Wine experts estimate that raising the storage temperature of wine can increase the aging rate from anywhere between two and eight times. As any wine lover will know, this is not a good thing as compounds within the wine need time to mature naturally. Unnatural aging can cause wine to acquire an unpleasant, harsh flavour.
A classic example of this unwanted effect is wine being left in a hot car. When left in this environment, wine over matures in a matter of hours. The ideal temperature for wine is between 4�C and 18�C. This consistency of temperature can only really be achieved in a specialist wine cooler or cellar.
Light
Too much exposure to light can dramatically affect the taste of wine. UV rays from the sun can cause some compounds in the wine to break down, which can produce some undesirable odours and a strange ‘off’ taste. Sunlight, and to some degree, fluorescent lighting, are light sources which are most problematic.
Regular light bulbs found in the home, which give out incandescent light, are not as much of a problem, but should still be limited whenever possible. Complete darkness is always the best environment for wine.
Humidity
The humidity of an area is another key factor to consider for wine storage. Low humidity can cause the cork to dry out and shrink, which can lead to wine leaking from the bottle. In addition, any air that enters the bottle could oxidise the wine, resulting in loss of colour, taste and aroma.
In contrast, too much humidity can also create unwanted effects. High humidity can allow mould to grow on the cork and label but this is more of a cosmetic issue rather than a threat to the wine itself. The key is to choose an environment that will maintain a steady, moderate humidity.
Vibration
Finally, vibration or regular movement of a bottle of wine can cause sedimentation from the bottom of the bottle to circulate, reacting with the wine to produce unpleasant flavours and texture.
Although vibration is the least problematic of the four factors, it should still be minimised whenever possible. Cheap wine coolers will typically have electric motors which cause minute vibrations. Over time, these slight movements can affect the flavour of wine. Wines most at risk from vibration are the more delicate varieties, such as a Pinot Grigio.
In summary, it’s best to store your precious wine in a cool, dark, moderately humid place, where it won’t be subject to movement. Traditional methods of wine storage, such as cellars, are seldom available in modern homes but thankfully modern wine coolers allow collectors to protect their prized wines in virtually any space. Wine preservation is an art, so whether you’re storing it for your own enjoyment or as an investment for the future, it pays to take care of it.
Article submitted by Juliette Raine, Marketing Manager at Westye – the European home of Sub-Zero & Wolf. Sub-Zero’s range of wine storage is the ultimate in wine preservation. Find out more at http://www.westye.co.uk.
Finding the right combination of wine and food can bring about a more satisfying and tasteful way to enjoy a meal. But understanding what combination of wine and food, as well as knowing the type of wine and when to serve it can be somewhat daunting given the wide variety of possibilities present. What follows are simple examples of how to incorporate wine tasting, the time of the meal and which combination works best when you have a guest over or just want to create the perfect evening for two.
Wine tasting is a wonderful way to start the evening, bringing about sophistication to the following meal without being heavy or interrupting the main course. You should have a few selections of wine available for your wine tasting today and also have plenty of water to allow the participants to cleanse their pallets between each serving of wine.
You can also provide a few snacks or appetizers when conducting the wine tasting, which can be good for those who may have sensitive stomachs before a meal. Yogurt is an excellent snack as it can coat the stomach, protecting it from any sour feeling the wine may offer while also being good for the health. Plus, yogurt is very light and will not spoil the meal which is to follow. You can be the wine tasting hero by making sure that your guests are well provided for when it comes to supplementing their taste buds with the healthy combination of wine and appetizers.
Now that you have finished the wine tasting, you can focus on which type of meal is best for the wine you are going to serve. The following examples are a few popular wine choices and the general types of meals that they are best served for the combination of taste and enjoyment.
Bordeaux, especially Red Bordeaux wine can be wonderfully served with meals featuring red meats, particularly game and lamb with a strong cheese as a side dish. This is especially true of Red Bordeaux that is part of the “West Bank” varieties of wine. For the “East Bank” types, which generally have more Merlot mixed in, then milder red meats and particularly stews are good choices.
Chardonnay is another wonderful win that goes exceptionally well in the fall or early spring with seafood, particularly lobster and shrimp or sea bass. White meats such as chicken, turkey or pork also go well with Chardonnay, especially if you add flavorful butter, cream or garlic sauces into the mix.
Merlot can go with stronger combinations of meat such as beef, duck and squab. You’ll find that for side dishes mushrooms and wild rice offset the Merlot taste quite well. Add a little mild cow or goat cheese of course to bring out the full flavor of the meal.
Finally, for special occasions when only Champagne will do, you can combine this particular wine with caviar, lobster or oysters if you have seafood in mind. Chicken with a light butter glaze works wonders as well.
All in all, leading off the evening with wine tasting followed by a good meal is a great way to spend the evening with friends and family.
To find out more about Wine Tasting, the many elements involved in wine tasting, and what is happening in the world of wine tasting please refer to http://www.WineTastingToday.com
I have to admit, when it comes to wine glasses, I am partial to the Riedel brand. Being a lover of wine, and being in a business that predominately focuses on high-end wine glasses is kind of like being a parent. Say you have four kids. You love them all out of duty and kinship, but let’s be honest–most of the time, there’s one that gets favored more. Maybe because you get along better, you have common interests, they have the same sense of humor as you, whatever the case. It’s human nature. So, Riedel is my favored kid of glasses. To take it a step further, the Riedel Vitis line of glasses is my favored Riedel kid. I love them because they are varietal-specific, they are designed–as are all Riedel wine glasses–taking the characteristics of each type of wine into consideration before they are produced, and they are, quite simply, the most gorgeous glasses out there (in my humble opinion). I sincerely hope my kids don’t need therapy after reading this article…
Varietal Specific Wine Glasses
Over 50 years ago, Claus Riedel pioneered the concept of creating wine glasses that delivered the most accurate representation of each type (varietal) of wine. Until then, a wine glass was a wine glass. They were all-purpose and generic. Riedel recognized that the size, shape, bowl, and height were all factors that needed to be considered on a by-grape basis when crafting a crystal wine glass. Take a lofty Cabernet Sauvignon for example. A Cab needs more surface area to breathe, open up the nose, evaporate alcohol and balance the interaction of the acids, tannins, fruits and minerals of the wine. The requirements of a young Riesling, for instance, are dramatically different. All of these factors are meticulously studied by Riedel when crafting a new line of their glassware, and when they launched the Vitis glasses in 2006, it was no different.
Vitis Glasses – The Twist is the Pull
Vitis glasses are striking in appearance. They are not ornate, but rather clean and angular in design. What sets them apart is that they feature a pulled stem, which creates an indent in the bottom of the bowl. This indent reflects light, which makes the wine dazzle with an added dimension. It also creates fluidity about the glass–the glass and the stem seem to flow into each other. Not just a cosmetic feature of a wine glass, a pulled stem tends to be a little more durable than a stem that is attached to a bowl. That’s one of the more vulnerable points of a non-pulled stem…where the stem meets the bowl.
So, now you know this author’s preferred “wine child.” Seriously, whatever Riedel glass you go with you’re making a fantastic choice. It’s all a matter of your taste. The company simply doesn’t make a single inferior glass–they are all designed to ensure you get the absolute best performance for your wine drinking experience.
Cheers!
Louis Cooper is a 37 year veteran of the retail trade. An avid wine connoisseur, in 2007 he started OnWineTime to offer the wine enthusiast the finest wine glasses, decanters and wine accessories from around the world. Located in Ft Lauderdale, Florida, OnWineTime carries over 300 different wine and beer glasses and over 100 wine and spirit decanters from the top glass producers in the world, including Riedel, Schott Zwiesel, Wateford, Eisch, Spiegelau, Peugeot, Ravenscroft and Nachtmann. The real wine and beer glass superstore.
Building your custom wine cellar should be accomplished in as smooth a way as possible, from concept to design to the complete installation, may it be in residential or business locations. The design process (the phase where you get involved the most) should be an experience worth having rather than a troublesome and unpleasant one for you. Know more about the effective key points and guidelines to follow so you can get started with your design.
Define Your Elements
Custom wine cellars should be as unique as every individual is, so you can take the liberty of designing what suits you. For a wine storage solution that efficiently functions at its best, it is essential that you gather all your long-kept dreams and ideas and begin the process of realizing them. Here are some of the essential elements you need to consider in obtaining a custom wine cellar design:
Wine cellar (size, style, space)
The style and size of your wine room will depend on the number of bottles you need to store and also the location. It is very important to determine whether you want to focus on functional benefits, or beauty of presentation, or both. Decide on a space that is not directly exposed to sunlight. You definitely do not want to damage your wines due to temperature changes caused by improper wine storage. This is one of the reasons why wine bottles are colored and ideally stored in dark places.
Wine racks (size, style, wood specie and wood finish)
Different wine cellar manufacturers offer different wine racking solutions. Wine racks come in many different sizes – six feet, seven feet, and eight feet heights. These are usually modular in nature to allow more customization options such as adding a top shelf, bin extender, cubicle extender, curved corner wine rack, display wine rack, and other interesting options. Pick a style that suits your taste, greatly enhances the appearance of your wine collection, and compliments the interior of your home, commercial venues, or even luxury yachts.
The type of wood species also defines the quality of your wine rack so carefully pick wood types that promise durability, usability, and exotic beauty. Wood stains also play a vital role in boosting the glamour of your wine display so know the staining products that match the properties of your chosen wood specie.
Wine cellar door (design, size, and other specifications)
Captivating wine cellar doors give elegance to a wine room and sizes come in custom and standard dimensions. The doors can be customized in terms of width, jamb size, door swing, casement moldings, hinges, automatic door bottom, threshold, stain, and other features you want to include. You can even get them hand carved or with the glass etched with your design, the possibilities are endless. Review these options with your wine cellar specialist and always perform a quality check to ascertain longevity and maximum performance.
Wine cellar flooring (use of wood, old oak barrels, and other flooring materials)
Highly recommended is the mainstay flooring material wood as it can tolerate humidity levels typical of a wine storage room. One good tip, don’t use carpets since they tend to develop mustiness and molds due to the humidity. Surprisingly, some wine cellar experts recommend recycling of old oak barrels to use as wood flooring material as they represent originality and natural beauty as well as making sure they are kept out of landfills making your cellar truly ‘green’.
Wine cellar cooling system (types and factors to consider)
First of all, you need to know that home air conditioning units are totally different from the wine cooling equipment which are specially engineered to control the temperature and humidity levels inside the cellar. It is important that a controlled environment condition is maintained to promote proper wine cooling and wine aging, and prevent undesirable changes to the taste, smell, and general characteristic of your wines.
One of the popular types is the wall-mounted cooling unit which is usually designed to vent to an adjacent air-conditioned space or other units can have both interior and exterior vents. Another type is the self-contained cooling unit which can be placed free-standing inside the wine storage room or in an adjacent room and vented to the wine room through insulated ducts.
Split systems, on the other hand, can handle more extreme temperature levels and are less noisy, and its evaporator is installed inside the wine cellar while the condenser is placed outside or on an adjacent room.
Some of the important aspects to consider when choosing a wine cooling unit are the size of the wine cellar, noise levels of the unit, installation and the need for a licensed technician, price, and length of the warranty.
Other factors to be considered
You may also specify the lighting effects and ambiance you want to achieve. Do you want lights that dim, a fancy chandelier or is your wine cellar contemporary in style? Are your wine racks going to have a display rack and do you want to highlight the wines being shown there? There are many options to consider and if you have a good custom wine cellar designer they should be able to guide you in picking the right fixtures to complement your wine cellar.
And Finally:
Before you call a custom wine cellar specialist, make sure you have a good idea of the budget you have to work with and don’t forget to get a clear idea of the timelines involved so there are no surprises.
Let your Unique Ideas be Heard
After making a list of your ideas, wants and needs get in touch with a design consultant and discuss every single detail involved and be very careful not to miss out on any aspect as this is supposed to be your dream! Choose a wine cellar builder that has well-trained, knowledgeable, and customer-oriented consultants who can guide you as you work together in forming and visualizing your ideas and concepts.
Ask for a 3D Design
An initial sketch made by the consultant can be converted to a 3D design, done by a CAD (computer aided design) team. The 3D presentation enhances your understanding of the concept and lets you know what to expect, so a wine cellar builder that offers this package is worth the choice.
Give your Approval
A cellar designer should contact you to find out if you’ve gone through the design presentation and to answer any questions you may have. If you are happy with the design, you can readily approve the proposal and let them begin the process of realizing your dream.
We have found Coastal Custom Wine Cellars designs custom wine cellars to be very detailed and they offer a free 3D design package. Visit the website and learn more about wine cellars.
Weddings are exciting! Two hearts join as one! Many have dreamed of this special day for a long time. This article will give you practical advice to make your day special for the two of you.
Food
You can consider holding a separate “reception” style party at your home after the wedding for friends and family who couldn’t attend the wedding. It can be much like your wedding reception, and you can show photos or video from the actual wedding and enjoy good food and dancing with your loved ones who couldn’t make it to the big day.
When deciding on food for your wedding reception, take into account everyone who is on your guest list. Try to keep in mind what kind of food your guests do and don’t like, or can and can’t eat for health reasons, and try to plan accordingly to have something on the menu for everyone.
Wine
If finances are tight, consider a themed wedding. Many couples do not have the money to spend on an open bar. You can make that a non-issue by holding a themed event that hides the fact that you are not offering a wide variety of alcoholic beverages. For example, if you choose an Italian themed reception, you can offer red and white wine with the meal.
Do not serve champagne during the meal. You will save a lot of money on your wedding if you only use champagne for the toasts. Your guests can enjoy wine or other drinks during the meal, and you will be able to signify how special the toasts are to you by breaking out the champagne at that time.
Venue
Wait before making major wedding decisions. When you go to see a venue that you are sure you love, don’t put down a deposit right away. Go home, look at a couple of other places, and make a decision then. Making impulse decisions can cost you more money and a lifetime of regret so make sure you think as much as you are able to.
One consideration many people don’t think about when planning a wedding is how they will keep underage guests from drinking. This activity is illegal and you never know who might call the police on your event, especially the people who own the venue you’re using! Protect everyone from prosecution and let the bartender know who shouldn’t be served.
Yes! Wedding are exciting! It is a time to celebrate two people sharing their lives together. No doubt, there are many decisions and much planning to do. Use the practical suggestions given in the above article to help make your day special! Congratulations!
People always wonder how wine can be made so clear. If you’re one of those who make their own wine, you will be aware of fermentation through which wine is made but during which bits of debris tend to collate at the bottom of the wine. For winemakers, this factor is purely natural and acceptable as a part of the entire process but consumers prefer their wine clear. They don’t want to see debris floating inside their wine. Because of these factors, after the fermentation process has been completed, the winemaker will usually clean out the wine before he starts with the process of aging the wine. This cleaning process also tends to have other advantages as well since it increases the shelf life of the wine too.
However, not all is rosy and this process has its disadvantages at the same time. The removal of the floating bits in the wine tends to affect the bouquet of the wine. Despite this and other facts, these bits should be removed in order to make the wine something which can be sold easily. People who make their wine at home also want to make it into something that has a welcoming and inviting appearance.
Several processes are employed in order to make wine as clear as it is in stores. The oldest of these methods is known as racking. This is usually achieved by pouring the wine directly into another bottle and leaving the sediments behind. Bits are usually different things which may be anything from dead yeast, to cellulose, to pieces of skin or stem. It all depends on how well the first racking process goes and you may have to continue this procedure more than once. Red wine tends to be easier to clear out than white wine, red wines may need only a single round of racking before they can be bottled for sale.
Another well known method of cleaning out wine is referred to as fining. If you add a fining instrument to the wine, it starts off the cleaning process. The cleaning agent tends to be a lot heavier than alcohol and water and as such it doesn’t dissolve but it sinks to the bottom. It also attracts the floating debris to stick to it. The process must be carried out very carefully because it tends to disturb the bouquet as well as the flavor of the wine and the ageing process. Fining is a very delicate procedure and it should only be carried out by people who are conversant with the technique and not by people who have no experience with this sort of thing. Different fining instruments can be used in the wine cleaning procedure and they include gelatin, egg white, blood or milk.
Other options exist for people who wish to clear their wine and one of these options is filtering. You filter the wine through something that leaves the wine bits at the bottom. It sounds relatively easy but it must be handled with care as filtering wrongly may leave a clear but tasteless wine behind.
In today’s declining economy, there is a bright spot for families. More and more people are cooking at home instead of eating out. Cooking food at home can bring families together. The enjoyment of a shared meal is an important aspect of our social natures that dates back to the beginning of time.
You can cut the fat in your cooking by following a few simple steps. You should invest in good non stick cook ware so you do not have to use as much shortening or oil when you are cooking in the pans. Also measure the shortening that you are going to use, people tend to use too much.
To get a glossy shine on your breads, pie crusts, and other dough-based confections, brush the surface with an egg wash. Just whisk one whole egg, and brush it over all of the exposed surfaces prior to popping the crust or loaf into the oven. The egg helps with browning and provides an appealing, shiny texture.
Wine
When you’re finished with the wine, don’t discard the wine cork. For safety, you can use a no longer needed wine cork on the end of a sharp knife before you put it away in your kitchen drawer. This will prevent anyone in your household from getting unnecessarily cut when reaching for it.
Use more alcohol in your cooking. Do not pass off the awesome flavors you can impart into your foods by adding wine, spirits, or beer to your meals. When used properly the alcohol will evaporate, and you will be left with the delicious pure flavor of the base notes.
Beer
Use more alcohol in your cooking. Do not pass off the awesome flavors you can impart into your foods by adding wine, spirits, or beer to your meals. When used properly the alcohol will evaporate, and you will be left with the delicious pure flavor of the base notes.
Food and family are almost synonymous. Whether it’s the holidays, or just the evening meal, it is a wonderful thing to see the return of the home cook. The shared act of cooking a meal can only strengthen our families and improve our overall health in this society.
For thousands of years people have been drinking the wonderful nectar that is wine. The Romans drank it and so did the Egyptians, in fact is even in the Bible and was drunk by Jesus at the last supper.
So I was wondering if there is actually a best time to drink wine. Think about it we use wine to celebrate. For example you often see Grand Prix winners popping corks and shaking magnums of gorgeous Champagne on the podium and swigging from the bottle. For the less famous wine is often used as part of family milestones such as the birth of children, weddings and to mark birthdays.
What about the use of this beverage as part of the more casual and everyday settings? Personally I like to drink wine with my evening meal especially on at the end of a busy week on a Friday night, although I have been known to drink a glass or two mid-week given the chance.
Dinner parties are also another favourite time for me to showcase my favourite bottles drawn from my own modest cellar. I always ensure that I have at least six to ten bottles on hand in a variety of styles including a nice crisp dry white, rich red and a bottle of quality bubbly should I win the lottery.
I guess the best time to drink wine is a matter of personal choice and should and will fit in with each person’s lifestyle and habits. My only hope is that you will enjoy this rich drink that plays such a strong part in our cultural heritage. Please enjoy it with your friends and those whom you love dearly.
