Category: Merlot Wine
Texas Wine – The Historical Wine Making of Chateau Bubba
Posted onAlthough Texans have made wine since the frontier days, they have always had trouble getting any respect for their craft. One visitor from the 19th century complained that the handcrafted local wines made from wild grapes were too sour.
More recently, when the state’s wineries began modern production, unappreciative outsiders labeled the Texas wine and wineries “Chateau Bubba” as a derision.
Although this probably had some truth to it in the past, it hides much of the reality. The very same Spanish priests who introduced vineyards and wine to California, also cultivated grapes in Texas by the 18th century. Although little is known about the quality of the mission wines, there is evidence that some later European settlers (particularly Germans and Czechs) were accomplished vintners. They developed ways to make good wine from native mustang grapes, and they passed their knowledge to several generations up to the present.
At the turn of the century, these same poor wild grapes actually played a large part in turning around and saving the French wine industry from disaster. When a plant louse epidemic called phylioxera attacked vineyards everywhere, a Texas vintner named T. V. Munson found a solution by grafting French vines onto the more disease-resistant Texas grape vines. Munson is still a hero in France and the Napa Valley of California.
Before Prohibition started in 1920, there were at least 16 commercial wineries in Texas. The only one to survive Prohibition was Val Verde in Del Rio. They closed until the end of Prohibition in 1933, but rep-opened after it was repealed. Val Verde remained the only commercial winery in Texas, until the 1970’s, when a national wine boom started a revival of production in the state.
The very first bottles from these new commercial wineries may not have been very good, but they improved at a rapid pace. Starting in the 1980’s, Texas wines were and continue to be regular winners in wine competitions throughout the country, taking metals in many categories.
Some of the larger wineries of Texas today include Llano Estacado, Pheasant Ridge, Sainte Genevieve, Fall Creek, Sister Creek, Messina Hof, Moyer, Slaughter Leftwich, Grape Creek, and a growing number of other wine producers.
Texas wine today is truly an international treasure, and is no longer labeled as the “Chateau Bubba” of wine making. It can now stand up with the great wines of the rest of the world, and continues to grow in quality and reputation.
Awarding Wines in Australia- The most quality Wine in the world
Posted onVintners usually bring their wines to competitions held in Australia and around the world. Judgers are the key point to make the qualities of the types of wines. They consider the appearance, aroma, flavor and body of the wine. When you know about wine exports of Australian, you can understand how seriously wine competitions are held by vintners.
Wine competitions are held in cities, at regional levels, nationally and internationally. There are many different kinds of wine categories including, but not limited to, the following most popular Australian wine types.
* Shiraz
* Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc
* Merlot
* Riesling
* Rosé wines
* Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris
* Grenache
* Chardonnay
* Sauvignon Blanc
* Sparking wines
* Fortified wines such as Muscat and Tawny
This is not intended to be a complete list, but only to give you an idea of the interesting and complete selection of Australian wines presented at competitions around the world. Australian wines only continue to grow in popularity and winemakers have earned many awards in recognition of their talents.
Uncorking the Best:
Wineries submit their wines for official wine tasting and judging in order to reap recognition and awards in the appropriate categories. There are even awards for the best wine bottle design. In Australia, there are many different competitions held. In some competitions the wine is judged without food. In other competitions the wine is judged after being paired with appropriate foods. The ultimate goal is to earn a gold medal which brings with it international recognition.
There are also many international wine competitions held and wineries from countries around the world attend. They are spectacular industry events which attract a fascinating collection of people with one thing in common – wine. The judges have earned a reputation for their ability to accurately judge wine and the coveted awards are sought by wineries seeking acknowledgment of their achievements.
When a wine wins an award, the winery earns the privilege of including the award name on the label.
The awards given to wine are as varied as the wines presented. Awards range from best local boutique wine to awards presented on a global scale. Earning top awards for a wine can lead to greater sales, increased exports and even investment purchases. There are many wine collectors and investors in the world ready to buy the next bottles of award winning wine.
Wine is Serious Business
Despite its entertainment purpose, wine making is serious business. The wine awards given at shows such as the National Wine Show of Australia, the International Wine Competition, and many others, bring prestige and honor to the wine making industry.
Vintners have been making wine for thousands of years. It is an ancient practice that has led to the creation of a unique art form. It is appropriate that competitions give awards to recognize the efforts and judgment put into each bottle of wine.
Understanding en primeur wines better
Posted onThe wine buyers look for opportunities to buy the wines during their auction. These auctions could be held by the vineyards or wineries, called the En Primeur and also by the importers who import to wines and sell these to the retailers after they bid for the same. The special focus is for participating in the auctions organized by the wineries since there the wines can be got at the least possible prices. But, what is the difference between the En Primeur wines and the wines sold en primeur? These two terms are used commonly and interchangeably but there is a difference between these.
The former are the wines which are put on sale only two months after the grapes are harvested. This practice originated from the Beaujolis region. The latter, on the other hand, is a wine which is to be delivered after two or three years. The latter is sold and the part payment is received before two or three years of bottling the same. This practice originated from the vineyards in Bordeaux. There is also another term called ‘new wine’ which is used to refer to a wine which is bottled before the springtime and this happens before the next harvest of the grapes.
The wines are offered en primeur due to a number of reasons. There is a greater security and coverage of the risks associated with it. The wineries get the money for the next season. The wine companies get the wines cheap and these can also serve as avenues of investments. They can make a profit by selling them at market prices after two or three years when the wines are bottled and shipped to them. The role of wine tasters is crucial here since their tasting and grading helps to take the buying decisions. It requires good amount of experience in wine tasting to determine what the taste of the wine will be after two or three years when the wines will mature.
The market of the wines futures is uncertain. No one can say what will be the market price of the wine a few years down the line. There are good chances that the expected returns may not come on the wine sales because the market price of the wines may go down. Even if the returns are less, there will definitely be a good hike in the prices of the wines, if the purchase is made at the en primeur.
The customers can buy the wines locally or internationally online. The wine online sales are quickly picking up as more and more people are using the internet to make the purchases. Even the best of the European wines, which were not to be easily seen, can now be bought from the sites of some of the biggest dealers around the world, provided they provide the delivery to your country. Internet can also provide the information on the en primeur and other auction events that are being held globally.
Selecting Wine To Match Food
Posted onMaking the ideal mix between wine and meals could be a challenge if you’re not entirely certain what you are doing. With such an array of wine and food available you have often many options to think about. When preparing dinner, choose combinations that are popular with a wide range of people. You need to usually make sure that the wine doesn’t overcome the dish, and you also need to stay away from flavor transferring. This occurs when a flavour is transferred from the wine to a meal, as it can result in an unpleasant taste.
White Wine:
When making a wine and food mixture, Chardonnay is most appropriate complimented with Veal, Salmon, grilled cheese and white sauce. You must stay away from spicy foods with this drink. Gewurztraminer is ideal when matched with Pork, Chinese foods and Swiss cheese but must be eliminated with light foods. Pinot Grigio is not an ideal choice for Tomatoes and spicy food as this mixture may create a rather unpleasant taste. Riesling is often a very dry wine and best when teamed with Veal, Shrimp, cream sauces and Turkey. Sweet food really should be avoided with Riesling and Sancerre nevertheless.
Red Wine:
In an ideal world a food suggestion should be listed on the back of a wine bottle. Fortunately we can provide you with the insiders ideas to acquiring a wine and food mixture just perfect. Barberra red wine is best with Pizza, pasta, lasagne and lemon chicken. When consuming fish or tomatoes, Cabernet Sauvignon should be eliminated. This wine is much better matched with chocolate, roast lamb, steak and duck. Merlot is properly matched up with grilled meats like barbecue meat and chicken. Avoid sweet food with this wine. Pinot Noir isn’t nicely matched with spicy foods such as Indian foods, instead it really is ideal with Salmon, tuna, lamb and duck. Shiraz is wonderful with a meal of barbecue, peppered red meats and sausage but really should be avoided with fish.
In basic, wine is ideal served at a chilled temperature, as it really is capable to breathe and create the best mix of aromas which will delight the senses and impress your guests. Each and every form of wine has a glass that coordinates with it. In the event you don’t have a cupboard filled with every wineglass imaginable though, use the next closest looking glass. The cause that you can find a lot of types of wineglasses accessible, is the fact that every single one is intended to emphasise the full aromas and tastes inside a given type of wine. If the wine is not served in the right glass, all these aromas and flavors may not be entirely realised.
Temperature Guidelines:
Typically a bottle of wine may take as much as three hours just before it’s appropriately chilled inside the refrigerator. Serving the wine at the right temperature might be a distinction of whether or not the wine will be ideal to drink for maximum aroma and taste, and might make or break a charming dinner experience for you and your guests. A great way to chill your wine to perfection rapidly and easily would be to place your bottle into a bucket filled with ice along with a sprinkling of salt. The more high-priced the wine the warmer it can be served. White wines especially the dry sorts are ideally served at lower temperatures nevertheless. And, lastly heavy wines are best served at the room temperature.
How to Become a Wine Connoisseur
Posted onOf course, you will need to be a lover of wine if you want to become a wine connoisseur. Many people think that you have to be someone that makes wine or has a large collection of this grape-based beverage in your cellar in order to become a connoisseur. Luckily, that is simply not true. This guideline will provide you with a few tips for becoming a connoisseur and starting a new hobby of appreciating fine wines. If you would like to purchase this beverage or any accessories, check out websites like Wine Enthusiast and Wine.com.
The Color of Wine
Being a connoisseur is much more than simply tasting wines. You also need to take the time to study the color of the wine that you are drinking so you can take mental notes of it. Of course, to do this, you will need to pour your beverage into a clean, clear glass. You will notice that some wines have a deep red color, while others have a fruity purple or light color. Swirl the wine around in your glass against both natural and artificial light to see how the light reflects off of it. As you gain experience with studying the color, you will also be able to note a difference in texture between various wines.
The Aroma of Wine
Unfortunately, if you want to become a connoisseur, you are not ready to take a sip of your wine yet. Once you have taken some time to study the color of your beverage, you should take notice of its aroma. Generally speaking, every wine that you drink will have a different aroma to it. In no time at all, you will be able to figure out the type that is in your glass without even looking at the bottle. Many people do not realize that the aroma of wine actually enhances its taste. If a wine smell is pleasing in regards to its aroma, it is very likely that you will enjoy drinking that wine.
Wine Drinking
Now, for the the best part of becoming a wine connoisseur: drinking. The key to being a connoisseur is to not gulp your drink. Take a small sip and allow the wine to sit on your tongue for a few moments before you swallow it. You will be able to determine the sweetness of the beverage that you are drinking by doing that. Once you have allowed the wine to sit on your tongue, gently swirl it around your mouth. You have taste buds located throughout your mouth, so by swirling your wine like mouthwash, you will be able to see how the wine interacts with different aspects of your mouth. Being a connoisseur is not like being a taster, which means you can swallow and enjoy the beverage after you have taken some time to enjoy its full bodied flavor.
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