Friday, August 12, 2016

White Wine Glasses to Elevate Your Enjoyment

There is no better way to relax after a long and busy day than with great music, and a glass of delicious white wine that can instantly put you in a good mood. There are many different varieties of white wine that have their own unique flavour and aroma. Whether it be for a special night with your loved one, family dinner or maybe a fun birthday party there is a special wine variety for any occasion. White wines owe their rich yet not overwhelming taste to white grapes. As the most important and main ingredient in wines the grapes are used without skins and seeds. White wines are known for their light golden colour and smooth texture. However, every wine lover knows that the fruity flavour is actually the key feature of the majority of white wines.


But did you know that how you serve the wine can have a significant influence on its flavour. In this case choosing the right white wine glasses is essential for fully exploring the unique and sophisticated taste of the delicious grape varieties. Wine tasting is a special process that is not just about flavour, but elements like smell, texture and the colour of this classic and sophisticated drink are really important as well. It is a unique experience that cannot be enjoyed to the fullest without the best whitewine glasses since these can easily enhance the natural features of the drink. While all these glasses might seem very similar at first sight, the truth is that there are essential differences in terms of design that can influence your experience and elevate your enjoyment.


These days there are a wide range of models that come in various designs, sizes, shapes and differ in both quality and price. When shopping for the right model for you there are some essential things you should pay attention to. The shape and size of the glasses are one of the first factors you should consider. Depending on your specific needs you can choose between many different shapes or styles. Models with wide bowl provide a special wine tasting experience and are their unique shape allows for the drink to easily release its wonderful aroma. You should know though not every wine can be served in wide glasses. Some white wines especially those sparkling ones can lose their initial texture when being exposed to oxygen and these should be served in more narrow and tall glasses which are designed to preserve their delicate aroma and texture. Another important feature to bare in mind is the rim of the glass and how it is shaped, thinner ones are the best for tasting different types of wines and provide much better flow than thinker rims.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

How To Select The Right Glasses For White Wine

''Wine makes every meal an occasion, every table more elegant and every day more civilized''. Many of you will probably agree with this quote. Wine is one of the oldest potions in the history and its popularity is something that has never faded away, even for thousands of years. While the techniques and methods used to produce wine are a little bit different compared to those used in the early days, the actual experience of drinking wine has not changed at all. Today, wine takes its place in different events and is the main companion to a number of different desserts and meals.

Although so many people drink wine today, not all of them make the distinction between glasses for red and glasses for white wine. Choosing the right type of glass for a specific type of wine can make a huge difference in the taste and the overall experience of the wine. Good wine is an experience for the senses, from the scent to the colour and the taste. The right type of wine glasses will help you enjoy all of them.



People who have even a little knowledge about wines know that there is a difference between white and red wine glasses. Generally, glasses for red wine have much bigger bowl allowing for proper aeration of the wine, because normally, red wines are not served chilled as white. Okay, it is more than clear that there is a difference between the red and white type of glasses. But what about glasses for white wine? Is there any difference between them? Yes, there is. Generally, there are glasses that are meant to serve different types of white wine, like Champagne, Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay, so let's take a look at their differences.

Chardonnay

The most common type of glass for a white wine you will see available is the glass for Chardonnay. This is also considered as ''all-purpose'' glass since not everyone will have the desire or the ability to have different glasses for different types of white wines. Their design with a mouth that is almost straight up from the side of the glass will force you to taste the wine with the center of your tongue. You can use this type of glass for any dry, light wine, including Pinot Grigio.

Sauvignon Blanc

If you enjoy wine that is much fruitier like Sauvignon Blanc, choose a glass that is slightly different. This means a glass with a slender bowl is a great choice because this design will focus the floral and fruit aromas of this type of wine while the narrow mouth will forces the wine to the center of the tongue. You can use this model of glass for other white wines like Gewurztraminer, Loire or White Bordeaux.

Montrachet

Chardonnay glasses maybe are the most versatile type, but there are some types of Chardonnay wine that will taste much better if served in another style of glass. This is especially true for Montrachet Chardonnay. This varietal of white wine is considered as one of the most expensive dry whites available so there are glasses that are designed specifically for this type of Chardonnay that are a little bit different from the standard. This wine is more acidic and full-bodied than standard Chardonnay, so the glasses come with a much wider rim that directs the wine to the edges of the tongue. The larger bowl will give you a much better experience of the complex aromas of this wine.

Champagne


Champagne refers more to a sparkling wine rather than white, which means it needs to be served in a glass that is different from a standard white wine glass. The glasses for Champagne are narrow and tall. They allow you to appreciate the full experience of this sparkling wine inducing the bubbles float to the top of the glass.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Shiraz the Hero of Barossa Valley Wines

Barossa Valley is probably the most well-known region of Australia. Wine is the synonym of Barossa since 1842. The Barossa is an area that unites both Barossa Valley and Eden Valley, and without any doubts we can say that is one of the few Australian areas that distinguish with warm and cool climate growing conditions.

Nowadays, the Barossa area has more than 750 growing families that supply quality grapes to more than 170 wine companies. And when it comes to wines, wine experts say that the best Barossa wines can be compared with the best world wines. Barossa Shiraz and the Eden Valley Riesling are among the most popular Barossa Valley wines along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier, Grenache, Mataro, Semillon and Tawny. But there is no doubt that Shiraz and its blends are the principal ingredients of Barossa's regional brand. It is a genuine wine region specifically for Shiraz. It seems to have abundant sunshine and because of the soil the flavours are extremely concentrated with a lot of characteristics that make the Shiraz the Australia's famous. Particularly, the full-bodied style is the thing that everybody loves.


Recently Shiraz can be divided into two categories: a low-yielded, dry and heavily winery-worked style, with oak, ripeness and tannin; and a finer, medium-bodied style, with low ripeness, new oak. The latter is also more fragrant and floral in composition. Nowadays, both of these styles can be found in the Barossa with its stylistic parameters. Whichever style you choose is up to you, but one thing is certain this is a must-try wine as it is the Country’s signature expression.

Shiraz's Modern Evolution

In 1970 and 1980 the most dominant Shiraz blend was the Shiraz-Cabernet blend or also referred as “claret”. In 1990, Shiraz found its way with the Rhone-style blends along with Mataro and Grenache, while in the beginning of the 2000's, the most popular Shiraz blend was Shiraz – Viognier because of the heady, aromatic lift of the white grape.
Nowadays, we can see Shiraz matched with more adventurous grapes like Malbec, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Touriga and more.

Wine Styles

Barossa Valley is renowned for its Shiraz, but the Barossa is much more than Shiraz. Cabernet Sauvignon, Mataro or also known as Mourvedre, Merlot and Grenache are among the most popular Barossa Valley wines. As to the wine styles, the Barossa Valley is recognized by its GSM Rhone style blends. These years, Barossa winemakers have introduced some new varieties like Marsanne, Zinfandel and Tempranillo, but the Viognier has become the Barossa's specialty, both as a stand-alone variety and blended with Shiraz.

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

How to Choose Great Cheap Wine

Price doesn't always equal quality. This is can be said about a lot of things in life and the same can be said about wine. You do not have to feel like a snob when choosing the right wine because in reality there is always a choice of a great cheap wine to enjoy your dinner. When you find yourself in a restaurant there is a small chance that you will pick one the cheapest wine, well, unless you have tried it before.

A couple of years ago in Australia, there was a study where individuals were asked to choose the best wines without telling them the real price. The cheapest wine which was $16 had a label that was $54 and vice-versa. Even adding tartaric acid inside the cheapest wine, did not change the opinions because the price tag overwhelmed their own taste buds.


Monday, September 14, 2015

Think Pink: Rose Wines

There is nothing better than having a glass of chilled bottle of white and rose wine at the end of the day. Generally speaking, rose wines are usually preferred during summer because are lighter than whites, especially reds. For those who don't know, rose is not a grape variety, but it is a processed red grape variety or sometimes a mixture of red and white wine. Rose wines are nice and soft to the moth with flavours of strawberry, cerise, magenta, cranberry, fairy floss, tangerine, etc., and are the ideal drink for hot summer days and warm spring nights.

Little Introduction

Even though France is known as the leading in the category of best roses, whites and reds, Spain, Italy and Australia are just behind it.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Introducing Shiraz Wine

Every wine-enthusiastic who appreciates red wine loves Shiraz. But what makes the Shiraz grape itself so popular? Well, we can say that part of the grape's success is due to the taste it creates, it's history and its large usage in wine mixes. That's is not to mention the amazing deal that local Australian Shiraz makes.

Originally from France, the Shiraz grape variation planted in Australia is believed to be the same planted in there, which explains the supremacy of Australian Shiraz wines in the market. Shiraz was introduced in Australia in 1831 by the Scotsman James Busby, commonly called 'the Father of Australian viticulture'. He brought cuttings from wines from a trip to Europe and planted them in the Sydney Botanical Gardens and in Hunter Valley. By the 1860's, Shiraz was considered as an important variety in Australia.

Today the Shiraz grape is grown in most wine regions in Australia and produce a wine that is full bodied, with great taste variation – depending on the region it was grown. But Shiraz wines commonly have undertones of plums, blackberries and pepper fluctuating between their many layers.

Shiraz


Wednesday, July 22, 2015

How to Save Money on Wine

There isn't a god timing for wine, because each day and occasion is perfect for having a glass of good old wine. However, with the large selection of wines, vintages and wine growing regions it is impossible to find the right one. Sometimes it can really be a mind blowing job, especially if you are choosing wine for special occasion or wine for cooking a special dinner for someone. To ease your job, read on for some great wine shopping tips to help you find great discount wines, and save you some dollars.