The Triumphant Return of Sherry
The Triumphant Return of Sherry
While some people who are involved in the alcoholic beverage industry may think that Sherry is a drink that has become somewhat old fashioned, a sort of “grandpa’s drink”, the truth of the matter is that the younger generation is rediscovering just how pleasurable a nice glass of Sherry can be either before a meal or as an accompaniment to other foodstuffs. Sherry may not be on most people’s radar just yet, however, as more and more restaurant and bar patrons get tired of the same old wine, beer, and cocktails, Sherry is a type of alcohol that we will surely see on the menus of finer establishments and in the liquor cabinets of connoisseurs in the years to come.
Many of us may have some vague recollection of what sherry is; perhaps we’ve even had a sip of it once or twice in our lives at some special occasion with the older generation. However, since it’s been a long time and most bartenders unfortunately can’t tell us much about the fortified wine, here is a little bit of a “Sherry primer”.
Sherry is a wine that is fortified and is made of white grapes that are grown near the town of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia, in southern Spain. A fortified wine is a normal wine that has had a spirit such as brandy added to it at some time in the fermentation process in order to increase its alcohol by volume content. Sherry can range from dry to sweet, from light to dark in color, from fresh to aged.
Light styles of dry Sherry are very similar to white wine and are made with the Palomino grape; Manzanilla and Fino are two types of lighter wines. Darker, heavier versions that are left to age in barrels and oxidize are also made with Palomino grapes and include Amontillado and Oloroso Sherry. Very sweet dessert wines are made with Pedro Ximenez or Moscatel grapes mixed with Palomino sherries.
Interestingly enough, the name “Sherry” is actually an Anglicization of Xeres, the alternative name for Jerez. In former times, the fortified wine which came from Jerez de la Frontera was known as “sack” which came from the word “saca” in Spanish, which means extraction. Under European law, “Sherry” has protected designation of origin status; because of this, all wine that has “Sherry” on its label must come from a region known as “the Sherry Triangle”. This triangle consists of El Puerto de Santa Maria, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and Jerez de la Frontera, and all three locations are found in Cádiz province. The official denomination of origin is Denominación de orígen Jerez-Xeres-Sherry.
Production
As far as production is concerned, Sherry is basically made in the same way wine is, however, once fermentation is complete, the base wine is fortified with grape spirit to boost the alcohol content. Manzanilla and Fino wines must have an alcohol content of 15.5 percent if there are to be aged; while aging, a layer of a yeast-like substance called flor will develop and protect the wine from oxidization while it is aging in the barrel. Oloroso wines much have an alcohol content of 17 percent in order to be deemed as good for aging; Oloroso sherries will oxidize to a degree because flor does not develop, and the Sherry will become darker in color.
Sherries are initially dry, unlike their Port wine counterparts; this is because the spirit is added after fermentation, and any sugar will be added later. With Port wine, in order for it to stay sweet, spirit is added halfway during the fermentation process.
Sherry wines are blended with a variety of wines from different years, a process called solera and for that reason there cannot be anything considered a “vintage” sherry. What makes Sherry different from other fortified wines is that there is the possibility that an incredibly old wine may have been used, and for this reason some wine experts and true connoisseurs will state that Sherry is undervalued and underappreciated in the wider wine industry.
A Brief History of Sherry
Sherry has a long history. When distillation was introduced to the region around the year 711, winemakers and distillers found that their products combined to be a wonderful drink. Production had been established in the area for five centuries when Alfonse X of Castile took over the area, however it was after this reconquest that export of Sherry began in earnest.
Sherry was considered incredibly important for centuries, and was so important that when Magellan sailed around the world, the sherry he carried on board had cost him more than his entire weapons inventory. Sherry became very popular in Britain after Francis Drake sacked Cádiz in 1587; among the spoils were almost three thousand barrels of the fortified wine that he brought with him on the trip home.
Varieties of Sherry
Fino is the driest and palest variety of Sherry. It is aged in barrels with flor yeast and is unoxidized.
Manzanilla is a very light style of Fino and is made in the Sanlúcar de Barrameda area.
Manzanilla Pasada is a Manzanilla that is aged and partially oxidized, with a nutty flavour.
Amontillado is a Sherry that is aged under flor but is afterwards exposed to oxygen. It is darker than Fino but lighter in color than an Oloroso. Sometimes Amontillado will be sweetened; however, once sweetened it can no longer be labeled as Amontillado.
Oloroso is a darker and richer wine that has been aged for longer than a Fino or Amontillado. When Oloroso has been sweetened, it can only be sold as “Cream Sherry” and producers are not allowed to label it with the words “Oloroso”.
Jerez Dulce or Sweet Sherries are produced by fermenting dried Pedro Ximénez grapes or dried Moscatel grapes. The resulting wine is sweet and dark brown or black in color.
Sherry may not be the most fashionable drink now, but it’s only a question of time before it will get rediscovered; it is a sure thing that shortly it will make a triumphant return.
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Canada’s Ice Wine
Canada’s Ice Wine
A special type of wine that is gaining in popularity worldwide but is still relatively unknown is a very special dessert wine that is called ice wine and is made from healthy grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine. Unlike standard dessert wines made with grapes that contain a degree of rot, grapes used in ice wine production are free of disease and the resulting wine is high in acidity and “clean” while being sweet and slightly syrupy in consistency.
Critics and the general public are very fond of the beverage; however, most wine producing nations on the planet cannot produce true ice wine because it simply doesn’t get cold enough; the only two countries which experience the correct temperatures are Canada and at times, Germany.
Ice Wine: Around Since Roman Times, but Rare
Ice wine has been around for a long time, with the Romans rumored to have known the technique, and mentions of Eiswein being made in the 1500s and 1600s. However, it wasn’t until the 1970’s that ice wine began to be produced on a proper commercial scale after a good technique was discovered. Even though better technology has permitted ice-wine production on a larger scale in places like Ontario, Nova Scotia and British Columbia in Canada, production can still be incredibly risky, and frozen grapes must be harvested within hours of achieving the correct temperature (-80C), meaning a large workforce must be mobilized within minutes, sometimes in the middle of the night. The grapes also have to be processed while they are still frozen in order for the sweeter, more concentrated juices to come out. If the grapes thaw, the entire endeavor can be ruined.
This is one of the reasons why ice wine is so expensive; it’s just incredibly expensive to produce, and on average a small 375 ml bottle will cost up to three times more than a 750ml bottle of fine regular wine. However, for the flavor experience, it’s a price many ice wine fans are happy to pay.
The Process
The main varietal used in Canadian ice wines is Vidal, and according to Canada’s Vintner’s Quality Alliance (VQA) the term ice wine can only be applied for wines made with grapes that have frozen while still on the vine; dessert wines made from grapes that have been flash frozen in a processing facility are usually called ice-box wines. Ice wines, because of their very high amounts of sugar, also take much longer than normal wines to ferment; fermentation of the frozen grapes can take as long as several months and special yeast must be used.
There are sparkling ice wines available on the market as well; incredibly rare, it has only been on the market since the late 1990’s and is produced using the charmat method. For now, the only winery that offers sparkling ice wine is Inniskillin in the Canadian province of Ontario.
While Vidal is the most popular ice wine varietal, ice wine makers in Canada, and to some extent in the U.S. have been experimental with other types. German ice wines usually use Riesling grapes, and another common type is Cabernet Franc. Experimental grapes being tested at present are Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Seyval Blanc, Pinot Noir and even Cabernet Sauvignon. However, the color of ice wine only ranges from amber to rose; a truly deep colored red ice wine is an impossibility because the grape skins do not get the chance to steep as they do with unfrozen grapes in the “must” process.
Taste and Aroma
As far as flavor is concerned, ice wine has become far more popular than dessert wine as a beverage because it is very sweet yet very refreshing due to its high acidity. Ice wine is described as being medium to full-bodied and has a long finish that lingers. Unlike fresh, young regular wines such as Beaujolais, ice wine is not simple or naïve in any way; aromas can include things like caramel, pears, apples, peaches, figs, dried apricots, honey or citrus, and some white varietals have a bouquet reminiscent of lychee, pineapple and mango. The flavors are fruit forward, but are deep and linger nicely.
German ice wines tend to have a relatively low alcohol content, being comparable to that of a strong beer at 6%. Canadian ice wines, due to somewhat consistent harvests and larger must weights, have a higher content, like that of regular table wine, which can range from 8% to 13%. In Canada, if the must weight is insufficient for the strict guidelines of ice wine production, the resulting wine can be sold as a “special select late harvest” or a “select late harvest” and will be sold for a fraction of the price of ice wine. If a person wishes to try something similar to an ice wine but cannot afford it, a special select late harvest will be a satisfactory substitute, but will not have all the depth of an ice wine.
To Age or not to Age?
Depending on your personal tastes, ice wine can be aged or it can be consumed immediately after purchase. Some critics will argue that if the wine is aged, it will lose its characteristic complex fruitiness and will turn a more amber color; however others state that aging will bring about new flavors and aromas, adding yet another layer to the ice wine’s flavor profile.
Ice wines sold commercially are newcomers in the wine game; and although they are expensive, it is worth the money to buy a good bottle from your local wine shop. Ask the shop owner or employees for their recommendation and chances are you’ll start adding ice wines to your home wine collection.
Beaujolais Nouveaux: Is It All Marketing Hype?
Beaujolais Nouveaux: Is It All Marketing Hype?
It is almost that time of year again where French wine producers will be in a frantic rush to get their bottles of Beaujolais Nouveaux out to the markets on time amid frenzied promotions and fanfare. However, is this wine deserving of such hype?
Beaujolais Nouveaux is a red wine made from Gamay grapes in the French region of Beaujolais; French wines tend to be named after the region where they are from rather than the grape varietal used. It is a vin de primeur which means it is a young wine that is unaged and is only fermented for a few short weeks before it is released on the market the third Thursday of November every year. This Thursday is called Beaujolais Nouveaux day, and is subject to a massive amount of marketing.
This year, Beaujolais Nouveaux Day will be on November 15th. According to French laws, the wine may only be released for public consumption after 12:01 on the third Thursday of November. Because this is a wine that must be consumed as fresh as possible, meaning that to appreciate its young flavors fully, the wine cannot age and the sooner a person can drink it after its release, the better. Flavors of Beaujolais nouveaux wines have been described as very fruity, light on tannins, and refreshing.
The release of Beaujolais serves two purposes; one is to provide a nice, naïve wine for people who don’t really like heavier, aged red wines, and the second purpose is to work as a sort of indicator of what the grape harvest and wine vintage for the year will be like. Beaujolais changes year after year, due to climatic conditions; a poor Beaujolais Nouveaux could very well mean that other wines made with the year’s grapes could also be somewhat poor. This is one of the reasons why it is so eagerly awaited; it offers a sneak peek into the mysteries of wine making.
Critics of Beaujolais Nouveaux are those who enjoy aged wines, and compare drinking the fresh, young wine to eating cookie dough. Those who don’t enjoy Beaujolais Nouveaux claim the taste is far too simple and immature; however, these same people will in fact say that after a Beaujolais has aged for a year or two, the complexity that develops makes for a much more drinkable wine.
The history of Beaujolais wine is very interesting. In France, Beaujolais has always made a vin de l’année or a yearly wine to celebrate the end of the harvest. However, up until the Second World War, the wine that was produced was only meant for local, small scale consumption. The Beaujolais AOC was established in 1937, and stated then that officially, the wine could only be released for sale after December 15 of the harvest year. In 1951, the rules were changed so that wine could be sold four weeks earlier, and the name Beaujolais Nouveaux was born.
Wine marketers saw a lot of potential for the sales of Beaujolais Nouveaux: Georges Duboeuf saw it as a way to move astounding amounts of ordinary wine at a good price for producers and as a way to increase cash flow within a few short weeks of a harvest. The idea of a race to get the very first bottles of the vintage to Paris was born, and the race to get the Beaujolais Nouveaux to the French Capital became a larger and larger media event as each year went by. By the time the 1970’s rolled around, the race was attracted massive amounts of media attention, and the races spread to other parts of the world in the 1980’s and 1990’s. The catchphrase “ Le Beaujolais nouveaux est arrivé!” (The new Beaujolais has arrived!” was replaced in 2005 with “It’s Beaujolais Nouveaux Time”.
In the United States, Beaujolais Nouveaux has become a wine associated with Thanksgiving, an event which takes place around one week after the wine has been released and is consumed in the same spirit of celebrating the end of the year’s harvest.
Some of the marketing gimmicks used on Beaujolais Nouveaux day include delivery via hot-air balloon, delivery via the now-defunct Concorde transatlantic jet, and delivery by elephants. Some say that the event is more about the fanfare and less about the wine because in reality, the wine is the cheapest one on the market and even the biggest fan of Beaujolais Nouveaux will admit it is a simple wine that doesn’t have much to offer other than fruitiness and a bit of alcohol content.
Is Beaujolais Nouveaux all about the hype? Yes, it is, but it also lets the people who are true wine lovers get an idea of what the year’s harvest will be like and what superior, aged wines made with the same vintage will be like. But when it comes down to it, the Beaujolais Nouveaux wine is actually the perfect wine to serve at a family dinner or celebration; light on the tannin content and high on the fruity flavors, even people who are beer drinkers will like having something to their tastes that’s a bit special and a little bit fancy.
If you aren’t a wine drinker and are looking for a wine to bring to your Thanksgiving Day family dinner, then by all means, listen to the hype and get a bottle of any Beaujolais Nouveaux; it will actually go very nicely with all of the traditional dishes and sides, like turkey and stuffing, candied yams, mashed creamed potatoes and cranberry sauce.
As the saying goes, Beaujolais Nouveaux is what it is; a simple wine that was originally meant to be drunk at the end of the year’s harvest in a spirit of celebration. It’s not the best wine in the world, but as many wine aficionados will state: “It’s better than just drinking plain water!”
Kahlua, Mexico’s Finest Liqueur
Kahlua, Mexico’s Finest Liqueur
Liqueurs belong to the group of after-dinner alcoholic beverages that can almost take the place of a dessert; not only are they sweet, satisfying and rich, they can also help digest a heavy meal. Liqueurs have been around for a long time, with some of the most famous originating from European monasteries during the medieval times, which explains why the liqueurs that have been on the market for centuries have religious-themed names, such as Benedictine or Frangelico.
One of the world’s most beloved liqueurs however, is not European at all and is a bit of a newcomer in the millennia-old liqueur industry; Mexico’s finest liqueur Kahlua. This coffee flavored, rum-based liqueur has almost become synonymous with the country and is usually taken by itself neat or is mixed in a variety of cocktails; one of the most popular ways to drink it is to add a shot or two of it to a nice hot cup of coffee. Both coffee and liqueur experts agree that Kahlua amplifies the flavour of coffee and can turn plain coffee into a flavor experience.
Kahlua isn’t really an old beverage; it fact production started in the mid-1930’s by Pedro Domecq. As most people familiar with the Spanish language will have noticed, the name of the liqueur isn’t particularly Spanish; the name Kahlua comes from the Veracruz Nahuatl (the language of Mexico before the Spanish Conquest in the late 1400’ and early 1500’s) words which mean “House of the Acolhua People”.
Kahlua has an alcohol content of 20%; however there are some areas where it can contain up to 21.5% alcohol by volume. There is also another version of the famous drink which is available in the United States, Canada, Australia and some select duty-free shops called Kahlua Especial. This version is made only with Veracruz-grown Arabica coffee beans, has an alcohol content of 36%, has less of a syrupy consistency and is less sweet.
Kahlua is no ordinary coffee-flavored liqueur; other companies have tried to produce a liqueur that is comparable, but almost all Kahlua aficionados can tell when their cocktails or after-dinner digestifs have been replaced with an imitator. The flavor of competing products is less intense, tastes more sugary, and at times the taste can even be a bit bitter due to the coffee used to make the liqueur. Simply put, Kahlua is the best and that is the reason why it can be found around the globe.
As mentioned earlier, there are several ways to enjoy Kahlua: a drop in a cup of coffee or a cup of nice hot chocolate can make a miserable, cold and rainy day seem much more enjoyable. However, Kahlua makes for some great cocktails, and the recipes that follow are just a few of the hundreds that are out there.
Brown Cow
1 short glass, full of ice
1.5 oz Kahlua
2 oz milk or half & half cream
Simply pour the ingredients over ice, stir and enjoy.
Monkey’s Lunch
1 short glass full of ice
1.5 oz Kahlua
1 oz Crème de Bananes liqueur
2 oz milk
Pour the ingredients over ice, stir and enjoy
Dark Depths
1 tall glass, full of ice
1 oz Kahlua
½ oz crème de cacao (can be white or dark)
½ oz rum
Coca-Cola
Milk or cream.
Pour the Kahlua, crème de cacao and rum over ice, then fill the glass almost to the top with Coca-Cola. Top with milk or cream.
Black Russian
1 short glass, full of ice
1.5 oz Kahlua
1 oz vodka
Pour ingredients over ice, and give a quick stir. To make a Black Mexican, simply substitute tequila for the vodka.
White Russian
1 short glass, full of ice
1.5 oz Kahlua
1 oz vodka
3 or 4 oz of milk or cream
Pour all ingredients over ice, and give a quick stir. To make a Cool Russian, substitute mint vodka for the plain vodka.
B-52
1 shot glass
½ oz Kahlua
½ oz Grand Marnier
½ oz Bailey’s Irish Cream
Pour the Kahlua in the drink first, then slowly pour in the Bailey’s Irish Cream, but pour it over a spoon so that it layers on top of the Kahlua. Pour in the Grand Marnier, but remember that this also needs to be poured over a spoon so that it will float on top of the Bailey’s. To make a B-52 coffee, simply pour the ingredients into a cup of coffee.
Spanish Coffee
1 coffee mug with a sugar rim
1.5 oz Kahlua
½ oz rum
Coffee
Whipped cream and an orange slice for garnish
Pour the ingredients in a coffee mug with a sugar rim, and place two or three spoonfuls of whipped cream on top, and place the orange slice on the rim.
The Polar Bear
1 coffee mug with a sugar rim
1.5 oz Kahlua
1 oz mint vodka
Hot chocolate
Whipped cream and an orange slice for garnish
Pour the Kahlua, and mint vodka in a mug with a sugar rim, and add hot chocolate. Top with whipped cream, and garnish with a slice of orange on the side of the mug.
Kahlua has become an essential ingredient in bars that specialize in cocktails the world over. From Beijing to Quintana Roo, from Vancouver to Vladivostok, it is perhaps the most famous liqueur and once you have a try of it, you’ll see why it’s beloved by so many people. If you haven’t tried it, there’s no time like now to have a taste of the planet’s best coffee liqueur.
Red Wine, White Wine, and Rose Wine Discussed
Red Wine, White Wine, and Rose Wine:
All You Need to Know about the Basics
Wines are a little bit confusing; although everybody basically knows the difference between red wine, white wine and rose wines, a lot of other terms that are bandied about in the wine industry or are used on wine bottle labels can be confusing. What does Shiraz mean? What does table wine mean? Here is a beginner lesson in what all those confusing terms mean.
Wine 101
As mentioned before, wines are generally divided up into three groups: red wine, white wine, and rose wine. White wines and rose wines are usually served chilled, while red wines are served at room temperature or slightly below in order for their full bouquet to be appreciated.
Wine grapes vs. supermarket grapes
All wines sold in shops are made from grapes unless otherwise stated on the bottle. However, the grapes used in wine production are not the same as grapes that are sold in supermarkets to eat as food; on a sweetness scale of one to ten, supermarket grapes are about a 7.5, while grapes used in winemaking are about a 12.
Blended wines and table wines
Different varieties of grape make different types of wine that have completely different flavors, textures, and colors. The type, species or subspecies of grape that is used to make wine is called a varietal. Inexpensive wines generally use several different types of varietal; although many of these mixed varietal wines are good, they are considered to be of lower quality than single varietal wines or wines that are a blend of only two varietals. You can easily identify a wine that is made from many different kinds of grapes; the label will only say that the contents of the bottle are “white wine” “red wine” or “rose wine”. The label will not contain the names of any grape varietal. These wines are also called table wines or will have the French term “vin ordinaire” or ordinary wine. The wines may also be described as sweet, medium, or dry, with dry meaning the wine is not sweet in any way.
Varietals: Reds
Now this is where things get a bit more complicated. Wines can further be categorized according to the type of grape that was used in the wine’s production. For example, a wine bottle which contains the word “Shiraz” or the word “Malbec” means the wine inside was made almost exclusively with Shiraz grapes or with Malbec grapes. Each type of grape will make a wine that tastes subtly different. Here are a few of the most common red wine varietals and their main characteristics:
Red Wines
Cabernet Sauvignon A deeply colored wine that is high in tannins. Tastes of black fruit such as blackcurrant, vegetables such as bell peppers and can be high in acidity. Other tastes or flavors that may be present are black cherry, chocolate, vanilla and oak. The oak flavour is due to the oak barrels in which it may be aged. Cabernet Sauvignon wines pair well with beef, stews, steaks, strong cheeses and dark chocolate.
Merlot Merlot usually has a fuller body than Cabernet Sauvignon, but has a softer flavour and a medium tannin level. Tastes of red fruit such as strawberries; and wines that are made with super-ripe grapes will taste like fruitcake and chocolate. Food pairings include pork tenderloin, hamburgers, lamb, and hard cheeses.
Shiraz (Syrah) Deeply colored with medium to high tannin levels, this wine has a flavor that is reminiscent of blackberry, black pepper, warm spices and to some extent, chocolate and oak. Shiraz pairs very well with steak, grilled lamb, beef fondue, BBQ ribs, pork chops and hard cheese.
White Wines
White wines also come in varietals, and here are three of the most common:
Chardonnay A very delicate wine that is slightly fruity in flavour, and depending on the region where it is grown, is can taste of green apples, pear, citrus fruit, or tropical fruit. Chardonnay can also be oaky and buttery in character, and has high natural acidity. Food pairings include seafood, grilled vegetables, soft, creamy cheeses, asparagus and chicken.
Sauvignon Blanc A crisp, dry white wine of medium to high acidity that has flavors that make one think of gooseberries and green fruit. Sauvignon Blanc is a nice wine to have on its own, but it also goes well with marinated chicken, oysters, Swiss cheese and Cobb salad.
Riesling A wine that is slightly sweeter but can vary between sweet to dry. Tastes include green fruit, citrus, stone fruit, honey, mango and pineapple. Most Rieslings have high acidity, and pair well with trout, curries, and desserts such as pumpkin pie.
Rose Wines
Pronounced “ro-ZAY”, these are basically wines made with red varietals in which the grape skins were removed after a short while, resulting in a wine with slightly lighter characteristics and a pink color. Rose wines are always served chilled. Varietals used for making Rose, Rosado, Rosato or “blush” wines as they are also known, are Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Zinfandel or the Italian Sangiovese varietal.
Rose wines can range from very sweet to bone dry, with the European versions being the driest on the market. If a person has never tried wine before, rose wines are usually the perfect introduction as they are a bit lighter in tannins, which take some getting used to. Rose wines are also incredibly versatile when it comes to food pairings; because they have both the characteristics of white and red wines, they will go well with almost any meal.
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
Are “Unfashionable” Cocktails Becoming the New Thing?
Are “Unfashionable” Cocktails Become the New Thing?
In many of the world’s trendy markets like those found in big cities like New York City, Los Angeles, Paris and London, cocktails suffered a bit of a decline in the last couple of decades as bar and pub patrons took to drinking high-quality beers, wines, and scotch whiskies while out for a night on the town. However, in the past few years, customers and clientele are demanding a wider range of alcoholic beverages, and in response, many bartenders have gone back to the industry’s 1920’s roots and have been bringing back classic cocktails and inventing new drinks with modern twists.
However, while there were a few cocktails that were very popular between the 1930’s and 1960’s, they have almost dropped off the map of alcoholic beverages and have only been slowly creeping back in to cocktail bar menu lists. The reason? The drinks either contain raw eggs or heavy cream, two ingredients that North Americans have grown averse to due to health or weight-gain concerns.
Raw Eggs and Heavy Cream: pros and cons
Raw egg white, when added to a cocktail, adds another flavour and texture dimension and can transform a mediocre drink into a velvety-smooth, frothy flavour explosion. Egg whites also act as an emulsifier: when all ingredients of an egg white-based cocktail are shaken together and strained, the egg white brings all of the flavours together, beautifully melded and making the drink much greater than the mere sum of its parts.
Heavy cream also ties ingredients together well, and gives cocktails a smooth, dense, almost dessert-like character. Classic and still popular cocktails like the White Russian, the Paralyzer, and the Brandy Alexander were originally made with heavy cream, but are now made with whole-fat or even partially skimmed milk.
Do raw eggs = food poisoning?
Raw egg whites have gained a bad rap over the years because they can apparently contain the salmonella virus, meaning that if you eat a raw egg, you can get food poisoning. Many health inspectors will not allow cocktails to be made with raw eggs; however, in most cases this doesn’t really present a problem because of public perception that raw eggs are bad for you. The truth of the matter, however, is slightly different. While most people think that all eggs are potentially salmonella-laden, only one in 20,000 eggs will contain the germ. Some bars in New York City have picked up on this fact and have started to slowly introduce the old-fashioned egg-based cocktails in their drink lists, and health departments will allow the use of the eggs as long as the customer is made aware of the fact the drink contains raw egg.
Calorie-packed heavy cream
Heavy cream is packed with calories, making it an ingredient that most people don’t like and in the past twenty or so years, because so many clients asked for milk in the drinks instead of cream, it became standard practice for bars, pubs and restaurants to use milk as the standard creamy-drink ingredient. The result is that delicious, sinfully rich and delightful “indulgence” cocktails became thin, reedy ghosts of their former selves. Higher-end bars have started to buck the “Skim Milk Paralyser” trends and have also gone back to the original, luxuriously creamy recipes for their cocktails.
The Drinks Making a Comeback
While these drinks may not be on everyone’s “hit list”, some people from the older generation will recognize them as staples of the industry, and younger adults might see these on the drink lists of higher-end drinking and eating establishments. Here are the egg-based and heavy-cream based drinks that are making a comeback.
The Pink Lady
Known as the ultimate genteel, girly-drink for decades, genteel and “girly” women knew that this drink packed a punch that is just as powerful as any “macho” cocktail. The egg white in this recipe gives the drink its famed bubbly foam on top and fabulous textures, ensuring that the Pink Lady will reign supreme once again.
1 martini or cocktail glass
1 egg white
1.5 ounces gin
1.2 ounce applejack or sour apple liqueur
1 tablespoon grenadine
1 splash lemon juice
1 maraschino cherry for garnish
Shake all of the ingredients except for the maraschino cherry in a cocktail shaker that is full of ice. Because the drink contains an egg white, remember to shake the drink longer and more vigorously than you would for a regular cocktail. Strain the liquid into the martini glass, and garnish with the maraschino cherry.
The Ramos Gin Fizz
Developed in Prohibition-era New Orleans, this drink is making such a strong comeback that people are attempting to make it at home. The sad thing is, they are failing to make good gin fizzes; this is because one must shake the drink in the cocktail shaker for a full five minutes in order for the egg to emulsify. Here is how it’s made:
1 Collins glass or champagne flute
2 ounces gin
1 ounce cream
1 fresh egg white
3 drops orange flower water
1/2 ounce sugar syrup (sugar dissolved in water)
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
club soda
1 orange slice for garnish
Put all ingredients in except the club soda in a cocktail shaker that’s full of ice. Shake everything for about five minutes. Strain and pour into a tall glass, and top up with club soda.
The Flip
The humble Flip is making people go flipping crazy because it combines the two ingredients: an egg and heavy cream. Flipping delicious, and different varieties can be made by simply changing the liquor used.
1 wine glass
2 ounces of desired liquor (brandy, sherry, port, rum, spiced rum, vodka but DO NOT USE TEQUILA)
1 egg
1 teaspoon of fine granulated white sugar
½ ounce heavy cream
Freshly ground nutmeg
In a cocktail shaker full of ice, add all of the ingredients except the nutmeg and shake well for a long time, at least a few minutes. Strain and pour into the glass, and garnish with a slight dusting of nutmeg to give a warm spicy touch.
The Grasshopper
Last but not least on our list of cocktails that look like they’ll be making a comeback is the famous Grasshopper. The bright green, rich and creamy drink was a common sight in cocktail lounges until sometime in the 1980’s; the Grasshopper is simply too good to die.
1 martini or cocktail glass
1 ounce white crème de cacao
1 ounce green crème de menthe (do not use Minttu or Koskenkorva because they are clear and a grasshopper must be bright green in colour)
1 ounce heavy cream (do not use milk)
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker that’s full of ice, shake well, strain and pour into the martini glass.
How to Setup a Home Bar
How to Set Up A Bar At Home
In some parts of the world, going out to the bar for a drink or two with a few good friends can end up being an incredibly costly endeavour. For whatever reason – taxes, high cost of living, high cost of ingredients, etc., etc., – it’s always a downer to pay a lot for a nice cocktail that you can easily make at home for much less money. Here is how to set up a bar or bar area at home where professional, tasty drinks can be made, and it won’t send you to the cleaners financially, either.
Find the best place to work
Right off the bat, you don’t need a fancy “wet bar” built-in to your home in order to make nice alcoholic beverages. While these areas are quite nice to have, they aren’t necessary. What you will need however, is an area that has a sink and counter space or a table close by for your tools. A double sink will be the most ideal sort of sink to have, and one side can be used for washing glasses on the go and re-using them and the other side can be for storing ice; if ice is bought from the store, take it out of the plastic bag it comes in; the idea is for water to drain out of the ice as it melts so that drinks won’t get watered down. However, before placing any ice in the sink, make sure the sink is spotlessly clean by sanitizing it with a bleach/water solution, giving it a scrub, and thoroughly rinsing. If a double sink isn’t available, a single sink will be just fine, but keep ice in a separate bucket on the countertop and drain water out periodically if necessary.
Glassware
The next thing you’ll want to make fancy cocktails is proper glassware. Cocktails come in a variety of glasses, so make sure you’ve got the basics. If buying new stuff at the department store is too expensive, have a look at the second-hand shops in the area; there are great deals on decent quality glasses. Here are the types and minimum quantities of glasses you’ll need.
• 2 old-fashioned or “rocks” glasses. These are the short glasses that are sometimes used to serve water.
• 2 highball or “Collins” glasses. These are the tall water glasses and have an 8 oz capacity.
• 2 martini or cocktail glasses. These are the ones that look like an inverted triangle on a stem
• 4 white wine glasses.
• 4 red wine glasses. These will be bigger than white wine glasses with a larger bowl. Some red wine glasses that are popular are stemless, like glass cups.
• 2 champagne flutes. The tall and very narrow wine glasses; good for champagne and champagne-based cocktails.
• 6 shot glasses.
• 4 beer glasses. A classic “pilsner” glass will hold one regular sized bottle of beer.
With these glasses, you’ll be able to properly present most cocktails that are popular in bars, pubs, and nightclubs.
Tools
Once the glasses have been sorted, in order to make proper cocktails and open wine bottles correctly, you’ll need proper tools. You will need:
• A waiter’s corkscrew.
This sort of corkscrew is the best to have. Others that have double handles or rely on an air pump are next to useless. Take a few minutes to learn how to use one, and it will be your best friend forever in a bartending sense.
• A bottle opener. Even if one is included on your waiter’s corkscrew, it’s always good to have an extra one so that guests don’t try to open beer bottles by banging them on your table or using (and breaking) their teeth.
• A cocktail shaker with lid and strainer. Usually, these are made of stainless steel or glass and are widely available; however a cocktail shaker can be improvised with a Tupperware jug, lid, and regular tea strainer.
• A measuring glass that measures out 1 ounce or 1.5 ounces. Shot glasses can be used for this purpose is special measuring glasses can’t be found.
• An ice scoop or tongs and an ice bucket if a double sink is not available. Never use a service glass or any glass to scoop ice; the glass can easily break and can cause a whole host of problems.
• A blender. This will be necessary if one wants to make frozen, slushy-style drinks like margaritas and daiquiris.
• A long, slender spoon for stirring.
• A cutting board for preparing garnishes and slicing limes, lemons and oranges
• A small, sharp knife for garnish preparation. Never use a dull knife; dull knives are likely to slip and cut your fingers.
• Dish soap and a dish towel for washing, drying and polishing glasses as you go.
• Optional kettle/coffee maker. If you are preparing beverages like Hot Toddies, Polar Bears, Hot Buttered Rum, or Spanish Coffees, have a kettle close by for hot water and have coffee made ahead of time.
Basic Bar Ingredients
If you’re setting up a bar for a party where lots of different cocktails such as fruit margaritas and piña coladas will be made, you’ll also need:
Non-alcoholic
• Lime-flavoured syrup
• Lemon-flavoured syrup
• Strawberry-flavoured syrup
• Coconut syrup or coconut milk
• Grenadine
• Pineapple juice
• Orange juice
• Cranberry juice
• Milk
• Variety of sodas (Coca-cola, Sprite, Canada Dry Ginger Ale, etc.)
Alcoholic
Because cocktails will be made with the liquor, you can get away with buying the cheapest brands, which are referred to in the business as “bar brands”.
• Bar vodka
• Bar rum
• Bar tequila
• Bar gin
• Bar whiskey
• Bar rye
• Bar coffee liqueur
• Bar orange liqueur (triple sec)
• Bar irish crème liqueur
There are many more types of liqueurs that one can get in order to make more cocktails, but the liquors mentioned above will enable you to make at least 25 different cocktails with ease.
Bartending at home for a party is a lot of fun if you’re prepared for it, have the right ingredients, correct tools and a good place to work. With a little practice you’ll find tending bar feels quite natural and chances are you’ll be making the best cocktails in town.
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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.