Wine News
From the San Francisco Chronicle:
The time to start worrying about the impact this rainy spring may have on Northern California grapevines is rapidly approaching.
Growers say that up to this point, the weather has been more of a nuisance than a threat. However, if the rain continues for another two weeks, the size of the 2006 harvest could be greatly reduced, UC Davis viticulturist Andy Walker says. As for quality, it's way too early to predict.
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Blackstone Releases Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir From Wine Business Insider, 01/24/2006 Blackstone Winery, "the producer of the number one selling domestic red wine in the United States, at any price point," has added two new wines to its portfolio: a 2003 Blackstone Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2003 Blackstone Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. The Blackstone Prestige Appellation Series features wines from the best microclimates and soils of both Napa and Sonoma counties. They are bottled at the Blackstone facility in Kenwood. Read More...
The Wine Enthusiast offers consumers a fine variety of wine accessories, including top of the line wine glasses, wine refrigerators and the ever popular California wine gift basket. If you are looking for the popular Wine Coolers for your home this is the retailer to find it at. So if you are looking for a gift of wine or to replenish your own wine cooler or wine cellar then you have stumbled to the right spot. If you are looking for books about wine then they have those too, overall quite a selection of wine accessories.The Wine Enthusiast - wine cellars, wine accessories, wine stoppers and more
How to make a Wine Basket
A wine gift basket is always a greatly appreciated gift, whether you are celebrating a holiday, honoring a special occasion, or making a corporate statement. Tailor the gift to the recipient’s preferences. If you know their favorite wine, start there! You can also consider the occasion you are celebrating. Champagne is a traditional choice for a wedding. Include a young wine in a christening gift basket, which can be enjoyed on the baby’s twenty-first birthday. Port is a traditional gentleman’s drink.If you are looking to order wine online then this is the place do start your search.
Include glasses and a corkscrew in the basket, so the lucky recipients can enjoy the gift at once. Champagne and sparkling wines are drunk from flutes, red wine from stemmed glasses with large bowls, and white wine from stemmed glasses with smaller bowls.
If you are sending the gift basket to a new enthusiast, a well-written book about wine is always welcome. A connoisseur, on the other hand, might prefer a wine accessory – perhaps a vacuum sealing system to preserve half-filled bottles of wine or even a wine refrigerator. A new thermometer uses infared technology to read the temperature of the wine inside the bottle and will please the wine lover who already “has everything.”
You may wish to include wine accessories in your gift basket. A variety of devices are used to open wine bottles, from a simple corkscrew to a device that pops the cork out using a cartridge of inert propellant. A special Swiss-made pump opener makes sure the cork is extracted intact, so no crumbs will find their way into the wine. Stoppers are always appreciated, from simple corks to pressurized stoppers with ornate, decorative tops. Crystal decanters can become cherished heirlooms.
Add crackers or an artisan bread and a special cheese to complete the wine and cheese gift basket. There are no absolute rules about which wine should be served with which cheese, but there are guidelines. The flavors of the wine and cheese should be balanced, a strong cheese paired with a robust wine and a delicately-flavored cheese with a subtle wine. This prevents the stronger flavor overpowering the weaker one, and creates a combination that celebrates the taste of both food and wine. Usually, hard cheese is served with red wine and soft cheese is served with white wine.
Wine Refrigerators, Wine Gift Baskets and Fine Online Wine Gifts
Start with the wine, and choose a cheese that will enhance its flavor. Sauvignon Blanc is delicious with Gruyere, Chevre, or a sharp Cheddar. Bordeaux is complemented by Havarti, and Beaujolais by Raclette. Gouda or Edam go well with champagne. Pair a blue-veined cheese with port for a grand finale! Send a Fruit and Wine Gift today!Any simple gathering can become an event with the classic combination of wine and cheese. A wine gift basket makes every occasion special!
As there are verities of wine gift baskets for different festivals and occasions, but choosing wine baskets or wine country basket for the proper occasions is very important.Winebaskets should not contain wine or wine accessories only, other delicious snacks such as chocolate, cheeses or cookies can be send.
Wine Tasting Tips
Follow the same wine tasting steps used by connoisseurs, and you will increase your knowledge and enjoyment of wine.
Order of Tasting
If you are tasting several wines, it is easy for your taste buds to become desensitized. You can avoid this by tasting the lightest wines first, then progressing to the heaviest. Start with the sparkling wines, followed by roses, then light whites, and finally full-bodied whites. Then start on the light reds, followed by the full-bodied reds and finally the dessert wines. Taking a sip of water between each wine will refresh your sense of taste.
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