Monthly Archives: November 2010

Good Red Wine Picks

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There are times when we need a good red wine. Whether it is for a dinner or for quiet evening at home. Red wines are awesome! However, not all red wines are made equal. Some can be just horrible and have earned the epitome by some as “cheap red wine” or wines that should not be drunk. But, there are some good red wines out there that are cheaply priced but are great. I consider those to be rare gems that I truly enjoy discovering. I am going to share some these gems today.

Falesco Vitiano Rosso 2008

This is a delightful young Italian red wine. The aromas in this wine are luscious and explodes on the tongue. This deep red wine has aromas of ripe black cherries, licorice, and tobacco leaf. This  wine goes well with various dishes, meat and pasta especially. This  red wine was rated 89 points by The Wine Advocate. This is definitely a good red wine that is great for any mood and setting and it is under $20.

Bouchard Aine & Fils Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2007

This is a delicious well balanced french red wine. This red wine has aromas of cherry, kirsch with notes of lime and mint. But then also a delicate woodsy aroma moves to balance out the fruitiness. You cannot help but feeling that there is good harmony to the overall taste. It is truly good red wine at its best. This wine goes well with poultry, grilled and roasted red meats and some cheeses. This wine is a little over $20. Continue reading →

The Rise of the New Zealand Wine Industry

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Since the 1970′s New Zealand has increasingly become a more well known origin of distinctive and quality wines. Throughout the whole region of New Zealand one can find an abundance of wineries. With a year round abundance of temperate climate conditions, New Zealand is a perfect location for growing healthy grapes. But the growing process has not always been easy.

A country noted for growing Kiwi and apples, grape cultivation has been a bit more of a challenge. The country’s struggle to offer quality and variety that can compete with the other wine regions of the world has been a process of testing styles of production, aging and grape types, as wine growing is not native to New Zealand. Through an extended process of corrections and adaptations New Zealand wine has emerged finally as a strong competitor in the wine industry on the global scene. Presently, the country produces a wide variety of Bordeaux’s, Merlot’s, Cabernet’s and Pinot Noir’s.

For New Zealand the wine producing industry has been a cultivation event. Due to the country’s climate certain types of grapes have been difficult. Because of this, quality wine production has been a slow process. Wines have been created over years and through much trial and error. The rewards have been ample however as New Zealand has finally made its mark on the wine industry. The country now produces high quality wines throughout most of the island. New Zealand wines have been noted as distinctive with the flavors being described as “distinct earthy, mineral and wild thyme notes”, “notable for ripeness and fruitiness” and “fruit-driven and with restrained oak subtleties.” Continue reading →

A Brief History of the Australian Wine Industry

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Australia has become a world leader in domestic and exported wine. What began as a few vineyard cuttings over 200 years ago has now flourished into an amazing industry – the fourth largest in the world!
Australia exports over 450 million litters of wine each year across the globe. The burgeoning wine industry has been an economic boon for the country. Not only have the +2,000 vineyards provided jobs, wineries have increased employment in other areas and improved tourism as visitors come to Australia to tour local wineries.

Australia’s wine is considered to be some of the most exquisite and delicious wine produced in the world, but it took many decades to reach that point.

The First Cuttings

Grapes are not native to Australia. The first vineyard cuttings were brought into the country when Australia still served as a penal colony. In 1788 Governor Phillips attempted to harvest the grapes for personal use but his efforts failed.

Fortunately, others succeeded where the governor failed. In the following years Australia began to see an influx of settlers who began to attempt to cultivate grapes using new processes. This is seen as the true beginning of Australia’s wine industry.

By 1820 the first winemakers in Australia were offering their products for sale inside the country. It was very
popular and quite chic to be one of the first to sample ‘home-grown’ or domestic Australian wine in the early part of the 19th century. Continue reading →

Wine Tasting – Five Tips for Wine Tasting Room Etiquette

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First time wine tasters may be a little confused when first entering the tasting room. While wine tastings should be a casual affair, there is a set of rules to follow. Read the five tips below carefully to make sure you do not commit any newbie wine tasting mistakes.

1.       You do not have to try all the wines. Some people go to wine tastings and only try the red wines, only the white wines, only the sparkling wines, etc. Do not feel embarrassed if you choose not to try the white wine or the dessert wine. Wine tastings are tailored to each individual wine taster. They will not care if you do not taste all the wines. If you are doing a wine tasting at a vineyard, they will want you to feel comfortable and only taste the wines that you feel comfortable tasting. Some people are also only interested in tasting certain varietals. Everybody has different tastes and different objectives in regards to wine tastings.

2.        Do not ask for a second taste unless you are interested in purchasing a wine. It can be considered rude to ask for a refill unless you are actually interested in purchasing said wine. It is called a wine tasting for a reason. You only taste the wine. You do not drink glass by glass as you might at your home or in a restaurant. This is a common wine tasting newbie mistake.

3.       You do not have to drink all the wine in your glass. You may spit out the wine in the designated spit bucket, or you may drink as much as you wish and then dump the rest in the bucket. Many experienced wine tasters choose to drink little or not drink any at all in order to keep their taste buds and nose free from any alcoholic effects. Continue reading →