Wine Tasting Component I: Look

The first step you have to undertake in wine tasting is visual.

1. Fill up the glass up to 1/3 of its volume; never fill it more than half;

2. Hold the glass by the stem. Initially you may find this too pretentious but there are good reasons for it:

а) by doing it this way you can actually observe the wine in it;

b) this will keep your fingerprints off the bowl;

в) the heat from your palm will not change the temperature of the wine.

There?s a good saying by one of the greatest French wine lovers, Emil Painot: Offer someone a glass of wine and you can immediately tell whether he/she is a connoisseur by the way they hold the glass.? Even though you may not think of yourself as a connoisseur, you could still learn how to hold the wine glass.

3. Focus on the color intensity and the transparency of the liquid.

a) the color of the wine, and more specifically its nuances, are best observed on a white background.

б) the wine?s intensity is best judged by holding the glass without slanting it and looking at the liquid from above;

4. Next comes the swirling of the glass. This can also seem too pretentious or even dangerous if you have a full glass or a white top. But this movement is important since it prepares you for the next step in wine tasting ? the Taste. The easiest way to swirl the glass is to place it on a table or other even surface, and to swirl your hand while holding the glass by the stem. Swirl hard and have the wine almost touch the rim of the glass. Then stop. The wine leaves tiny traces with irregular shapes on the inside of the glass. Some ?experts? then read them with as much zeal as coffee-tellers. The truth is however, that they are just an indicator for the quality of the wine ? the more alcohol a wine has, the more wine traces it forms.

What does the color of the wine tell us? The wine?s color tells us many things about its character.

First, the color shows the grape variety. Let?s take two popular varieties as examples ? cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir. Cabernet?s grapes are smaller, with a thicker and darker skin than those of pinot noir. As a result, the color of wines made from cabernet sauvignon is usually described as violet to dark while the color of wines made from pinot noir is associated with ruby.

Second, the color is influenced by the climatic conditions. A hot summer and dry fall result in ripe grapes, with a dark, intense color. A cold summer and rainy fall will produce undeveloped grapes with a lighter color. Third, wine-making practices also have an influence on the color of wine. For red wine, the grapes are fermented with the skin. Since the coloring agents are in the grape skin, and not in the juice, the longer the process of maceration, i.e. the longer the skin stays with the juice, the darker the wine color will be.

Fourth, the process of wine aging also has an influence on the color of wine. The young red wines are rich in coloring agents and that makes their color denser and fuller. In the course of time chemical reactions take place in the bottle and sediment is formed at the bottom. The wine?s color gets lighter and is often described as brick or amber.

Let?s go through an example: you pour yourself a glass of red wine and after carefully observing it, you notice a full granite color, good density, and not so good transparency. What conclusions can you draw? Well, you can safely say that the wine is:

- from cabernet sauvignon grapes;

- from a Southern region;

- relatively young;

- from a good yield;

- that the wine-maker has gone for a good long maceration.

If you know the wine, compare what you know with what you see: maybe the wine has a very full color and the yield has been bad ? this speaks of a good wine-making technique; or maybe the wine is too pale for its age ? this speaks for undeveloped grape or poor wine-making technique.

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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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Perhaps you have noticed that the 2004 Sauvignon Blancs are hitting the market. Depending upon where they are from, some are being touted as being the result of one of the all-time great vintages in years. So what makes a Sauvignon Blanc stand out from one year to the next?

Most great winemakers will tell you that a wine is made in the vineyard.

In other words, you can’t turn bad grapes into a great wine. To get the best grapes, a winemaker will put a lot of work and experience into massaging the grapes to their optimum flavor. Irrigation, canopy management, thinning and careful timing are major factors. The name Sauvignon comes from the French word sauvage, which means wild, and wild is what the vines quickly become without careful management.

What else is needed? Well, you’ll need to be in the right place with your vineyard. The soil and micro-climate will put a stamp on your wine that’s often referred to as terroir.

All great wines are terroir wines. Without the terroir influence, even an otherwise beautiful wine is nothing really. Why? Because the beauty of what the grape can do is replaceable from region to region, but no one can mimic terroir. It’s unique. It is character as opposed to looks. The movie star compared to the swimsuit model. Great Sauvignon Blanc wines come primarily from the Loire region of France (Sancerre and Pouilly Fume), the Styrian region of Austria, New Zealand, South Africa and California. However, it is when the influence of terroir comes into play that each region crafts the best of what can be made. A Sancerre Sauvignon done right will never be mistaken for one from New Zealand.

Next to terroir, the winemaker’s philosophy and taste play a major role. He will craft a wine accordingly, employing different vinification methods to create the desired balance between sweetness, acidity, alcohol, tannins as well as primary and secondary fruit flavors.

For the famous Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc of New Zealand, ?ultra-reductive vinification? is used. This means that the wine is made in a way such that it is exposed to as little oxygen during the process as possible. The result is a wine whose fruitiness almost jumps out at you from the glass: big bold notes of blackcurrant bud, the note most typical for this grape, announce themselves right up front. This process also results in wines that are not meant for long term cellaring, so drink them while they are still young and fresh.

In the Styrian region of Austria, a process of reductive (not ultra-reductive) vinification is used for the line of wines called Classic. The result is again wines that are very fruit-forward (though not as full-throttle as those from New Zealand), fresh, and meant to be enjoyed while still young. Two excellent examples to seek out would be the Sabathi Classic and the Jaunegg Classic.

The great single vineyard Sauvignon Blancs from Austria, such as those from the Poharnig, Possnitzberg and Czamillonberg vineyards, are crafted more like those from the Loire region of France, using an oxidative vinification process; that is, allowing the wine to come in contact with more oxygen during fermentation. The wines are then aged in oak barrels of varying size, which also greatly influences the final result: wines that are fuller bodied, with more mineral, hay or herbal notes and less fruit, but with great structure and depth and longer cellar potential.

Last but not least a vintage will leave its mark on a wine. Hot and dry or cool and wet, a year’s climatic conditions influence the grapes balance of acid, sugar and extracts. So what about these 2004?s?

In 2004 Austrian winemakers were lucky to see many of the climatic factors work in their favor, but they had to be on top of the grapes to not miss the boat. The diligent vintner who timed things just right was able to get that terroir into the glass, and the best examples are seriously exceptional wines. In the Loire region of France, 2004 brought wines that were very typical for the area. The Sancerre Sauvignon Blancs are bright and crisp, while those from the Pouilly-Fume appellation across the river are creamier, but still showing a bolt of acidity. New Zealand enjoyed a bumper crop of fruit that shows clean, well-balanced and strong flavors.

Now is the time to hunt down some bottles from this vintage. Find some Classic Austrian or New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs to enjoy right now, and buy some single vineyard or French examples to put down in your cellar. You will not be disappointed.

Emily Schindler is a wine importer based in Los Angeles. To read more of her wine writing, and to find the wines she imports and sells direct to consumers, visit http://www.winemonger.com

Wine tasting is a technique that takes some practice and skill to master. Obviously, wine tasting is the most important activity that goes along with writing a wine review and scoring a wine.

Wine tasting starts with simply looking at the wine. You should look at the wine by pouring it into a clear glass and holding it in front of a white background. This allows you to observe its full color without any background effects. Color differences can be very subtle, and can indicate many aspects of the wine. For example, colors in white wines give different flavors, or might indicate age. You could also tilt the glass to observe the color of the wine’s rim. In wine tasting, a purple color in the rim could indicate a young wine, while brown could mean a mature wine.

We now know that most of a taste actually comes from our sense of smell. Thus, after observing the wine’s color, during a wine tasting you should smell the wine’s bouquet or nose. This helps identify subtle tastes that your tongue won’t recognize. Then, take a sip of the wine and swish the wine around in your mouth. It was first thought that only certain taste buds on the tongue were able to detect certain tastes like sweetness or bitterness.

We now know this is not true, so swishing the wine in a wine tasting allows all of your taste buds to experience the flavor. While you’re tasting it, you should be able to develop a first impression, or what tastes are most apparent from the wine. Next, take a breath with the wine in your mouth to get an idea of the texture of the wine — light, rich, smooth, or harsh. Last, you can either spit out the wine or swallow it, and get an idea for the wine’s aftertaste.

Find wine, bar and alcohol accessories online at WineandBarAccessories.net: whether you’re hosting a dinner party or a wine tasting event, there are a variety of wine and bar accessories any good host should have on hand. From wine racks to cabinets and glasses and corkscrews, a variety of items exist for the wine lovers and hard liquor drinkers in your life. For more on information on fine wines of the world visit Killerwines.com

The holidays have a way of bringing change: people become cheerier, houses become more illuminated, and turkeys start carrying around Rosary beads, fervently hoping that no one notices them. From the family get-togethers to the meetings with old friends, the holidays are a time for love, joy, and kinship. Yet, before Peace on Earth and Goodwill towards men can really begin to solidify, one thing needs to be finished: holiday shopping.

Holiday shopping can bring stress upon just about anyone. If the packed department stores don’t unnerve you, a rabid shopping cart to the back of your heel surely will: there’s nothing that increases blood pressure quite like a Wal-Mart in December.

However, there are certain gifts that allow for avoidance of long lines, screaming children, and the Sold Out signs sure to plague the Tickle Me Elmo section of local department stores. One of these is the gift of wine, a gift that represents friendship, celebration, and so much health that it runs a close second to giving a kidney. Because there are a variety of ways wine can be given, it is simply one of the easiest gifts to give and an even easier one to receive. When giving wine, there’s no need to keep the receipt.

Wine Clubs

Enrolling a friend, a spouse, or a relative in a Wine Club is one of the most unique gifts you can give the wine lover. For the wine novice, a Wine Club provides education on and exposure to the different types of wine, all the while teaching the drinker that wine does not necessarily come in a box. For the connoisseur, a Wine Club allows the drinker to keep their cellar full as bottles show up on their front porch with the regularity of a full moon. A Wine Club also indulges members with inside information, special deals, wine secrets and exposure to rare vintages.

What’s more, Wine Clubs are an extremely easy gift to give. The Internet is swimming with a variety of Wine Clubs, clubs that provide quick and easy enrollment. However, when giving the gift of a Wine Club, keep in mind that some are only allowed to ship to certain states. Thus, be sure that you find one able to deliver to the state where the gift recipient resides.

Personalized Wine Labels

Personalized wine labels are one of those rare gifts that combine emotion and practicability: the bottle’s label allows for the conveyance of a personal touch while the bottle’s contents allow for enjoyment of a different sense. A personalized wine label is something that can be held onto: long after the bottle is emptied, it can be kept the way cards, letters, and photographs are stored, all retained with the purpose of sentiment. From giving newlyweds a wine bottle that reads, First Christmas to giving your parents one that reads, Thirtieth Christmas, a personalized wine label invites a plethora of possibilities.

A personalized wine label is particularly great when coupled with wine that evokes even more sentiment. Giving someone wine from a year that is of particular importance or from a region that they hold as special can make a personalized wine label, and the wine inside, that much more cherished.

Wine Openers and Accessories

Wine is a product that has several accessories: it is the teenage girl of the alcohol industry. Because of this, many wine lovers can always use wine devices to supplement their collection. From something as small as a wine opener to something as large as a wine rack, anything to do with wine makes a great gift for both the accomplished wine connoisseur and the aspiring wine connoisseur.

For those who already have everything from a wine charm to a set of Riedel wine glasses, from a wine journal to a wine partridge in a wine pear tree, bottles of a favorite wine make great gifts. Because people who love wine – people who replaced their ice box with a wine refrigerator, people who wash their wine glasses with silk cloths, people who named their first born son Corky – can never have too much, just giving a nice vintage is always suitable.

Miscellaneous Tips

Giving wine as a gift does possess some risks. Not only do you run the risk of purchasing a bottle and accidentally drinking it before you can give it to the recipient, but there is also a slight chance that you will get someone a bottle of wine they don’t find particularly appealing. In order to minimize this risk, be sure to buy the recipient the type of wine they like, not the type you like. If you are buying for someone who loves white wine, try to stay away from purchasing red, no matter how cute the Merlot looks sitting on its shelf.

For instances where you are unsure of what wine a person may like, try giving them a wine basket with a variety of wines or a gift certificate to a wine store.

Port, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir are increasingly becoming the gold, frankincense and myrrh of the modern day, establishing themselves as gifts of the wise. Because the holidays bring about so much stress – preparing for the arrival of in-laws, cooking a turkey dinner, watching for poop as reindeer fly over head – wine can help the giver give something easy and the receiver drink something soothing. As a gift, it’s a win-win situation: when it comes to wine, one size fits all.

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.

Many of us have heard the claim that drinking red wine can actually be healthy, but how much is healthy? This claim first came to light a decade or so ago when a prominent doctor espoused the use of red wine to reduce heart disease giving the example of the low incidence of heart disease in people in France even though they eat very high fat diets but drink red wine with many meals.

First let?s look at what is at the root of hear disease in the first place. The disease is created by cholesterol building up in the arteries. This cholesterol comes from two places, our diet and from our own bodies. Some people have a natural predisposition to creating more cholesterol than others. When the arteries experience this blockage the heart is robbed of needed oxygen and can be damaged.

So how do red wines help with this problem? Well, according to many medical studies it has been shown that a moderate intake of no more than two glasses of red wine a day can actually reduce the risk of a heart attack by as much as fifty percent. The studies also indicated that he consumption of moderate amounts of the beverage can even help to circumvent future heart attacks even after you have already had one.

To understand how wine helps in this area it is necessary to know the difference in types of cholesterol. Low density lipo-protein the so-called ?bad? cholesterol or LDL for short is the one that blocks arteries and causes us all the problems. The presence of high density lipo-proteins or HDL cleans the bad out and reduces the instances of blockage. The way red wine helps in this area is by increasing the HDL and creating more of a balance as well as having a blood thinning effect similar to the intake of aspirin.

It has been known for quite some time in the nutritional community that wine is rich in vitamins and minerals as well as in natural sugars that have been shown to be of importance in maintaining good health. Wine is also high in potassium which has been shown to be good for the heart as well as being rich in Vitamin B. The main reason that red wines have more of these nutrients than other wines is due to the process of making red wine which requires the grape juice to remain in contact with the skins of the grapes longer which is where the majority of the nutrients are.

Wine is also known to have a calming effect on the body when taken in moderation and can aid in sleeping which is also beneficial to overall health.

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

There are two fundamental types of wine based on grape color — red (from red or black grapes) and white (from white grapes). Grapes of these different colors can have hundreds of varieties, which is why types of wine are so numerous on store shelves. Consumers are the most familiar with names given to the different varieties of grapes. The grape variety is the most important factor in how the wine will taste.

The most popular red types of wine are cabernet sauvignon. Connoisseurs will tell you that the best cabernet sauvignon types of wine come from the Bordeaux region of France. Merlot is another red wine that holds flavors of chocolate and cherry. Grenache is a red wine derived from grapes that hold a raspberry and/or smoky flavor. Pinot Noir is a red wine that is very important to the Burgundy region of France. It is difficult to cultivate, but when done right, it gives hints of mint, raspberries, and black cherries. Zinfandel is a very popular red wine that comes from Europe but is grown mostly in California.

The most-purchased white types of wine are chardonnays. Chardonnay contains fruity tastes mixed in with hints of vanilla. The most cultivated white types of wine in California are Chenin Blancs. This grape is an inexpensive alternative to chardonnay, and has hints of fruit in its taste. Pinot Blanc is often compared to chardonnay, containing tastes of apple and spice when you drink it. Pinot Gris hails from Oregon and is rich in spice flavors. Riesling is grown predominantly in Germany, and has a fruity taste. Semillon contains a peachy flavor and is inexpensive to produce. White Zinfandel is produced in California and has a sweet taste. To produce this wine, red zinfandel grapes have their skins removed during processing, giving a pink end result.

Find wine, bar and alcohol accessories online at WineandBarAccessories.net: whether you’re hosting a dinner party or a wine tasting event, there are a variety of wine and bar accessories any good host should have on hand. From wine racks to cabinets and glasses and corkscrews, a variety of items exist for the wine lovers and hard liquor drinkers in your life. For more on information on fine wines of the world visit Killerwines.com

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

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

Wine has become a popular beverage with many Americans, and is sold almost everywhere. This is because it is studied consistently for its wide variety in taste, depending on where it’s produced, and it can be an important part of a meal, since it is known to enhance the taste of certain foods. Thus, residential wine cellars allow a homeowner the space to store their favorite wines and/or build an impressive collection of vintages. Residential wine cellars are also very affordable and don’t take up that much space.

Residential wine cellars allow a wine connoisseur to store wines for a long period of time, or age the wine. Aging a wine contributes to its taste and sophistication. Since a wine also records its environment in its taste, temperature, humidity, light, and vibration will also impact the taste of the wine in residential wine cellars. Generally, 55?F is the average temperature that wines should be kept at. 50? to 60?F is usually acceptable, but some white wines like to be as low at 45?F.

Sudden fluctuations in the temperature can adversely affect the wine’s taste. Humidity of your cellar should stay between 60% and 80%. Exposing your cellar to light should be avoided, because light disrupts the aging process. Excessive vibration of your wine can disturb the sediments found in the bottle.

Residential wine cellars don’t have to cost a lot of money. In fact, you can probably build residential wine cellars yourself with your extra basement space or use an alternative area in your house or apartment. A dark interior closet or pantry will work nicely, although don’t store the wine near strong-smelling foods. Keep your wine away from stoves and heat sources, as they would allow the temperature to fluctuate too much. Cool, damp basements are good as well.

Find wine, bar and alcohol accessories online at WineandBarAccessories.net: whether you’re hosting a dinner party or a wine tasting event, there are a variety of wine and bar accessories any good host should have on hand. From wine racks to cabinets and glasses and corkscrews, a variety of items exist for the wine lovers and hard liquor drinkers in your life. For more on information on fine wines of the world visit Killerwines.com