Why Australia For Fine Wines?
August 31, 2009 by rum lounge
Filed under Wines And Spirits
Australia, the land DownUnder, has become a major and exciting force in international wines. Australian wine is taking the world by storm, due to the quality of the grape stock combined with the skill and experience of its winemakers. This enables it to produce a superb and wide range of Australian wine styles.
This island continent features wines as varied as its terrain. Most people know of Australian Shiraz – that fruit-forward wine now known and enjoyed around the world. These fabulous ‘fruit bombs’ represent but a small part of the overall Australian winemaking scene.
Australia is sometimes described as the perfect wine producing country. It has a land mass as great as the United States or Western Europe, with a diverse climate from cold to cool to warm, and a wide variety of soil types, including the famous Coonawarra terra rossa. These natural advantages coupled with the irrepressible free-spirited character of the Australian people, has encouraged Australian winemakers to build on the great traditions of winemaking, to create delicious wines of stunning quality, diversity and uniqueness.
Wines from Australia are usually denoted by their grape variety. Aside from Shiraz, Australia also produces fine Chardonnay, Semillon, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and plenty of Cab-Shiraz blends plus some distinct Aussie wines. And don’t forget the Australian sparking whites and reds – just the wines to keep your taste buds tingling.
Delicious concentrated ripe fruit, harvested at the peak of perfection is easier to obtain in Australia than almost anywhere else in the world. Australian wines are a delight on your palette with their different aromas, flavours and taste sensations crafted from each of the different grapes, blends and regions.
Go and visit DownUnder, you won’t be disappointed. If you don’t have the time just now, you can take a Wine Tour around this amazing country through the AussieWinesOnline.com website and experience the people, places and those incomparable Aussie wines.
Why Not Try Australian Wine?
August 31, 2009 by rum lounge
Filed under Wines And Spirits
Like Australian people, the array of Australian wines is quite fascinating. All wines, sparkling or otherwise, red, rose or white are unique to the region where it is made, and the winemaker who crafts the wine. Australian wine has come a long way from when the first wine was available for sale domestically in 1820. A wide variety of wines, sparkling reds and whites, dry and blends are produced here.
The country’s winemakers also have many awards and gold medals to their credit. In the 1873 Vienna Exhibition the French judges, tasting blind, praised some wines from Victoria, in Australia, but withdrew in protest when the origin of the wine was revealed, on the grounds that wines of that quality must clearly be French. Australian wines continued to win high honors in French competitions and still continue to dominate the wine-world in a big way.
Australian wine is a new-world wine –producing nation, whereas the European countries are considered the ‘Old world’ wine producing nations. Australia produces a wide array of wines, and is the fourth largest producer of wines in the world. Learning about Australian wine is easy and not complex as is the case with European wine. All Australian wines show the contents and origin clearly on their labels (often front and back), and the varieties used and the basic character of the wine. Many will also suggest the best foods to complement the wine, or the other way around!
Red wines have their deep colour due to the process in which the grapes are crushed along with their skins and seeds, allowing the pigmentation to enter to the juice, whereas white wines are made with the skins separated immediately after crushing. Australia produces superior red wine and this is attributed to the grape variety used.
A popular grape variety is Shiraz, which apart from giving consistent full-bodied wines with fascinating deep crimson colour, is famous for its rich ripe plum and pepper flavours. Other famous red wines are Cabernet Sauvignon, the classic red variety of Bordeaux. Cabernet Sauvignon wines can be medium to full bodied, and are always well structured and elegant with pungent typically leafy like flavours. Other red wines are Merlot that is a softer with a ‘rose petal’ like flavor, Grearche , which is highly perfumed and soft, and Pinot Noir which is one of Australia’s greatest sparkling wines.
Among Australia’s white wines, the most popular is unquestionably Chardonnay, which is also the most important white grape variety around the world. Chardonnay in Australia produces sparkling and dry white wine styles with ripe melon flavours in warmer regions, and more peach and citrus like in the cooler areas. The oak flavour greatly complements the fruit flavors of Chardonnay and drunk after a maturation of 1-3 years. The other popular white varieties are Reisling, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, which is well-known for its perfumed, and delicate light bodied flavors. Like Australia, its wines seem to say, “Just enjoy!”
A New Smile That Could Improve Your Life!
August 30, 2009 by rum lounge
Filed under Wines And Spirits
A cheesy grin for teeth whitening customers and when it comes to looking really great, beautiful and healthy one of the main factors people look at is your smile. Now the teeth that are seen as one of these main factors for a great cheesy grin and the saying is that the smile that sells cannot be any more true in the modern society.
Another top tip for perfecting a mega-watt smile is to follow a tooth-friendly, ‘white teeth diet.’ This involves swapping red wine for white, black coffee for the white variety and finishing a meal with a swig of milk to neutralise acid in your mouth No longer the preserve of celebrities and the super-rich, the market in teeth-lightening products has exploded in popularity in recent years, ranging from home kits to in-surgery procedures.
We commented on personalities who have gone overboard on teeth whitening and have unnaturally and unbelievably white teeth Another top tip for perfecting a mega-watt smile is to follow a tooth-friendly, ‘white teeth diet.’ This involves swapping red wine for white, black coffee for the white variety and finishing a meal with a swig of milk to neutralise acid in your mouth. No longer the preserve of celebrities and the super-rich, the market in teeth-lightening products has exploded in popularity in recent years, ranging from home kits to in-surgery procedures.
Mid life crisis now includes getting the teeth whitened and as many of us hit those middle years we start to look at our image and the best ways to improve our health and fitness and even beauty and this includes getting our teeth made whiter to reverse the years of staining.
One of the best options if you are taking into consideration teeth whitening and is to discuss to a whitening professional. You can try to do the whitening at home with stuff but it required dedication to use the products every day. The main reason people undertake lazer whitening is just nice to look your best and improve their smile. If you can do teeth whitening and get your teeth reverse where they are expected to be, you are going to feel better about yourself and you are going to be more personal and content in your life. It is a proven fact that by doing stuff like lazer teeth whitening people are able to accomplish more self confidence and self esteem and you are going to be able to in reality to look and feel your best in your life.
Is 2009 going to be a brighter year for zoom teeth whitening and it appears the growth of the teeth whitening industry just keeps on going but the likely recession in the UK might take a shine off the market and dampen the interest as consumers look to reduce spending on health, fitness and beauty products.
A Guide to Buying Australian Wine
August 30, 2009 by rum lounge
Filed under Wines And Spirits
Why buy wine?
In Australia, wine has become the new beverage of choice for people in all walks of life. Moreover, Australia has developed an enviable reputation amongst wine drinkers and appreciators the world over. Myshopping.com.au can help you make the right selection of wine for any occasion and to suit any taste. Listed on our website, you will find some of the most celebrated labels and award winning wines and you can make a selection based on reviews, price and supplier, regardless of why you want to purchase wine.
Wine
There are essentially three reasons that we can think of why you might want to buy wine: to drink in some social occasion, to give as a gift, or as an investment with a realisable future.
Buying wine to drink
Winemaker Greg Gallagher at the Charles Sturt University, South Australia, says judging a good wine is simple. “It starts with asking, ‘do you like it?’ ” he says, “and finishes with ‘did you like it?’” When you have a list of favourite wines, all you need to do is find them on Myshopping.com.au, and you will find out where it’s sold for the best price.
But, because it’s not always easy remembering the name, style and vintage of the wine you enjoy, it’s a good idea to keep a record of wines you drink that you really like (and those that you’d prefer to avoid), for future reference.
When you’re buying wine to drink, there are a number of considerations you might like to bear in mind, the first being: what is the occasion? It stands to reason that a wine for an intimate dinner with a partner might be a different choice than one for a footy night with the boys. Sharing a wine with someone is a lot more than simply sharing the drink. It’s also sharing your taste, your values and your standards, so it pays to think carefully about the occasion and the company with whom you are sharing the wine.
A second consideration might be, what is accompanying the wine? Wine is often enjoyed with a meal, but you might like to consider also how the occasion (or meal) will develop. Matching the perfect wine with the perfect food and mood is an exhilarating experience, and is often at the heart of great memories.
You may also want to consider the ambience of the occasion. A wine for enjoying at an evening symphony concert will have a different character to that enjoyed at a beach picnic.
Buying wine as a gift
Wine makes an excellent gift for many reasons. It’s an easy purchase; you can buy a wine to suit practically any budget. And it is a demonstration of your taste and standards, subtly imparted to someone whom you may care for.
However, as well as meeting your taste standards, you also need to choose a wine that will meet the tastes of the receiver. It pays to find out what sort of wine that person enjoys, and buy within that person’s style or region preferences. A person who enjoys sweet white wines will appreciate a gift that matches that personality.
Buying wine as an investment
Some wines make a good investment because they are rare and have an established reputation causing them to appreciate in value. Possibly the most famous of these in Australia is Penfolds’ Grange Hermitage, a Shiraz style Claret that has been made since 1951 (a bottle of that vintage now might set you back $50,000 or more if you can find one). Although young in terms of wine heritage, Australia has some notable wines that do and will appreciate in value.
A good investment wine is not necessarily a guarantee of a high quality drinking wine. The investment values are arrived at by reputation. A particular vintage may have enjoyed popularity for any number of reasons and become scarce because only a limited number of bottles were produced. What results is a collectors market and wine changes hands through auctions, private sales, estate dissolutions and wine club memberships.
What makes a good investment wine however, is the fact that you are able to sell the wine at some future date for a sum greater than what you paid. Therefore the condition of the wine-or more importantly, the bottle-is of paramount consideration. The provenance of an investment wine is important. Before buying, you need to establish its history of origin and previous ownership. Satisfied that the bottle is in good condition, once in your possession it needs to be cellared correctly in the absence of heat, light and movement. You should document your ownership and the conditions of its cellaring before selling it to a new buyer.
What makes good wine?
The winemaking process
The quality of a wine is affected by a wide variety of factors that occur in and as a result of the winemaking, cellaring and handling processes. One of the key factors is the terrain and climate, commonly referred to as a ‘region’, where the grapes are grown. Different conditions affect different varieties differently. A Shiraz style from McLaren Vale in South Australia, for example, is a heavier and darker wine than the same style from the Swan Valley in Western Australia, which tends to be lighter and more peppery. A Chardonnay from the Hunter Valley is more full-bodied than one from Margaret River.
While knowing which vines are best suited to a soil type and climate is one aspect, another is knowing when to pick the fruit for particular effect. The fruit’s flavour at the time of picking is a major character of the residual flavours of the wine. After initial fermentation, some winemakers choose to ferment in oak, others not to. Using oak affects the reduction of tannins in the wine. Different types of oak-English, American, old-affect the flavour and character of the wine as it matures to its nominal alcohol level. It is in the barrel that a lot of transformations in flavours and character occur, and a great deal of skill is required to know exactly when to bottle the wine.
Different winemakers have different techniques and, while a good wine can’t be made from bad grapes, it is largely the winemaker’s skill that produces a good wine.
Taste
One of the ways we can tell the quality of wine as judged by its taste, is whether it has had successes in any of a number of wine shows held around the country. Experts from the wine industry judge wines on their quality and medal winners enjoy the benefits of being recognised and written about in the main media.
While not every medal winner is a wine that suits our taste, it is as a direct result of the shows and competitions that Australian wines have grown in popularity and quality. At Myshopping.com.au you can compare many award winning wines.
What’s your taste?
Regions and style
When you are shopping for wine, one of the first questions to answer is whether you are choosing a red wine or a white wine. Once you have decided this, you can then start to narrow down the different styles. Begin with the question of whether you are seeking a dry wine or a sweet wine.
Styles of wine are named after the region from which the grape originated. In the popular dark reds you have the Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot styles that tend to be drier wines. Lighter reds feature Beaujolais, Pinot Noir and Rose styles and these tend toward sweeter wines.
Popular white wines include the Chablis, Riesling, Semillon, Chenin, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay styles in dry wines, with Traminer Riesling, Moselle and late picked Verdelho in the sweeter styles. Aperitifs include sweet and dry sherry and Marsala. Dessert wines include Sauternes, Muscats and Ports.
Many wines are now presented as blended wines, a way to offer wider variety in taste and a way to use up less popular grapes and thereby minimise waste in the industry.
Australia has more than a dozen identified wine growing regions that produce distinctive wines of the main styles. The Barossa Valley in South Australia is possibly the most famous region with the richest heritage, and features many labels from subregions such as Claire Valley, McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek and the Adelaide Hills. These regions produce some of the most spectacular Riesling wines, and Shiraz styles in the country. East of this region, near the border with Victoria lies the Coonawarra district (also known as Riverland), famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon. In Victoria lie the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsular districts. The Goulbourn Valley lies on the border with New South Wales. The Hunter Valley in New South Wales produces some of Australia’s finest wines, while in the West, Margaret River, t4he Swan Valley and the Plantagenet districts all produce fine wines.
Trends
Recent economic conditions and consecutive years of oversupply have changed much of Australia’s wine market. There are many small boutique wineries whose products can be bought direct from the cellar door. Many of these wines are featured on Myshopping.com.au by style and region.
The wine industry is encouraging the buying of wines and cellaring them (storing them in a cool place) for a period of time and enjoying them at a later time. To cellar your wine, store it somewhere cool, dark, airy, and free from vibration and dampness. Temperature stability is the most important factor in preserving wine in the cellar. Storing wine in an environment where the temperature varies gradually with the seasons is better than in a room that varies with the day and night.
For long-term storage, the ideal cellar temperature is 18 degrees Celsius and a relative humidity of 60-75%. Warmer conditions accelerate the development of wines, which could mean a reduction in the pleasure of drinking them.
The second phenomenon to occur through oversupply is the introduction of cleanskins, a method of selling wine without a brand label. This is presented as being ‘money saving’ because of a reduction in marketing expense, however the real cost saving per bottle is around 3-5 cents (the cost of printing and applying a label).
Cleanskins enable a wine producer to present a lower cost bottle, but this is mostly achieved by not having to identify the origins of the grape, or the varietal blends that make up the wine. And while it is true that some cleanskins are eminently drinkable wines, evidence suggests that they are generally of a far poorer quality than branded label products. It is suggested that you taste the wine before purchasing any cleanskins.
Wine is a high fashion product, and wine trends emerge on a regular basis. The best way to follow these trends is to shop using Myshopping.com.au—comparing prices and suppliers, and following medal winning labels.
Dancing The Night Away
August 30, 2009 by rum lounge
Filed under Cocktail Recipes
To experience some real nightlife, Amsterdam is a great place. Amsterdam nightlife offers lots of bars, pubs and clubs. Amsterdam has tons of different bars, pubs, clubs and events. Hardcore house, Garage, Techno and Lounge are currently most popular, but there are also 70s, 80’s and retro parties.
Bars in Amsterdam are usually very stylishly decorated, most of them with a lounge influence. Most bars are found in the centre of town.There are all kinds of bars. Some have a small dance floor, some a small restaurant, and some have live music. Bars are usually open until to 3.00 am. They rarely close before then. There are plenty bars and pubs in Amsterdam. One can find anything from local hang outs, ones packed with Old Dutch people playing cards or Irish and American bars, which cater for tourists.
The city can be the venue for a romantic stroll, with the lights of the bridges and old houses reflected in the canals, or a night spent bar hopping from buzzing bar to buzzing bar, before partying until dawn in one of Europe’s top clubs. It could even be a nefarious evening, dipping into the dirty underbelly of a city with few inhibitions.
Looking for a nice and tasty cocktail, well, the cocktail bars in Amsterdam are the right place to be. Especially the last years the cocktails gained popularity. The bars in Amsterdam noticed this trend as well of course, so in many bars one can have the opportunity to choose from a “cocktail – menu list”.
In the clubs of Amsterdam that is where the real Amsterdam nightlife starts. The clubs and discotheques in Amsterdam are as diverse as the city’s population. Some have live concerts every week (Melkweg and Paradiso), at others one can dance to the beats of famous deejays. Dutch dj’s are doing very well nowadays, especially in international dance scene, names like Tiesto, Armand van Buren, Ferry Corsten and DJ Roog are well known. In the Escape, for instance, during the week they have different themes and all kinds of music. In the weekend the Escape has on Saturdays Frame Busters and on Sundays it’s Sundae. The latest hot places in Amsterdam to party are – Cineac, Jimmy Woo and Club Zion.
Nana Plaza Bangkok
August 30, 2009 by rum lounge
Filed under Drinking Games
If you are looking for a place to be at night to party out. This place might be one of the place you want to visit. The place has 2 floors being a few pubs at the entrance and the rest filled with Ah Go-go bars. Quite a nice place to just chill out and have a beer but personally the ah go-go bars got quite boring after a while. The pubs were a pretty nice place to hang out and play some locals games with the local Thais. Just becareful as the working ladies there will tend to get you to have some special services. Unless you are genuinely interested, having a drink is good enough..
While you can spend weeks in Thailand without ever seeing a prostitute there are some areas of the City of Angels that are designed with nothing more in mind than the sex tourist. There are also some other places that tend to draw Thai girls who are looking for involvement with a farang – Khao San Road immediately comes to mind. Today’s post will focus on the largest of the pay4play entertainment areas in Bangkok known as Nana Plaza.
Nana Entertainment Plaza (or NEP) began 25 years ago when several bars on Soi 14-Soi 16 were forced to close indefinitely because of construction on Sukhumvit Road. In mid 1982 the Rosemarys (1&2) , The Three Roses and The Rainbow Bar all moved into Nana Plaza which was formerly your normal run of the Thai strip mall and parking area. Since that time it has grown to almost 40 bars packed into the central court area.
For almost 2 decades now Nana has been the center of naughty nightlife in Bangkok. It does see some competition from Soi Cowboy area bars, but Nana Plaza is the top of the heap when it comes to A-Go-Go bars, with stages and shows throughout the complex. Nana is famous for it’s Go-Go bars where you can find scads of scantily clothes Thai girls gyrating on stage and around shiny poles, all meant to excite and titillate the variety of visitors that come just for that purpose. Nana is also famous for the katoey or ladyboy bars in the area. Many are the man who hasn’t understood the difference between the lovely katoeys in Nana Plaza and been handed a large surprise later.
The Plaza does seem to fluctuate in popularity from year to year with the expatriates and sexpatriates visiting Thailand. One year you can go there and find the area packed to capacity and another year will see NEP almost empty. 2007 was a slow year and 2008 looks to be the same with many of the bars reporting their take to be down 20-30% from normal. Some of this is due to the strength of the Thai baht which is affecting all areas of tourism in Thailand. Other reasons mentioned are the declining upkeep of the clubs, the rising price of the girls and the poor attitude of many of the staff and girls. Another hit is coming in the form of a smoking ban in all restaurants and bars in Thailand which is supposed to take effect February 11th, 2008. It will be interesting to see if this ban is actually enforced.
The first time visitor to Nana Plaza should be prepared for a surreal experience with the area looking like a neon lit circus midway in full swing and music pumping from the various bars surrounding the Plaza. Bible thumping missionaries, prostitutes, western sexpats, camera wielding Japanese tourists and curious tourist young and old fill the area making it a great place to sip a beer and watch the diversity of humanity in all its forms. No matter how far and wide you travel you are unlikely to see another place even remotely like it.
With dozens of bars, brightly flashing neon, hundreds of girls and all the sights, smells and sounds of Nana Plaza I have only scratched the surface of what Nana Plaza is. Go and see for yourself, you’ll be amazed and possibly shocked, but it will be different than any other experience of your life.
I Love Italian Wine and Food – Launching a Series
August 29, 2009 by rum lounge
Filed under Wines And Spirits
I Love Italian Wine and Food – Launching a Series
Let’s start with a few statistics. Italy constantly fights with France for the title of the world’s biggest wine producer. Italy ranks number 3 in per capita wine consumption. As in many other European countries, Italians are drinking less wine, but better wine. Italy exports about 10% of its wine production to the United States. It is home to almost one million registered vineyards, and more than one thousand grape varieties, the majority of which are found nowhere else on earth.
Italy is the king of microclimates: 40% of its territory is mountainous and another 40% is hilly. Such territory can often be ideal for vineyards, even if of little value for other agricultural products. The country is surrounded by five bodies of water; the Ligurian Sea in the northwest, the Tyrrhenian Seas in the southwest, the Ionian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea in the south, and the Adriatic Sea in the east. All these geographical factors mean that vineyards a few kilometers apart may yield vastly different wines.
Did you know that Italy is divided into twenty regions? Each and every one produces wine, its own distinctive style or usually styles of wine that accompany its regional food specialties. Almost all regions produce wine for export to North America. Of course some regions are doing better than others, but in many cases regions that were once known for their bland, and perhaps baked wines, have turned the corner and are now making some excellent wines. Because the public is not yet generally aware of these wine-making regions, there are still bargains to be had. Keep posted, I’ll be making specific recommendations.
Italy can be divided into three major sections: Northern Italy, sharing a border with four European countries (France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia), Central Italy, and the South, traditionally the poorest part of Italy.
Northern Italy is composed of eight regions: The Aosta Valley, Piedmont (whose capital is Turin), Lombardy (whose capital is Milan), Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, The Veneto (whose capital is Venice), Emilia-Romagna, and Liguria (whose capital is Genoa). Because wines from the first and last of these regions are quite difficult to find in North America, we are planning articles on only six of these regions.
Central Italy is composed of six regions: Tuscany (whose capital is Florence), Umbria, The Marches, Abruzzi, Molise, and Latium (whose capital is Rome). We are planning at least one article on each of these regions.
Southern Italy is composed of six regions: Apulia, Campania (whose capital is Naples), Basilicata, Calabria, and the islands of Sicily (whose capital is Palermo) and Sardinia. We are planning at least one article on each of these regions.
Each article will discuss the region and its distinctiveness. We’ll talk about the wines and the foods that characterize the region. We’ll taste at least one wine as we are preparing the articles, and sometimes refer to memorable wines that we have tasted months or years previously. When possible, we’ll taste the wine with an imported Italian cheese that typifies the region.
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have communicated with well over a thousand Italian wine producers and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy is clear. All wines that we taste and review have been purchased at the full retail price.
Now back to the subject of Italian wines.
Wine Classification.
Italy has legally defined four wine classifications that presumably help the consumer make a selection when faced dozens of unfamiliar choices. In 1963 Italy devised the Denominazione di Origine Controllata (Denomination of Controlled Origin) wine legislation largely modeled on the French legislation. The goal of the DOC system was to classify and regulate wine production in given geographical areas and help these areas develop their own specific identity. Don’t get confused, in addition to designating the Italian wine classification system, DOC also designates the third classification level within this system.
While most wine producing countries have instituted official wine classifications, arguably the Italian system is the most controversial, some would say the most abused, and the most ignored by the wine producers themselves. Look for these classifications on the wine label. But be warned, a higher classification does not always mean a better wine.
VdT stands for Vino da Tavola, translated as table wine. These wines may be made from any grape, or mixture of grapes, anywhere within Italy. Usually table wines are pretty ordinary, and in Italy they are often served directly from the barrel. And yet on occasion VdT wines are excellent and priced accordingly. Why should these lowest-rated wines be better than their supposedly fancier competitors? Some innovative producers didn’t want to be told by government officials how to make wine (see DOC below). In essence they said, “We’ll do it our way and let the market decide.†The classic examples of outstanding VdT wines are Super-Tuscans, often going for $50 or more a bottle.
IGT stands for Indicazione Geografica Tipica, which may be translated as Typical Geographic Indication, in other words a wine that typifies its specific location. This classification was created in 1992 to provide a level of wine above table wine, and below DOC, described next. The IGT classification defines the wine’s geography but not its composition or production method. Once again, don’t jump to conclusions about the wine’s quality. I clearly remember drinking an exceptional IGT served at a public Italian wine dinner. It was a Rosso di Toscana IGT Croce di Bibbiano “Santo Chiodo†Super Tuscan that unfortunately is unavailable in my area. It costs more than most DOC and DOCG wines (see below) and in my opinion, this wine is worth it.
DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin. Each and every region has at least one DOC wine, for example, the Apulia region has 25 DOCs while its neighbor Bascilicata has only one. A given DOC defines the permissible grape or grape varieties as well as numerous details about the grape growing and wine making process. The first DOC wine dates back to 1966. About one fifth of Italian wine is classified DOC or better. Perhaps you can guess from this statistic that a DOC on the label is no guarantee of quality.
DOCG stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Guarantita, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin. Please realize that this letter G on the label is no guarantee of quality. For example, the first red wine to achieve DOCG status (in 1980), the Tuscan Brunello di Montalcino is quite highly regarded. In contrast, the first white wine to achieve DOCG status (in 1987 after considerable debate) the Albana di Romagna from the neighboring region of Emilia-Romagna is not highly regarded at all. I have never tasted this particular wine, but the best comment I have ever read it is that this wine is pleasantly fruity. In my opinion, such weak praise hardly justifies its top-of-the-line official status. Perhaps what is required is a DOCGG classification (I’ll let you do the translation.)
I Love Italian Wine and Food – The Piedmont Region
August 29, 2009 by rum lounge
Filed under Wines And Spirits
If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Piedmont region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on the fact-filled wine education tour.
Piedmont is located in the northwest of Italy. It borders on France and Switzerland and is surrounded on three sides by the Alps. The name Piedmont means the foot of the mountain. Piedmont is one of the most industrialized regions of Italy. It is considered the best organized region of Italy for wine tourism. Its population is about 4.4 million.
Piedmont was originally settled by the Celts. It was conquered by Hannibal and reconquered by the Ancient Romans. Piedmont was ruled by the French Savoy family for almost five hundred years. It was a center in the fight to unify Italy. Victor Emmanuel II, the king of Piedmont and Sardinia, became the first king of modern Italy in 1861.
Agriculturally Piedmont has it all. For example, meats include beef, kid, lamb, rabbit, and veal. Game includes hare, partridge, pheasant, and venison. Donkey meat stew is a local specialty. Another specialty is grissini, breadsticks that are a yard long. The region makes nine protected varieties of cheese. About the only food that seems to be a bit short is fresh fish, with the exception of trout.
Piedmont’s capital and largest city is Turin, a city of nine hundred thousand that is the capital of the Italian automobile industry and the site of the 2006 Winter Olympics. This city was the first capital of united Italy (from 1861 to 1865) and remains to this day the world capital of vermouth.
Piedmont devotes over one hundred forty thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 6th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about ninety million gallons, also giving it a 6th place. About 70% of the wine production is red or rosé (only a bit of rosé), leaving 30% for white. The region produces 44 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine and 7 DOCG wines. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior Almost 56% of Piedmont wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. Piedmont is home to four dozen major and secondary grape varieties, somewhat more red than white varieties.
Widely grown international white grape varieties include Muscat (in particular Moscato Bianco) and Chardonnay. The best known strictly Italian white varieties are Arneis, Cortese, and Erbaluce.
International red grape varieties are not important in Piedmont. It is the center for Nebbiolo, felt by many to be Italy’s noblest red variety, the base of Italy’s world famous Barolo and Barbaresco wines. Other Italian red varieties include Barbera, Brachetto, and Dolcetto, some of which are grown elsewhere.
Before reviewing the Piedmont wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Cipollata Rossa Monferrina, Spicy Robiola Cheese and Scallion Spread.
For the second course try Tasca Ripiena, Veal Stuffed with Salami and Scallions. For dessert indulge yourself with Budino Freddo Gianduja, Decadent Hazelnut-Chocolate Pudding.
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have communicated with well over a thousand Italian wine producers and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy is clear. All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.
Wine Reviewed
Surì Rosso Barbera d’Asti Villa Giada 2004 Andrea-Faccio Viticoltore (Winemaker) DOC 13.5% alcohol about $10.90 plus tax
Unlike the other wines in this series, I purchased this bottle while on vacation in Seattle, Washington. Frankly I thought that I was drinking the cousin of a $40 bottle of wine. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if it were the equal of some $40 bottles. While three other Italian grape red varieties are authorized to a maximum of 15% in the Barbera d’Asti DOC, this particular wine is 100% Barbera.
I found the wine very powerful, perhaps too strong for pasta. Its tastes included tobacco, leather, cherry, and black cherry. An Italian wine site states: “An imposing wine that is always rather severe but richly and exquisitely perfumed and with a flavor that couples strength with finesse.†I agree except that I didn’t find it severe. I also drank it with a marinated, barbecued rib steak. The wine cut through the steak’s grease. Once again the flavors came out well.
Gran Padano is a classic Parmesan-type cheese made for a millennium in northern Italy including the Piedmont region. It is a cylindrical, cooked, semi-fat cheese which matures slowly. It has a grainy consistency and may be sliced or grated. Its taste is fragrant and delicate. I tried this wine with grated Gran Padano cheese on toast with a somewhat spicy Moroccan tomato and pimento based dip.The combination was excellent; I felt that both the wine and cheese flavors were accentuated. The term mouth-filling came to mind.
A history of the Australian wine industry – Part 1
August 29, 2009 by rum lounge
Filed under Wines And Spirits
An attempt to start a wine industry in Australia commenced with the arrival of the First Fleet at Port Jackson in January 1788. During the voyage, vines had been procured by Governor Arthur Phillip at Rio de Janeiro and later at the Cape of Good Hope. These were planted with various crops at Farm Cove, the present site of the Sydney Botanical Gardens. A lack of grapes resulted in the vines being transplanted to the Governor’s garden at Parramatta, west of Sydney. In 1791, the garden contained three acres of vines, and the first two bunches of grapes harvested were reported by naval officer Watkin Tench in January of that year. It is quite likely that the grapes were used to make Australia’s first wine.
The first private vine grower in the colony was Philip Schaeffer who had a vineyard of one acre at his Rydalmere farm in 1792. Several private growers had a total of 8.5 acres of vines by 1797. The government encouraged wine-making and drinking in these early years to try and curb consumption of lethal spirits that were being concocted in vast quantities. It was also part of a wider push for self-sufficiency in agriculture. After initial success, these enterprises had failed by the turn of the century. The early years of the industry were hampered by disease and poor management.
Consequently, Antoine Landrien and Francois de Riveau, two French prisoners of war were sent to Australia in 1800 to help establish a wine industry after claiming they had the necessary experience. They planted 12,000 vines but four years later, only forty gallons of poor quality wine had been produced and disease overtook the vines. Further attempts to grow grapes were made by George Suttor at Parramatta and by Nicholas Devine who had three acres of vines at Newton but these ventures failed too as the vine types were unsuited to the Australian conditions.
Gregory Blaxland was probably the pioneer of Australia’s wine industry. After arriving in Sydney in 1806, he grew crops, grasses, and grapes over 25 years on his 450 acre property. His knowledge of viticulture exceeded that of growers before him. He planted both seeds and cuttings, trained the young vines, and dug trenches to keep roots moist. He developed a species resistant to anthracnose and black spot. In 1816, his wine was given the thumbs-up by Governor Lachlan Macquarie. Blaxland was the first person to export wine and the first to win an award. He sent a 26 gallon concoction of red wine and French brandy to London in
Set Yourself Apart From The Rest With A Wine Tasting Gift
August 28, 2009 by rum lounge
Filed under Wines And Spirits
Some people still see wine tasting as a thing for the elite, only for wine connoisseurs, a select few that hold these parties on the weekends. They say that it is not accessible for “normal” people or that “normal” people would not enjoy it. Of course this could not be further from the truth, wine tasting is a fun and unique experience anyone should have had once in his or her life.
Probably no one in your circle of friends or family has ever given a wine tasting gift to someone before, so you can be sure that your gift is very unique. It will be remembered by everyone present and who is told later on. You can of course make sure that this gift is tailored for the one who receives it, whether the person is a beginner in wine tasting or maybe the receiver is very experienced you can go any direction with this gift.
Informative and nice
If the gift is for a beginner in wine tasting then this can be a perfect introduction in learning to appreciate wines and the different tastes there are and how one should select a wine. Often people have tasted some bad wines in their lives and are put of by the idea of drinking another glass. Most times a wine tasting comes with an experiences guide who will help them in discovering the right wine. After the tasting they will know how to distinguish a good wine by the color, the taste and a lot of other characteristics.
When you are looking into buying a wine tasting present for someone you could also look at the possibility of mixing it with a workshop. One such workshop could be learning to match food with the right wine. The days that red wine goes with meat, white wine with fish are long gone, and a workshop on this topic could open up some eyes.
A beginners wine tasting event is always very relaxed and without the serious effect of people knowing what they are talking about. The opposite is true when the gift receiver is a gourmand who is really in to wine and also knows what he or she is talking about. Then you should make sure that the wine tasting is challenging for that particular person. Then the accent should be on the better wines and not on there being a guide present.
Maybe the person that is going to receive the gift would love to go with someone else or a group, then it would make sense to look for a group event. Maybe you could talk to other people who are going to get a gift and you could join hands and buy one big gift, a group wine tasting. The fun would even be greater if that same group would join the happy receiver in this very tasting.
So you see that giving a wine tasting gift is not such a strange thing to give. It is the perfect gift and you will be very unique with this thought.
