Wine Vintage Date
March 25, 2008
Two questions for you Wine Virgin. Why don’t some bottles have a wine vintage date and what is a wine vintage chart used for? Thank you, thank you. - Nikolas in Bangor, ME
You’re welcome, welcome. Have you already had a few while getting ready for an interesting Tuesday night up there in Bangor? Hmmm… well Nikolas, some bottles won’t have a wine vintage date on them because they are actually made with wines that are from different years. As a result these are known as non vintage.
Now to satisfy… your curiosity about what exactly a wine vintage chart is, here’s the answer. A wine vintage chart will show the particular ratings for every year in a certain wine region. But do you think that ratings on a chart could sum up the qualities of certain wines? No way, but they are used to assess a vintage’s reputation.
These charts are however, used in such a way as to get a broad context for determining the characteristics of wines produced in region. They can also be referred to when there is a question as to when one should either let the wine age or to enjoy it while there is still time to do so.
Keep in mind that many who are involved in the production of wine in a certain region will try in subtle ways to slant the charts in their favor, that a wine vintage is unusually great and should be added to a persons collection immediately. It’s never fun getting one pulled over on you so be a wee bit cautious and remember that a wine vintage charts are a guideline to consider and not the rule of thumb. Cheers!!
The God of Wine
February 27, 2008
This is something that I have always had a question about, who was the god of wine? Was Dionysus the god of wine or Bacchus the god of wine? - Lydia in Milwaukee, WI
The simple answer is that both were. Here is a little ancient history of wine for you. Dionysus was the Greek version of this uninhibited lover of life and drink while Bacchus was the Roman name given to the same deity. They both represented not only the intoxicating power of wine, but also the social and beneficial influences that this strange drink had on society. They were considered to be promoters of civilization, lawgivers and lovers of peace and their divine mission was to bring an end to care and worry.
Both Dionysus and Bacchus were known for the lewd behavior of their followers who worked themselves into a craze during wild festivals and parties. Talk about the perfect place to lose one’s wine virginity. Also, Bacchus was the deity of agriculture and the theatre and he was also known as the Liberator, freeing a person from their normal self, by madness, ecstasy, or wine.
So now you know a little juicy bit of wine trivia that you can tell share with all of your friends, just let them know where you got it and tell them to stop by with their questions and curiosities. A toast to the god of wine!!
Cheese for Wine that Will not Make You Gag
February 26, 2008
I’m having a dinner party later this week and I have some wine questions about what would be the best cheese for wine. I’ll be serving Merlot, thanks your help!! - Jackie in Raleigh, NC
So you want something that’s not going to leave a bad taste in your guest’s mouth huh? You know, being the Wine Virgin I understand the dilemma that you’re in. I used to hate it when I would try something new and it wouldn’t go well with the taste that was already in my mouth. This would usually make me gag.
So I know you want to do all which is in your power to make sure that everything that touches the palate of your guest’s mouth sends nothing but pure excitement trickling down their throats, leaving them in wanton anticipation of what will happen next. As well you should, because I heard recently that a highly acclaimed Democrat was actually leaving the party due to the fact that the leader at the time had left a bad taste in her mouth.
Anyway you try to shoot it, if the flavors aren’t compatible you are going to find yourself with that weird feeling of “Oh no, what have I done?” as you look around and see the uncomfortable expressions on everyone’s face.
So here are the best Merlot cheese choices. Try Merlot with younger wash rind cow’s milk cheeses and many of the Alpine-style cow’s milk cheeses. As well as with sheep’s milk cheese. But remember, the full flavor of Merlot grapes does not pair well with goat’s milk cheeses. If you like to take risks in the mouths of others then try Merlot wine with blue cheese… at your own peril of course.
The Number of Calories in a Glass of Wine
February 25, 2008
Hey Wine Virgin, I have some quick wine questions for you. I just started a diet recently and I wanted to know if having a few or more glasses of wine a day would have any overall effect on me trying to lose weight. So can you tell me what’s the number of calories in a glass of wine? - Kevin in Portland, OR
A few or more glasses of wine a day huh? That doesn’t really equal out to about 10 or more does it? Hey, being a functioning alcoholic isn’t a bad thing, so long as you are able to go to work, run your errands… take care of the kids. I have to commend you though for trying to lose weight while still keeping your alcohol consumption steady. If you can’t indulge on an entire package of bonbons then at least you can have your lush wine.
So as far as the number of calories in a glass of wine, dry varieties have fewer calories than sweeter ones. For example, a dry glass has a little over 100 calories and a glass of sweet dessert wine has a whopping 230 or more calories. If you drink a glass before dinner which I’m sure that you have plenty more than just one, and on top of that another glass with with your food and then a sweeter variety for dessert, you’ve added definitely more than 400 + calories to your meal.
Since I answered your wine questions, I have to ask you this one. Do you think it’s the bonbons that are making you portly or perhaps all those beautiful varieties of fermented grape that you enjoy on an all too regular basis? Come on, I’m curious!!