We interrupt our series on the wines of Italy’s twenty regions to present a very timely subject, Vino Novello, Italy’s version of New Wine. Once a year, starting in early November, Italy releases Vino Novello, to the delight of many, and to the eternal disappointment of many others. We describe New Wine, in particular the Italian version, and then taste locally available samples. Will you be delighted or disappointed with the 2006 offering? After reading this article, rush to your favorite wine store and sample the wines. Whether you are delighted or not, you probably will have fun.

What is exactly is new wine (vino novello in Italy; vin nouveau, often Beaujolais nouveau in France)? New wine is the first of the crop, released in early November. The exact date depends on the country. In 2006, Italy permitted the sale of Vino Novello on November 6th, beating France, the major player in the new wine market, by a full 10 days.

New wines are produced by a special method, carbonic maceration, in which whole grapes ferment in stainless steel tanks, often reaching a temperature of 25 to 30 degrees Centigrade (77 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit). This process lasts for about 5 to 20 days, and may be followed by crushing the grapes, which then undergo traditional fermentation for a few days. The exact procedure varies from one winemaker to another, but the ensuing wine is virtually tannin free. The lack of tannins implies a short shelf life. While you don’t have to drink the wine immediately, most people finish the season by Easter.

New wines are usually colored bright red or violet. They tend to be fruity, tasting of cherry, strawberry, raspberry, banana, and freshly squeezed grapes, depending on the grape variety used, the production method, and the area in which the grapes are grown. Detractors talk about bubble gum, lollipops, nail polish, and jello. Many feel that new wine tastes of grape juice with alcohol. One thing is certain, if you don’t like a given new wine, don’t store it away to try it again in two years. It won’t improve with time.

Italy is a major producer of new wine, bringing to market about 18 million bottles a year. About one third of its output is exported to Germany. The most important Italian new wine regions are Veneto and Tuscany, followed by Piedmont and Trentino-Alto Adige. Let’s take a closer look at two new wines.

Wines Reviewed Nosio Spa Novio Mezzacorona 2006 Vigneti Delle Dolomiti IGT 12% about $8.50 and
Cantina di Negrar Novello del Veneto IGT 12% about $8

I went to a small wine store and bought these two bottles on the day that the 2006 Beaujolais Nouveau was released (November 16, 2006). The following day I went to a major wine store, expecting additional offerings from Italy, but there were none. I did buy one bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau, which I will review in another article.

The Novio Mezzacorona is produced from Teroldego and Lagrein grapes native to the Trentino-Alto Adige region in northeastern Italy. Interestingly enough, the Teroldego grape is quite tannic. Furthermore, the Lagrein grape is known for meaty wines. Neither of these characteristics showed up in the final products.

The Novello del Veneto wine, with a designer label, is made from Corvina and Rondinella grapes native to the Veneto region in northeastern Italy. Interestingly enough, the Corvina grape is quite tannic, but you would never guess from tasting the final product. You may be familiar with these two grape varieties; they are the major components of Valpolicella and other well-known Veneto wines. I’ll spare you the gushing marketing materials that purported to describe these two wines.

I first tasted these wines with braised, slow-cooked beef ribs and potatoes. The Novio Mezzacorona was fruity, a nice complement to the food’s grease. It lingered in my mouth. In contrast, the Veneto tasted of bubble gum, both with the meal and on its own.

The next tasting involved bagels and smoked salmon, accompanied by a dainty grilled artichoke dip and caponata, a savory Italian-style salad composed of eggplants (including their skin), tomatoes, and onions. The Novio Mezzacorona was weak when paired with the smoked salmon but handled itself better with the caponata. The wine showed its strength with the artichoke dip, without overpowering it. The Veneto was a bit fruitier with the smoked salmon, the bubble gum flavor no longer dominated.

Then I moved on to the cheeses. Asiago is a semi-sharp cheese produced in both the Trentino Alto-Adige and Veneto regions. The Novio Mezzacorona was almost pleasant with this cheese. The Veneto did better, it came close to being a winner. Montasio Veneto is a sharper cheese, produced in the Veneto region. This cheese overpowered the Novio Mezzacorona and rendered the Veneto wine flat.

The final tasting involved an omelette containing non-imported Provolone cheese, and once again a side of caponata. The Novio Mezzacorona was round and tasted of dark fruits but was quite short. It was more complex when imbibed with the caponata. The Veneto wine still tasted of bubble gum. It also tasted of dark fruits and was short.

Final verdict. For many years I have not been a fan of new wines. I taste them every year, and am always willing to change my mind. These two bottles gave me no reason to budge an inch. Having said this, there still is the Beaujolais Nouveau to taste and review. I cheated a bit; I bought the most expensive bottle available. Let’s hope that it works out better than these two wines.

We all associate sparkling wine and champagne with joyous celebrations. However, recently, many people have recognized that sparkling wine can provide a bargain accompaniment even for an everyday meal.

Making Sparkling Wine and Champagne

If you see the words ‘traditional method’ or ‘methode traditionelle’ on a bottle of champagne or sparkling wine, then it has been made using the methods originally developed in the Champagne region of France.

The first step in making sparkling wine is to create a base wine that is very acidic. Secondly, the base wine is put in a bottle with some extra yeast and sugar and sealed. A word of warning, if you are planning to make your own, the seal must be VERY strong as the build-up of carbon dioxide can be extremely powerful!

Finally, the bottle needs to be tipped forwards so that the sediment sinks into the neck of the bottle. In traditional champagne houses, the bottles are turned daily and tapped for a period of up to three months to remove the sediment. However, the more modern approach is to freeze the neck, release the sediment and then re-cork the bottle.
Champagne Uncovered

Only wines produced in the French region of Champagne are allowed to carry the label ‘champagne’. Therefore, we are seeing a lot of sparkling wine on our shelves that is of excellent quality. Not only must champagne be produced in the Champagne region, but it must also be made from the chardonnay, pinot noir or pinot meunier grape varieties. Even the bottling method is unique to the Champagne region.

A champagne label will tell you about the sweetness of the particular champagne. For example, rich or doux champagne is very sweet with over 50g of sugar per liter, demi sec has between 17 and 35g of sugar per liter, extra dry is a label used for champagne containing between 12 and 20g of sugar per liter, brut is dry champagne with less than 15g of sugar per liter and extra brut is very dry champagne with under 6g of sugar per liter.

If you want a very special bottle of champagne look for the words “tête de cuvée” on the bottle as this refers to a premium champagne which is normally made from a single harvest.
Choosing and Serving Sparkling Wine

Sparkling wine or champagne is a popular choice for those trying to choose wine for non-wine drinkers. Champagne is known as the quality bubbly; good champagne is expensive and deservedly so. You’d be wise to avoid the cheaper end of the market as it will be at best a disappointment and at worst undrinkable.

For a cheaper alternative, often of similar quality, look for sparkling wines from areas such as Australia, New Zealand and California. France also produces some excellent sparkling wines from regions other than Champagne, for example, Saumur in the Loire Valley. Other worthy alternatives include the sparkling offerings from Italy, including the light Prosecco and the sweet Asti varieties. If you are looking for a very good value sparkling wine then consider Spanish cava. Whilst nowhere near the same quality as champagne it is a well-priced, drinkable alternative.

Sparkling wine and champagne should be served at 6 Degrees Celsius (43 degrees Fahrenheit); therefore, an ice bucket is essential from the moment the bottle of sparkling wine leaves the refrigerator. A final word of caution, when you open a bottle of bubbly, there will be a large release of gas so make sure that the cork is controlled and not pointed at anyone!

If you are a wine fanatic, you have many options to satisfy your thirst. But before you choose an option, you should know how to taste wine.

In order to do a proper wine tasting, you need to swish the wine around your mouth. This helps get the most out of your taste buds. Here are more tips in order to taste wine.

Look at the wine color. The more color a white wine has, the more flavor it has and the older it is. You can approximate the age of a red wine by titling the glass and looking at the edge of the wine. The browner it is, the older it is.

Smell the wine by taking one deep whiff. After you do this you want to think about the aroma.

When you taste the wine, you want to consider the first impression, the actual taste once you swish it in your mouth, and the after taste.

Now for the wine tasting options:

You could join a wine club. Wine clubs allow members to pay a monthly fee in order to have a selection or two of wine delivered to their home monthly.

The International Wine of the Month Club offers members selections from two separate boutique vineyards along with a newsletter. You have a choice in the type of membership you select. You can receive two red wine selections, two white wine selections, or one of each. Membership to the wine club starts at 27.95 per month plus shipping and handling. The most expensive membership option costs 63.95 per month plus shipping and handling. The International Wine of the Month Club also offers gift memberships.

The Cellars Wine Club is similar to the International Wine of the Month Club in that you can receive two red wine selections, two white wine selections, or one of each. However, The Cellars Wine Club offers five different membership options. The premium wine club, the west coast wine club, the all about reds wine club, the platinum wine club and 90 plus points wine club. The wine club memberships start at 36.95 with the most expensive being 79.95

Perhaps a wine club isnt up your alley. Maybe a wine cellar is. The idea wine cellar has a temperature of 50 55 degrees Fahrenheit. The cellar should be moderately damp because this helps keep the corks from drying out. Ultraviolet light destroys wine so your wine cellar should be dark. Avoid putting your wine cellar sheds or garages because you run the risk of freezing the wine. Similarly, avoid the attic because the heat could get too extreme. The best place for a wine cellar would be an under stairs cupboard.

Maybe you just have a few bottles of wine you want to store and display. A wine rack would be your best option. Wine racks come in large sizes to place in your cellar but there are also smaller wine racks that can sit on your kitchen or dining room table. If you really want to get creative, there are wine racks that are also bookends

Next you might decide that you need a technique for comparing wines.
The Exploratorium describes a technique of comparing wine aromas that is similar to the following

First you will need these ingredients:

A tiny piece of bell pepper, one drop of butter, half teaspoon of fresh citrus, linalool, a teaspoon of peach juice, a teaspoon of pineapple juice and a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
You take these 7 ingredients and put each in its own wine glass with the base wine. You cover the glass and label it with the standard. Smell the first three wine separately. Then smell the standards to see which terms describe which wines.

Sometimes when we get home, we just want to relax and have a cool bottle of win. However, some of us know how large the bottles are and we don’t all have large fridge freezers. As such, we’re required to leave the wine bottles in a cupboard for later use. But this has its own negative as it will no longer be cool. To cover all the bases, you can purchase wine coolers; devices designed purely to cool your wine for any occasion, whether it’s to relax or have guests over. Chilled wine is a wonderful addition to any occasion, so here’s a few wine coolers to look through.

Coolers For Your Home

Coolers come in so many different forms, it’s important to find one that’s not only functional and effective, but also looks good. One such cooler is the Compact-6. It meets the standard requirement of six bottle storage and has two removable shelves should you wish to hold other things inside it.

For a smaller, out-of-the-way cooler, consider the Compact-6. It shelves up to six bottles of wine and chills them to a temperature of your choosing. Doing away with traditional compressor-based refrigeration, the chilling process uses thermo-electric technology to remove vibrations and quieten its operation. To complete the cooler’s features, it has a mirrored front door with touch-sensitive LED controls.

For those looking to store a little more than six bottles, the Compact series goes as high as twenty bottles simultaneously, all complete with the aforementioned technologies and design. This means you can chill a few bottles for a meal between two or provide enough chilled wine for a full dinner party. The coolers will leave your wine chilled and tasting their best.

For a larger wine cooler, consider the THN series, which starts at twenty-eight bottles and goes up to thirty-four. This is a considerable number of bottles to cool and will likely suffice in many large functions. The twenty-eight bottle cooler has two zones that have independent temperature controls, should you wish to cool some things down more or less than others. Both of the THN series coolers have removable shelves, digital temperature control and double-paned front doors. The thirty-four bottle cooler also has front-ventilation for under the counter use.

Contemporary design and technology allow for a brilliant appliance for your home. It doesn’t sacrifice quality and will most definitely improve your wine. These coolers can easily add to the style of your home, rather than drag it down.

Though placement is essential whenever saving wine, heat is the most important keeping element total. While you may not have the ideal problems regarding safe-keeping, always contain the ideal level of heat. The temp when saving your own wine beverages is essential, as it impacts the overall high quality, taste, as well as durability with the wines. The majority of wine have to be stored for a long time, which explains why the actual heat is so extremely important.

The actual temperature regarding saving wines ought to always be between 50 and over 60 degrees F. Whenever trapped in this particular selection, the actual wine beverages can produce really properly. Dads and moms ahead of refrigeration, wine was stored in subterranean cellars as well as caverns. While refrigeration came up along, it swiftly took over as easiest and many desired solution to keep wine beverages, as it permitted you to maintain the same ideal temp.

Within nowadays, science takes on a significant part with wines making. Science has proved over the years which aging is really a sequence regarding chemical substance responses in which happen as time passes. With regards to the temperature, caffeine reactions can possibly be bad or good. Chemical tendencies all possess distinctive energy factors in which need to be achieved for every personal reaction to take place. If your temp is not that proper, caffeine reactions inside the wine beverages won’t happen.

If wines are saved in direct natural light or in a hot region, the increase within heat can lead to the chemical reaction that may injury both the flavour and the particular quality of the wine. Wine that has been broken through warmth may typically turn dark brown due to the oxidation. At these times, the flavor and also quality of the wines will not be a bit of good. Wine beverages which is broken through warm seems to lose all it’s taste as well as color, which makes it essentially impossible to be able to beverage – or even promote.

Colder temperatures on the other hand may well sluggish aging, although it can also prevent the actual wines coming from getting the chemical responses it requires too. Reduce temps might not impact the quality or style with the wine beverages, though it is not that suggested. All wine bottles of wine, till they’ve got already been exposed, should be kept in the location with a temp above fifty levels Farrenheit. This way, the particular wines are going to be within the appropriate heat for storage as well as capable of getting caffeine tendencies it takes.

You should retain any kind of available bottles inside your freezer, since the conditions is usually 41 levels Farrenheit. An individual shouldn’t retain containers that you just haven’t opened up in the chiller, as the heat is really a lot freezing. Should you stick to the previously mentioned tips whenever keeping your wines, you will get the taste to be magnificent. Saving wine will forever increase on-line as well as add to the style — providing you keep this the proper way.

I have enjoyed a good glass of table wine many times with my meals. Wine tasting parties have always been a favorite pastime, especially when combined with cheese. No, I am not from Wisconsin so I do not rate a “cheese head hat”. Recently, after a pleasant dinner party with good friends, I was introduced to a new class of wines that I had never tried before. The dessert wine I was served turned out to be the fitting end to a fabulous evening.

Grapes used for dessert wines are not harvested in the same fashion and timing as your typical table wine grapes. The goal is to increase the sugar content of the grape by mainly harvesting them later in the season. Often in dessert wines a noble rot forms on the grapes before harvest. In another dessert wine type named ice wine, grape harvest is delayed until the first freeze. Some times these wines are developed by pausing the fermentation process.

There are several types of grapes primarily used in the making of dessert wines. Semillon grapes are commonly used in Sauternes that often smell like the wildflowers where it is grown. Muscat grapes may remind you of orange and honey. Fendant and Chasselas are typically found primarily in Switzerland. Spicy Gewurztraminer wines are good tasting and seem to age well. Fortified wines like sherry, port and Madeira are made differently than your typical dessert wine, but are also a great choice and considered in many circles to be “honorary dessert wines”. Be aware that some wineries are making great dessert wines by “late-harvesting” table wine grapes used for Cabernet Sauvignon and Viognier.

When serving dessert wines, a general rule is the wine should be sweeter than the food it is served with. Good matches include fresh sweet fruits, bakery goods and chocolate and toffee based dishes. White dessert wines should be served chilled but not to cold, while red dessert wines are mainly served at room temperature. Because of their sweetness, dessert wines come in smaller bottles and often are more expensive than table wines. It is best to serve these wines in a small glass with a pour of only 2 ounces. Dessert wine can be served without dessert, but in any case with or without, ready your body for the sugar high that will result.

Selecting the right dessert wine for your next entertainment event could be a little challenging. A great suggestion is to try a “test-run” before you plan your gathering. Get your chosen dessert prepared ahead of time. Taste the wine you think will compliment your dessert choice and note your impressions. Lastly, taste your wine along with your dessert. If you find the combination pleasant to your palate, you are home free. If the combination dulls the flavor of the wine, consider going with a less-sweet dessert or a sweeter wine.

What I learned about dessert wines has been known for a long time by cultured Europeans. On this continent, we have always appreciated having dessert after our meals, but have not extensively appreciated what a good accompanying wine could do to our “taste-buds”. I have decided that having a dessert wine in my cellar to enjoy occasionally is a personal requirement. As I always say, select your wine to fit your individual taste, store and serve it properly, and enjoy.

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers, April 2010

Merlots have soared in popularity in the last decade. Merlot is the most widely planted grape in the Bordeaux wine region in France, and it is also quite widely planted in wine regions in the United States, particularly in California. In California, there were only 2000 acres of Merlot in 1985, over the years, this has grown to 50,000 acres in 2003.

While Merlots are quite often softer and more lush than Cabernet Sauvignon, they are still often full-bodied, deep in color, and fairly high in alcohol with flavors of cherry, plum and chocolate. Merlot matures in the bottle earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon, so Merlots are generally held in higher esteem by wine drinkers than by wine collectors. Merlot is also commonly blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, to soften the Cabernet, and create a more complex wine.

When serving Merlot, it should be slightly below room temperature. Place it in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes before serving, to bring it to the correct serving temperature. Merlot pairs well with many foods, including red meat, pork, poultry, and pasta.

Over the years, where Merlot used to be utilized in blending with other wines, more and more, it is beginning to be appreciated on it’s own.

Your neighborhood liquor shop may not have all the varieties of liquor but the online liquor store will surely have all the varieties of liquor such as rum, vodka, beer, wine etc. Moreover, the prices of liquor are very reasonable. People today prefer to buy wine online because despite of getting the entire national brands one can also get many international brands of liquor. The availability of many international brands is a major attraction for regular drinkers.

Online stores of liquor are one of the best places to get cheap liquor Sydney. Besides this, these stores are best for people who are unaware of different types of wine. They can explore the website and after proper searching can order the liquor they want. Other advantage online liquor stores are that they do not charge any delivery fee in case of bulk order. Despite of offering various varieties of liquor these stores also offer soft drinks like coca cola and accessories like wine glasses, wine racks, wine coolers and more. In order to provide convenience to their customers these stores also offer flexible payment option which includes cash, cheque, credit cards etc.

In case you do not have any previous experience of buying wine online and are planning to buy wine online then you should keep following few things in mind:

One should check many websites before giving order and choose the online liquor store which offer extensive range of liquor at reasonable prices.

Some times these stores offer special schemes therefore you can choose store which is offering any scheme that is suitable to you.
You can even read the comments of people about the store and the variety they offer, this also helps in choosing right store to buy wine online.

These stores are the excellent place for cheap liquor Sydney as well as for many international brands of America, Europe, France, Italy etc. When you explore the websites these stores you will see that these stores offers much more then you expected. Your neighborhood store does not offer such an extensive range of alcohol.

These stores also have the provision of memberships so that they can mail you special offers of discounts. Besides this you can see and download your last 12 months order summary. These stores don’t break the norms and ethics of the country by selling wine to fewer than 18. So, if you are planning any corporate party or office party then the online stores of liquor can serve you the best.

In the last 20 years, Australia has really made its mark in the wine world. The country produces a variety of wines from a number of wine growing regions and has revolutionised winemaking processes, making it a real force to be reckoned with in the wine-growing world.

The vast majority of Australian wine comes from South Australia, although Victoria and New South Wales are both key players in the country’s wine output. Western Australia produces a smaller volume and has earned itself the reputation of producing more expensive, boutique quality wines. Look to Tasmania if you fancy something sparkling or a little sweeter.

The most widely planted grapes in Australia are international varieties. Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are all big on the red front, while Chardonnay, Semillon and Riesling are all popular whites. Alongside these, Australian winemakers are increasingly experimenting with some of the remaining 80 or so grape varieties that are planted in Australia, meaning that you can expect some interesting Australian wines to come out of the country in the coming years.

Australia has made its name for producing most of the big branded wines that are available in the UK. This is largely because land in Australia is plentiful and winemakers don’t have the restrictions of space that European wine-makers do. In addition, as the climate doesn’t vary much from year to year, there is little difference between vintages, giving Australian wines a degree of reliability that is impossible to guarantee from Old World countries. However, in an effort to ensure that every bottle tastes identical, many of the mass-produced Australian wines will have had other ingredients, such as additives, added to them. While you can be sure that the wine will have been made according to rigorous quality standards, all elements of their uniqueness and soul will have been removed. If you fancy something a little more authentic, you’ll just need to hunt a little deeper. There are plenty of small, independent, wineries producing Australian wine for love and not money.

Australia is at the forefront of innovation and Australian wine-makers have invested huge amounts in developing some of the most modern wineries and in re-evaluating their wine producing techniques. Combined, these have allowed Australian wine-makers to experiment with different grapes and styles. Not only this but Australian wine-makers have become champions of producing simpler labels (which include simply grapes and regions), making it easy for even the beginner wine enthusiast to understand.

This past Thanksgiving we were blessed to be invited to a dear friend’s house. This was the first time in years that we were just able to enjoy the feast and company of friends without the messy clean-up that comes with entertaining in our own home. I did not have to stuff the turkey or roll up my sleeves at the sink trying to get the baking pan clean. My joy was short lived when my wife made the Thanksgiving announcement that, “Everyone is invited to our house for a big December holiday feast”. There was a resounding cheer at the gathering from everyone at the table. Hands were raised and voices heard to say, “We will be there”. At the last count we had fifteen couples, my daughter, two grandkids and one obnoxious “grand-dog” called Bones.

When December rolled around, my wife started preparations immediately. First, we had to do spring cleaning in December, which included walls, furnace registers, base boards, floors, etc. The next step was the obligatory decorations that needed to be scattered around the house, including an ornate light display for the outside that had me untangling and hanging lights for days. I was sent to the Party Store to rent tables, chairs and huge serving platters for the food. My final assignment was to get “The Birds” and the wine to go with it. I was beginning to wish we had entertained at Thanksgiving.

Before I left to do the shopping, my wife told me, “Make sure you talk to someone at the wine store so you get the right wine to compliment the turkey”. I said, “Why didn’t you ask everyone to bring their own wine, instead of us risking that we wouldn’t buy their favorite?” My wife raised her voice at least one octave and replied, “We are doing the entertainment so it is our responsibility not theirs and besides I want everything to be just perfect”. I love my wife dearly and I have learned when it is best to just say, “Yes Dear”. Before I left, I hopped on the computer and did my research so I could portray to the wine store clerk how knowledgeable I was about pairing turkey with wine. I didn’t want to embarrass myself at the wine store.

The general consensus from the web research was for a lighter red (not over burdened with tannins) or several white wines that tended to be fruity and slightly sweeter. Another caution, that seems well advised, is during dinner stick with wines lower in alcohol content. Northhamptonwines.com stated, “Save the 15 percent alcohol ‘in your face Zins’ for after dinner when it is OK for folks to go to sleep.”

The top choices I found for red wine lovers were Pinot Noir, Merlot, Shiraz and Red Zinfandel. White wine enthusiasts might enjoy a Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Beaujolais Nouveau or White Burgundy. If some of your guests have a sweet-tooth, then try White Zinfandel or Cranberry Wine. Save the desert wines for after the main meal when it is time to devour the pumpkin and pecan pie.

Not everyone is a wine drinker. I also ran across some advice for people for pairing turkey with beer and cocktails. The consensus was that a beer should be complex but not over bearing. A good choice might be pale ale from one of the smaller breweries. Another website suggested that for the cocktail drinkers, gin cocktails like an English Rose, Park Avenue or Verbena Martini would work.

I went to the wine store and made my selections with an air of “I know what I am doing”. When I arrived home my wife said, “What wine did you decide on?” I smiled and told her, “One of each, a total of 12 bottles”. She exclaimed, “We won’t be able to serve all that wine at dinner!” I responded, “I wouldn’t think of doing that. I am going to raffle off any that we don’t serve.” My wife grabbed her forehead and walked away stating, “What I am I going to do with you.” I let her have the final word and started preparing the raffle tickets.

I always maintain that there are a lot of people that will tell you what wine to pair with what food. In the end, as I always say, buy the wine you like, store wine properly in a wine refrigerator, serve it at the proper temperature and enjoy it immensely.

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