Enjoying Wines

Archive for September, 2009

Red wine has been around for centuries, being a tasty accent of a wide variety of different meals, appetizers and desserts.  There are red wines that are good for the person who has not ventured into the red wine arena before and wines that are subtly different from others where it takes a more experienced wine taster to notice.A lot of resources are provided for the individuals to choose the best red wine for their different purposes.  There are storage racks that are designed to help individuals store the wine bottles in the home or in the wine cellar so that the wine is preserved in the best condition possible over time.  There are many people who are white wine drinkers first and then move to the red wine varieties over time and with certain meals.  There are red wines that come from many different countries around the world, the most significant being France, Italy and in the United States. 

Red Wine Varieties

One variety of red wine that is spicy and strong is the Shiraz.Besides being fruity wine it also has the taste of black pepper.  This type of wine, since it is heartier, is usually used with meals that have a beef base to them, such as steaks and stews, but also with wild game types of meals.  This type of wine is made in California as well as in Australia and France.

Another category of red wine is known as Merlot.  This type of wine is usually a good choice for the beginning red wine connoisseur.  It is a smooth wine that can be used with a multitude of different dishes, from red meats, fish, chicken and pasta dishes.  It is also made in a variety of different places, which each place giving a unique accent or twist to this popular wine.  It is made in Italy, Romania, Australia and even in Chile.  In the United States it is made in both California and Washington.

Another popular red wineis the Cabernet Sauvignon, which is heartier than the Merlot and also has some spice to it.  It is a dryer red wine, which is sometimes offsetting to the newer wine drinker.  It is a wine that is typically served with red meat dishes, but usually red meat dishes that do not have any sauces or other accouterments to them.

As Absinthe has become a popular drink and with the legalization of a few brands of it one can experience an Absinthe revival. Yet, some people don’t really know how to use Absinthe correctly or even what Absinthe is.

What is Absinthe

Absinthe is not a hallucinogen or a drug. It is a strong alcoholic beverage with an alcohol by volume of up to 75% and an anise flavor.

Dr Pierre Ordinaire in Couvet, Switzerland in the 18th century prepared Absinthe as an elixir for his patients. Absinthe was distilled and sold by Henri-Louis Pernod commercially by the turn of the 19th century. Pernod used a wine alcohol base distilled with various types of natural herbs comprising wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium), fennel, aniseed, star anise, hyssop, lemon balm, angelica, juniper, dittany, nutmeg and melissa.

People of France prefer Absinthe to wine. Absinthe bars became popular and the “Ritual” or traditional method of using and preparing Absinthe was born.

Due to it’s assumed harmful effects Absinthe was banned in France in 1915. Everybody now knows that these claims were false. Absinthe cannot and does not give rise to such effects. Absinthe was authorized in several countries in the 1990s.

How to Use Absinthe the Traditional Way

To prepare Absinthe in the traditional way is to use the “Ritual”.
A person will need:-
– One must have the Absinthe glass or a large glass.
– Absinthe
– An Absinthe spoon– replica glasses and spoons can be purchased online at AbsintheKit.One can visit the site AbsintheKit.com to make his own Absinthe. To prepare own Absinthe a person will require top-quality Absinthe essences.
– One has to use a sugar cube.
– Sufficient amount of carafe of iced water.

Pour a shot of Absinthe into the glass.
Place the spoon on the rim of the glass and supply the sugar cube on the spoon.
Slowly drip, rather than pour, the iced water over the sugar to dissolve it.
As soon as the water mixes into the Absinthe,the Absinthe louche is seen. The essential oils cause the mixture to louche or go cloudy because they are not soluble in water.
Stir your Absinthe and enjoy the taste of the Green Fairy.

Absinthe is a strong drink and one can easily drink it. Absinthe is made out of a curious blend of herbs that are either naturally relaxing in nature or are stimulants. One can feel a very different drunkenness with this blend of herbs. It is also known as a “clear headed” drunkenness.

The Czech or Bohemian Method

With this method, once you have poured the shot of Absinthe into the glass you dip the sugar cube into the alcohol and then set it alight on the spoon with a match. Add the iced water into the Absinthe after the caramelization and melting of sugar.

The Bohemian method is a modern method that is a bit of fun in comparison to a serious method of drinking Absinthe. There can be chances of catching fire in the glass of Absinthe due to a waste of Absinthe! A person should be attentive.

Although the Ritual is the well known method of using Absinthe but cocktail recipes can also be made by it.

If you don’t know one yourself, you have a friend who knows one…someone who simply loves wine. They like nothing more than enjoying a fine Chardonnay on a summers evening, which is great for them, but they probably don’t realise just how hard they are to buy for. You want to get them something they will like (which is naturally going to be an item wine gifts related), but they have every wine book, gadget and bottle under the sun. So what can you get them?

Sparkling wine key. They may have bottle openers, cork crews and champagne cutters, but chances are they will not have a wine key. These are a great new product that makes opening a bottle of sparkling wine easier than opening a can of cola. They also prevent you taking your eye out with the cork, spewing wine all over the place and wasting any precious liquid.

Cheese Accessories. You’ll find that most wine lovers also enjoy a nice bit of cheese with their tipple. eIt makes a change from buying them strictly wine-related items and there are a whole rang of cheese gifts out there. Aside from actually buying some nice cheeses, you can buy dinnerware such as cheese boards, plates, knives and even cutting wire.It may be a good idea, if you choose to buy them cheese, to discover which ones go best with the wines they enjoy. Once you’ve got the right ones you can even give them the book you used to swat up with as well.

Vouchers. It might sound like a lame gift, but vouchers are often a great solution for the friend who you simply cannot buy for. These can be purchased from lots of high street and online retailers and allow the receiver to buy exactly what they want and when they want it.