Decanting Large Format Wine Bottles
April 7, 2008
Hey hello… for decanting large-format bottles of wine, should you use more than one decanter? Alley in Davenport, IL
Correct, if you are decanting a large format bottle, be prepared with several wine decanters. The process of decanting should be continuous. Keep in mind that once start, don’t stop until you are finished because this process will stir up the sediment in the wine. Also, you will definitely need help from someone to keep changing the decanters for you.
If it’s a very large format bottle you’ll probably need a two helpers to hold the bottle steady while the decanting the bottle. Many of these large format bottles are named after biblical kings. Sometimes however, the same name may be used to refer to different size bottles in different regions.
For the curious winos out there that love wine trivia. Here is a cool little chart that gives you the name of large format bottles along with their size.
| Bottle Equivalent | Bordeaux Wine Bottle Sizes | Burgundy & Champagne Bottle Sizes |
| Two (1.5L) | Magnum | Magnum |
| Three (2.25L) | Marie-Jeanne | N/A |
| Four (3.0L) | Double Magnum | Jeroboam |
| Six (4.5L) | Jeroboam | Rehoboam |
| Eight (6.0L) | Imperiale | Methusaleh |
| Twelve (9.0L) | N/A | Salmanazar |
| Sixteen (12.0L) | N/A | Balthazar |
| Twenty (15.0L) | N/A | Nebuchadnezzar |
Botrytized Wine
March 18, 2008
What is botrytized wine? - Lana in Las Cruces, NM
Botrytized wine comes from Botrytis. This is a fungus that is found in humid enviroments and attacks the skins of grapes. The fungus causes them to shrivel and can kill the grapes but it can also lead to what is also known as noble rot.
If given the right conditions, the dehydration concentrates the sugars and can add a variety of flavors. The process that creates botrytized wine leads to a different texture and produces very sweet, white wines that have a unique style and flavor all of their own. See how something seemingly bad like the loss of an entire wine crop can be saved with a little ingenuity?
Think about how dedicated to wine you really must be if you are willing to drink something that has been molding on the vine for a while? The winos of old have set an example for us all. Enjoy!!
Lead in Wine?
March 17, 2008
Is lead in wine something I should really consider or is it just media hype and paranoia? - Justin in Rochester, MN
One concern has been with very expensive decanters that are made from crystal that some of these do contain a tiny amount of lead because it makes the glass very clear. Research has shown that if you use these types of crystal to store wine or liquor over a long period of months that the alcohol may leach a discernible amount of lead into the contents.
However, the amounts are marginal. But you have to consider that since lead can cause brain damage, it is definitely worth being cautious. Talk about being a hardcore wino, so much that you are willing to risk brain damage to get your kicks. Now if you are still willing to use a crystal decanter I highly advise that you use it only for the evening and from there pour the remainder back into the bottle.
DO NOT use these for long term storage of wine unless you have a fond desire of drooling on yourself while clapping your hands…
Refrigerate Red Wine Safe?
March 14, 2008
Can you refrigerate red wine? - Gary in Omaha, NB
Yes you can Gary and it’s even best to refrigerate red wine before you begin drinking it. To really enjoy your bottle, most red wines should be at served close to room temperature 55 to 65ºF which translates to about 30 minutes in the fridge. The caveat is that the red wines that are high in tannins and full bodied reds need warmer temperatures that help to soften these tannins and develop the flavor and aromas.
But again, lighter bodied reds are enjoyed better at slightly lower temperatures. You see, the slightly colder temperature slows the evaporation of alcohol, improving the it overall and making the wine smoother. Don’t over chill red wine as this will make the tannins in the wine taste rough and bitter.
The quickest way to chill red wine is in an ice bath. Now if you aren’t quite up to the task of being a complete lush one night and just can’t finish that opened red wine. It’s perfectly fine to refrigerate red wine after opening for a couple of days and this will give you a bit more time to drink it.
The worst thing a fledgling wino such as yourself could do is waste a bottle of wine. So keep that in mind and do not disappoint the Wine Virgin with such sacrilege!! I just might have to get the whip.
Truth About Wine Tannins
March 6, 2008
Are wine tannins responsible for the puckard sensation you get from drinking really strong red wine? - Neve in St. George, UT
Wine tannins are a natural chemical that can be found in the stems and leaves of some fruits and yes, in particular some red wine grapes. Having a lot of tannins in wine can make it pretty difficult to drink. For this reason, some wines are typically held in a wine cellar until they mature unless you enjoy robbing the cradle of course.
During the aging process, the tannins break down and as a result of this process the flavor evolves from harsh to mellow and complex. This does not happen with all wines however. If a wine is merely tannic without a taste of fruit in its youth, it isn’t likely to become a thing of beauty with age. Balance is the key.
Modern wine makers do their best to minimize as much as possible the inclusion of tannins from the seeds by carefully crushing the grapes when extracting the juice. Pressing the grapes further results in press wine which is more tannic and is usually kept separately.
Also, it is possible that tannins in wine can occur from maturing it in oak or other types of wood casks that have a high tannin content. Yet tannins are not completely bad due to the protective function they yield by keeping oxidation from happening as a wine ages.
Since it’s obvious that you have a keen desire to “rob the cradle,” as winos such as myself say of drinking a young wine before its ready, this is the one case in which decanting wine and allowing it to aerate may help in softening the rough edges. Cheers!!
Open a Wine Bottle Without a Corkscrew
March 3, 2008
Wine Virgin, you taught us how to bottle our wine so now will you please show us how to open a a wine bottle without a corkscrew? Thanks!!! - Sandy in Omaha, NB
Sandy, is that bottle of table wine just calling your name? Go get it and I’ll show you one of the easiest ways possible to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew bottle opener. You will need a long screw, a screw driver and a claw hammer.
Screw the screw down into the cork. Sounds interesting doesn’t it? Now screw it down as far as you can without going through the bottom of the cork but not to far, you do not want bits of cork to get into the wine because that would ruin the perfect moment of savoring your first mouthful.
Then take the claw side of the hammer and work the cork out of the wine bottle. This is pretty simple to do, you have to be careful though in that you don’t get too carried away and crack the bottle. So when you’re in a pinch and need to open a wine bottle without your trusty corkscrew bottle opener, remember, young wino what The Wine Virgin has taught you.
Bottle Your Own Wine
February 29, 2008
Wine Virgin, I want to know how you bottle your own wine but I don’t know where or how to start. What’s your advice and can you help me? - Holly in Myrtle Beach, SC
Of course I can Holly. You will need a few bottle supplies but just follow the steps listed below to bottle your own wine and you can put a few away for that special occasion like breakfast, lunch… or dinner even.
First off, you will need bottles, corks and a corker. You can find all these online without much trouble and after you have acquired everything you need, here is what you do.
Step 1:
If the bottles are new and unused, rinse them with hot water and dry them. But if you are using recycled bottles, soak them in a cleaning solution recommended by a wine-making supply shop. Then rinse them with water and dry them but make positive the bottles are completely dry.
Step 2:
Prepare new corks by soaking them in water for 1 to 2 hours, then rinsing them several times with warm water. But again, if you have used corks prepare them by soaking, bring them to a quick boil and then rinse the corks with hot water. After that, finish with a cold-water rinse.
Step 3:
Now after you have prepared the bottles, place one below the wine container.
Step 4:
If you are going to bottle your own wine at a local winery then there will be a siphon that will allow you to pour the wine into the bottle. Holly this is the fun part, suck on the other end of the tube until the wine begins to flow. Then insert the notched end of the siphon tube into your bottle but make sure the tube isn’t touching the very bottom. When you’re bottling your own wine, fill up the bottles to 3/4 inch below the bottom of the cork and after that use your corker to insert the corks into the bottles.
See, all you needed were a few bottle supplies and the skills you already possessed to get the wine inside your chosen container. How cool is that? And there you go; you’re now officially a wino!!
What is a Wino?
February 27, 2008
Hi Wine Virgin, how are you? What is a wino? I’ve always heard this term before but I never really knew why people said it or what it meant. - Susan in San Luis Obispo, CA
Ahh my favorite, yes this describes me well. Ever since I had my first glass, I new I would never stop but only turn into more and more of one with each and every passing day… I’ll be a wino forever. But I have to wonder. I mean it’s really not that difficult to figure out from the context of a sentence what a person means by a certain word is it?
Here’s an example. Suppose you’re sitting down at a bar with one of your friends and she leans over to you and whispers “Oh that so and so is such a _____!!” Now, consider for a moment that even though you may not be too familiar with the adjective in which she used to describe this person. You can tell by the tone in her voice and the expression on her face whether what she said was good or bad, right?
Ok, good, so imagine that we are out together and I lean over to you and basically say the same above statement, with the same mysterious adjective… but I have a frowning, disapproving look on my face with an accusatory tone in my voice. On top of that, the term I use is closely related to the general nature of what is being discussed about how this person is acting. So to make it bright and clear, I say, “You know what?” “That so and so is such a wino!!”.
This is said as the person in question stumbles around completely hammered, drooling and mumbling to anyone that is within shouting distance about how much they want to bring about world peace and save god’s children. Make sense? Now pick up a glass and join the wino club!!