Wine and Spirits Articles

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By April Kerr @ Friday, 29th February 2008 @ 6:24 AM

Zinfandel has a somewhat funny history. It's always been thought that that the grape comes from southern Italy as well as the Primitivo grape. However is 2001 after many years of research using DNA profiling, it was found that the grape is identical to Crljenak which is a grape from Croatia. It's even thought that with some more research the first plants may have originated from either Greece or Albania. Of course, Zinfandel grapes are very much associated with the West Coast... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By April Kerr @ Friday, 29th February 2008 @ 2:22 AM

If you love wine but you're not sure about all the wine terminology or just want to learn all about tasting wines and exploring wines from all over the world, joining a wine tasting class can be a really good idea. You may have been invited to a wine tasting party in the past and found you're knowledge to be lacking and perhaps felt a little embarrassed about it. If this is a case, a wine tasting class can really help in this department. What Will You Learn at a Wine Tasting C... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By Derek Both @ Wednesday, 27th February 2008 @ 5:09 AM

Most people think of wine and a few brands, a few types come to mind. These are the more popular types of wine and the most often noticed but there are hundreds of different types from a variety of places. Some of the places may not be the normal regions you think of when it comes to producing wine. Nevertheless, these areas present a variety of fine vintages and a variety of types. For example, everyone has heard of the Concord grape, white grapes, purple, and red. There are grapes from... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By Stephen Dolan @ Tuesday, 26th February 2008 @ 11:27 PM

Wine is the perfect drink for a wide variety of situations, from dinner to special occasions to romantic settings, even to backyard barbeques. Indeed, wine is one of the world's most widely consumed alcoholic beverages. Wine is a drink made from fermented grapes, and comes in a variety of tastes and colors based on the type of grape used to create the wine. One aspect that makes wine different from other beverages is the importance of aging. Many wine drinkers are intrigued by the wine maki... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By Brue Baker @ Monday, 25th February 2008 @ 11:18 PM

Certain wines go with certain foods. Don't host a dinner party and just serve any wine with your food. You will be sure to upset the palates of many of your guests. And if you have any wine connoisseurs at your party they will not want to come over again. To get a list of wine food pairing options simply search the web or call one of those fancy restaurants where they list the wine and food pairings on the menu. If you want your dinner party to go on without a hitch, and you... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By April Kerr @ Monday, 25th February 2008 @ 11:03 AM

If you plant on keeping you wines for a number of years, either as an investment or to drink later, the temperature of your cellar is crucial. The ideal temperature is about 55F or 13C. A temperature a little above or below is fine however ideally you want to keep the temperature at a constant level; it should vary too much from day to day. In terms of humidity, you aim is 70%. Some basements natural provide the best storage conditions for your wine however if this is not the case with yours... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By April Kerr @ Monday, 25th February 2008 @ 10:28 AM

If you are one of the many people around the globe who are passionate about wine you may be wondering about having a wine cellar built in your home. There are many reasons you might want to do this. Some people just want a place they can store some wine for a few years until the wine has aged. Whilst there are others who view wine as an investment just like stocks and shares. It's amazing just how much wine can increase in value over a couple of decades. Whatever type of drinker ... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By Eddie Yakubovich @ Monday, 25th February 2008 @ 3:02 AM

Have you ever been jealous of your friends? Maybe they are more successful, own bigger homes; maybe they entertain nightly, throwing dinner parties and black-tie affairs. Maybe when you are invited, you sit at their dinner tables, drink their wine, and imagine how you would do it better, if only you had the courage. But what, really, is stopping you? Your social shortcomings are probably not that hard to overcome. If you have a desire to entertain, that desire is enough. With adequate planning,... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By June Beezy @ Monday, 4th February 2008 @ 8:58 PM

So you want to learn about wine and how you can make it in the comfort of your own home? Let us start this wine 101 by taking a quick history lesson. Wine making began thousands of years ago in the northern zagros mountains of Iran. Then it quickly spread though out the region and got picked up by the country we know today as Cyprus and from their it spread faster then fire around the entire region of Europe and quickly became a major part of the western civilization we know today. Even the anci... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By David Cowley @ Friday, 25th January 2008 @ 3:12 PM

Anyone that loves wine is probably going to agree that French wines are some of the best in the business, if not the absolute best in the world. How can such a small country be such a dominant force in the winemaking world? What makes wines from France so superior to wines you find in other parts of the world? The country of France has been one that has always taken pride in its food, and French wines are a very important part of that. Professional chefs have long been highly regarded ... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By David Cowley @ Wednesday, 23rd January 2008 @ 12:22 PM

Making wine is probably as old as humankind itself, and one of the oldest winemaking regions in the world is Italy. Italian wines traces their roots as far back as the Roman Empire, and probably even before that. Rome is the city that began bottling wines for ease of transportation, storage and use. Today, wines from Italy account for about one-fifth of all the wines produced in the world. There are thousands of vineyards in Italy, and while many wines are produced in modern distilleri... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By David Cowley @ Wednesday, 23rd January 2008 @ 2:05 AM

Many people are surprised to find out the truth about United States wines. Most assume that the best wines in the world are produced in France or areas of the Mediterranean, and while it's true that many people may prefer or know more about French wines, there are many varieties of wines from the United States that are just as good. Probably the most famous area of wine production is Napa Valley, California, where some 90% of North American wines are produced. These vineyards were ... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By David Cowley @ Tuesday, 22nd January 2008 @ 9:48 PM

It's true that for some, Germany may be better known for its beer than its wines. And in some ways those people may be right - German beer is well-known among those who love beer and those consider it to be the BMW of brew, no pun intended. However, the beautiful weather along the Rhine River and breathtaking regions of Germany make it prime for wine production, and the truth is that German wines are some of the finest in the world. Germany is the ninth largest wine producer in the world... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By David Cowley @ Tuesday, 22nd January 2008 @ 8:48 PM

Chances are that not many people who love wine actually think of Argentina when they consider their list of great growing regions around the world. However, there are a few reasons why this thinking is wrong. The climate of this beautiful South American country is perfect for winemaking, and is varied enough throughout so as to support a wide variety of wines. Many connoisseurs are beginning to understand why Argentine wines are fine enough to be considered some of the best in the world. <... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By April Kerr @ Friday, 18th January 2008 @ 3:17 PM

It doesn't matter whether you enjoy a glass of wine at home with friends, in a restaurant or in a tasting room at a vineyard, there are a number of things that you should avoid doing. This will really help you, and those you are with, have an enjoyable experience. Wine Tasting You can enjoy a wine taster at a vineyard or even a local wine shop, either way the correct etiquette should be followed. If you are going to be tasting a number of different types of wine you... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By June Beezy @ Tuesday, 15th January 2008 @ 8:43 PM

It all starts with swirling and sniffing your favorite wine. Experts can tell you what wine you are drinking just by taking a little whiff from the top of the wine bottle. However, you can train yourself to do that in no time. With proper practice and consistent little steps, you can just smell what kind of wine you are drinking. Here are a few ways that I would like to share that will help you make your nose stronger and your sense of smell smarter. Pour your wine into a glass and stick ... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By David Cowley @ Monday, 14th January 2008 @ 10:04 PM

If you're a wine lover and wish that you had more time to really shop around for just the right bottle or to find a new one that you've never tried before, you may want to seriously consider joining a wine club. Just like "book of the month" or other such clubs, wine clubs are organizations that research, select, and ship off to their members a new bottle or selection of wines once every month or so. Wine clubs may sound like they're best for the rich and snooty, b... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By David Cowley @ Friday, 11th January 2008 @ 3:59 PM

Whether you're a real wine enthusiast or just someone looking for a great part-time hobby, home wine making can be fun and enjoyable, and of course there are very few other pursuits with such a tasty payoff! It may seem somewhat intimidating to the novice, but in reality, home wine making can be very easy with just a little bit of guidance. Most homemade wine is made from a grape juice concentrate, so don't worry about growing and harvesting your own grapes - or needing to stom... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By David Cowley @ Friday, 11th January 2008 @ 3:58 PM

As with any rating system, there is no such thing as a universal wine rating system. Wines are rated by different wine clubs, groups, restaurants, food critics, magazines, and wine aficionados. Just like movies may get good or bad ratings depending on the critic, the same wine may get a higher or lower rating depending on who is doing the actual rating. Most wine rating systems work the same as any other rating system, awarding a number of points to a particular wine in a variety of categorie... more...

Food and Drink » Wine and Spirits | By David Cowley @ Wednesday, 9th January 2008 @ 7:12 PM

When was the last time you went to a nice restaurant and ordered a bottle of expensive wine? When the waiter or waitress brought it over, did he or she show you the label before uncorking it? Did you understand anything on that label, or did you simply scan it and nod just for show? Many people are at a loss when it comes to reading wine labels, whether it's at a restaurant or in a wine store; to them, it's all just fancy numbers and letters and means no more to them than the chemic... more...