Showing posts with label fine wines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fine wines. Show all posts

Thursday, 27 June 2013

A Beginner's Guide To Bordeaux Fine Wines

Wine is the sort of hobby that for many is a daunting and intimidating one that only those with the right knowledge are allowed to dabble in. But those with the knowledge weren't born with it - they had to learn it somehow! So here is our beginners guide to wines from one of the most important in the world: Bordeaux.
Whether you want to become a wine expert and use your knowledge and expertise to host wine tastings and events, or simply want to show off to your friends and family, starting with Bordeaux wines is a good place to start. They don't have to be expensive either - Bordeaux fine wine on sale can be found at all wine merchants. So read on to see what you can find out about Bordeaux fine wines.
The History Of Bordeaux Fine Wines

Bordeaux is one of the most famous and important wine regions in the world. Its 120,000 hectares make it one of the largest wine regions in France, and each vintage on average produces 700 million bottles of wine across the region ranging from everyday wines to some of the most prestigious and luxurious wines in the world.
Almost 90% of wines produced in Bordeaux are red due to the high number of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes growing across the region. The climate for these wines is perfect, allowing the vines to thrive and produce beautifully ripened grapes all year round.

Red Bordeaux Wines

Bordeaux is home to thousands of fine wines, with the majority of them being red although there are many beautiful whites also. If you're hoping to learn more about wine whilst on a budget, there are many Bordeaux fine wine on sale that can whet your palate. Besides, you may find Bordeaux wines aren't for you, although it doesn't happen very often!

Red wines are typically produced with a blend of various different grapes to give the wines their signature delicious and more rounded flavours. The most common grapes used are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot as well as Malbec and Carmenere. When paired together, particularly the Cabernet Sauvignon with the Merlot, the harsh flavours of the Cabernet Sauvignon become more rounded and easier to drink thanks to the Merlot's soft tannins. The Villa Antinori Rosso is a beautiful example of how harmonious the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes are when blended together.

White Bordeaux Wines
Bordeaux is such a large region with different parts having better soils and climates to others. The Chateau Deville Blanc is a fine Bordeaux wine, which hails from the Entre-Deux-Mers part of Bordeaux, which translates as 'between the seas'. The rich alluvial soils found here allow the growing of white grapes to thrive, which is what makes up the Chateaus Deville Blanc. Made from a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes, the wine has real depth and fresh citrusy flavours.

Bordeaux's varying climates and soils makes it one of the most versatile regions perfect for producing a number of different wines. Now you have a little more information, delve into the Bordeaux wine at your local wine merchant. Whether you splash out on an expensive bottle or hunt for Bordeaux fine wine on sale you're likely to pick up a beautiful bottle of wine.Moez Smith is a wine enthusiast that enjoys writing about the best Bordeaux fine wine on sale. Visit The Perfect Cellar website for more information about fine wines.

Saturday, 18 May 2013

Fine Wines Are Beyond Comparison

"We will serve no wine before its time". Orson Welles for Paul Masson winery
Let's come up with a definition of fine wine. It is definitely not drug store wine. The cost is actually not the most important thing. The flavors must blend together, there must be a bouquet, and it must be memorable. Bad wine is worse than no wine at all.

Based on balance, length of time lingering on the tongue, complexity, and tepidity.
Balance is the combined presentation of its characteristics: fruit, acidity, neutrality and the existence of some tannin. Because some winemakers are anxious to serve the new wine, these tannins indicate the immaturity of the wine and may be a factor in a wine's over-freshness. A new wine should be fully brewed, definitely young, but also mature; not old and wooden from spending a year's time in the barrel.

Length of time is another important factor in judging fine wines. It should linger on your tongue, maintaining a presence in your mouth for awhile after serving. It should be something that isn't so quick to flee from your palate.

The fruit chosen for wine is most always grapes. If not it is noted on the bottle - pomegranate wine, elderberry wine, etc. It should not be too sweet or too bitter. Acidity is also necessary, but must be controlled. The sugar of the fruit is eaten by the yeast. This conversion causes fermentation but it shouldn't be so strong as to upset the person's biological disposition.

Neutrality is important too. In everything exists also nothingness? This nothingness is needed to balance out the strong personalities of fruit, acidity and so on which are overpowering in their own right.
Some wine categories have been proposed by wine connoisseur Clive Parker. They are: Very Good, Fine, Very Fine, and Grand Vin. In reality, very few wines will reach the Grand Vin level. Wine making is not an exact science, of course, but it has some parameters which can be taken into consideration. We have come to believe that the 90 plus category is the minimal level for fine wines.

The art of wine making began in Georgia as early as 6000 B.C. and in the Balkans in the 4500 B.C. time frame. The Greek god Dionysius and Roman god Baccheus were the ancient heralded gods of wine. This was a nutritious drink often mixed with water after a large meal to aid in the digestive process and finish off the meal. Of course, wine may also be enjoyed without the water. It was in these days that the philosopher Pliny the Elder so eloquently stated, "In wine there is truth".

In today's wine market, there are many wonderful wines to choose from. Some may be from France, Mendocino California or the Mediterranean. A fine wine may be most readily identified by its label, though vintages may drastically vary. Let your senses be your guide in choosing a suitable beverage for that special meal, regardless of the label, price or environment you find yourself in.