Wine and Spirits Articles

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By RAYMOND NWAMBUONWO @ Monday, 22nd October 2007 @ 7:41 PM

Most people would agree chardonnay is an eminent white wine. Chardonnay grapes are usually green in color and the flavor, taste and of the wine called chardonnay will depend where the grapes were grown and what fermentation process was used. Chardonnay wine is one of the most popular in the world today. The grapes are thin skinned. Most wine makers agree that the grapes used for chardonnay is probably a cross fusion between the pinot and the croatian blanc grape. The two mother grapes are... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By Jimmy Cox @ Monday, 22nd October 2007 @ 9:11 AM

No dinner is complete without wine, which brings joy and drives away depression, and makes the old feel young and the young still more youthful. Taken in moderation, it is undoubtedly an excellent stimulant. In the far north of China where the climate is cold and kaoliang abundant, Kaoliang wine, which is somewhat stronger than Russian vodka or English gin, is commonly drunk. In Central China a milder drink known as Shaohsing wine - named after its producing centre in Chekiang - is very p... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By Jimmy Cox @ Monday, 22nd October 2007 @ 9:07 AM

The word julep is an old and honored one and can be traced as far back as A. D. 1400 - long before we ever heard of the Southern States of these United States, where the julep is popularly supposed to be indigenous. For centuries the julep has been described as "something to cool or assuage the heat of passion," and "a sweet drink prepared in different ways." We know nothing of the first definition but will confirm the second statement that it can be made in different ways... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By Jimmy Cox @ Monday, 22nd October 2007 @ 9:05 AM

The most popular alcoholic beverage in the world today is that high-powered mixture known as the cocktail. For a century and beyond this stimulating drink has served to elevate dejected spirits. Born, nurtured, and christened on this side of the Atlantic, it has overflowed its original boundaries, especially since the World War, and today even staid British taste, long wedded to historic brandy and soda, is beginning to find satisfaction - and something else - in the Yankee mixed drink.more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By Jimmy Cox @ Monday, 22nd October 2007 @ 9:04 AM

Absinthe is a drink that has caused much controversy of the years for being a "wild" and "sinful" drink. These stereotypes fit in well with those that have followed New Orleans, which is where this potent drink first hit American soil. According to some authorities, absinthe as a drink originated in Algeria, and French soldiers serving in the Franco-Algerian war (1830-47) introduced the green spirits to Paris upon their return from the North African country where the drink... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By Jimmy Cox @ Monday, 22nd October 2007 @ 8:44 AM

Vegetable wine, fruit wine, flower wine - there are hundreds of recipes, all different yet all basically the same; and if you like to experiment there is a vast field in which to do so. If you consider the sherry recipes as examples of fruit and vegetable mixtures for the purpose of making delicious wines, you will see at once that experiment is worth while. During the last war, when sugar for wine-making was unobtainable, tinned syrup and 'sugar' obtained by boiling packet date... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By Jimmy Cox @ Monday, 22nd October 2007 @ 8:43 AM

I think it quite safe to say that more has been written about the cultivation of grapes than has - or ever will be - written about any other fruit. This is not surprising, considering that the grape is probably the oldest of known fruits. Evidence that grapes have been grown here for centuries is found in certain parts of the country where careful inspection of sloping land shows remains of terraced vineyards. Contrary to general belief grapes are quite easy to grow outdoors in this count... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By Jimmy Cox @ Monday, 22nd October 2007 @ 8:39 AM

If you want to make wine there is no excuse for not doing so: you need neither license nor cellar and the utensils may already be in your house, flat or caravan -for wine may be made in the smallest of places. To make a couple of gallons of wine is no more bother than to bake a tray of cakes or pickle a few jars of onions, and in comparison the rewards of your labors are far more pleasurable. A word of warning: The fact that home-made wines do not exceed fourteen per cent (by volume) of a... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By RAYMOND NWAMBUONWO @ Friday, 19th October 2007 @ 10:22 PM

By tradition, Champagne has always been a way to celebrate achievements or toast the bride and groom on their marriage. Champagne is considered to be a mellow beverage. Champagne can be served with a meal or with dessert. For many years, this exotic drink has been used as a way of celebration or to enjoy the good times that lie ahead. You probably want to know if champagne is a wine or a category all on its own. Champagne is a form of wine, and it is made with wine grapes... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By RAYMOND NWAMBUONWO @ Friday, 19th October 2007 @ 6:45 PM

Most people have tried various red wines and white wines and they still have no idea what differentiates both. If you have no clue, then this article will give you the factors to look for; apart from the color which is obvious. Red and white wines can either be dry or sweet or anywhere in between. The red wine is more robust, more complex than white wines. White wines are generally lighter without the complexity of reds. Though the grapes used do matter, but the main difference is in the... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By Derek Both @ Tuesday, 16th October 2007 @ 7:23 AM

Over the last twenty years, Australia has become the world's fourth largest wine producer with exports to over a hundred countries and is known for its uniqueness and quality. The largest importer of Australian wines until this year was the United Kingdom followed by the United States. In 2007, the United States overtook the United Kingdom as the primary importer of Australian wines. Australian wine exports mainly comprise the products of large commercial vineyards which competed with other... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By john mce @ Monday, 15th October 2007 @ 12:36 AM

No matter what you tipple is; white, red, pink or sparkling, storing your wine correctly is essential. Simply putting your favourite bottle above the fridge and forgetting about it for a year could drastically alter the taste, then, when you come to enjoy it at that special occasion, it might not be as favourable as you hoped. Despite wines being a perishable commodity, properly caring for and storing your wine can actually improve its' aroma, flavour, texture and complexity over t... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By Ross Lambert @ Friday, 12th October 2007 @ 12:10 PM

A few years ago my wife and I took a Napa Valley "wine tour". It was terrific: We got to see a beautiful part of the USA up close and personal and meet some very nice people. We tend to prefer smaller, family-owned "boutique"-style wineries, anyway, and the proprietors of such businesses are an interesting group. Winemakers are fun--often "entrepreneurial" but still wildly unconventional. And of course, we got to sample some outstanding wines. Imagine our s... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By David Cowley @ Friday, 12th October 2007 @ 2:24 AM

Port wines derives it name from the the city of Porto located in the Douro Valley in northern Portugal. Port wines are usually made from combination of up to five different grape varieties, Touriga Nacional, Tinto Cao, Tina Barroca, Tinta Rozi, and Touriga Fanacesas. It tends have a much richer, sweeter and heavier flavor than other wines. It is usually served as an before or after dinner drink because if its rich fruity flavor but is also goes well with sweet desserts, cheese, nuts, dr... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By David Cowley @ Friday, 12th October 2007 @ 2:16 AM

There is a very large variety of different types of wine and in order to really enjoy your wine selection it is necessary to know more than what type of wine goes with red meat and what type of wine goes with fish. It is important to select the correct type of wine that will augment the flavor of the meal instead of clashing with it. The properly selected wine will clean and refresh the pallet which will allow the flavor of the meal to be as enjoyable from the first bite to the last. The corr... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By John Myre @ Tuesday, 9th October 2007 @ 2:56 PM

Ole was having a heck of time. The World War II fighter pilot had a captive audience at the restaurant, and he was in rare form. The stories became bigger than life, and Ole kept ordering his favorite gin and tonics. After dinner, everyone at the table knew he shouldn't be driving. Everyone except Ole. But he was the war hero, the elder statesman in the group, and it was his car. As they approached the dangerous curve in the country road, his five passengers knew he was going ... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By Jeremy Sherk @ Wednesday, 29th August 2007 @ 7:25 PM

"A man is only as good as his tools" is a phrase I'm sure you've heard before and it applies to bartending as much as anything else. You'll only ever be as good as your tools, so make sure you're not without them. The quality of your tools can make or break your experience behind the bar so it's important you take this lesson seriously. There are countless bartending tools out there. Will you use them all? No. But there are certain tools that every bartend... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By Saleem Rana @ Tuesday, 21st August 2007 @ 8:23 PM

Wine is formed when grapes are crushed and the juice ferments. It ferments due to the naturally occurring yeast on the skins of the grapes. Of course there is a great deal more involved in the making of a good wine. It starts really with the planting of the vineyard or even before that with all the planning and preparation that goes into it first. Some grapes are more suited to making wine than others, so this has to be taken into consideration as well. Once the grapes are successfully gr... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By Jim Corkern @ Thursday, 2nd August 2007 @ 3:09 PM

Anyone who eats Asian food regularly probably knows that soy sauce has been around for at least a couple of thousand years and it is one of the most popular condiments in use today. In ancient times, the people of Asia had to preserve meat and fish by packing them tightly in salt and the liquid that drained from the meat preserved like this was commonly used as a seasoning for other foods such as rice. As Buddhism became more popular, the salty meat drippings that were used for... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By faye bautista @ Tuesday, 31st July 2007 @ 11:19 AM

For many people, although appreciating wine at home is a favorite pastime, it's just not enough. More and more wine lovers are visiting wineries, seeing how it is produced, and enjoying a new experience. Forbes Magazine wrote about some wineries that are off the beaten path. Sure, it's great to visit the big names, but smaller wineries offer just as great an experience, and sometimes a little more attention. From Forbes: West Coast's Winning Wineries - Avoid the throngs ... more...