Posts Tagged ‘fine dining’

Making Wine is A Task

Sunday, December 27th, 2009

Wine brewing is no child’s play, it requires an artist’s perfection in blending of flavors, perseverance to see through the process and a good amount of ingenuity to innovate to come up with novel results. These are some of the qualities which make some of the wine brewers excel over others.

Wine brewing is an intricate process which involves careful selection of grapes for flavor before they are made to pass through various stages that culminate with the birth of finest of the wines. Merlot, for instance, is an exquisite variety of grapes used to make wines which bear more of a fruit-like flavor blended with that of grapes. Bordeaux wine is also primarily made of Merlot grapes which lend it with that special flavor.

From there, the grapes are sent for crushing.  After they are crushed, they are left to ferment – how they are left depends on the type of wine you want to make.  Rose wine, for instance, are made from red grapes which juices are allowed to remain in contact with their dark skins just long enough to pick up a little pink color.  White wine, on the other hand, are made from fermenting juice of red grapes which have minimal contact with their dark skins.  To reduce this complexity, they are commonly made by fermenting juice pressed from white grapes.

During the fermenting process, yeast is introduced, which converts the sugars in the grapes into ethanol and carbon dioxide.  The remaining sugars are then turned into alcohol.  Soon after, they are left to age in oak barrels before they are bottled.  Barreling adds aroma into the wines although is it also possible to bottle them directly.

It is common knowledge for wine brewers that Merlot can be used for successfully blending with other grapes. Using it to their advantage, some new flavors can be developed to the delight of wine connoisseurs. They not only serve as blending agent but also as the primary ingredient for a number of grape wines.

Some of the most often used grapes by wine brewers feature the likes of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Savignon and Malbec amongst others. Cabernet Savignon, in particular, is known to lend that unique green pepper flavor due to its resistance to rotting and frosting during fermentation. Other grapes also tend to bring their unique flavor to the wine in keeping with the differences in their taste and textures. When creating a new blend, these flavors are mixed and matched to achieve the desired results.

Specific varieties of grapes like Merlot can be used to make different flavors and textures come together which makes it easy to develop innovative wines. The taste of the wine directly depends on the flavors and textures of the grapes and the way they are fermented.

Wineries also benefit from their location in terms of climate and the nature of soil. In these terms, California offers some of the best conditions for a winery. That is perhaps why Bogle Phantom along with a variety of other wines are brewed with greater ease in the wineries of California.

Known for its fine blend of berry and spice in the most exquisite manner possible, Bogle Phantom comes across for its refreshingly unique flavor. What makes it a temptation of its own kind is a unique mix of fig and anise which goes along well with a subtle hint of black pepper, thus adding to its exquisite aromatic appeal. It is characterized by a rich ruby shade which only deepens the mystery of its palatal finesse. Add to it the fruit-hinted flavors which complete the circle. All forms and variations of this uniquely flavored wine are much appreciated by wine experts.

Bogle Phantom presents an even richer taste when bottled for long enough, as is the case with most of the other wines. However, the three varieties of its classy flavor are what make the experience of wine tasting all the more special for Bogle Phantom. Known as the creators of this unique wine, Bogle vineyards are the proud wine brewers of the variety, thus showcasing their creativity and ingenuity in the best possible manner.

Jade Varnes has had years of experience in the wine industry and she only recommends the best wine there is possible. Some of her all time favorites are cabernet sauvignon, malbec, opus one, verdi wine and bogle phantom. For more selections that she recommends, visit wineaccess.com today.

Enjoy a Fine Dining Experience

Saturday, December 26th, 2009

Experience a Fine Dining Experience

You don’t exactly have to be a food lover of wine connoisseur to crave for the pleasures of fine dining, it just comes as a sort of natural instinct to most of us. All you need is a good reason to go out and spend your evening in style.

For most people, fine dining is a great way to experiment with unfamiliar cuisine and wines – thus the infamous term of “wine and dine”. And when it comes to choosing the right kind of wines, your choices are limitless. With new vineyards and wineries coming up with their own unique tastes and brands, you will be at a loss as to which wines to go for. A popular favorite for those fine dining moments is wine made from Chardonnay.

Undeniably one of the most popular wine types to be thrown about, Chardonnay is essentially white wine that is made up of green grapes. It is also one of the components in champagne – which makes Chardonnay in high demand for those exclusive dinners. Naturally, there are other types of wines to choose from – some of which are excellent blends of more than one type of grapes. You can opt for a more fruity taste to your palate or one that gives off a purer, richer after taste.

If you are not willing to take any chances with the choice of your winery, Cakebread Cellars could be the way to go for you. Brewing some of the world’s finest wines for more than three decades, the winery located in Napa Valley offers more than just value for money. After all, your wines are as good as the winery from where they come. It is important that you make the right choice of wine to make a good impression with the guests.
Cakebread Cellars stand apart from run-of-the-mill wineries by producing its own range of wines which prides its place among the best of the world. Some of these exquisite creations feature Savignon, Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Noir amongst others. Wine connoisseurs would simply love to try out these world-class creations from one of the finest wineries.

If you are interested enough, you can also go on one of the wine tours organized by Cakebread Cellars. Usually, they invite people over for a tour if they are buying directly form the winery. You can also go in for an appointment with the winery for a private tour.

Opus One is another exclusive winery known for its classic collection of wines. Located in Oakville, the winery came up in 1978 and has since grown into a reputed developer of wines. It was a merger of two wine breweries which resulted in great success at the time. Today, its collection of wines is recommended the world over.

Just like many other wineries in the region, Opus One has its own specialized wines. While making wines with the same Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Savignon grapes, Opus Ones boasts of its own special brew – a mix of two different grapes resulting in a Cabernet Franc blend. This is the pride and joy of Opus One wineries and if you do happen to be in the neighborhood, this is a must to taste.

Making a trip to Opus One wineries is a definite treat for wine-lovers. Not only will you get a first hand look at how your favorite wines are generated – you will also see the fascinating processes involved in the marketing of the vintage. And who knows, you may be pleasantly surprised with a vast wine sampling treat.

Opus One also offers a few exclusive discounts to its premier customers who would like to come knocking right at its doors and are ready to explore more than they can imagine. There can be no better place to buy authentic Opus One wines than the winery itself.

A good reputation and, sometimes more importantly, history of quality wines production is extremely important to a winery. With today’s fine diners getting more wine-savvy and discerning about what is on their palate, it is important to ensure that the quality of wines produced are of the highest level possible. Serving the best, especially if you are in the hospitality and food industry, will mean you need such wineries like Cakebread Cellars and Opus One to maintain their high standard.

Jade Varnes is an absolute wine enthusiast and is a seasoned pro when it comes to selecting the best wine for the right occasion. Some of the wines that she loves are chardonnay, cakebread cellars, opus one, principato, Verdi wine, bogle phantom and so on, just to name a few. To know more of the different wine varieties she recommends, visit wineaccess.com for a more comprehensive understanding of the choices available.

 

Wines that You Will Definitely Love

Saturday, December 26th, 2009

Of the Many Wines to Choose From

Wine lovers everywhere will all agree on one thing – while there are many exquisite wines available, there is always room for more. And the search continues for yet another perfect wine with the perfect balance of varietals.

Making a wine is more than just finding the right grapes – in fact, wine brewing is a job that combines the skills of a gardener and farmer, scientist, chef and engineer all in one. The process of making a wine can thus be (over) simplified as such:
1. Selecting the right grapes. Whether it is Merlot, Cabernet Savignon or Cabernet Franc, starting your wine-making with the right kind of grapes is a step in the right direction. Taking care of your vineyards against any and all threats like frost, heat and rain will ensure only the best harvest. This, in turn, shows great promise of a great wine in the making.
2. Pressing. The harvested grapes are pressed and crushed. While there are perfectly engineered machinery to do pressing with just the right amount of pressure, many a vineyard still resorts to the old-fashioned method of manual pressing – that is, female vineyard workers pressing and crushing grapes underfoot. Some swear that this gives just the right pressure and crushes them just right to produce the optimal juices necessary. Others say the personal touch gives the wine a richer flavor. Many wineries have moved on to use machines to do most of the pressing but still have a little manual pressing done beforehand – more as a superstition than anything else.
3. Flavoring. Sugar is added to the juices and it is at this time that wine differences are decided upon. Darker colored wines have their juices mixed with the skins fermented together a little longer while white wines are those whose juices are fermented separately from their skins.
4. Barreling. Wines are best barreled. The oak barrels are best used as this enhances the aroma of the wines. The longer they are kept, the more enhanced their flavors so wines are usually kept for an average of three years before they are bottled. Some may be bottled immediately and left to flavor on their own.
~Wine making is a very refined job which requires everything from grape picking to fermentation and barreling to be done with great care and finesse to achieve the desired results. The stepwise process of making wine can be explained as below:
1. You need to know what kind of grapes would be suitable for making a particular type of wine. Some of the most popularly used grape varieties include Merlot, Cabernet Savignon and Cabernet Franc which need to be protected against all possible threats posed by weather and natural conditions.
2. The carefully chosen and harvested grapes are then crushed and fermented with the right kind of machinery to apply just the right amount of pressure. Earlier, manual pressing and crushing was used and some of the wineries still use the manual pressing for that purpose. However, Most of the wineries have resorted to modern pressing machines which apply the right kind of pressure to the grapes.
3. Next, sugar is added in the requisite amount to the grapes in order to achieve the right kind of sweetening effect and as a beginning to the development of the flavor. If one is looking to make darker wines, the juices might be fermented along with their skins for relatively longer period. In case of white wines, the juices and skins are fermented separately.
4. It is recommended to barrel the wines for a long period before being bottled to enhance their flavors. Usually, oak barrels are used for the purpose because they are thought to lend a unique aroma to the wines. Some of the wineries adhere to the method of keeping wines barreled up for at least three years before they are bottled up while other simply go ahead with bottling and let the flavors become refined on their own.
~To make wines, require a lot of patience, knowledge of the intricacies involved and the touch of an artist on the part of brewer to be able to carry out the task as it should be. The steps involved are described as below:
1. Picking up the right kind of grapes is the very first step in winemaking. Usually, Merlot, Cabernet Savignon and Cabernet Franc are some of the grape varieties which are used for making many type of wine. They have to be grown, protected and harvested before proceeding further.
2. These grapes are then crushed with the help of either manual crushing or mechanical crushing with latter being more popular with a majority of brewers. In olden times, only manual crushing pressing of grapes was possible which is used even today at some places.
3. Then sugar is added to sweeten the juice and start with the flavoring process. The darker wines and white wines are treated differently during fermentation in keeping with the kind of results one is seeking to achieve.
4. Wines are finally barreled up in oak barrels and stored for three years to let the flavors enhance properly, Oak barrels are thought to lend a unique aroma to the wines which is why this very material is used in storage. After completion of three years, wines are bottled up and supplied for sale. Some of the wineries choose to bottle up their wines right away after flavoring.
One of the reasons why wines are so valued is because they are the product of a long, time-consuming process that takes years to perfect. Wine-making is a fascinating thing to watch; an intricate yet definite process that involves many different skills at different levels.

One of the most popular wines ever produced is Principato. This range of wines is from Italy’s northeast region, Tre Venezie. Principato is not just popular for its taste and flavor, it is also one of Italy’s most affordable wines. First introduced in 1978, Principato today represents a wide range of wines and original blends that are each exquisitely created for the wine lover.
Another wine that is pretty popular is a light one called Verdi wine. If you are looking for a refreshing, sparkling wine, then Verdi wine is it for you. It is cleverly mixed to produce a finished result of fruity flavors in a crisp, light blend that leaves you wanting more. For the wine novice, it is also a good introduction to wines in general as it is low in alcohol – boasting of only 5 percent, indeed one of the lowest in its class – and is sweet to the palate.
Verdi wine is definitely acceptable to all wine drinkers who can appreciate a fruity touch to their wines and is a good starter for a wine-drinking evening. If you are planning a cocktail and you are unsure of the kind of wines that would go down well with everyone, Verdi wine is a must in your selection.

One must always make sure that the wine being selected is coming from a reputed winery to not lose out on the authentic feel of the flavor. Rombauer is just one such vineyard in Napa Valley, California which is known to produce some of the most exquisite wines in the region. The vineyard was established by Rombauer family in 1982 and continues to delight wine connoisseurs from all over with its world-class offerings.

The philosophy of Rombauer wines is simple enough, to let everyone indulge in the finer side of wining with but breathtaking variety of offerings to satisfy the most passionate of wine lovers. The rare finesses and exquisiteness of Rombauer wines has been achieved by getting closely involved with the whole process of wine making with an effort to bring a much-needed personal touch to each of the creations.

Jade Varnes loves wine and she recommends wines like plumpjack, Rombauer, malbec, bogle phantom, just to name a few. To see and understand more choices of the different wines available , visit wineaccess.com for more information.