The Wine Cellar Blog» Wine Tasting

Top Five Wine Gifts for 2010

admin — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 13:12:15 +0000

1) The Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator:

Tired of decanting wine and waiting for an hour for your wine to be just right? Well, the Vinturi Wine Aerator is quickly supplanting the old decanter and wine funnel routine. Not only does it take less time to "open up" your wines, now you can decant as needed or by the glass. Vinturi makes aerators for both red and white wines. Traditionalists might be in an uproar, but if you're dealing with a crabby oenophile, just let them do a taste test. The Vinturi Wine Aerator outperforms in wine tasting after wine tasting, its effect is unmistakable. However, this wine tool is used to best effect on wines that need aeration (see this link for an explanation of the practice of wine aeration). For one-hand operation get the optional Vinturi Tower. It should also be noted that the wine aerator has a tendancy to overflow if you're not paying attention and to drip when not in use, another reason to get the Tower or the Deluxe Gift Set. Price: Under $40. 2) The Oster 4207 Electric Wine-Bottle Opener:

The Oster 4207 Electric Wine-Bottle Opener is true wine opening for dummies. There's no trick or technique for removing the cork, it's push-button simplicity. Often wine gadgets can be intimidating, especially wine openers, but this corkscrew won't make you look like an idiot and it can open most wine bottles. However, what makes it simple and easy to use is also its weakness. This wine opener is electronic, so it needs to be charged after opening 30 bottles. It has cordless operation, but its recharging base takes up counter space. It may also have trouble with some artificial corks, not removing them from the bottle necessarily, but extracting it from the corkscrew afterwards. Efforts to remove the cork may break it, but this wine opener is cheap enough to replace quickly. Price: Under $25 3) The Nuance Wine Finer:

At first blush, the Nuance Wine Finer may seem like just another Vinturi Wine Aerator copycat, but nothing could be further from the truth. It's an effective wine aerator (especially if you trust the recommendations of Cook's Illustrated and America's Test Kitchen), but it's also 4 wine tools in one. Danish designers combine an aerator, filter, non-spill pourer, and stopper into one do-it-all instrument the size of a fountain pen. Just insert the Nuance Wine Finer into your bottle and pour. Wine flows through 32 aeration vents while an inner stainless steel screen filters out sediments and cork. Stand your bottle upright and the pourer catches any drips. Top your Wine Finer with the stopper to enjoy a glass later. Wine aeration without the mess, one-hand operation without a tower, wine filtration without extra equipment...and at a lower price, the Vinturi better watch its back. Price: Under $30. 4) Grandi Vini: An Opinionated Tour of Italy's 89 Finest Wines:

It might be overly ambitious to try to distill the very varied and complex Italian wine landscape down to the 89 best, but Joe Bastianich is clearly an ambitious guy. Once best known as the partner of chef Mario Batali and the son of chef Lidia Bastianich, both tv stars, this increasingly influential restaurateur now owns 20 restaurants throughout the United States and 3 wineries in Italy as well as several wine and food shops (including the hugely successful Eataly, Manhattan's new Italian food Disneyland). Grandi Vini is not for novices, for an introduction to Italian wine, Vino Italiano: The Regional Wines of Italy, by Joseph Bastianich and David Lynch, is a good choice. Grandi Vini should start more than a few well-lubricated arguments. Sassicaia and not Ornellaia? Fontanfredda and not Vietti? And why are there only three wines from Joe's beloved Friuli? Is Brunello still Brunello? These are questions which deserve to be argued, Italian-style, with lots of shouting and hand-waving, or possibly contemplated with a glass of one of Mr. Bastianich's own wines in hand. Price: Under $25 5) Riedel 'O' Cabernet/Merlot/Bordeaux Stemless Wine Glasses (Set of 2):

As Featured in "O" The Oprah Magazine (April 2007), the Riedel Stemless "O" Wine Glasses are the newest revolution in glassware. Founded in 1756, Austria’s Riedel Crystal is the world’s premier manufacturer of wine glasses for the fine wine connoisseur. However, these wine tumblers are part of the company’s first attempt at producing a lower priced wine glass for casual entertaining. Like Riedel’s prestigious Vinum series of glasses, Riedel "O" tumblers are specifically designed to enhance the flavors and aromas of a particular grape varietal. The only difference is that the tumblers are missing their stems, and they are machine made of lead-free crystal, making them slightly less delicate to handle, more modern in appearance, and easier to fit in smaller cabinets, mini bars, picnic baskets, and the dishwasher. Price: Under $25.

This is a post from: The Wine Cellar Blog

Watkins Glen and Chateau Ste Michelle Party in the Summer Heat

admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 04:28:41 +0000

It's HOT! In fact, climatologists predict that 2010 will be the hottest year on record worldwide, due in large part to El Nino, the tropical climate pattern that warms the Pacific every five to seven years. But, that didn't stop the folks at the Finger Lakes Wine Festival this weekend in Watkins Glen, NY. In fact the Finger Lakes are doing very well in the heat. Winemakers in the region are enjoying advanced ripening in the vineyards this year, compared to the wet, challenging season of 2009. More time on the vine in hot, dry weather may give winemakers a chance to quiet a few more critics of Finger Lakes red wine. But, it's doing great things for Riesling. Global warming has been a boon for Riesling, according to last week's Riesling Rendezvous conference in Seattle. The conference, hosted by Ernie Loosen, Decanter's Man of the Year 2005, and Ted Baseler, the president of Chateau Ste Michelle, was attended by well over 350 professionals from all over the world. Speakers suggested that warmer temperatures worldwide were opening up new regions for Riesling and guaranteeing consistency in more traditional regions, although in time growers will be forced to adapt, or move. Temperatures in classical growing regions such as the Rheingau, Wachau and Alsace have risen by just over 1 degree in the past 30 years, producing a welcome consistency in quality there. At the same time temperature increases have stimulated a rise in production in areas less well known for Riesling, such as the Finger Lakes in New York, Niagara in Ontario and the Old Mission Peninsula in Michigan. And the folks in the Finger Lakes are celebrating appropriately. Once a year, Watkins Glen International transforms from The Soul of American Road Racing into the Finger Lake’s largest wine tasting room, where over 600 New York wines are sampled. The celebration kicked-off Friday, July 16th, with fireworks, wine, and togas at “Yancey’s Fancy Cheese Launch of the Lakes.” Saturday and Sunday the Festival featured a variety of wine, food, arts and crafts from across the state, culinary classes, cooking demonstrations, wine seminars, the Brewer's Garden, pace car rides, comedy, and live musical entertainment. Of special significance was the Riedel Experience which included a private Sensory Exploration class with Georg Riedel, 10th generation and former CEO of the legendary wine-glass-making company. And a special 5 pc Riedel Vinum XL Tasting Set featuring the Finger Lakes exclusive Riesling glass as a souvenir. Not to be outdone, Chateau Ste Michelle's Summer Concert Series continues until the end of September and will include musical artists like Martina McBride, Ringo Starr, the B-52's and Harry Connick Jr. Enjoy the fresh air, delicious wine and perhaps a picnic dinner while listening to live music from your favorite band.

This is a post from: The Wine Cellar Blog

Red, Red, Wine….

admin — Tue, 19 May 2009 00:13:39 +0000

Recent research indicates that different types of music stimulate different parts of the brain, and prime us to taste wines in a corresponding way. For example, powerful rock music like Jimi Hendrix or The Rolling Stones is a good accompaniment to a Cabernet Sauvignon, while opera buffs might prefer a 2006 Syrah. "This is the first time it has been scientifically proven that music can affect perception in other senses and change the way wine tastes," said Professor Adrian North of Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh. The idea for the study was triggered by Chilean winemaker Aurelio Montes, who plays Gregorian chants to his maturing wines, arguing that the gentle vibrations improve the quality of the wine. Researchers recommend the following wine / song pairings: Cabernet Sauvignon - All Along The Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix; Chardonnay - Atomic by Blondie; Syrah - Puccini's Nessun Dorma. Merlot - Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay by Otis Redding. Sorry, no Reggae.

This is a post from: The Wine Cellar Blog

Hanni’s Theory

admin — Mon, 18 May 2009 19:21:44 +0000

Ever have a 90+ rated wine that you thought was truly disgusting? If so, you probably think the discrepancy is due to your untrained palate. Well according to Tim Hanni, it may be your lack of taste buds, not simply your lack of taste. Tim Hanni is one of the first two Americans to pass England's prestigious Master of Wine exam. He recently put his theory to the test at the first-ever Lodi International Wine Awards. The results didn't always follow Hanni's hypothesis, but he certainly created an interesting, new way to judge competitions. The irony of Hanni's theory is that the big, bold, high-alcohol reds and oaked whites made popular by one highly-influential, American critic are the preferences of "tolerant tasters" or those with the least amount of taste buds. Maybe, Hanni's hypothesis is more social commentary than theory.

This is a post from: The Wine Cellar Blog

Red, Hot and Flabby

admin — Mon, 18 May 2009 18:23:25 +0000

Wine is hotter than ever, in more ways than one. Sales are at an all time high, but at the same time alcohol levels are rising. Hot is winespeak for wine that is too high in alcohol and leaves a burning sensation in the back of the throat when swallowed. Back In the 1970s, red wines under 12 percent alcohol by volume were common. Today, Zinfandels higher than 16 percent are not unusual. Consumers seem to accept, even expect high-alcohol wines (many also believe this is due to the influence of wine critic Robert Parker). Is this a problem? Besides the effects of consuming more alcohol and calories in one serving, another consequence of high alcohol wine is often low acidity and a lack of structure, or in winespeak a flabby wine. Click here for more information on the high-alcohol wine trend and its effect on wine balance.

This is a post from: The Wine Cellar Blog

Bad Wine Day?

admin — Mon, 18 May 2009 06:55:53 +0000

That expensive case of Burgundy has been stunning so far, then all of a sudden, a bad bottle. Same wine, same case, it's inexplicable. Or, maybe you're drinking on a "Root Day." Every day is designated either a root, flower, fruit or leaf in Maria and Matthias K Thun’s Biodynamic Sowing and Planting Calendar (flower and fruit being best for wine tasting). This concept may cause some snickering, but biodynamics is taken very seriously in the vinyard these days. Many world-class estates such as Domaine Leroy in Burgundy, Michel Chapoutier in the Rhone have become committed biodynamic properties over the past decade. Click here for a more indepth discussion of organic and biodynamic wine.

This is a post from: The Wine Cellar Blog

Don’t Drink the Kool-Aid

admin — Mon, 18 May 2009 06:06:37 +0000

Beaujolais Nouveau is a wine synonymous with November. This wine has made it's way onto many Thanksgiving tables as a result of the huge marketing blitz that takes place this time of year. Beaujolais Nouveau has a reputation for being Kool-Aid wine: easy-to-drink, fruity and one-dimensional. But Beaujolais can be much more than this, Cru Beaujolais wines (like Moulin-a-Vent and Brouilly) can be mistaken for Burgundy in a good vintage. As a rule of thumb, fruity wines with lower tannin levels like Beaujolais are perfect for Thanksgiving fare, as are Zinfandel, Riesling and Pinot Noir. Ch. de la Chaize 2004 Brouilly (Gamay) - Beaujolais Red Wine

This is a post from: The Wine Cellar Blog