New Wine Pro

O.k., o.k, so you want to “hold your own” vs your wine snob friends when it comes to evaluating wine. Trust me, evaluating wine is not the “rocket science” that some of your connoisseur buddies would lead you to believe. However, learning some basic terminology and understanding wine characteristics will help you in knowing how to describe the wines you drink.

Let’s start with appearance, color, aroma and bouquet. Wine should not appear dull or murky. Nor, should it be cloudy. A clear wine should not be flashing with light reflections.When it comes to colors, white wine should have shades of yellow, gold or straw.Beaware of white wines with an amber tone, as this is an indicator ofoxidation. A Rose can be a true pink, although sometimes it is accented with deeper reds or oranges. Stay away from brown tints of amber or violet.The variety of grapes used determines the color of red wines.Cabernet and Merlot may be deep red. Younger wines typically have purple edges, while mature wines will have bronze accents.

The term aroma applies to younger wines. This is simple, what does the wine smell like? Typically, you’ll detect fruit and grape odors. It may take some practice for you to detect subtle differences. As a wine matures, it develops a fragrance when it comes in contact with the air. This fragrance is called the wine’s bouquet.

If your wine smells almost like vinegar, it ranks very low in volatile acidity. When you swish wine around in your mouth and it is refreshing, almost giving you a little “zing,”the total acidity is probably just right. A wine with a flat, almost “soapy” flavor is too low in acidity. Sharp, or sour tasting wines are generally too high in acidity.

Some wines are supposed to be sweet, other wines are supposed to be dry. If the wine you are evaluating has a sweetness to it when it should be dry, watch out! And of course, if the wine is dry when it should be sweet, be equally concerned. These are indicators that the wine’s sugar content is unsatisfactory. The term “flavor” has to do with how well the taste and the aroma of the wine work together.

The “body” of a wine is probably the most subjective term used in evaluating wine. Words like “density,” “richness,”fullness,” etc. are all used to describe a wine’s body. The type and age of the wine will largely influence the description of it’s body. Light, dry wines will typically have a lighter body, while Burgundies and young Zinandels will be more full bodied. As some wines mature, they may transition from full bodied to softer bodied. The only way to determine what “body” means to you is to taste many wines.

Aftertaste is a term that describes the taste of the wine in your mouth after you swallow it. Quality, mature wines have a lingering, clean, smooth aftertaste. Young wines typically are high in acidity due to excess tannin, and can leave an undesirable aftertaste.

So, now you’re equipped with some basic terminology used in evaluating wine. However, when all is said and “tasted”, the key point in evaluating wine is simply whether or not you enjoyed it!



By: Michael Hutchins

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The key to understanding how to make homemade wine that will age well is that all wine, regardless of whether you made it at home or bought it from a vintner or store, will eventually spoil if left unconsumed. This means you have to make or buy wine that will last only a specific period of time so that it ages gracefully before you opt to consume it.

Learning How Wine Storage Aids You in the How to Make Homemade Wine Process

The how to make wine at home process hinges on the use of proper wine storage facilities, such as a wine cellar, so that the wine you do make will last for a longer time in safe conditions. If the wine has been stored correctly, it allows wine to age properly so that both the bouquet (the wine aroma) and the flavor will still be of optimum quality. Since making homemade wine costs big money (even when you’re aiming to wind up with cheap wine) you will want to make your homebrews last longer so that you enjoy them longest.

The storage room or wine cellar you select has to be both dark and humid (damp) and has a stable room temperature of about 55 degrees Fahrenheit, with humidity hovering around 80%. The room temperature has to avoid wild temperature changes and stay at the cool 55 degrees Fahrenheit level so that the cool temperature will retard aging of your wine. If your storage room tends to be rather warm, then your wine will age faster (and you risk wine spoilage too.)

If you cannot find a good dark and damp room, one option (though more expensive) is to use an electricity-powered wine refrigerator. You can also try simply using the basement in your home, if any. The refrigerator is good for those areas that cannot guarantee stable temperatures for various reasons, so if you can find the budget to pay for the electrical costs of running a wine refrigerator this may be feasible for your place.

Another consideration in wine storage is that all wine bottles should be stored horizontally, not vertically. This allows the wine itself to stay in constant contact with the cork (if you still use cork-topped wine bottles) so that the cork be kept moistened 24/7. This round-the-clock moistening of the cork allows it to keep your bottle tightly capped without the cork being distorted out of shape if it dries out. In turn, if the bottle is air-tight and cannot get past the cork, oxygenation of your wine cannot occur and you can age your bottled wine much longer than you may suppose. This is also why you need a room with high humidity – the humidity in the air keeps your cork stable and moist, preventing a drastic drying out of the wine bottle cork.

Selecting the Correct Wine Refrigerator for Your Storage Needs

A wine refrigerator is not the same as your standard family-sized refrigerator. Actually, to choose your correct wine refrigerator, you need to know how many bottles you plan to store in it first. Some wine refrigerators may be able to store a minimum of six bottles while the larger wine refrigerators can accept more wine bottles for storage. But your wine refrigerator can only absorb so many bottles so you have to compute your capacity well, to avoid surpluses. If you will be using a wine refrigerator it is far better to under produce than to over produce wine.

Family refrigerators used to store food like meat and veggies might be convenient for such food storage but are generally unacceptable for wine storage because the family refrigerators are too cold. The food refrigerator has to be kept colder than 50 degrees Fahrenheit to preserve food which means that your wine will be stored in conditions that are far too cold for its best aging process. Another reason you cannot use your family fridge to store wine of good quality is because you often open and close your fridge to get food, drinks and other stuff – this means the wine you store there will be subjected to fluctuating temperatures which is equally bad for wine.

To make matters even more complicated, different types of wine will require different ranges of temperature for wine storage. This means if you have a variety of wines to store in just one wine refrigerator, you may be surprised why some wines do well here and some do not do as well. The dry white wines plus the blush and rose varieties all have to be stored in the vicinity of 55 degrees only. Sparkling wine and champagne is never kept refrigerated for wine storage. Light red wine will thrive at exactly 55 degrees. Any full-bodied wines you plan for wine storage has to be kept cooler than 55 degrees as well. As you can see, since each type of wine has its own cooling needs, you may have a better chance of keeping all your wine stored well in the wine refrigerator if you only use one variety of wine.

If you are eyeing to make a huge batch of wine, it may be more practical to store this huge batch of wine in a wine cellar instead.

If your area’s climate doesn’t make it feasible to have a wine cellar or even a basement, then choose the wine refrigerator but make small batches of wine only. This also gives you some maneuvering room should your wine spoil, so you can analyze what went wrong and make the necessary changes in your home brew process. If you are still in the learning stage for that recipe, small batches are good for testing the outcome first, before you progress to making big batches.

Always compare terms and conditions plus retail prices for different brands and models of wine refrigerators too before buying one. The features of the wine refrigerator for cooling and storage should always take precedence over the external shell.



By: Randy T. Slabey

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Acetic; This is what happens when the wine is exposed to air. It develops a vinegary taste or smell.

Acidity; All wines contain some level of acid. The acid level needs to be in a proper balance with the other components and fruits in the wine so that you should be able to taste the crispiness and liveliness of the wine. This acidity is also vital in the aging process of the wine.

Aftertaste; This is the impression of flavor that you will get once you have swallowed the wine. It is also called the “finish” of a wine.

Aroma; The smell of wines, especially that of young wines.

Aromatic; This is a term that this used for wines that have a distinct aroma, especially those with herbs and spices in them.

Astringent; This term is used when the tannin level in the wine dries out the mouth.

Austere; A somewhat hard tasting wine, where the character and fruitiness have been restrained.

Big; A full bodied powerful in aroma wine.

Bitter; This is usually considered as a fault bit it is also a characteristic of certain Italian wines.

Body; The weight and texture that is found in wines. You can describe a wine as light bodied or full bodied.

Bouquet; The intermingling of aromas that fine aged wines produce.

Breed; This is the term that is referred to as the bloodlines of the wine grapes. It is also used when noting the soil, the grapes and the techniques that are used to produce a good quality wine.

Chewy; This term is used to describe wines that have an unusual thick texture to the wine. It feels like you need to chew the wine before you swallow it.

Clean; Fresh wines that seem to have no defects. This term also refers to the aroma, appearance and flavor of the wines.

Complete; A mature wine that has a satisfying feel and a great aftertaste on the palette.

Complex; This is where you will find a combination of flavors and aroma elements in various types of wines.

Corked, corky; The wines smell like cork rather than wine. This is because it was bottled in correctly.

Deep; A wine that has many layers of taste that slowly reveals itself.

Delicate; A light fragrance, body and flavor in the wine.

Distinctive; An elegant and refined character in the wine that sets it apart.

Dry; There is a little amount of sugar in the wine.

Earthy; You can detect this in certain wines. The smell and flavor is bit like the earth or soil.

Elegant; A refined charactered wine. This is usually to describe a stylish and quality wine.

Extra dry; You can find this term on champagne bottles as they describe the wine.

Fat; A wine that is full of flavor and body.

Fine; A distinguished wine.

Flat; A wine that is lacking in liveliness. Also a wine with an insufficient amount of acid.

Flavor; Describing how the wine tastes.

Full; Describes a wine that has a rich body

Green; A tart wine that is made from unripe grapes. Also has a lack of fruit flavoring.

Grip; Firmness of structure and flavor.

Hard; Stiff and undeveloped.

Heady; High in alcohol and very full bodied.

Herbaceous; Aromas that are reminiscent of fresh grass or hay. It can also be a characteristic of some wines like Cabernets.

Honeyed; You will find a taste or smell that is like honey.

Intricate; The interweaving of subtle flavors and aromas within a wine.

Legs; The rivulets of wine that you see running down the sides of the glass after swirling or sipping the wine.

Length; The lingering aftertaste that you get from a wine.

Light; This refers to wines that are light in alcohol, weight and texture. The feeling that you get in the mouth when you drink the wine is also described as light.

Lively; A fresh wine that has vitality and crispness.

Mature; A fully developed, ready to drink wine.

Meaty; This is a wine that is firm in structure with a chewy, fruity taste.

Mellow; A smooth, soft wine that has no harsh characteristics.

Noble; Wines that have a great balance and a harmonious expression. The wines that are made from these types of grapes are considered as the finest wines in the world. You can find Merlot and Cabernet among this lot.

Nose; The smell that comes from the wine. You can get “good nose” or a “bad nose”. A term used to detect faults in the wine.

Nutty; A nutlike aroma that develops in some wines.

Oak, oaky; This is the flavor and aroma that comes from aging the wine in oak casks or barrels. The taste is a mixture of vanilla, spices, smokiness and cloves.

Open; You can get the full character from the wine.

Oxidized; Flat, stale wines. Wines that have a sherry like and flavor and aroma. The state where wines becomes spoiled due to exposure to air.

Petillant; A light sparkle that can be seen in the wines.

Rich; A full, opulent wine with good body and aroma.

Ripe; Mature, fully ripe fruit.

Robust; A powerful, full bodied and heady wine.

Sharp; Biting or acidic.

Smoky; The aroma and flavor that a wine can get from being aged in an oak barrel or casket.

Sparkling; This is used where there are bubbles that are detectedable in the wine.

Spicy; A wine that has the characteristics of spices like cloves, mint, pepper and cinnamon.

Structure; The way that a wine in made with regard to its proportions and composition.

Supple; A wine that is yielding in flavor and is ready to drink.

Sweet; This usually indicates the presence of grape sugar that have not been completely converted to alcohol.

Tannin; This is a natural substance that is found in the skins, stems and seeds of certain grapes. This substance is also a major component in the structure of red wines.

Tart; A sharp wine that is acceptable to drink if it is not acidic.

Thin; Lacking in body and flavor.

Tired; Where a wine is past its peak flavor development. Old.

Vanilla; You will get this scent from the aging process of oak caskets.

Velvety; Smooth and very rich in texture.

Vigorous; A wine with a firm, strong body and flavor and a lively fruitiness.

Vinegary; Having the smell of vinegar.

Watery; Thin and lacking in any flavor.

Weedy; You will get the flavors and aromas of grass or hay. This scent becomes unpleasant only in excessive amounts.

Weighty; Forceful, strong, full bodied and powerful – terms to describe wines.

Woody; The aroma that comes when wine has been over aged in barrels or casks.

Yeasty; A bread smell that can be sometimes found in wines that have gone through a secondary fermentation process like champagne. Can be appealing if it is not excessive.

Young; Simple fine wines that have yet to become mature. Still undeveloped.



By: Muna wa Wanjiru

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If you are new to wine, a wine club will help you find out which wines you really like (and those that you don’t). It is the perfect way of discovering new wines on a regular basis. If you’re not currently a member of a wine club, you should think again. Here’s why you are missing out.

Do you generally stick to what you know?

When faced with rows and rows of unfamiliar wines in the local supermarket, do you find that you always end up sticking to what you know? If you do branch out, it’s likely to be because you are swayed by the nicest, most appealing label or because you’ve gone on someone else’s recommendations (which then leave you feeling flat when you discover that you don’t like the same wine as them!) So in your quest to buy new, exciting, great tasting wines for your dinner party or Sunday Lunch, you come away with your same old, trusted bottle of wine. Sound familiar?

Join a Wine Club:

But all of that could be put to an end if you join a wine club. Each month or quarter (depending on the wine club), the wine club will send you a selection of wines from around the world. Featuring a variety of whites, reds, rosé and maybe the odd sparkling or dessert wine, you get to try wines from different grapes, countries and styles. True, you probably won’t like them all but it’s a great way of tasting your way through a selection of new releases, customer favourites and award winning wines that you probably wouldn’t have previously dared chosen.

Discover What You Like:

In the same way that we all like different food, the key thing to remember about wine is that we all like different wines and no one can tell you what you will like. (Remember this next time you are in the wine shop!) So to get the most out of your wines, you need to work out what you like. To help you along the way, most wine clubs enclose detailed information in the wine club case about the wines, so that you can learn more about the grape, country and winemaker as you drink. Suggestions for food matches can also give you confidence next time you host a dinner party. It’s also worth rating your wine club wines as you taste them, as you can be sure that you’ll have forgotten how the first ones tasted by the time you finish the case! Even better is to choose a wine club that displays customer comments on its website. That way, you’ll have an idea of what to expect from your wine club wine before you taste it.

Wine Styles Can Help:

Some wine clubs, such as the Virgin Wines Discovery Wine Club, categorise wines by style, such as “Classic Chardonnay”, “Oaky Aussie Chardonnay”, “Huge Reds” and “Soft and Juicy” reds. This is great for newcomers to wine, as it is far more intuitive than the traditional country and grape based categories, plus it recognises that certain grape varieties like Chardonnay can vary significantly in taste. The real advantage of being a member of a wine club that categorises wines in this way, is that it opens wine drinkers up to a far wider range of wines than they might otherwise have come across. For example in the “Fragrant but Dry” category, wine drinkers will find Argentinean Torrontes as a great value alternative to a pricey French Muscat – a recommendation that you won’t get from a wine club or shop that focuses simply on grape or country.

Try a Tasting Course:

To help wine drinkers learn more about wine, some wine clubs offer tasting courses or events. Tasting wines back-to-back allows drinkers to really get a feel for how two different wines taste and, ultimately, it can help them decide what to buy more of in the future.

Risk Free Buying:

Still not convinced? Part of the fun of joining a wine club is tasting new wines and discovering new favourites but if you are worried about getting something you really don’t like and wouldn’t have chosen yourself, don’t worry. Many wine clubs offer a money back guarantee, so if you come across a wine that you really can’t stomach, they will refund your money.

Join Today:

Joining a wine club can really help you when it comes to learning about wine. Not only will you get to taste a variety of new wines and find out what you really like but also it will give you more confidence in choosing your wines. You’ll never need worry about picking out a bottle of wine for your next dinner party again! To find out about Virgin Wines’ Discovery Wine Club, visit Virgin Wines.



By: Louise Truswell

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How to Make Homemade Wine | Discover How to Make Your Own Unique Wine



If you want to learn how to make homemade wine, there is no reason for not doing it. You don’t need a license, a cellar, and the utensils you need are probably in your home to begin with. It doesn’t take a lot of work either to learn How to Make Homemade Wine.

The first issue you need to learn is the do’s and don’ts of winemaking.

Do

- Rack at least once, and twice if possible.

- Use new corks and boil the old ones.

- Keep your first ferment covered.

- Keep the secondary fermentation air-free.

- Keep your equipment clean.

- Keep all bottles filled.

- Add sugar by stages and keep records with high level of detail.

- Keep red wines in dark bottles so they don’t lose their color.

- Use trustworthy yeast nutrient frequently.

- Make wines too dry rather than too sweet: add sugar later.

- Use fermentation traps.

- Taste the wine at intervals to make sure the process is going well.

Don’t

- Sell your wine. It is illegal. Don’t try to distil your own wine either.

- Let vinegar flies come in contact with your wine.

- Use metal containers.

- Use tools or containers made out of resinous wood.

- Forget to stir a must twice a day.

- Use too much sugar.

- Try to speed up fermentation by increasing the temperature.

- Be impatient.

- Let dead yeast or sediment anywhere close to your wine.

- Filter for no reasonor too soon.

- Store your wine in unsterilized jars or bottles.

- Bottle your wine before it’s done fermenting.

- Employ screw-stopper bottles.

Now that you have a good sense of what you should do and what you shouldn’t, I will share with you one of my favorite wine recipes and in no time you can learn How to Make Homemade Wine.

Either black, green or amber grapes can be used for this recipe and the resulting wine will suit almost every taste.

2 bags (4 lb.) of grapes – 2 bags (3½ lb.) of sugar – 1 oz. yeast

1 gallon water.

Separate the grapes from the stalks and then crush them by hand. Pour the boiling water over them and leave to soak for forty-eight hours. Strain and put the juice through a jelly-bag. Allow to drain and then pour into the fermenting vessel and add the sugar.

Mix until the sugar is dissolved -this will take a lot of time with cold grape-juice. When all the sugar is mixed well sprinkle the yeast on top and stir in. Seal, and ferment for fourteen days; after which proceed with bottling. It’s so much bliss to learn How to Make Homemade Wine.

If you want to get over 145 step-by-step recipes and learn all the secrets to making your own wine, visit my website: www.SecretsOfWinemaking.com – How to Make Homemade Wine



By: How to Make Homemade Wine

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Perfect Pairings

July 14, 2007 – as published in the Beacon News and Naperville Sun

By Bill Garlough

What started my interest in wines some 20-plus years ago were several memorable meals where the wine was the star. While the nuances of the food-wine pairings were certainly evident, the wine moved me.

My recent moving experience was more literal as my wife and I just completed our household move. Along with the furniture, cookware, foodstuffs and countless boxes was my personal wine collection. It’s amazing how a collection can build if, during your travels, your souvenir from a trip is a couple bottles of wine. I have several hundred bottles of wine on hand as it is fun to experience the varied wines of the world and share the experience with friends over dinner.