Archive for July, 2010

When it’s time to do some cooking, there are four particular wines that can be a cook’s best friend.  Port, Sherry, Marsala, and Madeira each add an important element to certain dishes, and are quite versatile.  In some cases, their names find their way into the actual recipe names.  After all, who hasn’t heard of Chicken Marsala?

These four are favored for several reasons.  Their alcohol content tends to be higher than other table wines, which gives them an advantage when it comes to shelf life.  They also have some very intense flavors and can impart some really delicious tastes to a dish.  So what should you use in certain dishes?

Port tends to be rich and sweet and can be ideal for many meat-based casseroles.  Sherry can have a bit of nutty flavor which goes well in many soups and sautéed meals.  You can also add a splash of sherry to certain stews for an increase in flavor.  See what happens when you include Marsala with mushrooms, sautéed to perfection, and look to the Mediterranean for ideas.

The Penedès region of Spain is located in the far northeastern corner, situated in the province of Barcelona and not far from the bustling city itself.  If you ever find yourself in the former Olympic host city, take some time to try the local bottles.  Despite its size of only 26,000, there are actually over 150 vineyards working in the area.  The Penedès region is vastly smaller than the La Mancha region, yet it actually produces more wine per year — a staggering 170 million liters of wine.

Reds made and bottled in this region include Garnacha and Syrah, while whites can include Macabeo and Riesling.  Both red and white wines vary much more than these two examples, with several different types readily made each year for the wine lover’s enjoyment.  The busy city of Barcelona is a large buyer of many of these bottles, and the rest are shipped to sellers both within Spain and far outside its boundaries.

This particular family of grapes has several different varieties branching off it, such as the Malvasia Nera and Malvasia Bianca.  The latter is actually the most popular and can be found in a number of places.  The Malvasia grape is a hardy grape that has found a foothold in many countries throughout the world.  It thrives best in relatively dry soil with good drainage, and it enjoys the sun.

Malvasia grapes tend to often be used to craft delicious dessert wines.  While they are able to produce a surprising number of wines that can be very dry or very sweet, dessert wines are preferred by many winemakers utilizing this grape.  The grapes are usually dried out for a time before they are crushed so the natural sugars are more concentrated.  If you find yourself in Italy, there is a great chance you can get a fresh bottle of wine made using Malvasia.  They are best consumed when still young, as Malvasia does not age well.

Naturally, every bartender should have several wine glasses on hand and ready to serve.  But a truly skilled bartender will have many more types of wine glasses on hand than the average person.  There are several different types of wine glasses, each one shaped to suit specific wines and bring out their flavors and scents in the best possible manner.  From the deep Bordeaux glass to tulip glass, rotund burgundy glasses to celebratory Champagne glasses, the right choice can not only affect how a wine drinker will enjoy his or her wine, but it can also add the right sense of occasion to an event.

Each wine glass has a specific shape for a specific purpose.  These purposes vary, from encapsulating a wine’s luxurious scent to showing off all the beautiful bubbles as they float to the top.  Choose the right glasses so you can provide customers or guests with the best experience during an occasion when wine is ready to be enjoyed.

The Ribera del Guadiana is another large area of Spain that delivers over 10 million liters of wine to people across the globe on a yearly basis.  Taking up 25,000 hectares, there are 75 vineyards that carefully craft and deliver delicious wines that range in both red and white styles.  The ranges, in fact, are quite impressive, and considering what many vineyards are able to do with a handful of different grapes, the scope can be exhilarating.

There are at least 11 different red wines available from this region, such as Bobal, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Garnacha Tinta.  There are even more white wines to choose from, at least 17 varieties for you to make your selection.  These white wines include the popular Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Moscatel, to some lesser known varieties that you may have yet to taste, such as Pardina, Malvar, and Cayetana Blanca.  Keep in mind, however, that on occasion one grape may have several different names depending upon your location in Spain, so boosting your knowledge before a tour can go a long way.

When you visit the bookstore with wine in mind, there are many different titles to choose from.  You could opt for a massive wine encyclopedia to ensure you have a long while of reading before you, or you could choose a smaller book that focuses on one type or one story to entertain you for a few weeks.  But when you want something a little different every time and would prefer to have something to read all year round, then a wine magazine could be the perfect choice.

There are a great number of high quality wine-related magazines available on today’s market.  Even better, many of them include food that you can thoroughly enjoy, as well as stories and other tidbits.  You may discover a new winery in your area or realize the best way to include wine in your cooking.  The next time you find yourself in a bookstore or other store that sells magazines, try perusing these titles to see if you find one you might want to subscribe to:

Wine Enthusiast

Food & Wine

Wine Spectator

Wine & Spirits

Wine can often help to influence mood, so why not utilize it to its full potential and create an entire atmosphere with the right bottle of wine?  Different wines offer varying flavors and textures, matching well with specific foods or full desserts.

Consider various wines for the occasion you intend to celebrate.  Is it going to be a lighthearted affair with fruits and light food?  Fruity, rosy wines or even in some cases, a light buttery wine can help assist not only with their flavors, but also in their colors.  Is the event a more intimate matter?  Rich reds with bold flavors can put everyone in just the right mood.  Set a table with candles, fine china, and fill glasses with rich colors to evoke the right emotions.

When you know how to match up wines with food, you can have a much easier time when putting together a particular occasion.  The right wine will also help with presentation.  In fact, sometimes food is unnecessary and in order to evoke the strongest feelings, just a few glasses of wine set on a table will do the trick.

If you’re thinking of Don Quixote, you’re not too far off the mark when it comes to the La Mancha region.  In fact, one logo you might see referencing the region is a man on horseback with a long lance (and who looks suspiciously familiar…).

The La Mancha region is 190,000 hectares wherein 300 vineyards make their home, producing over 100 million liters of wine each year.  The La Mancha region takes up a large place in Spain, making it perfect for wine lovers who wish to travel; in fact, it is the largest wine region.  You can taste a great number of different wines from the area.  Six different red wines are crafted here, from Cincibel to Merlot.  Five different white wines are also made in the area, from Chardonnay to Airen.  Of course, each vineyard may decide to do a bit of mixing in the process, providing drinkers with many varying flavors and delights.

The Grenache grape is a lovely sweet grape that produces tasteful red and rose wines.  In fact, this grape is actually one of the most planted grapes in the world.  Its uses range far and wide across the globe, being planted everywhere from France to California.  This grape variety enjoys little rain and can handle heat rather well.  These grapes are very prevalent in the Rhone River valley and when the wine is ready, it can be consumed right away.

Wines developed using Grenache grapes are actually best when they are young.  Grenache grape varieties produce fruity wines that can oftentimes include nuances of spice, adding to its dimension.  Grenache also tends to be mixed with other varieties of grapes to create many solid wines.  However, if you find yourself with a bottle crafted from this grape, drink it while it is young, as these grapes are not the best for aging.

Giving wine a chance to flow out smoothly can give the drinker a great experience.  None of that uneven chugging out of the bottle.  A good bartender or even a great host can benefit from a bottle pourer.  From silver plated pourers to simple spout-shaped pourers, these can help keep too much air from getting mixed into wine as it goes from bottle to glass.  The wine stream will instead be steady, single, and smooth.

There are plenty of different types of bottle pourers.  Some feature elongated spouts while others are scoop-shaped.  Choosing the right one can also help add to the presentation of the wine.  Customers or guests will easily be able to appreciate the extra effort as well as how grand it looks when a velvety stream of wine gently swirls into their glass.  From just a little to a full glass, a bottle pourer is a premium tool choice, perfect for all wine lovers.