tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26653131886391650662018-04-19T06:52:44.272-05:00wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comBlogger176125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-16339311793413017602025-01-01T14:30:00.000-06:002014-06-30T17:30:54.572-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { // **************************** INPUT AREA ****************************** // use |n| for n newlines, |i| for image if not default // use url~width to specify larger or smaller width of images - max width value is 500 'bdytxt':"Let Me Help With Your Next Corporate or Private Wine Event!|2||b|Wine Tastings, Dinners, Parties |1||b|Event Planning, Hosting|1||b|Wine Selection, Food Pairing|1||b|Wine Education|1||b|Corporate & Private Events|1||b|Wine List & Menu Consulting|2|Contact me at <a href='mailto:david@winetimenewsletter.com?Subject=Liquid Events' target='_top'>david@winetimenewsletter.com</a>|2|David Dickson" ,'imgart':"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tTuJtY2G_SU/U7G4Vufm6TI/AAAAAAAAKK0/5N0DkAJaoqQ/s1600/liquidevents0.jpg" ,'imgsiz':"48" ,'imgdat':"" ,'imglrg':"" ,'imgmax':"" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'notes':"" ,'wine1':"" // ,'wine2':"" // ,'wine3':"" // ,'wine4':"" // }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-31543220693660799952024-01-01T22:18:00.000-06:002013-03-19T17:36:16.555-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { // **************************** INPUT AREA ****************************** // use |n| for n newlines, |i| for image if not default // use url~width to specify larger or smaller width of images - max width value is 500 'bdytxt':"Welcome to WineTime! While a knowledge of wine is not a prerequisite to its enjoyment, better understanding can lead to more enjoyment. The purpose of WineTime is to provide interesting and useful information that furthers the reader’s knowledge and enjoyment of wine. |3|Enjoy|1|David Dickson|1|Publisher" ,'imgart':"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RNSnUURTzhs/UTYkfmbx02I/AAAAAAAADfE/kUUKA3jOblI/s320/130405+portrait.png" ,'imgsiz':"48" ,'imgdat':"" ,'imglrg':"" ,'imgmax':"" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'notes':"" ,'wine1':"" // ,'wine2':"" // ,'wine3':"" // ,'wine4':"" // }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-91219210219650467332017-11-02T11:45:00.000-05:002016-09-22T16:39:24.435-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { 'tmptyp':"article" ,'subtyp':"" ,'postid':"pidpid" ,'bdytxt':"So, how hard can it be to drink Champagne? All you need do is open the bottle, pour it, and drink it. Well, like most things we do, there’s a right way and a wrong way, and odds are you’re doing it the wrong way with respect to Champagne; starting with opening the bottle.|2|Opening a Champagne bottle is a three-step process. First, grip the neck of the bottle with your thumb on top of the cage, untwist the retaining wires and remove it. Second, holding onto the cork (a towel will improve your grip), twist the bottle (not the cork) to free the cork. Third, use your hand to control the cork as it comes out. Remove the cork slowly with as little of a pop as possible. Not as dramatic as a popping cork, bouncing off the ceiling, but much better for the Champagne as well as any onlookers.|2|Don’t use Champagne flutes. The newest thing in Champagne service is a return to the standard white wine glass. After all, Champagne is just white wine with bubbles. Granted, the flute will make the bubbles last a bit longer, but the white wine glass will allow more of the wine’s aromas to be released, significantly enhancing the taste of the wine. You will also get more wine with each pour.|2|Pouring Champagne is a two-step process. Initially pour only a small amount into the glass and wait for the bubbles to subside. Now pour the rest of the serving. You’ll notice the bubbles are now much better behaved than on that initial pour, preventing the Champagne from overflowing the glass. Fill the glass only one-third full so all of the wine can be drunk before it loses its chill.|2|Be sure and hold the Champagne glass by the stem, never the bowl. Proper temperature (7 to 9 °C - 45 to 48 °F) is very important to Champagne, so you want to protect it from the warmth of your hand. Besides, holding the glass by the bowl makes it difficult to appreciate the bubbles and covers the bowl with fingerprints as well. |2|Drink Champagne with French fries. That’s right; Champagne is not just for formal dinners or to drink with caviar. Likewise, it’s not meant to be restricted to formal occasions and celebrations. Again, Champagne is just white wine with bubbles and it goes really, really well with salty, fatty foods like French fries, fried fish, fried chicken, buttered popcorn and potato chips.|2|So what do you do with your leftover Champagne? Excusing the fact that you shouldn’t have any leftover Champagne, if for some reason you do, fit it with a stopper designed for a Champagne bottle and store it in the coldest part of your refrigerator. I must say however, you will be disappointed when you open the bottle the second time. Even though you will likely hear a pop, don’t think that means the Champagne is still good. I’ve never managed to keep Champagne for even 24 hours and have it maintain its crispness and flavor." ,'imgart':"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L_j8bkIZYPc/U-4iXJYniJI/AAAAAAAAKRg/ClYHKJFoeQU/s1600/friedchampagne2.jpg" ,'imgflt':"" ,'imgsiz':"50" ,'imgmax':"" ,'imgdat':"Champagne goes really, really well with salty, fatty foods like French fries, fried fish, fried chicken, buttered popcorn and potato chips" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'imgmrg':"" ,'atrtxt':"" ,'atrurl':"" ,'notes':"" ,'wine1':"" // ,'wine2':"" // ,'wine3':"" // ,'wine4':"" // ,'tablid':"" ,'tabmrgs':"" ,'tabcolr':"" ,'tabbrdr':"" ,'tabback':"" ,'tabflt':"" ,'tabsiz':"" }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); // |n| for n newlines where n is 1-9 // |i| for manual placement of image // |g| for magnifying glass symbol // |t| for manual placement of table referenced by tablid // imgsiz is image width as percent of line width (no %) // imgmax is maximum image size in pixels for zoom // imgmrg is image margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto - null yields default // atrtxt is attribution link-text (Image Source: link-text) or lead_in_text~link_text // atrurl is optional attribution URL beginning with http that makes a link of link_text // imgflt is image position, left or right, defaults right // tablid is post id of table to be included // The following override table post parameters // tabmrgs is table margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto // tabcolr is table font color // tabbrdr is table border color // tabback is table background color // tabflt is table float, left or right // tabsiz is table size as a percentage of line width (no %) </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-74704269497810106662017-11-01T16:33:00.000-05:002016-09-22T16:29:29.235-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { 'tmptyp':"article" ,'bdytxt':"The practice of spicing and heating wine dates back as far as wine itself and probably originated as a way to recycle spoiled wine; heating and spicing hiding the bad taste. The Romans called it Calida. During the Middle Ages it was called Hipocris after Hippocrates, because it was thought to have medicinal properties. Since drinking the water at that time could kill you, there actually were health benefits from drinking hot spiced wine instead of water. The word for the drink was mulled in fourteenth century English. Mulled meant muddled or mixed. No mention of hot, but this was the English hot spiced wine of the time. This was not a poor man’s drink. During most of history, spices like cinnamon and nutmeg were worth their weight in gold. Regardless, there are many incarnations of hot spiced wine drinks.|2|Glühwein (pronounced glue-vine) is popular in German-speaking countries and the Alsace region of France. It is the traditional beverage of the Weihnachtsmärkten, a holiday street market associated with the celebration of Christmas. It is usually prepared from red wine, heated and spiced with cinnamon sticks, vanilla pods, cloves, citrus and sugar. Glühwein can be made unadulterated or 'mit Schuss', which means rum or other spirits has been added.|2|Glögg (pronounced glug) is the term for mulled wine in the Nordic countries. Non-alcoholic glögg can be made using fruit juices instead of wine. The classic ingredients are red wine, sugar or syrup, spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, bitter orange, and optionally spirits such as vodka, akvavit or brandy. Glögg is generally served with raisins, blanched almonds and gingerbread, and is a popular hot drink during the Christmas season. All over Scandinavia glögg parties' are held during the month before Christmas.|2|Negus is a uniquely English version of hot spiced wine. Most commonly made with port, the wine is mixed with hot water, spices and sugar. The drink was named after its inventor Colonel Francis Negus, a British courtier during the 18th century.|2|Wassail is a hot spiced drink often associated with Yuletide in England and more recently with Christmas in the United States. From Medieval times Wassail referred to a hot spiced wine for drinking to health on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, and Twelfth Night. While modern wassail most closely resembles mulled cider, historically wassail was fundamentally different. Ancient wassail was more likely to be made from beer or mead. Sugar, ale, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon would be placed in a bowl, heated, and topped with slices of toast to sop up the beverage. Modern recipes begin with a base of wine, fruit juice or ale. Brandy or sherry is added to create a more potent drink. Winter fruits, such as apples or oranges, are often added. Wassail is a contraction of the Middle English wæs hæil, meaning be healthy. Again a reference to the idea that there were health benefits in the drinking hot spiced wine.|2|I though it appropriate to the season to provide a hot spiced wine recipe. If you haven’t had the pleasure, akvavit (water of life) is a very strong clear Scandinavian distilled spirit flavored with caraway seed. Let’s just say that it’s an acquired taste and you shouldn’t drink it near an open flame. To Your Health!|2|Glögg |2|1 bottle (750 ml) Cabernet Sauvignon or other dry red wine|1|1/2 cup raisins|1|1/2 cup gin, vodka, or akvavit (aquavit) |1|1/3 cup sugar|1|1 orange peel|1|1 8 inch cinnamon stick, broken|1|6 whole cloves|1|2 cardamom pods, opened|1|1/4 cup blanched whole almonds|2|Stir together wine, raisins, gin, vodka, or akvavit and sugar in a large pan. Tie orange peel, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom in a square of cheesecloth or use a tea infuser. Add spice bag to wine mixture. Heat mixture to simmering. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. Do not boil. Remove and discard the spice bag. Stir in almonds just before serving." ,'imgart':"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AFQ61itazA0/Trxo0IZGdOI/AAAAAAAABuY/31AR2-WI9l4/s1600/mulledwine.jpg" ,'imgflt':"" ,'imgsiz':"50" ,'imgmax':"" ,'imgdat':"" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'imgmrg':"" ,'atrtxt':"" ,'atrurl':"" ,'notes':"" ,'wine1':"" // ,'wine2':"" // ,'wine3':"" // ,'wine4':"" // ,'tablid':"" ,'tabmrgs':"" ,'tabcolr':"" ,'tabbrdr':"" ,'tabback':"" ,'tabflt':"" ,'tabsiz':"" }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); // |n| for n newlines where n is 1-9 // |i| for manual placement of image // |g| for magnifying glass symbol // |t| for manual placement of table referenced by tablid // imgsiz is image width as percent of line width (no %) // imgmax is maximum image size in pixels for zoom // imgmrg is image margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto - null yields default // atrtxt is attribution link-text (Image Source: link-text) or lead_in_text~link_text // atrurl is optional attribution URL beginning with http that makes a link of link_text // imgflt is image position, left or right, defaults right // tablid is post id of table to be included // The following override table post parameters // tabmrgs is table margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto // tabcolr is table font color // tabbrdr is table border color // tabback is table background color // tabflt is table float, left or right // tabsiz is table size as a percentage of line width (no %) </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-25643100237625159032017-10-02T22:56:00.000-05:002017-06-23T17:12:19.208-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { // **************************** INPUT AREA ****************************** // use |n| for n newlines, |i| for image if not default // use url~width to specify larger or smaller width of images - max width value is 500 'bdytxt':"I’m frequently asked: is this wine drier than that wine; is Merlot drier than Pinot Noir; Cabernet Sauvignon drier than red Zinfandel? Dryness is simply the absence of sugar, or the opposite of sweetness. Neither Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, nor Red Zinfandel, or any of the classic red varietal wines have much in the way of residual sugar or sweetness. So, unless the wine maker set out to make an unusually sweet Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet or red Zinfandel, the question as to which is dryer doesn’t make a lot of sense. So why am I getting this question, over and over again?|2|Another frequently asked question: is this wine smoother than that wine; is Merlot smoother than red Zinfandel, Pinot Noir smoother than Cabernet? Sounds like a legitimate question, but the term “smooth” doesn’t have any meaning relative to wine. It’s not a recognized term used to describe the taste of wine. So what does it mean to ask about smoothness? It turns out the reason for both questions are tannins.|2|The dryness question comes from mistaking the taste of tannins for dryness. As I mentioned above, dryness is simply the absence of sugar; the opposite of sweetness. Grapes contain natural sugars. During fermentation, yeasts convert this sugar into alcohol. When the fermentation is stopped, the left over or residual sugar is what makes the wine sweet or dry. Most red varietals are produced with little residual sugar, so relatively speaking they are all to some extent “dry”. Dryness doesn’t actually have a taste. Think about tea. If you put sugar in the tea it tastes sweet. If you don’t put sugar in the tea it tastes like, well tea. If wine contains residual sugar it tastes sweet. If wine has no residual sugar, it tastes like wine without sugar. Therefore the definition of dry is the absence of sugar or sweetness.|2|Tannins on the other hand have a very definite taste and feel in the mouth. Tannins are a class of chemicals that occur naturally in grape skins, seeds and stems. Because red wines are fermented in contact with their skins, seeds and stems, red wines contain various amounts of tannins. Unless mitigated in some way, tannins are pretty unpleasant and are the reason many people shy away from red wines. More important than how tannins taste, is how they feel in your mouth. Tannins react with saliva and create an astringent, puckering feeling, often described as the mouth feeling dry. It is this sensation of drying, caused by tannins, that is mistaken for dryness due to the absence of sugar. The question then should be: does Merlot have fewer tannins than Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon fewer tannins than red Zinfandel? More properly, from a wine terminology perspective, the question should be: is Merlot softer than Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon softer than red Zinfandel? In wine-speak, a wine with few or no tannins is described as “soft”.|2|Similarly, the question regarding smoothness also concerns tannins. Tannic wines are often described as hard or rough, so it would make sense to describe a less tannic wine as smooth. But in wine-speak we call them soft. So, the question should be: is Merlot softer than red Zinfandel, Pinot Noir softer than Cabernet? In both cases, the question is: which wine is less tannic or softer? The answer is: Pinot Noir is softer than Merlot; Merlot is softer than red Zinfandel; red Zinfandel is softer than Syrah/Shiraz, and Syrah/Shiraz is softer than Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most tannic of the common varieties. However, don’t give up on Cabernet Sauvignon.|2|All Cabernet Sauvignons are not equally tannic. I mentioned above that tannins could be mitigated by the wine maker. This can be done in several ways, including taking care when crushing the grapes that the seeds and stems are not crushed and aging the wine before sale. Another method is blending the Cabernet Sauvignon with less tannic varieties such as Merlot, Malbec or Cabernet Franc. When buying a Cabernet Sauvignon check the label, front and back, and see if it has been blended with Merlot or some other softer variety. Remember, the front label can say Cabernet Sauvignon as long as 85% of the wine is Cabernet Sauvignon. That means 15% can be something else, something that could potentially soften the Cabernet Sauvignon. Also look for meritages, clarets, cuvees and other types of Cabernet Sauvignon blends. These should contain even more blending varieties and could be quite soft, relatively speaking." ,'imgart':"" ,'imgdat':"" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'notes':"Here are three relatively “soft” red wines, wines that are relatively low in tannins. Some Malbec wines have more tannins that others. This Graffigna Centenario however is very soft. Merlot has made its reputation from being a soft wine; although some French Merlots have more, this California merlot has few tannins. The Lyeth Meritage is a California Bordeaux-style blend containing Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot to soften the Cabernet Sauvignon." ,'wine1':"495827842695275900" // ,'wine2':"6594505333321476698" // ,'wine3':"8920481694983434561" // ,'wine4':"" // }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-26744164726240545452017-09-01T08:49:00.000-05:002017-06-23T17:07:16.965-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { 'tmptyp':"article" ,'bdytxt':"The label on a wine bottle tells you everything you need to know about the wine, accept of course whether or not you are going to like it. This discussion will deal with the labeling of New World wines, that is primarily non-European wines that are labeled in English. Old world wines labels are at best difficult for English-speaking consumers. Besides the added complexity of their not being in English, Old World labels frequently do not contain the grape varieties from which the wine is made and use terms unique to the countries of origin. New World wine labels, while much more “user-friendly”, can still be confusing. The fictitious label below contain just about every type of information that you will find on a New World wine label. While some of the information is regulated by law, much is unregulated and may or may not appear on the label of your wine.|2|<strong>Brand Name</strong>: The Brand-Name is only that, the name that the winemaker has given to this product. A brand name is not required and most wines do not have one. However blended wines that contain less than 75% of a single variety may not be labeled as a varietal. So for many blended wines a brand name must substitute for a varietal name.|2||i|<strong>Variety</strong>: The variety of grape from which a wine is made. The wine may be a blend of more than one variety, but may still be labeled as a single variety wine if that variety constitutes at least 75% of the wine.|2|<strong>Quality Designation</strong>: There are a variety of terms that may appear here: reserve, select, etc., all meant to convey that there is something special about the wine that increases its quality. This something special could be extra attention from the winemaker during the cultivation or harvesting of the grapes, during the wine making process, etc. Since this terminology is unregulated, it should not be used to compare wines of different winemakers. For example, the reserve wine of winemaker A may not be better than the non-reserve wine of winemaker B. However, the reserve wine of winemaker A should be better than the non-reserve wine of that same winemaker.|2|<strong>Geographic Origin</strong>: Also referred to as Appellation. The geographic region where the wine’s grapes were grown. Since soil and climate determine the character of grapes, knowing where the grapes were grown is important. There may be varying degrees of detail of this type. The label could simply read California, a very broad geographic designation that doesn’t tell you much. The example is very specific, indicating that the wine came from a specific vineyard (Round Top) within a specific district or AVA (Stags Leap) within Napa Valley. So if you are a fan of Stags Leap wines, you would know this wine might interest you.|2|<strong>Vintage</strong>: The year in which the wine grapes were harvested, not the year the wine was made or bottled. By law, if a vintage is shown, 95% of the wine must be made from grapes grown in the harvest year. Wines that do not meet these guidelines are marked NV for Non-Vintage or simply do not show a vintage on the label. With some significant exceptions, you may find 'nearby' vintages very similar. Modern viticulture and production methods have reduced, although not eliminated, dramatic year-to-year variation.|2|<strong>Maker</strong>: The company that produces the wine. Some companies do not grow, harvest or crush their own grapes or for that matter actually make the wine. They pay someone else to do it to their specifications and then put their company’s name on the bottle. So, maker tells you the name of the company, but not much else. Processing: A producer that grew the grapes, fermented the wine, and bottled the wine entirely within the appellation where the grapes were grown can label their wine “estate bottled”. Phrases such as “cellared and bottled by” or “vinted and bottled by” mean that the bottling winery did not ferment or produce the wine, but bottled it.|2|<strong>Filtering</strong>: A process used to clarify wine just prior to bottling. The purpose of filtering is to remove yeast cells and other microorganisms that could spoil the wine, as well as any remaining sediment that would keep it from being crystal clear, which is what most of us expect. Some winemakers believe that filtering removes some of a wine’s flavor and body along the sediment. An unfiltered wine has undergone other processes such as centrifuging, cold stabilization, fining or racking to remove particles from the wine. Unfiltered wines, which are usually labeled “unfiltered”, often leave a small deposit of sediment in the bottle and may be cloudy in the glass.|2|<strong>Sulfites</strong>: Sulfites are often used as preservatives in wines to retard spoilage and oxidation. Some people are allergic to sulfites and have varying unpleasant reactions to them. Sulfites occur naturally in almost all wines, so organic wines are not necessarily sulfite-free. Wines in the US must be labeled as containing sulfites if they contain more than 10 parts per million.|2|<strong>Alcohol Content</strong>: The alcohol in wine is as important as the grape itself. It doesn’t just affect how you feel, it affects the wine’s taste, texture, and structure. In the United States table wine is between 11% and 14% alcohol by volume. The law permits a 1.5% margin of error, so a wine labeled 12.5% can have as little as 11% and as much as 14% alcohol by volume." ,'imgart':"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8p6bLlQjJcQ/Sx_FO4DRufI/AAAAAAAAAVc/cOPnQZpj23U/s1600/label+diagram(1).jpg" ,'imgsiz':"49" ,'imgflt':"left" ,'imgmax':"" ,'imgdat':"" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'atrtxt':"" ,'atrurl':"" ,'notes':"" ,'wine1':"" // ,'wine2':"" // ,'wine3':"" // ,'wine4':"" // }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); // |n| for n newlines where n is 1 or 2 // imgsiz is image width as percent of line width. // imgmax is maximum image size in pixels for zoom // atrtxt is attribution link-text (Image Source: link-text) or lead-text~link-text // atrurl is attribution link URL beginning with http:// </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-27853194923363744162017-08-21T13:52:00.000-05:002017-08-21T13:57:05.469-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { 'tmptyp':"article" ,'subtyp':"" ,'postid':"pidpid" ,'bdytxt':"So what in the world is a GSM Wine? ‘GSM’ is short-hand for a red wine blended from Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. Originally from the Rhône valley in the South of France, these wines are known for their bright fruit, extravagant aromas of ripe fruit, dried sage and herbs, and a tight, peppery finish. Fortunately, GSMs are now made in various parts of the world, including the U.S., as well as right here in Texas. The bad news is they are not well known and, therefore, won’t always be on the shelf at your favorite wine store. Another hurdle is that the letters ‘GSM’ will not always appear on the label, so you may have to enlist the help of a sales clerk to find one. It’s worth the trouble. Here are three good examples of GSM-style blends. I have to admit a preference for GSMs from Washington state, but that’s just me. So, happy hunting." ,'imgart':"https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--RrFks915Ac/WZsrLOk0enI/AAAAAAAAKzI/q2eV0BYE6woiMtxQxcX_sUj3Vx6DOCXmQCLcBGAs/s1600/gsm-rhone-blend.jpg" ,'imgflt':"" ,'imgsiz':"50" ,'imgmax':"" ,'imgdat':"" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'imgmrg':"" ,'atrtxt':"" ,'atrurl':"" ,'notes':"" ,'wine1':"469433903076161800" // Becker Prarie Rotie ,'wine2':"69918031613490131" // Hahn GSM ,'wine3':"4592224065793874649" // Owen Roe Sinister hand ,'wine4':"" // ,'tablid':"" ,'tabmrgs':"" ,'tabcolr':"" ,'tabbrdr':"" ,'tabback':"" ,'tabflt':"" ,'tabsiz':"" }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); // |n| for n newlines where n is 1-9 // |i| for manual placement of image // |g| for magnifying glass symbol // |t| for manual placement of table referenced by tablid // imgsiz is image width as percent of line width (no %) // imgmax is maximum image size in pixels for zoom // imgmrg is image margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto - null yields default // atrtxt is attribution link-text (Image Source: link-text) or lead_in_text~link_text // atrurl is optional attribution URL beginning with http that makes a link of link_text // imgflt is image position, left or right, defaults right // tablid is post id of table to be included // The following override table post parameters // tabmrgs is table margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto // tabcolr is table font color // tabbrdr is table border color // tabback is table background color // tabflt is table float, left or right // tabsiz is table size as a percentage of line width (no %) </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-90088932224513109092017-07-24T15:35:00.000-05:002017-07-24T15:35:32.219-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { 'tmptyp':"article" ,'subtyp':"" ,'postid':"pidpid" ,'bdytxt':"It’s been hot enough, long enough, that some of you are probably already bored with Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and the like. Wouldn’t it be great if there were some alternatives to see us through the summer. Well here are three wines you may have never heard of, that may help you survive August. Grüner Veltliner (Grew-ner Velt-liner) is one of Austria’s most important white grape varieties, capable of producing a range of styles from light-bodied, fruity and easy drinking, to full-bodied, complex, and age-worthy. At their best, these wines show aromas of stone fruit, citrus, salad greens, lentils, fresh green beans, spice, white pepper, and notes of honey. Torrontés (Tore-on-tess) is one of Argentina’s most distinctive white varieties. Highly aromatic, with vibrant floral notes and exotic fruit on the nose, Torrontés tastes of lychee, citrus and stone fruit. Torrontés has always reminded me of how a blend of Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc might taste. White Bordeaux (Bore-doe) has been with us for centuries, but isn’t widely known outside Europe. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and sometimes Muscadelle, these wines are generally crisp and lively, and show a variety of tropical fruit and citrus flavors. You will find all of these wines to be refreshing when well chilled; but be careful, these great tasting wines may make you forget about Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio." ,'imgart':"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zPhfCrR2Kbo/WXZZZfh9J0I/AAAAAAAAKy0/_7yDWxoRhK4tkZsJxUIqW0DrSbakHknBQCLcBGAs/s1600/summerwhite.jpg" ,'imgflt':"" ,'imgsiz':"50" ,'imgmax':"" ,'imgdat':"" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'imgmrg':"" ,'atrtxt':"" ,'atrurl':"" ,'notes':"" ,'wine1':"685819188894292451" // White Bordeaux ,'wine2':"5089822747289852454" // Finca Torrentes ,'wine3':"4686815088594534439" // Gruner Veltliner ,'wine4':"" // ,'tablid':"" ,'tabmrgs':"" ,'tabcolr':"" ,'tabbrdr':"" ,'tabback':"" ,'tabflt':"" ,'tabsiz':"" }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); // |n| for n newlines where n is 1-9 // |i| for manual placement of image // |g| for magnifying glass symbol // |t| for manual placement of table referenced by tablid // imgsiz is image width as percent of line width (no %) // imgmax is maximum image size in pixels for zoom // imgmrg is image margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto - null yields default // atrtxt is attribution link-text (Image Source: link-text) or lead_in_text~link_text // atrurl is optional attribution URL beginning with http that makes a link of link_text // imgflt is image position, left or right, defaults right // tablid is post id of table to be included // The following override table post parameters // tabmrgs is table margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto // tabcolr is table font color // tabbrdr is table border color // tabback is table background color // tabflt is table float, left or right // tabsiz is table size as a percentage of line width (no %) </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-71677168566675517612017-07-02T16:31:00.000-05:002016-09-22T16:37:27.880-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { 'tmptyp':"article" ,'bdytxt':"Personally, I buy wine to drink. I have a rack that holds about 300 bottles and almost nothing stays in it for more than a year. Most wines don’t benefit from bottle aging; they don’t get better, just older. So why have a wine rack at all? For me, it’s about being able to buy wine in quantity when I find something I like at a good price or stocking up on something that’s hard to get. But regardless of why you’re storing wine, even if its for just a few weeks, where and how you store it is important.|2|Heat is the number one threat to your wine. Temperatures above 70° F accelerate aging and eventually will cook the wine. The ideal temperature for storing wine is 55° F, plus or minus 5°. This kind of temperature can be difficult to achieve in the average home. So you’re probably thinking, I’ll just keep it in the kitchen refrigerator. That’s an option, but not a very good one. |2|Kitchen refrigerators are too cold (well below 45°) and too dry for storing wine for more than a month or so. In that environment, corks can dry out and allow air to leak into the bottle, again ruining the wine. Ideally, wine should be stored at 70 percent humidity. Fortunately, high humidity is easier to come by than low temperatures. And, while 70 percent is ideal, really anything over 50% is going to be fine. On the other hand, we don’t want the corks to mildew, so avoid extremely damp conditions. |2|The number two enemy of wine is sunlight. The ultraviolet portion of sunlight can cause very rapid deterioration. This is why most wine is bottled in colored glass. Colored glass is helpful in protecting wine from UV light, but it is not perfect protection. Light from Incandescent and fluorescent bulbs won’t damage wine, but can fad labels over time. However Incandescent bulbs, especially halogen bulbs, do generate heat.|2|Now for some blasphemy. It’s OK to store your bottles upright. We’ve been taught to store bottles on their side to keep wine on the cork to help keep it from drying out. If you’re planning on drinking the wine within the next thirty days or so, the cork probably won’t dry out in that short a span of time. Of course, if the bottle has a screw cap, glass or plastic cork some other alternative closure, it can be left upright forever. However, upright bottles are easy to knock over and horizontal storage usually requires less space.|2|Assuming none of us live in the north of France and have a wine cave under our chateau, how can we achieve these ideal storage conditions? In short, we can’t. But we should keep them in mind when selecting a place for our wine, and try to get as close to these conditions as we can. If you have a reasonably dry basement, then your problem is solved. If you live south of the Mason-Dixon Line, not so much. A little used closet a utility room can work as long as it’s not either too hot or too cold. A rack in a dining or guest room is also workable, as long as it’s not in direct sunlight. Kitchen and laundry rooms are out because of excess heat and temperature swings.|2|If you are serious at all about wine, the best solution may be a wine refrigerator. They come in a wide variety of sizes, from 5 to 50 or more bottles, depending on how much space you have and how much you are willing to spend. You can put them just about anywhere there’s an electrical outlet, and your wine will always be at the proper temperature. You can get dual temperature models that maintain one temperature for red wines and another for your whites. There are also super quite models that don’t use traditional compressors for cooling." ,'imgart':"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1x90BjUhezc/UbjnbWnhVqI/AAAAAAAAD5k/rLb7E4XWjLk/s1600/IMG_0157.JPG" ,'imgflt':"" ,'imgsiz':"50" ,'imgmax':"" ,'imgdat':"If you are at all serious about wine, the best storage solution may be a wine refrigerator" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'imgmrg':"" ,'atrtxt':"" ,'atrurl':"" ,'notes':"Grenache, called Grenache in the U.S., is a grape that doesn’t get much attention here. To help mitigate our neglect, here are three examples from the Calatayud region of Spain that you can put into your new wine cooler. All from Las Rocas, all under $20.00 and all very drinkable. The Las Rocas Red is a blend of Garnacha, Tempranillo, and Syrah. This is a very soft, easy drinking blend. Equally quaffable, the everyday Las Rocas Garnacha has dark cherry and blackberry aromas and flavors so characteristic of Garnacha. My favorite however is the Las Rocas Garnacha Viñas Viejas or old vine Grenache. The product of 50 year old vines, the Garnacha Viñas Viejas is very elegant, with great mouthfeel, rich berry flavors, round, supple tannins and a lingering finish. All of these wines are excellent and exceptionally drinkable." ,'wine1':"917588862891391091" // Old Vine ,'wine2':"3802536384012925476" // Grenache ,'wine3':"7550331268579061028" // Blend ,'wine4':"" // ,'tablid':"" ,'tabmrgs':"" ,'tabcolr':"" ,'tabbrdr':"" ,'tabback':"" ,'tabflt':"" ,'tabsiz':"" }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); // |n| for n newlines where n is 1-9 // |i| for manual placement of image // |g| for magnifying glass symbol // |t| for manual placement of table referenced by tablid // imgsiz is image width as percent of line width (no %) // imgmax is maximum image size in pixels for zoom // imgmrg is image margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto - null yields default // atrtxt is attribution link-text (Image Source: link-text) or lead_in_text~link_text // atrurl is optional attribution URL beginning with http that makes a link of link_text // imgflt is image position, left or right, defaults right // tablid is post id of table to be included // The following override table post parameters // tabmrgs is table margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto // tabcolr is table font color // tabbrdr is table border color // tabback is table background color // tabflt is table float, left or right // tabsiz is table size as a percentage of line width (no %) </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-63287412925051360832017-07-01T18:06:00.000-05:002016-09-22T16:35:05.489-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { // **************************** INPUT AREA ****************************** // use |n| for n newlines, |i| for image if not default // use url~width to specify larger or smaller width of images - max=500 'bdytxt':"Not a red, not a white, but rosé. With the tannin and fruit characteristics of red and the cool, invigorating acidity of white, rosé is a perfect combination of red and white. It’s a white wine with ripe, red berry flavors. One of the most versatile food wines around, it complements grilled burgers, steaks and ribs as well as spicy rubs, condiments and peppers; all the best of summer fare.|2|Unfortunately, in the United States, rosé wines suffer from being pink. With white Zinfandel being one of the most popular wines in the United States, pink has become synonymous with sweet and cheap. Now there’s nothing wrong with sweet wines, it’s just that’s not what rosé is. Far from it, rosé can be and frequently are bone dry. I’m happy to say that after years of trying, rosé is finally emerging from the pink shadow of white Zinfandel and being embraced by the average American wine drinker.|2|While rosé is made from red-wine varieties, the process, called Saignée, is more like making white wine than red. After the grapes are pressed, the juice and skins are kept together for a few hours (rather than several days for a red wine); just enough time to extract a little color and other red-wine characteristics from the skins. How darkly colored the rosé becomes depends on the grape variety and how long the skins are allowed to soak in the juice. The now pink juice is then pumped into a tank, usually stainless steel, to complete fermentation.|2|Although rosé can be made in any style, they are normally dry and fruity. Styles of rosé wines range from tart and acidic with little or no oak, to the big over extracted strawberry fruit-bombs. Made to drink young, rosé doesn’t need and most part can’t tolerate much age. Treated like white wine, rosé is served very well chilled and pairs well with an enormous variety of foods. It may be the Swiss army knife of wines.|2|Rosé has been a popular in Europe for centuries; most countries having signature styles and varietals for which they are noted. French rosé is typically from the Rhone and the Loire and made from Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvedre or Syrah. Likewise, Spanish rosé is typically made from Garnacha or Tempranillo and Italian from Sangiovese. In the United States we make rosé from a virtual cornucopia of varieties including Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Petite Sirah and Syrah.|2|Take a chance and try a cold glass of rosé with your next poolside BBQ or impromptu get together. Real men drink pink wine." ,'imgart':"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5m1jO8PQSks/T3D1i8y0l9I/AAAAAAAAB2k/SfCFXX9PYIs/images.jpg~500" ,'imgdat':"" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'notes':"At their best when served well chilled, Rosés are the perfect wines for spring and summer. Rosé also tops the charts for food-friendly versatility, being a refreshing accompaniment to a variety of warm weather fare. Great with seafood, red meats, Rosés are great with picnic fare such as ham, chicken and roast beef sandwichs, fruit, potato and egg salads, and course chips and dips, Rosés are also perfect for at a barbecue, taking hamburgers, hot dogs and French fries with ketchup in stride. Here are three Rosés that are representative of the many available. Happy Summer." ,'wine1':"8264710249879100671" // ,'wine2':"1775346409222630397" // ,'wine3':"2906432512845313307" // ,'wine4':"" // }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-58932435793536367822017-06-25T13:38:00.000-05:002017-06-25T13:38:20.285-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { 'tmptyp':"article" ,'subtyp':"" ,'postid':"pidpid" ,'bdytxt':"I had the opportunity to sit down to lunch with Yolanda Diaz, Managing Director of Bodegas San Alejandro, and taste some or her outstanding Garnacha wines. From the Calatayud region of Spain, we tasted the Las Rocas Garnacha, Garnacha Viñas Viejas (old vine), and the Rosé of Garnacha. With the anticipated dark cherry and blackberry aromas and flavors, all of these wines are excellent and exceptionally drinkable. While I really liked the Rosé because it wasn’t the pink, acid bomb typical of many Rosés, my favorite had to be the old vine Garnacha Viñas Viejas. At well under $20.00, this is a wonderful bottle of Garnacha. From 50 year old vines, the Garnacha Viñas Viejas is very elegant, with great mouthfeel, rich berry flavors, round, supple tannins and a lingering finish. Garnacha (Grenache in the U.S.) is a grape that doesn’t get much attention here, but is popular almost everywhere else. If you are at all a red wine drinker, you owe yourself a glass of one of these Garnacha wines." ,'imgart':"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ttvqO6PEfgM/UyCtHIO9pmI/AAAAAAAAJ9Y/P0M2UMN0yqQ/s1600/loas+rocas+terroir_general_landscape.jpg" ,'imgflt':"" ,'imgsiz':"50" ,'imgmax':"" ,'imgdat':"" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'imgmrg':"" ,'atrtxt':"" ,'atrurl':"" ,'notes':"" ,'wine1':"917588862891391091" // Old Vine ,'wine2':"3802536384012925476" // Grenache ,'wine3':"6484718701404153028" // Rose ,'wine4':"" ,'tablid':"" ,'tabmrgs':"" ,'tabcolr':"" ,'tabbrdr':"" ,'tabback':"" ,'tabflt':"" ,'tabsiz':"" }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); // |n| for n newlines where n is 1-9 // |i| for manual placement of image // |g| for magnifying glass symbol // |t| for manual placement of table referenced by tablid // imgsiz is image width as percent of line width (no %) // imgmax is maximum image size in pixels for zoom // imgmrg is image margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto - null yields default // atrtxt is attribution link-text (Image Source: link-text) or lead_in_text~link_text // atrurl is optional attribution URL beginning with http that makes a link of link_text // imgflt is image position, left or right, defaults right // tablid is post id of table to be included // The following override table post parameters // tabmrgs is table margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto // tabcolr is table font color // tabbrdr is table border color // tabback is table background color // tabflt is table float, left or right // tabsiz is table size as a percentage of line width (no %) </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-61575309750992620172017-06-02T11:37:00.000-05:002016-09-22T16:32:25.141-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { 'tmptyp':"article" ,'bdytxt':"The village of Chablis gives its name to one of the most famous white wines in France. Chablis appellation is located in the northern reaches of Burgundy. Whether Chablis is part of the Burgundy appellation seems to depend on who you ask. Chablis is 100% Chardonnay, called Beaunois in the region, but unlike any other Chardonnay. Chablis is the best example of the influence of terroir I can think of. This is not your big buttery white wine with toast, vanilla and tropical fruits. Complements of the high limestone content of the soil, this Chardonnay has intense minerality and other terroir specific characteristics that differentiate it from what Americans think of as Chardonnay..|2|Chablis wine is brisk and fruity, very dry, with refreshing acidity. Amazingly food friendly, Chablis works with fish, chicken, pork, shellfish, eggs, salad, cheese and oysters, especially with oysters. You will truly appreciate the unique minerality of Chablis with raw oysters. Chablis is also one of the most ubiquitous white wines out there. That is, until recently, everywhere except the United States.|2|When wine drinking in the United States was in its infancy, almost anything white that came out of California was called Chablis. People would ask for a glass of Chablis and not care what they got, as long as it was white The name became synonymous with generic, white wine that wasn’t necessarily very good. As the American palate matured and we leaned to distinguish one white wine from another, the generic use of the Chablis began to fade, but its reputation took years to recover. |2|All the vineyards in Chablis are covered by four appellations. At the top are the 7 Grand Cru vineyards, located on a single hillside near the town of Chablis. Second are the 40 Premier Cru vineyards, third is the generic AOC Chablis appellation, which is the largest. The lowest classification is Petit Chablis, which includes the balance of the outlying vineyards. Sun exposure plays a major role in defining these appellations. The Grand Cru and two of the highly rated Premier Cru vineyards are located on southwest facing slopes, maximizing sun exposure. Remaining Premier Cru vineyards are located on southeast facing slopes, with the rest of the appelations’ vineyards on flat land.|2|For Americans used to California Chardonnays, the charm of Chablis can be elusive. Lacking toast, vanilla, and spice from new American Oak barrels, Chablis relies on the native flavors of the Chardonnay grape. Bright green apple, pear and lemon flavors are unfamiliar to American palates used to flavors of melon, pineapple and banana from Chardonnay grown in the warmer California climate. Chablis gets substantial minerality from the native soils. These dissolved minerals (Burgundy was once at the bottom of a prehistoric sea) give the wine a unique character that is unfamiliar to American Chardonnay drinkers. Typically a pale, yellow-green, Chablis is missing the massive fruit and body we expect from Chardonnay. However, with its delicate, ephemeral flavor, structure, and defining minerality, Chablis is worth a try. " ,'imgart':"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--GknsO65BPs/Ucci7aym92I/AAAAAAAAD7s/koTpS_RzvrE/s1600/IMG_0174.JPG" ,'imgflt':"" ,'imgsiz':"50" ,'imgmax':"" ,'imgdat':"Grand Cru Vineyards On The Slopes of Chablis" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'imgmrg':"" ,'atrtxt':"" ,'atrurl':"" ,'notes':"I have to admit, until I decided to write this article, I hadn’t gone out of my way to drink Chablis. I’m part of the generation that lived through California’s “everything white is Chablis” phase, and I don’t think I’ve ever recovered. So in my quest to re-experience Chablis for the first time, I discovered a couple of things. Being such a common wine in France, it’s not that common here. You may have trouble finding a shop with a decent selection. Second, it’s worth the trouble. Absolutely nothing goes better with oysters on the half shell. Absolutely nothing." ,'wine1':"597018832206675183" // ,'wine2':"1406732452762783600" // ,'wine3':"" // ,'wine4':"" // ,'tablid':"" ,'tabmrgs':"" ,'tabcolr':"" ,'tabbrdr':"" ,'tabback':"" ,'tabflt':"" ,'tabsiz':"" }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); // |n| for n newlines where n is 1-9 // |i| for manual placement of image // |g| for magnifying glass symbol // |t| for manual placement of table referenced by tablid // imgsiz is image width as percent of line width (no %) // imgmax is maximum image size in pixels for zoom // imgmrg is image margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto - null yields default // atrtxt is attribution link-text (Image Source: link-text) or lead_in_text~link_text // atrurl is optional attribution URL beginning with http that makes a link of link_text // imgflt is image position, left or right, defaults right // tablid is post id of table to be included // The following override table post parameters // tabmrgs is table margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto // tabcolr is table font color // tabbrdr is table border color // tabback is table background color // tabflt is table float, left or right // tabsiz is table size as a percentage of line width (no %) </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-39203094826480440792017-05-22T17:13:00.000-05:002017-05-22T17:13:26.816-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { 'tmptyp':"article" ,'subtyp':"" ,'postid':"pidpid" ,'bdytxt':"I have to be honest, finding a good bottle of red wine for under $10 is something of a miracle. Red blends in this category are a bit more common; adding grape B hides grape A’s shortcomings, a bit more grape C to help out grape D and presto, a drinkable blend. But a good red varietal has to stand on its own. Here are three that are pretty good, maybe even really good if you consider their price. What these wines have in common is that they are imports and they are not Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. The Honoro Vera Garnacha (aka Grenache) is from Spain. Spanish wines remain a bargain, so take advantage of this fruit-forward wonder from the Calatayud region. Along the same lines, the Diseneo Malbec is equally good and, as other wines from Argentina, is also a bargain. Lots of black cherry and spice in this great little red from the Mendoza. While there may be fewer bargains in Australia than say ten year ago, there are still bargains to be had. Take this spicy Shiraz (aka Syrah) from the Barossa Valley for example; inky with ripe plum and blackberry notes, it doesn’t disappoint. All of these reds will go with your summer BBQ, roast meats and other savory dishes." ,'imgart':"" ,'imgflt':"" ,'imgsiz':"50" ,'imgmax':"" ,'imgdat':"" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'imgmrg':"" ,'atrtxt':"" ,'atrurl':"" ,'notes':"" ,'wine1':"9021028295519678501" // Honoro Vera Grenacha ,'wine2':"639535680880810814" // Diseno Malbec ,'wine3':"4057762049846384732" // Cupcake Shiraz ,'wine4':"" // ,'tablid':"" ,'tabmrgs':"" ,'tabcolr':"" ,'tabbrdr':"" ,'tabback':"" ,'tabflt':"" ,'tabsiz':"" }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); // |n| for n newlines where n is 1-9 // |i| for manual placement of image // |g| for magnifying glass symbol // |t| for manual placement of table referenced by tablid // imgsiz is image width as percent of line width (no %) // imgmax is maximum image size in pixels for zoom // imgmrg is image margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto - null yields default // atrtxt is attribution link-text (Image Source: link-text) or lead_in_text~link_text // atrurl is optional attribution URL beginning with http that makes a link of link_text // imgflt is image position, left or right, defaults right // tablid is post id of table to be included // The following override table post parameters // tabmrgs is table margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto // tabcolr is table font color // tabbrdr is table border color // tabback is table background color // tabflt is table float, left or right // tabsiz is table size as a percentage of line width (no %) </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-69787018182735551382017-05-02T11:52:00.000-05:002016-09-22T16:27:52.421-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { 'tmptyp':"article" ,'bdytxt':"Look up Italian Wine in the dictionary. There is a picture of this squat little bottle of Chianti in a basket-like holder. Ok, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but it is unfortunately how many of us think about Italian wines. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with Chianti. On the contrary, many of my favorite Italian wines are Sangiovese in one incarnation or another. My point is that many Americans equate Italian wine with Chianti, and not very good Chianti at that.|2|Italy is among the world’s largest wine producing countries with more than a million vineyards, more than any other country. Most of the common grape varieties grown in the United States are also grown in Italy, but most Italian wines are produced from grape varieties distinctive to that part of the world. These unfamiliar grape varieties make dealing with Italian wines more challenging for Americans. That’s unfortunate because Italian wines are very food friendly.|2|There are hundreds of varieties of grapes unique to Italy; fortunately only a few we’re going to see on the shelf. The most prevalent of these are the red-wine grapes Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Montepulciano, Corvina and Barbera, and the white-wine grapesTrebbiano and Pinot Grigio. These grape varieties are responsible for the common red wines Chianti, Barolo, Barbaresco, Montepulciano, Barbera, Valpolicella and Amarone, and the white wines Trebbiano, Soave, and Pinot Grigio. |2|Sangiovese (san-joh-VAY-zeh) is Italy’s most famous red-wine grape variety, but you may not be familiar with the name. Sangiovese is the predominant grape variety in Chianti (Key-AHN-tee). If you like Chianti you may want to try one of the many Sangiovese varietal wines, some produced in California. Sangiovese is also be blended with other varieties to produce non-traditional blends called Super Tuscans. |2|The Nebbiolo (Nay-BYOH-low) grape is used to produce Barolo (Ba-ROE-loe) and Barbaresco (Bar-ba-RES-coe) wines. Wines produced from Nebbiolo are known for their elegance and bouquet of wild mushroom, truffle and roses. Montepulciano (Mon-tuh-pul-CHEE-an-no) is one of the most widely grown grapes in the coastal area of Abruzzo. Montepulciano produces wines that develop silky plum-like fruit, food-friendly acidity, and light tannins. |2|Barbera (Bar-ber-AH) is the most widely grown red grape variety of Piedmont and Southern Lombardy. The wine has bright cherry fruit, a very dark color, and a food-friendly acidity. Corvina (Cor-vee-nah) is the principal grape variety of Valpolicella (Val-pole-e-CHEL-la) and Amarone wines. Valpolicella has dark cherry fruit and spice. Amarone (Ah-ma-ROH-nay), because of different production techniques, are elegant, dark, and full of fruit.|2|Trebbiano (Treb-YAH-no) is the most widely planted white varietal in Italy. Trebbiano wines are typically pale, easy drinking wines. Soave (SWAH-vay) is one of the top selling wines in Italy made from Trebbiano. It is a straw-yellow color, delicate and light, with a hint of almonds and flowers. Pinot Grigio (PEE-no-GREE-jee-oh) is probably the best known white-wine grape of Italy. Pinot Grigio (a.k.a. Pinot Gri) is a crisp white wine, usually delicate and mild although in the right hands it can be full-bodied and complex. |2|Italy produces modern wines, based on an ancient tradition, with flavors and aromas that cannot be experienced in wines from anywhere else. " ,'imgart':"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BGv9-WnX4rA/UUdE_2uMLFI/AAAAAAAADkU/2R_JhrRXLUE/s1600/italianwine.png" ,'imgsiz':"50" ,'imgmax':"802" ,'imgdat':"Italian Wine Regions - Click |g|to Enlarge" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'atrtxt':"" ,'atrurl':"" ,'notes':"For a change of pace, here are three sparkling wines from Italy. Moscato d’Asti has gotten incredibly popular in just the last few years. Moscato’s are very sweet, but if they are well chilled they can still be surprisingly refreshing. Brachetto is a red Italian sparkler, which is in itself different. Sweet, but not quite as sweet as the Moscato d’Asti, Brachetto is a great aperitif wine. The Prosecco is neither sweet nor dry, but falls nicely in between those extremes. This is the sparkling wine for people who don’t like Champagne-style wines because they’re too dry and yeasty. Crisp, refreshing and very easy to drink. These are simple wines, so if you can’t find these particular brands, try another." ,'wine1':"2615186211555681397" // dAsti ,'wine2':"602993853220250495" // Brosheta ,'wine3':"5613866998877791135" // Prosecco ,'wine4':"" // }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); // |n| for n newlines where n is 1 or 2 // imgsiz is image width as percent of line width. // imgmax is maximum image size in pixels for zoom // atrtxt is attribution link-text (Image Source: link-text) or lead-text~link-text // atrurl is attribution link URL beginning with http:// </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-24741560354916726922017-05-01T14:19:00.000-05:002016-09-22T16:27:01.658-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { 'tmptyp':"article" ,'bdytxt':"Are you still ordering house wines? Typically house wines will be among the lowest price and the lowest quality wines at the restaurant. So unless you’re craving a mediocre glass of wine, why not check out the wine list instead? Increasingly, restaurants are expanding their by-the-glass selection. Rather than just the typical low quality Chardonnay or Merlot, chances are you’ll find at least one representative of their popular varietals and blends.|2|You also may find premium labels on the by-the-glass list that you can try. While premium labels will cost more, you’re probably getting better value ordering a premium wine. In general, the percentage markup on less expensive wines is greater than the markup on more expensive wines. So while neither is a great value, the premium wine may be a relatively better value than the cheaper glass. Besides, it should taste better.|2|A good by-the-glass wine list is also an opportunity to branch out and give your palate some exercise. On the whole you’re not spending a huge amount for a by-the-glass wine, so try something new. Be brave; try a variety you’ve not had before. If you’re in a Merlot rut, try a Malbec or a Pinot Noir. If you stuck on Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio, try a Torrontes. If you’re not that brave, try your usual variety from another region or country. There are some great wines coming out of Chile and you’ll find many of the most familiar varieties there. Many restaurants will pour you a sample of their by-the-glass wines, but you’ll have to ask. This takes all the risk out of trying something new. |2|Unfortunately, some restaurants like to reserve the good stemware for their by-the-bottle customers. When ordering by-the-glass, insist on good stemware. If you know the restaurant has better stemware than you’re getting, ask for a glass appropriate to the wine you ordered. You’ll enjoy the wine more in good stemware, and even mediocre wine tastes better in the right glass.|2|Another by-the-glass issue, that’s all too common, is by-the-glass wine that’s been open too long. Even if they’re refrigerated, slow movers are going to oxidize. Check your wine carefully for signs of oxidation. Is the color right? If your red wine has a brown tinge or your white wine is dark gold, it may be oxidized. How does it smell? Wine should smell fresh and, for the most part, like fruit. If it smells burnt or like raisins, it may be oxidized. If you suspect the wine has gone bad, send it back and ask for a glass from a newly opened bottle. " ,'imgart':"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZFVVvg5bKS4/UZ0F7DXhv4I/AAAAAAAAD2o/8Lw5e9GQeE0/s320/IMG_0144.JPG" ,'imgflt':"" ,'imgsiz':"50" ,'imgmax':"" ,'imgdat':"If you're lucky, your by-the-glass wine came from a dispenser like this one that keeps wine fresh and at the proper temperature." ,'imgmet':"off" ,'tablid':"" ,'atrtxt':"" ,'atrurl':"" ,'notes':"Every once and awhile magic happens and we find great wine at a great price. In this case lightning struck three times because I’ve got three exceptional wines, all under $20.00. If you’re an Alexander Valley fan, you are in for a treat with Katherine Goldschmidt’s Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. So too Napa Valley fans are going to love the Rutherford Ranch Cabernet. Both of these wines would be great values at twice the price, but at around $16.00, they are unbelievable. I have to admit that I’ve never really thought much of Pinot Grigio, but Ramspeck’s Pinot Grigio has changed my mind. With great color, body, structure, aroma and taste ( things missing from most Pinot Grigo), the Ramspeck is really exceptional and deserves a try at about $12.00. Enjoy!" ,'wine1':"696132748438800488" // Rutherford Ranch ,'wine2':"3928961868253290238" // Kate Goldschmidt ,'wine3':"4921029835555279372" // Ramspeck Pinot Grigio ,'wine4':"" // }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); // |n| for n newlines where n is 1-9 // |i| for manual placement of image // |g| for magnifying glass symbol // |t| for manual placement of table referenced by tablid // tablid is post id of table to be inclued at |t| // imgsiz is image width as percent of line width // imgmax is maximum image size in pixels for zoom // atrtxt is attribution link-text (Image Source: link-text) or lead_in_text~link_text // atrurl is optional attribution URL beginning with http that makes a link of link_text // imgflt is image position, left or right, defaults right </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-83854317635880329392017-04-12T17:02:00.000-05:002017-04-12T17:02:24.463-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { 'tmptyp':"article" ,'subtyp':"" ,'postid':"pidpid" ,'bdytxt':"We seem to have skipped winter altogether this year and I have a hunch that the hot weather isn’t going to wait for Summer. So, what do we drink on the patio and by the pool on hot Texas days; white and rosé wines of course, and just as cold as we can get them, right? Well yes, but there are also a few red grapes that can standup to the big chill; grapes like Gamay, (a.k.a. Beaujolais) Tempranillo, and Garnacha. We’ve been taught that we’re not supposed to drink red wines chilled, but even cold I think you’ll find these wines to be enjoyable and refreshing during a summer outing. A word of caution, you don’t want to spend a lot for a summer red because all of its ’redness’ won’t come through when it’s cold. Given that, before committing to a summer of just whites and rosés, put some Beaujolais, Tempranillo, and Garnacha in the cooler. You’ll find they are fruity, easy to drink and compliment a variety of summer dishes. By the way, in France Garnacha is called Grenache." ,'imgart':"https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cbuc5DrR6ps/WO6jOXsTUjI/AAAAAAAAKyI/24w6r3mKgREDQ3AHZ76p6zmV_pLwErf6ACLcB/s1600/redwine-ice-bucket.jpg" ,'imgflt':"" ,'imgsiz':"50" ,'imgmax':"" ,'imgdat':"" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'imgmrg':"" ,'atrtxt':"" ,'atrurl':"" ,'notes':"" ,'wine1':"2477949110097147549" // Gamay ,'wine2':"3802536384012925476" // Garnacha ,'wine3':"1554552006251847413" // Tempranillo ,'wine4':"" // ,'tablid':"" ,'tabmrgs':"" ,'tabcolr':"" ,'tabbrdr':"" ,'tabback':"" ,'tabflt':"" ,'tabsiz':"" }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); // |n| for n newlines where n is 1-9 // |i| for manual placement of image // |g| for magnifying glass symbol // |t| for manual placement of table referenced by tablid // imgsiz is image width as percent of line width (no %) // imgmax is maximum image size in pixels for zoom // imgmrg is image margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto - null yields default // atrtxt is attribution link-text (Image Source: link-text) or lead_in_text~link_text // atrurl is optional attribution URL beginning with http that makes a link of link_text // imgflt is image position, left or right, defaults right // tablid is post id of table to be included // The following override table post parameters // tabmrgs is table margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto // tabcolr is table font color // tabbrdr is table border color // tabback is table background color // tabflt is table float, left or right // tabsiz is table size as a percentage of line width (no %) </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-11445711290399891772017-04-01T17:13:00.000-05:002016-09-22T16:22:41.155-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { 'tmptyp':"article" ,'bdytxt':"Do you recall the movie Sideways that was popular in 2004? For those who didn’t see it, Sideways is the story of two middle-aged friends, Miles and Jack, who set out on a final week of fun before Jack gets married. They drive north from Los Angeles to the wine region around Santa Barbara in Miles’ sporty little convertible. Jack is a less-than-successful actor just looking for a good time, but Miles is all about the wine, fancying himself something of a connoisseur. |2| They visit a number of wineries where Miles says things like ‘the estate chardonnay is quaffable but far from transcendent’ and ‘the cab franc is hollow, flabby and overripe’. Later at dinner with some women they’ve managed to meet, Miles, in full snob mode, says ‘If anyone orders Merlot I'm leaving. I am NOT drinking any #@!% merlot.’ In contrast, Miles frequently waxes poetic about the wonders of Pinot Noir. So now you’re thinking, great movie review, but what does this have to do with anything? |2|It turns out that this simple little movie has had a profound effect on the wine industry. So much so that its impact has become known as the ‘Sideways Effect’. People who had never heard of Pinot Noir began drinking it in abundance and people who thought they were chic drinking Merlot suddenly wanted nothing to do with it. The California Highway Patrol reported a jump in highway incidents in Santa Barbara County, saying the movie led to a virtual stampede to the Santa Barbara wine country, causing a rash of drunk-driving arrests and crashes. The area has 90 tasting rooms.|2|A study showed the ‘Sideways Effect’ has had a negative impact on the consumption of Merlot, while increasing the consumption of Pinot Noir. However, the effect was not proportional; helping Pinot Noir more than it hurt Merlot. In addition, the price of Merlot has fallen while the price of Pinot Noir has increased. The downward price pressure on Merlot is mostly at the lower price points. The upward price effect on Pinot Noir has been across all price-points, mainly because Pinot Noir is difficult to grow, keeping supply low. The effect persists to this day.|2|Pinot Noir is the grape of red French Burgundy’s and Blanc de Noir sparkling wines. In the United States, northern California, New York and Oregon are known for Pinot Noir. Not surprising these areas share the same latitude as the Burgundy region of France. Generally speaking, Pinot Noir from these latitudes is light in color, low in alcohol, low in tannins and high in acidity. In contrast, Pinot Noir from the sunnier central coast counties of California is dark in color, higher in alcohol, low in tannins and low in acidity. In many cases comparing Pinot Noir from these contrasting regions is like comparing wines made from two different grapes. It is of course personal preference, but I prefer central coast Pinot Noirs.|2|However, like Mark Twain, the reports of Merlot’s death are premature. In some respects Merlot deserved Sideways, having become a victim of its own success. Merlot has been so popular that could put practically anything in a bottle labeled Merlot and sell it; and some wine makers did just that. The resulting deterioration in the quality of the product also contributed to the falling prices and sales. The quality of Merlot has improved while the price has remained low, creating good value for Merlot drinkers and a proliferation of new labels." ,'imgart':"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WD2qOz2arvc/Ua5lmAsNonI/AAAAAAAAD4M/oDawmLeU2ZA/s800/IMG_0151.JPG" ,'imgflt':"" ,'imgsiz':"50" ,'imgmax':"" ,'imgdat':"Miles and Jack Tasting Pinot Noir" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'imgmrg':"" ,'atrtxt':"" ,'atrurl':"" ,'notes':"" ,'wine1':"" // ,'wine2':"" // ,'wine3':"" // ,'wine4':"" // ,'tablid':"" ,'tabmrgs':"" ,'tabcolr':"" ,'tabbrdr':"" ,'tabback':"" ,'tabflt':"" ,'tabsiz':"" }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); // |n| for n newlines where n is 1-9 // |i| for manual placement of image // |g| for magnifying glass symbol // |t| for manual placement of table referenced by tablid // imgsiz is image width as percent of line width (no %) // imgmax is maximum image size in pixels for zoom // imgmrg is image margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto - null yields default // atrtxt is attribution link-text (Image Source: link-text) or lead_in_text~link_text // atrurl is optional attribution URL beginning with http that makes a link of link_text // imgflt is image position, left or right, defaults right // tablid is post id of table to be included // The following override table post parameters // tabmrgs is table margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto // tabcolr is table font color // tabbrdr is table border color // tabback is table background color // tabflt is table float, left or right // tabsiz is table size as a percentage of line width (no %) </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-55989886913519234062017-03-29T17:04:00.000-05:002017-03-29T17:04:01.180-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { 'tmptyp':"article" ,'subtyp':"" ,'postid':"pidpid" ,'bdytxt':"Are Syrah, Shiraz, and Sirah the same grape variety? Well, yes and no. Made famous in the Rhone region of France, Syrah is grown throughout the world and is capable of producing powerful red wines. A relative new comer to California, Syrah is becoming more and more popular as both a varietal and blending wine. Michael David’s 6th Sense, from the Lodi region of California, is a good example; full of ripe dark fruit flavors and just a little pepper. Shiraz, on the other hand, is arguably just another name for Syrah. Known as Syrah throughout most of the world, in Australia the variety is called Shiraz. A major player on the Australian wine scene, Shiraz wines have become so popular that Syrah producers in other parts of the world have begun renaming their wines Shiraz. Mollydooker’s Boxer from McLaren Vale Australia is a wonderful example with complex and concentrated black fruit, unique spiciness, and great acidity. Then there is Sirah, actually Petite Sirah, that is something else altogether. A hybrid of Syrah and a variety called Peloursin, Petite Sirah produces dark, inky wines with lots of texture and mouth feel. Starry Night’s Petite Sirah from Lodi is full of plum and black cherry, also with a bit of pepper spice. " ,'imgart':"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iz-6McLNejo/VcoEQusnQbI/AAAAAAAAKfU/PyVLstdjr80/s1600/redWineMeat.jpg" ,'imgflt':"" ,'imgsiz':"50" ,'imgmax':"" ,'imgdat':"" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'imgmrg':"" ,'atrtxt':"" ,'atrurl':"" ,'notes':"" ,'wine1':"3101985459026346361" // Shiraz ,'wine2':"1199718818981720953" // Syrah ,'wine3':"3090652798668205589" // Petit Sirah ,'wine4':"" // ,'tablid':"" ,'tabmrgs':"" ,'tabcolr':"" ,'tabbrdr':"" ,'tabback':"" ,'tabflt':"" ,'tabsiz':"" }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); // |n| for n newlines where n is 1-9 // |i| for manual placement of image // |g| for magnifying glass symbol // |t| for manual placement of table referenced by tablid // imgsiz is image width as percent of line width (no %) // imgmax is maximum image size in pixels for zoom // imgmrg is image margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto - null yields default // atrtxt is attribution link-text (Image Source: link-text) or lead_in_text~link_text // atrurl is optional attribution URL beginning with http that makes a link of link_text // imgflt is image position, left or right, defaults right // tablid is post id of table to be included // The following override table post parameters // tabmrgs is table margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto // tabcolr is table font color // tabbrdr is table border color // tabback is table background color // tabflt is table float, left or right // tabsiz is table size as a percentage of line width (no %) </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-38124802663708242682017-03-02T14:51:00.000-06:002016-09-22T16:20:49.414-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { // **************************** INPUT AREA ****************************** // use |n| for n newlines, |i| for image if not default // use imgsiz to set image width as xx percent of line width. 'tmptyp':"article" ,'bdytxt':"Spanish wine is good and it is still relatively inexpensive. If you stop reading now, you’ve learned at least 80% of what you need to know about the wines of Spain. Spain is classified as an Old World wine producer, but contrary to this stodgy-sounding designation, Spain has a very modern wine industry and has been aggressively competing in the United States and other parts of the world. That’s good news, because aggressive competition means low prices and good values as Spain trys to gain market share. |2|Spain has nearly 3 million acres of vineyards, more acreage than any other country, and is the third largest wine producer behind Italy and France. This is in spite of the poor soils and correspondingly low yields found in many Spanish wine regions. Spain cultivates more than 600 varieties of grapes, but twenty varieties account for eighty percent of production, and only a handful, including Tempranillo, Albariño and Garnacha are exported in any quantity. |2|The most important and best known wine producing region in Spain is the Rioja. In terms of stature, the Rioja is Spain’s Napa Valley. Located in the north central area of the country, the Rioja is roughly equidistant between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Mountain ranges provide protection from harsh Atlantic weather and the Ebro river provides both moisture and microclimates. The region is subdivided into the cooler Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa and the warmer Rioja Baja.|2|Rioja is the principal source of Spain’s highly acclaimed Tempranillo wines. Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano, often blended with Tempranillo, are also grown here. Rioja wine classifications are very straight forward, indicating how long wines have been aged before they are released. The Crianza designation indicates a fresh, fruit-forward youthful red wine that has aged in oak for at least a year and in the bottle for another. The Reserva designation requires at least one year in the barrel and an additional two years in either barrel or bottle. Gran Reserva wines represent the best of the Rioja reds, being barrel aged for two years and bottle aged for at least three. Gran Reserva wines are generally made only in exceptional vintage years, so are considered very special. |2|The Penedes wine region is located near Barcelona on the Mediterranean coastline. The area is framed by the coastal hills of the Serra del Garraf and the higher inland mountains which skirt the Catalan Central Depression. Long considered one of Spain’s best wine-producing regions after the Rioja, it is also one of the most ancient viticultural areas in Europe. Although red wines are produced here, Penedes is best known for Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada, the three traditional grape varieties found in cava, Spain’s food friendly and inexpensive sparkling wine. Freixenet and Cordoníu are the two large producers of cava.|2|The Jerez wine region incorporates the three towns of Jerez, Puerto de Santa Maria and Sanlucar de Barrameda. This is Spain’s Sherry-wine producing region, and these three towns form what is known as the Sherry Triangle. The region’s soil is chalky limestone and provides just the right conditions for the Palomino and Pedro Ximenez grapes that are used in making some of the world’s finest Sherries. Southern Spain’s Andalusia region, just south of Seville, is the home of many of the better known Sherry producers including: Osborne, Emilio Lustau, Gonzalez Byass, Hidalgo." ,'imgart':"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5j2hJrla6lw/UT4zAJmMUxI/AAAAAAAADhU/S4k86SS5fLo/s1600/Spain-wine-regions.png" ,'imgsiz':"65" ,'imgmax':"1143" ,'imgdat':"Spanish Wine Regions - |g|Click To Enlarge" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'atrtxt':"winefolly.com" ,'atrurl':"http://winefolly.com" ,'notes':"Here are three great examples of what Spain has to offer in the way of reasonably priced, great tasting wines. The Borsao is a Grenache, rich, soft, easy to drink red wine and remarkable at well under $10.00. The Juan Gil is a Monastrell, the Spanish term for Mourvèdre; a rich and medium bodied red. If you haven’t tried a Mourvèdre, you should run, not walk, to your nearest store and buy this one. The Marqués de Riscal is a Tempranillo, a more well known Spanish variety. A dry, medium bodied red that is often referred to as Span’s Cabernet Sauviginon." ,'wine1':"3841840446646649911" // Grenache Borsao ,'wine2':"4815787078884045016" // Juan Gil ,'wine3':"1554552006251847413" // Marqués de Riscal ,'wine4':"" // }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); // |n| for n newlines where n is 1 or 2 // imgsiz is image width as percent of line width. // imgmax is maximum image size in pixels for zoom // atrtxt is attribution link text // atrurl is attribution link URL </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-89048681979289580632017-02-27T16:08:00.000-06:002017-02-27T16:08:35.140-06:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { 'tmptyp':"article" ,'subtyp':"" ,'postid':"pidpid" ,'bdytxt':"You have probably never tasted a wine from South Africa. When wines from Australia and South America were being introduced into the American market, South African wines were under international boycott due to apartheid. By the time apartheid ended and the boycott lifted, it was too late. The US market was overrun with wines from all over the world and South Africa couldn’t compete. It’s unfortunate because South African wines are high quality and relatively inexpensive. The wines below are representative of what is being produced there. The most interesting is the Fantail Pinotage. Pinotage is a hybrid of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut, a native South African grape. Pinotage wines are unique to South Africa, easy to drink and work well with food. Keep your eye out for South African wines when you’re shopping at larger wine stores or browsing an upscale wine list." ,'imgart':"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gYYtrjSLOHs/U5TThqgR1SI/AAAAAAAAKCQ/ffJg-ZNRhvo/s1600/stellenboschregion.jpg" ,'imgflt':"" ,'imgsiz':"40" ,'imgmax':"" ,'imgdat':"THE STELLENBOSCH WINE REGION OF SOUTH AFRICA" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'imgmrg':"" ,'atrtxt':"" ,'atrurl':"" ,'notes':"" ,'wine1':"2782392436162083905" // ,'wine2':"73779010520689127" // ,'wine3':"300488921738239282" // ,'wine4':"" // ,'tablid':"" ,'tabmrgs':"" ,'tabcolr':"" ,'tabbrdr':"" ,'tabback':"" ,'tabflt':"" ,'tabsiz':"" }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); // |n| for n newlines where n is 1-9 // |i| for manual placement of image // |g| for magnifying glass symbol // |t| for manual placement of table referenced by tablid // imgsiz is image width as percent of line width (no %) // imgmax is maximum image size in pixels for zoom // imgmrg is image margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto - null yields default // atrtxt is attribution link-text (Image Source: link-text) or lead_in_text~link_text // atrurl is optional attribution URL beginning with http that makes a link of link_text // imgflt is image position, left or right, defaults right // tablid is post id of table to be included // The following override table post parameters // tabmrgs is table margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto // tabcolr is table font color // tabbrdr is table border color // tabback is table background color // tabflt is table float, left or right // tabsiz is table size as a percentage of line width (no %) </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-12031428732362784992017-02-01T15:22:00.000-06:002017-01-30T15:32:54.192-06:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { 'tmptyp':"article" ,'subtyp':"" ,'postid':"pidpid" ,'bdytxt':"Until new world wine makers discovered them, the Cabernet Franc and Carménère varieties were known mostly as blending grapes, used to tweak the characteristics of more noteworthy wines such as the famous red wines of Bordeaux. As these grapes found their way into the Americas they have been reinvented as varietal (single variety) wines. One of the best things about these new varietals is their newness; something different from the usual Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.|2|Cabernet Franc is principally known as the third grape, behind Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, in the red Bordeaux blend. Cabernet Franc probably originated in Eastern Europe, finding its way to France via Italy and finally to the new world. Notably, the much more famous Cabernet Sauvignon is the result of cross breeding Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. On its own, Cabernet Franc produces silky, velvety wines with good acidity and notes of black berries, prune, plum, cherry, clove, pepper and leather. Cabernet Franc is food friendly, pairing well with tomato sauces, ham, pork, veal and poultry as well as red meats and game.|2|Carménère [Car-men-yair] was at one time the occasional sixth grape in the red Bordeaux blend. When disease devastated France’s vineyards in the 19th century, Carménère was not replanted and disappeared. In the early 1990s Carménère was discovered growing in Chile. It apparently had been accidentally imported from France with Merlot vines in the 1860s and was only revealed with the advent of DNA testing. Carménère varietal wines are deep, dark and rich, with flavors of black plums, licorice and mocha. A little like Merlot on steroids. Carmenere is for rich, multi-flavored dishes such as boeuf bourguinon, coq au vin, hardy stews, etc. Also try it with bittersweet chocolate.|2|If you like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot you will probably enjoy Cabernet Franc and Carménère as well. If you can’t find these specific labels, explore on your own. I think you’ll become a fan just as I have." ,'imgart':"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TYz4FGdAeDI/UAiE-NVvO0I/AAAAAAAAB7c/bN1pICq2F1I/s1600/Photo+Jul+19,+12+48+58+PM.jpg" ,'imgflt':"" ,'imgsiz':"50" ,'imgmax':"" ,'imgdat':"" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'imgmrg':"" ,'atrtxt':"" ,'atrurl':"" ,'notes':"" ,'wine1':"6479160502442088461" // Carménère ,'wine2':"5877977103466423059" // Cabernet Franc ,'wine3':"" // ,'wine4':"" // ,'tablid':"" ,'tabmrgs':"" ,'tabcolr':"" ,'tabbrdr':"" ,'tabback':"" ,'tabflt':"" ,'tabsiz':"" }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); // |n| for n newlines where n is 1-9 // |i| for manual placement of image // |g| for magnifying glass symbol // |t| for manual placement of table referenced by tablid // imgsiz is image width as percent of line width (no %) // imgmax is maximum image size in pixels for zoom // imgmrg is image margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto - null yields default // atrtxt is attribution link-text (Image Source: link-text) or lead_in_text~link_text // atrurl is optional attribution URL beginning with http that makes a link of link_text // imgflt is image position, left or right, defaults right // tablid is post id of table to be included // The following override table post parameters // tabmrgs is table margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto // tabcolr is table font color // tabbrdr is table border color // tabback is table background color // tabflt is table float, left or right // tabsiz is table size as a percentage of line width (no %) </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-43041901891794258882017-01-01T17:44:00.000-06:002016-12-08T17:48:43.707-06:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { 'tmptyp':"article" ,'subtyp':"" ,'postid':"pidpid" ,'bdytxt':"Valentine’s Day is coming up and nothing says love like wine and chocolate. If you haven’t tried wine and chocolate you are missing a singular taste experience. Try it for dessert or by itself, in a romantic setting of course. The right chocolate and wine pairing creates a unique taste experience that, while not reflecting the varietal characteristics of the wine, is one you won’t want to miss. Chocolate comes in three broad categories, dark, milk and white, and each requires a different style of wine. |2|Dark chocolate has intense bitter, roasted and nutty flavors and should be paired with an equally intense wine like the Rutherford Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a big, full-bodied, well-balanced wine with rich tannins that will stand up to the darkest chocolate. The high cacao content of dark chocolate neutralizes the astringency and dryness associated with tannins, so you need a big wine here. |2|Milk Chocolate has less cacao and adding milk and sugar creates a sweeter chocolate with less aroma and flavor intensity. Milk chocolate should be paired with sweeter, full bodied, desert-style wines like the Fonseca Bin 27 Ruby Port. Its luscious blackcurrant and cherry flavors marry beautifully with milk chocolate. |2|White chocolate is made with cocoa butter and contains no cacao at all. The sweet honey and vanilla flavors of white chocolate pair well with sweet sparkling wines like the La Marca Prosecco which, not coincidentally, has honey flavors of its own. While tempting and often marketed together, traditional champagne does not work well with chocolate of any kind; being too dry for milk or white chocolate and not intense and tannic enough for the dark." ,'imgart':"https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5DlnY-jowKQ/WEnvvkv5DiI/AAAAAAAAKwI/l9fTKmfgWWc9z-pCww_zqWklGRnaYWAiACLcB/s1600/wine-chocolate.jpg" ,'imgflt':"" ,'imgsiz':"50" ,'imgmax':"" ,'imgdat':"" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'imgmrg':"" ,'atrtxt':"" ,'atrurl':"" ,'notes':"" ,'wine1':"696132748438800488" // Rutherford Ranch Cabernet ,'wine2':"6978843613883444449" // Fonseca Ruby Port ,'wine3':"5613866998877791135" // La Marca Prosecco ,'wine4':"" // ,'tablid':"" ,'tabmrgs':"" ,'tabcolr':"" ,'tabbrdr':"" ,'tabback':"" ,'tabflt':"" ,'tabsiz':"" }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); // |n| for n newlines where n is 1-9 // |i| for manual placement of image // |g| for magnifying glass symbol // |t| for manual placement of table referenced by tablid // imgsiz is image width as percent of line width (no %) // imgmax is maximum image size in pixels for zoom // imgmrg is image margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto - null yields default // atrtxt is attribution link-text (Image Source: link-text) or lead_in_text~link_text // atrurl is optional attribution URL beginning with http that makes a link of link_text // imgflt is image position, left or right, defaults right // tablid is post id of table to be included // The following override table post parameters // tabmrgs is table margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto // tabcolr is table font color // tabbrdr is table border color // tabback is table background color // tabflt is table float, left or right // tabsiz is table size as a percentage of line width (no %) </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-16356959766122385712016-11-04T16:15:00.000-05:002016-07-25T09:19:53.766-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { // **************************** INPUT AREA ****************************** // use |n| for n newlines, |i| for image if not default // use url~width to specify larger or smaller width of images - max=500 'bdytxt':"Asked when she drank Champagne, Lily Bollinger, 'grand Dame' of Champagne replied: 'I only drink champagne when I'm happy, and when I'm sad. Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone. When I have company, I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I am not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it - unless I'm thirsty.' |2|Lily Bollinger was right of course; we traditionally turn to sparkling wines for celebrations of the human spirit, both somber and joyous. The celebration of family and friends always draw us to flutes of sparkling wine during the holiday season. The festive pop of the cork, the twinkling bubbles and the clink of the glasses turn get-togethers into occasions.|2|While Champagne is arguably the most famous sparkling wine, it accounts for only a fraction of the sparkling wines available. Sparkling wine is produced all over the world. Every country has its own traditions as to how the wine is made, what grapes are used and what it is called. While all of these wines have bubbles in common, many are extraordinarily different from one another. Here’s an overview of some of the more popular sparklers from some of the larger wine producing countries.|2|France may be the home of Champagne, but all that sparkles is not Champagne. Champagne is a protected designation for wines from France’s Champagne district, made with some combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes, and produced using a process called Méthode Champenoise. With the exception of some grandfathered labels in the United States and Great Britain, wines not meeting these requirements may not be called Champagne. While new world producers also use the Méthode Champenoise to produce similar wines from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, these wines, accept as noted above, are simply labeled as Sparkling Wine.|2|Sparkling wine labels have some key words you should know. Sparklers made entirely from Chardonnay grapes (or other white varieties) are designated as Blanc de Blanc (“white from white”). Wines made entirely from Pinot Noir (or other red varieties) are Blanc de Noir (“white from black”). Rosé sparklers have a bit of still red wine blended in to give them a rosy hue and slightly different flavor. A sparkling wine labeled Brut is the wine maker’s driest wine; Extra Dry being a bit less dry than Brut. |2|While old world producers often use the common Champagne grape varieties, they also have sparkling wines made from traditional, local varieties. Sekt is sparkling wine made with Riesling, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Grigio grapes in Germany; Welschriesling and Gruner Vetliner grapes in Austria. Sparkling wine production came to Germany in the early party of 19th Century through a former employee of the famous French Champagne house Veuve Clicquot.|2|Sparkling wine from Italy is called Asti or Spumante. One of the most popular, from the Piedmont region, is made with the sweet Moscato grape. Although very sweet, these sparkling wines can be surprisingly refreshing when served very cold. A newer entry from Italy is an off-dry sparkling wine made from Prosecco. Light and refreshing with just a hint of sweetness, these wines are a great stand-in for traditional sparklers. If champagne-style wines are too yeasty or dry for your taste, try a Prosecco.|2|The Spanish wine region of Catalonia produces Cava. Traditionally made from the native Spanish grapes, today Cava is made from a variety of grapes including Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Cava made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the champagne-style is much like Champagne, while Cava made from the traditional grapes varieties has a different character.|2|Serve sparkling wine well chilled in a glass called a flute. This tall, slender glass will hold the carbonation and enhance the bubbles. Never use wide mouthed, saucer shaped glasses. Pouring sparkling wine is a two-step process. The first pour should be only an inch or so. Let the foam dissipate and then fill the glass the rest of the way. If you try to fill the glass with one pour it will almost always overflow (or be only half full). Don't refill the glass until it’s nearly empty; there will be less warm wine in the glass to take the chill off the cold wine in the bottle." ,'imgart':"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zloVoz0TjEw/UUHspsji6bI/AAAAAAAADic/Jn-uNmb_-34/s1600/champagne.png" ,'imgsiz':"55" ,'imgmax':"900" ,'imgdat':"Champagne - Click |g|to Enlarge" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'atrtxt':"RIA" ,'atrurl':"http://www.ria.ru" ,'notes':"There are a variety of inexpensive sparkling wines available for your holiday celebrations. Below are three examples, all quite good, for between about $7.00 and $20.00. The Prosecco is an excellent example of the off-dry Italian sparkling wine, having gotten 90+ points from Wine Spectator a couple of years ago. The Cristalino is a very popular. Cava made from Chardonnay and traditional Spanish grape varieties. The Mumm is an American rosé sparkler, made mostly from Pinot Noir. It’s one of my favorites. " ,'wine1':"5613866998877791135" // La Marca Prosecco ,'wine2':"6179173472430288983" // Crystalino Cava ,'wine3':"3540428685396734415" // Mumm Rose ,'wine4':"" // }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-24496420430008708122016-11-01T11:30:00.000-05:002016-07-18T11:32:13.101-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { 'tmptyp':"article" ,'subtyp':"" ,'postid':"pidpid" ,'bdytxt':"Mourvedre [mo-vad-rah] is a little known grape with a long history in France and Spain (in Spain the grape is called Monastrell). Popular as a blending grape, in France it is arguably most famous for its participation with Grenache and Syrah in the famous wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Outside France, these Rhone-style blends are sometimes known as GSMs (for Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre). Owen Roe’s Sinister Hand is a GSM from the Columbia Valley in Washington State. Carchelo from Spain is a GSM-style wine with a difference; instead of Grenache, Tempranillo and a bit of Cabernet are blended with Monastrell and Syrah. The result is a wine a bit more intense and a bit less acidic than a traditional GSM. Occasionally you will find Mourvedre/ Monastrell as a varietal wine, such as the Hecula from Spain. Here you will find blackberry fruit, good acidity and a lingering finish for which this variety is known. These are all food wines that will complement grilled, fried, baked or roasted meats with mustard, peppercorn, savory and tomato sauces." ,'imgart':"https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-prkozi38UyE/V40C1S7WyLI/AAAAAAAAKtY/r9UGfH5nFhEN7r0rzqvYHBRW3ku44waKQCLcB/s1600/carchellolabel.jpg" ,'imgflt':"" ,'imgsiz':"50" ,'imgmax':"" ,'imgdat':"Carchelo is a blend of Monastrell, Tempranillo, Cabernet and Syrah." ,'imgmet':"off" ,'imgmrg':"" ,'atrtxt':"" ,'atrurl':"" ,'notes':"" ,'wine1':"6830585080798433512" // Carchelo ,'wine2':"4592224065793874649" // Sinister Hand ,'wine3':"8887980936894712961" // Hecula ,'wine4':"" // ,'tablid':"" ,'tabmrgs':"" ,'tabcolr':"" ,'tabbrdr':"" ,'tabback':"" ,'tabflt':"" ,'tabsiz':"" }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); // |n| for n newlines where n is 1-9 // |i| for manual placement of image // |g| for magnifying glass symbol // |t| for manual placement of table referenced by tablid // imgsiz is image width as percent of line width (no %) // imgmax is maximum image size in pixels for zoom // imgmrg is image margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto - null yields default // atrtxt is attribution link-text (Image Source: link-text) or lead_in_text~link_text // atrurl is optional attribution URL beginning with http that makes a link of link_text // imgflt is image position, left or right, defaults right // tablid is post id of table to be included // The following override table post parameters // tabmrgs is table margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto // tabcolr is table font color // tabbrdr is table border color // tabback is table background color // tabflt is table float, left or right // tabsiz is table size as a percentage of line width (no %) </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2665313188639165066.post-1877844801255945952016-10-10T12:42:00.002-05:002016-10-10T12:42:14.063-05:00<script>// *************************** Article Input **************************** var inobj = {}; var inobj = { 'tmptyp':"article" ,'subtyp':"" ,'postid':"pidpid" ,'bdytxt':"Pinot Noir is a very versatile red wine, existing in the nether world between Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Certainly not a white, but equally certain, not a big, tannic red. Pinot Noir is the classic pairing for salmon and pork; not too strong, not too light, but just right for dishes with subtle, yet complex flavors. Here are three different takes on Pinot Noir. First, Firesteed Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley Oregon. Like its Burgundy cousins, earthy and green with lots of acidity due to its more northern origins. Then Mandolin Pinot Noir from Monterey California. From more southern latitudes, this one is soft, fruity and much lower in acid. Good with or without food. Finally, Sparkling Rosé from California’s Chandon winery. One of my favorite sparklers, this Rosé is round and soft, but at the same time intensely dry. Like most dry sparkling wines, this Rosé is very versatile with food, but don’t forget to try it with all things fried. Dry sparklers love fatty foods." ,'imgart':"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dip6hJ6J6ww/V_vSy4ZyNLI/AAAAAAAAKvQ/KiWdGe1BKlczSihYfWEPqC1PTkMgJr7EACLcB/s1600/porkpinot.jpg" ,'imgflt':"" ,'imgsiz':"50" ,'imgmax':"" ,'imgdat':"A Classic Pairing for Pork" ,'imgmet':"off" ,'imgmrg':"" ,'atrtxt':"" ,'atrurl':"" ,'notes':"" ,'wine1':"6995939585659074110" // Firesteed ,'wine2':"3476452413674332650" // Mandolin ,'wine3':"3071204010418467975" // Chandon Brut Rose ,'wine4':"" // ,'tablid':"" ,'tabmrgs':"" ,'tabcolr':"" ,'tabbrdr':"" ,'tabback':"" ,'tabflt':"" ,'tabsiz':"" }; // ***************************** INPUT AREA ***************************** ARTICLEOBJ = inobj; outArticle(); // |n| for n newlines where n is 1-9 // |i| for manual placement of image // |g| for magnifying glass symbol // |t| for manual placement of table referenced by tablid // imgsiz is image width as percent of line width (no %) // imgmax is maximum image size in pixels for zoom // imgmrg is image margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto - null yields default // atrtxt is attribution link-text (Image Source: link-text) or lead_in_text~link_text // atrurl is optional attribution URL beginning with http that makes a link of link_text // imgflt is image position, left or right, defaults right // tablid is post id of table to be included // The following override table post parameters // tabmrgs is table margins top~left~bottom~right in pixels or auto // tabcolr is table font color // tabbrdr is table border color // tabback is table background color // tabflt is table float, left or right // tabsiz is table size as a percentage of line width (no %) </script>wineknowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16494197158247017749noreply@blogger.com