Enjoying Wines

Archive for October, 2009

How to Buy White Wine For Your Dinner Guests

Are you hosting a dinner party for some close friends? If you are having a dinner party at home, you should see to it that you include some white wine in your menu. No, white wines are not inferior to red wines. In fact, some dry white wines taste a lot better than some types of red wines. To help you find the perfect white wine for you dinner guests, here are some things that you need to do.

Look For Wines That Are Fermented In Oak Barrels

According to experts, white wines that are fermented in oak barrels taste a lot better that those wines that are aged or fermented in oak chips or staves. Oak chips or staves are a lot cheaper to use that oak barrels so many wine makers often use these chips or staves to save money. Unfortunately, using oak chips or staves can alter the taste of the wine. If the manufacturer of the wine describes their wines as ?oak influence? or ?matured in oak? you should think twice about buying that type of wine. There is a big difference in the taste of the white wine that is aged or fermented in oak barrel and a white wine that is matured or fermented in oak chips. If you want to get the best white wines for your guest, buy only those wines that are matured or fermented in oak barrels.

Now, if you are not so familiar about wine fermentation and aging, you need some help from a wine expert. No, you do not have to pay somebody to help you buy wines. The person on the wine shop counter can help you choose the right wines for your guest. People who work in the wine industry are well educated in this area so you might as well ask for their help.

Old World Versus New World Wine

Before you buy any types of wines for your dinner party, you need to get yourself acquainted with the taste of your guests. Remember that some people love wines with sweet fruity flavor while other prefers the more restrained taste. If your guests happen to be the types who prefer a more subdued taste in their wine, you should consider getting some of those old world white wines. Old world white wines are less fruity and sweet compared to new world wine. On the other hand, if your dinner party crowd is liberal and youthful, you should get new world wines. Now, if you want to play it safe rather than risk dissatisfying anyone at your dinner table, you might as well get some old world and new world flavors.

A Wine Cellar To Protect Your Wine

If you have graduated from casual drinker to wine aficionado then there are definitely wines out there that you would like to try that need cellaring. These are wines that will not reach full potential when tasted now; they need to be stored for a few years, sometimes even decades before you can enjoy the full flavor of a bottle. A custom wine cellar in your home is the way to keep your collection in good condition, however knowing some basics on storing wine will help you to choose the best method of cellaring.

Ageing Wine Gracefully

Besides a suitable wine cellar that allows you to control humidity and temperature, the cork of a wine bottle plays an important role in keeping wine fresh. If air is allowed to oxidize the wine you will lose that amazing vintage and instead will be left with vinegar.

Always store wine bottles horizontally in your wine cellar. This will prevent the cork from cracking, a cork that cracks or shrinks will allow excess air into the bottle. The right level of humidity in your wine cellar is also important. Low levels of humidity and the cork will dry out, too much humidity and you will create an environment for bacteria and mold to grow.

The temperature in your wine cellar is very important. Old cellars were built underground but modern wine cellars look very similar to refrigerators. You can control the temperature but be careful not to make the inside of your wine cellar too cold. The ideal temperature to store wine is somewhere between 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

Another thing to remember about temperature is that wine ages well when conditions are constant. Frequent changes in temperature can damage wine. Even if the temperature changes are within the recommended range you could still be damaging the wine by frequently making changes to the temperature.

The type of lights in your wine cellar is very important as light exposure can lead to disagreeable smell in the wine. Choose incandescent bulbs over fluorescent bulbs where possible as they produce less UV light. Most modern bottles have good UV filters but it?s always better to be safe with the issue of light exposure.

Try not to move the bottles in your wine cellar around too much as even vibration can affect the aging process of wine. Keep movement to a minimum until you are ready to serve. A bigger bottle is also preferable for wines that you would like to cellar.

Wine is one of the most widely loved beverages in the world. Whether you are just having a glass with your bath to relax, a glass at dinner, or making a toast to that special someone in your life on a special occasion, wine is the perfect drink.

There are a lot of different varieties for white wine that are available, such as the chardonnay white wine and the Italian white wine, for example. The Italian white wine varieties have always been particularly popular, and this is for a few different reasons. The Italian white wine is just a type of wine that is manufactured in the region of Italy.

This refers then to any wine on the market that is made in Italy, and there are thousands to choose from if you are looking for an Italian white wine.

Italian White Wine Pinot Grigio

There are a few selections in particular for Italian white wines which are very popular, such as the Pinot Grigio. This is the most well known of all Italian white wines, and is a light, dry white wine that has a very subtle, lemony flavor. It is great for pairing with meals such as grilled fish, seafood and salad.

Any light meal will make a great choice for food pairing with this wine.

Italian White Wine Gavi

The Gavi is another very popular choicefor Italian white wine. This is a wine that is very different from the Pinot Grigio. The Gavi wine is a type of wine that is actually not heard of elsewhere besides Italy, but which is extremely popular there. Though having complex aromas of everything from grapefruit to honey it is only subtly sweet in taste.

Chardonnay: Italian White Wine

The Chardonnay wines are some of the most flavorful and popular in the world, and they originate in Italy. So if you are ever trying to choose from the Italian white wines that are out there, this is one that you are definitely going to want to consider. Numerous Italian Chardonnay are prepared in the Alto Adige region in mountainous northern Italy.

There are a few other very popular winery locations around Italy as well and if you ever travel to the area you can go on a wine tour where you will be able to get taken around to all the most popular wineries and see where all of this fantastic wine actually comes from.