3:07 AM

March 2009 - Fine Wines-

The Best Articles on Fine Wines

Wine labels - Peeling off the mystery

One of the most baffling subjects that confronts the budding wine enthusiast is the deciphering of the myriad of information contained on the bottle label, especially that contained on wine bottles from European countries. Once the basic rules are taken on board it becomes a lot simpler. Whereas most New World countries put details of the grape varieties on the front label, a lot of European regions do not, and as this is the most basic of information for taste purposes why is this the case?

European winemakers tend to put more emphasis on the place of origin. For instance, a Bordeaux red typically wont say 'Cabernet' or 'Merlot' on the front label, but instead have the name of the chateau where it was made, and usually the part of Bordeaux where it was made, for example Haut-Medoc. Similarly a Sancerre is totally Sauvignon Blanc, but an in depth analysis of the label will leave you none the wiser. For the French the important factor is that the wine comes from Sancerre in the Loire valley and for them it is inbred knowledge that white Sancerre is Sauvignon Blanc.

Moving south to Spain, red Rioja declares itself as Rioja on the label, not Tempranillo the grape variety used, whilst in Italy most Tuscan reds have no information on the Sangiovese grape that is most widely used in these wines. Given this mish-mash of information it is no wonder that many of us head for that bottle with the label announcing it is a Chardonnay Viognier from the Ironstone Vineyard of California.

It is clear then that the Europeans believe the most important factor influencing a wine's character is the soil, climate and culture of the area where the grape is grown and this is particularly important to single-vineyard wines who make the most of capturing the essence of a particular area of land. So whereas a French winemaker will see his wine as reflecting the character of a particular region, a New World winemaker mad about grape varieties will consider that soil is just the growing medium in which the fruit grows, and that the grape variety and hard work in the winery are what really counts. Today these two opposing approaches to wine labelling are moving closer together with New World producers emphasising their regionality and its characteristics, whilst European, even the parochial French winemakers possibly prompted by the wholesalers and the supermarkets are labelling their wines more clearly.

About the Author

James Pendleton is a lover of the better things in life. For more information on wine visit Wine Capital

Short Review on Fine Wines

Discount Wine Gift Baskets

Wine gift baskets are welcomed in almost every home and a combination basket can thrill that much more. Mix and match them?offer a treat of red and w...

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A Review of the Wine of the Month Club

I, with my husband enrolled to a wine of the month club, thanks to the couple that chose to stay with us on a weekend who extended the invitation to j...

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Daniele Party Pack Pre Sliced Naturale Salame with Wine, 5-Ounce Pouch (Pack of 6)

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Wine Access

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Wine Country Trattoria

Give the gift of Italian fine dining with this tempting basket. From appetizers to dessert, this basket is filled with traditional Italian gourmet food. Tiramisu wafers, garlic crackers, Colavita extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar, bread dipping herbs and dipping bowl, cheese spread and cheese knife, cinnamon roasted cashews, Bella Campagna penne rigate and farfalle pasta, garlic pasta seasoning, olives, and more arrive beautifully packed and ready for enjoyment. This Italian Wine Country dining experience is a joy to give and a thrill to receive. Gift Size: 22" x 8" x 10" - Item 621

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Labels: Wine Spectator, Wine Stain

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9:21 PM

December 2008 - Jordan Wine

Another Great Jordan Wine Article

Travel Italy - Wine and The Easy Life

Travel to Italy

If you are traveling to Europe in the near future, check out one of the jewels of Europe. Italy has been extremely influential throughout its history from ancient Rome to the present. There is so much to offer in Italy that you might want to spend more than just a week. You could possibly spend months just in Rome alone checking out all that is offered from the Coliseum to the Pantheon there is so much to see in Italy.

Venice is another beautiful city in Italy with its beautiful canals and gondolas many people rate Venice as the most romantic city in the world. If you love art then Florence is for you with the Academy that houses Michael Angelo's David to the countless frescos painted on the walls. Florence is an art lovers dream.

If you enjoy wine and the easy life, you might want to check out Tuscany where you can sit in an old farm house and drink wine and eat fresh cheese and cured meats. There is so much that Italy has to offer, no wonder it is one of the top tourist destinations in the world. So the next time you plan your European trip choose Italy.

About the Author

Jay is the web owner of http://www.airline-tickets.biz Lowest Price Airline Tickets, a website that provides information and resources on vacations, airfare, hotels, and travel. You can also visit his website at: http://www.hotels-in.net Hotel Discounts

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Travel Italy - Wine and The Easy Life

Travel to Italy
If you are traveling to Europe in the near future, check out one of the jewels of Europe. Italy has been extremely influential through...

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Chateau La Becasse - Pauillac - Cru Bourgeios

This 10 acre estate is divided into 22 parcels interspersed among the vineyards of Latour, Pichon-Baron, Lynch-Bages, and Pichon-Lalande. This dispersion protects the vineyard from disease and bad weather. The harvesting must be done by hand since some parcels only have a few rows inside a larger estates vines. 50% Cabernet, 10% Cab franc, 40% Merlot, the wine is aged 22 months in 1/3 new oak barrels. A really delicious Pauillac which I felt was outstanding considering its unranked status (although it isnt cheap). My notes were richness and silky sweet fruit with round luscious barrique flavors. Parker says "I owe a great deal of thanks to Bernard Ginestet, who first told me about this gem, known only to a fiercely loyal group. This Chateau La Becasse is a great gift for any occasion! Buy this French wine online! BAS01 BAS01

Price: 59.99 USD

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NVU - Free Software Alternative to Dreamweaver

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 19:00:40 -0800
Let’s face it, most people that are making web pages these days are novices. They don’t know how to program. They want to get started in web design, but don’t want to shell out too much money while they are learning. The two major webpage editors out there are Dreamweaver and Microsoft Expression Web. Neither of these are free, and are out of most people’s budget range, especially in these hard economic times. But like almost all programs available, there is an alternative. And the free open s

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Linux,Networking,Virtualization 2008/12/21 I have a customer out in Ohio who has had a horrible year. His software vendor convinced him to buy a $6,000 server to run their new Windows version of their software; he had all kinds of Windows configuration and hardware problems; his users hated the new software; he finally gave up and went back to the ancient, unsupported SCO Unix version. What to do with the $6,000.00 server? I suggested putting Linux and VMware on it - heck, it's a big, powerf

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Sat, 20 Dec 2008 16:25:00 -0800
PCSX2 will allow you to run your Playstation games on your PC so a PlayStation 2 emulator for Windows and Linux. Configuring the software is hard for new users and before you start be sure that have a recent computer as this software consume a lot of resource. Besides the most important thing is to have an original Bios. (...) Read the rest of: "Play Playstation games in your PC" © ReniX for Lirent.net Hacks, 2008. | Permalink

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Labels: Wine Spectator

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4:37 AM

Most of the matter here is relevant to Dessert Wine . This was the main intention of writing on Dessert Wine , to propagate its value and meaning.

The Best Articles on Dessert Wine

I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Piedmont Region

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Piedmont region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on the fact-filled wine education tour.

Piedmont is located in the northwest of Italy. It borders on France and Switzerland and is surrounded on three sides by the Alps. The name Piedmont means the foot of the mountain. Piedmont is one of the most industrialized regions of Italy. It is considered the best organized region of Italy for wine tourism. Its population is about 4.4 million.

Piedmont was originally settled by the Celts. It was conquered by Hannibal and reconquered by the Ancient Romans. Piedmont was ruled by the French Savoy family for almost five hundred years. It was a center in the fight to unify Italy. Victor Emmanuel II, the king of Piedmont and Sardinia, became the first king of modern Italy in 1861.

Agriculturally Piedmont has it all. For example, meats include beef, kid, lamb, rabbit, and veal. Game includes hare, partridge, pheasant, and venison. Donkey meat stew is a local specialty. Another specialty is grissini, breadsticks that are a yard long. The region makes nine protected varieties of cheese. About the only food that seems to be a bit short is fresh fish, with the exception of trout.

Piedmont's capital and largest city is Turin, a city of nine hundred thousand that is the capital of the Italian automobile industry and the site of the 2006 Winter Olympics. This city was the first capital of united Italy (from 1861 to 1865) and remains to this day the world capital of vermouth.

Piedmont devotes over one hundred forty thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 6th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about ninety million gallons, also giving it a 6th place. About 70% of the wine production is red or ros? (only a bit of ros?), leaving 30% for white. The region produces 44 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine and 7 DOCG wines. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior Almost 56% of Piedmont wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. Piedmont is home to four dozen major and secondary grape varieties, somewhat more red than white varieties.

Widely grown international white grape varieties include Muscat (in particular Moscato Bianco) and Chardonnay. The best known strictly Italian white varieties are Arneis, Cortese, and Erbaluce.

International red grape varieties are not important in Piedmont. It is the center for Nebbiolo, felt by many to be Italy's noblest red variety, the base of Italy's world famous Barolo and Barbaresco wines. Other Italian red varieties include Barbera, Brachetto, and Dolcetto, some of which are grown elsewhere.

Before reviewing the Piedmont wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Cipollata Rossa Monferrina, Spicy Robiola Cheese and Scallion Spread.
For the second course try Tasca Ripiena, Veal Stuffed with Salami and Scallions. For dessert indulge yourself with Budino Freddo Gianduja, Decadent Hazelnut-Chocolate Pudding.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have communicated with well over a thousand Italian wine producers and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy is clear. All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Sur? Rosso Barbera d'Asti Villa Giada 2004 Andrea-Faccio Viticoltore (Winemaker) DOC 13.5% alcohol about $10.90 plus tax

Unlike the other wines in this series, I purchased this bottle while on vacation in Seattle, Washington. Frankly I thought that I was drinking the cousin of a $40 bottle of wine. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if it were the equal of some $40 bottles. While three other Italian grape red varieties are authorized to a maximum of 15% in the Barbera d'Asti DOC, this particular wine is 100% Barbera.

I found the wine very powerful, perhaps too strong for pasta. Its tastes included tobacco, leather, cherry, and black cherry. An Italian wine site states: "An imposing wine that is always rather severe but richly and exquisitely perfumed and with a flavor that couples strength with finesse." I agree except that I didn't find it severe. I also drank it with a marinated, barbecued rib steak. The wine cut through the steak's grease. Once again the flavors came out well.

Gran Padano is a classic Parmesan-type cheese made for a millennium in northern Italy including the Piedmont region. It is a cylindrical, cooked, semi-fat cheese which matures slowly. It has a grainy consistency and may be sliced or grated. Its taste is fragrant and delicate. I tried this wine with grated Gran Padano cheese on toast with a somewhat spicy Moroccan tomato and pimento based dip.The combination was excellent; I felt that both the wine and cheese flavors were accentuated. The term mouth-filling came to mind.

About the Author

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His wine website is www.theworldwidewine.com . You can reach him at ital@mail.theworldwidewine.com.

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Keeping Your Wine Chilled

Technology results in amazing new products practically every single day. When it comes to wine, the situation is no different as new and creative prod...

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The FTD Bright and Beautiful Bouquet - Deluxe

This bouquet captures many shades of pink and then accents them with blue. Arranged in a glass vase, pink roses and pink gerber daisies share the stage with pink snapdragons, pink spray roses, and blue delphinium. A splendid assortment that is perfect for any occasion. Approx. 26H x 15W B21-3462D

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Asst. Managers (Total Wine and More)

Retail TOTAL WINE & MORE Wine Retailer of the Year Is Currently Seeking Wine Associates Wine Managers Assistant Managers New Clearwater Location. Restaurant exp. welcome Get great wine education, wine tastings and trips to the vineyards. Send... Company: Total Wine and More Location: Tampa, FL Source: Tampa Retail Jobs at RSS-Job-Feeds.org

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