Delas 2002 Les Launes Crozes Hermitage Syrah - Wine Review
June 4, 2008
I went to a wine tasting last night and came across a Delas 2002 Les Launes Crozes Hermitage Syrah. This wine was very unique I have to say for a syrah wine. The impression I received at first was light and fruity followed by a bit of tart kick when tasted on the middle of the palate. The finish of this wine was like pepper with a touch of olive hovering around afterwards. Again… I have to say that this was unique. Never quite had a syrah with a combination of this kind of lightness coupled with pepper. Possibly since it was vintage 2002, maybe it should have been consumed sooner… But still, would I the Wine Virgin complain about free wine?
Notes on the Vinters website has about this wine:
The color is a deep garnet red. The nose is essentially fruity, with strong aromas of cassis and plums, a touch of violets and is an ample, well-rounded wine.
Wine Region: Crozes Hermitage
Type of Wine: Red
Grape Type: Syrah
Country Where Produced: France
Cost to You: $20 +
Rating: 3 out of 5
Renwood 2000 Old Vine Zinfandel - Wine Review
June 3, 2008
I recently picked up a Renwood 2000 Old Vine Zinfandel and last night I had my way with it, all of it. Gone. I have to say it was pretty good. It definitely has an intense taste of what can be described as a rich dark chocolate along with dark cherry. This wine has nice slick almost velvety feel in the mouth and combined with a lush tinge of an alcoholic aroma makes the wine burst with flavor. After you are content with a couple glasses, the finish of the wine lasts for a good while hints of dark cherry and blackberry linger in your mouth. Definitely one of the better ones I have had in my time and if you are lucky enough to come across a bottle, I recommend you pick it up. Cheers!!
Notes on the Vinters website has about this wine:
I did some searching online and because this was an older bottle, I was not able to find any specific notes for this vintage. However, the Renwood Old Vine Zinfandels are noted for have a bouquet that consists of cranberry, allspice, nutmeg and blackberry. Also, The flavor has been described as a ripe berry fruit followed by a mix of holiday spices while finishing with chalky tannins and vanilla bean from the oak that it is aged in.
Wine Region: Amador County
Type of Wine: Red
Grape Type: Zinfandel
Country Where Produced: U.S. - California
Cost to You: $20
Rating: 4 out of 5
Wine Storage Tips - The Right Way
May 22, 2008
Any wine storage tips? I bought a case of what hopefully will turn in a great batch and I want to make sure my investment is safe. Do you know what I could do for proper wine preservation? Thanks a whole lot! - Dana in Meridian, MS
Here are wine storage tips for all the lovers of wine who are keen on keeping a few bottles around for that special moment. Follow these easy guidelines for wine preservation and it won’t let you down.
Now, make sure you store your wine horizontally. Allow the wine lay on it’s on side which lets the cork keep in moisture while at the same time serves a dual purpose of letting the sediment to settle down at the bottom of the bottle.
For wine preservation, its absolutely important to keep your wine out of direct sunlight. If a bottle is exposed to light, the end result could lead to a loss of the aromas and flavors. As for other wine storage tips, one of the key things to understand about wine is that you need to keep the temperature in between 55 to 65ºF. If the temperature of the wine fluctuates or if it is stored at a higher temperature, the wine will age much faster.
Wide fluctuations in temperature will make the cork to expand and contract. This will let air into the bottle and the wine will become oxidized under these conditions. Another thing to keep in mind is the proper humidity levels. For wine preservation, having too high a level of humidity can lead to the over all deterioration of the wine labels whereas a low level of humidity can make the cork shrink which again will oxidize the wine or even worse lead to a condition called corked wine.
So there you go, easy huh? If you follow these simple wine storage tips you can make sure that your investment is kept safe and secure so when you are ready to enjoy that perfect bottle you aren’t faced with any surprises. Cheers!!
Wine Tasting Techniques
May 20, 2008
Share some wine tasting techniques with me please, I’m having trouble being able to really pick out the certain flavors of a wine. Much thanks Wine Virgin!! - Stacy in Summerville, SC
Wine tasting techniques? Never quite heard it put that way before Stacy but I will definitely show you some very simple wine tasting advice to develop your taste buds so you can enjoy all the flavors and aroma that wine can offer. First off, don’t be too worried in the beginning if you are having trouble developing your ability to taste. Some wines can have very subtle characteristics that the typical wine virgin might not be aware of.
Something that you can do for starters is go read my post real quick on how to cleanse your palate. This puts your nose and tongue at neutral place to start off at. When you are about to taste wine, always make sure you do this simple process first before you continue. Now have a notebook ready as well so you can jot down some wine tasting notes for refernce in the future to help you better discern between the all different types of wine. Here are 3 simple wine tasting tips to help you get your feet wet.
Really look at your wine. Sounds simple enough huh? Fill the bottom of your glass with wine and hold it up to the light. Take into account the color of it and if it appears clear or cloudy. Every wine will have a variation in its tint and slowly you will be able to tell the difference in similar wines based of their color.
Take a whiff. Seriously, the majority of our taste really comes through the nose and in order to taste a wine properly you really have to smell it first. Now hold the glass by it’s stem and swirl the wine around. This helps to release the flavor of it. Swirling the wine will actually fill the glass with the wine’s aroma. Now after you have finished swirling the wine, take another smell.
After this, you should be able to note a difference. How does the wine smell to you after doing this? Do this a few times and see if you can notice any changes. Now heres the fun part, take a small sip and taste it. Swish the wine around gently in your mouth. If aren’t really able to pick up those subtle flavors, don’t fret. This first taste prepares your mouth for the full pleasure of the wine.
After you’ve prepared your mouth, take your time with the second taste and allow yourself to begin to savor the wine. Again, swish it wash around in your mouth so you can enjoy the full flavor of it and here are some more wine tasting tips.
You need to inhale the scent through your nose as you continue to take sips. This allows you to get an idea of all the different flavors after you have become familiar with this process and have begun to compare different wines. With practice you will develop the ability to pick out wines from the wine tasting advice given above and with enough time you’ll get to enjoy the rich complexities of any bottle that you desire. Cheers!!
Passito Wine - Appassimento and Recioto
May 19, 2008
Could you tell me what appassimento, recioto and passito stand for? I recall that passito of them is a type of wine but I’m confused about how they are all related. Thank you!! - Shelly in Toronto, Canada
You are correct! Passito wines are a full flavored and very complex bodied wines made from partially withered grapes. This is where you get the term appassimento. Now, for this production technique, appassimento means either leaving the grapes to raisin on the vine or picking and then drying them on mats of straw or reed, bamboo racks, or strung in bunches under the rafters and can lead to either a very sweet wine or a dry wine depending on the process.
Here is where a lot of wine virgins get this confused… passito is a type of wine. So after the grapes go through the appassimento process they are termed as passito. The other side of this is recioto which is a sub-category of passtio. This type of wine is classified as a passito wine from the Veneto in Northeastern Italy.
Also, some common types of recioto that you will find are Recioto della Valpolicella which is a sweet red wine along with Recioto di Soave which is a gorgeous sweet white wine. So what are you waiting for? Go track down a few bottles of recioto and try it for yourself! Cheers!!
Red Wine Benefits
May 12, 2008
What are some red wine benefits? A few of my friends were talking about how red wine consumption can make you more healthy but I’m skeptical. What do you have to say about it? - Camera in Fremont, CA
Believe it or not red wine benefits do actually exist. I mean how better can it be that something you love and enjoy can actually keep you healthy and living longer? Researchers in Europe suggest that a couple glasses a day of red wine has a protective effect on all-cause mortality. According to studies from France, UK, Finland and Denmark, moderate consumption of wine is more beneficial than beer or your favorite hard liquor.
If you’re a smoker, drinking red wine on consistent basis does help to reduce your susceptibility of damage to your heart and blood vessels, but then again… hmmm we all know that smoking isn’t the best habit to have. So don’t excuse this habit by thinking you’re helping yourself in any way.
Moderate… red wine consumption may also prevent coronary heart disease and this process is related to a higher production of good LDL cholesterol vs bad HDL cholesterol. Strangely enough, consuming this wonderful drink can lead to a reduction in blood clots as well.
Also, if you are not big on the idea of putting back a couple glasses per day and are worried about the calories in a glass of wine, there has been a lot of hoopla about the famed red wine pill. If you are willing to take that leap and buy red wine supplements, I highly suggest that you take the time to do the proper research necessary to know exactly what you are putting into your body. A lot of not so wonderful people will create a fly by night product just to capitalize off of people’s desire to be healthy, so be on guard.
However, there has been some research done on certain red wine supplements suggesting that they do incur a benefit to those who choose to use them. But again, you should always know what you put into your body. There ya go, if you’re a lush like me, you now have a valid reason to increase your daily alcohol intake and enjoy all the ensuing benefits. Cheers!!
Organic Wine - The Truth
April 28, 2008
Between organic wine and wine that is not classified as organic, is there any real difference or is it just marketing hype? - Missy in Pine Bluff, AR
An organic wine is defined as “a wine made from organically grown grapes and without any added sulfites by the USDA and must give information about who the certifying agency is.
A lot of savvy marketers will take advantage of certain overly zealous health nuts that want everything they touch to be “organic”. However, there is a specific reason why this trend has caught on, mainly being is that if made right organic wines can be just as high in quality than conventional wines if not more so. You have to stop and think for a moment that before the advent of industrialized farming which uses pesticides and powerful fertilizes, the craft of wine making has always truly been an organic process from vine to bottle.
Also, another contributing factor to the higher level of quality is because organic vineyards have a better resistance to bad weather and various diseases. Many organic wineries will use grapes from organic vineyards that hand pick their grapes vs. relying on mechanical pickers. This process provides the best bunches of grapes while at the same time saves the vine and soil from the damaging effects from the overuse of pesticides and fertilizers.
It’s definitely easy to be jaded when something is lauded as new and different with a shiny politically correct label slapped on it and some slick marketing behind it. But believe it or not I have tasted quite a few organic vintages and I have to say that they are on the top my list of some of my most favorite wines. Cheers!!
Saving Wine Labels
April 17, 2008
Any tips on saving wine labels? I have a bottle that I want to put to use and then afterward I would like to have the label as a keepsake. - Lima in Pawtucket, RI
The sentimental type… Lima, what an interesting curiosity you have. Saving wine labels is actually a bit tricky depending on the type of adhesive used, but the key is of course not tearing it as you remove it from the bottle. Many labels are like small works of art and can definitely become a keepsake as you’ve mentioned after the pleasure of sharing the contents with someone has long since passed.
To save wine labels you should first try your hand at the back label of the wine bottle. This will give you a pretty good idea of what you’re up against when you go after your goal. Depending on the adhesive used, you may have to soak the bottle in luke warm or even hot water to be able to separate the label from the bottle. After, about 5 - 10 minutes of soaking, remove the bottle from the water and try very carefully to peel the label off at the corners.
If that does not work, take a hair dryer of all things an hold it up to the label. The heat from the hair dryer should melt the glue sufficiently enough where you can begin to ease it off the bottle. I have used this method before in combination with a razor blade to effectively save wine labels. However, please beware that you have to be patient. Do not rush it. Take your time with it and remember to relax. Before long you will have something to keep the memory of the time spent over that perfect bottle close to heart. Cheers!!
Types of Wine Glasses
April 15, 2008
Wine Virgin, how many different types of wine glasses are there and do they really affect the taste like people say? - Phyla in San Jose, CA
Good question, there are about 6 types of wine glasses which are:
1. Champagne flute – A flute will hold six ounces and is roughly eight inches tall.
2. Champagne saucer – Short with a wide, shallow bowl.
3. Stemless wine glass – Basically the bastard child allowing for the choice of either red or white wines.
4. Bordeaux glass – Another bastard wine glass designed for both red and white wines.
5. White wine glass – Slightly taller than red wine glasses with a longer stem and narrower bowl.
6. Red wine glass – Much shorter stems along with wider bowls when compared to white wine glasses.
Keep in mind that there are almost as many different types of wine glasses available as there are wines. Unless you are an avid lush, you should stick with the main types listed above. No point in going crazy and seeking those rare and hard to find ones that will do nothing but suck your cash and leave you wondering if it was really worth the investment.
So does the type of wine glass really make that much of a difference in taste? Yes…. and most likely no. For those of the untrained palate, yes they exist… shhh!! They, you and more than likely I will not notice a difference. Yet for those who are in those rare circles of “taste” - to them and perhaps only them it is sacrilege to drink Pinot Noir in something other than a Pinot Noir glass. Oooo!!! Get the whip.
Look, save the money you would spend on those glasses and go out and buy a good bottle of your choice. Hell, do you think I would choose glass over my reason for existence?? Well do you??
Crusted Wine - Why?
April 14, 2008
Why is crusted wine called as such? - Meg in Portsmouth, VA
Crusted port wine is a type of ruby port. It is also an inexpensive version of vintage port, and in turn receives it’s curious name from being unfiltered. This leads to a very interesting natural sediment that builds up over time from grape skins, twigs and seeds, hence the “crusted” in crusted wine. Appetizing no?
Definitely and absolutely, crusted port wine should be decanted. If not, you might take a sip and end up snacking on something that isn’t quite edible. However, what’s good about crusted wines is that you can enjoy them at a much younger age vs. a good vintage port, some of which can take decades to mature, where they can be fully appreciated.
Keep in mind that when you see the date on the bottle, this is alluding to the bottling date and not the actual year in which the grapes were grown. Cheers!!