lifestyle Handmade wine glasses for the discerning wine lover Handblown wine decanters and wine glasses

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Wine tasting is considered to be a sophisticated past time for many people. Before you begin wine tasting there are many things you should know about wine. To some people wine tasting is considered to be a skill.

Learning about wine is easy. There are many types of wine and it is produced all over the world in many different regions. Wine tasting requires knowledge of the types of wine. It is important to know which types of glasses to choose for different wines and how to wash them. It is also important to know how to properly pour and serve wine. Wine tasting consists of many things. The purpose of this e-book is to introduce you to everything you need to know about wine so you can begin wine tasting with your friends.

About Wine

Wine is a beverage fermented from grape juice containing alcohol. Grapes have a natural chemical balance which allows them to ferment without the need to add any sugars, acid, enzymes, or any other types of nutrients to the ingredients.

When wine is produced, grapes are crushed using different types of yeast. The yeast consumes the natural sugars found in grapes. This consumption converts the grapes into alcohol. Depending on the types of wine produced, many different grape varieties are used to produce wine.

Evidence shows that the earliest productions of wine took place as early as 6000 BC in places like Georgia, Iran, and Israel. Some archaeologists say that as early as 7000 BC grapes were mixed with rice to produce other types of fermented beverages in China. This is considered to be the precursors of what we call today, rice wine.

In Europe, wine dates back to as early as 4500 BC in some of the archaeological sites located in Greece. These same sites contain the earliest evidence in the world of grapes being crushed. Ancient Egypt has a recorded history of wine being used ceremonially. Places like the Roman Catholic Church found wine necessary to celebrate Mass. In France, the monks made wine for years and stored it in caves underground for aging.

During the Islamic Golden Age, wine was forbidden until the pioneering of the distilling methods, which led it to be approved and legalized for medical and cosmetic uses only. There were many recipes made with wine during this time.

Scott Wells writes for http://MakeChristmasCrafts.com where you can learn to Make Christmas crafts just in time for the holiday season.

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It was 2:30 in the morning at the Wine Library Lounge and the last guests have bid their farewells.   Sam sat down on a small corner table to fill out the sales report.  With him was a half-empty bottle of 1979 Chateau Fonplegade, a lovely Grand Cru Classe from St. Emilion.  This one was from a collector’s series featuring Van Gogh’s “Route aux Cypress” on the label.   Earlier in one of the private rooms of the Wine Library Lounge a party of three had polished off three delicious Burgundy 1er Crus from vintages in the 70s.  Prudently, they decided to quit after finishing half of the fourth and last for the night.  The host was a compellingly elegant woman in a slender red business suit.  In a stylish gesture of generosity, she said to Sam. “Please remove the bottle at once before I force my guests to help me finish it.” 

Life as a sommelier is full of perks when the guests you serve have the style and the finesse.  Sam gets a kick out of serving guests who know how enjoy the game.   They get to enjoy the evening so much more than the others.

The Ch. Fonplegade was exactly the kind of company Sam needed after a hard-working evening.  Wine guys – sommeliers to students of the old school – are frequently regarded as necessary evils.  It is unfortunate but often true that a sommelier is perceived by customers as an obstacle to overcome because they can get what they want.  

1. C’mon, tell me one, please?”  She asked with the desperate charm of a whinchat.

Sam’s good side completely dominated the man tonight.  “There was this gentleman the other evening.  He came in very late with a lovely lady as his date.  He opened doors for her, removed her coat and pulled her chair – the works.  It’s the game – one of those things that make it fun to be a woman. He did it so well and she was soaking it up.  You can see it in her eyes trying to hide her adoration of the man.  Then I presented him with the wine menu.”  Sam paused for a sip.

“What?” She exploded grabbing his hands with a fierce squeeze.  Sam went on to explain.

There aren’t any logical explanations to why some customers feel intimidated about wine.  Dining out is a game.  Wine makes it more fun to play the game.  As a paying customer, you want to get the most out of your money.  That should include the full treatment which we don’t get if we don’t learn how to play the game.

• Selecting the playground
• Ordering the wine
• Inspecting a bottle
• Giving serving instructions
• Tasting and approving the wine
• Drinking and conversing
• Corkage, tipping and BYO etiquettes

Let’s look into these components one at a time.

The Ch. Fonplegade was exactly the kind of company Sam needed after a hard-working evening.  Wine guys – sommeliers to students of the old school – are frequently regarded as necessary evils.  It is unfortunate but often true that a sommelier is perceived by customers as an obstacle to overcome because they can get what they want.  

An eager young waitress sat down timidly in front of Sam.  Ordinarily she and her little dimple on her left cheek would have been woofed away.  Tonight, she even got a small glass of the wine.   She took that as a cue for permission to speak. 

“Sam, you’ve been a wine guy for a number of years.  I’m sure you have some stories cellared in that wisdom chest inside your head.   C’mon, tell me one, please?”  She asked with the desperate charm of a whinchat.

Sam’s good side completely dominated the man tonight.  “There was this gentleman the other evening.  He came in very late with a lovely lady as his date.  He opened doors for her, removed her coat and pulled her chair – the works.  It’s the game – one of those things that make it fun to be a woman. He did it so well and she was soaking it up.  You can see it in her eyes trying to hide her adoration of the man.  Then I presented him with the wine menu.”  Sam paused for a sip.

“Our suave Cary Grant froze into a bronze statue.  He just sat there forever staring at the menu without so much as a word or a hint that he was still breathing.    Now what could cause someone like that to stop dead on his tracks?”  Sam paused and looked into those big young shinny eyes. 

“What?” She exploded grabbing his hands with a fierce squeeze.  Sam went on to explain.

There aren’t any logical explanations to why some customers feel intimidated about wine.  Dining out is a game.  Wine makes it more fun to play the game.  As a paying customer, you want to get the most out of your money.  That should include the full treatment which we don’t get if we don’t learn how to play the game.

Learning the game is a lot simpler than most beginners might think.  But let’s get one hang-up out of the way right now.  You don’t need to learn French.   Whew!   And this game is definitely easier than singing or dancing. Every component of a little game is an opportunity for the player to have fun.  Once you know the game, they won’t be obstacles anymore.

• Selecting the playground
• Ordering the wine
• Inspecting a bottle
• Giving serving instructions
• Tasting and approving the wine
• Drinking and conversing
• Corkage, tipping and BYO etiquettes

Let’s look into these components one at a time.

Selecting the playground

1. Divers and skiers are just as zealous when it comes to choosing a venue to satisfy their thirst for thrills and discoveries.

Wine enthusiasts shouldn’t settle for anything less either.  The fun and thrill of dining out is to experience something that we don’t get at home.  If the wines served in a restaurant are stuff that you find in the neighborhood wine store, you have probably picked the wrong restaurant.  Good food can take you half way there at best.

A good restaurant always offers wines that are not readily available on retail.  They do so by investing in and maintaining a cellar to collect and age many bottles of the wine.

Reading the restaurant’s wine menu may not be as engaging as reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, but it shouldn’t feel like re-reading The Goblet of Fire (book 4 for those who is one generation behind) for the 18th time.   A great restaurant is obliged to offer a wine selection so wide and deep that it will keep you intrigued for endless return visits. 

Word of Advice

Make an extra effort when choosing a dining venue.  Not all are tuned in to the wine culture.  Call up ahead to ask.  If you stumble into a wrong one, don’t be shy to walk out.  There are better places for you to spend your money.   

Ordering your wine

Reading, for many of us is a pleasure best savored in privacy.  Reading a wine menu is a pleasure to wine lovers.  Poorly trained wine staff tends to crowd the scene with unwanted attention and worse, importunate suggestions.

Feel free to firmly fend off the “Would you like red or white?” and the “We have wine by the glass also.”  A simple “Please check back in 10 minutes” would do nicely.  Occasionally, that doesn’t work.  Then it calls for a “Please bring me some water chilled to 15 degrees.  Then add a twist of lime without the peel.”  This will buy you 10 minutes of private reading pleasure, I hope. 

Many restaurants are pressured by wine merchants to sell their wine.  That’s why we often get these lines from even the bus boys: “We highly recommend this great Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile” or “This Napa Valley Zinfandel is the most popular wine in town today.”

It is perfectly acceptable to ask questions about any wine on the menu, as long as your line of questioning leads to the deliverance of a verdict in the foreseeable future.

Advice to the prudent

Spend 5 minutes to browse the wine menu and get a general feel for what kinds of wines the venue has to offer.  Then turn to the food menu and decide what you will eat.  After that, let the sommelier return to discuss wine and food pairing before ordering your wine.

Inspecting a Bottle

The process of inspecting a bottle of wine serves an indispensable purpose – to allow the customer one last chance to change his mind before the restaurant puts the wine on the bill.

The procedure is simple and quite standard. 

Wine waiter:     presents you with a bottle of the wine that you ordered, showing you the label with a few words, not of praises, but of the pertinent details of the wine.  The words are to assert that the wine is indeed the one that you ordered. 

Guest:  examines the details of the wine mainly for purpose of authentication.  Things to look for are (1) name of the wine, (2) name of the producer/shipper in the case of wines from Burgundy and Rhone for example, and (3) vintage year.   You only have to nod your head to signify your approval, not of the wine but of the bottle only.

Wine waiter:     thanks you for your acceptance and asks you for permission to uncork the wine.

There.  No pain at all.  More to follow so please read on.

Advice to the novice

Giving Serving Instructions

This paragraph is optional.  Those readers taking the beginners’ course are welcome to jump to the next section.

Are you still here?  Welcome. 

Selecting a wine is just half of the ordering process.  Most people give up their basic rights of ordering the way they prefer their wine to be prepared and served.  Leaving it up to the sommelier is acceptable if you know them well.  Otherwise, go the extra yard and give specific instructions.

Here are the fundamental parameters to wine preparation and services on which you can base your instructions.

• Temperature at which you want the wine to be served
• Do you wish the wine to be kept in an ice bucket or a wine cooler?
• Decant, double decant or serve straight from the bottle
• Types of wine glasses you prefer
• Sequence of services when you order more than one bottle
• Help yourself or let the waiter do the pouring
• How much wine (e.g. less than half full) to pour into your glass

Any decent restaurant will be wiling and able to accommodate requests within those parameters.  If you are unlucky meet with stiff resistance on this front, it will only be poetic justice for you to walk out or at least, reject the wine.  Why should you pay for inadequate facilities and a complacent service attitude?

Advice to the discerning wine lover

Do not assume that your instructions are followed.  More often than not they are not.  Don’t be shy to complain or even threaten to reject the wine if your instructions are not followed.

Selecting the playground

Golfers travel around the world just to play courses that catch their fancy.   Divers and skiers are just as zealous when it comes to choosing a venue to satisfy their thirst for thrills and discoveries.

Wine enthusiasts shouldn’t settle for anything less either.  The fun and thrill of dining out is to experience something that we don’t get at home.  If the wines served in a restaurant are stuff that you find in the neighborhood wine store, you have probably picked the wrong restaurant.  Good food can take you half way there at best.

A good restaurant always offers wines that are not readily available on retail.  They do so by investing in and maintaining a cellar to collect and age many bottles of the wine.

Reading the restaurant’s wine menu may not be as engaging as reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, but it shouldn’t feel like re-reading The Goblet of Fire (book 4 for those who is one generation behind) for the 18th time.   A great restaurant is obliged to offer a wine selection so wide and deep that it will keep you intrigued for endless return visits. 

Word of Advice

Make an extra effort when choosing a dining venue.  Not all are tuned in to the wine culture.  Call up ahead to ask.  If you stumble into a wrong one, don’t be shy to walk out.  There are better places for you to spend your money.   

Ordering your wine

Reading, for many of us is a pleasure best savored in privacy.  Reading a wine menu is a pleasure to wine lovers.  Poorly trained wine staff tends to crowd the scene with unwanted attention and worse, importunate suggestions.

Feel free to firmly fend off the “Would you like red or white?” and the “We have wine by the glass also.”  A simple “Please check back in 10 minutes” would do nicely.  Occasionally, that doesn’t work.  Then it calls for a “Please bring me some water chilled to 15 degrees.  Then add a twist of lime without the peel.”  This will buy you 10 minutes of private reading pleasure, I hope. 

Many restaurants are pressured by wine merchants to sell their wine.  That’s why we often get these lines from even the bus boys: “We highly recommend this great Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile” or “This Napa Valley Zinfandel is the most popular wine in town today.” 

It is perfectly acceptable to ask questions about any wine on the menu, as long as your line of questioning leads to the deliverance of a verdict in the foreseeable future.

Advice to the prudent

Spend 5 minutes to browse the wine menu and get a general feel for what kinds of wines the venue has to offer.  Then turn to the food menu and decide what you will eat.  After that, let the sommelier return to discuss wine and food pairing before ordering your wine.

Inspecting a Bottle

The process of inspecting a bottle of wine serves an indispensable purpose – to allow the customer one last chance to change his mind before the restaurant puts the wine on the bill.

The procedure is simple and quite standard. 

Wine waiter:     presents you with a bottle of the wine that you ordered, showing you the label with a few words, not of praises, but of the pertinent details of the wine.  The words are to assert that the wine is indeed the one that you ordered. 

Guest:  examines the details of the wine mainly for purpose of authentication.  Things to look for are (1) name of the wine, (2) name of the producer/shipper in the case of wines from Burgundy and Rhone for example, and (3) vintage year.   You only have to nod your head to signify your approval, not of the wine but of the bottle only.

Wine waiter:     thanks you for your acceptance and asks you for permission to uncork the wine.

There.  No pain at all.  More to follow so please read on.

Advice to the novice

More frequently than we might think, waiters fail to bring you exactly the wine you ordered.  Ask for the wine list when the bottle is presented.  Compare what you see on the label to the data on the wine list to make sure what you see is indeed what you have ordered.  

Giving Serving Instructions

This paragraph is optional.  Those readers taking the beginners’ course are welcome to jump to the next section.

Are you still here?  Welcome. 

Selecting a wine is just half of the ordering process.  Most people give up their basic rights of ordering the way they prefer their wine to be prepared and served.  Leaving it up to the sommelier is acceptable if you know them well.  Otherwise, go the extra yard and give specific instructions.

Here are the fundamental parameters to wine preparation and services on which you can base your instructions.

• Temperature at which you want the wine to be served
• Do you wish the wine to be kept in an ice bucket or a wine cooler?
• Decant, double decant or serve straight from the bottle
• Types of wine glasses you prefer
• Sequence of services when you order more than one bottle
• Help yourself or let the waiter do the pouring
• How much wine (e.g. less than half full) to pour into your glass

Any decent restaurant will be wiling and able to accommodate requests within those parameters.  If you are unlucky meet with stiff resistance on this front, it will only be poetic justice for you to walk out or at least, reject the wine.  Why should you pay for inadequate facilities and a complacent service attitude?

Advice to the discerning wine lover

Do not assume that your instructions are followed.  More often than not they are not.  Don’t be shy to complain or even threaten to reject the wine if your instructions are not followed.

Tasting and approving the wine

Armed with your permission, the sommelier will proceed to uncork your bottle of wine.  This should be performed in your presence as a rule.  It shows that the bottle you approved is the same one that is being opened.

You are then given the right to taste and then decide to approve or reject the wine.   Here is the protocol.

Wine waiter:     asks for permission to uncork the wine.  He opens the bottle (see Giving Serving Instructions) and sets the cork down in front of you.

Guest:  Examine the cork or simply wave the waiter to pour the wine.  Some corks have a stamp of the wine’s name on it.  This will make it easier to authenticate the wine.   Most of us just skip this step but there are those who like to pick up the cork and smell it.   Don’t.

Wine waiter:     pours a little bit – about 1/10 of your glass – for your tasting. 

Guest:  examine the color, twirls the glass a bit and drinks the wine.  Now come crunch time.  You make the all important decision – to accept or to reject.   Let’s say you accept.  A nod would do. 

Wine waiter:     thanks you and asks you if he may be allowed to serve now or let the wine breathe for a while first.

Guest:  if you want it to be served, indicate to whom the wine should be served first, usually the guest of honor – your date, not the hunk seated at the adjacent table!

Wine will then be served as per your serving instructions.  In the absence of specific instructions, house rules prevail.  That’s pot luck.  It’s not too late to double back to the previous section on Giving Service Instructions now.

Under what circumstances can a guest reject a bottle of wine?

Bottom-line is you can say “take it away” if the wine is bad.  This means one of the following conditions applies:

.           Wine is in poor health – disgusting odor, color completely faded

.           Wine tastes like vinegar – wine is oxidized

.           Wine is a fake – not the kind you ordered.

You cannot reject a wine just because you don’t like it.

Drinking and Conversing

Drinking is a rather personal thing.  Some like to drink in large gulps between long intervals.  Others like to take tiny sips incessantly.  I know many who get the best of both worlds – large gulps in hardly detectable intervals.

Myths surrounding drinking are plenty and free.  Bash them.  Smoking is one of those.  Unless you are paid in high six figures for tasting wines as a profession, you puff away while consuming a simple New World merlot.  Food and wine pairing, on the other hand is serious business and should not be brushed off quite so quickly.  A wrong decision here can mean the difference between lust and disgust.

An integral part of wine appreciation is talking about the wine.  Sharing opinions and impressions about the stuff you drink is more than acceptable.  It is expected and notoriously fun.

Feel free to step into the shoes of a Robert Parker and plagiarize about body, concentration, extract, length and depth if you are in that mood.  Be more illusive if you like and whip up a soufflé of obscurities with words like character, distinction and finesse.  You can even stretch the imagination with phrases like “a gallantly pathetic effort”.  But would you go so far as one woman did?  “This wine attacks the palate like a gust of cold ocean breeze against a freshly shaven leg”.

It is perfectly acceptable and indeed a chic gesture to beckon the sommelier for an earful of your comments.  I have served wine in more than one occasion and I tell you that nothing gave me more pleasure than to listen to the comments of the guests.  The efforts made to articulate their ecstasies were most flattering.  Of course, I am a much better listener when offered a glass of the wine that caused all that excitement in the first place.

I remember one time when I was confronted by an attractive lady with a direct question.  “Denny, what are the qualities of a good wine?”  I could have answered that in two dozen ways involving a balanced mixture of bad poetry and overused jargons.  Instead, what came out of my mouth was a mere “Big and long”.  So much for poetry but that answer was exactly what was pictured in my mind.

Advice to the timid

Don’t hold back.  This is the time for the poet in you to surface.  Nothing you say can possibly be wrong, as long as you don’t break the golden rule – don’t short change yourself with anything not original.  You are the only connoisseur that matters.

Corkage, Tipping and BYO etiquettes

We’ve all been held hostage by a custom called “corkage” which of course means that restaurant has the right to charge you a fee for bringing in your own drinks (can also apply to food).  Is it fair?  Certainly, but only as long as it is a consistent policy and the restaurant has a wine collection robust enough to satisfy our appetites for discoveries.   Otherwise, they should quietly put up with bottles marching through their doors.

But let’s look at it from another angle.  If we dine out, why burden ourselves with unnecessary chores like bringing a bottle of wine?   Isn’t it more rewarding to hold the hand of your date rather than the neck of a cold hard bottle of Vega Sicilia?

BYO (Bring Your Own) etiquettes start and end with one basic rule.   If you have to bring wine into a restaurant, the bottle should be in one or two classes above those that the restaurant has to offer.  Don’t even think about bringing something that is readily available in retail shops.  Putting it in another way, your BYO wine should be something that would cause the sommelier to misbehave all evening long hoping to get a sip of your wine.

Tipping is a matter of style and character.  It transcends the basic obligation of rewarding the serving staff.  It touches on the realm of a self-expression of satisfaction, a sigh of relief that the best has just transpired. 

When in doubt tip profusely.  When you do that, don’t forget to let the establishment hear all your constructive complaints.   Nothing beats two-way communications even in a one-night relationship like this.

Advice to the frequent diners

Dining out is a just another form of shopping.  First rule of shopping – when in doubt, ask, ask and ask again.  One thing you shouldn’t do is to take a chance on anything that might ruin your evening.  The average person has less than 50 memorable evenings in a year.  Sadly more than half of them will turn out to be false alarms.  A few great evenings will make it into your hall of fame.  This might be one of them. 

So there you have it.

Wine appreciation is much, much more than satisfying our cravings for good fermented grape juice.   The interactions with the wait staff, the painful struggle to decide what to order for the night, the stories of mistakes and the occasional rare finds to share with wine friends are all part of the wine lifestyle. 

We make an effort to learn the game not because we play to win.  There are no scores in this game and there are no winners or losers.  But beware.  Don’t get to be too good at it.  You might just wake up one day and find yourself with a new hobby for life.

Sam finishes his 79 Ch. Fonplegade.  Big eyed waitress with a tiny dimple gets the empty bottle with a Van Gogh label to decorate her apartment.  Another day in the life of a sommelier fades away.  In the background, the song echoes “There before the grace of you, go I.”

Comments and questions can be sent directly to the author at this email address Wine@Yats-International.com.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/wines-and-spirits-articles/essential-wine-etiquettes-of-dining-out-1349143.html

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Australia has become a world leader in domestic and exported wine. What began as a few vineyard cuttings over 200 years ago has now flourished into an amazing industry – the fourth largest in the world!
Australia exports over 450 million litters of wine each year across the globe. The burgeoning wine industry has been an economic boon for the country. Not only have the +2,000 vineyards provided jobs, wineries have increased employment in other areas and improved tourism as visitors come to Australia to tour local wineries.

Australia’s wine is considered to be some of the most exquisite and delicious wine produced in the world, but it took many decades to reach that point.

The First Cuttings

Grapes are not native to Australia. The first vineyard cuttings were brought into the country when Australia still served as a penal colony. In 1788 Governor Phillips attempted to harvest the grapes for personal use but his efforts failed.

Fortunately, others succeeded where the governor failed. In the following years Australia began to see an influx of settlers who began to attempt to cultivate grapes using new processes. This is seen as the true beginning of Australia’s wine industry.

By 1820 the first winemakers in Australia were offering their products for sale inside the country. It was very
popular and quite chic to be one of the first to sample ‘home-grown’ or domestic Australian wine in the early part of the 19th century.

Across the Pond

In 1822 Gregory Blaxland burst onto the Australian wine scene and changed it forever. Mr. Blaxland was the first Australian vintner to attempt to export his product. He did so with great success and even garnered rewards, including the first award ever awarded to an Australian wine in an overseas exposition.

After Mr. Blaxland set Australia’s name on the winemaking map its popularity began to grow worldwide. In the mid 19th century a bottle of Australian wine was sent by ship to Her Majesty, Queen Victoria.

One of the best known and oft related stories in wine history concerns an Australian wine. In 1873 at the Vienna Exposition judges tasted wine from different countries without knowing which country the wine was from. This is called a blind tasting. A French judge pronounced his favour upon an Australian wine but immediately withdrew in protest once he was made aware of the provenance of the wine. His reason? Only a French wine could be of such a high quality!

More settlers flooded into the country and found opportunities in the winemaking industry. The first vineyards were mainly backyard operations but with the new manpower and fortunes of the recent arrivals entirely new winemaking regions were identified, improving the country’s winemaking operations.

An Unfortunate Event

The Australian wine industry was devastated in the 1890’s by an epidemic of phylloxera. This is a plight similar to aphids that completely destroys all vegetation. Vineyards around the country were destroyed.

The country worked for many decades to rebuild their wine industry. It struggled for years on sweet and fortified wines. But, in the late 1970’s production was once again up and running at world leader standards.

A True World Leader

The most popular wine in Australia would have to be the Penfolds Grange. This incredible wine has won many competitions through the years. The 1955 vintage was allowed to age until 1962 before being submitted to competitions. Since that time it has won over 50 gold medals.

A wonderful wine culture has emerged in Australia. Wine bars, and boutique wineries are found around the continent and very popular with all ages. Locals and tourists enjoy holidays at Australian wineries where they can tour the winery and see the wine being made. Australia also is home to several large wine events including Taste Australia and the Margaret River Wine Region Festival.

No matter where you are in Australia you will find grapes being grown for winemaking. The main wineries are found in the south, in Victoria, and in New South Wales because of the cooler climate. But, even visitors to the hot centre of Alice Springs will find a local winery to cool things off.

Discover new wines and learn about wine with our free wine lessons. Buy wine online at Wine.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/wines-and-spirits-articles/a-brief-history-of-the-australian-wine-industry-1331969.html

Free Wine Coupons

Venice, CA (PRWEB) April 1, 2010

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There are many wine writers and wine competitions throughout the world, all of them rate wines by scores out of 10, 20 or 100 or by awarding stars or medals. These medals are given by experts of wine who taste the product using a blind tasting method. The results of the tasting determine which wines are judged as being of particularly high quality. The Gold Medal Wines have been declared by the panel to be particularly good examples of wine using the grape and from the area they have been produced in.

One of the foremost of these competitions is the International Wine Challenge, which is an annual competition held in London. No less than 9,300 wines from 35 countries were reviewed in 2007, judged by a panel of 400 experts from 19 countries and the resulting winners are awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. A total of 260 gold medals were awarded in 2007 (representing 2.8% of entries). 1,129 wines won silver medals (12.1 per cent) and bronze medals were awarded to 1,839 wines. Other prestigious competitions are held in Macon, Paris, Brussels and Vienna. If you think you prefer the same tastes and flavour components as the experts, why not use the guide of medal winners to guide your decision.

But where can you get your hands on bottles of Gold Medal winning quality?

One of the best ways of picking up a gold medal wine is to look for it online. Independent online retailers are able to buy directly from smaller wine producers and are therefore able to get their hands on more sought after vintages and fine wines.

But just because it has a Gold Medal does not mean that it has to cost the Earth. Some medal winners come in at about £6 a bottle. A great deal on a wine that comes recommended by impartial experts.

Using an online wine retailer means that you will be able to spot the gold medal wines immediately – there is a section on the pages telling you what awards the wine has won – something to look out for is that some of the wines have won more than once. Surely if a wine can win more than one competition you have to be onto a good thing.

But remember the golden rule of wine, just because it has won copious awards doesn’t mean you will like it, if it is a style of wine that doesn’t suit your tongue. Stick to types of wine you usually like and then look for the ones which have won medals. That way you know you will like it and you never know, it might just blow you away with its fantastic taste and smell – there’s something really special about the unique subtleties of medal winning wines.

Why not take a look at the gold medal wines available from an independent online retailer? For more information on competition winners and Gold Medal wines go to Laithwaites.

Very recently we reviewed a Chilean red wine made from a Bordeaux blend. Here we review a Chilean Viognier white wine. For a relatively small country, Chile has many wine regions that are developing their own personality. The wine reviewed below comes from the Colchagua Valley situated about 80 miles (some 130 kilometers) southwest of the capital Santiago. This lovely valley with its Mediterranean climate calls itself the next Napa. In 2005 Wine Enthusiast awarded it the Best Wine Region in the world for producing world-class red wines. However, this is a white wine.

The Viognier grape has quite an unusual history. About forty years ago it was limited to some 35 acres (14 hectares) in the Rhone Valley of southeastern France. These few acres included the grapes that were transformed into Condrieu, considered the best white in the Rhone Valley. Now Viognier has become an up and coming white variety found in many countries including the United States, especially California, and in Australia. If you are tired of Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs (or even if you aren’t) you may want to try a Viognier such as this one. And next time you are in the mood for a Chilean red look for Colchagua Valley on the label. We will do so ourselves but won’t be surprised if we can’t find any in the $10 and less category.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price. Wine Reviewed Cono Sur Viognier 2008 13.7% alcohol about $8

Let’s start with the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Pale gold color; tropical fruit aromas with melon, peach and orange blossom notes; dry, medium bodied, with great acidity and flavors of grapefruit, peach, green apple and pineapple; good length on the finish. Serving Suggestion: Serve with stir-fry or wok-sautéed white meats, vegetables and creamy poultry dishes. And now for my review.

I started by sipping this wine without any food. I got the characteristic honeysuckle. It was long and slightly sweet and had pleasant acidity. The first meal included a purchased barbecued chicken leg with the paprika-dusted skin on. The sides were a slightly sweet noodle pudding and a white bean and grilled red pepper combo. With the chicken the flavor went from honeysuckle to honey. This Viognier was persistent with a note of lemon peel. I tasted lemon and orange when it was paired with the noodle pudding. But the bean and red pepper combo stole some of the wine’s fruit. Talking about fruit, I finished the glass with some orange fruit juice candy. At first I thought the pairing wasn’t very good, but I changed my mind. The wine displayed bright acidity and was almost feathery.

The second meal involved a middle-eastern dish called Kube (or Kibbe), ground beef in crushed wheat jacket slow cooked in a peppery tomato sauce. Once again I tasted honeysuckle (the dominant flavor of most Viogniers), citrus, and honey notes. I liked its sweetness. With seconds the acidity became softer.

The final meal was an omelet with sides of grilled eggplant and a grilled artichoke dip. When facing the omelet the Viognier was slightly sweet with lingering acidity. I can’t say that the wine and omelet really meshed, but an omelet isn’t much to mesh with. The artichoke dip intensified the acidity and the eggplant intensified the fruit.

Now for the cheeses. With a Brick cheese the wine became weaker. The Havarti was a better match. Even though this cheese was stronger tasting than the Brick, the wine remained fruity – go figure.

Final verdict. If you are in the market for a different white wine at a low, low price this is a good one. Personally, I am not very partial to Viogniers so I probably won’t be buying this one again in the near future. And at $40 or much more, it may be a long time before I review a Condrieu in my French fine wine column.

In the last few decades, Australia has emerged as one of the finest wine making countries and it is the Gold Coast, which is the leader in the field. The area, particularly the Hinterlands, are being recognized across the globe to be producing some of the best wines, the world has known. Gold Coast car rentals are a great way to explore the wine growing regions of the Gold Coast and also sample some.

Whether you choose to trudge your own path or tag along with one of the pre-planned trips, there is much to see, do and most importantly, taste on these wine tours. You will not only get to see how wineries function, but also get to see a lot of backstage processes.

For instance, you can walk down the vineyards and learn more about which type of grapes are used in which wines. The hosts might take you down the wine cellars where the drinks are aged to perfection. At the end of trip, you get to sip and sample a few of the best the wines, the particular winery produces. If you like what you have tasted, you are more than welcome to purchase a few bottles of the same, as these prove to be excellent gifting options.

With cars for hire, Gold Coast wineries will be easy enough for you to map out, especially if you pick out a few maps from the airport or rental services. Armed with a map, you can decide which all wineries you want to visit. The choice is truly extensive, but there are some wineries you will not want to miss. Some of these wineries include the Mount Tamborine Vineyard & Winery. This award winning winery is actually the first in the area and offers you sample session as well as the opportunity to sit down for a fine dining experience. Similarly, the Cedar Creek Estate is another must visit place, because here, apart from the wine, you also get to visit the nearby glowworm caves.

There is no denying that with cars for rental, Gold Coast has become much easier to access and more importantly, explore. There is so much more you can do and experience, because with these vehicles you can plan your own trip. You do not have to think about tour guides and their typical routes. This is also one of the reasons, why individual wine trails have become so popular, because you can simply download a wine trail off the internet and then trace your own path.

There are many wine writers and wine competitions throughout the world, all of them rate wines by scores out of 10, 20 or 100 or by awarding stars or medals. These medals are given by experts of wine who taste the product using a blind tasting method. The results of the tasting determine which wines are judged as being of particularly high quality. The Gold Medal Wines have been declared by the panel to be particularly good examples of wine using the grape and from the area they have been produced in.

One of the foremost of these competitions is the International Wine Challenge, which is an annual competition held in London. No less than 9,300 wines from 35 countries were reviewed in 2007, judged by a panel of 400 experts from 19 countries and the resulting winners are awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. A total of 260 gold medals were awarded in 2007 (representing 2.8% of entries). 1,129 wines won silver medals (12.1 per cent) and bronze medals were awarded to 1,839 wines. Other prestigious competitions are held in Macon, Paris, Brussels and Vienna. If you think you prefer the same tastes and flavour components as the experts, why not use the guide of medal winners to guide your decision.

But where can you get your hands on bottles of Gold Medal winning quality?

One of the best ways of picking up a gold medal wine is to look for it online. Independent online retailers are able to buy directly from smaller wine producers and are therefore able to get their hands on more sought after vintages and fine wines.

But just because it has a Gold Medal does not mean that it has to cost the Earth. Some medal winners come in at about £6 a bottle. A great deal on a wine that comes recommended by impartial experts.

Using an online wine retailer means that you will be able to spot the gold medal wines immediately â?? there is a section on the pages telling you what awards the wine has won â?? something to look out for is that some of the wines have won more than once. Surely if a wine can win more than one competition you have to be onto a good thing.

But remember the golden rule of wine, just because it has won copious awards doesnâ??t mean you will like it, if it is a style of wine that doesnâ??t suit your tongue. Stick to types of wine you usually like and then look for the ones which have won medals. That way you know you will like it and you never know, it might just blow you away with its fantastic taste and smell â?? thereâ??s something really special about the unique subtleties of medal winning wines.

Why not take a look at the gold medal wines available from an independent online retailer? For more information on competition winners and Gold Medal wines go to Laithwaites.