Waitrose Brut NV Champagne, France
June 16, 2011 By
Taylor’s 20-Year-Old Tawny Port
June 16, 2011 By
Wine Tasting
March 14, 2011 By
To expand your knowledge on appreciating both wines and wine producers producers, learning to taste wine is a fairly straightforward process. Using your natural senses of sight, smell, and taste you will be able to sample wine as a professional hardly any time at all! Understanding that the sense of smell is capable of distinguishing thousands of scents in comparison to the sense of taste, which is limited determining sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Combining the two senses will enable you to distinguish the discerning flavour of each wine.
With a fine glass of wine in hand, view the fluidity of the wine. When you tilt the glass away from you, notice the colour of the liquid from the edge of the rim to the middle of the glass. It is advisable to have a white, clear background, for example, a napkin or white tablecloth is ideal.
Looking beyond the obvious colour groups of white, red, or blush, determine whether the colour is actually maroon, burgundy, garnet, brick, red, or purple. If you are reviewing a white wine, establish whether the colour is in fact a pale yellow, straw-like, golden, light-green, brown, or amber in appearance.
The next step is to establish the opacity of the wine, eg. Is it watery, translucent, opaque, or dark? Is there still sediment present? Tilting and swirling the glass will enable any sediment or cork to float to the top. The older the red wine, the more orange tinges there will be on the edges of the glass than a younger red wine. Older whites tend to be darker than white wines.
Paramount in sampling wine is our sense of smell. Swirling the glass for a good 10-15 seconds will enable you to gain a good impression of the aroma as this releases some of it’s more natural aromas by vaporizing some of the alcohol. Once swirled, inhale deeply to gain your first impression.
Placing your nose further into the glass, inhale deeply. Concentrate and assertain whether you can smell oak, flowers, vanilla, berry, or citrus. The aroma of the wine can determine the not only the quality of the wine, but also the unique characteristics. Swirling the glass once more allowing the aromas to blend, inhale through the nose again.
Now, you can finally taste the wine. A small sip is required and let it slowly roll around the mouth. With three stages of taste, Attack, Evolution, and the Finish:
Attack Phase:
The initial impression of the wine on your palete is called the Attack Phase. Comprising of four elements, tannin, alcohol, acidity, and residual sugar. Ideally, all four components should be well-balanced and one will not be more predominant than the other, displaying a blend of flavours rather than one specific flavour.
Evolution Phase:
Occasionally referred to as the mid-palate or middle range phase, the evolution phase analyzes the actual taste on the palate. You are looking to determine the flavour profile of the wine for example, if you are sampling a red wine, you may note fruit, plum, prune, fig, or berry, or even some spice, pepper, cinnamon, clove, or a more woody flavour such as cedar, oak, or detect a hint of smokiness. White wine may offer the taste of fruit, such as pear, tropical, citrus, or apple, or possibly a more floral or natural taste such as honey, herbs, earthiness, or butter.
The Finnish:
The final phase is the wine’s finish. How long does the flavour impression remain after swallowing? Aftertaste is important, how long did it last, several seconds? Was it full-bodied similar in texture to cream? Medium-bodied, similar to milk? Light-bodied, similar to water? Does the taste remain at the back of your throat and mouth? The final flavour impression, was it fruity, butter, or oak? Was the taste bitter? Any, the ultimate question, do you want to take another sip?
Steps for Wine-Making
March 11, 2011 By
You will be surprised at the quality of the wine that you can produce yourself by ensuring the following steps are adhered to:
Ensure that all equipment is thoroughly sterilized before starting inclusive of your 4.5 litre, or 1 gallon jar.
Add the grape juice concentrate
Add approximately 3 litres of cold water to the jar. Tap water is adequate.
If not included in your home-making kit, dissolve the sugar in warm water
If not included in the home-making kit, add the sugar solution to the concentrate
Top-up the jar with water to 1 gallon, 4.5 litres
Add the yeast contained in the packet
The airlock needs to be half-filled with water before inserting into the bung to seal the jar
Store in a warm place, approximately between 21-24 C, 70-75 F. Heating pads or belts can be purchased.
Hydrometer readings at various stages will enable to check on the sugar level; For dry wine: 0.99 – 0.996. Medium: 0.996 – 1.009. Sweet: 1.009 – 1.018.
Add two crushed Campden tablets with potassium sorbate at the end of fermentation then refit the bung and airlock.
Leave the wine in a cool place, 15 C, 60 F, to clear. In a few days, transfer the wine from the sediment.
Occasionally the wine will not clear independently and you may need to purchase “finings”. All instructions will be included with your purchase.
Once clear, pass the wine through a filter to achieve brilliance. Once professional brilliance is achieved, transfer the wine into sterilized wine bottles.
Using a corking tool, fit the corks, attach labels, and finally shrink caps.
Wine Making
March 9, 2011 By
Wine-making is a surprisingly simple yet highly enjoyable past-time, though it may be worth noting that legally within the UK, you can produce as much wine as you wish, however, you must not attempt to sell your produce to anyone.
With a total production cost of approximately 50p per bottle, you can produce various types of wine with an alcohol content within the range of 7-18%.
An initial financial outlay is required for equipment, but once invested, you can constantly make wine for a fraction of the retail prices available within the supermarket or the continent.
Wine-Making Process:
Home wine-making kits are widely available but for a quick checklist, please ensure that you have the following equipment included:
Primary Fermenter
Primary fermentation requires a container that has a volume of at least 20 – 30% than the must to ensure that during fermentation the container allows for the foaming. A large plastic bucket can be used as long it has a lid. During fermentation, the carbon dioxide must have an air-hole to escape through. Once the air-hole has been made it is recommended that you insert an air-lock to keep vinegar flies out of the must.
Carboy
A glass container that come in sizes of 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and half gallons inbetween such as 6.5. 5 gallons is the standard size. The large containers of 7 and 7.5 can become extremely heavy when full and can become excessively heavy to lift or maintain. With a narrow neck and opening, the Carboy or Carbouy allows for the use of the air lock and stop.
Plastic Buckets
You can never have too many pails or buckets for wine-making!
Buckets can be utilised for carrying must, mixing ingredients, racking etc. Again, with a range of sizes buckets are extremely useful.
AirLocks
U-shaped devices that are simply valves that allow the carbon dioxide to escape from the wine as it ferments while stopping oxygen and bacteria from reaching the liquid. A sodium metabisulfite solution is placed in the U of the airlock to enable the escape of gas and killing any harmful bacteria that could contaminate the wine, and eliminating any fruit flies.
Cork
With a choice of different corks available, the cork keeps the wine and seals the bottle with natural expansion. A quick guide is use natural cork for bottles that you wish to keep for more than one year, agglomerated cork (or processed corks) should only be used for quicker consumption.
Corker
Used to insert the cork into the bottle
Carboy and Bottle Brushes
Carbouy brushes are L-shaped to enable the glass to be cleaned along the U-bend, very similar in appearance to a bottle brush. It is recommended that all brushes are rinsed in an sodium metabisulfate solution before and after use.
Hydrometer
A cylindrical glass rod, the hydrometer is used to measure the sugar content of the must or wine. Floated within a test-tube filled with the must, the buoyancy of the hydrometer will indicate how much sugar is present. The higher the hydrometer the higher content of sugar is present. The hydrometer has measurements along the side to enable ease of use.
Siphoning Tubes
Used to transfer the must from container to another during the bottling and racking process. Ensure that the tubes are long enough to reach the bottom of the container that is due to be siphoned and the bottom of the container that the fluid is being siphoned into. When racking, ensure that the juice does not splash into the new container as could cause too much oxygen to be present in the wine.
Rose Wine
March 3, 2011 By
Rose has many different pronunciations, Rosado in Spanish, Rosato in Italian, or blush, though all refer to pink coloured wine. Again, the shades vary from subtle hues of pink through to stronger hot pink varieties dependent on which grape is used and for the length of time that the skins remained in contact with the juice. European roses tend to be dry, though dependent on regions, rose can range from sweet to bone-dry.
Grape varietals include Pinot Noir, Grenach, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Zinfandel, Tempranillo, and Sangiovese, and a can be used either solitary or blended.
Tempranillo, Sangiovese and Zinfandel. These varietals may be either used solo or in a blend.
A sparkling rose is traditionally produced from a blend of white and red grapes and this process has recently been introduced to still rose wine making.
Flavor Profile:
Usually a more subtle version of a red wine varietal would produce, you can experience flavours of cherry, watermelon, raspberry, strawberry, and citrus fruit.
White Wine
February 28, 2011 By
White wine derives its colouring from the grape varietlas, just as the skins of the grapes are responsible for the colouring in red wine. Using green, gold or yellow coloured grapes will determine whether the wine is gold, yellow, or straw-like in appearance.
Champagne & Sparkling Wine
Champagne is exclusively produced in the Champagne region of France and is the most famous of all the sparkling wines.
With a variety of types of white wine available, here is a brief reference guide:
Chardonnay:
An extremely popular wine in America, and is consistently becoming one of the most produced wines within the USA. Due to the ease of growth and low maintenance that the Chardonnay grape requires alongside the amount of differing climates in which it will thrive, Chardonnay is a rising in popularity globally, resulting in millions of available types and brands of Chardonnay ensures that it remains a fairly inexpensive, but highly enjoyable, wine.
Flavor Profile:
With flavours ranging from buttered, oak overtones, to fruit infusions such as citrus, melon, pear, and apple, can make for an interesting palate experience.
Food Pairing
Ideally suited to poultry dishes, seafood, pork and cream or butter based recipes. Adding to its versatility, an unoaked version of Chardonnay is very palatable with garlic, shellfish, curry, salads, and guacamole.
Chenin Blanc
Chenin Blanc grape is grown in the French Loire Valley, California, and South Africa. Ranging from sweet to dry, dependent on the time of harvest, with flavours of melon, lime, pear, and apple infused with honey and vanilla.
Food Pairing
Ideally paired with white meats, seafood, fish dishes such as sushi, spicy rice dishes, and salads.
Ideal with salads, spicy rice dishes, white meats, sushi and seafood.
Gewurztraminerition:
The Gewürztraminer grape is grown predominantly in Germany, France, USA, New Zealand, and Australia in regions that tend to be cooler to enable the concentrated flavour.
Flavor Profile:
Ranging from dry to sweet varieties, Gewurztraminer is best consumed soon after bottling with flavours inclusive of pumpkin, spice, apricot, pear, rose, and honey.
Food Pairings:
Gewurztraminer is well paired with zesty foods such as BBQ chicken wings or spicy Asian dishes. Aromas and flavours often include spice, mineral, rose, citrus, and pear.
Pinot Blanc:
Pinot Blanc is grown within the Alsace region of France, and tends to be medium-dry. It may also be of interest to acknowledge that oak is not involved in the maturation process.
Flavor Profile:
A light flavoured white wine with infusions of melon, pear, apricot, and citrus and occasionally smokey undertones combined with high acidity.
Food Pairings:
Ideal with light flavoured meats, light to medium sauces, mild cheeses, and seafood.
Pinot Gris:
Also known as Pinot Grigio in Italy, and Grauer Burgunder in Germany, it is a closely related to the Pinot Noir grape. Medium-full bodied white wine.
Flavour Profile:
Infused with pear, apple, melon, and apple makes this a highly palatable wine.
Food Pairings:
Acidic foods tend to bring out the best in a Pinot Gris such as roasted or sautéed poultry, pork, or a variety of nut dishes. To experience a more vibrant version of Pinot Grigio, wines produced from the Alto Adige region are ideal.
Riesling:
Originating in Germany’s Mosel and Rhein valleys, it has gained notoriety within the modern wine market. Spanning a broad range of styles it can range from being dry to sweet, as well as light to full-bodied.
Flavor Profile:
A highly aromatic wine with peach, pear, and apple, with an infusion of spice and honey. Rieslings have been noted to have hints of limestone and slate due to the rich minerality of their native soils.
Food Pairing:
Ideal with pork, poultry, shellfish, and desserts. Riesling is a very versatile wine.
Sauvignon Blanc:
Produced originally in the Loire Valley of France, Sauvignon Blanc has recently been taken to new heights by New Zealand growth in the Marlboro region with gooseberry and tropical fruit flavours. A dry white wine with noted herbaceous flavours. Available as a single varietal or blended with a mix of Semillon.
Flavor Profile:
A medium-bodied crisp wine with acidity, Sauvignon Blanc offers a variety of flavours. Herbal to vegetable mixed with flavours of grass, mineral tones, hay, tropical, and citrus.
Food Pairing:
An extremely versatile wine, Sauvignon Blanc is great with appetizers, Italian dishes, garlic infused recipes, sushi, Thai food, and poultry.
Red Wine
February 23, 2011 By
Red wine derives its rich color from a variety of grape varietals. Grapes can range from deep purple, reddish, or even blue. Wines that are described as garnet, dark red, light red, purple, violet, almost black, and maroon gain their coloring from the grape skins and how long they are mixed with the grape juice during the fermentation process which allows the dispersion of tannins and color.
Choosing the best glass for drinking your wine can be a confusing business. Red wines are best served when poured into a large oval or egg shaped bowl that is narrower at the top as opposed to a flute shaped glass. With approximately 10-22 ounces of wine in the glass, you should have room to swirl the wine inside the glass and provide a larger surface area to enable the wine to breathe.
Red Wine Style
Wines are generally classed by body-type. For example, someone may describe a bottle of wine as “full-bodied”, which refers to how many tannins are present. The lighter the wine the less tannins are present. Full-bodied wines contain the highest tannin and alcohol levels. Light-bodied wines have a similar sensation to water when drunk, medium-bodied similar to milk, and full-bodied will have a similar consistency as drinking cream.
Key Red Wine Varietals
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Shiraz, Malbec, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Grenache, and Sangiovese are the most popular red wine varietals that are available. Occasionally, red wine is referred to it’s location rather than the varietal such as Bordeaux which uses three different varietals, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc grapes.
Good Food and Wine
February 22, 2011 By
Eating healthily is a primary concern for all us these days. With medical science proving links between poor diet and life threatening diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, strokes, heart disease and certain cancers, losing weight is now generally a secondary consideration. You are never too young or too old to make changes to your diet and improve some of your eating habits.
Containing several essential nutrients, your diet should include a healthy portion of all five of the major food groups to maintain many of the vital processes of your body functions.
With varying opinions, advice, and constant media advertising, it can become extremely confusing to ensure you are making the healthiest choices for you and your family. Here is a quick guide to help you see the wood from the trees:
Starchy Foods should always be the base of your meal:
Pasta, bread, pasta, and potatoes are all included in the starchy foods group. Always choose a wholegrain option if available as they are higher in fiber and tend to maintain the feeling of fullness for longer. Starchy foods should be approximately one third of your food intake.
Fruit and Vegetables:
Five-a-day is a good motto to stick to. Vegetables that are included in a meal, a glass of fruit juice, (such as 100% orange, tomato, or apple juice) can all count as one portion. Chopping fruit onto your cereal in the morning, swapping your usual mid-morning snack with a banana or dried fruit can all help you reach your daily five.
Fish
Increasing your fish intake is a step in the right direction. Providing many different minerals and vitamins, it is advisable to eat at least two servings per week. Oily fish, such as tuna, mackerel, salmon, pilchards, and herring, are great for providing Omega 3 which could prevent heart disease.
Saturated Fat
Biscuits, sausages, cakes, hard cheese, cream, pies, lard, and butter all contain high levels of saturated fat. A good guide is that if it tastes absolutely yummy, it’s bound to contain saturated fat. However, do try to reduce your intake as it is proven to raise the cholesterol level in the blood, which then increases the chance of developing heart disease.
Sugar
Sugar is not necessarily bad for you, it just depends in which foods or drinks it is present. The sugars found naturally in mild and fruit can be beneficial. However, sugary fizzy drinks, biscuits, pastries, and cakes all contain added sugar. These are the foods that should be avoided or reduced. A quick guide is that if the food /drink contain more than 15g of sugar per 100g, the sugar content is very high.
Salt
Salt is present in most foods inclusive of breakfast cereals, breads, sauces, and soups. It may be of interest to learn that over three-quarters of our intake of salt is already present in the food we buy. Too much salt raises blood pressure, which increases your chances of heart disease, or even stroke. Food labels that display more than 1.5g of salt per 100g, the food is very high in salt. No more than 6g of salt a day should be consumed by an adult.
Water
It is recommended that between six to eight glasses of water should be consumed on a daily basis to prevent dehydration.
Breakfast
Some people skip breakfast because they think it will help them lose weight. In fact, research shows that eating breakfast can help people control their weight. A healthy breakfast is an important part of a balanced diet, and provides some of the vitamins and minerals we need for good health. Whole meal cereal, with fruit sliced over the top is a tasty and nutritious breakfast.
The amount and type of food you eat has a major influence on your health. Eating a well-balanced diet can reduce your risk of various diseases as well as help you to maintain a healthy weight.
Milk and other dairy foods
Milk and dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt are important sources of protein, calcium and vitamins.
Choose lower-fat options such as semi-skimmed or skimmed milk and low-fat yogurts.
Some dairy foods, such as butter and cream, have a high fat content so you should eat these in much smaller amounts.
Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein
Meat, fish and alternatives, such as beans, pulses, eggs and nuts are all important non-dairy sources of protein. Some types of meat are high in fat, so always cut off any extra fat and skin. Grill, bake or poach meat and fish rather than fry it. Try to limit the amount of processed meat you eat (such as sausages and beef burgers) as these foods often contain a lot of fat and may increase your risk of bowel cancer.
Tips On How To Make Wine At Home
January 27, 2011 By
As long as you are not planning on selling the wine you make British law actually states you can make as much wine as you like, so get cracking and use the following tips to help you make your own home brew!
First of all you need to decide what you want to make your wine out of. The traditional fruit of choice would be grapes but do not be fooled into thinking this is the only fruit or even vegetable you can make wine out of.
Wine can be made from potatoes through to elderflowers and berries which can all be foridged from your own garden or local countryside/parks or can be bought from a local supermarket.
You then need a few basic pieces of equipment -
A fruit press to extract the juice from your chosen fruit (you could go traditional and squash your grapes by foot in a big plastic container.
A clear or white plastic bucket (not coloured plastic as it has been found these release toxins). You can purchase various sizes of buckets for wine making depending on how much wine you want to make.
A glass or plastic wine fermenter/demijohn which after starting your fermenting process in your bucket, you would then transfer your wine into.
A heat pad, putting your wine fermenter onto a heat pad will ensure your wine is kept at the correct temperature for the fermentation stage.
A hydrometer, this device measures the sugar levels in your wine which will give you an indication on the strength of alcohol.
A wine Filter, a must for removing bacteria and it also improves your wines appearance as it makes it clearer and also taste better.
Bottles and corks to store your finished wine in.Many companies sell home wine making kits and it couldnt be easier, if you like wine why not give it a try!