True champagne is produced in the Champagne region of France by using the Methode Champenoise and is produced from a high quality grape. In many circles in the United States, the term "champagne" has become a general term to include any sparkling wine. These are frequently made from inferior grapes through bulk processing and are often sweetened to mask their inferior quality. They are not true Champagnes.

Sparkling wines are made from both white and red grape varieties. The quality of the fruit is critical to the outcome of the finished product. In the Champagne region of France, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier are used. But in other internationally recognized sparkling regions, like Asti, other varieties such as Muscat Blanco may be used. The grapes are harvested earlier than those picked for still (table) wine.

There are several reasons for this early harvesting. One reason is to obtain a lower alcohol level in the cuvee (wine made from the initial fermentation, also called "base" wine). During the fermenting process the sugar is converted to alcohol, therefore the lower the sugar content of the grapes, the lower the alcohol content of the finished product. The reason for the lower alcohol content in the base wine is that the wine will go through another fermentation process that will increase the alcohol level. Another reason for harvesting grapes while at a lower sugar level is to produce a higher total acidity and lower pH rating. This adds longevity and crispness to the wine.

Now lets take a look at the three different methods vintners may use to make sparkling wines. Methode Champenoise is a more labor-intensive and expensive method than the other two methods of producing sparkling wine. After harvesting the fruit, the juice is pressed and put into containers for the first fermentation. These containers are either stainless steel vats or oak barrels. When the first fermentation is complete, various lots of wine are blended together to produce an assemblage (the final blend of varieties for the finished wine).

Then a mixture of yeast and sugar, called a triage, is added to the base wine. The wine is bottled with a small plastic cup that fits in the neck of the bottle and collects any sediment. This small plastic cup is called a "bidule" The second fermentation takes place in the bottle and due to the sugar and yeast being added, alcohol and carbon dioxide are produced. Due to carbon dioxide formation and pressures up to 90 pounds per square inch, bottles for Champagne and sparkling wine must be thicker than regular wine bottles. During the second fermentation, temperature plays an important role. Cooler temperatures produce finer bubbles. Once the second fermentation is complete, dead yeast cells begin to break down and form a sediment in the wine.

This process is called autolysis. The winemaker decides how long to allow for the autolysis process and this in turn has an impact on the final taste of the wine. The sediment must then be removed without losing the carbon dioxide and sparkle. The first step in doing this is riddling or remuage. In years past, this was done by inserting the neck of the wine bottle into a rack, called a pupitres, that would hold it at a 45 degree angle so the dead yeast cells would settle into the neck where the bidule was attached. Then every few days, a trained person, called a remuer, would give each of the bottles a quick shake and increase the angle of the bottles until they were eventually positioned completely downward, thereby collecting all the sediment in the neck. Today, the riddling process is automated.

Next the sediment is removed by disgorgement. This is where the bottle is placed neck down in an icy brine to freeze the sediment into a solid plug. The cap is then removed and the pressure inside the bottle causes the frozen sediment to be expelled. Then a "dosage" is added. This dosage is a small amount of wine mixed with sugar and sometime brandy and it determines the sweetness or dryness of the sparkling wine. The bottle is then corked and secured with a wire hood.

The Transfer Method of making sparkling wine is similar to the Methode Champenoise except that instead of riddling to remove the sediment, the wine is transferred to a pressurized tank where the sediment is filtered. It is then bottled, corked and secured with a wire hood in preparation for sale to the public.

The Charmat Bulk Process is the quickest and least expensive method of making sparkling wine. With this process, instead of the wine going through the second fermentation in the bottle, the base wine is placed in a temperature-controlled, pressurized tank to which sugar and yeast is added. The secondary fermentation takes place in this tank without the release of any carbon dioxide. This tank acts like a very large bottle. Once the fermenting is complete, the wine is filtered under counter pressure and bottled using a counter-pressure filler. Because the wine has not spent the same amount of time in contact with the carbon dioxide, the bubbles tend to be larger and dissipate more quickly.

I have had the best experience at 4 Seasons Wine. They love wine and their goal is to share their passion for extraordinary selections by providing remarkably affordable prices. I prefer 4seasonswine over many other online services which I have personally spent my own money with.

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Among France’s eleven wine-growing regions the Loire Valley ranks number three when it comes to the acreage devoted to vineyards. The Loire is France’s longest river running for 620 miles (one thousand kilometers) across the center of the country. In many ways the Loire Valley can be considered as a series of regions. Here they are running from west to east: Nantais whose primary grape is the white Muscadet, Anjou-Saumur whose primary grapes are the white Chenin Blanc and the red Cabernet Franc, Touraine whose primary white grapes are Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc and whose primary red grape is Cabernet Franc, and Central Vineyards whose primary white grape is Sauvignon Blanc and whose primary red grape is Pinot Noir. We will review at least one wine from each of these four areas.

Saumur is a city of about thirty-five thousand inhabitants where the Loire and the Thouet Rivers meet in the Anjou and Saumur zone of the Loire Valley, east of the Nantes and west of Tours. It is a bourgeois city proud of its historic center and Fourteenth Century Church of St-Pierre and the city square of the same name. And of course there is a Loire Valley turreted Castle, the Château de Saumur well worth the visit even though the Musee des Arts Decoratifs (Decorative Arts Museum) and the Musee du Cheval (Equestrian Museum) may be closed to the public.

Saumur’s Riding School, the Cadre Noir de Saumur (literally the Black Cadre) was founded well over one hundred fifty years ago. Its instructors, whether military or civilian, wear beautiful black and gold uniforms in public performances that attract up to forty thousand spectators. If you are at all interested in equestrian performances make sure to catch their class act. And stop by the Maison du Vin (House of Wine) for more information on this great wine-growing region.

Before reviewing the Loire wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Rillions (Big chunks of Pork cooked in Pork Fat). For your second course savor Becasse fouree au Foie Gras (Woodcock stuffed with Foie Gras). And as dessert indulge yourself with Tarte Tatin (Upside down Apple Tart).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Domaine de Saint-Just Saumur Blanc 2005 AC 12.5% alcohol about $13

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. We see very little white Saumur in our market, so this is a rare treat indeed. Made with 100% Chenin Blanc, it shows the aromatic virtues of the grape coupled with racy acidity. The result is a wine that may be enjoyed in its youth with seafood dishes such as grilled prawns, but will definitely age gracefully for 3-5 years.

My first meal was fried chicken-breast scaloppini, with rice and Turkish salad. This wine was very refreshing and pleasantly acidic. It was palate-cleansing with a lot of lime. It was quite present when pairing with a strong Turkish salad.

The next meal consisted of slow-cooked chicken legs with a mix of Eastern spices, brown rice, and green beans. The Saumur Blanc was quite forward with plenty of fruit and acidity. It was very pleasant.

The final pairing involved whole-wheat spaghetti and hamburgers but no tomato sauce. The wine was refreshingly acidic with a lot of lime. It was very long. While the wine was somewhat flattened by a fruit-juice candy, it displayed delicate fruit and acidity when paired with a good-quality cheesecake.

The first cheese pairing was with a mild Italian Pecorino Friulano cheese. This was no success; the wine became a bit thin and lost a lot of its fruit. Then I tried a nutty Dutch Edam cheese. The wine was moderately fruity and I would say that combination was OK but not great.

Final verdict. I liked this wine and would buy it again. I feel that it was quite good for the price. And there’s not all that much more to say about it.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but he prefers drinking fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and people. He knows about dieting but now eats and drinks what he wants, in moderation. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. Visit his Italian travel website http://www.travelitalytravel.com which focuses on local wine and food.

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Among France’s eleven wine-growing regions the Loire Valley ranks third in total acreage devoted to vineyards. Given that France’s longest river the Loire runs for 620 miles (one thousand kilometers) across the country, in many ways it could be thought of as a series of regions. Here they are running from west to east: Nantais whose primary grape is the white Muscadet, Anjou-Saumur whose primary grapes are the white Chenin Blanc and the red Cabernet Franc, Touraine whose primary white grapes are Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc and whose primary red grape is Cabernet Franc, and Central Vineyards whose primary white grape is Sauvignon Blanc and whose primary red grape is Pinot Noir. We will try to review at least one wine from each of these four areas.

Chambord is home to the largest of the Loire castles, built as a hunting lodge for Francois I early in the Sixteenth Century. Some think that Leonardo da Vinci was responsible for the original design. The statistics of this French Renaissance hunting lodge are stupendous. There are 440 rooms but only 365 chimneys. How would you feel to be assigned to a room without a chimney? The wall surrounding the property is 20 miles (32 kilometers) long enclosing a thirteen thousand acre (fifty two square kilometer) forest. The story has it that the Emperor wanted to divert the Loire River to create a moat but wiser heads prevailed and he had to be satisfied with diverting the Cosson River. When he came to visit it took twelve thousand horses to bring his stuff; they had to bring in all the furniture and all the food except for game. Someone counted up how much time he actually spent there over the years and the grand total is about seven weeks. When the French Revolution came the castle floors were sold for timber and the castle doors were burnt to keep people warm during the sales. The castle now belongs to the government.

Before reviewing the Loire wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Rillettes (Coarse Pork Pate). For your second course savor Lapin au Vouvray (Rabbit with Onions, Shallots, and Vouvray Wine). And as dessert indulge yourself with Tarte aux Pommes a la Confiture de Chinon (Apple Pie with Chinon Wine Jam).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Cheverny Blanc V. V. (Terra Vitis) 2005 12.5% alcohol about $15

I don’t know why but the usual marketing materials were unavailable. So I accessed the producer’s web site that offered following blurb – translated from the French by Google. Cheverny Blanc Old women Vines resulting from the marriage of Sauvignon and Chardonnay is manually collected with maximum maturity in order to release from the very constant flavours and a powerful gustatory length; to be useful between 7 and 8 degrees accompanied by fish out of sauce, scallop, snails as. Whaaat?

Didn’t anybody tell Google that V. V. (Vieilles Vignes) stands for old vines and not Old women Vines? Here is my rapid translation: Cheverny Blanc Old Vines (wine) comes from Sauvignon (Blanc) and Chardonnay (grapes) that were manually harvested at their full maturity to bring out their powerful aromas and long, powerful flavors. Serve between 7 and 8 degrees C (44 to 46 degrees F) with fish in sauce, scallops, or snails. Frankly, I would rather review wines than translate documents. And that’s what I am doing next.

My first meal was whole-wheat spaghetti with a homemade tuna, red onion, garlic, and Greek Olive sauce that had a commercial tomato spaghetti sauce as its base. I doused on a lot of grated Parmesan cheese. The wine was light, refreshingly acidic, and somewhat sweet. It was lemony with a taste of honey. When I finished the glass after finishing the meal I had the feeling that the wine’s quality went up.

The next meal consisted of a commercially prepared barbecued chicken breast, rice, and an eggplant side. The Cheverny started off between weak and light but later picked up some strength. Interestingly enough it was quite present when paired with the tomato-based grilled eggplant.

The final pairing involved an omelet with local Provolone cheese and Greek Olives. The wine was somewhat assertive but short. As I had a little left I paired it with a high-quality chocolate-coated ice cream bar. The wine was nice and sweet and a good match, at least at first.

The first cheese pairing was with a mild Italian Pecorino Friulano cheese. They made a good couple; the wine showed a lot fruit and pleasant acidity and was rather long. The second cheese pairing was with a more forceful Dutch Edam cheese. The results were fairly similar but the wine was definitely flatter.

Final verdict. This wine is best with rather bland food and as such is overpriced. At a much lower price point it would be worth buying again. I really expect more at this price.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but he prefers drinking fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and people. He knows about dieting but now eats and drinks what he wants, in moderation. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His new wine, diet, health, and nutrition website http://www.wineinyourdiet.com links to his other sites.

Article Source: ArticleSpan

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review have been purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Goats do Roam South Africa 2008 13.5% alcohol about $10

Let’s start with the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Ripe and creamy, with delicious apricot, melon and peach cobbler notes backed by a whiff of toast on the finish. Drink now. Score – 88. (James Molesworth, at the Wine Spectator website, June 30, 2009. And now for my review.

With the first sips (no food) I noted the wine’s bright acidity. The taste of honeysuckle was dominant. The initial meal centered around a barbecued chicken leg in a thick, paprika tomato sauce. The wine’s acidity stepped up to meet the sauce. The accompanying potatoes roasted in chicken fat intensified the wine’s fruit. With smoky tasting grilled eggplant virtually covered in garlic the wine was round and seemed sweeter.

The second meal consisted of a boxed Eggplant Rolatini stuffed with Ricotta and Mozzarella cheese and slathered with grated Parmesan cheese. The wine was light and almost feathery. It presented bright acidity and I tasted some apricots in the background. It was surprisingly long.

The final meal was also vegetarian. I started with Matjes herring that rendered the wine round with fine acidity. I noted a definite apple flavor. When paired with green beans in tomato sauce this wine was not very present but I noted some green apples. When paired with okra in a tomato, garlic, and onion sauce the blend picked up a bit and was fairly long but did not give a lot of fruit. The roasted eggplant with lots of oil and garlic took away the wine’s fruit, just as the wine refreshingly washed away this delicious vegetable’s grease. I made the mistake of trying this wine with Haagen Dazs Mayan Chocolate ice cream. The wine was thin and had harsh acidity.

I tasted this wine with two cheeses; with the Asiago the wine wasn’t very acidic. It did have some apple taste with a bit of sweetness. With a fairly tasty Swiss Emmenthaler the wine picked up some strength and length. This combination was fairly good.

Final verdict. Good, but not good enough. Actually, with the right pairing it’s not bad. But I have grown to expect more from South African wines.

In his younger days Levi Reiss wrote or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but he prefers drinking fine German or other wine with the right foods and the right people. He teaches computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. Visit his global wine website http://www.theworldwidewine.com with a weekly column reviewing $10 wines and new sections writing about (theory) and tasting (practice) organic and kosher wines.

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White wines make fine beverages for more casual meals. This is because of their quality of being more revitalizing and less heavy in one’s mouth than most red wines. Traditionally, white wines are paired with light dishes like cheeses and fish and consumed at temperatures of around 45 to 50 degrees F, which is relatively chilly. Because white wines are relatively light, they achieve fuller potential from being drunk in thinner glasses.

White wines also come from plenty of different regions across the globe, each of which has created its own original blends of wines. Chardonnay is one of the most popular types of wine grapes, cultivated plentifully in most wine-making regions. Chardonnay white wines are fairly rich and sport medium to high levels of acidity. Chenin Blanc, which hails from the Loire Valley of France, can also be discovered in many areas of California. Chenin Blanc white wines have higher than average acidity, and are generally flavored with hints of fruit. Gerwurztraminer may be hard to pronounce, but turns into a delightful wine from frostier climates. The name literally means "spicy", which is an apt adjective to explain this wine’s sharp acidity and potent taste. Pinot Grigio is Italy’s most renowned white wine, also harvested in France, and called Pinot Gris when grown in the United States. Riesling is a fantastic wine from Germany that has developed an undeservedly bad reputation because of the spreading of lackluster wines being presented as Rieslings.

White wine may be daunting at the beginning, but hopefully this knowledge will clear up some of the confusion and lead to your enjoyment of various whites.

For more articles, tips, help and advice about buying White wines in the UK, please visit… http://www.winebuyersuk.com/category/white-wine/

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Knowing Your Red Wines: Red wines are most simply differentiated by what is known as their ‘body’ type. Light-bodied red wines offer a less intense taste that does not last as long on the pallet and full-bodied red wines supply a much heavier taste that lingers on in the mouth. There are also several versions of medium-bodied red wines that fall somewhere in between.

The key to enjoying your red wine is to start with a light-bodied variety and work your way through to the heavier-bodied varieties. If you start the other way round, the stronger flavors will drown the lighter ones. To enjoy your red wine evening to the utmost, you would do best to start off with a light wine variety such as a Merlot or Barbera and move on to a medium bodied red wine such as Pinot Noir or Tempranillo before hitting the Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Shiraz or any of the other full-bodied wines.

General Temperature Guidelines for Red wines: Red wine is best enjoyed when served at the proper temperature. The general rule that states that all red wines should always be served at ‘room temperature’ can be a bit misleading. The correct temperature actually refers to the ‘room temperature’ of a wine cellar, which is around 15-16 degrees C or 55degrees F and not that of a heated modern home, which at 70 degrees F is way too high.

As a general rule, full-bodied wines taste best when served at around 63 to 68 degrees F, light-bodied wines a bit cooler at 59 to 63 degrees and very fruity red wines cooler still at about 54 to 57 degrees. There are even thermometers specifically designed for wine for wine connoisseurs who want to be sure they have the temperature just right!

When served at a temperature that is too cold, the subtle flavors and textures of the wine will be lost whereas the wine can taste somewhat flat and totally non-refreshing if the temperature of the wine is too warm. No need to go rushing for your thermometer every time you open a bottle of red wine though. Just remember that red wine needs to be just cool enough to be refreshing but warm enough so that you can savor all the flavors. You know you have got it right if the glass of red wine feels slightly cool in your hands.

Let Your Wine Breathe: It is best to open a bottle of red wine at least 20 to 30 minutes before serving so that the wine gets a chance to breathe. All red wines benefit from breathing time as it allows them to release their multiple flavors and really show what they are made of. This is especially true for the full-bodied red wine varietals.

Use the Right Wine Glass: Truly experiencing the aroma of red wine is very important to how much you will enjoy it. This means you need to use the proper wine glass. A glass for red wine should be have a large bowl so that you can properly swish the wine and release its subtle fragrances. The mouth should only taper slightly so that you can fully smell the wine as you sip it. The large opening also allows the wine to ‘breathe’ properly.

Now you’ve got the fundamentals right; sit back, relax and enjoy your red wine.

Cheers!!

Simon is a lover of wine and has had his fair share of spills in the past. The Stains and spills website has some great tips for how to remove red wine stains and how to clean red widgets stains.

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Red wine comes in different flavors some of which are listed here:
Cherry, Plum, Blackberry, Raspberry, Currant, Raisin, Fig, Pepper, Clove, Cinnamon, Coffee, Cocoa, Mocha, Tobacco, Leather, etc.

Types of red wine
The type of Red wine depends on the area in which it is produced and the type of grape used for extracting the wine.

Syrah:
Syrah, also called as Shiraz, is mostly served with meat, beef or pastas. They are mostly dark colored wines. Syrah is widely cultivated in the regions of France, Australia, and California. One of the main ingredients of syrah is aroma which is very good for health.

Merlot:
Merlot, a red wine, is known for its light color and soft taste. It can be served with any kind of food. It is a very light drink and is not strong at all. Merlot is cultivated in countries like Romania, Chile, Washington, Italy and Australia. They are also present in herbal and medicinal form.

Cabernet sauvignon:
Cabernet sauvignon is produced from oak. This red wine is beneficial in preventing cardiovascular problems and also cancer because of its medicinal properties.

Pinot noir:
Pinot noir is rarely found because it is difficult to grow. This red wine plant is cultivated in countries like New Zealand, USA, Oregon and many other valleys.
This red wine is best suited with meat and lamb.

Zinfandel:
Zinfandel is the native wine of California because it is produced only in California. This is very hot and spicy in taste and goes well with meat, pizzas, and pastas.

Sangiovese:
Sangiovese goes well with Italian dishes and is available in valley areas.

Barbera:
Barbera is available only in USA.

Wine and Health
Consumption of wine to a limited extent may be beneficial to ones health. It removes bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol while reducing blood clotting, which is used to prevent a number of heart diseases and leukemia, because it acts as an antioxidant. They are used to prevent Parkinsons disease because of presence of resveratrol in the wine. Red wine contains higher amount of flavonoids which is very useful. Melatonin present in red wine is used to cure a number of skin diseases. Over consumption of wine may lead to many health problems like:
1) Red wine headache (RWD) – It is a disease caused due to excessive consumption of red wine, which may further lead to nausea.
2) Consumption of red wine is hazardous during pregnancy. It also increases the chances of breast cancer.
3) Brain migraines
4) Diabetes
Hence, moderation is highly recommended for the consumption of red wine.

James Copper is a writer for http://www.cecwine.co.uk where you can find out about red wine

Article Source: ArticleSpan