Enjoying Wines

Archive for October, 2009

When it comes to German white wines, many people’s knowledge begins and ends with Riesling. Some may have a bottle or two of Gewürztraminer in their wine cooler. But there are actually 17 varieties of white wine grape grown in Germany. Some of these are French varieties such as Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Others are unique to Germany. This article will look at some of the lesser known varieties of German white wine grape.German White Wines from the Silvaner GrapeSilvaner is notorious as the grape that formed the basis of Liebfraumilch, the cheap and nasty white wine that was unaccountably popular in the 1970s. But in the Franconia region of Germany, it is also used to produce some high quality wines. Franconian Silvaner wines are very acidic, which is why Liebfraumilch gained the unflattering nickname of ‘paint stripper’, but in the right hands, the Silvaner grape can be used to make a refreshing dry white wine. And because of the grape’s poor reputation, you may be able to find good wines made from it at far lower prices than you would expect for a wine of that quality.German White Wines from the Kerner GrapeKerner is a grape variety first bred in 1929 and named in honor of the German poet Justinus Kerner, who often wrote about wine. It is a cross between a Riesling and the red Trollinger grape. Surprisingly, crossing a red and a white grape did not produce a rosé variety, Kerner wines tend to be straw colored. The wine writer Jancis Robinson has described Kerner wines as being ‘commendably close to Riesling in flavor except with their own leafy aroma and very slightly coarser texture.’Many of the best known Kerner wines are Italian, rather than German, but it originated in the Palatinate region of Germany, where it is one of the dominant grape varieties, along with Muller-Thurgau, Morio Muscat and, increasingly, the ubiquitous Riesling.German White Wines from the Bacchus GrapeThe Bacchus is another hybrid variety of grape, this time created by crossing a Riesling with a Silvaner. It is named after the Roman god of wine and unrelated to the Bacchus Black, a red variety of grape grown in the Alps. Wines made from the Bacchus grape tend to be similar to a Sauvignon Blanc, and are good with vegetarian or fish dishes. Bacchus wines are very dry and their low sugar content makes some of them suitable for diabetics.

Dry White Wine: What You Need To Know About Buying Wines

Many people believe that dry white wines do not taste as good as red wines. This is not true. White wines may not be as popular as red wines around the world but that does not mean that dry white wines do not taste good. We have to understand that the taste of the wine is influenced by its fermentation and storing process. In other words, if the wine uses the best grapes, is properly fermented, processed and stored, it will generally taste good. However, since manufacturers differ in terms of the raw materials that they use, their manufacturing and storing processes, the taste of their wines also differ. If you want to find the best tasting dry white wines, you need to know which manufacturers are producing good wines and which are not.

Searching For The Best Dry White Wines

The best way to find the good dry white wines is to go on a wine tasting expedition. Remember that different people have different taste when it comes to wines so what works for another person may not work for you at all. To find dry white wines and white wine sangrias that suit your palate, you should let your palate be your guide. If you can afford it, you should go wine tasting in different regions. According to experts, every region has its own distinctive taste when it comes to wines so if you are hunting for the best wines, you should taste the specialties of these different places.

Now, if you cannot afford to travel to different places to go wine tasting, you can still taste the different wines from different regions by joining a wine tasting club. There are plenty of wine tasting clubs around the country. There might even be a wine club in your locality. To find out if there are any wine clubs near you, ask around. The next time you buy some dry white wine in your local wine shop; ask that person on the counter if he or she knows about any wine tasting clubs in your area. Most wine shop owners are also members of wine tasting clubs so they should be able to help you in that area. Another way to find out if there are any wine clubs in your locality is to join in one of those only communities of wine enthusiasts. There are a lot of online communities of wine enthusiasts so all you have to do is log on to their site and be a member.

What Do You Want In A Wine Cellar Door

So you?ve designed and built your wine cellar. All of your precious wines have a place where they belong, a place that?s temperature controlled and customized just for you. And now, you?re ready to pick your own wine cellar door ? and we?re not talking about the doors that wine clubs use when you buy wine at their wine cellar doors!

You Need A Door!

Wine can be a very fickle beverage when compared to others. It has to be maintained at ideal temperatures, and in ideal places. You can choose to have one built, or even to just use your own basement, but no matter where you build it, the temperature must stay between 45 and 65 °F. There are cooling systems that can help maintain a wine cellar?s temperature, but what good is all of that if the wine cellar doesn?t have a door? All that cool air would just escape back into your house, and your wine would be ruined.

What Material Are You Looking For?

There are only a handful of companies out there who sell wine cellar doors, and all of them offer countless choices not only in style, but also in material. Classic wine cellar doors are made of wood and are available with etched glass decoration. The glass panels are designed to protect your wine from light, and are sandblasted. Wrought iron gate doors, hand-forged in New England, are available in many decorative styles and built to fit classical door shapes. Some types are heavy wood optional distressed finishes, grilles, and almost all of them have heavy-duty security features, like wrought iron locksets. The most common type of wood used for wine cellar doors is redwood that is 2-inches thick. Mahogany is also a very popular choice. All doors used for wine cellars are insulated to help with temperature control, and come in flat top, arch top or semi-arch top styles.

Important Components In A Wine Cellar Door

A wine cellar door is made up of lots of different parts, each one invaluable in helping to maintain your wine cellar. In addition to the decorative things, like the etching on any glass plates you may have chosen, you may also have put in sidelights. These are glass panels attached to the side of cellar doors, and are available in custom widths. Other important features are the doorjamb, casings, and weather-stripping. And don?t forget the locks! There?s nothing worse than designing and picking the perfect door for your wine cellar, and one day discovering all of it stolen or ruined because you forgot to get a good lock.

Your Door Is Your Choice

With all the different styles and materials to choose from, you shouldn?t have a hard time picking out the perfect wine cellar door to showcase your growing (or already illustrious) wine collection.