Author: Rickie

The Making of Champagne

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There are only three types of grapes that can be used in the production of champagne. These three varieties are: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Pinot Noir is the wine growers nightmare, but the drinkers paradise. Pinot Noir is extremely sensitive to rot and disease. A very difficult grape to cultivate and all contact with the grapes skin must be avoided to ensure a white champagne. Pinot Noir grapes of the highest class can only be found growing in Burgundy and the region of Champagne. It is used to give backbone and structure to champagne.

Pinot Meunier is the grape that the majority of champagne houses use and dominates the regions of Aisne and Seine- et- Marne. The Pinot Meunier grape is a very hardy grape and is the only variety that ripens in very cold years. It is also less sensitive to spring frost and gives a 10- 15% higher yield per vine than the Pinot Noir. Producers praise Pinot Meunier for its fruity qualities and wines from this grape mature quickly. Pure blanc de noirs from Pinot Meunier are unusual and are rarely good for no more than ten years.

Chardonnay is probably the worlds finest grape. Today Chardonnay is a fashionable grape which is harvested more and more in France. The greatest increase has taken place in Champagne. The grape allows itself to be formed to perfection in various climates and soils. The Chadonnay vine does however waste energy in producing leaves instead of using it to ripen the grapes. This however is combated by hard pruning and planting the vines very close together. On the whole the grape is very easy to cultivate with just one problem being its sensitivity to frost.

There are seven steps in the process of making Champagne:

1- The vineyard:The vine farmers work goes on all year round. He must prune, fertilize and spray the crop protecting against viruses, parasites and spring frosts. The average age of a vine is 15 years, with a vine reaching its peak at 30 years.

2- The harvest:In any wine region the harvest is the highlight of any given year. The harvest festival is a colorful occasion. The harvesting usually begins in the middle of September.

3- The pressing:The press house is located as near as possible to the vineyard as its essential that the grapes are whole and in their best condition when they reach the press house. In 1992 the legally set volumes for each pressing were set at 2550 litres from 4000 kilos of grapes.

4- Fermentation:When the grape juice has been taken to the fermenting vats it immediately begins to ferment, due to the yeasts originally in the grapes skin. Selected yeast cultures are also added.

5- Blending:When the wine has finished fermenting during the winter it is racked twice, separating the wine from the yeast sediment that builds up. In march blending begins with the cellar master- chef de caves- blending the wines with each other to produce the best possible champagne.

6- Second fermentation:When the blending has been completed in giant tanks more sugar and yeast is added and then the wine is bottled and sealed temporarily.

7- Disgorging:After the second fermentation has completed the bottlenecks are frozen at – 28c half freezing the sediment, which is shot out of the bottle by a machine with a sharp mechanical movement. The lost wine is then replaced with new wine and some sugar. The bottle is then fitted with the cork and the bottle of champagne has been made.

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The South African Sauvignon Blanc

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Interestingly, the specific taste of each region’s version of the Sauvignon Blanc differs slightly depending on the climate and soil conditions. Because South Africa is a country that is as diverse as the people it is home to, each farm’s Sauvignon Blanc bears its own unique flavour, whether grassy, crisp or fruity. Despite being defined by its dry, fresh nature, this grape can also be used in the production of dessert wines. Sauvignon Blanc does not take long to mature, and is best when it is still young. It is ideal alongside a dish of fish or cheese. Interestingly, it also goes down well with pasta and sushi.  

Because the taste of a Sauvignon Blanc is so dependent on the area and other environmental criteria, South Africa prides itself for its rich array of quality wines. Each one, with its signature aroma, shows off another little corner of this fantastically fertile land. Vines can be planted in rock, sand or flint, which also affects the bouquet and flavour, especially to the trained taster. It is believed that South Africa’s advantage in producing the ideal Sauvignon Blanc lies in our ability to balance acidity and fruitiness in perfect ratio to one another.  

South Africa’s Sauvignon Blancs have featured high amongst international competitors, and are in enormous demand the world round. Gaining international acclaim sets South Africa apart amongst wine producers. By setting this standard, SA has gained credibility, not only for these grapes, but for a host of other varieties too.   Some of the most outstanding Sauvignon Blancs to compete on a global level include Boschendal, Cederberg, Constantia Glen, Fryers Cove, Graham Beck, Jordan, Klein Constantia, Nederburg and Springfield.  

Wine farmers frequently elect to pick Sauvignon Blanc grapes at different intervals in the season. This lends the end product a complex combination of flavours. The riper the grape, the sweeter it is. By combining these with the tarter, younger berries, the flavour is enhanced and balanced. When the berries are being gathered, oxygen is excluded to ensure that the flavour is kept inside the grape.

This reductive process is carried through right until the wine is bottled. The contact between the skin and the juice of the grape also needs to be monitored so that the flavours are controlled. If the contact between these two components of the grape is left for too long after picking, the wine becomes very intense. This reduces the aging ability of the wine significantly.  

Even the temperature at which the Sauvignon Blanc is fermented impacts heavily on the resultant flavour. When fermentation is conducted under warmer conditions, the resulting wine has a grassier, earthy taste to it. Cooler temperatures bring out the fruity, tropical qualities of the wine. Although this wine does not require a long aging process and is best enjoyed young, oak barrels soften the flavour, while steel barrels maintain the very crisp, dry quality of the wine.  

With such an adaptable and easily influenced grape, South African wine farmers are granted the ideal opportunity to prove the quality that this country’s rich soil and climate enables. This is most perfectly reflected in the crisp Sauvignon Blanc.  

Wine and Cooking!

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Cooking with wine and the type of wine being used for the cooking process is a question that is highly debatable, because the dish prepared clearly shows the wine that was used to make it. If the wine was a good quality one it’ll show and if it was a cheap low quality one, it’ll show!. Some people use drinking wines to cook while others use only cooking wines. Of course it must be remembered that a drinking wine can be used to cook, while keeping in mind that you are overspending where not required, but a cooking wine cannot be used to drink., Infact a cooking wine is salty and generally an inferior quality wine as compared to the drinking and is ok only for cooking and for nothing else.
Cooking with wine is as old as wine drinking itself. Infact it is assumed that originally fermented grape juices were used to prepare stews and casseroles and various other dishes. This fermented grape juice was accidently drunk by a member of a royal family, while he was in his kitchen and he liked it to the extent that a refined and better quality of the same juice was also created for drinking purposes from then on. That drinking juice later came to be known as drinking wine while the one that was used for cooking retained its name as a cooking wine.
As it was mentioned earlier, while purchasing a cooking wine keep in mind that whatever you buy will be reflected in the taste of the dish that is the end result. You can buy wine online. So a cheap quality cooking wine will give a bad tasting dish, and a connoisseur or a sommelier will easily be able to identify the type of wine that had gone into your dish! This does not mean that the higher priced a wine the better it is and the lower priced wine the cheaper It is. It only means that whenever you are purchasing wine for cooking, purchase the same from a reputed store or purchase wine online or go for the recommendations of someone who has bought and used a wine for cooking. Infact person to person recommendations are the best way to ensure that the wine you are purchasing is the best for cooking.
Another thing to remember is that older wines and vintages are usually not recommended for dishes that have a long cooking process. These wines somehow don’t hold up to the actual cooking process and long simmers. When using wines for cooking, especially at a time you are not buying a cooking wine and are using a drinking wine, shop around for bargains on young and powerful wines that have their own taste and mild aromas. These wines hold up well in the cooking process and easily intensify the taste of the dish by several folds! Also remember that a good quality leftover drinking wine can also be used in a recipient that calls for an option of a drinking red wine, white wine, champagne or rose!

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Wine Tours Perth

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The city of Perth which is located in the Swan Coastal Plain has become one of the most illustrious and peaceful cities In Australia. It is the ideal holiday destination for any age.

You can experience the most incredible wines with the fantastic weather in Perth. In Perth it is hot and dry in the summer and the winter is mild one. You will love to watch the long and white beaches with clear water. If you have travelled to Australia to spend your holidays, you would regret later if you don’t visit Perth.

Wine tour in Perth is gaining popularity very fast. You can find a plenty of local wine growers in Perth that offer wine tours which could be completed just in a day to the tours which could take weeks to end. Besides wine tour, you can also see and do a plenty of things when you are on the tour to Perth as the region combines city, coast and country. You can visit local craft shops and dozens of different outlet stores. You can also enjoy the taste of native cuisine available in lots of restaurants out there. Moreover you can enjoy surfing on the swan river which travels through the heart of Perth city.

Whitsunday islands have also proven to be visit worthy tourist destination if you are travelling in Australia. While only 8 out of 74 Whitsunday Islands have been occupied and developed but they offer a range of accommodation from world class Whitsunday Island resorts to backpacker style and camping facilities. Whitsunday island resort is the centre of attraction in Whitsunday Island for local and overseas tourists travelling in Australia. If you are on the Whitsunday tour, you should not forget to take the opportunities to sail around the islands and enjoy the diving spots in many coral coves that abound throughout the islands.

Virginia Wine Festivals

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Wine has become popular worldwide. It is taken in a relaxed mood whether at home or at a social gathering. Those who enjoy wine prefer to drink it at social places because they argue that this reduces boredom. They say that Virginia wine is so good and well concentrated that it should not be drunk in a hurry. In fact, one said that the longer you hold it in the glass the more pleasure you get, but others argue that taking a little excess for the road is not advisable.
For many, they get as many bottles as possible and put them on the back seat of their cars and drink while relaxing with the rest of their family members. Irrespective of the way it is drunk, Virginia wine remains the most difficult to understand, but the most enjoyable. In this respect, there are many festivals that go alongside this wine festival. The following is just a compilation of a few of them. The Yorktown wine festival is a longtime celebration that has been enjoyed for various reasons.
People who attended this celebration were treated with the beauty of the York River shoreline. When the day was perfectly clear towards the evening, whatever that was observed along the show line of this river was just another perfect color of wine and this must have contributed to onset of the celebrations.
Apart from wine, the celebrations were also accompanied by food and great music. On the occasion, visits would be made to historic sites since the Yorktown was also a historical site where Cornwallis had surrendered so the American revolution of the year 1781 could come to an end. There is a strong impact that is left in your life by attending small festivals such as the Yorktown festival. This is that tasters will be able to sample the wares from a distance and other remote wineries. Some of the wineries already featured on this festival include the San Soucy, Davis Valley and Rebec. This is one of the most interesting Virginia wine festivals.
The fermented grape juice is also produced in the Okanagan valley for top wines that even win both the national and international wine completions. The harvest of grapes therefore forms another celebration in Virginia. People simply come to exhibit their wealth and this is done every season. There are other categories of wine that are observed as festival celebrations.
The Okanagan spring wine festival is celebrated at the beginning of the grape growing season and it is accompanied by exquisite medley of wine and cuisine. It is a perfect celebration to any person who enjoys wine sipping with many gastronomic treats. The summer Virginia wine celebration is marked in August and comes with the opportunity of educating oneself about the different types of wine as the many varieties are displayed.

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