Monday, November 16, 2015

Grape Varieties

Grape varieties wine is usually made from one or more varieties of the European species such as Pinot Noir Chardonnay Cabernet Sauvignon mi amor lo when one of these varieties is used as the predominant great and usually defined by law as a minimum of 75% to 85% the result is a very tall as opposed to a blend wine. 

Blended wines are not considered inferior to veritable wines rather they are different style of wine making some of the world's most highly regarded wines from regions like Bordeaux and the Rhone Valley are blended from different grape varieties wine can also be made from other species of grapes or from hybrids created by genetically crossing two species v. Labrusca of which the Concord grape is a cultivar v. Aestivalis v. Ruprestris v. Rotundifolia and v. Riparian are native North American groups usually grown to eat fresh are for grape juice jam or jelly and only occasionally made into wine. 

Hybridization is different from grafting most of the world's vineyards are planted with European v. Vinifera vines that have been grafted onto North American species rootstock a common practice due to their resistance to phylloxera a root louse that eventually kills the vine.

In the late 19th century most Europe's vineyards excluding some of the driest in the south we're devastated by the infestation leading to widespread find us and eventually replanting. Grafting is done in every wine producing region in the world except Argentina the Canary Islands in Chile the only place is not yet exposed to the insect. 

In the context of wine production terroir is a concept that encompasses the varieties of grapes used elevation and shape of the vineyard type and chemistry of the soil climate and seasonal conditions and the local yeast cultures. The range of possible combinations from these factors can result in great differences among the wines influencing the fermentation finishing an aging process as well.

Source Wikipedia

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Uncorking Tisdale 2013 Sweet Red Wine Makers Choice

This week I am uncorking Tisdale 2013 Sweet Red Wine Makers Choice

Winemaker's Notes: With notes of black cherry and raspberry jam our medium-bodied wine has a velvety soft finish.

My Notes: sweet candied berry fragrance, extremely smooth, well balanced, full pallet, very berry. Very sweet. Surprisingly well rounded, and did not taste bitter or acidic like most sweet red wine almost like drinking fruit punch.

Sweet Red's will always have a place in my heart as it was one of the first wines I ever tried and really liked. I always keep at least 2 bottles of this red on hand because its a crowd pleaser, and well i like to get a nip of it every now and then too!


~Cheers


Monday, November 2, 2015

Halloween Candy and Wine

Well Halloween has come and gone and now it's November. It late night and you got a craving for your kids candy stash. Why not class it up a bit and have some wine to go with that bag of temptation? But what wine with what candy? Well here is some helpful hints.




This chart from Vivino

Now lets face it, as adults we need to "inspect" the candy to make sure it's ok for our little goblins to eat right? So it is with that in mind that I am giving you a free pass to eat all the things LOL.

This wine pairing also gives you kind of an idea how to pair with other foods that may have the same salty, creamy, nutty, etc.

And now the we begin the journey to Thanksgiving (well if you are here in The States.) I cant wait to use my new knowledge of wine to make the best most elegant choices for dinner :)


~Cheers


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