The color and characteristic of a wine is derived from the grapes used. In this article, we take a quick look at white wines commonly enjoyed by wine enthusiasts.

When discussing white or red wines, it is always important to remember that much of the discussion falls into a bit of a fuzzy area. Why? Well, white wines are rarely white for the first thing. Second, many a winery actually mixes wines of all varieties together to produce a desired flavor and aroma. Thus, the ?white? wine you are drinking may not be entirely white. Having said that, there is little reason to avoid discussing what are traditionally known as white wines.

The dominant grape in the white wines is undisputedly the Chardonnay. It is a rare day you can find any wine drinker who has not sipped more than a few Chardonnay whites. The wine is incredibly popular for a number of reasons. First, there is a lot of it because the vine can be grown practically anywhere and is! Second, the wine is known for an ?oak? flavor, which is extremely popular with wine drinkers. Third, the wine is very flexible and can be produced with a wide variety of fruit aromas and flavors. Chardonnay white wines traditionally have been very dry and full bodied. With the wide range of wineries producing vintages, however, a wide variety of flavors and bodies are on the market.

Sauvignon Blanc should either be next or dead last on our list of whites. This is a take it or leave it grape. The taste is sharp and dry. This is a not a wine where you will find fruity mixes and such. It is a classic, traditional white that people either love or hate. Personally, I love it and it goes number two since I am writing this article!

Riesling white wines are next on our list. This is a German wine that is excellent if you buy from a German winery. You can find French and American wineries producing it, but it simply isn?t the same. This is a light wine often described as ?refreshing? although I must admit I have never understood that term. The Riesling whites take a beating by wine gurus, but you can find this dry, light white to be just the trick. It is markedly different than the Chardonnay, so give it a try.

There are a variety of other white grapes that are used to produce interesting vintages, but we are going to skip them to discuss a less-known grape that is up and coming. The Viognier grape is found in the Rhone Valley in France and is used to produce a flavorful, dry white that is excellent. It is typically a medium body wine with low acidity and often has a fruity aroma to it. It is a personal favorite that I suggest you try.

When it comes to white wines, there is no disputing Chardonnay is the king of the vine. Still, you should make an effort to move beyond the king to discover the interesting other vintages available.

Xavier Moldini is with WineriesforYou.com – a directory of wineries.

Nobody likes to look like an amateur when doing anything and wine tasting is no exception. By simply following a few guidelines you can look as if you have been to dozens of wine tastings even if you don?t know a cabernet sauvignon from a pinot noir. Chances are that no one is going to come up and ask you to be a head judge!

The first step to tasting wine is a visual one, fill the wine glass to no more than half full at most, one third is better. Secondly, hold the wine glass by the stem so as not to influence the taste by heating it with the heat from your hand and also so that you are able to better see the wine. Observe the intensity of the color as well as how transparent the wine is. When observing the intensity you should look at it from above.

Now comes the fun part, swirl the wine in the glass to prepare it for tasting. The wine will leave small traces inside the glass, the more alcohol the more traces it will leave. Next, observe the color which shows the variety of grape that the wine comes from. Generally speaking you will find a cabernet sauvignon is usually violet to dark while pinot noir is more of a ruby color.

The color of a wine is also determined by the conditions of the climate during the season of growing and harvesting that the grapes went through. For example a very hot summer combined with a dry fall will produce full ripe grapes with a very dark color while a cooler summer and wet fall will give more undeveloped grapes which are much lighter. The type of wine making process has a lot to do with the color as well; red wine is fermented with the skin and the longer the process the darker the wine ends up.

The age of a wine also tells its color. When a wine is young it is full of coloring agents that make it denser and rich looking and as time goes by these agents are affected by chemical reactions that result in sediment being formed at the bottom and the color lightens up. When you see a wine with a lot of sediment at the bottom you can usually assume that it is older and has been aging for quite awhile.

So there you have it a basic overview of wine tasting that will at least give you some semblance of knowing what you are doing, so enjoy!

Gregg Hall is a consultant for online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida. Find out about personalized wine bottles at http://www.winebottlespersonalized.com

For all wine lovers, a trip to San Francisco should also consist of day trip to some of the fine vineyards that are in driving distance of the city. Many of these vineyards have charter packages available that will pick you up and bring you on a tour through the vineyard and allow you to sample their wines and then take you back, no worrying about drinking too much and then driving.

The wines that are available in the Sonoma Valley and Napa Valley of California have been known to change the minds people who claim that they don’t have a taste for wine. The vast majority of the wines here are fine quality and are specially selected to show the level of quality that these vineyards have to offer. Whether you are an experienced wine taster or not doesn’t matter, you will receive an excellent education about how the wine is made as well as be informed of all the different varieties available in the area.

If you aren’t the tourist type and don’t want to take one of the chartered bus tours you can also check into the smaller and more intimate option of an SUV tour. Granted, a tour like this will be much more expensive than the bus tours, but if you have the money to spend they are well worth the price just for the level of personal attention that you receive and the piece of mind that someone else is driving instead of you. You will also be able to take in some of the smaller independent wineries that don’t make themselves available to the larger bus tours. If you think you may want to try this type of tour, plan ahead at least a week because they do not have the flexibility of filling empty seats that they larger charters have.

When you are going to a vineyard or winery for a tasting experience there are some things you will want to keep in mind to make the visit as enjoyable as possible. One of the things that many people don’t think about is wearing fragrances. Don’t wear any perfumes or other scents as these will interfere with the taste and fragrance of the wine. Also, to avoid warming the wine you want to hold the wine by the stem. To cleanse the palate you should have some crackers or plain bread that you can eat between tastings.

A visit to the California Wine Country will give you a great education about all of the varieties of wines and the regions they come from as well as the differences between them all which will be fascinating even if you have never had a glass of wine in your life.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about wine and Wine Gift Baskets at http://www.oldworldvineyard.com

In the Rioja region of Spain Temranillo is known as the exclusive red wine from the grape of that area. Now across the ocean from Spain this delicious red wine is now on the verge of dethroning Sangiovese as the top red varietal wine in the land of Oz, not that Oz, Australia!

The win growers in Australia are now harvesting plantings of the Tempranillo from over the last few years and the new grape on the Australian wine scene is becoming more popular than any other wine as far as a percentage basis is concerned.

So what is it that is so special about this particular grape? Some of the characteristics that are making it so popular are that the wines that come from it have a great color and delicate fruit flavor as well as being very low in acid and tannins which make for an effortless drinking style.

The Temranillo variety also has a short growing season in the vineyard which makes it suitable even for cooler areas which expands upon the regions of the country in which it can be grown.

The Temranillo variety is the main wine in the Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions of Spain where it is sometimes blended with Graciano or even sauvignon. In Portugal Temranillo is utilized as a minor part in port, and in some red table wines. In other areas of the world the major vineyards are found in Argentina and California. In California it is called Valdepenas and is generally thought of as unsuitable for making fine wine.

The popularity of the Tempranillo variety has increased in Australia just in the past few years. The renowned Brown Brothers have long been a pioneer of the variety, but now there are over 50 other producers of the variety in about half of Australia’s sixty wine regions and even though McLaren Vale has the highest number of producers the Tempranillo variety is widely planted throughout the mainland Australian wine regions.

The highest rated Tempranillo wine according to James Halliday’s Wine Companion 2005 is that which hails from Manton’s Creek Vineyard in the Mornington Peninsula. Casella Wines, the makers of the hugely successful [yellowtail range are also actively involved in the variety.

The fate of Tempranillo as far as Australia is concerned lies with the winemakers and the growers many of which are just beginning to experiment and learn how to use the variety. Some enthusiastic fans of Tempranillo claim that it will be the premium red wine in Austraila while some of the traditionalists stick by the Italian Sangiovese. One thing is certain, only time will tell but in the meantime I will continue to enjoy the competition.

Gregg Hall is a consultant for online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida. Find out about personalized wine bottles at http://www.winebottlespersonalized.com

First off let me say that I am in no way a wine snob. I do not believe that there is an ultimate right and wrong way to pair wine with food. It all boils down to your personal taste and the tastes of your guests. Most people like to pair white wines with white meats and lighter meals like fish, and red wines with red meats and pastas. You can certainly mix it up, however. Experiment and go with what you think tastes good.

That being said, some people are still uncertain and like some general guidelines to follow. Here is a listing of some wines and the foods that go well with them:

With appetizers:

If you are serving appetizers such as crab cakes or oysters on the half shell, try pairing it with a light, fruity Chardonnay. This white wine of North America is a favorite of many people and pairs well with light seafood fare. It is also a nice wine to sip on its own before a meal.

With appetizers like chicken wings or antipasto, serve a Pinot Noir. This red spicy wine goes well with both red and white meat and is a wonderful starter to a meal.

With Dinner:

If you are having a fish or shellfish dinner, consider serving a Pinot Grigio. This wine is also excellent enjoyed with ham, veal, or pork.

An Australian Shiraz is a nice red wine that pairs well with both white and red meat. It has a sweet flavor that complements most meals. Serve Shiraz with duck, pork tenderloin, prime, rib, or herbed chicken. Shiraz is wonderful for its versatility.

With Dessert:

Madeira is an excellent wine to serve with less sweet desserts like souffl? or angel food cake. Port wines go well with rich chocolate desserts or cheesecakes, and serve a Sherry wine with mousse or peanut butter desserts.

So there you have it. That is my interpretation of serving wine with food. The best way to know what to serve is to taste different wines and see what you like. The taste of a Chardonnay or a Pinot Noir can vary from brand to brand and region to region, so have a try and see what you like. Experimentation is the best part ? with time you will learn what flavors you like and which foods will complement them.

Stacy Tabb is a successful internet publisher. She loves to enjoy food and a good glass of wine with friends. Her Gourmet Foods and Gifts website is a source for gourmet products, recipes, and information.

Champagne is not only the name of a sparkling wine, but the name of the place that it comes from. The area that it comes from is cooler and has a shorter growing season than that of the typical area where vineyards are found. About one hundred miles northeast of Paris, near the Belgian border is the largest area.

Chalky soils are the best for growing the vineyards because they provide natural moisture regulation with good drainage. The chalk also reflects the sunshine and heat upward to the grape and within to the roots. There is also a thin layer of topsoil receives the needed addition of fertilizer from those that care for the vineyards, called vintners. Some of the vintners care for the vineyards part time. Although there are other zones the three main zones here are Cote des Blancs, the Vallee de la Marne, and Montagne de Reims. The best and biggest are in the department of the Marne.

The minimum temperature required to ripen grapes is fifty degrees Fahrenheit: ten degree Celsius. They also must be located high enough to be clear of frost which is ninety meters or two hundred ninety five feet but yet low enough to be sheltered from extreme heat which is below two hundred ten meters or six hundred eighty nine feet. Great examples of a location such as this are Montagne de Reims, Grand and Premier Cru. Grand and Premier Cru grows primarily Pinot Noir.

Montagne produces some of the world’s best champagne due to its anomalous microclimate. Vallee de la Marne has vineyards that produce mostly Pinot Meunier. A wonderful Chardonnay is produced in Cote de Blancs. Cote de Sezanne may be a new comer to the production of champagne but the southern location but its southern location allows for the grapes to ripen better than many of the other areas.

The furthest south region brings you to the Aube where the temperature does have greater temperature extremes. It has numerous blends of champagne. You may not have heard of this area though because it is much less well known than the others.

Theoretically the best way to produce the best champagne is to mix together the best features of all the best grapes from all of the different areas. Each area stores millions of gallons of wine from the various vineyards for just such a purpose. The blends are produced from these varieties.

Pinot Meunier is the most commanding Champagne variety. It makes up nearly forty percent of the total acreage and makes up the foundation for all but those that are the most exclusive champagnes. Coming in at a close second is Pinot Noir with about thirty five percent of the total acreage. This makes up much of the longevity of champagne. Chardonnay makes up for the remaining twenty five percents and it also adds exquisiteness.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as champagne gift baskets at http://www.foodandchampagnebaskets.com

A degree in Oenology, the science of winemaking, is not required in order to understand the art of wine tasting. One need not be confused by the terminology used by professional wine tasters such as: clarity, bouquet, earthly, open, crisp or nostalgic. All that is required is to tune your senses and to become familiar with various definitions on well-known words.

Serving Wine

When first starting out, it is a good ideal to allow someone who is more knowledgeable to decide on how to serve the wine. To acquire the skills of wine serving you will need to gain a little more experience and education to start. White wines in general need to be served chilled, while red wines are usually served at room temperature. Serving wine chilled does not mean frozen; but usually starts at 50F and can be adjusted to taste. Room temperature usually refers to a slightly cooler room, approximately 60F.

Red wine (with the exception of a few brands) should be allowed to breathe first before serving. They should sit in an uncorked bottle and exposed to air for approximately 15 minutes or more. In general white wine should be served right away but there are also various brands of white wine that don?t adhere to this rule. There are also wines that require decanting. This is the process of filtering out the sediments before serving. Wines that have aged considerably and ports may require decanting before serving them.

An ordinary wine glass should be used when pouring wine as opposed to a heavy cut glass where visibility can be poor. You want to make sure to fill it approximately half full. Next you want to swirl the wine a bit to generate an additional winey vapour.

The Scent Of A Wine

Examine the color traits of the wine. Is it Hazy? Opaque? Clear? Take a short sniff and waft the wine vapors into the nose rather then directly holding your nose over the opening of the glass. To help you truly experience the wine you may want to close your eyes to allow you to focus on one or two senses at a time such as taste and smell over the sense of sight. There are even experts who misidentify wines during blind taste testing.

Next you want to try to identify the odour. Does the wine have a fruity smell similar to apples, oranges or grapes? Wines such as Merlots or Cabernet Sauvignon evoke the woody smell of pine or cedar needles. Syrah wines have been known to diffuse a floral or ground black pepper scent; while Chardonnay?s that are aged in oak, can remind one of figs or apples. One can argue that the scent of a wine is purely subjective, but there is often a wide agreement amongst amateurs and experts alike, although impressions differ on some degree.

Wine Tasting

The tongue has many different areas that are attuned to various types of tastes. Some areas of the tongue are more attuned to salty or sour tastes, while others attuned to sweet tastes. You want to take a sip of the wine and make sure you run it around the tongue to stimulate the many different kinds of taste buds. Some of the characteristics when tasting various brands of wines may include:

• Pinot Noir ? from Burgundy may arise a violet taste.
• Zinfandel ? this wine may remind you of berries.
• Gewurztraminer ? evokes peaches.
• Chenin Blanc ? orange blossom taste.

When moving on to tasting another wine you want to make sure to finish or set aside the wine you have just tested, and to come back on another day. Don?t try to many or too much wine at one time. Ideally one brand of wine is preferred per day, but this can be a slow way to learn. You definitely do not want to try any more than three wines in one day. This may hinder your ability to discern differences in different types of wine.

On the next day you may want to try different red wines. Try to concentrate on sensing that oak storage cask. You will find some California reds to have hints and traces of coffee of chocolate. If you favour stronger scents you may want to try a fine Merlot. They carry a tarry quality.

Remember a good fine wine will not hit the nose over the head, so to speak. Above all the key is subtlety when tasting wine.

About the Author

Joseph Wilson is freelance writer who has written a number of wine reviews. He has featured a number of guides and tips on: wine tasting, wine making and the best wine reviews.

Pinot Noir is a variety of red grape used to make wines. Although Pinot Noir has great popularity but it is very hard to cultivate and process in wineries. The wine lovers across the world have some passion for this grape.

This particular grape is being cultivated from ancient age. Its name was Helvenacia Minor in the ancient Roman era and it was used for wine making. Pinot Noir is harvested around the world with several alias names, such as Blauburgunder in Austria, Burgundac in Yugoslavia, Clevner in Switzerland, Sp?tburgunder in Germany etc.

Pinot Noir achieves reputation so much that it is harvested in France over two-mile-wide, thirty-mile-long stretch of hills, called the Slope of Gold.

Pinot Noir makes an ever-lasting effect on the wine lovers’ memory. Its flavour is very complex and it is very rich in texture. Sometimes cinnamon, sassafras, or mint is added to make it spicier than any other red wines. It is rich but not heavy or acidic in texture. The alcohol level is high in this wine. It is not tannic. The most attractive quality is the soft, silky taste of pinot Noir. It can be preserved in bottles for five to eight years after vintage.

The Pinot Noir leaves are smaller than cabernet sauvignon leaves and larger than Syrah leaves. The grape berries are small and cylindrical. It is believed that this grape is named after its pine cone-like shape. This grape variety is very sensitive in the vineyards and wineries as well. It is very low yielding and thin skinned, which causes fungal infection and branch rot. In wineries, this grape needs a delicate fermentation with yeast strains. Due to these reasons, Pinot Noir is supposed to be made by the evil whereas Cabernet Sauvignon is supposed to be made by god.

The wine tasters sometimes get confused by the wide areas of flavours, bouquets, aroma derived by the Pinot Noir. The Pinot Noir wines? colour is lighter than other red wines as it has low counts of red pigments for its thin skin.

It is blended with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier to make Sparkling Wines like Champagne. Pinot Gris, pinot Blanc and pinot meunier are the members of Pinot Noir family. Pinot Noir tends to mutation and as a result almost 50 clones of it are vastly used in France.

Pinot Noir is crossed with Cinsaut, a South African grape variety, to develop an exclusive type of grape called Pinotage.

Abhijit Dey for http://www.buy-california-wine-online.com Read more about Wines http://www.buy-california-wine-online.com/bytype0527.html Copyright 2006 http://www.buy-california-wine-online.com

The making of wine dates back several millennia and there are few wines more revered than those that come from France. What’s interesting to note is that French wines are part American. This is because during the 19th century, European vineyards suffered from several different plights that included pestilence and disease. This pretty much wiped out the vineyards and in order to get healthy plants to grow, they had to be spliced with American one.

Some of the most notable French wines are the Burgundy ones. Burgundy is located in the central eastern portion of France. Using two varieties of grapes produces these wines. Using the Pinot Noir variety derives the red wine and the white wine is made from the Chardonnay Grape.

There are many types of Burgundy wines, and perhaps the difference in taste is due to the fact that the region has different types of soil.

Chablis produces the white wine that it is named after. These include Petit Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru, and Chablis Grand Cru. The soil that these grapes grow in contains fossils that help to fertilize it as well as limestone. The highest quality wine is considered to be the Grand Cru label, followed closely by the Premier Cru. This wine is both dry and fruity and enjoyed by all who taste it. The Pommard region only produces red wine. These are strong, robust wines. At one time, the quality of this wine had decreased, however the vineyards have since improved them and they are once more known for their exceptional taste and quality.

The wines of Volnay have been loved for over 800 hundred years. These are elegant red wines that are so delicious that at one time a French King confiscated a whole production for his sole usage. The Meursault region produces only white wines. These wines are considered by many to be the finest ones that are made in France. That should not be a surprise since the region has been making these wines since the year 1050. Garnered from so much expertise, these wines have earned the coveted Premier Cru Label.

Although Beaujolais is accepted as being a part of the wine regions of Burgundy, technically it a part of the Rhone-Alpes region. They use a different grape for their wines called the Gamay Noir. These are light fruity wines that go well with fish and fowl dishes.

The French have impacted the food and beverage industry heavily over the past centuries. They are well loved not just for their wine, but their pastries and chocolates as well. If you are able to vacation there and sample these treats straight from the source, you will be well rewarded for your travels.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as wine gift baskets at www.winebasketdelivery.com

White Zinfandel wine is a blush wine made in California from early-picked Zinfandel grapes. The red grapes are quickly separated from their skins during crushing and fermentation so that the resulting White Zinfandel wine is very light pink; thus White Zinfandel wines have far less color, alcohol and flavors than normally fermented Zinfandels.

White Zinfandel is a great starter wine because it is light and refreshing and sweet. The flavors are delicious and the price is always right. New wine drinkers would do well to experiment with White Zinfandel.

White Zinfandel wines have gained acclaim with many local and non-local wine enthusiasts. The light strawberry and cherry aromas and flavors are coupled with just enough acid to balance the modest residual sugar in this wine. The soft pink color catches the eye and the fruity bouquet begs the first sip. White Zinfandel wine is best served chilled with a nice picnic or try putting it in the freezer and serving it a little slushy. There?s nothing more refreshing on a warm summer day.

White Zinfandel Wine Tip:

Within White Zinfandel wine, a light creaminess is evident, with a refreshing crisp finish. Delicious enjoyed well-chilled as an aperitif, White Zinfandel wine is perfect partner to all types of foods, particularly those which have slight heat or spiciness such as Asian or Latin cuisine.

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