Just when you thought you were ready to dive in and start making your own wine, or to just visit the local outlet to buy a few bottles, you are met with the daunting task of actually choosing from the plethora of available products. Correct, no two are created equal and since wine is virtually a living thing (more on this in later chapters), no two bottles will be exactly the same.
Piled up to the roof with names like Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc,Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Riesling, Chardonnay or Chablis, Gamay or Beaujolais, Shiraz or Syrah, Barolo or Bordeaux or Burgundy, you start feeling dizzy. What do they all mean? Even more important, which is for your taste?Below is a quick synopsis of grape and wine naming.Firstly, those wines that are of the "Old World" come from Europe, including France, Italy, and Spain. These countries name their wines after the region they were made, and most are made from combinations of grapes (although it is becoming more favourable from a marketing standpoint to label the bottles with the type of grape rather than the region – for approachability). For example, Bordeaux is a region in France that blends primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and a few more) together. Valpolicella is a varietal in Veneto, Italy and primarily uses three local varietals, namely Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara.
Most wines from the "New World" (North America and everywhere else) are named directly after the type of grape used.
September 2009, Caroline Cellars, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. Enjoying a nice glass of their Cabernet Sauvignon, and a cheese assortment, on the sunlight patio.
Below is a short take on some wines to match with "mood and food” and a few regions I’ve had particularly good experiences with. Being so early in this blog, I’m going to merely skim from the top of all there is to offer. The bottom line: To develop a sense of what you like, you have to really dive in and try wines you’ve never had before, with food and without. Take notes! When you find a nice bottle, keep a note or keep the bottle so you will remember what to get next time.
See red wines
http://kevindonato.blogspot.com/2009/12/choosing-right-wine-for-you-red-wines.htmlSee white wines
http://kevindonato.blogspot.com/2009/12/choosing-right-wine-for-you-white-wines.html-- Happy adventures
No comments:
Post a Comment