Tag: Wine

Food and Wine Pairing

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Food and wine pairing, as a conscious act, is something relatively new in society. Food and wine pairing refers to the effort, and in fact the refined skill, in matching foods and wines and wine brands in a way that results in a pleasurable dining experience.

The whole idea of food and wine pairing is somewhat amusing if you

remember that wine was at one time was not considered something special like it is today. In older, classic societies wine was just what people drank. Nobody knows how it would compare to today’s wines. Certainly some of it was better than others.

But still……. It’s what people drank before there were such commercial beverages as Coke, iced-tea, energy drinks and homogenized milk.

The pairing of wine with food probably is something new because people in these older cultures didn’t have the variety of diet that many people have today. They didn’t have the luxury or option of choosing one wine or one food over another.

But we do so………. Here we are.

Today’s idea of wine and food pairing focuses on one particular aspect of foods and wines….. The ‘weight’. This ‘weight’ factor is further divided into ‘texture’ and ‘flavor’. Certain foods and certain wines are considered to be either light or heavy in weight. There’s a ‘medium’ in there somewhere too.

‘Matching’ prescribes that light wines go with light foods and heavy wines go with heavy foods. Pretty simple really. However the reality of the matter is that there’s a substantial degree of subjectivity involved in one’s preference for one wine brand over other wine brands.

What might be considered ‘a perfect match’ by one taster might not be considered so by another. But at least it makes jobs for some people in very fancy restaurants.

Here are some examples of these food and wine characteristics as commonly accepted:

Cabernet Sauvignon is generally considered to be a heavy or robust wine. As such, one would generally not take it with something like quiche which is generally considered a ‘light’ food. Similarly a food dish as heavy and robust as stew could not be properly served with a light bodied wine like Pinot Grigio.

Connoisseurs of this subject also like to discuss such things as the acid, alcohol, tannin and sugar concentrations in wine and how they relate enhance, or not, certain types of foods.

One of the most common occasions when people get together to practice their wine pairing and wine tasting skills is in cheese and wine tastings. And sometimes they’ll just forget the cheese and go for the wine tasting. Cheese is for mice anyway, right? 🙂

It’s an interesting subject if you’ve got the time and money. But the bottom line as always is personal preference. There are actually wine paring clubs where people get together for wine tastings and to discuss the finer points of their preferences and opinions.

What Makes New Zealand Red Wine So Good?

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There are many factors which make New Zealand red wine so good including the fact that the wine regions are those that are mostly located at free draining valleys. Valleys such as Martinborough, Wairau and Hawke’s Bay, with a few exceptions such as Kawarau Gorge.

The most predominant deposits of alluvial are sandstone also called grey wacke. This material can be found in most parts of New Zealand. This alluvial nature of soil is imperative and wine growers have noticed this which is whey this often mentioned on labels such as Gimblett Gravels. This area was once a river bed teaming with all sorts of marine life which a very stone filled soil. Today the stones act a as a way to lower the fertility of the area as to lower the water table it also is a heat source for the cool wind that blows though the area. This combined with other factors creates what is called a meso climate. 

In addition to growing conditions there is also a diversity of the growing methods used to produce New Zealand red wine. There is the one concept of traditional growing where there is a vineyard and grapes are grown in the land surrounding the place where wine is produced usually owned by a family which has it own wine making culture and equipment along with their own storage methods. The other is what is called the European model. This is where AOC village wine making is done at a production facility which is centralized. Also fruit is often grown on contract for wine makes and its nothing new when it comes to New Zealand wine making industry. Both of these wine making cultures have been in existence since the late 1960s. 

Many wine makers originally started out as contract growers. Also many of today’s small producers started out using fruit grown on contract for them. Many of the good wine producers often use contract fruit so some how supplement the variety of fruit as well as the wine they market, many use fruits from various geographical regions. So its not uncommon to see a wine producer in Auckland who is marketing a “Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc” or you see a Marlborough wine producer who is marketing a Gisborne Chardonnay. 

New Zealand Red wine is made from a bled of a varietals Merlot, Cabernet Franc, etc or even Hawkes Bay. There are also many wines which are made from Syrah now this is either done solely or it’s a blend. Even Mostepulciano, Sangiovese and Tempranillo is used. 

New Zealand red wine is considered one of the best in the world. This is owing to the fact that many wine producers are using a variety of methods to produce wine so you get a taste of various manufacturing and growing methods. Contract growing in combination with various fledgling wine production businesses mean that wine is cheaper than other types of wine as well as of a high quality. 

Personalised Wine

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We all know someone that likes a tipple, and wine seems to be at the top of the list when it comes to buying them presents. The only problem could be that this particular gift can get a bit boring after a few years, so why not go the extra mile and give them personalised wine instead?

Need to find the perfect gift? Personalised wine could be just the thing

Personalised wine bottles give you the chance to present your loved one with something totally unique. What initially looks like a regular bottle of wine is actually a wine that’s based around them, with the label being tailored to the recipient. It’s the perfect opportunity to mark that special occasion, and once the wine has been drunk in celebration the bottle can be treasured for a lifetime.

How personalised wine bottles work

The whole process is incredibly simple. All you have to do is decide upon a wine before crafting the label to match, and with plenty of designs on offer you’ll be able to find something that perfectly suits the occasion as well as the recipient. You can even include a photograph for something totally original, making personalised wine bottles ideal for a birthday, retirement or indeed any other occasion that deserves a unique gift. Then all you have to do is present your carefully-crafted bottle to the recipient, and just sit back and wait for the appreciation.

But, where can you possibly find such a thing? You can’t find personalised wine just anywhere, and you want to be able to source quality products from a supplier you can trust. That’s why you need to come to us here at Celebrationwines.co.uk.

Let Celebrationwines.co.uk create your ideal personalised wine

We’re a specialist supplier of personalised wine bottles, giving you the chance to present your loved one with a totally unique gift. We have plenty of different wines to choose from to suit all tastes, and with a whole range of label designs we’re sure you’ll find something to appeal.

Just give us the relevant information and we’ll craft a totally unique wine bottle to give them something that can be treasured, and you’re sure to be the highlight of the party. When you come to us for personalised wine bottles you’ll be able to create a truly memorable gift that simply can’t be replicated, so get in touch today and see what we can do.

Choose A Wine For Your Meal And Order It Online

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If you want to throw a dinner party for family and friends what food and wine would you serve? Many of us get confuse with which wine to pair with which food? It is really not that difficult, but at times even experts make mistakes with doing so. The key to knowing what food to club with what wine is, heavier meals and sauces require bigger wine to match their weight and lighter meals and sauces will require lighter and more subtle wines. Here are a few suggestions;

What appetizer to match with what wine?

If The Appetizer is

* Spicy & Creamy : Sharp, young, light-to-medium bodied fruity whites or reds

* Salty & Creamy : Light-to-medium bodied fruity whites or Champagne

* Smoky & Tangy : Light-to-medium bodied reds

* Salty & Crunchy : Crisp, dry sparkling wines

* Sweet & Spicy: Fruity, dry whites

* Meaty & Creamy : Medium-bodied fruity reds with soft tannins

* Sweet & Pungent : Young, light-bodied fruity rose, whites or red

What food to match with what wine?

* With Vegetarian you can have any wine mentioned below

* With Beef you can have Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir or Chianti

* With Cheeses you can have Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

* With Chicken you can have Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Merlot

* With Fish you can have Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, fruity reds

* With Lamb you can have Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Chianti, Barolo

* With Pasta you can have Reds

* With Pork you can have Merlot, Zinfandel, Beaujolais

* With Turkey you can have Beaujolais, Zinfandel, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir

* With Veal you can have Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Blanc, Barolo, Chianti, Syrah

What wine to serve after dinner?

After you have had your meal you can end by having or serving a port or a chocolate dessert wine.

Now that you have a whole list of food items and wine that can be paired together, you can successfully throw your dinner party and can even order wine online now to make it easier. Just in case you are worried about getting the right type of wine you need, all you have to do now is click your mouse and order wine online. To begin with you can always visit www.holidaywinecellar.com where you can order wine online (San Francisco). Holidaywinecellar.com accepts payment through American Express, MasterCard, Visa, and Discover.

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Carbohydrates In Wine

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First, researchers say one to two (and no more) drinks of wine is beneficial to your heart and brain health. The wine contains antioxidants that have reported benefits for years. The alcohol itself has positive benefits in moderation. While you could get this second benefit from beer or hard alcohol as well, you lose the antioxidants. Second, wine is a food drink.

One suggestion as to why some of these antioxidants are present in red wines is that grapes that have been distressed during their growth will exhibit the highest level of antioxidants. Red-skinned grapes seem to have better growing success in less temperate climates but exhibit the effects of stressful weather conditions in the form of higher levels of resveratrol. Before all you wine enthusiasts start shouting, “I told you so!” let me point out that many of the same antioxidant benefits can also be found in dark beers, too.

White wines can be found in several varieties, and these can range in calories and carbohydrates significantly. Though most white wines contain between 100 and 120 calories per five-ounce glass, some can run as high as 217. Grams of carbohydrates per glass can vary even among those wines with similar caloric content. If you are concerned about the calories in white wine, you’ll want to examine the specific type of wine for more insight.

So, what about carbohydrates? Many nutritionists may not think a lot about low-carbohydrate diets. However, in case you’re following one of these faddish plans, then you may find it difficult to fit in much wine. The amounts may differ, but a 5-ounce serving of dry white table wine can consist of 1.25 grams of carbohydrates, whereas a glass of red can go up to 2.5 grams and sweet wines may have considerably more

According to Atkins refined carbohydrates, in particular sugar and flour, are the main cause of obesity. He also felt that saturated fat was not a major nutritional problem, and was much less a factor in developing vascular disease than the trans fats often found in hydrogenated oils. At the risk of oversimplifying, this diet tells you to cut the carbs and not worry about dietary fat. It also recommends nutritional supplements and exercise.

Good carbohydrates are high in fiber or high in good fats, and have a low glycemic index, which means they are digested and absorbed slowly. Preferred carbohydrates have more nutritional value than the alternatives. The South Beach Diet allows brown rice in moderation, but discourages white rice. When you eat carbohydrates, you should also eat fiber or fat to slow digestion of the carbohydrates.

One drawback of the Zone Diet is the need to measure your food intake quite precisely. The food groups are broken into ‘blocks’ subdivided into ‘mini-blocks’. A typical meal might involve one block of Carbohydrates, composed of three mini-blocks such as 1 cup of green beans, 2 cups of yellow squash, and 1 glass of red wine. As with many diets, you should buy a specialized cookbook. Let’s talk about the pros and cons of this diet.

Different types of grapes and different strains of grapes are responsible for the production of different types of wines. Apples and berries are also utilized for the preparation of wines and the wines obtained are named after the name of the fruit like apple wine or elderberry wine or are popularly name as fruit wine or country wine. Barley and rice wine are prepared from the starch based materials and resemble beer and spirit more than wine and ginger wine is fortified with brandy.

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