Wine 983
How to Use a Waiter’s Corkscrew
Don’t Rely on Gimmicky Wine Openers,
Learn to Use a Waiter’s Corkscrew
Having a glass of wine and experimenting with different varietals is one of life’s biggest pleasures. However, one thing that is no fun at all is bringing a fabulous bottle of wine to a friend’s house and not having a way to open it. Almost every house hold will have a ridiculous device to open wine: a needle and air pump system to remove a wine cork, a Swiss army type contraption that consists of a plain screw-type piece of metal that has no leverage system requiring superhuman strength to yank out once inserted, or worse, a corkscrew with two arms that one presses down once the corkscrew bit has been twisted in.
A great bottle of wine – or even a cheap bottle of wine- can get ruined by nasty bits of cork floating around in it caused by inferior cork removing devices. The simplest solution to opening a bottle of wine is to use the old-fashioned waiter’s corkscrew; a fairly straightforward gadget that usually only costs a few dollars.
A waiter’s corkscrew, when folded, looks almost like a pocket knife. At one end there will be a small folding knife, the other end will contain a fold-out lever, and in the middle will be a fold-out corkscrew. Some models may have a bottle opener attached, and the so-called “Spanish waiter’s corkscrew” will have a hinged double lever which makes the entire process even easier. The Spanish waiter’s corkscrew will usually be more expensive, with solid, robust models starting around $20.
Presenting the wine
If you are working as a waiter or waitress in a restaurant, NEVER open a bottle of wine until the client has seen you bring the wine to the table and present it to the person who ordered it. This is to ensure that the correct wine has been brought out; you need to hold the bottle in such a way that the client can clearly see the label. Once the bottle has been approved, then the opening ritual may occur.
The opening of the bottle
If you have never opened a bottle of wine before, set the bottle down on a stable surface, like the table. Do not try to open the bottle holding it aloft in your hands until you’ve got some experience.
First, unfold the knife, and use it to cut off the foil around the top of the cork. Run it all the way around, and then remove the small circle of foil. Some bottles also have foil that is easy to pull open, just look for the little tab.
Second, fold the knife back in, and unfold the lever and the corkscrew bit.
Third, insert the corkscrew bit directly in the middle of the exposed cork while holding the bottle firmly with one hand. Twist it in while pressing downwards, and insert the cork all the way in. However, be careful that the corkscrew does not come out of the bottom of the cork; this can cause bits of cork to get dropped into the wine. If this occurs in a restaurant setting, the customer has every right to refuse to pay for the wine. Wine with cork chunks in it is known in the industry as being “corked” as is considered undrinkable (it tastes awful).
Fourth, after ensuring the corkscrew is in as far as it can go without breaking the bottom of the cork, bend the lever down so that the notched bit sits on the top edge of the bottle. This will act as an anchor when you pull out the cork with the corkscrew.
Fifth, with one hand holding the bottle and keeping the edge of the lever on the bottle edge, push or pull up the other end or handle of the device; this will lift out the cork relatively easily. Be careful at this point; if the cork looks like it is going to break in half, simply twist the corkscrew in a little bit more and lift the handle again.
Cork details in a restaurant or bar setting
At this point, the cork will be out of the bottle and the wine will be ready to pour; however, if you are in a setting where you are serving wine to a customer, remove the cork from the corkscrew by twisting it off and put the cork down in front of the person who ordered the wine. The customer at this point will test is the wine is “good” by touching the end of the cork that was closest to the wine; it should be wet. A cork that is dry at both ends means that some evaporation has occurred inside the bottle and the wine may have turned into vinegar. If the client complains that the cork is dry, he or she is under no obligation to pay for the bottle as the contents are possibly ruined. Smelling a cork usually doesn’t indicate much; it will generally only smell of wet cork material. Once the cork has been touched and it is wet at one end, the wine can be poured and enjoyed.
Opening a bottle of wine with a waiter’s corkscrew sounds a little complicated, but once it’s been attempted a few times it becomes second nature and easy. Don’t waste your money on other “easy methods”; the classic waiter’s corkscrew has been around for decades, possibly centuries and is by far the best device for opening wine on the market today.
Discuss! #WaitersCorkscrew
How to Find Great Wines for Under $15
How to Find Great Wines for Under $15
The wine world is full of snobbery and some so-called “experts” will exclaim that good wines under $15 dollars don’t exist, and are always ready to ridicule the tastes and preferences of people who may not know much about wines. This is the part about wine education that can be very intimidating to some people. However, a beginner need not fear; learning about wines can be a lot of fun once the misplaced elitism is taken away. As many sommeliers and multi-starred chefs will say, the best wine is the wine that YOU like. And this is how you find which wines work best for you, at a price you can more than afford.
The best way to get to learn about wine and build up an idea of what you like and don’t like is to throw a party. That’s right. Instead of paying mega-bucks to go to a wine-tasting hosted by a shop or alcohol outlet, invite all of your friends over and have your own wine tasting. You and your friends don’t need any previous knowledge about wine for the event to work; in fact, in some cases it works better if people don’t have any preconceived notions about wine tastings.
In order to try the most wines possible at the event, each guest should bring along one bottle. The only rule is that the bottle of wine MUST cost under $15 or $10 if you and your friends are on a tight budget. If you or your friends have difficulty deciding on a wine when you’re in the shop, just ask an employee to help you; they usually know which wines are half-way decent. Just let the employee know you’re on a budget, and keep in mind that at this point, it doesn’t matter if the wine chosen is red or white; the name of the game is just trying new things.
Before your party guests arrive, make sure that you have a few snacks; have some sliced fruit, some sliced vegetables, some cheeses, cold-cuts and crackers and maybe some chips in nice bowls. Along with the nibbles, make sure that there is at least one sheet of paper and a pen or pencil for each guest to write with. Also make sure that you have a corkscrew and know how to use it so that you won’t be stuck trying to remove a wine cork with a butter knife or some other inappropriate instrument. Now you are all set for your wine tasting.
If 10 people show up to the wine tasting party, there will be 11 wines including your chosen bottle to sample from. The rules are simple; everybody tastes the same wine at the same time. Everybody writes down the name of the wine on their paper, and after tasting they must answer the question “Would you spend 15 bucks on this?” If a person answers “maybe”, it counts as a “no”; remember, we’re looking for wines that are great, not mediocre or passable.
Guests can eat snacks the entire time, and encourage everyone to write down any observations about the wine that they may have, such as foods they think may go well with the wine, any outstanding characteristics, or what they think may make the wine taste so yummy. Some of the wines are going to be terrific; other wines are going to be absolute splonk. The great thing is that you and your guests will have the opportunity to sample as many wines as there are guests, you’ll be able to express your feelings about the wines served without the fear of being ridiculed by the infamous wine snobs, and you’ll be experiencing a new learning experience with your friends in a fun, relaxed environment.
This was how I started to build up my wine knowledge base, and I am very proud to say that I know a heck of a lot about wines, and I have never had to pay to go to a “wine tasting”. Some of my friends in the bartending industry took wine tasting courses that cost them up to $250 a session; all they got to try were 3 red wines, 2 white wines and had to sit through a lot of lectures on how to “taste” good wine. Furthermore, they weren’t allowed to really form their own opinion; they were basically told that the wines they were drinking were “good”. The result of their wine drinking courses was that none of them actually like wine at all now and have the idea that wine needs to be incredibly expensive to be enjoyable. Simply not true.
At your wine party, you will find that some people will absolutely love a wine that others will feel neutral about or will thoroughly hate. Wine, like everything else in life, is subjective; what’s awesome for you may be quite gross for someone else. However, the point of the wine-tasting party is to start building your wine knowledge and discover what tastes good to you without spending a fortune and wasting your precious time. As I mentioned earlier, I got my start at a wine tasting party back in 1998 where the maximum price per bottle was $8; and now, many years later, two of the wines I had at that party are still my all-time favourites, even though I’ve been very privileged to have bottles of wine that cost in the neighborhood of several hundred dollars.
Enjoy your wine party, and never forget that nobody can tell you what to like: the best wine on the market is always the one that YOU happen to like best!
What Makes A Perfect Glass of Shiraz?
What Makes A Perfect Glass of Shiraz?
One of the loveliest red wines on the market is the delightfully deep-tasting Syrah which has a very long history in the French region of Avignon but is grown in many other wine-producing regions of the world including Australia, where it is known as Shiraz.
The dark skinned Syrah grape produces wines that are powerful in nature, and in 2004 Syrah was the seventh most grown variety of grape in the world. Shiraz wines are very popular, and their popularity is actually increasing year by year as more people make the switch from beer to wine. The Shiraz/Syrah grape should not be confused with the Petite Sirah grape, a more recent variety that is a cross between Syrah and Peloursin and came into existence in the 1880’s.
DNA testing conducted in the late 1990s proved that Syrah grapes originated in the Rhône area of France and is the offspring of two very obscure grapes that are not grown in any significant amounts and have almost disappeared. While some have hypothesized that Shiraz grapes come from Shiraz in Iran or Syracuse, the scientific evidence firmly demonstrates a French origin.
Shiraz/Syrah is also known by a large number of synonyms, including Antourenein Noir, Balsamina, Candive, Entournerein, Hignin Noir, Marsanne Noir, Sirac, Sira, Schiras, Syrac, Sereine and Serine. All the names represent the exact same grape.
Syrah wines became famous after the era of Crusades, when powerful, excellent quality wines were being produced at Hermitage, a hill with a chapel behind the village of Tain L’Hermitage in Rhône. These Hermitage wines were well reputed and sought-after for centuries, but interest died down in the first half the 1900s. By this time, Hermitage Syrah wine was either adulterated with other wines, or was used to improve wines from other regions. Fortunately for wine lovers, Shiraz made a comeback and is now an incredibly popular wine produced in many areas, especially Australia.
However, now that the history lesson is over, what makes for a great glass of Shiraz? Well, due to the high amounts of tannins and the complex flavours, the first requisite for making an everyday Shiraz an outstanding one is that the wine should be aged, with critics claiming that the perfect amount of time for a Shiraz to be kept aside is several years, with exceptional wines being aged for 15.
To appreciate the complexities and full flavours of a good Syrah, the wine must also be at the correct temperature; too cold and it will taste flat, too warm and it will taste soupy. The recommended temperature for Shiraz is actually higher than that for all other wines: Syrah should be served when it is at 180 C or 650 F. “Room temperature” is far too vague, and because most North Americans keep their homes at a toasty 210 or 220 C, the wine needs to be chilled to cool down a few degrees.
The second most important factor when searching for the perfect Shiraz is to decide which style is preferred: bottles labelled Syrah contain wines that usually tend be made in the classic Rhône style, meaning an elegant, restrained fruit taste component, and have strong tannin and smoke-flavoured components. Shiraz wines, which are mostly produced in Australia and Canada, are made from grapes that are riper. This gives the wine a very fruity, peppery character with less tannins and less smoky tendencies. Australian wines can give the impression that they are sweet due to the fruit-forward taste and are can be consumed when very young. The wine critic therefore, oh the quest to find the perfect glass of Syrah, must decide which characteristics he or she wishes to experience. However, no matter where the Syrah wine comes from, all experts agree that a perfect Shiraz must have some degree of pepperiness; if this is absent, one can safely say the Shiraz is of very mediocre quality.
The third most important factor when hunting down the perfect glass of Shiraz is, surprisingly, the glass itself. “Big Red” wines like Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon are wines that have tremendous depth and are strong; they need proper stemware and a champagne flute or an old coffee mug can totally ruin the experience. Shiraz needs to be poured into a larger wine glass with a somewhat extended bowl so that the wine can come into some contact with oxygen and “breathe” in order to release its full potential. Special Shiraz wine glasses are available at most department stores, and the money should be spent in order to have the opportunity to experience the “nose” or “bouquet” of the wine. Using white wine glasses, which are quite small in comparison, will not allow you to do this and the experience will only be half as good.
Shiraz wine is popular with wine drinkers everywhere for good reason; it’s a powerhouse of a wine and pairs beautifully with meat dishes, steaks, and barbequed food. Some beautiful examples of Syrah and Shiraz that a fine wine enthusiast should try come from Australia’s Barossa Valley, France’s Hermitage region, Argentina’s wine growing areas, and strangely enough, the Parras region in Mexico.
The perfect Syrah can be found with ease; in fact, by paying attention to details such as serving temperature, preferred style of wine, age of the wine and the glass that it’s served in, a wine aficionado can be assured that almost any Shiraz wine can easily become absolutely perfect.
Pinot Noir Wine
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir wines are made from the Pinot noir grape varietal, and although Burgundy wine from France is the most well-known wine of this variety, the grape grows in almost all cooler wine-producing regions of the world. What makes this wine so desirable is that it is extremely versatile; because it is light to medium-bodied and has fruity yet spicy characteristics, it is delightful to drink on its own as a cocktail and it also pairs wonderfully with all sorts of food, including food that would traditionally be paired with lighter white or rose wines.
Pinot Noir: the grape
The grape itself is thought to be only one or two steps removed from its wild-growing ancestor, Vitis sylvestris. An ancient varietal, it was first described in literature in the first century AD. Despite being rather difficult to grow due to its susceptibility to bunch rot, powdery mildew and other fungal infections along with a sensitivity to wind, the grape that grows in pine cone-shaped bunches grows in Austria, Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Canada, Chile, Croatia, the Republic of Georgia, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Kosovo, the Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Greece, Romania, New Zealand, South Africa, Serbia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the United States, Uruguay, Ukraine and Slovakia.
In all of these countries, wine producers have found that in order to produce the best wines, the Pinot noir grape must be tended to often and the plants must produce low yields in order to obtain the best flavours. High-yielding crops will produce a very inferior wine; the labour intensive cultivation of the grape is what makes the wines so good but also makes them rather more expensive that other red wines. One nation that is producing superior Pinot noir wines on a consistent basis is the United States. Wineries in California and Oregon are now leading producers of Pinot noirs, and are equal to the best of France’s famed Burgundies.
Pinot Noir: The wine
Pinot noir exhibits a tremendous range of aromas, bouquets, flavours and characteristics such as texture that even sommeliers and professional wine tasters can get thrown off from time to time. Because the grape is very sensitive to its growing environment, it will take on the taste of its terroir, which leads to its enormous taste variety.
In very general terms, the most predominant characteristics of Pinot noir are a black or red cherry aroma with hints of raspberry and other black berry fruits, and a light to medium body. Traditional French Burgundy tends to present “farmyard” aromas and a fleshiness which goes towards the savoury side rather than the sweet side. However, with modern techniques, winemakers are preferring a cleaner, more fruit-forward product that is a bit cleaner in texture.
The colour of Pinot noir wines has been compared to that of garnet or red-coloured gemstones and tends to be much lighter and jewel-like than other red wines which present darker, more opaque hues. However, again due to the grape’s variability, new styles of Pinot noir wines are coming from New Zealand and California which are deeper in colour and resemble Syrah wines and in some cases have even been compared to the heavier Malbec wines that are produced in South America.
Pinot noir grapes, in many parts of the world’s wine growing regions, are also used in the production of sparkling white wines, sparkling red wines, and rosé wines. This is due to the fact that the juice produced from the Pinot noir grapes is colourless.
Pinot noir wines, since 2004 and 2005, have increased in popularity in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand since the release of the film Sideways, an American movie in which the characters are devoted wine aficionados. Furthermore, tastes in these regions have changed from the “big reds” with high alcoholic content to something a little more restrained and subtle.
Food pairings
Called the “ultimate” wine by many wine critics, Pinot noir wines are very versatile when it comes to food pairings and are even incredibly pleasant to drink on their own as a cocktail; no pairing is needed. However, because of its moderate degrees of tannin combined with is nice, soft, sleek texture, many will say that the “ultimate” Pinot noir experience is one that sees the wine paired with food.
If a person wants to drink the wine without it being matched to food, on its own, it is recommended to chill a room-temperature bottle for about five minutes in order to appreciate the full fruit-forward characteristics.
Classic food pairings for Pinot noir include leaner meats, such as turkey, rabbit, veal, chicken, beef, pork, duck that has been well-drained, or any game bird such as pheasant. Pinot noir will also work well with goat meat, which has been gaining popularity due to its extremely mild, lean flavour.
However, other food pairings that will work nicely because of the slightly spicy touches of Pinot noir will be sausages, smoked meats, and braised or wood-roasted meats. Pinot noir will also match nicely with dishes that contain coriander, mushrooms, truffles, peppercorns, mustards, rosemary, basil, mint, thyme and oregano, traditional masala with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and mace, sweet vegetables such as bell peppers, autumnal fruit such as figs, plums and blackberries, creamy cheeses and sauces that are butter-based.
Two ideal dishes to pair with Pinot noir according to the list above would be a Moroccan beef and plum slow-cooked tagine or a traditional Aloo Gosht (meat and potato) curry. The combinations based on the above pairings can be endless.
However, what really makes Pinot noir stand out from the crowd is its ability to pair well with seafood. While most gourmets will claim that only white wines should be consumed with fish and shellfish, one of the most delightful epicurean experiences a person can have is indulging in a bucket of steamed mussels and clams, followed by a filet of wild salmon from the west coast of Canada, all accompanied by a great bottle of Pinot noir from California’s Fetzer vineyards.
What is Moscato Wine?
Moscato Wine: Fresh, Fruity, and Fragrant
Moscato white wine, made from the Muscat Blanc grape which grows mostly in Piedmont in Italy, is a little bit different from all other wines and it is worthwhile to try it as a delightful little change in one’s wine-drinking routine. Fresh, fruity, floral, and fragrant, the frizzante or slightly sparkling wine is on the light side of things, with a lower alcohol content than other reds and whites, and has a sweeter taste. For a person who may have never tried wine before, Moscato is the perfect introduction; and although it’s a wine beginner wine enthusiasts enjoy, experts adore it for its sophisticated nuances and refreshing palate.
Moscato grapes are believed to be the oldest cultivated varietal of grapes in the world, and along with making wines, they are also grown for raisins and can be eaten straight from the stem as other table grapes are. While they are mostly grown in Italy, they are also cultivated in almost every wine region on the planet.
While usually labelled simply as Moscato, if the wine comes from the Piedmont region, it will be labelled as Moscato d’Asti (a town in Piedmont). The first few things a person will notice about Moscato are its fragrance of flowers, spritzy – almost sparkling- character, lower alcohol content of about 8 %, light body, golden straw colour, and sweet, fruit forward flavour.
The aromas characteristic of Moscato are dazzling, exotic and refreshing all at the same time. Orange blossom, ginger, almonds, honeysuckle, citrus notes and peach all form a part of the wine’s dizzying perfume, and the flavour ranges from semi-sweet to sweet, with a fruity start and a crisp, medium acidity. Tastes have been described as a combination reminiscent of peaches, oranges, apples, citrus, pears, and apricot. The taste has been described by “newbies” to wine drinking as heavenly; the mix of bubbles, sweetness, acidity and fruitiness wins over almost everyone who gives it a try.
Moscato, like all other wine varietals, comes in a large price range. On the lower end of the price spectrum, about $6, Moscato wine tends to be very sweet with big fruit flavours, and on the higher end of the scale, over $200, it tends to have more floral aromatics, be semi-sweet, and have a flavour that makes one think of stonefruit, apricots, and peaches.
Moscato wine tends to be a favourite beverage during the day-time, served at brunches, lunches, and afternoon tea. Many also believe that Moscato is best when it accompanies dessert in the evening time; no matter what time Moscato is served, whether it’s brunch, lunch, as an aperitif or digestif, all agree that it must be served cold in order for all the flavours and textures to be fully appreciated.
This festive and celebratory wine, due to its combination of sweet and acidic, makes it incredibly versatile when it comes to wine and food pairing. It must be served young; aging it is of no benefit whatsoever, and the first pairings which come to mind are desserts. Moscato goes well with fresh berries such as wild blackberries, desserts made of apples, peach cobbler, fruit crumble, lemon meringue pie, lemon-poppy cakes, and desserts featuring hazelnuts, which compliment the wine’s level of acidity. The wine also goes very nicely with summer salads or salads made with fresh, garden-grown greens.
While people tend to naturally think of sweet food pairings for Moscato, it also goes incredibly well with some unexpected food items. Moscato d’Asti will match perfectly well with cheese courses featuring strong and mild cheeses, charcuterie (preserved meats such as jamon Serrano from Spain), and antipasto plates featuring sundried tomatoes, eggplant, artichokes, and olives.
Another interesting characteristic of Moscato which makes it an attractive wine to drink is the plentiful presence of flavonoids which are antioxidants. While red wine has the fame of having these anti-aging compounds in its components, Moscato wine has just as many of them or even more, according to some experts in the chemistry and wine-making fields. Therefore, a glass or two of Moscato a day could be just as beneficial to one’s health as a glass or two of red wine.
As mentioned previously, Moscato grapes are grown all over the world and Moscato wines are produced, however, the wines are known by slightly different names; either a different sub-type of Moscato grape is used in the wine-making process or the spelling differs slightly due to language differences. Both Australia and Austria produce “Muscat” wines, with Austria producing “muskatellers” ranging from dry to very sweet. In France, Moscato grapes are used for Vins Doux Naturels, sweet natural wines, and one of the best-known Moscatos is the dry Muscat D’Alsace. Greek-produced Moscato is called Moschaton, Moscatel is the wine from Lebanon, and Portugal produces the famed Moscatel de Setubal and Moscatel de Favaios.
Overall, Moscato is a wine that has been made for centuries, if not millennia, and continues to be a favourite with wine-drinkers all over the world for good reason: it can be sweet or it can be dry, it has a beautiful floral, citrus fruity aroma accompanied by a fruity flavour that can be big or can be subtle, according to the price one pays. The wine’s slight fizziness intensifies all the flavours, and when served ice-cold a glass of Moscato is no longer just a drink, it becomes an experience. Although prices do start at the very low end of the spectrum, it is no reflection on quality and even a person who doesn’t have much to spend on a bottle of wine will find he or she can do no wrong with an inexpensive bottle of Moscato.s
Moscato Wine Racks
Best Wines Under $10
The Best Wines for Under Ten Dollars
For those who don’t have much experience with wine, the idea of being responsible for a wine to go with a specially prepared meal can be almost panic-inducing: everyone knows good wine is incredibly difficult to select and good wine is expensive. If a dinner guest has been told by the host or hostess to bring along a bottle of wine for everyone to share, the pressure is on and for a wine beginner or novice, selecting the wine can become a painful experience.
This does not necessarily have to be the case. In this article we will show how a person with a small budget and no wine experience whatsoever will be able to select a wine that will be able to accomplish something almost miraculous: please both the wine experts and new wine drinkers at the same time and not break the bank. We will highlight the top three wines which never fail to impress, and we will also show how to select a good, inexpensive wine with confidence if one cannot find one of our three wines at his or her local wine shop. First however, come our favourite three wines which are all under ten dollars, but taste like wines that could easily cost in the $25-$35 range.
Red Wine: Torres Sangre de Toro
Grape Varietal: Garnacha and Cariñena blend
Country: Spain
Price Range: $9-$11 depending on shop location
Sangre de Toro, a blended red wine from Spain could easily be our favourite red wine; the fact that it’s inexpensive actually has nothing to do with it. What makes this wine so great is that it is consistent year after year, making it an almost fool-proof choice as a wine to present to guests. Sangre de Toro has a dark ruby color, is leggy, balanced, lush from oak, and is medium bodied, supple, and most importantly, is smooth with no hint of the sourness that some cheap wines present. Furthermore, it doesn’t have the bizarre, heavy, almost sweet clove flavour that other inexpensive red wines seem to have. The wine has some bright raspberry and cherry notes at the end, but what makes this wine stand out from the rest of the pack is the little punch of peppery spice that one feels after swallowing a sip, making this wine great to drink by itself or as an accompaniment to any type of food. Sangre de Toro is a great all-rounder and is easy to recognize at the shop: it’s the bottle which proudly has a little plastic black bull attached to the cap.
Red Wine: Jose Maria da Fonseca Periquita
Grape Varietal: Castelão (75%), Trinadeira (15%), and Aragonez (10%)
Country: Portugal
Price Range: $8-$10 depending on shop location
Periquita is one of Portugal’s most famous exports; having been in production since 1850, it is highly regarded as a very good product from Fonseca’s line. While at first price was what got our attention several years ago, we now select this wine simply because it’s good, even though we can afford more expensive wines. Periquita has a lovely deep ruby hue and smells divine with aromas of figs, plums, raspberries and interestingly, blackberries. This wine is fruity without being sweet, isn’t too light tasting or too heavy tasting, and finds the perfect balance providing a long, smooth finish. Periquita is terrific to drink on its own, but is especially good when paired with cured cheeses, turkey, and can very easily hold up to and enhance a meal when red meat is served.
White Wine: Casal Garcia Vinho Verde
Grape Varietal: Trajadura, loureiro, arinto, azal
Country: Portugal
Price Range: $9-$10, depending on shop location
Inexpensive, reminiscent of summer and bright, Casal Garcia Vinho Verde (translates literally to “green wine”) is one of the very few wines that makes it into serious wine critics “top ten wines under fifty dollars” lists year after year. Even the biggest wine snobs will break into happy smiles when they hear Casal Garcia will be served; it’s another wine that most have tried when their budgets were microscopic but continue to drink because it’s great. Making Vinho Verde unique is that although it is not a sparkling wine, it has a refreshing “pop” to it which makes it an ideal wine to bring along to the beach or pool party or anywhere it’s hot. While technically not a complicated wine, it has a clean, lemon-lime aroma and has a bit of fizz with a citrus flavour that can brighten anyone’s day. Best of all, due to its relative simplicity, it’s easy to pair with food with some saying it is the best wine to serve with sushi or fresh, cold dishes.
Selecting a wine when our selections are not available
The problem with many suggested Top Ten wine lists is that whether they are expensive or cheap, the recommended wines may not be available. Here’s what to look for if our three wines are not available at your local wine shop.
First of all, keep in mind the food that you will be eating. If your meal will be a heavy, buttery or creamy dish, select a Chardonnay white wine. Chardonnay means the name of the grape that was used to make the wine; different grapes have different characteristics, and chardonnay tends to go well with buttery, cheesy or creamy meals.
If you will be eating something spicy, then select a Gewurztraminer white wine which is a little bit sweet.
If eating red meat, a heavier wine will be good, such as a Cabernet Sauvignon red wine, a Malbec red wine, or a Merlot red wine.
If eating fish or seafood, a crowd-pleasing choice will be a Rosé wine, which is pink in color and a little bit sweeter than red or white wines but not as sweet as a Gewurztraminer white.
After selecting the type of wine, select the country of production. Good wine producing countries are France, Spain, Australia, Argentina, Chile, Portugal, Italy and South Africa, while Germany produces the best Gewurztraminer wines. All of these wine producing countries have great selections available for under $15 and to get the best value for money, don’t be afraid to ask the shop employee for help choosing.
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Top 10 Expensive Wines in The World
Top 10 Most Interesting, Expensive Wines In The World
When talking about the most expensive wines in the world, it is a little hard to be precise about prices. Bottle sizes can be wildly different, and even non-standard for very old vintages, like the 1787 Château Lafite bottle initialed by Thomas Jefferson.
Collectors of high-priced wines seem to pursue them mostly for the delight of owning them, not so much for drinking them. It reminds you of other collectors (of stamps, for instance) and the way they treat their prizes. It’s the rarity and perceived interest value that makes the prices so high, even when the original drinking value is long gone, again as with Jefferson’s Château Lafite.
We were going to tell you all about the most expensive wines, but we had too much difficulty in comparing prices and resolving discrepancies in reported values. So instead, here are ten of the most interesting super-expensive wines. Get ready for your eyes to pop and your jaw to hit the floor, sometimes at the prices, other times at the stories. We begin with Jefferson’s Château Lafite.
1787 Château Lafite: $160,000
Thomas Jefferson traveled in France in 1787, and over a five-day period toured the major vineyards in Bordeaux. A little-known result of his intelligence was a selection of the four wines most likely to achieve excellence in the future. It turns out that all four of his picks were correct, and one of them was the Château Lafite. He took some bottles back home with him and became a lifelong customer, and after he died his collection still contained at least one bottle of Lafite, engraved with his initials.
Almost 200 years later, that bottle together with others of his collection was discovered behind a basement wall. Put up for auction in 1985, the Château Lafite fetched $160,000 (at least $315,000 after inflation now) and went to Malcolm Forbes. The next stage in the bottle’s history then ensued. It was already doubtful whether the wine was drinkable any more, but that question soon became moot. Displayed under bright lights, the cork heated up and dried out, and the resulting shrinkage allowed it to slip into the wine. At that point, it became extremely important that the bottle had been purchased as a collector’s item and not for consumption.
That fact is fortunate because it’s the only reason that the Jefferson 1787 Château Lafite is still one of the world’s most expensive wines, regardless of the nature of its contents.
1787 Château Margaux: $519,750
Actually, that price is one of the more interesting points about this wine. The fact is that nobody ever paid that amount. The 1787 Château Margaux was another one of the wines from Jefferson’s collection, and had been presented to the New York wine merchant William Sokolin. While coming up with a value for it he happened to see a dilapidated stool that was priced at over $200,000, and on impulse decided that he might as well set a wild price for his wine. He also insured it for $225,000 in 1989 dollars, or $390,000 now, after inflation.
Soon after pricing the bottle, Sokolin was attending a dinner at the Four Seasons restaurant at which the guests of honor were the actual owners of Château Margaux. He suddenly had the idea of showing them his bottle, so he ran home and came back with it, and then rammed it into either a table or a chair arm. The bottle somehow survived without shattering, but even so it was holed. The wine inside began running out, and then Sokolin began running out. He did save part of the wine in his freezer at home, but the value of the bottle nevertheless dropped precipitately. At least he recouped the insurance value.
1907 Piper Heidsieck Monopole: $275,000
There is a certain amount of romance behind the story of this wine. One of the last shipments of wine to the Tsar’s family, including bottles of 1907 Heidsieck, was in the cargo of the ship Jonkoping bound for Finland. The Jonkoping encountered a German submarine and was sunk on November 3, 1916, taking with it the wine shipment. It was soon forgotten and lay on the seabed for 80 years until it was discovered in 1997.
When the wines were found, there was instant interest. Nobody was much surprised to find that the burgundies and cognacs had not survived. Against the odds, however, the Heidsieck champagne was still drinkable. In fact, it had fully matured and was delicious. The Moscow Ritz Carlton quickly procured a number of the bottles of Heidsieck and announced that ten were for sale. You sometimes find their price listed as given above. That price would be wrong, though. The real price is $35,000. According to a hotel representative, there was some miscommunication outside of the hotel’s control.
$35,000 is still a hefty sum for a bottle of even Imperial champagne, you may be thinking. It’s true: the value is partly in the legend behind the bottles’ preservation, like a time capsule from an earlier world. We are clearly not just hard-nosed buyers and sellers – we do like a bit of sentiment as well.
1869 Château Lafite: $233,972
What makes the 1869 Château Lafite so valuable is a combination of four factors: the basic quality of the wine, its provenance traceable back directly to the château, the fact that it is a rare vintage predating the phylloxera epidemic that decimated European vines, and last but not least a mania for Château Lafite in eastern Asia. When an auction house in Hong Kong included the bottle in its sale, everyone expected it to bring perhaps $8000.
Much to their surprise, the bidding continued until it was knocked down for $233,972 to a phone bidder. Unlike most of the wines in our list, this price was for a modern standard-sized bottle of only 750 ml. The auction house owner herself thought the price was “ridiculous”, but didn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Given the popularity of Château Lafite in East Asia, who knows what pricing surprises the future holds?
Château Lafite Rothschild Pauillac: around $1300
Just as a note of interest, we thought we’d share how Château Lafite, whose name keeps appearing whenever expensive wines are mentioned, got to be so classy. “Classy”, it turns out, is exactly the word you need to describe it. It seems that the French statesman Maréchal de Richelieu was being sent on a mission abroad, and had a doctor’s examination before leaving. The prescription was for a health tonic, namely (you guessed it) Château Lafite!
Richelieu dutifully indulged, and next time he was in the royal palace, King Louis XV exclaimed, “You look 25 years younger than last time I saw you!” To which Richelieu replied, “I have discovered a drink as fine as the ambrosia of Olympus!” The King took up the tonic himself, and Château Lafite thenceforward was known as the “King’s wine”. Pretty high-class, no?
Lafite was managed by the Ségur family from the 17th century, but in the 1800s it passed through several hands, among them a man named Jean Goll de Franckenstein. In 1868, it was purchased by the Rothschild family (yes, the rich one), which is now memorialized in the name. World War II saw some depletion of the ancient holdings in the cellars due to a German garrison stationed there. Since that time, things have been better, and the label maintains its mystique.
1947 Château Cheval Blanc: $304,375
If there is any proof needed for the notion that chance plays a big part in success, you will find it here. After World War II was over, from 1945 to 1949, French wines experienced several amazing vintages. The best of all is probably the 1947 Château Cheval Blanc.
1947 was a terribly hot year. It killed vines, reduced yields, and in many cases even stopped fermentation in the normally-cool cellars. The maker of the Cheval Blanc saw his fermentation about to be “stuck” and ruined, so he added ice to the tanks, trading off some dilution for the chance to save his wine. His numbers were not good: 3 grams per liter of sugar, high acidity, and 14.4% alcohol. By all conventional wisdom, the wine should have turned out almost undrinkable.
Instead it developed into a unique and wonderful taste. It is as sweet as port, thick as oil, profound and miraculous. All critics agree it is perfect or so close that we can’t tell the difference. Yet it came about through impossible weather and cellar conditions, sporting what should have been fatal defects. Some oenologists conclude that they should reconsider everything they know. Others attempt to explain it away. We think that it just proves that we don’t know everything we think we do.
2004 Block 42: $168,000
We thought this wine’s packaging was amazing enough to warrant including in the list. The most expensive wine in the world that is sold straight from the winery, 2004 Block 42 is presented in a large sealed glass ampoule with no cork or mouth. The ampoule is once again encased in a glass sculpture, itself set in an artistically-designed box with double doors. If you do manage to scrape together the $168,000 to purchase this one, you will be given a private opening ceremony including special glass-cutting instruments to make sure your wine has no shards of the glass ampoule when it’s time to take your first sip. In addition, you get the cachet of a designer name on the glass sculpture that the wine came in.
1811 Château d’Yquem: $117,000
Now for a touch of outer space. 1811 was the Year of the Comet, when the Flaugergues Comet passed close to the Earth. The vintages of that year are sometimes known as the Comet Vintages. This is one of them.
That is not the only special point about this wine. It is a Château d’Yquem, which enjoys a combination of residual sugar and high acidity that help to preserve it and enable it, unlike almost all white wines, to age forever but keep its quality. The 1811 vintage is still drinkable.
The third thing that makes this wine special is the price which a bottle of it fetched when it was sold to Christian Vanneque, a former sommelier, for $117,000. He has good taste, because it is said to be one of the best wines ever made, rated 100 by more than one critic.
Mr. Vanneque is very clear about his reason for buying the 1811 Château d’Yquem. Whereas most collectors think of their collections as akin to a treasure hoard, he actually intends to drink this particular wine. His plan is to open it in 2017, the 50th year of his career. We think he has good taste for more than one reason.
Romanée Conti 1945: $123,900
Another pre-phylloxera wine, the Romanée Conti 1945 was produced during World War II. It’s very rare, as only 600 bottles were ever made. That might help explain the amazing price it brought – the highest price ever at auction for a standard-sized 750 ml Burgundy. Or perhaps it’s the knowledge that it was the last harvest ever from vines unaffected by phylloxera. Every vine in the vineyard was uprooted during 1946, marking the end of centuries of tradition. It was not until 1952 that the vineyard produced wine again.
Massandra 1775: $43,500
Hailing from the Ukraine, before the 1920’s Massandra wines were justly famous, dating back many generations. Massandra is the Ukraine’s oldest winery, and is located in a protected area surrounded by mountains but blessed with a warm climate that has led to many excellent vintages. The Massandra 1775 Sherry sold at Sotheby’s is the oldest bottle from Massandra so far.
Traditionally, the winery keeps one or more bottles of each wine that it produces, making it a treasure-house of centuries of wines. In addition, when the Soviets conquered the Crimea, Stalin ordered the winery to be left untouched. Later he had the Tsar’s wine collections transported to the Massandra cellars. Together with the unusual architecture of the cellars, this fabulous trove of more than a million wines is a draw for wine-wise tourists in the know.
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Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed this little tour. If your wine doesn’t have quite the pedigree of some of these, don’t worry. Most of the older wines are undrinkable, anyway.
Furthermore, as one wine writer discovered on tasting the 1947 Château Cheval Blanc, sometimes it’s better not to experience perfection. He said that from now on, all other wines will seem inferior.
Perhaps these wines should always stay out of reach for most of us, a kind of pole star to keep us moving but never to be attained. You’ll have to decide that question for yourself.
Meanwhile, enjoy the wines you do have!
#Expensivewine
Be sure to RACK your Wines properly!
Top 10 Wine Brands
Top 10 Wines and Best Wine
We keep hearing about people being unsure of which wines are the best, so we wanted to share some research we’ve done. We did some reconnaissance of both the Old World and the New, seeking wines that have caught the attention of reviewers and tasters. There are so many that it’s hard to narrow them down. In the end, we just made an executive decision and picked! Here is an unranked list of ten of the best wines in the world for your own browsing enjoyment.
1. Alain Graillot’s Crozes-Hermitage La Guiraude 2009
La Guiraude is made from all-Syrah grapes grown on the Crozes plateau and harvested by hand in the Northern Rhône region of France. Organically-produced and aged in one to three year old oak barrels, this red wine consistently earns scores in the 90s. It is strongly structured but inviting even when young, offering aromas of cherries and blackberries as well as tastes of red berries mixed with licorice, tannin, and minerality. The finish is spicy and long. It’s not easy to find since the 650-case vintage is sold out, but we saw it listed for $416 per bottle from a store in Germany. 13% ABV.
2. Domaine de la Tourmaline 2010 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
Next we have the white Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie from Domaine de la Tourmaline in the Loire valley in France. Muscadets are not made from Muscat grapes, but from the Melon de Bourgogne varietal instead. This is a light wine aged on lees for half a year (“sur lie”), giving it a creamy feel. On the nose you can find apple and citrus mixed with a suggestion of pepper, while the taste is dry and crisp, finely acidic over a minerality owing to the chalky soils. It has been listed at around $15. 12% ABV.
3. Ribera del Duero Resalte Crianza 2005 From Bodegas Resalte De Peñafiel
Not all great wines come from France. Bodegas Resalte De Peñafiel in Spain produces the next one, a red wine from the Ribera del Duero region from 100% Tempranillo grapes. The wine’s brand name is Resalte, and the type is Crianza, which means it is aged about one year in oak barrels. Earning 94 points from Wine Spectator magazine, Resalte Crianza is complex on the nose with notes of cherries and blackberries and a hint of coffee and vanilla. On the palate it carries the vanilla forward along with cloves, more fruits, and herbs and spices, as well as a balanced acidity, definite oakiness, and strong tannin which are already improving with age. Typical price is around $30. ABV 15%.
4. Dehlinger Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2008
Now for a California wine. A rosé, Dehlinger’s 2008 Pinot Noir won fifth place in the Top 100 Wines of 2011, with high points from Wine Spectator and Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. Somewhere between deep plum and ruby red, on the nose are definite notes of plum, blackberries, black cherries, mixed with the sense of a forest with spice and flowers in the air. The palate continues the plum and berries, adding some bitter cherry into a medium structure of fine acidity and smooth tannin that is not too oaky. The finish is sweeter but still strong and floral. It sells for about $50 and contains 14.9% alcohol by volume.
5. Tarantas Sparkling Rosé
Hailing from Valencia, Spain, this sparkling rosé is produced from all organically-grown Bobal grapes certified by both the EU and the USDA with a historical pedigree dating back to 1335 in the form of a written grant by King Pedro I of Castilla. No oak is used in aging. This wine contains some of the highest levels measured of the natural antioxidant Resveratrol, partly due to its monovarietal (single grape) source. It announces itself with an aroma of dried strawberries which continue into the palate along with a taste of red currants. The finish is gentle but dry and can stand up to strong flavors like grilled chicken or fish. The price is $10. ABV 12.5%.
6. Quinta do Vallado Touriga Nacional Douro 2008
The Douro Valley in Portugal is famous as the home of port, but it is lately becoming known for its red wines as well. This one is a dark purple-ruby color and is aged for 16 months in both new and old French oak. Like the Tarantas, it is made from a single variety, in this case the Touriga Nacional. Nicely concentrated, the nose suggests black and sour cherries and other dark fruits, a touch of charcoal, with violets and spices. In the mouth the concentration continues as the firm tannic structure supports the strong notes of plums and berries, cherries, more dark fruits, vanilla, and wood, with a ferrous, mineral edge. In the long finish, the dark fruit persists, still backed up by the tannins, along with spicy mocha. The vintage is sold out, so you will need luck to find this one. Prices start around $60-$70. ABV 12.5%.
7. Sauska 2010 Villányi Rosé
For a change of pace, the next entry comes from Hungary. An excellent dry rosé, Sauska is produced all through the Villány region just north of the Croatian border. It is made from a remarkable blend of varietals: 35% Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch), 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 8% Syrah, and 7% Pinot Noir. The grapes grow in a mix of limestone, clay, loam, and loess. The wine is fermented in stainless steel and then aged for 1-4 months. Sporting a cranberry aroma, Sauska is dry and fresh in the mouth, with a balance of strawberries, wildflowers, sour cherries, and more cranberries. With medium body and pleasing acidity, it manages spicy foods well. It runs about $20 and has 12.5% ABV.
8. Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2009
Grown and produced in Sonoma County, California with about a year in new oak, this bright red Pinot Noir comes to us from winemakers with no formal training. Dan Kosta and Michael Browne saved their money and found their way by trial and error to their current high level of excellence. Since 2002, 66 of their wines have won over 90 points. Remarkably, they own no vines and they rent their facilities. Their grapes come from three vineyards: Gap’s Crown, Terra de Promissio, and Walala Vineyard. The 2009 has a nose of raspberries, pepper, candied licorice, violets, herbs, and oak. The palate is full-bodied with black cherries, wild berries, and raspberries. The concentrated flavor and solid structure provides a lasting, mild tannic finish that covers the palate and leaves a hint of licorice. This one is available for $190 or so. 14.5% ABV.
9. Shiraz Barossa Valley Bella’s Garden 2008
Time to give the other side of the world a peek. Australian company Two Hands, co-owned by Michael Twelftree, made this Shiraz which has garnered high scores and praise. Dark red, almost black, it has a complex nose with dark red fruits and berries, as well as plums, cinnamon, and violets with a touch of chocolate. The tight palate continues strong and rich with red fruits and plums spiced with chocolate. The 2008 gifts you with a long finish of smooth balanced tannins and refreshing acidity. It can be yours for around $65. 16% ABV.
10. Domaine Huët Vouvray Moelleux Clos du Bourg Première Trie 2009
Returning to France, last and far from least is a wine that almost seems beyond awards and ratings. Huët’s Moelleux, a white dessert wine made from Chenin Blanc grapes grown in the Clos du Bourg vineyard outside the town of Vouvray near Tours in the Loire Valley in France, is ranked as Première Trie. Its color is medium yellow and its nose offers notes of figs, peach, spice, honey, and pear as well as chalk. The honey carries forward into the palate to mix with tastes of caramel, ripe fruit, ginger, and tea. The strong acidity compensates perfectly for the moderate sweetness and makes possible a very long finish of over a minute and a half. The same acidity will enable this wine to age and improve for as much as 30 more years. Going for about $70, it contains 12% alcohol by volume.
Conclusion
There you have it. Feel free to reel off information from this list to impress your friends and dismay your enemies. Better yet, buy one or two of the wines and share it with them so they’ll become friends too! In the face of this kind of quality, all other considerations go out the window. In any case, enjoy!
Discuss!! #bestwine
Top 4 Champagne Brands
Top 4 Champagne Brands and Best Champagne
Champagne іs a sparkling wine from thе Champagne region оf France, аbоut 90 miles northeast of Paris. It іs made bу a special method called thе Methode Champenois. Sparkling wine from аnуwhere еlѕe iѕ simply not Champagne, evеn іf it іѕ made by the Methode Champenois. I laugh whеn I sее cheap bottles of $5-$10 оf wine labeled Champagne іn thе local store, knowing thеу аrе nоt the real thing. Even іf thеѕe sparkling wines arе made frоm thе ѕаmе grape varieties, and made uѕіng the same method, thеу wіll taste dіffеrеnt. Thе French word for this іs “Terroir.” Simply put, grapes grown in а different arеа, whіch wіll meаn dіfferеnt soil, climate, еtс. will taste differently. Sоmеtіmeѕ уоu саn bе amazed at hоw dіfferеnt wine made from dіffеrеnt yet adjacent plots оf land will taste!
Nоw thеrе arе оthеr sparking wines made that arе extremely good аs well. Fоr еxаmplе, I love Cava, a rеlatіvеly inexpensive sparking wine from Spain, аnd sparkling wines frоm the West Coast оf thе USA аre vеry popular аs wеll аѕ аrе sparklers frоm Australia, Nеw Zealand, Italy, and mаnу other parts of thе world. Thеу hоwevеr аre not Champagne, and аlthough I enjoy thеm, thеу taste differently аnd I very muсh prefer Champagne. It’s а matter оf taste аnd of cоurѕе оur tastes аll differ.
The moѕt famous sparkling wines аrе obvious Champagne howеver, аnd dеspіtе іt hаvіng а reputation оf for celebrations only, іt iѕ а great wine fоr daily оr weekly drinking, іf you cаn afford іt thаt іѕ! It іѕ оnе оf thе moѕt food friendly wines out thеre and goеs еѕреciаlly well wіth egg based dishes, seafood of аll types, poultry, аnd muсh morе! Hеre аrе some оf thе mоrе famous Champagne brands оut therе.
Dom Perignon
Dom Perignon іs реrhаpѕ thе bеst knоwn champage. It іs а vintage wine, meaning аlwaуs made frоm grapes frоm the ѕаmе year’s harvest and оnlу made іn the beѕt years as are all vintage wines. It іѕ made bу Moet аnd Chandon and pеrhарѕ thе most amazing thing іѕ hоw much thеy make, estimated around а couple оf million bottles оr morе. It’s а quite dry wine, оften tasting creamy with citrus notes aѕ wеll. It’s named aftеr Dom Pérignon, а Benedictine monk incorrectly credited wіth inventing Champagne. Moet аnd Chandon alѕо makes оthеr good Champagnes, аnd I раrtіculаrly lіkе theіr “White Star” whісh іѕ a fraction of the cost аnd аwfullу good аѕ well!
Krug
Krug јuѕt maу bе the beѕt quality Champagne made. Thеу make both а vintage wine аnd what thеу refer to aѕ a multi-vintage, whісh is a blend of mаny years. It is a verу big аnd powerful wine, much more sо thаn Dom Perignon, аnd mоre expensive аs wеll. The multi-vintage costs аbоut the ѕamе аѕ thе Dom; $100 а bottle іs а great price, аnd the vintage two оr threе times aѕ muсh.
La Grand Dame
La Grand Dame іѕ а vеrу toasty аnd bready vintage wine from Veuve Clicquot. It іѕ аn absolutely fantastic wine, аnd a step аbovе Veuve Clicquot’s standard Vintage Reserve, whісh іs аlѕo great. Their standard “Yellow Label” іs аn enormously popular non vintage wine аnd quіte good, аlthоugh ѕome complain thаt thе quality hаѕ slipped in recent years. I’ll withhold judgment untіl I havе а few dozen mоre bottles! Thе Yellow Label іѕ actuаlly mоrе orangish in color.
Cristal
Cristal іѕ phenomenal аnd expensive Champagne from Louis Roederer made famous bу Rap Musicians, аlthоugh well knоwn by Champagne aficionados previously. It hаs а verу light style with many tiny bubbles and extreme finesse. It tastes verу clean аnd precise and hаѕ an excellent sense оf balance. Roederer alsо makes mаnу оthеr wonderful Champagnes, аnd I оften stock up on theіr Vintage Brut in great years.
Pеrhaрs thе most surprising thing to mаnу people, іѕ how differеnt theѕe Champagnes taste! Whether it’s а high end bottling lіke Cristal or аn entry level wine like Moet and Chandon’s White Label, theѕe аll hаve their own taste аnd personality.
Discuss! #bestchampagne
Top 10 Organic Wines
Top 10 Organic Wines and Best Organic Wine
It’s no secret that people are growing health conscious of what they eat on a daily basis. This growing awareness and drive to live a healthier life has resulted in increased popularity in organic products. This desire for organic products has also splashed into the world of wine. Whether you’re a wine pro or occasional drinker, the demand for organic wine has increased dramatically over the last two years.
We decided to help quench this thirst for knowledge and supply everyone with a list of our favorite organic wine brands. There are wineries popping up all over the world that only produce strictly organic wine that has no added processing whatsoever. These Organic wines taste great and contain very little or at times no amount of preservatives at all. A wine being a true organic wine also means that in most cases, organic wines will not contain sulfites. These sulfites contained in the wine can strongly dictate the taste in processed wine. Since Organic wine lacks the added sulfites, the taste can be drastically different from over processed wine brands.
This list is filled with our top 10 favorite brands of organic wine.
Top Ten Organic Wine Brands
1. Old River Vinter’s Cabernet Sauvignon
An organic wine from the county of Mendocino, Calif. We love this organic brand of wine, and are proud to announce it as our favorite. This organic wine is usually consumed aged. However, without sulfur, the tough and strong taste gets diluted and can be easily consumed in its young aging stage as well.
2. Spartico Organic Wine
A totally sulfur free wine. This organic wine from Spain is a fresh combination of flavors containing blackberry, and cherry. This organic wine is excellent. The flavors added in are also from organically grown fruit.
3. Terre des Chardons
This organic wine produced in one of the provinces situated in the south of France is famous for its sulfite free Syrah and Grenache mixtures. This wine is great quality and taste.
4. Château Saint-Germain Rouge
Many could argue whether this wine is a true organic wine brand or not. We place it in the organic wine category because of its minimal use of sulfur. Chateau Saint German Rouge is manufactured in France. Its flavors are a mix of Syrah, Mourvedre and Grenache wines.
5. Barbera
This organic red wine is a famous brand produced in Italy in the winery of Nuova Cappelleta. The percentage of sulfur in this wine is also minimal when compared to the actual content in other non organic wines. It’s a versatile wine that goes with different dishes.
6. Battle of Bosworth
This organic wine brand is a great selection coming from Austraila. Battle of Bosworth is a non additive Shiraz. With the absence of sulfur, it can be consumed pretty early and in fact, many consider that this wine tastes better when young in age.
7. Perrin et Fils from Nature Cotes du Rhone
This organic wine is produced in France. This organic wine contains slight traces of sulfur. This wine also contains strong flavors of pepper, blackberry and strawberries.
8. Frey Vineyards Organic
A strict adherence to the philosophy of organic wine, this manufacturer only produces sulfur free wine. This vineyard has to its credit the production of some of the best sulfer free wines, Brands like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Zinfandel and many other organic wines are also from this vineyard.
9. Cotturi Winery Organic
The winery named after the family name of Cotturi, this Americam Wine House is most famous for its almost perfect sulfite free organic wines. Tony and Phil Cotturi have mastered this method of making beautifully tasting organic wine without sulfur.
10. Stellar Organics
This winery’s name doesn’t let you down. With organic being a part of its name, Stellar organics wine company has the reputation of making all types of great organic wines like red, white, sparkling or even rose.
Discuss! #organicwine