Wine Mixed Drinks
June 20, 2008
What are some wine mixed drinks that I could possibly try out this weekend for a party I’m throwing? - Brandy in Tulsa, OK
Wine is definitely a versatile drink which can co-exist perfectly with other types of alcohol. Mixing wine with various other substances can sometimes lead to very interesting effects. This allows you to explore this ancient drink in depth which the gods Dionysus and Bacchus came to enlighten us all. Brandy, here are a few wine mixed drinks that will keep you staggering around all summer long.
Say you’re in a fiesty to mood to conquer all that is before you with your charm and charisma… here’s a wine mixed drink that will put you in control.
Champagne Napolean
.5 oz. Curacao
.5 oz. Grand Marnier
.5 oz. Maraschino liqueur
Your Favorite Champagne
Mix your ingredients together with ice in your favorite mixing glass. Now strain into a chilled champagne flute. Fill with cold champagne. Consume. You are now the defactor ruler of the party.
Every had one of those days were you just wanted to give the finger to the world? Try this wine mixed drink for a quick pick-me-up.
Weep No More
1.5 oz. Cognac
1.5 oz. Dubonnet
1.5 oz. Lime Juice
Several Dashes of Maraschino Liqueur
Again shake, shake, shake with ice and strain this happy mixture into a chilled cocktail glass. Wala! You are now pure undeniable sunshine that will put an ultra-bright smile on everyone’s face that you meet.
What if after a day of relaxing by the pool you need a stiff drink to get you in the mood to party? Well you can’t get more stiff than this…
Bamboo Cocktail
2 oz. Dry Sherry
2 oz. Dry Vermouth
Several dashes of Angostura bitters
Ice
Stir these incredible ingredients together with ice in your handy mixing glass. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass and you have exactly what you need to quench the summer heat and put you in the mood for pure, uninhibited fun. Cheers!!
Wines for Summer
June 13, 2008
What are good wines for summer or is there such a thing? I’ve heard of Glogg in the winter that those crazy Scandinavians drink so is there a wine that is mainly produced for the summer months? - Kerner in Salt Lake City, UT
Ahhh wines for summer, yes Kerner there is such a correspondence between Glogg that is produced for the winter and consumed by those interesting people in higher longitudes and wines that were created for enjoyment in those balmy, Indian summer months.
For the constantly changing moods of summer, the following wines will serve you best. These are Riesling, Syrah, dry rose, Pinot Noir along with sparkling wines in general. Of course these will taste their best chilled for all the roses, bubblies and whites or slightly chilled for Syrah and Pinot Noir. On top of that, these choices will fit perfectly for that unexpected guest or for when you’re out on the grill cooking.
Sparkling wine is excellent for this because the fizz adds an interesting tang on the tongue and pairs great with fatty, salty foods. Do yourself a favor and get these wonderful wines for summer and enjoy the heat with a glass in hand and put that smile on your face while listening to Summer Wine by Nancy Sinatra. Cheers!!
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
Join a Wine Club
May 30, 2008
Do you suggest I join a wine club? I really don’t have friends or family that are into drinking that much but I’m curious to learn and explore. Thanks for your help. - Linda in Boulder, CO
I highly recommend that you do join a wine club. Being curious is good but only if you satisfy it. For wine virgins, a wine club is a great place to hang out and meet like minded people that will happily take you into the fold and teach you everything you want to know. Also, one of the key benefits here is that you will be able to find out which wines are for you and weed out the others that aren’t.
Its the perfect way to find new wines on a consistent basis rather than having to go through a hit or miss, especially when your dropping good money for a bottle. Depending on how the wine club is set up, either every month or quarter the wine club will get together to where you get the chance to experience a selection of wines from all over the world. These can be whites, reds, rosé and maybe the odd sparkling or dessert wine.
This also will open you up to different wine varietals. Again though, you might not like all of them but this is a great way of wine tasting which provides a chance to enjoy some you’ve probably would have never found otherwise.So do it, simply do it Linda you might surprise yourself with how much you really, really enjoy it. Cheers!!
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!!
Wine Tasting Tips - Wine Vocabulary
May 8, 2008
Can you give me some wine tasting tips to increase my vocabulary? I want to be able to put words to what I taste when drinking a good bottle. What common wine terms are used to describe wine in a consistent manner? - Janice in Flagstaff, AZ
Developing a broad wine vocabulary of what wine tastes like makes it possible to communicate the tastes and smells that we experience when tipping back a few glasses. Here is a quick break down of the wine terminology that relates to the most common flavors you will find.
Floral - Geranium, Violet, Rose, Orange Blossom
Spicy - Licorice, Anise, Black Pepper, Cloves
Fruity - Citrus,Berry, Tree Fruit, Dried Fruit
Vegetative - Fresh, Canned/Cooked, Nutty
Caramelized - Honey, Butterscotch, Butter
Woody - Vanilla, Cedar, Oak, Smoky
Earthy - Moldy Cork, Musty, Mildew, Mushroom, Dusty
Having the ability to put actual wine terms to what you taste can give you a lot of confidence when you’re at a wine tasting event or out to dinner with that special love interest. Remember though that sometimes just sitting back and enjoying the flavors of the wine as it wanders it’s way around your tongue are the best moments to enjoy in silence. Cheers!!