Wine News

Wine vs Windows Benchmarks (Slashdot)
PeterBrett writes “Tom Wickline recently posted to the Wine development list announcing that he’d done some benchmarks comparing Windows XP to Wine. They should be taken with the requisite dose of salt, but Wine has certainly come a long way.”

Wine of the Week: Kanu Chenin Blanc 2003 (S. Africa) $10
The Kanu Chenin Blanc is a wine gem from South Africa. A dry white wine with big fruit-filled flavors of melon and a touch of minerality. This is a great bargain buy and a fun way to shake up the…

The Grapes Behind the Names
Posted Jan 30th 2006 6:45PM by Andrew Barrow Filed under: Wine , Lists , France Unlike the bottles emanating from the New World - America, Australia, South Africa and the like - those from Europe, the Old …

The first stage in the wine making process is to crush the grapes. In days gone by the grapes would be loaded into a large vat and the wine maker(s) would gently tread on them to break the grapes’ skins to release the juice.

Nowadays this procedure is almost invariably carried out using a machine called, unsurprisingly, a crusher.

In the case of white wines, after crushing, the juice is separated immediately from the pulp of skins and stalks and fermentation commences.

When making red (and ros ) wines, the juice is allowed to remain in contact with the crushed pulp for a while to add color, body and flavor to the ‘must’ (the juice to be fermented).

Most modern wines are fermented at a relatively low temperature (around 20 C), which results in wine with a fruity character. White wines are commonly made in large, cooled, stainless steel containers but some better quality wines are fermented in oak casks or, alternatively, oak chippings may be added to the must.

Red and ros wines are usually produced in stainless steel vats or, sometimes, in oak. When the fermenting wine has reached the required color intensity, the liquid is drawn from the vessel, leaving behind the crushed skins and stalks.

Before bottling, wines from different batches may be blended together and matured. Depending on the type of wine, the length of this maturation process can be measured in anything from days to years.

If an “oaky” flavor is desired then the wine can be matured in oak barrels. New oak or old oak barrels can be used depending on the final flavor required.

Even after bottling, the flavor of some quality wines will continue to evolve, albeit at a slower rate. However nowadays, most wines, even expensive wines, are ready for drinking soon after bottling.

About The Author

Since Neil Best first asked: who made the first wine? he’s been recording his findings at http://www.goodglug.com. This article is part of the free Good Glug Wine Appreciation Course. Visit http://www.goodglug.com/free-wine-course.php now to get your copy

Vineyard owner tastes success
Any aspiring wine connoisseur can probably remember how intimidated they felt the first time they shopped for a bottle that cost more than a couple of meals at McDonald’s. They can only imagine what it’s like …

As Wine-Drinkers Become More Savvy, Retailers Must be Sharp to Keep Up (Beverage World)
ORLANDO, FL: There was a time when wine was merely an afterthought for the average U.S. drinker. Something to be had at stuffy formal affairs. Something that said “elite.” That was before wine became more affordable and more plentiful. Before experts began touting its health benefits.

Le Tertre Roteboeuf presented by The Fine Wine Experience
Tue Oct 18th, 2005, London
A chance to enjoy a friend’s bottle of the 1985 of this St.-Emilion Grand Cru had me (and the others at the dinner) absolutely captivated by its beauty.

What is Chardonnay?
Thu Apr 6th, 2006, Long Island
Gilles Martin, Martha Clara Vineyards Chardonnay is known as the world’s favorite white wine grape.

Trader Joe’s Los Angeles Cooking Class
Tue Feb 7th, 2006, Los Angeles
These have become some of our most popular classes, featuring the best of what Trader Joe’s is currently offering.

Wine of the Week: The Little Penguin Shiraz 2004 (Australia) $8
The Little Penguin Shiraz is a quick pick for budget-friendly wines with great flavor and easy-going style. This is a very fruit-driven Shiraz with plenty of ripe blackberries adding zest and liveliness to the delicate mocha tones. A terrific choice…