Sunday 06/29/08 - Grape Varieties
The First Rule of Wine Drinking
Dont listen to what all the self appointed wine buffs and wine snobs say its what you like that counts.
Dont listen to what all the self appointed wine buffs and wine snobs say its what you like that counts.
Its not what Mr X, Mrs Y or Sommelier Z says but what you personally enjoy that matters when it comes to wine. Taste is individual to you and must always be treated as such.
If you like really unsophisticated sweet German wines such as those 70s standards Liebfraumilsch or Hock (which
incidentally almost put a whole generation off drinking wine) then thats great.
Feel free to carry on drinking them but make sure that you take the time to carry on experimenting with other wines of a similar nature or perhaps a different style of your preferred grape.
If you like a white Burgundy, such as the steely Chablis, then you may also like other wines matured in metal casks
such as a Sancerre.
If you enjoy a nice Sauvignon Blanc then take a look at a South African Chenin Blanc. But dont put yourself off by scaring your palate through trying completely new and perhaps a bit left field choices immediately.
Work up to these experiments. Try the more obvious ones first. If you go from a nice oaky Australian Chardonnay to a Gewurtztraminer right away you might never appreciate the subtle pleasures of the German speciality, which is a
bit of an acquired taste for most people though it can be dynamite paired with the right foods.
And when it comes to teaming wine with food then the same rules apply. If you like your oysters with a full-bodied
claret rather than a dry white or a champagne, then that is great too.
White wine with fish dishes is the accepted combination worldwide but now many people are realising the delights of eating a meaty fish such as tuna with a light red wine.
However do bear one thing in mind : the rules have evolved over time and reflect the preferences of millions of palates over many generations of fine dining. Like the classics of fiction, the classic combinations of food and drink are exactly that for a reason they have proven to be superior
over time.
So by all means experiment but dont ignore the tried, tested and recommended combinations as they have stood the test of time very well indeed.
As with everything in life, the only way to learn is to test.So youll have to move out of your comfort zone and risk the odd bad choice in order to move up to the next level of wine
enjoyment.
Yes you may love Californian Pinot Noir but its important that you stop buying it every week simply because you know
that you like it and that its a safe choice. You need to branch out, as this is the only way you will find something
even better than your current favourite.
And believe me, Im sure it exists among the many thousands of wines available worldwide. The best way of branching out is to start buying mixed cases of wine, typically a dozen
bottles of red and white wines and simply try each one out.
And its particularly useful to make some tasting notes as you open each one so that you can keep a note of exactly
what it was, where it was from and which variety of grape it was and so on.
And dont forget to note precisely why you liked or disliked it. Was it the citrus fruit flavours on the tongue, or was it the creamy vanilla oakiness that really made it for you?
Did the light fresh aroma contribute to the enjoyment? Get it down on paper before you open the next bottle, as tomorrow your recollection might be a little hazy!
So you must experiment a bit, but dont go for a complete extreme to what you normally drink right away.
Go for similar varieties at first and you are less likely to put yourself off progressing and expanding your taste in wine.
And remember, the only one who can tell you what wines you like best is you yourself so, whatever the combination, be sure to enjoy it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
You can find some great wine resources and special offers to help improve your enjoyment over at
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A Short Grape Varieties Summary
The First Rule of Wine Drinking
Dont listen to what all the self appointed wine buffs and wine snobs say its what you like that counts. Dont listen to what all the self appointed wi...
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Recommended Grape Varieties Items
Staatsweingut mit Johannitergut - Alzeyer Kappellenberg Bl Portugieser
We usually enjoy the Portugieser from the Mussbacher Eselhaut vineyard of Rheinhessen but the 2004 crop was completely destroyed by hail. The Staatsweingut mit Johannitergut then presented us with their Portugieser from Alzeyer Kappellenberg which they usually reserve for their German clientele. This particular Portugieser reminded us very much of our former wine with a deep red color and red fruit aromas. The wine is very full with excellent ripeness and body. Production of this wine was also limited due to hail and we bought all 60 cases the winery had available. We suggest you order while you can because once this wine is out, it is gone for the rest of the year! PQR04 PQR04
Price: 29.99 USD
Headlines on Grape Varieties
Exotic Grapes, From Aglianico to Zweigelt, Now Make Trendy Wine
Thu, 04 Oct 2007 07:50:44 PDT
Bloomberg - In 2005, the De Longs started the Wine Century Club for oenophiles like themselves who've tried wines from at least 100 grape varieties.They're tapping into today's vogue for wines made from obscure grapes that are grown in unfamiliar regions.
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Prosecco is a variety of white grape grown in the Veneto region of Italy, and gives its name to the sparkling wine made from that grape. The grape is grown in the regions north of Venice. Its late ripening has led to its use in dry sparkling and semi-sparkling wines, with their characteristic bitter aftertaste.
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A researcher in Europe has shed new light on the parentage of the viognier grapevine and concluded that DNA testing could result in some new ideas for blending grape varieties. Dr Jose Vouillamoz, working at in institute in Trentino, Italy, has shown that viognier and syrah are related, which may explain why they work so well together in blends.
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