By: Ken Mageau
Article Category: Wine Life
Why did I agree to do this article? Maybe just to prove I could do it, but it goes deeper than that. I just love good wine. Wine has a mysticism about it. It takes a normal, rational person and instills in him the fear of looking foolish or just plain unsophisticated. It makes most people shy away from ordering it in a restaurant or bringing wine as a dinner gift. As Americans, we’re newbies in the appreciation of wine as a beverage. We feel the French and Italians know a great deal more than... [Read more...]
By: James Jack
Article Category: Wine Life
While not considered one of the world’s more refined wines, Egri Bikavér is one of Hungary’s most famous exports. Seasoned oenophiles are likely to invoke the nectary Tokaj wines as more deserving of that distinction, but it’s hard to compete with a wine, however rustic, that boasts such a romantic, evocative name. Translated as “Bull’s Blood of Eger,” (a wine growing region of Northern Hungary), Egri Bikavér is reputed to have earned its name from a legend... [Read more...]
By: Leslie Cramer
Article Category: Wine Life
Which wines are correct for a happy hour? The answer is that there is no right answer. The choice of an aperitif is personal and varies widely among wine drinkers. A century ago, it wasn’t customary to drink anything before sitting down for a meal and any social drinking took place at dinner’s end. Sparkling wine, if there was any, was drunk at that time or with the meal, while sherry or port may have been served afterward. Times have changed, of course, and drinking wine or hard spirits for... [Read more...]
This Month’s Wine Pick: Marqués de Cáceres Crianza This fabulous wine from Rioja in Northern Spain has been a reliable standby of ours for years. Not only is it reasonably-priced (usually around the $10-range), it’s incredibly versatile (don’t let anyone tell you that reds can’t be enjoyed with fish or poultry), and, in our minds, stands up — and even surpasses — many of its more expensive peers. Rioja is the most prestigious and traditional wine region in Spain,... [Read more...]
By Leslie Cramer
Article Category: Wine Life
With the approach of the holiday for lovers, the most obvious choice for grape enthusiasts is rosé wine. Always gorgeous in the glass, rosés may range in color from salmon or rosy-pink to golden-pale orange or ruby red. They come in a wide range in tastes, too, from downright sweet to pleasantly dry. Rosés should be served nicely chilled. They can be as refreshing as most white wines, yet have the fruitiness and substance of a light-bodied red. Rosés make for versatile partners with many dishes,... [Read more...]
By: Leslie Cramer
Article Category: Wine Life
There are four processes by which bubbles are infused in “still wine” during the creation of sparkling wine. But the two main methods used most widely are the methode champenoise and the charmat process. In the methode champenoise, or “champagne method,” the regular alcoholic fermentation of the still wine is followed by a secondary fermentation which is induced inside the bottle. The resulting natural carbon dioxide is trapped in the form of bubbles — carbonation... [Read more...]
