Sunday, December 13, 2015

Matching Mayhem, Round 4: José Andrés' Foie Gras Waffle (aka The Foieffle)

Discover the Art of Making Wine

Red Wine Basics from My Wine Smarts

Five great books for the wine lovers on your shopping list - The Seattle Times

Five great books for the wine lovers on your shopping list - The Seattle Times

Israel Aims to Recreate Wine That Jesus and King David Drank - New York Times

Israel Aims to Recreate Wine That Jesus and King David Drank - New York Times

Proposed San Diego County law could change the meaning of 'local' wine - Los Angeles Times

Proposed San Diego County law could change the meaning of 'local' wine - Los Angeles Times

Wine - New York Times

Wine - New York Times

Want to throw a great wine party? See how top LA sommeliers do it - Los Angeles Times

Want to throw a great wine party? See how top LA sommeliers do it - Los Angeles Times

Wine pyramid scheme? Customers sue Berkeley business over failure to deliver wine - Contra Costa Times

Wine pyramid scheme? Customers sue Berkeley business over failure to deliver wine - Contra Costa Times

Sip like a pro with new wine app - New York Post

Sip like a pro with new wine app - New York Post



Sippy, Sippy, Sippy !!! Come on Dammit ! Drink the damn WINE !

New York Post Wine Article ! WINE Sipper Lovers News.

www.winetastingmastery.com

Quenching China's Wine Market - Wall Street Journal

Quenching China's Wine Market - Wall Street Journal

A Top 10 Wine List So Good, It Takes 12 Bottles to Hold It - New York Times

A Top 10 Wine List So Good, It Takes 12 Bottles to Hold It - New York Times

Baa Baa Black Sheep, Have You Any Wine? A Q&A With Winemaker André Mack - NPR

Baa Baa Black Sheep, Have You Any Wine? A Q&A With Winemaker André Mack - NPR



www.winetastingmastery.com

Here's what happened when I tried Amazon's two-hour wine delivery - CNNMoney

Here's what happened when I tried Amazon's two-hour wine delivery - CNNMoney

Monday, October 12, 2015

How to Pour a Bottle Of Wine

How to open a bottle of wine WITHOUT corkscrew

Why the hype about Virginia wine? - Fox News

Why the hype about Virginia wine? - Fox News

The New, Scruffy Wine Bars Are Some of the Best Restaurants in New York - Grub Street

The New, Scruffy Wine Bars Are Some of the Best Restaurants in New York - Grub Street

How To Make Easy Homemade Wine ~ Making Blackberry Wine

How to Make Wine

What Do California's Wildfires Mean for the 2015 Wine Harvest? - Bloomberg

What Do California's Wildfires Mean for the 2015 Wine Harvest? - Bloomberg

A Weekend Away in Southern England's Wine Country - Wall Street Journal

A Weekend Away in Southern England's Wine Country - Wall Street Journal

Diane Keaton's New Wine Is Meant to Be Served on Ice: 'It's Not Fancy, but ... - People Magazine

Diane Keaton's New Wine Is Meant to Be Served on Ice: 'It's Not Fancy, but ... - People Magazine

EL VINO : DOCUMENTAL COMPLETO

From humble roots, Wine Amplified festival continues to grow - Las Vegas Review-Journal

From humble roots, Wine Amplified festival continues to grow - Las Vegas Review-Journal

12 Everyday Bottles for Wine Lovers - New York Times

12 Everyday Bottles for Wine Lovers - New York Times

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

'Evenings' at Starbucks: Coffee shop to sell wine, craft beer, small plates - USA TODAY

'Evenings' at Starbucks: Coffee shop to sell wine, craft beer, small plates - USA TODAY

7 Habits of Annoying Wine People, Readers' Edition - Wall Street Journal

7 Habits of Annoying Wine People, Readers' Edition - Wall Street Journal

Wine Glasses Slim Way Down - Wall Street Journal

Wine Glasses Slim Way Down - Wall Street Journal

An impressive debut for Chicago Food + Wine Festival - Chicago Tribune

An impressive debut for Chicago Food + Wine Festival - Chicago Tribune

How to buy and store a bottle of wine for a celebration in 25 years - Business Insider

How to buy and store a bottle of wine for a celebration in 25 years - Business Insider

Amazon Wine: How To Work The Flywheel Of Online Sales - Forbes

Amazon Wine: How To Work The Flywheel Of Online Sales - Forbes

Wine scores: What are they actually good for? - Fox News

Wine scores: What are they actually good for? - Fox News

Gallo to purchase Talbott Vineyards; wine giant seems to be reinventing itself ... - SFGate (blog)

Gallo to purchase Talbott Vineyards; wine giant seems to be reinventing itself ... - SFGate (blog)

10 up-and-coming wine regions - CNN

10 up-and-coming wine regions - CNN

Monday, August 10, 2015

The world's greatest sommelier gives a French wine-tasting Masterclass.....

Discover the Art of Making Wine

The Alphabet of Wine - Beginners

In Defense of the Soccer Mom's Favorite Wine - WSJ - Wall Street Journal

In Defense of the Soccer Mom's Favorite Wine - WSJ - Wall Street Journal



Mom's Defending Wine Favorites ! - WSJ Defends Soccer Mom's Wine Choices and Wine Tasting - Great Wall Street Journal Wine Blogging Article - Love Wine Lovers and Tasters Reading.

Soccer Mom's Wine Loving experiences - Yeh Baby ! Get her drinking the juice !

www.winetastingmastery.com/

In Defense of the Soccer Mom's Favorite Wine - WSJ - Wall Street Journal

In Defense of the Soccer Mom's Favorite Wine - WSJ - Wall Street Journal



Boom ! Boom ! Boom I'm going to Wine the Soccer Mom's Wine Defense Broom ?



Getter Done Soccer Mom Wine Lover WSJ -Mom Wall Street Journal Wine Mom



www.winetastingmastery.com

Cricketer Stuart Broad on His Second Love: Wine - Wall Street Journal

Cricketer Stuart Broad on His Second Love: Wine - Wall Street Journal



Wine Enthusiast !!!! Get Busy on this great article



www.winetastingmastery.com

Terlato losing flagship wine, Santa Margherita - Crain's Chicago Business (blog)

Terlato losing flagship wine, Santa Margherita - Crain's Chicago Business (blog)



WTF ?!?!? Over ?  Please ! I hope this is not true. WTH !!!



www.winetastingmastery.com



Can't we all get along and drink the Wine We Love ???

Iron, Wine and Horses: Two Friends Make The Ultimate Mixtape - NPR

Iron, Wine and Horses: Two Friends Make The Ultimate Mixtape - NPR



Wine Blogging topics and Music and Wine



www.winetastingmastery.com/

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Raiders steal 5,000 bottles of wine

Raiders steal 5,000 bottles of wine

2015 Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival Presented by FOOD & WINE Raises $1.5 Million for ...

2015 Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival Presented by FOOD & WINE Raises $1.5 Million for ...



Great article ! Very Good Wine Lovers/Enthusiast Reading material. @wine_mastery Twitter



www.winetastingmastery.com

Feds worry about contamination in bottles of sea-aged wine

Feds worry about contamination in bottles of sea-aged wine

Hangover-free wine getting a lot of buzz

Hangover-free wine getting a lot of buzz

Sunday, July 12, 2015

These Are the Best Wine Pairings for Your Next Barbecue - TIME

These Are the Best Wine Pairings for Your Next Barbecue - TIME



That's what I'm talking about. Wine and Food - Food and Delicious Wine combo's !!! And it's BBQ grub and Wine drinks. Yeh !

@wine_mastery Twitter  and www.winetastingmastery.com

French Wine Regions Champagne, Burgundy Win World Heritage Status - NBCNews.com

French Wine Regions Champagne, Burgundy Win World Heritage Status - NBCNews.com



Great reading on Wine topic. @wine_mastery Twitter



www.winetastingmastery.com

LeBron, Dwyane, CP3, and Melo engage in world's greatest wine toast - Yahoo Sports (blog)

LeBron, Dwyane, CP3, and Melo engage in world's greatest wine toast - Yahoo Sports (blog)

Oregon matures into world-class wine and food destination - USA TODAY

Oregon matures into world-class wine and food destination - USA TODAY

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Restaurants overprice wine because they know you have no idea - New York Post

Restaurants overprice wine because they know you have no idea - New York Post



Wine and Restaurants over pricing Wine



www.winetastingmastery.com

Court: Attorney shoplifted Kroger wine, lied - Cincinnati.com

Court: Attorney shoplifted Kroger wine, lied - Cincinnati.com



Wine Crimes - Wine Theft and Wine news



www.winetastingmastery.com

Total Wine uncorks booze battles in Minnesota - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Total Wine uncorks booze battles in Minnesota - Minneapolis Star Tribune



Interesting Wine Article - 

Wine Tasting - www.winetastingmastery.com

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Wineries Find a Popular Pairing: Fitness Class and a Wine Tasting - Wall Street Journal

Wineries Find a Popular Pairing: Fitness Class and a Wine Tasting - Wall Street Journal  Excellent Information !  Enjoy Wine Lovers and Enthusiast Worldwide at www.winetastingmastery.com

Kulers Uncorked: How To Start A Wine Cellar - Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)

Kulers Uncorked: How To Start A Wine Cellar - Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)  Excellent article Wine Enthusiast Lovers !  Go to www.winetastingmastery.com for articles,blogs,books etc... to fulfill your taste buds for the great subject of Wine !

Orange wine is the new rosé - New York Post

Orange wine is the new rosé - New York Post  Excellent article ! Enjoy countless great articles and conversations at www.winetastingmastery.com or twitter page at wine_mastery

Monday, May 18, 2015

Pairing - Food and Wine 101

Pairing - Food and Wine 101



www.winetastingmastery.com

Wine Appreciation Videos

Wine Appreciation Videos



www.winetastingmastery.com

Music City Food Wine Festival Announces 2015 Chef Lineup - Nashville Scene

Music City Food Wine Festival Announces 2015 Chef Lineup - Nashville Scene



www.winetastingmastery.com

Sunday, May 10, 2015

TASTING TIPS
So you've arrived at a winery and are ready to taste the fruits of the winemaker's labor. But how do you "taste" wine if you're only a casual wine drinker? Don't worry, it's simpler than you think.
Here you'll find the following:

WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN TASTING WINE

  1. Don't offer your opinion or descriptions of the wine until everyone in your party has had an opportunity to taste and consider their own opinions.
  2. Don't wear heavy cologne or perfume, as the scents may interfere with the tasting process.
  3. Don't consume irresponsibly and don't be averse to having a designated driver. Drinking in excess diminishes your sense of taste. (Spit buckets are available to dispose of excess wine after tasting.)
  4. Don't be afraid to talk about the wine and offer your opinion. If you don't have an opinion (or don't want to share it), ask the winery host questions about the winery and its wine.

BASIC WINE TASTING

Tasting wine doesn't have to be a long, drawn out process and you don't need to be a professional wine taster in order to visit a Pennsylvania winery.
That said, the following tips will have you up and sampling in no time.
  1. Pour wine into a clean, clear glass. Hold glass by the stem.
  2. View the glass against a white background or light to observe the wine's color and clarity.
  3. Swirl wine glass for a few seconds to let wine "breathe" and bring out the aromas.
  4. Sniff wine.
  5. Sip wine. Roll the wine gently in your mouth for a few seconds before swallowing.
  6. Consider your impressions of the wine. Feel free to ask the host about his or her impressions of the wine and its characteristics.
  7. Repeat with same wine or different wine. If desired, skip steps two through four.
  8. Ask questions. Winery staff is helpful and will guide you through the process—take the intimidating factor away and replace it with a chance to learn more about wine.

ADVANCED WINE TASTING

Once you've mastered basic wine tasting, you're ready to move to the next level. It's a lot like basic wine tasting, but with a few extra steps and detailed observations. You can taste wines horizontally (multiple wines from the same vintage or year) or vertically (the same wine from different vintages).
Generally, white wine is tasted before red wine and dry wines are sampled before sweet wines.
  1. Pour wine. Allow enough room in the glass to allow swirling. If you only plan to sample the wine before moving on to another, pour just enough for a few sips.
  2. Observe wine. Tilt the glass away from you and note the color of the wine from the edges to the middle. This works best against a light colored background. Different wines will vary in their color intensity (white wines darken with age, while red wines lose their intensity and may turn brownish or brick red). Also observe the clarity of the wine.
  3. Swirl the wine. This expands the surface area of the wine, allowing oxygen into the wine and bringing out its natural aromas. To swirl, place the wine glass on a flat surface and, while grasping the stem, move the glass in a tight circle for a few seconds. If a flat surface isn't available, swirl gently by moving your wrist or hand.
  4. Sniff the wine, first with your nose a few inches from the glass, then feel free to insert your nose into the glass and breathe deeply. Repeat if desired, resting your sense of smell in between. Do you smell wood, fruit, flowers, earth? These and other nuanced aromas can be found in many wines and will give you an indication of what to expect when you taste it. The sniff test can also detect spoiled wines, which may smell like moldy cheese or vinegar, before you taste it. NOTE: The scent of a wine is usually referred to as its "nose" or "bouquet," not its "smell.")
  5. Sip the wine. "Chew" it or roll it over your tongue to cover your taste buds. Because smell and taste are inextricably linked, feel free to breathe lightly through your nose while tasting the wine. Some advanced tasters even slurp air in through their mouth and over the wine (though not always).
  6. Swallow the wine – or not. Most people swallow the wine, but some, especially those tasting many different wines, will spit the wine into a receptacle provided at most wineries or into a paper cup, which is later dumped into the receptacle.
  7. Discuss the wine. Once everyone in your party has tasted the wine and has had a chance to form some opinions, talk about the wine and what you noticed or liked about it. Involve the winery host in the conversation. Chances are they know more about that particular wine than anyone else in the room.

HOW TO DESCRIBE THE WINE

For many people, this is the most intimidating part of the wine tasting process. But it doesn't need to be, and no one at a winery expects you to be a wine tasting expert. In fact, a vast majority of winery visitors aren't! When tasting and discussing the wine, there are many ways to describe the experience. You may simply say that you like it or don't like it, or you may consider any of the following more detailed descriptors:
  • ACID - An acidic wine, often a characteristic of white wines, is slightly tart or sour and will make your mouth water after swallowing it. A wine that is too acidic is considered "sharp."
  • AROMA - also referred to as the bouquet or nose of the wine. The scent of the grape from which the wine is made.
  • BALANCE - A balanced wine has the right proportion of alcohol, residual sugar (sweetness), acid and tannin.
  • BODY - This refers to the "weight" of the wine in your mouth, which is a description of the intensity of the wine's flavor. The body is usually described as light, medium, or full.
  • BOLD - A robust wine full of flavor, with many different distinct characteristics.
  • BRIX - A term used to measure the sugar content of grapes. 
  • CAPSULE - The plastic or metal film that covers the cork and neck of the wine bottle.
  • COMPLEX – Similar to bold, complex wines have many layers of flavor and characteristics. Complexity is usually developed as a wine ages.
  • CRISP – A wine with refreshing acidity. Usually used to describe white wines. The opposite of a "soft" wine.
  • DRY – A wine that is not sweet and usually high in tannins. Usually describes red wines.
  • DEPTH - The complexity of a wine and the flavors.
  • ESTATE BOTTLED - This statement on a wine bottle means that the grapes were grown on the winery property and the wine was made and bottled on the winery site as well.
  • FINISH - The taste the wine leaves after you swallow it or spit it out.
  • FIRM - A wine with medium or balanced tannic content or acidity.
  • LATE HARVEST - Wine made from grapes that were picked with a higher sugar content. 
  • LEGS - The lines or tears of wine that appear on the sides of the wine glass when swirled.
  • LENGTH - How long the wine taste lingers on your palate after swallowing it.
  • NOSE - Also known as bouquet or aroma. The scent of the wine.
  • NOTES - You may choose to take notes during your tasting experiences (in fact, it's recommended), but in this case, notes refers to the subtle flavors sensed in the wine. Red wines contain fruity notes like berries, plum or figs (even though they're not made from these fruits). Reds may also have spicy flavors like cinnamon and pepper, or earthy flavors like cedar, oak, smokiness or soil (yes, soil, and that's not always a bad thing). White wines can taste like lighter colored fruits (pears, apples or citrus fruits) or contain floral, butter, or honey notes.
  • SOFT - A smooth wine, typically a characteristic of red wines. The opposite of a "crisp" wine.
  • TANNIN – A characteristic found in red wines (a byproduct of grape skins and seeds), which leaves the mouth feeling dry and "puckery." A dry, tannic wine is described as "chewy."
  • SPLIT - A six ounce bottle of wine.
  • SWEETNESS - Found commonly in dessert wines, though many wines have varying degrees of sweetness.
A more detailed list of wine descriptors can be found here.

Wine Tasting Tips - NEW !

TASTING TIPS
So you've arrived at a winery and are ready to taste the fruits of the winemaker's labor. But how do you "taste" wine if you're only a casual wine drinker? Don't worry, it's simpler than you think.
Here you'll find the following:

WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN TASTING WINE

  1. Don't offer your opinion or descriptions of the wine until everyone in your party has had an opportunity to taste and consider their own opinions.
  2. Don't wear heavy cologne or perfume, as the scents may interfere with the tasting process.
  3. Don't consume irresponsibly and don't be averse to having a designated driver. Drinking in excess diminishes your sense of taste. (Spit buckets are available to dispose of excess wine after tasting.)
  4. Don't be afraid to talk about the wine and offer your opinion. If you don't have an opinion (or don't want to share it), ask the winery host questions about the winery and its wine.

BASIC WINE TASTING

Tasting wine doesn't have to be a long, drawn out process and you don't need to be a professional wine taster in order to visit a Pennsylvania winery.
That said, the following tips will have you up and sampling in no time.
  1. Pour wine into a clean, clear glass. Hold glass by the stem.
  2. View the glass against a white background or light to observe the wine's color and clarity.
  3. Swirl wine glass for a few seconds to let wine "breathe" and bring out the aromas.
  4. Sniff wine.
  5. Sip wine. Roll the wine gently in your mouth for a few seconds before swallowing.
  6. Consider your impressions of the wine. Feel free to ask the host about his or her impressions of the wine and its characteristics.
  7. Repeat with same wine or different wine. If desired, skip steps two through four.
  8. Ask questions. Winery staff is helpful and will guide you through the process—take the intimidating factor away and replace it with a chance to learn more about wine.

ADVANCED WINE TASTING

Once you've mastered basic wine tasting, you're ready to move to the next level. It's a lot like basic wine tasting, but with a few extra steps and detailed observations. You can taste wines horizontally (multiple wines from the same vintage or year) or vertically (the same wine from different vintages).
Generally, white wine is tasted before red wine and dry wines are sampled before sweet wines.
  1. Pour wine. Allow enough room in the glass to allow swirling. If you only plan to sample the wine before moving on to another, pour just enough for a few sips.
  2. Observe wine. Tilt the glass away from you and note the color of the wine from the edges to the middle. This works best against a light colored background. Different wines will vary in their color intensity (white wines darken with age, while red wines lose their intensity and may turn brownish or brick red). Also observe the clarity of the wine.
  3. Swirl the wine. This expands the surface area of the wine, allowing oxygen into the wine and bringing out its natural aromas. To swirl, place the wine glass on a flat surface and, while grasping the stem, move the glass in a tight circle for a few seconds. If a flat surface isn't available, swirl gently by moving your wrist or hand.
  4. Sniff the wine, first with your nose a few inches from the glass, then feel free to insert your nose into the glass and breathe deeply. Repeat if desired, resting your sense of smell in between. Do you smell wood, fruit, flowers, earth? These and other nuanced aromas can be found in many wines and will give you an indication of what to expect when you taste it. The sniff test can also detect spoiled wines, which may smell like moldy cheese or vinegar, before you taste it. NOTE: The scent of a wine is usually referred to as its "nose" or "bouquet," not its "smell.")
  5. Sip the wine. "Chew" it or roll it over your tongue to cover your taste buds. Because smell and taste are inextricably linked, feel free to breathe lightly through your nose while tasting the wine. Some advanced tasters even slurp air in through their mouth and over the wine (though not always).
  6. Swallow the wine – or not. Most people swallow the wine, but some, especially those tasting many different wines, will spit the wine into a receptacle provided at most wineries or into a paper cup, which is later dumped into the receptacle.
  7. Discuss the wine. Once everyone in your party has tasted the wine and has had a chance to form some opinions, talk about the wine and what you noticed or liked about it. Involve the winery host in the conversation. Chances are they know more about that particular wine than anyone else in the room.

HOW TO DESCRIBE THE WINE

For many people, this is the most intimidating part of the wine tasting process. But it doesn't need to be, and no one at a winery expects you to be a wine tasting expert. In fact, a vast majority of winery visitors aren't! When tasting and discussing the wine, there are many ways to describe the experience. You may simply say that you like it or don't like it, or you may consider any of the following more detailed descriptors:
  • ACID - An acidic wine, often a characteristic of white wines, is slightly tart or sour and will make your mouth water after swallowing it. A wine that is too acidic is considered "sharp."
  • AROMA - also referred to as the bouquet or nose of the wine. The scent of the grape from which the wine is made.
  • BALANCE - A balanced wine has the right proportion of alcohol, residual sugar (sweetness), acid and tannin.
  • BODY - This refers to the "weight" of the wine in your mouth, which is a description of the intensity of the wine's flavor. The body is usually described as light, medium, or full.
  • BOLD - A robust wine full of flavor, with many different distinct characteristics.
  • BRIX - A term used to measure the sugar content of grapes. 
  • CAPSULE - The plastic or metal film that covers the cork and neck of the wine bottle.
  • COMPLEX – Similar to bold, complex wines have many layers of flavor and characteristics. Complexity is usually developed as a wine ages.
  • CRISP – A wine with refreshing acidity. Usually used to describe white wines. The opposite of a "soft" wine.
  • DRY – A wine that is not sweet and usually high in tannins. Usually describes red wines.
  • DEPTH - The complexity of a wine and the flavors.
  • ESTATE BOTTLED - This statement on a wine bottle means that the grapes were grown on the winery property and the wine was made and bottled on the winery site as well.
  • FINISH - The taste the wine leaves after you swallow it or spit it out.
  • FIRM - A wine with medium or balanced tannic content or acidity.
  • LATE HARVEST - Wine made from grapes that were picked with a higher sugar content. 
  • LEGS - The lines or tears of wine that appear on the sides of the wine glass when swirled.
  • LENGTH - How long the wine taste lingers on your palate after swallowing it.
  • NOSE - Also known as bouquet or aroma. The scent of the wine.
  • NOTES - You may choose to take notes during your tasting experiences (in fact, it's recommended), but in this case, notes refers to the subtle flavors sensed in the wine. Red wines contain fruity notes like berries, plum or figs (even though they're not made from these fruits). Reds may also have spicy flavors like cinnamon and pepper, or earthy flavors like cedar, oak, smokiness or soil (yes, soil, and that's not always a bad thing). White wines can taste like lighter colored fruits (pears, apples or citrus fruits) or contain floral, butter, or honey notes.
  • SOFT - A smooth wine, typically a characteristic of red wines. The opposite of a "crisp" wine.
  • TANNIN – A characteristic found in red wines (a byproduct of grape skins and seeds), which leaves the mouth feeling dry and "puckery." A dry, tannic wine is described as "chewy."
  • SPLIT - A six ounce bottle of wine.
  • SWEETNESS - Found commonly in dessert wines, though many wines have varying degrees of sweetness.
A more detailed list of wine descriptors can be found here.

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Wine or Beer ???

Dessert Pairings: Some Wine or Beer With Your Dessert? – Wall Street Journal



Wall Street Journal
Dessert Pairings: Some Wine or Beer With Your Dessert?
Wall Street Journal
Don't assume that dessert has to be paired with a dessert wine. Restaurateur Marlo Scott likes to enhance sweet dishes' flavor with a wine or beer—for instance, apple cake with a zesty Sauvignon Blanc or red-velvet cupcakes with a creamy golden ale.
Brought to you by Google News. Read the rest of the article here

www.winetastingmastery.com

Idiots Guide to Tasting Wine

An Idiot’s Guide To Wine Tasting


10Have you ever seen those stiff upper-lipped types doing a spot of the old wine tasting malarkey? You know the form – sip, swill, spit. Yuck! Well this information has been written to help you understand the form should you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to know what to do. And don’t go thinking “I’ll never have to do any wine-tasting” because you just don’t know that for sure and the last thing you want is to be caught unaware.
So, on with the tasting…
Study The Wine
Pick up your glass as elegantly as possible. There are two ways this can be done.
a) For chilled wines – hold the glass by the stem and don’t even touch the bowl.
b) For wine served at room temperature – pick up the glass by the bowl and hold it cupped in your palm, the stem between your middle two fingers.
Now that you have the glass comfortably in your hand, hold it at a slight angle against something white. If your hostess is worth her salt, she’ll have covered the table in white linen specifically for this purpose (although it does look nice, too).
Be careful not to tip the glass too far – unless you’re willing to replace an expensive linen tablecloth, that is. You may also need to adjust the distance from your eyes that the glass is held at. Most find that holding it at almost arm’s length is a good starting point although the very short sighted who are also absent minded enough to have left their eye glasses at home may find themselves having to hold the glass almost in front of their noses.
Once you’ve found the correct position, study the colour and clarity of the wine. Now you may well believe that wine’s either red, pink, or white but I’m afraid, if that’s the case, you’re very much mistaken. Wines can be green, yellow, gold, pink, purple, or even black. Evidently, the colour of the wine will indicate the type of grape it was made from – like me, you, and Jack on the street are likely to know that!
Clarity indicates age. Young wines are more see through and cloudiness can mean there’s something wrong. If that’s the case, I’d suggest putting it back on the table and giving your hostess once of those ‘down your nose’ type looks.
The reason why you’re studying the colour and clarity looks has absolutely no bearing on how the wine will taste but a proper connoisseur enjoys the beauty of wine as well as its taste and …
The Bouquet
No, we’re not talking about the bunch of flowers a bride carries with her down the aisle, we’re talking the smell of wine. Sometimes, if the people at the wine tasting are really posh, they might call it ‘The Nose’.
Still holding your glass in the correct manner, lower your hand somewhat whilst bring your glass to a level position and rotate your wrist so that the wine swirls gently within the bowl. You might want to leave these instructions at this point to go to the kitchen and practise this step with a wineglass half filled with water. After all, it’s just as well to know for sure that you aren’t going to spill expensive red wine over your hostess’s spanking new Axminster.
To swill wine properly, very little wrist movement is actually needed. Just very slight circular movements combined with a right-left movement should do the trick.
The idea behind all this swilling is to bring the wine’s aroma out of the wine itself and into the empty part of the bowl thus allowing it to be smelled and savoured. This is why wine glasses are bulbous. The wide bowl has ample room for swilling while the narrow edge ‘captures’ the bouquet. Clever, eh?
Move your glass to your nose as elegantly as you’re able and bring it in slightly beneath the tip. Inhale deeply. Savour for a few moments and then inhale again. It’s a good idea to exhale between those two inhalations or you might find yourself going dizzy. Do it too often and you’ll faint.
You may now move your glass away from your nose.
At this point, it’s appropriate to make some kind of comment. Don’t imagine you’ll fool anybody into believing you’re an expert but at least you can make it sound as if you’ve actually drunk a glass of decent wine before. Why should the other guests need to know that most of your wine costs £3.99 at the Co-Op?
Something like “mmmm, rich and fruity” or “oooh, lovely and light” will probably do the trick. When talking about red wine, ‘rich’ is usually a good word to use – if the wine’s white, go for ‘light’.
The Actual Tasting
You’ve probably been looking forward to this bit but whatever you do, remember that wine tasting is about taking small sips and not guzzle it down like there’s no tomorrow.
This bit’s actually trickier than you’d expect so you might want to do some more practising.
Bring your glass to your lips, open them slightly and take a small sip. Now close you mouth and roll the wine around on your tongue for a few seconds before allowing it to slide slowly down your throat AND AT THE SAME TIME EXHALE!
The trouble with exhaling whilst swallowing is that some of the liquid might come shooting through your nostrils. Not a pretty sight and, again, think of the Axminster!
If you fancy, you can always take a second sip at this point but never a third. No matter how good that one particular wine is, it’s time to move on to the next.
Other Stuff Worth Knowing
Apart from bottles and glasses, the table will probably hold plates of cheese or, occasionally, sherbet. They’re not there to snack on; they’re used between wines to clean out the taste of the last wine you tasted. Just a little at a time is all that’s needed. Do like a mouse and nibble!
Wear something comfortable and preferably something that doesn’t carry a designer label. After all, if you spill red wine down the front of your best frock, you’re not going to be happy, are you?
That’s it. You’re now clued up enough to pop along to your very first wine tasting party without making a complete idiot of yourself.
Enjoy!
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Wine 101- Selecting a Wine


3Selecting a wine can be difficult without the proper know-how. Choosing a bottle may be more challenging when you are in a busy nightclub, and have to make a fast decision. Here are a few tips to assist you choose the correct glass or bottle of wine, or as a server, to help you clients choose.
Wine in general can be split into two categories: red wine and white wine. Red wine is heavier, while white wines tend to be sweeter. If you recall zero else, remember this old rule of thumb: red wines are finest for kick because the flavors stand up to the deep taste of the meat, while white wine is recommended for lighter dishes such as chicken and fish.
There are a wide mixture of different wines founded on the varieties of grapes that they are made from, and the processes that are in use to make the wine. Wines that are described as “dry” will be far less sweet, while wines that are described as “dessert wines” or “sweet” will be just that, sweet due to advanced sugar content. Dessert wines are master for dessert, but might be overly sweet for pairing with savory meals.
When selecting a bottle in a liquor store, you spend time perusing the bottle labels, but you might not have that opportunity in a nightclub. Stare over the wine list when deciding wine in a nightclub. Remember, that the vintage of bottle means that it was the year it was bottled in, it does not always imply that an older wine is an amended choice. A fast trick is to stare on the menu for a 1990 vintage wine, as 1990 is considered by wine people to have been an all close to good year for wine.
I got another tip to implement when choosing wine on a nightclub’s menu. Look for bottles that are described as “full bodied,” “medium bodied,” or “pale bodied.” This indicates the alcohol content level that the wine comprises. Alcohol is measured by percent of alcohol by volume, with full bodied wines containing over 12.5% alcohol by quantity. Lighter wines, or pale bodied wines, will contain as small as 7.5% to 10.5% alcohol by quantity. If you are the driver, get note of this measurement when deciding. Follow these easy steps and you will be on the right path in choosing a bottle that will complement your meal and fulfill your drinking preference.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6321015

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