Article by Peter Renton

Copyright (c) 2006 Peter Renton

It comes as no news to anyone that the American people love their animals. What did come as a surprise to me is that we also love animals on our wine labels. Yes, a study released earlier this year by ACNielsen confirms that wine labels with animal images are becoming increasingly popular in this country.

I felt compelled to do my own research on this topic so one evening I stopped by my local liquor store to check out the wine selection. Sure enough I was greeted with a veritable zoo of animals on labels. There were Dancing Bulls, Leaping Horses, Black Swans, Little Penguins, Kangaroos, even a hippopotamus courtesy of Fat Bastard Wines (which is French would you believe). This very informal research confirmed that there seems to be a much larger selection of wines with animal labels than ever before.

Critter Labels Rule

In the wine industry these animal labels are affectionately known as “critter labels”, and the trend began back in 2001 with the introduction of the Yellow Tail brand of wines into this country from Australia. Pictured on the label is what looks like a kangaroo (but which is in fact supposed to be the yellow-footed rock wallaby). These wines had labels that looked striking, were priced very reasonably and they tasted great – so they became a runaway success. So much so that they spawned an entire new “category” of wine.

The ACNielsen study has some hard data confirming the popularity of this new wine category. In the past three years there have been 438 new Table Wine brands that have been successfully introduced in the American market (those wines that sold more than ,000 annually). Of these 438 new brands 77 of them featured an animal on their label, around 18 percent. Combined with existing “critter label” wines, sales reached 0 million in 2005 out of a total of just over billion, based on ACNielsen sales data from supermarket point of sale purchases.

“Critter-labeled wines are on the rise, quickly gaining share in the table wine category,” said Danny Brager, vice president of ACNielsen’s Beverage Alcohol team. “The sales generated by new brands featuring a critter outperform other new table wines by more than two to one.” That’s right, taken across the board new critter-labeled wines have proven in the marketplace to be more popular.

“While placing a critter on a label doesn’t guarantee success, it is important that wine makers realize that there is a segment of consumers who don’t want to have to take wine too seriously,” said Brager. “Not only are they willing to have fun with wine, they may just feel ‘good’ about an animal label presentation.” With hundreds of new wine brands being introduced each year, wine makers realize that they need to stand out from the crowd if they are to make an impression. The easiest and most cost effective way to stand out is with an attention grabbing label on your bottle. The wine industry has also realized that there is an increasingly large segment of consumers who are attracted by fun labels. They want to buy a non-pretentious wine and they don’t want to pay a fortune. These are the people who walk into a liquor store and supermarket and have no idea what they are going to buy – they decide by looking at the labels.

Chasing the Yellow Tail

The Yellow Tail wine phenomenon is the perfect example of this. From Casella Wines, a small family-owned winery in New South Wales, Australia, Yellow Tail went from zero to the number one imported wine in the US in just two years. The first year the Casella brothers expected to sell 25,000 cases of wine here, they ended up selling 200,000 cases. That was back in 2001. In 2005 they sold 8 million cases of wine. Yellow Tail Shiraz is now the #1 selling red wine in America (not just imports but ALL red wine). In the crowded and highly competitive US wine market with over 6,500 wine brands, Yellow Tail has become the #1 wine brand, and it took just five years.

Now, I realize that Yellow Tail’s success is not just because of their label. They have a great product that is reasonably priced – the Shiraz is just .99 – and they have a very loyal base of repeat customers. But could they have become #1 without their unique label? I don’t think so. One of the biggest barriers they faced was getting people to try the wine in the first place. With what looks like a brightly colored kangaroo on the label on a black background, it is a visually striking label. It was able to break through the clutter at the retail store with this label.

Perhaps the biggest indication of the success of Yellow Tail is the number of copycats it has spawned. Penfolds, Australia’s leading winery, was obviously disappointed in missing out on this opportunity, so they responded with the launch of the Little Penguin brand of wines. There is now a deluge of animal themed wines, so much so that ACNielsen is tracking their sales now. Despite all this new competition Yellow Tail remains the most successful wine brand in terms of total sales.

Labels are a Powerful Tool

While the wine business is somewhat unique there are lessons here that can be applied to any industry. One lesson is that with a high impact label you can make inroads even in a conservative and image conscious industry such as the wine industry. Your label should be working hard for your product. It should be informational, be a sales and marketing piece, carry any necessary regulatory information, and at the same time be eye catching. If you are selling your products at a retail store, then your label needs to perform well in all these areas for your product to compete with other more established brands.

Your label is your sales tool. The success of Yellow Tail wines demonstrates that in any competitive industry a good label can help bring success. Of course, it doesn’t have to feature a critter, but a visually appealing and eye catching label will always help sales.

Are you thinking of giving wine as a gift this holiday season? Wine clubs may be exactly what you are looking for as a gift for the wine lover in your life. There is a wine of the month club of every type, red wine, white, foreign or domestic they make a great gift for just about anybody. Each club has its own unique things to offer so you can customize one to fit your needs perfectly. One thing for sure is you know your gift will be used and enjoyed. Use this guide to giving a wine club as a gift throughout the entire year.

There are so many wine clubs available to choose it makes it fun to use them as presents. Also, wine of the month clubs keep on giving month after month. Some clubs are designed for three months, others six and there are many that last for the year. Your gift recipient will keep on getting wine bottles to use on special occasions through the year. You can relax knowing the gift you gave was put to a good use and fully enjoyed.

If you find yourself looking for a wine of the month club, remember there are many different selections you can make. For instance a general club may have only red wine, all white wines or a nice mix of both types. This is one way you can rely on the club’s top rated picks across a specific category. The result is a nice selection of wonderful wines to enjoy.

Looking for gifts for a wine lover? Here is an idea for someone you know that has a particular taste or preference in wine. You can select a club from their favorite region such as Napa Valley or only French wines. Another idea is to select their favorite varietal such as a California Chardonnay or Spanish Rioja. There are several clubs that make special selections tailored to those tastes. There is another variation on this theme that is fun. Certain clubs focus on one varietal, such as a Cabernet Sauvignon wine club, and end up sampling different Cabs from all over the world.

Wine clubs don’t have to break the bank in case you are on a small budget. They aim to please and their selections often turn up some gems at a very reasonable price. For top rated wines such as a 90+ wine club you can send one bottle at a time of affordable picks. Others may want to send an entire case at once with a variety of careful selections based on your preference of wine region, varietal or rankings from the magazines like Wine Spectator. This gives you flexibility without spending more than you planned.

A wine of the month club can still come in handy for all kinds of occasions like:
* Birthdays
* Anniversaries
* Weddings
* Valentine’s Day
* Mother or Father’s Day
* Job promotions
Of course the holiday season is the traditional gift giving time of year and wine clubs are very appropriate gifts.

When in doubt, remember you always have a big selection of wine clubs of every type and from every place to match almost anyone on your list. Part of the fun is to customize them and match someone’s specific interests or tastes or select one of the packaged options that meet your budget to give a gift with a fantastic taste. Wine lovers appreciate the huge selections on the market today. Give a gift that people will always remember and use this year. Wine clubs will even make the holidays special.

To find out more about wine clubs and Wine Gifts check out our site at http://www.valleywineshop.com

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There is an ever prevailing confusion about buying a wine and making it go with the dish that you are about to serve for your guests or your family. This confusion is the first step towards learning all about wines. If you are not satisfied by your choice of wine, just chill because even the wine exerts fail to notice occasionally. First things first – believe that it is not common that one can tell what a wine could taste like until he/ she opens it up and takes a sip. Everyone is subject to imperfections and faults. Do not blame yourself if you find wines very difficulty. In order to make it a pleasure and learn more about wines hit California. Take this wine country tour and equip yourself with lots of information about wines. You can see to yourself the wine making process if you take a California wine country tour. California is home to diverse types of wineries. You can learn to pick a good wine by following these tips;

Type of Grape used – Information regarding the type of grape that went in the making of the wine will be specified on the label. Grapes are the primary differentiator of tastes that wines pick up. The tastes of grapes differ vastly. And this is why there are a variety of wines available. There are even wines made from 2 or more grape variety. This enhances the diverse tastes in which wines are available. This results in an array of flavors unheard of. They are called blended wines. Blended wines can delight your taste buds in an exciting manner. But here the cellar masters have the opportunity to mix low quality grapes to make good sales. Therefore only trust well known and certified wine makers.

Winery – Wineries make a great difference when you determine the taste of the wine. A handful of wineries always produce wines that give best taste. So you can depend on those labels. So, check on all brands a few times and decide on buying the ones that are very consistent in providing the best taste.

Place – Also check the region where the grapes where picked from. This information is provided on the label of the bottle. Grapes acquire the flavor from the soil they are grown in. France for instance induces lavender aroma to the wines that are made out of their grapes. So there is abundant variety depending upon the place where the grapes were picked from.

Year of produce – Look out for this information without fail. If a particular year was bad to the vineyard then they are sure to yield bad wines. They make a sea difference in the taste of the wine.

Shijina is a SEO copywriter for Napa Wine Country Tours. She has written various articles like California wine country tours , Wine Country Bus Tours, Wine country sightseeing bus tours, Napa valley and more. For more information visit our site winecountrytourshuttle.com. Contact me mail at winecountryshuttle@gmail.com.

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One would need proof of course, in order to deduce these things. And tons of evidences were then gathered. These evidences convey that humans who lived a long, long time ago already had sufficient knowledge in the basic processes of homemade wine making. If we ask them now “how do you make wine?”  they will tell us that they did so at their very own homes and backyards, using the grapes they picked from their own vineyards.

“How do you make wine?”

The following will tell you many details:

-    Georgia and Iran were the two regions where early evidences of wine making were first found. The evidences date back to 6000-5000 B.C.
-    In Macedonia and Europe, there were evidences dug up by archeologists depicting that people 6,500 years ago already had knowledge in wine making.
-    Ceremonies were the center of life among the Egyptians. True enough, there have been paintings on ancient tombs and walls depicting wine making as being included in their rituals and ceremonies.
-    In China, evidences of wine making among the Chinese trace back to 2000-1000 B.C.

The diets of the classical Greeks and Romans were not complete without at least a glass of wine. This is very essential in their meal plans and couldn’t actually eat without being served a glass of it. They make sure that this is the case because they were very proud of the technology they have discovered at that time. This technology I am referring to is what they called the Wine Press technology.   This technology particularly made wine making very simple, easy and fast for them. “How do you make wine?” They used it to produce wine from various kinds of grapes, it helped them create various techniques in land growing and made them become creative in barrel making, wine storage and shipments.

We ask them again, “How do you make wine?”  We all know that a time came called the fall of the Roman Empire. When this happened, the Catholic Church imbibed their tradition and incorporated wine in their ceremonies particularly in the celebration of the holy mass. The use of wine as a symbol of the blood of Christ is a high point in the Catholics’ Eucharistic celebration. Wine then became a necessity for them which brought about the spread of wine use sometime in the 15th century. This is the case for the Catholics. For other religion like Islam, use of any alcohol was forbidden unless it was for healing or remedies.

During the prehistoric times, there were little or no evidence at all as to wine making. “How do you make wine?” Archeologists only speculated that prehistoric people also concocted their own homemade wine from wild grapes and fruits and eventually led to other evidences in the early times.

With these things, we can say that it is indeed quite hard to pinpoint where wine making really started. Evidences point to all sorts of different directions. Some say it originated from the vastness of the African continent while others point to the huge lands of South and Central Asia. We can never really know for sure.  What we can be sure of is that our contemporary or current wine making activities did stem from the ancient Greeks’ tradition. This is because the grapes being used in modern day Greece are similar to those used in the ancient Greek period.

Simon Thomas is a homemade winemaker, enthusiast and author. He lives in California and spends his time teaching others how to setup an amazing boutique winery. You can find more information about how to make professional quality wine at your own home, at Simon’s popular site: www.homemadewinesecrets.com

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• Computer
• Graphics Software
  - most cost from $0 – $50 in the US. There is a light version of Photoshop that will create labels for the amateur with ease. It usually costs less than $39 and is sometimes given free with purchases of scanners or digital cameras.
• Printer & Label sheets (optional) 
  - Without a printer you can save your label art to a jump drive and take it to a copying facility, such as Kinko’s for printing. However, if you have a printer, you can print these yourself.
• Scanner (optional)
  - Printers and scanners can be bought new for less than $100 in the US

The main thing that you need to know when it comes to wine storage is to place your bottles on their side somewhere relatively cool and free from direct light. However, learning a little more than the basics is advisable, and that’s what we’ll look at now.

Temperature is an important factor when you’re dealing with wine. Wine should ideally be stored between 50-60 degrees farenheit, although a range of 45-65 degrees farenheit is considered OK. A lower, colder temperature causes the aging process to slow down, preventing the wine from aging properly. A higher, warmer temperature causes premature aging (not in a good way).

The worst thing that you can do to your wine is subject it to varying temperatures – a steady temperature at either acceptable extreme being better than subjecting it to large variances within the ideal temperature range. The temperature should never fluctuate more than 5 degrees a day; this is especially important for red wines, which are more susceptible to damage from temperature than white wines.

Humidity is also important as, unless it’s properly maintained, it can cause the cork to dry out, and this allows air to come into contact with the wine (which damages it). You want to aim for a humidity level of around 70 – 80%, and can purchase a hygrometer to track this.

A wine cellar is the ideal place for storing wine because it maintains the optimal humidity and temperature; however, they aren’t practical for most people because of their size and cost. If a wine cellar isn’t practical for you, place your bottles in a garage or basement to achieve similar conditions. Making some space in either and purchasing a wine rack and temperature / humidity gauge are highly recommended if you intend on storing more than a few bottles of wine at a time.

More : Wine Guide

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The taste of a wine can improve or worsen depending on the food that you drink it with so, by learning the basics about pairing them, you can enhance your culinary experiences.

There are two basic approaches to choose from. One is contrast, where the wine is different in character to the food, but the differing characteristics play off each other, and the other is complimentary, where the wine and food work together through a similar trait (such as sweetness or acidic). Either works equally well, but which to apply varies on the type of food being served.

Regional combinations are also worth paying attention to, as food originating from a particular region or country will often pair well with the local wines, as they have evolved to complement one another. So, foods and wines from France work well together, as do ones from Italy, and also ones from Spain.

Here are some examples of wine and food pairings: pair beef with heavier reds like Zinfandel, Bordeaux, or Cabernet Sauvignon. Most of these wines go well with lamb as well, but this meat can take white wines like Pinot Gris too. For poultry, look for whites, or light reds when there is a heavy sauce – Pinot Noir and Beaujolais work well. Fish should always be served with whites, and Sauvignon Blanc makes a good choice.

However, though these are said to be classic pairings, that doesn’t mean that you’ll necessarily like all of them. Everyone has a different palate and appreciates different tastes and flavors. Keep in mind also that some people have a favorite wine style that they stick to regardless of the food being served. Therefore, you should always have different types of wine at hand when you’re entertaining others. You can recommend a certain variety, but the final decision about what they drink should be up to your guests.

If you liked this, try : Wine 101

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You will certainly agree that giving pewter wine goblets as a gift can be a wonderful idea. Lovers in particular simply see it as a source of addition to their enjoyment considering the light it can catch to add a lot more value. The fact really is that there are several types of goblets in the system.  For this matter, it would be prudent to be in the know of certain vital things in order to get the full benefits of what you acquire.

Remember that while some are used for wines, there are others that are meant for taking water. Aside this, the shapes, designs and styles you are likely to find are just many. Additionally, you need to know the material for which they are made of. In most cases, the choice one makes is dependent on these vital factors as tastes and preference is different amongst several people. Making some additional investment to acquire the pewter wine goblets that match your interest and personality could be a nice idea.

One significant thing about this product is its unique dark look unlike the others. Another refreshing thing to attract your interest lies in the fact that they are very convenient in terms of maintenance. Unlike some types out there, you will like to know that with a simple washing, your pewter wine goblets can be kept as clean and nice as you want them. It is a wise economic idea to make consideration to certain things when the need for them arises.

Firstly, you are still required to choose the right place to buy your pewter wine glasses. It might be good news to know that there are a number of them available today. However, you are also required to know that the level of satisfaction you will get for buying pewter wine goblets can also come from where they are bought.

Usually, taking the pain to search for several manufacturers can be a good approach. Gone are the days where one needed to hit the entire market just for the purposes of comparing prices. The internet has made this task quite easier since several companies can be compared right in the comfort of your home. This also gives you the chance to read a lot more things for yourself apart from the price. You only have to enter what you want in the search engine of any good website for more information on pewter wine glasses.

Read more about the best silver wine goblets or personalized champagne glasses.

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There are few better places in the world to learn how to cook with wine than the San Francisco Bay area. The Sonoma and Napa Valleys are world-renowned for their rich and fertile soils that produce some of the best wine making grapes on earth. California is the world’s fourth largest wine producer, accounting for nearly 90 percent of American wine production. The history of wine making in California dates back to 17th century Spanish monks who planted vineyards to produce wine for mass.

With all that fine wine and its rich heritage, it’s no wonder California chefs make it a staple in their cooking. Whether as a perfect companion to a meal or a featured ingredient in an entree, wine plays a central part in many international cuisines. The most famous of all is French, but wine is also predominant in Spanish, Italian, and Greek cuisines. Thanks to our globalized society, even Asian cuisines are starting to add wine to their own rich culinary traditions.

California Wine, Food, and Culture

Cooking with wine is a tradition that may owe its origins to French cuisine, but San Francisco chefs know a thing or two about cooking with wine as well. Chefs in this cosmopolitan city use classical French cooking techniques combined with the latest modern techniques to express their creativity in the kitchen.

And while we are all familiar with the question of what wine we should serve with dinner; we often overlook what wine we should serve in dinner. Wine is a complex beverage and its use in cooking has many implications. As the alcohol evaporates with cooking, the wine flavor will concentrate and create either subtle or bold flavor profiles. A good rule is to cook with a wine that is also good to drink.

Up and coming San Francisco personal chefs can learn about wine by purchasing an extra bottle of wine to be served with dinner and using it to put in some of the dishes being served for dinner. After some experimentation like this you will learn when to use a burgundy for boldness, a zinfandel for subtle sweetness, or a chardonnay for a buttery smoothness.

From light white wine sautés to rich and textured burgundy sauces to red wine reductions to poaching in port wine, there are many opportunities to sample dishes flavored with wines in the Bay area. Although you obviously can’t drink our famous California wines until you are 21 years of age, that doesn’t mean that you can’t learn to prepare and enjoy the many fine dishes prepared with Northern California’s most famous libation.

As you can see, if you are looking to expand your culinary repertoire to include wine, there is no better place to learn than in California. In addition to being home to some of the best vineyards, Northern California boasts some of the best cooking schools in the country to help teach you how to begin your adventures with wine in the Kitchen.

This article is presented by Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in San Francisco. The Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in San Francisco offers Le Cordon Bleu culinary education classes and culinary training programs in San Francisco, California. To learn more about the class offerings, please visit Chefs.edu/San-Francisco for more information.

The jobs mentioned are examples of certain potential jobs, not a representation that these outcomes are more probable than others. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in San Francisco does not guarantee employment or salary.

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Article by jekky

“If you are an entry-level Wine Tasting Who, I suggest you to taste of Australia, the United States, Chile, represented by the ‘New World’ Red wine Because these types of wine grapes relatively simple, but French wine is too complicated, were not the primary tasting wine from France to start. ” Accumulation of red wine and cultural needs Ruby eyes narrowed looking at the cup as the liquid that gently rippling, which is red wine, with a slightly fruity, a little charming. Sip from the tip gently and let it slowly flow through the taste buds, that strong feeling mellow and rich in depth, a little strawberry, Ruoyouruowu forest moss mixed with the taste of fresh mushrooms … … the finest Wine Like most perfect harmony, like a symphony, each note, every tone of exquisite charm are legible … … This is the enjoyment of those who love wine, but in Beijing, the real wine, not many people know, “many people to buy alcohol, which is looking at Package Nice to buy what, precisely because people’s taste, but there is still much room for improvement, many wine manor will take the initiative came to us to do a wine tasting, wine knowledge to impart information but also can be red wine brand, multi-cultivation the future of those who love wine. “Henderson Lufthansa wine house wine division, said Beijing’s wine culture, and need to slowly accumulate. Adhere to the “do not try not to buy” principle In the purchase of wine, many fans insist on “no taste do not buy” principle. So open day at the winery, the wine trade show, often see people leisurely cup in hand, along with friends and family taste, buy their own bed of roses wine, look for the fun of life. For China’s wine lovers, they do not personally have always taste, optional condition, gradually lively up tasting finally offered such opportunities. Henderson Lufthansa tasting organizers, Bordeaux has the Golden Rose Castle (top Court 2), the Iron Fort Golden Shield Castle (First Class Court, 3) and Aobaliqi Castle (First Class Court, 5) and other wineries. This tasting will be invited to the castle of the manor or representatives to attend to participate in activities together, for the wine estate features were introduced to explain the Bordeaux culture. Sommelier introduction, first class Court is the highest level of wine in France, currently in France only five estates get this title. Court-level first-class collection of course be left undefined else, normally a familiar customer, but if you are a true wine lovers who can call house wine, a Bordeaux tasting famous Jina Si Extreme, Golden Rose Castle other party will let you touch the wine elegance and taste. Prepared before tasting Eat prior to departure, the best things a bit. Such tastings are generally not too rich food, usually just prepare some Bread , Biscuits, cheese and various kinds of snacks. No one wants to wine tasting performed because they were hungry wolf. After drinking a little wine, but fasting does strongly stimulate the desire to want to eat something, this effect is similar between aperitif. On the other hand, the feeling of hunger will be too passive on wine appreciation, and the absorption of alcohol on an empty stomach faster, make you prematurely liquor power was victorious. Regardless of whether you’ve eaten before departure, within two hours before the tasting should brush your teeth, and then not eat any spicy food, Chocolate , Mints, or smoke. Retained because of the mouth will affect the taste of wine appreciation and judging. Some food and Seasoning Such as garlic, brush your teeth after eating even if still diffuse a strong flavor, so, raw onions, ginger, garlic, preferably before tasting or dinner to avoid eating a meal on the note. Many people like to spray perfume, to participate in social activities, especially, but the wine tasting should be an exception. Need to carefully distinguish between the process of tasting and feeling the wine gives off a variety of flowers and fruit fragrance, perfume cover the effect is fairly obvious, chances are felt by the wine which gentleman-like fragrance of roses, in fact, precisely from him of one of the women.