Spain is an awakening giant in the world of wine. Not only does Spain have a rich wine tradition, Spain grows more grapes than any other nation in the world. The last 15 years has seen the Spanish wine industry improve techniques in the vineyard, as well as in the winery. While many American wine drinkers are familiar with Rioja, there are many great wine regions in Spain: Priorat, Jumilla, Navarre. Juan Gil comes from Jumilla in which Rhone varietals: Syrah, Grenache (Granacha), Mourvedre (Monastrell), and Carignan flourish. Juan Gil is 100% Monastrell and is a wine of power and finesse.

The grapes selected for this wine come from 40-year old parcels on their estate vineyards. Here shallow, chalky soils on a bed of limestone and rock, combined with an arid climate, produce the low yields (1,8 ton per acre) required for wine of this complexity. It is a wine with rich colour, abundant ripe fruit flavours, and a long, spicy, well-balanced finish. Better drink with roast and game, red grilled and barbecued meat, rice with game, etc.

Visit us at http://www.englewoodwinemerchants.com/ to view our selection of fine wines, or call us at 201-568-8820. Englewood Wine Merchants is a fine wine and spirits retailer located in Englewood, New Jersey. We ship within the United States.

Over the past few decades, the Napa Valley has become synonymous with award winning Cabernet Sauvignon. Originating from the Bordeaux region in France, Cabernet Sauvignon is truly wine?s ambassador to the world. Now in the annals of wine history, this varietal put the Napa Valley on the map in the 1976 Paris Tasting.

Cab vines makeup the majority of acreage in the Napa Valley. But the diversity of soil and climate in Napa County allows for the production of almost every grape varietal. These subtle differences in microclimate and geology were the focal point of splitting Napa County up into different sub-appellations or American Viticulture Areas (AVAs).

There are fourteen AVAs in Napa, and each one grows a different mix of varietals. For example, the coastal marine influence of the San Pablo Bay makes the Carneros AVA perfectly suited for growing Pinot Noir, which thrives in cool, windy areas. Consequently, Carneros? Acacia Winery produces exceptional Pinot Noirs, competing with some of the world?s best.

Napa?s best, however, is Cabernet Sauvignon. Because this varietal can grow in a wide array of climates and soils, every AVA in Napa boasts Cab of their own. But there is a select set of conditions which makes for world class examples of the grape. These include long, sunny days in warm climates, in conjunction with porous, well draining soils.

Having perfect growing conditions does not ensure premium quality fruit. Because they grow easily in various conditions, Cab vines can give vineyard managers fits with their sometimes wild growth. Therefore, canopy management is critical to the ripening of the grapes. Many Napa Valley vineyards have developed innovative techniques to deal with this problem, yielding grapes with unmatched flavor and intensity.

It is then in the winemakers hands to turn this tannic berry into the opulent nectar of the gods. Until recently in California, Cabernet production was primarily a single varietal wine.

Because of the high pip to pulp ratio of the Cab berry, they can have very high tannin concentrations. The result is that many single varietal Cabs are harsh in their youth. Napa vintners are recognizing this setback and beginning to blend the grape with other Bordeaux varietals to not round out its strong flavors, but also to add complexity.

One of the first vintners to use this innovative technique was Inglenook?s John Daniel Jr. Daniel Jr. is one of the most influential figures in Napa?s viticultural history, and is considered by many as the godfather of the Napa Valley Cabernet. Inglenook?s 1941 vintage is regarded by many as the best wine ever produced in the Napa Valley.

It was not until 1976, however, that the Napa Valley Cab received world wide recognition. Warren Winairski?s Stags Leap Wine Cellars 1973 S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon won top prize at the 1976 Paris Tasting. This came as a surprise to everyone; Winairski?s Cab beat some of the best producers in Bordeaux.

This upset is now known as the vinous ?shot heard round the world,? and catapulted Stags Leap as well as the entire Napa Valley. Since this event, the Stags Leap AVA has been producing world class Cabs with enviable consistency.

The cr?me de la cr?me of Stags Leap also includes Shafer Vineyards. The key to their success is the rocky hillside that is home to their vineyard. This rocky soil translates into a small quantity of grapes with intense favor and complexity. The Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon is regarded by many to be the best Cab in California, and is the definition of a cult wine.

The Hillside Select is like the White Rhino; you know it exists but have never actually seen it. Unfortunately, this is characteristic of many of the most exclusive wines from Napa. A Cab that has received international acclaim and is readily available at your local grocery store is Mondavi?s Opus One.

Opus One is one of the best wines produced in the famed Oakville AVA. Due to Oakville?s unique soils and warm climate, the Cabernet Sauvignon grape vine thrives in the AVA. Because of this, the region has attracted some of the best vintners in the world. There are also several other excellent wineries from Oakville which produce award winning Cabs. Paradigm Winery, Rudd Winery and Silver Oak Winery are among the industry leaders.

Just north of Oakville, you will find another region that is famous for Cab. The Rutherford AVA may be even better known than Oakville, and has surged to the forefront of the California Cab industry.

Because Rutherford is slightly North of Oakville, it is affected less by the coastal influence of the San Pablo Bay. Warm temperatures dry and heat the ground, which leads to riper grapes with more developed tannins. Cabs from Rutherford tend to be more complex than those from Oakville, but need to be aged longer because of their tannic nature.

Caymus Vineyards is located in Rutherford and has been producing Cab since their inception in 1973. Their 1990 Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon was declared, ?Wine of the Year,? by Wine Spectator. Not long after receiving this award, they were given the title of, ?The Best Winery for Cabernet Sauvignon in California.?

Whether Caymus is the best Cab producing winery in California is a matter of opinion, but it is fact that the Napa Valley is California?s epicenter for Cabernet Sauvignon. This delectable red has changed the way the world views California wine, and anyone who has experienced one can attest to its brilliance.

Benjamin Bicais lives in the Napa Valley and is the author of many articles about Napa Valley Wineries.

You know, wine paired with food is fun. Not just the drinking of the wine, but also in deciding which wine you want to purchase and what foods you want to pair it with . Let?s start with some ideas when you go to purchase the wine.

First of all you need to decide the reason you are buying the wine. Is it to be served with dinner, or just with Hours d?oeuvres? Are you going to a friend?s house or having a romantic evening? How much do you want to spend on the wine, $8.00, $10.00, $15.00, $25.00 or more? Whatever the reason, and at whatever price point you should first find a merchant you can turn to that will make a recommendation. After they make the recommendation, ask them why they did. This will help you gain knowledge. Also, ask if you can taste the wine. Remember, even the highest rated wine will not be good if you don?t like the flavor.

If at all possible, and you live close to vineyards, take a trip and let them help you. (This is something we will discuss later.)

Remember, have fun. Don?t feel embarrassed by any questions that come to mind. Ask them, soak in the answers. I guess another way of putting it is to act like you did when you sat on your parents lap and drove them crazy with questions. Didn?t you learn something from that?

Another thing, if you are looking to match wine with food, think of the flavors of the food and then try to find a wine that will either pick up the flavors or will contrast the flavors of the meal which will keep your palate awake and asking for more. Both methods have great results.

As far as finding a wine retailer in your area, well, I like the smaller wine stores with the owner on the premises. Generally they are doing this business out of love for the grape?.I find that many times they have a wider range of knowledge. I have a wine store here in the Buffalo, NY area that I believe is the best in the country. The man has knowledge, and loves to share it. Many times we will discuss food and wine pairings; his ideas are always on target. I would love to give you his name but that?s for another article.

Here?s to your wine and dine success,

Michael

P.S. There are great wines being produced today in the $10.00 to $15.00 range. We will get to them in another article.

Michael Kranitz is a businessman who, for many years, has enjoyed pairing wine and food for his family, friends and clients. Michael has a philosophy that pairing wine and food should be fun, not work. Michael?s goal is to help people gain knowledge and have fun at http://www.wineanddinetonight.com

Imagine that you are hosting a party for some of your best friends. The atmosphere is bubbling with the excitement of everyone chatting and mingling with each other, when all of a sudden you hear a crashing sound and see the sight that every host prays will never happen; a glass of red wine has taken a swan dive and landed not on your tile floor where it is easy to clean up but on to your very embarrassed guest and all over your furniture. It would appear that Murphy?s Law has struck again, but don?t panic, it is possible to get red wine stains out!

The first thing to do (aside from not panicking) when cleaning red wine spills is to remove the excess spillage. If the wine has been spilled on a couch or carpet take an absorbent cloth (something you don?t mind being stained) or paper towel and blot the excess wine, do not rub in any way! The point of blotting it to remove the wine without working it further into the fabric. If it was a piece of clothing that has been spilled on, remove the article and blot in the same manner.

Once the excess wine has been removed it is very important to rinse the carpet, furniture or clothing to dilute the wine before it has a chance to set in. The best method for this is going to vary on what exactly where the spill is. For clothing or other items that are easily removed, pour cold water from the backside. For items such as carpets and sofas pouring water directly onto the stain and blotting with an absorbent cloth immediately works best.

There is a good chance that this will not take the stain out completely. Carpet and furniture cleaner very well may need to be used. In the past I have had much success with Resolve cleaners for carpets, and for laundry there are many stain removers that should be helpful. A little trick my mother taught me which works wonders is Lestoil. I know some of you may be thinking to yourself that you always thought Lestoil was a floor cleaner, but when diluted with water and used as a soaking agent it works wonders on lots of stains including grease (when mixed with hot water) and wine (when mixed with cold water).

Of course even with all your best efforts there is always the chance that the red wine is going to be so stubborn that you need to call in the professionals. Carpets and furniture sometimes are dry clean only but it is still best to remove as much of the stain as possible while it is still wet because this will make it easier for the professionals to remove the remnants.

The key to ensuring effective stain removal is time. Do not let a stain sit for days or weeks before deciding to try to remove it and don?t wait a week before ringing a carpet cleaner because by then it might just be too late and the stain is now a permanent fixture. The same goes for clothing, don?t wait to wash your shirt or pants. I once watched a friend take a shirt out of the washing machine become horrified at the fact that the red wine didn?t come out of her top. When I asked her when she spilled on herself, she told me that it was from a week before. No wonder the stain didn?t come out!

In the end there is always going to be the possibility that the stain has decided that it never wants to come out or it will not come out completely. Taking the proper steps the moment a spill occurs can greatly reduce the chance of a permanent stain. There is no easy way to prevent spills and stains, aside from slipcovers or not serving red wine at social events, so when a spill does happen remember to stay calm, work quickly and to blot.

Finest Wine Racks is a major supplier of a variety of wine racks including wood wine racks, metal wine racks, counter top wine racks, floor standing wine racks and wine storage systems.

Ken Finnigan – CEO
Finest Wine Racks

The Rioja region in Northern Spain is situated in the Rio Ebro valley, it’s northern border being bounded by the Sierra de Cantabrias mountain range and it’s southern by the Sierra de la Demanda. The resulting geographical location creates conditions that have produced a perfect environment for vineyards.

The Denominaci?n de Origen Calificada Rioja covers some 57,000 hectares located in 3 Autonomous Communities those of La Rioja, The Basque country and Navarra. Between them they produce around 250 million litres of Rioja wine per annum Of which 85% is red and the rest whites or ros?s.

Wine has been produced in this area for centuries, initially by monks in the middle ages but as far back as 1635 the Mayor 0f Logro?o decreed that no carriages were to pass along the roads next to the cellars for fear that the vibration from them might affect the juice and the ageing of the precious Rioja wines.

In 1102 we find the first document making reference to the safeguarding of the quality of Rioja wines when King Sancho of Navarra legally recognized the wines from this area. Then in 1787 the Real Sociedad Econ?mica de Cosecheros de Rioja (Royal Economic Society of Rioja Winegrowers) was established with the sole purpose of encouraging the cultivation of vines, wine production and its commercial development.

In 1902 came a Royal Decree which defined the origin applicable to Rioja Wines and then in 1926 came the Consejo Regulador (Control Board) with responsibility to define the designated boundaries of the Rioja region, supervise and issue the seal of approval, and to recommend the legal action to be taken against mis-use of the name Rioja. In 1945 the board received it’s legal structure and then in 1953 finally became officially established from which time it has set out the foundations for a modern and efficient production of these world famous Spanish wines.In 1970 this responsibility was clearly defined thus, ?The Control Board shall uphold the Designation of Origin and implement, monitor and foster the quality of its wines.?

The long history of the production and development of Rioja wines has resulted in a wine of outstanding quality which can confidently stand shoulder to shoulder with many of the worlds finest wines. This was further acknowledged when on April 3rd. 1991 a Ministerial Order granted the category of ?Calificada? to the D.O., the first and only wine designation of origin in Spain to attain this ranking.

Rioja Wines, Grape Varieties.

For many centuries wine has been produced in the Riojan area and obviously this lengthy passage of time has resulted in the natural selection of grapes best suited to the area and best able to produce wines of the highest quality. Factors such as soil type and climate play a large part in this selection process but of course the resultant wine is an all important consideration as well.

Today seven varieties of grape are permitted by the Regulations of the Denominaci?n de Origen Calificada Rioja, these are:-

Red grape; Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano and

White Grape; Viura, Malvas?a and White Garnacha.

Types of Rioja Wines.

Most Rioja wines are normally the result of the harmonious combination, in varying proportions, of the different varieties grown in the region and the different sub-areas within them.

Rioja wines exhibit much aromatic complexity. They are fresh, with a medium body, a balanced structure, and an excellent bouquet.

* Red wines: Classic wines of bright colour with a fresh, penetrating aroma; light in the mouth with medium alcohol content. Tempranillo is the predominant variety used to make these wines.

* Ros? wines: Bright pink wines with a strong fragrance. They are light and fresh in the mouth, with medium alcohol content. Garnacha is the predominant variety used to make these wines.

* White wines: Greenish-yellow, which can be more or less pale. They exhibit fine aromas and prove light in the mouth with fairly low alcohol content. Viura is the predominant variety used to make these wines.

Ageing Rioja Wines.

Rioja wines are aged in 225-litre oak casks, with periodic rackings, followed by a further period of bottle ageing. There are over 270 ageing bodegas in Rioja which have a total of over 900,000 casks. The different Rioja wine categories are based on minimum ageing periods, which can vary between 1 and 3 years in casks and between 6 months and 6 years in the bottle, depending on whether the wine is to be a Crianza, a Reserva or a Gran Reserva.

Rioja wines are aged in oak casks of 225 litre capacity with periodic rackings. Then follows a period of bottle ageing. The length of the ageing process differs between different categories of Riojan wine and can vary from 1-3 years in the cask and 6 months to 6 years in the bottle depending on whether the wine is to be a Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva. Today there are over 270 ageing bodegas in Rioja with over 900,000 casks.

The lengthy tradition of winemaking in the Rioja region of Northern Spain with the inherent wealth of experience that such a period of trial, error, disaster, success and experimentation produces has resulted in blessing the world with a marvellous wine which will satisfy the most discerning palete.

A further excellent fact about Rioja, and most dark red wines, is that scientific evidence now tells us that they are positively good for us. Drunk in moderation they provide us with those all important anti- oxidants. One of which in particular, called reservatrol, has been shown to have anti-cancer properties as well as to have an anti-blood clotting effect. Further proof perhaps of the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet. So now when you take a drink of red wine and say, your health, you can really mean it. CHEERS!

Article submitted by Ruth Polak the owner of http://www.costadelsol-vacationrentals.com A web site specializing in holiday villas and apartments on the Costa del Sol and in Rural Andalucia. You will also find a wealth of information about Spain and Andalucia, in particular.

Wine tasting is properly known as ‘Wine Degustation’. It is the art of being able to note the various differences between difference types of wine, and even the various differences between the vintages of the same type of wine.

There are basically two parts to Wine Tasting, first is ‘What are we looking for’ the second is ‘How are we looking’. We’ll start with the How, and move on to the What.

Traditionally the seven steps to sampling wine are: see, sniff, swirl, smell sip, swish, and spit. This is the process we see tasters going through at the table and in wineries.

The first thing we want to do is see that the color of the wine is good. Put some light behind the glass and look for clarity. Fogginess is a sign we probably want to be careful with. Rusty colors in a white wine are another sign that we probably don’t want to put it in our mouths.

That might seem a bit crass but let’s keep in mind what we are looking at here. The act of Wine Degustation didn’t get its start at high society dinner tables as a way to see what was good with lamb, and what is better with beef. Wine Degustation came into being as a method of deciding what was safe to drink and what might be poisonous due to bad storage or aging processes. While today these tasting methods are less defensive, since modern methods of wine making produce safer wines, some wines you may get to embrace were bottled 100 years ago, or even 200.

Some red wines are so dark you will be lucky to see anything through them, but we still want to take a look. Some of the more obvious signs we want to look for are brown, muddy, orange or other non-winelike colors. It is not uncommon to see bits of cork floating in a glass of wine, just try to make sure that it is cork.

After our eyes are satisfied, we try our nose. Recall that taste is more or less an olfactory sense. With practice we can tell a great deal about a wine from its perfume. A good whiff at the very least will give you an impression, or preview of what to expect from the wine when we taste it. The obvious impressions to look out for are: does it smell like wine? Is the overall fragrance fresh or foul? Anything strange about it?

Our next step, the swirl, enhances our ability to evaluate the first two steps once more. The swirl is to get some of the wine onto the surface of the inside of the glass. Wines are generally not oily or syrupy. The liquid should slide off the side in an expected manner. Also with the wine spread out on the surface, it should be easier to get a better sample of the fragrance it presents. Which is what we do now, but this time we inhale it slowly. No quick sniffs. We bring the fragrance into our nose with a smooth steady inhale, letting our mind go through the stages of the bouquet with a more examining course.

If our nose is still interested then we move on to taking a small sip. Just enough to get a taste on our tongue. You will notice here a bit more of the cautionary tactics in the wine tasting steps, but there is a bit more benefit really than just making sure that we didn’t miss something painful in the previous steps before we commit to a good mouthful. Taking in just a taste allows our mouth to get a quick preview and some expectations. There is also the fact that many concoctions, not just wine, taste a bit different when taken in small sips rather than mouthfuls.

So we are still interested, and by this time we are sure whether or not we want to commit to a real taste, so we take in a mouthful. Not only do we take it in, we swish it around like it was mouthwash, letting the liquid coat every part of our mouths and gums. Allowing the wine to be heated up by our body temperature. Some tasters even gargle a bit with the wine, because our taste buds are everywhere in our mouths.

The last step is spit or swallow. Not much to say about that, but it is a choice to be sure. If this is the only wine or one of two or three you are going to be tasting tonight, swallowing might be an appropriate option. But if you are at a winery and going through 6 or 7 wines, spitting is probably your best option. Otherwise every wine is going to start tasting swell and you might as well just have a few glasses rather than try to go through the steps.

What are we really looking for through all of this? There are many aspects of wine, and each vintage and type has its nuances. There are some over all basics though we can start out with.

Oakiness – Some wines have a ‘oak’ flavor. There really isn’t another way to describe it. You have to taste it, but once you do you can pick it out. The flavor is generlly from either from the Aging barrel or oak chips

Sweetness – The process of some wines allows a greater amount of the natural sugars from the grapes (Or fruit) to remain without being processes into alcohol. So a sweetness, and sometimes a fruity taste remains from the amount of residual sugar

Tannin – A wine stressing tannins would be described most of the time as dry. Tannin is the bitterness from seed and skin of the grape and is effected by carbonic maceration and Maceration

Above all, the real test is Did you like it. Your tastes are just as valid as anyone else’s and life is too short for wine you don’t like. Enjoy.

Jerry Powell is the Owner of a Popular site Know as Gourmet911.com. As you can see from our name, we are here in the business to help you learn more about different kinds of Gourmet Food and Wines, from all around the world. http://www.gourmet911.com

Scared of Wine
I’ll confess: I’m scared of wine. Now, it’s not like I’m worried that a bottle of Chardonnay will jump me in a dark alley, taking my purse and leaving my shirt fatally stained. Instead, I’m intimidated by wine because ordering it comes with a specific etiquette, an etiquette that doesn’t apply to any other form of alcohol.

When ordering a beer or a whiskey and coke, the act of ordering is really just free form and anything – yelling, shouting, slurring, performing an interpretive dance – is acceptable. Anything goes.

With wine, however, a certain poise is demanded. Because of this, people, myself included, often panic: we break under pressure and order a default drink – a light beer, a martini, a vodka on the rocks – a drink that doesn’t require know-how. We end up similar to those people who go into a fancy restaurant and, afraid that they don’t know how to properly order fillet mignon, panic and order chicken fingers instead. In both instances, we all miss out on trying something new, and we all appear a bit chicken, fingers and all.

But, wine isn’t really scary and just knowing a few simple basics of wine etiquette will enable you to put a cork in all of your wine ordering fears.

Step 1: Choosing a Wine
The good thing about wine is that it’s relatively easy to avoid bad food pairings; most wine will go with most food. But, there are two main rules of thumb to keep in mind: don’t drink dry wine with sweet food and keep your colors consistent (red wine goes well with red meat and white wine goes well with white meat).

If you are a little uncomfortable setting your wine and food up on a blind date, and much prefer an arranged marriage, don’t be afraid to ask the waiter for assistance. He should be both helpful and knowledgeable. And, if he comes across as pushy or annoyed, you don’t have to sweat it. Just keep in mind the oldest rule of customer service: He who holds the credit card, also holds the power.

When wanting to go beyond colors and order a specific wine, a house wine is always a good choice: the house wine became the house wine for a reason. Other wines that are great choices are New World Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots (for red), and New World Chardonnays, Semillons, and Alsace (for whites).

Step 2: In the Spotlight
Once you have ordered your bottle, the waiter will bring it over. This is where a lot of people tend to panic. They aren’t sure of the proper procedure and, to make matters worse, they are certain everyone in the restaurant is staring at them: fellow diners are pointing, teenagers are laughing, the three judges from American Idol are sitting in the shadows waiting to ridicule any wrong move.

But this fear is unwarranted: the whole process is simple. Upon arriving at your table, the waiter will present the bottle and show you the label. This is done merely so you know you are getting the wine you actually ordered. Next, the waiter will uncork the wine and pour a small amount in your glass. Once this happens, you need to follow three simple steps: swirl (move the wine around in your glass, allowing it to mix with air and gain aroma), sniff (but don’t sniff too aggressively, wine up the nose can be murder on the sinuses), and taste. These three steps are done to both impress your date and make sure the wine isn’t bad. Once they are accomplished, assuming the wine isn’t bad, give your waiter the okay and he will proceed in filling your glass.

Once the waiter has left, cheating on you with other customers, your glass may become empty. When this happens, it’s perfectly fine to pour yourself another glass, but refrain from drinking directly out of the bottle.

Step 3: Walking a Fault Line
If you notice that the wine tastes faulty, it’s important not to blame yourself. This kind of thing can happen to anyone. However, what you need to keep in mind is faulty wine doesn’t mean wine you don’t like. Faulty wine only means wine that is rotten, wine that is out knocking over liquor stores and firing off rounds of shots. Wine that is really bad.

The most obvious way to tell if wine has gone bad is by taste. If it tastes dull, flat, sour, or has a slight almond flavor, chances are the wine has spoiled. The other two things you can use as a guide are odors (wine that has gone bad generally smells like burnt matches, rotten eggs or vinegar) and appearance (wine should be clear and bright in color, and the cork should not be protruding from the bottle).

If the wine is legitimately bad, inform your waiter and he should replace it immediately. If he refuses, request a manager. And, when all else fails, make use of homonyms and whine.

Overall, wine is really not as scary as some people believe, and it doesn’t need to be as serious as some people think. Learning basic etiquette will allow you to order a bottle of wine at any restaurant anywhere. Like anything else, once you know a few simple tips, it becomes a piece of cake, or a piece of grape.

Jennifer Jordan is the senior editor at http://www.savoreachglass.com. With a vast knowledge of wine etiquette, she writes articles on everything from how to hold a glass of wine to how to hold your hair back after too many glasses. Ultimately, she writes her articles with the intention that readers will remember wine is fun and each glass of anything fun should always be savored.

In the 1990?s a news report, later titled the ?French Paradox?, was brought to the public eye after researchers discovered that the French who live on a diet of cheese, butter, organ meats, eggs and other cholesterol laden food had a lower rate of heart attack than in America. The results as to why this was so were very surprising to many: moderate and steady consumption of wine. How is wine good for your health?

Many believe red wine is better for you than white wine, because that is what early studies found. Skin from red grapes contained a powerful antioxidant called resveratrol, which was transferred into red wine during manufacturing. However, nowadays manufacturers are altering their winemaking processes for both red and white wine to boost health benefits.

Some of the more recent studies conducted from around the world have shown that wine can be a very powerful agent in helping prevent heart and lung problems and even strokes! In 2002 the American Thoracic Society found that the antioxidants from white wine helped improve lung function while in the same year the William Harvey Research Institute found that polyphenols in red grape skins helped keep arteries open and lowered the risk of strokes. University of California at Davis discovered in 1995 that coronary heart disease was reduced and research conducted in 2004 at the University of Ferrara in Italy showed that the elderly who consumed moderate amounts of wine had healthier blood vessels than those who didn?t.

Aside from these benefits there are many others specific to men or women. For men, in 2004, the Worcester Medical Center in Massachusetts found that wine helped lower the risk of a heart attack for men with high blood pressure. The Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Australia in 2004 found that women who consumed wine had a lower risk of ovarian cancer and the Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology Unit, St. Thomas? Hospital in London discovered wine helped with stronger bones.

The key however is moderation. What is ?moderation?? Studies have said that ?moderation? is considered to be one or two glasses a day. Drinking more than this can be bad for your health and cause more diseases than prevent them. Wine does have a rather high calorie content which can put on the pounds if not consumed in moderation. But aside from just weight gain you risk far more serious health problems such as kidney and liver disease with over consumption.

So wine drinkers raise your glasses for a toast to the benefits of a glass a day!

Finest Wine Racks is a major supplier of a variety of wine racks including wood wine racks, wrought iron wine racks, counter top wine racks, free standing wine racks, hanging wine racks, and wine rack kits.

Ken Finnigan – CEO
Finest Wine Racks

Home wine racks are specially designed for storing bottles of wines in a horizontal position, to help preserve the quality of the wine. Storing your bottles in a wine rack is a great way to prevent the corks from drying out. If this happens, the cork can shrink and let air in, resulting in oxidization, which will spoil the taste. Wine storage racks usually have separate compartments for holding individual bottles, allowing gaps between each one to allow air to circulate. Ideally, wines should be kept at a consistent temperature of around 55 degrees farenheit, with a relative humidity of 70%, away from light.

If your wine collection is growing rapidly and you don’t have a wine cellar, then there is a huge choice of wine racking that’s designed for home use. If you’d like to keep a few everyday bottles within easy reach, then wall mounted wine racks offer a solution. This type of rack is hung on the wall, which saves space, and allows you to always have a couple of bottles on display. Often, these racks come with built-in stemware holders, so you can conveniently keep your glasses in the same place. Wall wine racks are generally pretty cheap to buy, at around $40-$50.

Other types of rack include compact designs to fit on a counter top, or stackable towers to place on the floor, whose capacity can grow to meet your storage needs. Wooden wine racks are very popular, made from all sorts of wood, including pine, oak or mahogany. For a more contemporary look, a metal wine rack can be an attractive feature in itself, made from ornately crafted iron, stainless steel, chrome or aluminum. Whatever the style of your d?cor, there’s sure to be a wine rack design that fits in perfectly and provides you with a functional way to organize your wine collection.

Whether you’re after a DIY self-assembly kit, or a custom wine rack, online stores are full of all kinds of wine racks to suit your budget and your wine storage requirements.

Caroline Smith is a successful author and regular contributor to wine-racks.ws – an online resource for wine racks, including wall wine racks, metal wine racks and more.

One of the most baffling subjects that confronts the budding wine enthusiast is the deciphering of the myriad of information contained on the bottle label, especially that contained on wine bottles from European countries. Once the basic rules are taken on board it becomes a lot simpler. Whereas most New World countries put details of the grape varieties on the front label, a lot of European regions do not, and as this is the most basic of information for taste purposes why is this the case?

European winemakers tend to put more emphasis on the place of origin. For instance, a Bordeaux red typically wont say ?Cabernet? or ?Merlot? on the front label, but instead have the name of the chateau where it was made, and usually the part of Bordeaux where it was made, for example Haut-Medoc. Similarly a Sancerre is totally Sauvignon Blanc, but an in depth analysis of the label will leave you none the wiser. For the French the important factor is that the wine comes from Sancerre in the Loire valley and for them it is inbred knowledge that white Sancerre is Sauvignon Blanc.

Moving south to Spain, red Rioja declares itself as Rioja on the label, not Tempranillo the grape variety used, whilst in Italy most Tuscan reds have no information on the Sangiovese grape that is most widely used in these wines. Given this mish-mash of information it is no wonder that many of us head for that bottle with the label announcing it is a Chardonnay Viognier from the Ironstone Vineyard of California.

It is clear then that the Europeans believe the most important factor influencing a wine?s character is the soil, climate and culture of the area where the grape is grown and this is particularly important to single-vineyard wines who make the most of capturing the essence of a particular area of land. So whereas a French winemaker will see his wine as reflecting the character of a particular region, a New World winemaker mad about grape varieties will consider that soil is just the growing medium in which the fruit grows, and that the grape variety and hard work in the winery are what really counts. Today these two opposing approaches to wine labelling are moving closer together with New World producers emphasising their regionality and its characteristics, whilst European, even the parochial French winemakers possibly prompted by the wholesalers and the supermarkets are labelling their wines more clearly.

James Pendleton is a lover of the better things in life. For more information on wine visit Wine Capital.