Posts Tagged wine

Wine From South Africa

Posted by Food And Wine in Uncategorized on September 25th, 2009

South Africa makes an incredibly wide variety of %LINK% from a number of different grapes. As we’ve talked about in other parts of the site and our blogs we believe at Uncorked Ventures that some of the best International wines come right from our own backyard, so we looked farther outside of the USA for truly special wines, or at least varietals which are not commonly grown closer to home.

Luckily for wine drinkers South Africa produces two such grapes, that are both highly unusual:

1) Chenin Blanc, also known as Steen: If you know the history behind Chenin Blanc you’re probably shaking your head at its inclusion on this page, please follow us to the end. A white wine grape originally from the Loire Valley in France. Chenin Blanc is the most planted grape in South Africa, it makes generally a flat unmemorable wine. It was once used to create Port and Sherry for export to other British colonies. Once the European Union passed new laws to limit the use of the name Port to producers from Portugal and the use of the name Sherry to producers from Spain, South Africa was left with a lot of planted vines, on great soil and without a market.

If you’re interested in trying this rather unique wine-what should you look for? How do we select it for our wine clubs?

We suggest you look for a dry wine which is going to have flavors of apples, lemon, pear or even some of their local vegetation such as quince.

What should you pair it with?

Generally speaking we’d suggest fish dishes, especially a grilled trout or boiled lobster.

2) Pinotage. Pinotage is a cross between Pinot Noir(a cold weather grape) and a French varietal that most a unfamiliar with, Cinsaut (a warm weather grape). Perhaps no other varietal in the world is as unique as Pinotage, as it seems growers in effect tried to create a grape that would grow perfectly in their unique climate. Pinotage also sometimes gives winemakers fits during the fermentation process, turning bad and being bottled only to yield a smell similar to paint. Your guess is as good as ours at this point about the future of Pinotage, but at Uncorked Ventures we certainly hope that worldwide winemakers are able to have more unique grapes and varietals, not less. Personally, I’d love to find a good producer of Pinotage, just for the conversation that it would create with friends and family. It is on my to-do list at present time.

Thank you for taking the time to read our review of some of the more interesting aspects of wine in South Africa. It is an exciting time in the wine industry and more and more quality wines are being produced in different styles all over the world.

Read practical tips about the topic of quick and easy recipes – make sure to study the web page. The times have come when concise info is really only one click away, use this opportunity.

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Tags: grilled trout, boiled lobster, wine, chenin blanc, fish dishes
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Wala Wala Wine Little Known Facts

Posted by Food And Wine in Wine Musings on September 19th, 2009

One of the truly surprising things we’ve come across at wine is the constant competition between California wineries and their neighbors to the north. It seems to us that wineries in Oregon and Washington State are constantly trying to compare themselves to California, to us that’s just silly and counterproductive. There is plenty of world class wine being produced across the north west and frankly plenty of table wine being produced in California. As a reminder AVA is American Viticulture Area…..simply put the areas where the grapes are either grown or bottled depending on the state.

Ask most wino’s about Washington wine and they’ll tell you to buy only from the Wala Wala AVA, in our experience this isn’t necessarily the case.

For those that have never been to Wala Wala, you’ll find a different feel than what you do in Napa. I’ve heard it described as either farmer friendly, or Napa 50+ years ago. Don’t think that it is a backwards little town though, although a four hour drive from either Portland or Seattle, there is not only plenty to do but Wala Wala boasts some of the best restaurants in the United States.

That being said there is plenty of internal discussion about the Wala Wala AVA. At Uncorked Ventures we’ve had some email correspondence with Doug McCrea from McCrea Cellars, who having made wine in Washington State for 22 years knows the landscape as well as anyone. He has said:

“It should be interesting that the “wine blogggers gathering” in 2010 is in Walla Walla as you were certainly astute at considering the distance of travel there. I do hope that it’s not any time between December and April as the weather can make it very difficult for travel depending on the conditions (unless one flies).

There’s a great deal of misconception about the Walla Walla wine region. I could tell you in depth of how and why it developed into what is “perceived” in today’s media as something like the “epicenter” of Washington wine. Nothing could be further from the truth! However, it’s quite a long and fairly complicated story.

The bottom line is that greater than 80% of the grapes that go into the wines of the Walla Walla wineries are not from the AVA. Also, had it not been for the fact that the AVA was extended into Oregon, it would amount to a few hundred acres.

In comparison, the Yakima Valley Appellation alone is 12,000 acres, while the Walla Walla AVA represents 10% of that sum. In a nutshell, a study I did about three or four years ago regarding Syrah revealed that (at that time) of the 60+ wines produced from the grape (and by Federal requirements must say on the bottle where the wine was actually bottled, not from where the grapes originated), five of the wines were exclusively from the Walla Walla AVA!

Essentially, I applaud their marketing acumen, but the truth is that it’s becoming far overblown as to their prominence in our State. The fact that there are roughly 100+ wineries congregated in the AVA, and that the town did a great job of “transformation” in the past ten years, does not constitute anything other than that!

There are over 600 wineries in Washington, and virtually 80% to 90% of the State’s actual wine production is not made at Walla Walla AVA wineries. The Yakima Valley AVA wineries constitute roughly 55 to 60, and granted, a great majority of them are pretty damn mediocre and have been so for quite a long time.

However, I would take a look at what’s developing in Woodenville with the 40+ wineries located there, as many represent some of our State’s finest products. Now, several of them are wineries east of the Cascades, establishing a “tasting room winery” to capitalize on the Puget Sound market. Essentially, none of them use grapes from the Puget Sound appellation, as it’s simply a maritime climate.

I trust that you find this information “informative” as I continue to see this skewed perceptions proliferate with the media from outside of Washington. To further exaggerate the problem, we have wine writers who constantly contribute to this misconception. Were they to actually, objectively taste and score wines, that is, without literally looking at the bottle while doing so, we might possibly have a more accurate and fair picture of our State’s wine industry.

Please let me know if I may be of help to you in any regard as you progress with Uncorked Adventures. Hopefully, it’s through bloggers such as yourself that we may ultimately unravel the truth. It will most certainly not come from the standard publications distributed throughout the country.”

At Uncorked Ventures we hope you have enjoyed this short introduction into the fascinating world of Washington wine. If you’d like to learn more about wine in general and possibly sign up for one of our wine clubs please visit us today! wine clubs

Get free experiences for quick and easy recipes – welcome to your own knowledge base.

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Tags: wine, wala wala, california wineries, mccrea cellars, wineries in oregon
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Gifts For Wine Lovers

Posted by Food And Wine in Wine Musings on August 14th, 2009

If you don’t know one yourself, you have a friend who knows one…someone who simply loves wine. There is nothing wrong with this of course as it is a very interesting hobby to have, but it does pose a bit of a problem when you are trying to buy them a gift. You want to get them something they will like (which is naturally going to be an item wine gifts related), but they have every wine book, gadget and bottle under the sun. So what can you get them?

Sparkling wine key. They may have bottle openers, cork crews and champagne cutters, but chances are they will not have a wine key. They are amazing little gadgets that can get a bottle of sparkling wine open quicker than you can say “who’s driving”.They also stop you injuring yourself and stops the wine from spewing out all over the place.

Cheese Gifts. You’ll find that most wine lovers also enjoy a nice bit of cheese with their tipple. eIt makes a change from buying them strictly wine-related items and there are a whole rang of cheese gifts out there. Aside from actually buying some nice cheeses, you can purchase dinnerware such as cheese boards, plates, knives and even cutting wire. If you are buying cheese it’s best to do a little research first and find out which cheeses go with the type of wines they like. Once you’ve got the right ones you can even give them the book you used to swat up with as well.

Vouchers. If you are still at a complete loss as to what to buy you friend then you can always go with the trusty gift voucher. You can get them from almost all high-street and many internet wine shops and, it means that the receiver doesn’t have to buy something right away, but can instead wait until they actually want something.

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Hi Ho And A Bottle Of Rum

Posted by Food And Wine in Uncategorized on August 14th, 2009

The beautiful thing about wine is that it can be enjoyed almost anywhere. In the park, on the beach, or just on your living room couch. Wine can even be enjoyed on the oceans around the world, but here you need a little consideration as it can be trickier than you might imagine.

Keeping it cool. When it comes to the temperature of wine, its fine to serve red at room temp without chilling it at all. White wine or champagne on the other hand should be served chilled and this poses a problem if you don’t have a fridge on board.You can always rely on natures refrigerator though, a cool your bottles using sea water. Just place them in a secure net and dunk them in the water 30 minutes before you want to drink them. The temp of the sea does of course depend on where you are, but in most places it will be cold enough.

Preventing breakages. Boats tend to move about a bit when they are out at sea and bottles can become easily broken. If they are packed up well and not allowed to move around then they should be ok, but there is another precaution you can take. If you place your wines in wine bags then this will protect them further and stop any liquid escaping if the bottles do break.

Getting the bottle open. Most people christen a boat by breaking a bottle over its hull, although you don’t actually get to drink much of it opening it this way. Don’t let any moisture get to the cork as this will cause it to swell up and make it a whole lot harder to get out. Also, don’t try to remove the cork by improvising with all manner of tableware or fishing hooks. Use a good bottle opener and take your time. If you ruin this bottle, you may have a bit of a swim to get another.

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Is There Anything Wine Cannot Do?

Posted by Food And Wine in Uncategorized on July 24th, 2009

Wine is one of those things that there has been endless research findings about, both positive and negative. To be honest, most people are aware of the negative effects of drinking wine and are pretty happy when something positive is found. For instance, it was revealed a while back that you could reduce your risk of suffering a heart attack by drinking moderate abouts of red wine, and everyone was over the moon with this news. Now there maybe another reason to dust of the glassware as scientists have found that wine actually aids digestive function.

A two month long study that took place in Manchester, England looked at the effects that giving people a glass of wine each evening had on digestion. The results showed that people who consumed one glass of wine each evening had more regular and efficient digestive function. Red wine was triumphant in the results again, although both white and rosé still displayed positive results. Unfortunately, champagne did not seem to help digestion so you can put those champagne glasses away again for the time being. Also, those who drunk any more than one glass of wine actually had decreased function, so you have to limit yourself.

The suggestion has been made by those who conducted the research that although wine will dehydrate the body if you drink enough of it, small amounts relax digestive muscles and help to regulate their peristaltic contractions. This allows food to be transported through the various digestive pipes easier and with less obstruction.You should bear in mind however that the research was done over a relatively short period of time and the long term effects of drinking wine on digestion are not known. The overruling advice seems to be that you can enjoy the odd glass of wine without too much issue and it may even be good for you, but if you start feeling unwell or find youself drinking your wine out of glass vases then you may need to see a doctor

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Tags: alcohol, wine, health, function, digestion
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Why You Need A Wine Map

Posted by Food And Wine in Wine Musings on July 18th, 2009

The number of people who are really into wine is definitely on the increase. It is very easy to get drawn into the world of wine and before people know it, they are full blown wine enthusiasts. They’ve invested in a vintage collection of wine wines, they’ve converted their spare room into a storage cellar, bought a selection of different wine glasses so that they can get the maximum enjoyment of each wine variety, and have all the necessary tableware gadgets for opening and pouring their wine.

What most people do not have however are wine maps, showing exactly which regions produce which wine and at what time of the year. Gone are the days when wine maps were rough guides on various wine areas, and instead we now have quality maps that have been researched and updated regularly. The California wine map for example is updated every year due to the complicated layout of the area, especially after Napa Valley was officially recognized as an American Viticultural Area in 1981. In total then there are 108 AVA’s in this region alone, with myriad terrains, varieties of grape and production methods.

Lots of people tend to rely on the information they can cleave from the label on the wine bottle, but if you really want to understand the wines you drink and why they each have their own unique tastes a wine map is a must. If you are lucky enough to be visiting an area of wine production, its is even more imperative that you have a wine map to take with you. It is not always clear to see where one vineyard or region ends and the next begins, and that’s without evening considering which varieties of grape and growing conditions each is known for. A wine map will allow you to not only understand the wines better but also identify where the tastes and aromas coming from your wine glasses came from

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Making Your Very Own Wine Room

Posted by Food And Wine in Uncategorized on July 17th, 2009

There are almost no counties in the world where wine is not enjoyed frequently. Not only are more people than ever drinking wine, but there has also been a massive increase in the number of people buying all the newest wine making, serving and consuming products. A great many people now in fact are deciding to convert one of their rooms into a dedicated wine room, so they can enhance their collection and keep it in top condition. It probably seems like a bigger job than it really is, and if you take note of these tips the process will be painless

1.) Keep it cool. The ideal storage tempertature for wines is between 10° to 16° C.It is not the end of the world going lower than this suggested range but if you store above 26° C for any great length of time you will pretty much ruin the wine. You can always purchase a wine cooler to regulate the temperature for you but it shouldn’t be too much effort without one, just a little attention. Additionally you will need to keep the moisture levels down so a dehumidifier is be another worthwhile purchase.

2.) Glassware and tableware. You would be amazed just how many people have their own wine rooms and yet keep all their glassware and other needed items in the kitchen. If you ever want to sample some of your wine, which you will, there will be no need to keep visiting the kitchen if you have what you need right there.

3.) Organise. It’s such as simple thing to get right, and yet most don’t tend to worry about it until they get into a mess. If you arrange the wines by type, region and date from the very start, you will soon be in a mess and you’ll waste lots of time trying to find the bottle you want. You might want to invest in a good wooden wine cabinet also to display your wines in all their glory

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Gordon Ramsay – F Word Wine Tasting

Posted by Food And Wine in Wine Musings on July 3rd, 2009

Wine writer Matt Skinner is tasting some wines in F Word in front of Gordon Ramsay

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Zinfandel – the other red wine | South Beach Wine Club

Posted by Food And Wine in Uncategorized on June 26th, 2009

It is the most widely planted red grape in the state, and more of it is planted in California than anywhere else in the world. Much of it is used to make White Zinfandel, a slightly sweet blush wine . It is also sometimes used as a …

The rest is here: 
Zinfandel – the other red wine | South Beach Wine Club

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Get the Most From Your White Wine : The Rum Lounge

Posted by admin in Uncategorized on June 22nd, 2009

But remember, white wine only needs about 45 minutes in the fridge – any longer and it will loose its taste and smell. No storage required. Unlike some red wines, white wine doesn’t usually benefit from ageing. …

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Get the Most From Your White Wine : The Rum Lounge

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