If you are a wine fanatic, you have many options to satisfy your thirst. But before you choose an option, you should know how to taste wine.
In order to do a proper wine tasting, you need to swish the wine around your mouth. This helps get the most out of your taste buds. Here are more tips in order to taste wine.
Look at the wine color. The more color a white wine has, the more flavor it has and the older it is. You can approximate the age of a red wine by titling the glass and looking at the edge of the wine. The browner it is, the older it is.
Smell the wine by taking one deep whiff. After you do this you want to think about the aroma.
When you taste the wine, you want to consider the first impression, the actual taste once you swish it in your mouth, and the after taste.
Now for the wine tasting options:
You could join a wine club. Wine clubs allow members to pay a monthly fee in order to have a selection or two of wine delivered to their home monthly.
The International Wine of the Month Club offers members selections from two separate boutique vineyards along with a newsletter. You have a choice in the type of membership you select. You can receive two red wine selections, two white wine selections, or one of each. Membership to the wine club starts at 27.95 per month plus shipping and handling. The most expensive membership option costs 63.95 per month plus shipping and handling. The International Wine of the Month Club also offers gift memberships.
The Cellars Wine Club is similar to the International Wine of the Month Club in that you can receive two red wine selections, two white wine selections, or one of each. However, The Cellars Wine Club offers five different membership options. The premium wine club, the west coast wine club, the all about reds wine club, the platinum wine club and 90 plus points wine club. The wine club memberships start at 36.95 with the most expensive being 79.95
Perhaps a wine club isnt up your alley. Maybe a wine cellar is. The idea wine cellar has a temperature of 50 55 degrees Fahrenheit. The cellar should be moderately damp because this helps keep the corks from drying out. Ultraviolet light destroys wine so your wine cellar should be dark. Avoid putting your wine cellar sheds or garages because you run the risk of freezing the wine. Similarly, avoid the attic because the heat could get too extreme. The best place for a wine cellar would be an under stairs cupboard.
Maybe you just have a few bottles of wine you want to store and display. A wine rack would be your best option. Wine racks come in large sizes to place in your cellar but there are also smaller wine racks that can sit on your kitchen or dining room table. If you really want to get creative, there are wine racks that are also bookends
Next you might decide that you need a technique for comparing wines. The Exploratorium describes a technique of comparing wine aromas that is similar to the following
First you will need these ingredients:
A tiny piece of bell pepper, one drop of butter, half teaspoon of fresh citrus, linalool, a teaspoon of peach juice, a teaspoon of pineapple juice and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. You take these 7 ingredients and put each in its own wine glass with the base wine. You cover the glass and label it with the standard. Smell the first three wine separately. Then smell the standards to see which terms describe which wines.
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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 where you can learn to just in time for the holiday season.
The vintage wines are wines specifically grown in a certain year. These wines are labeled by the year they were grown rather than by the different region or grape used to make the wine. These grapes are usually all grown in the same year also. Every year the same wine may have a different variation in color and slightly in taste.
Many other characteristic differences noted with vintages include the nose, palate, body, and the development. They are considered to improve in flavor with age when they are stored properly. It is very common for wine collectors to hold onto a vintage bottle of wine for a special occasion to consume.
Non-Vintage
Non-vintage wines are wines produced from grapes and wines not from the same vintage. They do maintain the consistency with the taste of the wine and the other characteristics. These wines often sell better because they maintain the same flavor. Even in a bad year these wines can be blended and produced because the grapes come from different vintages.
Next time you here someone use the term “vintage” you will know exactly what they mean. This will help you to appear ‘in the know’ and you will be able to impress others with your knowledge. Quality wine is something that socially elite people understand. You can join their ranks and have a great time in the process.
Wouldn’t it be cool to get to the point where you can tell what region the wine was created in? And if you have really great capabilities you might even be able to pinpoint the decade. That would involve tasting a lot of wines and you might not be ‘that into it’. It’s nice to speculate about the possibilities though, isn’t it?
Next time you are at a party, your new knowledge of vintage vs non-vintage may be a nice way to provide value to your social group. Enjoy your next wine tasting.
Scott Wells writes for where you can learn to just in time for the holiday season.
The internet has always been a haven for shopping for almost everything. And placing an order to buy wine online has been the simplest task for anyone. It doesn’t matter what type of wine you need, it will be delivered to your doorstep after a few days of ordering it. There are several things you need to remember when you buy wine online, though.
First off, you have to figure out what type of wine do you need and for what occasion do you need it for. It also helps if you can picture the date you will exactly be needing it to give time for deliveries when you .
You can also try googling it. There are companies that may not allow you to buy wine online, so to just be on the safer side, it helps to have different options of companies that will present you a variety of choices that are available online. Then it is up for you to decide on what would be the best deals for your purchase. Then you may readily pay for it via major credit cards.
All you have to do now is to wait for your order. Some websites have the time frame of three to five days for delivery. This is very convenient for those people who do not get to have much time in doing the buying themselves or if the type of wine isn’t available in nearby stores. Buying wine online has definitely made better options for customers.
Buying wine online has been a chosen alternative for many and so far, the results have been satisfactory. You just have to make sure of the company you are buying it from and the type of handling they are doing as you know of course that this would affect the wine’s flavor and possibly its packaging.
If you’re a fan of wine and live in Austin, Texas there is a lot for you to be happy about. The area is home to two excellent wine bars/restaurants, a unique wine store that offers tasting lessons and a yearly festival that lets locals experience all that wine country has to offer.
First on the list is the Uncorked Tasting room & Wine Bar. It’s located at 900 East 7th Street and is open 3 p.m. to midnight on week days and 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturdays. It is closed on Sundays. They offer a selection of 127 wines from 13 different countries, with something to suit all budgets. If you’re in the mood for sampling several different wines at once try the wine flights, which have a separate menu. These orders come with a sample of three different wines all with a card to help you identify which is which. This is a terrific way to become exposed to something new. They offer a full dinner menu with reasonably priced meals.
Vino Vino is another local spot that is passionate about wine. It offers a store, a wine bar and a restaurant. It’s located at 4119 Guadalupe Street just north of campus. The retail store is open on Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. and on Sunday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. The bar serves guests on Monday through Saturday from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. and on Sunday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The restaurant is open on Sunday through Thursday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. It’s a small venue but perfect for getting a glass of your favorite wine and a nice meal. When you shop at the retail store you should know that you can get 15% off two bottles or more so it’s a great time to stock up your at home wine cabinet.
For an education in wine, look no further than the Grapevine Market. Located at 7938 Great Northern Boulevard it features Grapevine University, weekend classes on wine tasting of all types. The folks at Grapevine Market love to share their passion for wine and for $10 per class, you’ll be able to become passionate about it too. The hour long wine tasting seminars are held on Saturdays and upcoming classes include Central Italy, Burgundy and Champagne and Sparkling Wine.
If traveling from winery to winery is more your speed, don’t miss out on the Texas Wine Trails. These special events are self guided tours through Texas Hill Country and includes 24 different wineries. The Texas Wine Month trail lasts all of October. Your ticket to the event entitles you to one to three free tastes of wine. Tickets are $35 per person and $60 per couple. You’ll also receive a recipe collection of the top dishes from the wineries once you visit 14 wineries, and you’re entered in a Texas Wine Month raffle.
As you can see, when it comes to wine, Austin is the place to be!
Joe Cline writes articles for . Other articles written by the author related to and can be found on the net.
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.
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
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.
One of the most common questions that come up in forums for people that are looking at decanting their wine is “Is it safe to drink out of a full lead decanting container?” This is a very good question. As you probably know lead is a very dangerous substance when it come into contact with humans, especially if it is ingested. Lead when ingested interferes with a number of body functions. I don’t want to scare you before we get to the answer of this question. But I do want to provide you with information as to what can happen if leads in large quanitites are absorbed into the body.
Lead poisoning is toxic to the human body. The organs of the body and tissue are considerable susceptible to the poison associated with lead. Organs like the heart, bones, intestines, kidneys and reproduction systems will have a hard time with lead, because the substance is so toxic it can cause potentially permanent learning and behavior disabilities. If you have been exposed to lead expect the following symptoms to show up. They include abdominal pain, headaches, anemia, irritability and seizures, coma or even death. So, it is very reasonable to not allow your body to be exposed to lead.
I know, the previous paragraph is a little scary. But, there is no need to worry when you are using crystal lead decanters. The leads in these decanters are not easily dispensed into wines when they are placed in them, if lead decanters were dangerous I suspect that the public would be notified by now. As long as you don’t use lead decanters as a means to store you wine or liquor you should not have a problem with lead decanters. The acid in the wine would take a long time to allow the lead to seep into the wine. According to nsc.org the following guidelines should be followed with using lead decanters.
1. Do not store liquids in lead glasses or bottles
2. Do not drink from lead crystal on a daily basis. Decant you wine in a day and drink it on the same day.
3. For best measures, do not feed a baby from a lead baby bottle or container.
http://www.nsc.org/issues/lead/leadindishes.htm has more information if you want to learn more about leads and glass. These are best practices procedures. Read them and take heed to their instructions. In the end lead decanters are still very viable options for decanting your wine. You just should not store you wine in these containers. If you are thinking about storing you wine, then look into lead free crystal decanters. That are better for the environment.
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There is a vast array of wine bottle refrigerators available and you’ll find everything from tiny tabletop fridges to giant ones that practically create their own wine cellar. How do you choose which one works for you? Do you go for big, small or medium? This article will help you make a decision as to which wine fridge is best for you.
Space is a huge consideration when choosing your wine bottle refrigerator. Obviously, if you have nowhere to put a large fridge, there’s no point in buying one. While countertop and table top wine coolers are quite popular, these may not be right for you either, particularly if you have a minimal amount of table or counter space.
Once you have determined the size of the fridge you can move in, you’ll need to assess how much wine you actually drink. If your consumption is pretty low, say 1 bottle a month, you certainly don’t need a large fridge that holds 50 bottles . . . it would take you years to get through them all. However, a small six bottle fridge could be just right and will tide you over for half a year.
For anyone who enjoys throwing dinner parties or wine tastings, it’s vital to have plenty of room. You’ll want to make sure that you have more than enough bottles at the right temperature for serving at all times. This is also handy if you have unexpected guests, your wine will already be perfectly chilled.
A wine bottle refrigerator should also be selected for how it fits into your home. If you have a country style house, then a chrome and glass fridge isn’t going to fit in very well. However, you can get built in wine refrigerators with many different stylings, including wood. These will fit right into your existing décor and can be a good way to store your wine without making it too obvious. There are large versions, as well as under the counter types which tuck away quite nicely.
No matter which size of wine bottle refrigerator you choose, make sure that it is large enough to fit your collection and don’t forget to look at your options. There are so many different types of refrigerators that you are bound to find one that you like and which fits into your home nicely. Having your wine stored at the right temperature is really the only way to enjoy it, whether white or red.
Want to really get the most out of your wine? Then you’ll need to start looking at . They offer a number of options and can be the perfect addition to your home.
There are many different theme parties to choose from. You have your off the wall Halloween based themes like Jason’s Manor and the Adam’s Family, to your more typical pool party theme. Of all the theme parties there may only be one champion and in my book it is the Mexican fiesta.
Planning a Mexican party is much like planning any party. It all starts with creating a checklist. This you will use to make sure all your party goods are checked off the list. Write everything down. I mean everything. This includes, all the way down to the purchase of napkins and how much it costs. The reason for this is to keep yourself budget conscious and have an accurate table of all your party items. The last thing any host wants to do during their party is to have to tell their guests that they will have to run to the store real quick to pick up this and that. The checklist is the party planner’s tool for eliminating any such hassle.
The Mexican party is a great choice of theme. There is always much dancing to be had and everyone singing along to the music, when on many occasions they have no idea what it is they are singing. The Spanish language is a beautifully sounding dialect especially when put into song. So expect dancing, and even more so, encourage it. This will bring out the laughter, create memories and possibly even develop lasting relationships. There is something to be said about parties with dancing. It is like a party at a new and intense level of celebration. So it is important to make some room for your guests to dance. Turn the music up loud and let it slowly take over the room. If no one decides to dance, be the first, you certainly won’t be the last.
Besides the song and dance, the food and drink and the traditional Mexican dress there is plenty of other reasons to want to have a Mexican fiesta. Think of how your house would look with all the colors of Mexico hanging off your walls, curtains and draped on your tables. There is many different things you could add. If you wanted you could take up an interest in different types of cactuses and maybe red hot chili peppers. Or maybe even a few hanging piñatas that the kids would love to bash into tiny little bits to get at all that wonderful candy. You could easily turn your house into a Mexican fantasy world and do it relatively cheap. Even your menu could be done on the relative cheap side, and done quite well.
Think about planning a Mexican party not only for yourself, but for all your friends and family as well. They will love it. The history of America speaks for us all, even those just below the border. Our southern cousins certainly know how to party. The word fiesta is familiar and for good reason. It means day of rest, but somehow for many it really means time to party. For anyone who has never been to Mexico and doesn’t know it’s history Cinco De Mayo is a very popular holiday. It marks the day when Mexican forces overran the French on May 5, 1862. It is much like the Fourth of July. They both represent days to celebrate life, freedom and happiness.
A Mexican theme party is also a great way to showcase your hosting skills. There is much that goes into creating a successful party and this will be no different. The only thing different about your last party and this one is everyone will be dancing and singing. Is that reason enough to begin planning a Mexican party. I think so!
James Craven is a party planning expert with more than 20 years experience. For more great tips on , visit .
Summer has just begun, and already heat and humidity fill the air. We are all thinking of cold drinks to cool us down in order to make summer a more enjoyable time. With the warmth and humidity that summer supplies, dining and entertaining should be casual and outdoors. As Floridians, we have already experienced spring showers and downpours of the last couple of weeks. A cool, crisp wine can be a fantastic way to savor the moment, especially if paired with the right food. So, follow a new rule and stay away from those heavy Chardonnays that can turn your tongue annoyingly furry. This year, for a change, you could look for a White Pinot Noir (Pinot Nero Blanc) or White Merlot (Merlot Blanc). Red wines are consumed at room temperature and are heavier bodied and contain tannins. The chilled white wines, on the other hand, provide a clean, sweet acidity that can cool you off and brighten your day. Indulge yourself with a nice fruity Sauvignon Blanc, an aromatic Torrontes from Argentina, or a crisp Italian Pinot Grigio. The Pinot Gris from Germany and Oregon, and the Chenin Blanc from South Africa also provide a much-wanted relief from the summer’s heat. The most versatile white wine of all is the Riesling. Please read the label carefully, as they can be very dry to very sweet. These days they are made everywhere, including Florida. Florida has a collection of fruit wines made from tropical fruits such as mangoes, guava and lychee. These fruit wines can be used to create exotic martinis. Choose white wines from recent vintages, as they will be fresh and better priced. Select crisp, light, and fruity white wines to sip and pair them with various salads, seafood’s, and chicken. Summer whites are all about acidity as that is what keeps the wine light on the palate. For example, lemonade is sweet and acidic, making it the perfect summer refreshment. Wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Pinot Grigio emulate similar thirst-quenching effects. These wines can range from a very sharp acidity to a more mild tartness, so try several varieties to see what fits your taste and preference.
Whites – sweet: Moscato d’Asti has the bouquet of roses on the nose, and peach nectar on the palette. It pairs well with seafood specially shellfish, fresh cut fruits and chocolates. Riesling is aromatic with apple, peach, and pear at the forefront, mixed with delicate floral undertones and often honey and spice on the nose. This wine pairs well with spicy Asian foods. Gewürztraminer is fruity and aromatic, perfect with spicy food or Asian salads.
Whites – not sweet: Pinot Nero Blanc, a medium bodied wine is round, has mild juicy fruit flavors, and is very easy to drink. Replace your Chardonnay with this one for the summer of 2009. Merlot Blanc is light bodied, crispy, and fruitier than the red Merlot. Drink it chilled with your lunch or dinner. Torrontes comes from Argentina with a lot of floral notes on the bouquet and very light on the palate. It pairs well with Asian and Indian food, especially sushi. Pinot Grigio is acidic with hints of ruby red grapefruit and Meyer lemon layered with aromas of white peach. It goes great with poached salmon, grilled vegetables, seared scallops in a cream sauce, or curry. Sauvignon Blanc has hints of clean, citrus fruit, and green herbs. It works well with white fish, salads, vegetables, and pasta with earthy ingredients like mushrooms and herbs.
Reds: Malbec is rich with hints of berry, plum and herbal freshness. It pairs well with grilled meats, and grilled portobello mushrooms. Petite Sirah has the effusive aromas of butterscotch candy, strawberries, blackberry, and some spice. Experience mouth-filling, jammy blackberry, black pepper, and some chocolate as you sip this wine. This wine pairs well with barbecued steak, ribs, cheese, and other robust foods. If you are grilling this summer, use it. This wine will let you really enjoy your grilled creations.
Antoney Manipadam is the owner of Cork&Olive Lake Mary. He is a certified Sommelier (US Sommelier Association), and is pursuing Master Sommelier Certification.
Antoney Manipadam is a Certified Sommelier, pursuing the Master Sommelier Certification. He Owns and operates Lake Mary Cork&Olive;, the best wine store in Lake Mary, Florida. Website: