Drinking Wines

Have you ever stood in the wine aisle staring at row and row of wine bottles wondering which wine you should buy? Most people will select a wine because they like the label. They are usually drawn to an interesting graphic or clever name on the label. Wine labels are important marketing tools, but there are also facts to be learned by actually reading the label.

Who? The wine label will always tell the name of the winery that made the wine. Wineries often add a proprietary name to the wine. This is usually a marketing tool to encourage interest in the wine.

What? The label will state what type of wine is in the bottle. If it is labeled as a specific type of wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, this means that at least 75% of the wine was produced from Cabernet grapes. Blending juice from other types of grapes is a common practice and often will improve the flavor and aroma of the wine.

When? Vintage is the term used to refer to the year in which the grapes were grown. In the United States wineries are allowed to blend in wine from other years. However, 85% of the volume must be from the year on the label. Not all wines are bottled as vintage wines. If you don?t see a year on the label, it is not a vintage wine. Vintage becomes important when wine from a particular year is known to be of better quality than wine from other years. Vintage is also important in aging wines.

Where? When a wine label states that a wine is made from California grown grapes, 100% of the grapes used to produce that wine must be from California. Other states are not as strict and usually require that 75% of the grapes come from a particular state.

Sometimes wine labels will specify which officially designated viticultural area a wine came from; usually this is a region such as Napa Valley that is noted for high quality wines. When this occurs, it means that 85% or more of the grapes must have been grown in that area.

Some vineyards have become known for producing wine of a superior quality. The winery will want to mention the vineyard on the label. Vineyard specific wines like these need to use 95% or more of the grapes from that particular vineyard.

There are wineries that specialize in ?estate bottled? wines. Usually this would be included on the label. Estate bottled means that all of the grapes were grown by the winery and that all of the wine making processes were also under the winery?s control.

The next time you are shopping for a bottle of wine, take a closer look at the wine label. You will find that wine labels can be quite informative.

Kathy Howe and her husband, Steve Howe, spend much of their free time tasting and enjoying wine. Their interest in wine is reflected in their web site, http://www.cheers2wine.com - a Comprehensive Guide to the California Wine Country. They continue to explore wineries throughout California.

Wine lovers tend to take sides when proclaiming the best vintages. Here is a quick guide to the reds, which often are picked as the best.

A Quick Guide to Red Wines

Ask a wine aficionado what type of wine they like and they almost always will pick red or white. Rarely will they proclaim a love for both. This is somewhat ironic given the fact that each goes with particular dishes, but who am I to quibble? Here?s a quick introduction to the various red wines one can experience.

Cabernet Sauvignon is the standard bearer when it comes to a red. If you are just getting into the wine experience, it is pretty hard to go wrong with a ?cab?. This wine has undergone a unique expansion wherein it was originally associated with Bordeaux, France wineries, but is not produced from California to Australia. The wine is either medium or bold in taste and often is noted for its black currants aroma and flavor.

Quickly gaining on cabs in popularity is the Merlot red wine. Merlot is a traditional wine produced in Bordeaux, but has also found popularity in vineyards in California and Chile. This a full blooded red wine with a lot of taste and higher alcohol content than a cab. It is also much smoother than a cab, which may make it a better choice if you are just starting out with the wine experience.

Pinot Noir is the next well-known red wine in our cellar. This is a hit and miss wine for most wineries and most wine drinkers. Whereas producing an acceptable Cabernet Sauvignon can be relatively simple, the same cannot be said for Pinot Noir. The vintages are noticeably different and some can be awful. On the other hand, many a wine expert has opined that Pinot Noir done right is the finest wine possible. Unlike cabs and Merlots, this wine is not produced in mass quantities due to its temperament. The best comes from Burgundy, France, but acceptable vintages are produced by wineries in California and Oregon.

There are a variety of other red wines that are also produced by wineries around the world. To the surprise of many, zinfandels come in a red in addition to the far more popular white vintages. Regardless, the three reds mentioned above make up a majority of the reds on the market and are a good place to start your wine tasting experience.

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

When it comes to relaxation and romance, wine and picnics are a great combination. In fact, there are wine packages built just for just an occasion.

Vino and Picnics

There are many ways to enjoy a romantic dinner with your mate. Selecting a favorite restaurant, ordering your favorite luxurious entree and a perfect bottle of wine can be a great way to spend some time with the one you love. But, what if you’d rather have some space and not be out in public? An intimate night (or day) spent in the great outdoors (or even on your living room floor) can be just as perfect as a great meal at an expensive restaurant.

Wine picnic baskets are perfect for putting together that special meal. Not only are they great to give as a gift, and a good way to get your food and beverage from one place to another, you also get to keep the basket for later use! This sort of picnic basket can even come direct to your door fully stocked with a bottle or two of wine and an assortment of special foods ? like cheeses and other wine accompaniments, so that all the guesswork is taken out of your picnic.

There are also different styles of wine picnic baskets to choose from. Some of these packs are more like backpacks, made of cloth and insulated so that you can stash your favorite food goodies along with a perfectly chilled bottle of white wine in an easy to carry bag. Include your favorite stemware (or use the provided stemware, many packs come with plastic or glassware). These backpack coolers are also available in sizes that are practical for larger groups, such as a family of four, for those times when you want the whole family to enjoy your picnic.

Of course, when you think of picnic basket, most people think of the woven wooden type. There are also many different styles of traditional wine picnic baskets available. These sets can even include dinnerware, such as plates and silverware, along with a place to put your chilled wine and foodstuffs. Some include wine implements, such as corkscrews, to make your job even easier.

You needn’t go to a restaurant to have a perfect romantic date. Sometimes, just sitting on the floor with a blanket spread out and a picnic basket with wine and your favorite foods is all you need to make a special night for the both of you.

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

The kings of old had the most impressive wine collections in their castle homes. Fortunately, these days you can get the same without digging a moat around your home.

If you have a large collection of wine bottles, a simple wine cabinet or wine refrigerator may not be large enough to hold your entire range of wine. When you’ve reached this point, which usually happens around 600 bottles or so, it’s time to start thinking about alternative methods of storage. If you own your own home, installing one of the different types of storage solutions available on the market can be a great way to solve this problem.

Many storage units can be built underground in a basement area, typical of cellars from years past. Alternatively, you can have your wine cellar built in a climate controlled room of your house above ground. Whether you want an extravagant show piece or just a functional home for all of your wines, there are different types of wine cellars that are made to fit any taste or budget.

Wine Enthusiast, a company specializing in the creation of storage solutions, offers two different methods by which you can store your favorite vintages. They offer kits where do-it-yourselfers can piece together their own wine cellar, or custom cellars that can be built to your specifications and needs. The kit offers a more economical option for homeowners with shelving units you can put together yourself in order to obtain the desired effect. Available in mahogany, unfinished mahogany or premium redwood, these differently sized shelving units (each holding around a maximum of 100 bottles) can be placed together to create a beautiful storage unit.

Custom storage solutions are great for those enthusiasts that have enough money to design a unique, but effective storage facility that is in harmony with your home. Whether you’d like an exotic wood paneled round cellar or a one that is glass fronted and stacks wine bottles multiples deep, there are styles to fit your tastes. These custom solutions can hold thousands of bottles, which make them a perfect addition to your wine investment ? there is room to grow.

Whether you want fully stocked custom solution so that you’ll always have the perfect bottle to drink, or a vault for your investment ? there are many different styles of wine cellar out there to choose from. Additions like tasting stands, glass fronted cabinets and climate controls all make storage units perfect for housing your collection.

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

Bottle of White, Bottle of Red
If you?re unfamiliar with wine, you may think of a wine club as a bar where bottles go to chill and uncork, a place where young Merlots line up outside hoping to get in with fake ID?s reading, ?Vintage 1985.?

Despite this realistic image, wine clubs, in actuality, are aimed at the people who drink wine, instead of the actual bottles themselves. They may be oxymoronic, because they are based on organized drinking, an act that can potentially lead to knocked over tables and lamp shades on the tops of heads. Nonetheless, wine clubs are a great way to get to know, get to drink, and get to love wine.

The Gist
In a nutshell, joining a wine club is like going to a liquor store escorted by your very own personal wine steward, pushing the cart as he picks out bottles and vintages. This expertise in choosing wine allows you to enjoy an enhanced wine experience, without the anxiety of having to choose a good wine all by yourself.

The concept of wine clubs is similar to Book of the Month clubs, and, incidentally, a wine of the month can make your book of the month that much more exciting to read. Most wine clubs will send you a bottle of white and a bottle of red each month. When Billy Joel wrote the lyrics, ?bottle of white, bottle of red,? to Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, it?s possible he had wine clubs in mind.

The Benefits
In addition to opening your door and finding two bottles of wine on your front step, asking you to come out and play, joining a wine club can lead to several ?behind the vine? experiences.

For starters, you will have the ability to order wine from a wide range selected by people who are known for merging wisdom and winery. These people tell it like it is, straight from the taste buds.

Most wine clubs also offer a monthly newsletter providing descriptions of what you are drinking, or what you should be drinking. Along these lines, many wine clubs offer recipe tips, providing you with information on what wine to set up with what type of food.

Some wine clubs provide their members with discounts and personal consultations. While being able to call an expert and ask advice on wine may seem like something futuristic ? like flying cars, or a cure for acne ? many wine clubs offer this kind of service here and now. They also hold events, such as wine festivals and wine tastings, allowing members to become more like experts themselves.

How to Join
There are almost as many wine clubs in existence as there are grapes on any given vine: wine clubs are everywhere and joining one is relatively simple. If you know of a particular club you would like to join, simply contact them via telephone or go online and register for a membership. If you don?t have a specific one in mind, do an Internet search for ?wine clubs? or ?wine of the month clubs.? Once results are returned, view each club, taking into consideration things like price or accolades, and once you?ve made a decision, sign up.

Wine of the Month clubs allow you to renew or cancel your subscription, allowing you to receive wine for only a month or receive it indefinitely. If you aren?t positive you want to join, try registering just for a month or two. If you decide it?s not for you, you can always cancel and join something a little more fitting, like a Wine of the Day club.

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.