Wine Words

Just the beginnings of describing wine

Colour
is simply what it sounds like. wines have many different colours and hues.
young white wines are more greenish in colour.
as they age they turn into a more golden colour.

young rosé wines are more of a light to neon pink, and the older they can grow to be more orange in colour

red wines lose their colour with age

Clarity
a slight dullness to the wine means that it was minimally handled before being bottled.

Body
refers to the overall weight of the wine you feel in your mouth while drinking it.

Full body: powerful
Medium body: in between the two
Light body: lighter and delicate

the higher the alcohol content, the more full the mouthful of wine will feel.
the more full a wine is, does not mean it is of better quality.

Aroma
the smell of a wine.
some aromas associated with wines: grass, flowers, chocolate, fruits

Dry
opposite of sweet.

Soft
wine that is smooth tasting.

Crisp
a sense of acidity to the wine.
more often used to describe white wines.

(Clueless About Wine by Richard Kitowski and Jocelyn Klemm. 2007.)


Cheers x0

DID YOU KNOW?

The liver processes alcohol at a rate of about 1 drink per hour

Now For Some Fun

who wants to make some

sangriaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!

 

As part of this blog I plan to give recipes of fine wine drinks that will give you a hand in hosting some parties, or even for just a Sunday afternoon.

 

The first drink we'll learn to make is Sangria. It can be make many ways but this is one of my favourites:

 

 

 

ENJOY!

 

Cheers x0



Wine Safety

Now that we are getting into the subject, it is extremely important to know that safe drinking matters. As this blog is all about wine, I feel it is my obligation to not only provide you with the wonders of wine but also inform you of the importance of being safe with it.

DO NOT
DRINK AND DRIVE.

Drinking can easily get out of hand and it is essential to know how to handle your alcohol.

Not only can the consumption of too much alcohol at once lead to alcohol poisoning but many other bad things as well.

Here is a wonderful website with loads of information on alcohol and safe consumption and I encourage you to give it a read.

http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/DrinkingAndDriving.html#.UpvMNimEhjo

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY.

Cheers x0

The Bad

So let's be real
Obviously we can't leave out the uglies of wine and wine drinking. Sadly.

Wine is alcoholic. It is a toxin. As we all know, toxins are BAD for your body.
Liver dysfunction is a main result of drinking too much wine, or any alcohol.

Alcohol has long had an association with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and consumption is advised against while pregnant.

There are calories in wine. Ranging anywhere from 90 to 135 calories per glass.

Wine allergies are possible.

Consumption in excessive amounts can actually lead to heart disease rather than prevent it. MODERATION is key.

Excessive amount of consumption can also lead to a decrease in fertility for both men and women.

Those who suffer from migraines because both red and white wines can serve as migraine triggers.

These are just a few of the negative health affects of wine.

REMEMBER, moderation is KEY

(Clueless About Wine by Richard Kitowski and Jocelyn Klemm. 2007.)


Cheers x0

For the Health of It

Have no fear
Red wine is here!

But really though. Yes, there ARE health benefits to drinking wine. Red wine, particularly.
Red wine is the kind of wine with the most known health benefits.

Recent research has shown there are medicinal benefits to drinking red wine in moderation.

What is moderation, you say?
one to two standard glasses per day.

Why is red wine good you ask?

1. it is full of antioxidants that balance good and bad cholesterol - fighting against heart disease!
2. improved digestion! Wine has antibacterial properties that help fight certain bacteria in the stomach
3. improved bone density
4. reduced hypertension

These are just a few of the health benefits that wine has to offer.

Here is a link to an article stating more wonderful health benefits of drinking red win

http://www.boldsky.com/health/wellness/2013/benefits-red-wine-brain-health-036558.html


Also remember that every individual is affected by wine differently. Age, gender, body type, state of health, and medication you are taking should all be taken into account when looking at the health benefits of wine drinking!


(Clueless About Wine by Richard Kitowski and Jocelyn Klemm. 2007.)


Cheers x0

WINE SHORTAGE?? NO!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-24746539

check out this news report on the current wine shortage in the world

For you Champagne lovers

https://decanter.ipcmediasecure.com/secure/competitions/60241/win-a-magnum-of-champagne-for-Christmas

enter to win a contest on Decanter!

Red, White, or Pink?

red                            

• made from dark-skinned grapes
• ferment at higher temperatures than white wines
• usually receive aging in barrels
• the amount of time, the type of barrel, and the wood it is made from all affect the wine

white

• made from light-skinned grapes
• has to be treated more carefully than red wine          
• ferment at cooler temperatures than reds

rosé

• made from using the same grape varieties as are used to make red
• 3 ways to make it

            1. macerating (colouring agents in grapes are leached out into the juice of the wine) the red grape must for a few days and fermenting the pale coloured
                juice
            2. fermenting the juice of quickly pressed red wine grapes
            3. fermenting siphoned-off juice from red wine production









sparkling

• usually associated with happy events and celebration
• usually between 8 and 12% alcohol
• most prestigious sparkling wine is champagne
• carbon dioxide is a by-product of fermentation and instead of letting it escape into the air, it is made to dissolve into the wine

(Clueless About Wine by Richard Kitowski and Jocelyn Klemm. 2007.)


Cheers x0

DID YOU KNOW?

Only about 10% of wines should be aged longer than a year after being bottled

Most used grapes for wine making

Vitus Vinifera are the grapes that are classic winemaking grapes
There are thousands of vitus vinifera grapes but 7 top ones that are used to make up about 75% of the wines made in the world
 
Here are the top 7 grapes :
 
1. Chardonnay - the chameleon grape

• white
• highly adaptable to manipulation
• can be made into nicely balanced, rich, and intense wine
• region: Burgundy, France

2. Sauvignon Blanc - fresh and spunky

• white
• can be very aromatic - too much so for some people
• high in acidity which makes it a great wine
• region: Loire and Bordeaux, France

3. Riesling - racy

• white
• versatile
• food friendly
• can make dry wines
• can also make rich dessert wines
• highly acidic
• less alcohol content than most white wines
• region: Germany, Canada, Austria, United States, Australia, and Alsace, France

4. Cabernet Sauvignon - deep and dark

• red
• most popular red
• region: Bordeaux, France

5. Merlot - soft

• red
• easy drinking wine
• often blended grape to make it soft
• on its own can produce a sweet red wine
• region: Bordeaux, France

6. Pinot Noir - silky

• red
• food friendly
• highly acidic
• advised to avoid cheap pinot noir's
• region: Burgundy, France

7. Syrah - bold

• red
• also known as Shiraz
• when called syrah - the wine is more deep and earthy
• when called shiraz - the wine is more rich and fruity
• heavier wine
• region: Rhone, France

(Clueless About Wine by Richard Kitowski and Jocelyn Klemm. 2007.)

Cheers x0

DID YOU KNOW?

The top producers of wine are Italy and France

History of the Vino

Lets start off with the basics before we get more interesting

What about wine? Don’t you wanna know what you’re drinking and where it all comes from?

* Wine IS …."an alcoholic drink made from the juices of grapes” – Merriam Webster Dictionary

BUT, it’s more than that!

* Very little is known about the early history of wine – it is suspected that early farmers made alcoholic beverages from wild fruits

* The first wine would have been discovered around 10 000-8000 BC

* Earliest evidence of viticulture comes from Mesopotamia and Egypt

* With the rise of the Roman Empire, viticulture expanded in Europe with improving technology

* Viticulture became popular in ancient Greece where it was thought of as a drink for the upper class

* As centuries passed by, wine making became more popular in France, Spain, Germany, and parts of Britain and was now considered a huge part of daily diet

* Come the 16^th century, wine became a more sophisticated alternative to beer

* The French wine industry took off in the 17^th century when technology allowed for greater making of wine. France is a leading wine region to this day.

 

 

* Wine is made by adding yeast to the juice from grapes, which reacts with natural sugars to make alcohol

* The riper the grapes, the higher the alcohol content for the wine

* A typical bottle of wine is made up of 84% water, 12% alcohol 4% natural compounds (vitamins, minerals, sugars, acids)

* White wines are made from light-skinned grapes (greenish), and red wines are made from darker (purplish) grapes

* The sugar from the grapes is converted to alcohol in the process of fermentation

* Acid in wine keeps it fresh, brings out fruit flavours, and balances the sugar and the alcohol

* Tannins from the grape skins contribute to a wine’s colour, taste, and body
(Clueless About Wine by Richard Kitowski and Jocelyn Klemm. 2007.)

Just a brief background on vino

Cheers x0