A Guide to Wine

Coming upon the long wall of wines at your regional grocery store may be an intimidating experience. With a lot of different choices within so many different wine types, how can you possibly choose the perfect wine to serve with your meal? Maybe more importantly, without knowing what these wine terms mean, just how can you select a wine you and possibly others are going to enjoy? To be very frank, if you don't sit down with each bottle and taste it with the meal (not

recommended), you will never understand exactly what wines will go perfectly with that meal. Wine and food pairing isn't a perfect science that you can learn. Instead, Recipe4Living would love to offer you a few basic guidelines for achievement in pairing wine with meals and many do's and do not for the newcomer's enjoyment of wine. This guide will outline the most popular wine types and how they differ. In virtually no time, you are going to feel comfortable schmoozing with all the biggest wine snobs.

Enjoying Wine

* Let go of your wine assumptions, especially the belief that wine is more expensive. You can easily get a fantastic bottle of wine for under $10. Much like cooking, the trick to good wine is about equilibrium and not necessarily the best berry berries.

* Have fun! Experiment! Enjoying wine is all about what you enjoy, not about what it is that you're supposed to enjoy in line with the experts. If you discover a wine you love, only note the winery and the variety. As you gain more experience with wine, then you may include descriptions of different elements in the wine. Better yet, act the sophisticate and host wine tasting celebrations with friends and talk about various wines.

* Look for the increasingly common screw-cap, instead of the cork. The problem with natural corks is that a moldy spoilage can happen in the wine (in 3-5percent of natural corked bottles!) Due to a response that occasionally occurs in the cork. Synthetic corks have attempted to fix this problem, but they're much harder to remove and cannot be employed to re-seal the bottles. Old habits die hard, but an increasing number of wineries are switching to the screw-cap.

* Certain wines are far better at certain temperatures. For instance, a freezing cold Chardonnay will shed much of its flavor. Keep these tips in mind:

- Whites should be served cold between 43°F and 53°F. This can be carried out by chilling the bottle for an hour before serving. You don't wish to maintain a glass of wine in the fridge for long periods of time.

- Sparkling wines and champagnes should be served cooler, around 45°F.
- Although space temperature is fine, red wines should really be served between 55°F and 65°F, or basement temperature.

* Despite its reputation for pretension, invest in a quality stemware if you want to genuinely enjoy wine. The ideal glass will truly enhance the taste of this wine and your appreciation of it. Wine glasses have to have a large cup or"bowl" to allow the wine to breathe, because the interaction with the air releases all of the wines aromas and flavors.

Removing Red Wine Stains- Truly essential information in the enjoyment of wine.
* White wine- Ironically the best stain-fighter for red wine, white wine can neutralize the wine and make it much easier to remove. Simply pour a few on the stain and blot gently with a rag. Do not rub or you will force the stain deeper into the clothing or carpet fibers. After blotting up the majority of the wine, then simply clean with your favourite carpet cleaner or stain-fighter as ordinary.

* Club Soda- The carbonation in club soda helps you to lift the wine in the fibers.
* Salt- Salt acts as a buffer to keep the stain from setting while you look for other cleaning options.

White Wines

Chardonnay- A very drinkable white wine distinguished from other varieties with a special aging and fermentation process in oak barrels. The special oak barrels give the wine its distinctive aromas which range from nutty to creamy. This wine may consist of tastes of vanilla, pear, lemon, pineapple, peach and much more. Chardonnay is usually considered the white table wine.

Muscat/Moscato- This low-alcohol wine includes an intensely perfumed aroma along with a distinctive musky taste, and is frequently employed as a dessert wine. The aroma of the wine may incorporate gardenia and honey and the taste includes elements of tropical and citrus fruits.

Pinot Grigio- More colorful than other white wines, Pinot Grigio is tender and delicately perfumed. The acidity of this wine gives it a nice crispness. The wine elements may consist of flowers, subtle spices, pear, and citrus.

Riesling- This lower-alcohol wine stems from the most famous of German grapes and is distinguished by a exceptional fruit and acid balance. Unlike many other wines, Riesling is rarely ready in oak barrels, which makes it more flexible to a lot of types of food, including hot and hot choices. Riesling is typically a dry wine, with sweet elements of peach and honeysuckle.

Sauvignon Blanc- One of the most aromatic wines with scents of grass and citrus, Sauvignon Blanc is spicier than the Chardonnay varieties. The flavor can have hints of melon, gooseberry, and black currant. New Zealand produces some of the finest Sauvignon Blanc.

Red Wines

Barberra- This deep red wine comes successfully from the Piedmont of Italy, also is planted in the Central Valley of California because of its ability to withstand high temperatures. A full body, luscious berry tastes and crispness from the high acidity characterize this wine.

Cabernet Sauvignon- These full bodied, intensely flavored red wines tend to improve with aging, frequently spending 15 to 30 months aging in oak barrels. Such aging provides the wine toasted vanilla and cedar tastes, while the wine also includes plum, black cherry, and spice elements. Currently the most widely planted grape in the world, the Cabernet Sauvignon grape actually come in a cross between two French varieties: Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc.

Merlot- A milder and much less intense red wine than cabernet that is ready to drink sooner. The dry smoothness of this wine makes it a favorite choice in restaurants. Merlot is often mixed with cabernet to regenerate its acidity.

Descriptions of the wine's tastes include many of the same as cabernet and green olive, herbs, and chocolate. The Merlot grape reacts well to warmer climates making it quite versatile.

Pinot Noir- Widely regarded as the most difficult grape to grow, this delicate wine is logically one of the most sought after forms of wine, appearing in the Burgundy area of France. This elegant wine may comprise elements of raisin, black cherry, and strawberry.

Sangiovese- This dry red wine is distinguished by a smooth texture, medium-bodied flavour tastes, and an earthy odor. Produced from a grape native to Northern Italy, Sangiovese is often employed for Italian Chianti wines.

Syrah- This yummy wine originates in the Rhone region in France and contains many cherry, cherry and pepper aromas and flavors. In addition to France, the grape for Syrah is now also quite powerful in Australia.

Zinfandel- Although much of Zinfandel is become a sweet blush wine called White Zinfandel, Zinfandel is a red wine made in the very popularly grown grape in California. The hearty grape is quite adaptable to a manufacturer's manipulation, making it quite versatile. Zinfandel is quite fruity, with cherry, cherry, and plum tastes.

Blush Wines- Blush wines or rosé wine, that have a lighter pink colour, are created by removing the skins of red grapes early in the fermentation process. This technique also lightens the flavor of the red grapes, making a more delicate wine. White Zinfandel is actually produced as the product of"bleeding" regular Zinfandel, or removing some of the juice to heighten particular flavors and color in the wine. The juice is then fermented individually. For more information visit the link here