|
|
| www.1001TopWords.com |
|
|
Hosting A Wine Tasting Party
As your love and knowledge of wine grows, it is inevitable that you will want to share your revelations with friends and family. Hosting a wine tasting party is a great way to do this. When planning a wine tasting party, some obvious questions about parameters arise. How many people should you invite? What types and how many wines should you pour? It is my opinion that an informal gathering should be kept to 12 people or less. This ensures that conversation and dialogue will be much more conducive than with a larger group. Blind tasting is the most fun and informative. Wrapping bottles in bags will negate past preferences and prejudices. You may be surprised what you "like" without access to the wine label. Focus on a relatively specific style of wine. Within this framework, some variations should be considered. I recently hosted a wine tasting party where we tasted Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons. To make it more interesting, we tasted two wines from Rutherford, (valley floor) two from Stags Leap, (east hills) and two from Mount Veeder (west hills). This was a pleasant and educational mix: a consistant varietal, but different styles from different regions. Another option is to taste the same varietal from the same region, but in different price ranges. For the initial tasting, pour a small amount in each guest's glass. Refrain from pouring full glasses until every wine has been tasted to avoid the cloud of inebriation on the senses. Provide some neutral flavored foods for your guests. Make sure this does not interfere or clash with the wine tasting. Don't serve blue cheese if you are tasting Pinot Blancs. Try bread or crackers and a mild, white cheddar or brie. Paper and pencils are necessary for your guests to write notes and preferences. If you regularly taste with the same group, you may want to use a designated notebook as well as articulate some additional guidelines and procedures for the tasting notes. This will create and ongoing reference point and perspective as your tastes develop. Benjamin Bicais lives in the Napa Valley and is the webmaster of http://www.california-wine-tours-and-accessories.com
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Truth About Red Wine and Heart Disease Red Wine, Heart Disease, Hungry Sharks and Knights in Shining Armor Counting Carbs With Wine Ecco DomaniCabernet Sauvignon ('01) 5 oz 4.00 gChianti ('01) 5 oz 3.60 gMerlot ('01) 5 oz 4.05 gPinot Bianco ('96) 5 oz 3.50 gPinot Grigio ('02) 5 oz 3.15 gFor more information on the carbohydrate count of more than 1000 worldwide brands of beer, 400 wines, 60 liqueurs, and distilled products, go to www.lcbartender.com.© Bob Skilnik, 2004 Wine Tasting Wine Tasting Component I: Look Tasting Wine Wine Tasting Component I: Look Chablis Wine Chablis is thought to have originated in northern Spain and grows well in a 'Mediterranean' climate. As a result, it is widely grown in many of the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea including France, Italy, Spain, and Algeria. Chablis is the most widely planted grape in France. It has also found a home in almost every other wine producing country around the world. Wine Etiquette With Ease Correct wine etiquette makes the tasting experience much more enjoyable. Like most interests, there is a set of protocol that most wine lovers adhere to. Good taste dictates that tasting at wineries, ordering wine at restaurants, and hosting a dinner party all require certain formalities. Choosing that Perfect Wine for a Dinner Party So, you find yourself having been invited to a dinner party and decided to bring the host a bottle of wine. But which type of wine should you buy? I am sure you have seen people seemingly bewildered in front of the wine shelves at the local grocery or liquor store. You have seen them, staring dumbly with no idea what wine to pick out. After you read this article, you can be assured you will never be one of those people. The Harmony between Wine and Food Wine is a social drink which should be enjoyed in the company of friends and .. food. Food - Wine Pairing Tips For French and Italian Wines Many people are intimidated by the task of selecting wine in a fine restaurant. This article is intended to provide a simple guide that will enable anyone to feel confident enough to choose a wine that will impress their dinner guests. The focus is on French and Italian wines. France Car Hire Here is a quick summary of the different French wine regions you can visit with some idea of what you'll be tasting and the airports where you can conveniently pick up a rental car. Wine Tasting -- The Traditional Way Wine tasting is properly known as 'Wine Degustation'. It is the art of being able to note the various differences between difference types of wine, and even the various differences between the vintages of the same type of wine. The Origin of the Cocktail The cocktail has the distinction of being an original American drink. Chardonnay Wine Chardonnay is the world's most popular white wine grape. Chardonnay wine's homeland is the Burgundy region of France, where it produces sublime, complex Chardonnay table wines (in Champagne and elsewhere it provides the base for many of the world's best sparkling wines), but it also flourishes in California, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina and South Africa. Beer and The Commodities Market Most branded products and agricultural products are not commodities. However we will see the future as Cargill, Petroseed, Genetseed will have patented superior seeds which grow into corn, mustard seed, wheat, and other agricultural products which will have a brand name. There will be certain types of specialty corn which can be used for biofuels and will need to be separated from the regular corn as a separate commodity. Hops and Barley work the same way. Red Wine Compound May Extend Life Good news! A recent study suggested that resveratrol, a red wine compound, may extend our life. Buying Wine, How to Read a Wine Label and Select a Great Bottle of Wine I must admit, that for many of us, walking into a store to buy a bottle of wine can be a little like visiting a foreign country and not knowing the language. If you're buying wine for yourself that's probably not a big deal, although it might be nice to be somewhat knowledgeable so that you're more likely to buy something you will enjoy. However, if you are buying a bottle of wine as a gift, then being able to interpret information on the label becomes a bit more important. But, first things, first. Overcoming Red Wine Spills Red wine spills can be a disaster whether they occur in your home or onboard your $43 million executive jet as members of our corporate flight attendant web community are quick to point out. Taking care of a spill is another thing, but we have discovered two "tried and true" solutions to the problem. Please read on to find out what we discovered: Ideal Wine Temperature The ideal temperature to store wines is between 55ºF and 58ºF (13ºC?15ºC). However, any temperature between 40º?65ºF (5º?18ºC) will suffice as long as it remains constant.The degree and the speed of the temperature change are critical. A gradual change of a few degrees between summer and winter won't matter. The same change each day will harm your wines by ageing them too rapidly. Sauvignon Blanc Wine Sauvignon Blanc wine is crisp, high in acidity and light- to medium-bodied, and Sauvignon Blanc wine is recognizable for its grassy, herbaceous flavor and aroma. When grown in warmer climates the flavors are more fruity, melon-like. The grape is important in California, New Zealand and Northeastern Italy, but it really shines in France's Loire Valley and Bordeaux regions. Burgundy Wine Burgundy red wines are produced in an area of France stretching from Dijon south to Beaujolais. The northern section of Burgundy is called the Cote d'Or (hills of gold) and generally, the farther north the Burgundy vineyard, the richer flavored the wine. Here the Pinot Noir grape produces deliciously seductive wines combining grace and power with supple velvet textures and complex flavors. Many of the finest Burgundy vineyards are located halfway up the hillsides, midway between overly fertile valley soils and the too steep and rocky upper slopes.
|
| © Athifea Distribution LLC - 2013 |
