Portugal may not be the first country you think of when you’re looking for new wines to sample. However, Portuguese wine production outdates many other countries; the Portuguese have been trading wine with the rest of the world since the early 18th century.
There are legends that tell of wine being produced in Portugal from as far back as 4000 years ago. Of course, the production was much different than it is today, but it is possible that Portugal has been producing wine since the time of the Phoenicians.
Distinctive and Exceptional
Nearly every wine drinker knows that the finest wines produced in Portugal have traditionally been port and Madeira, two fortified wines enjoyed all around the world. There is much more to the wines of Portugal, though, and every variety is as impressive as these well-known beverages.
Portugal has several different wine regions, each producing and using its own distinctive grape varieties. In fact, this is what makes Portuguese wine so unique among other wine-producing countries. The wines produced in Portugal are made from native grape species, and they are all distinctive to the area. There are government safeguards in place to ensure that all wine produced in Portugal is of the highest quality possible.
Many different types of wine come from Portugal, though not all of them are well-known in other parts of the world. Europe, especially England, is well acquainted with most of Portugal’s finest exports, but they have yet to gain the same popularity in the United States.
Alentejo Wine
The Alentejo region is in southern Portugal. The wines produced from the alentejo grapes are fruity, soft whites with a distinctive acidity. This is one of the most preferred wines for consumption within Portugal.
Bairrada Wine
The Regiao Demarcada da Bairrada produces white and red wines, but the most popular wine from this region is a sparkling white wine which is quite commonly found in Portuguese restaurants.
Colares Sand Wine
Near Lisbon, wine grapes are grown in sandy soil that is in short supply today due to the expansion of the city. Colares sand wine is produced in both red and white varieties, and has a distinctive fruity taste.
Dao Wine
The Regiao Demarcada do Dao is in northern Portugal, and it produces some very unique wines from several varieties of Portuguese grapes. These are widely thought to be the finest table wine produced in Portugal.
Moscatel Wine
Moscatel (Muscat in English) is one of the oldest varieties of Portuguese wine. It is a fortified wine that has been enjoyed for hundreds of years.
Port Wine
Port wines are fortified wines that can be enjoyed in either red or white varieties. This is one of the types of wine that made Portuguese wine known and loved around the world.
Vinho Verde
Vinho Verde is produced in northwest Portugal and does not go through an aging stage. It is the second most exported Portuguese wine, just after port.
Something for Everyone
As you can see by these brief descriptions, the wine of Portugal is varied and complex. You are sure to find a variety of Portuguese wine that agrees with you and your discerning palate.
Jewel
How To Choose The Right Wine Glasses?
Only a wine enthusiast can understand the importance of wine glass ware. The quality of glassware can greatly enhance the wine experience from bad to good or vice versa. Bowl, stem and foot are the three parts that make up a wine glass. You have to choose wisely, while purchasing a wine glass, as the shape and quality of the glass reflect upon the quality of the wine. It is widely believed that people give more attention to the glasses than to the wine. These days the wine glass has emerged as a status symbol, just like Rolls Royce is in the world of automobiles. Before using a wine glass, one must know the correct way of handling a glass. The wine glass is one of the most delicate pieces of stemware. As there are different kinds of wine, so are the proper ways of handling each of them when in a wine glass. The most common way of holding a wine glass is by its stem, which should be tucked in between the fingers. A wine glass in never held from the bowl (except with red wine) because when the bowl of the glass comes in contact with the skin, the body heat gets transferred to the wine and slowly erodes the aroma and the taste.
The materials of a wine glass are equally important, because they have an affect on the temperature of the wine almost instantaneously. Drinking from a wine glass made from fused or cut glass, isn’t a pleasurable experience. The reason being, that such types of glasses interfere with the flavor of the wine, as well as create a rough thick lip (part of the glass where the wine is sipped from). However, glasses made from blown glass are widely accepted by casual wine drinkers, as its lip is slim and smooth. Another material used in the manufacturing of wine glasses is ‘Lead Glass.’ The result is a high quality wine glass, which is cherished by the elite of the wine drinking community.
Another factor that affects the quality of a wine glass is its shape. The shape of the wine glass preserves the wine’s aroma as well as its taste. The shape also helps position the glass in the most optimum way, so as to direct the flow of the wine in a suitable manner. Gulping or taking big sips from a glass of wine is considered atrocious. A very important part of a wine glass is the ’stem’. When holding a wine glass, its always the stem of the glass that should come in contact with the hands. This prevents warming of the wine due to body heat. The stem also prevents smothering of the bowl with fingerprints, thus keeping the texture of the bowl intact.
In all, there are three types of wine glasses:
Red Wine Glasses: The characteristics of a red wine glass are its round shape and a wider bowl. In case of the red wine, a person can hold the glass by its bowl, because the red wine is always served at room temperature. Therefore, there is no risk of the wine getting spoiled.
White Wine Glasses: These glasses are a bit narrower than the red wine glasses, so as to retain the wine’s temperature. They also have a slightly straightened sides.
Champagne Flutes: Commonly known as champagne glasses, they are very slim in size and have a long stem with tall narrow bowl at the top. Champagne is often sparkly (due to the presence of carbon-di-oxide) in appearance and in order to preserve this characteristic and prevent it from dissipating they have tall, narrow bowl. These types of glasses or flutes are used on special occasions only, like weddings, award ceremonies and black tie events.
Always remember, wine glasses are equally importantly as the wine they serve. It’s an intricate ballet of style, taste and panache. A wine glass has the capability to change the entire experience of wine tasting. An impeccable wine has to be served in an exquisite wine glass.
This article has been written by an expert at Greatest Wine Glass (http://www.greatestwineglass.com/). Greatest Wine Glasses are known for their customised wine glasses. Check out their introductory offer online at http://www.greatestwineglass.com/.
Amari
Only a wine enthusiast can understand the importance of wine glass ware. The quality of glassware can greatly enhance the wine experience from bad to good or vice versa. Bowl, stem and foot are the three parts that make up a wine glass. You have to choose wisely, while purchasing a wine glass, as the shape and quality of the glass reflect upon the quality of the wine. It is widely believed that people give more attention to the glasses than to the wine. These days the wine glass has emerged as a status symbol, just like Rolls Royce is in the world of automobiles. Before using a wine glass, one must know the correct way of handling a glass. The wine glass is one of the most delicate pieces of stemware. As there are different kinds of wine, so are the proper ways of handling each of them when in a wine glass. The most common way of holding a wine glass is by its stem, which should be tucked in between the fingers. A wine glass in never held from the bowl (except with red wine) because when the bowl of the glass comes in contact with the skin, the body heat gets transferred to the wine and slowly erodes the aroma and the taste.
The materials of a wine glass are equally important, because they have an affect on the temperature of the wine almost instantaneously. Drinking from a wine glass made from fused or cut glass, isn’t a pleasurable experience. The reason being, that such types of glasses interfere with the flavor of the wine, as well as create a rough thick lip (part of the glass where the wine is sipped from). However, glasses made from blown glass are widely accepted by casual wine drinkers, as its lip is slim and smooth. Another material used in the manufacturing of wine glasses is ‘Lead Glass.’ The result is a high quality wine glass, which is cherished by the elite of the wine drinking community.
Another factor that affects the quality of a wine glass is its shape. The shape of the wine glass preserves the wine’s aroma as well as its taste. The shape also helps position the glass in the most optimum way, so as to direct the flow of the wine in a suitable manner. Gulping or taking big sips from a glass of wine is considered atrocious. A very important part of a wine glass is the ’stem’. When holding a wine glass, its always the stem of the glass that should come in contact with the hands. This prevents warming of the wine due to body heat. The stem also prevents smothering of the bowl with fingerprints, thus keeping the texture of the bowl intact.
In all, there are three types of wine glasses:
Red Wine Glasses: The characteristics of a red wine glass are its round shape and a wider bowl. In case of the red wine, a person can hold the glass by its bowl, because the red wine is always served at room temperature. Therefore, there is no risk of the wine getting spoiled.
White Wine Glasses: These glasses are a bit narrower than the red wine glasses, so as to retain the wine’s temperature. They also have a slightly straightened sides.
Champagne Flutes: Commonly known as champagne glasses, they are very slim in size and have a long stem with tall narrow bowl at the top. Champagne is often sparkly (due to the presence of carbon-di-oxide) in appearance and in order to preserve this characteristic and prevent it from dissipating they have tall, narrow bowl. These types of glasses or flutes are used on special occasions only, like weddings, award ceremonies and black tie events.
Always remember, wine glasses are equally importantly as the wine they serve. It’s an intricate ballet of style, taste and panache. A wine glass has the capability to change the entire experience of wine tasting. An impeccable wine has to be served in an exquisite wine glass.
Felicia
Not sure what wines to buy? Always buy the same thing? Looking for a regular supply of wines direct to your door? If the answer is yes to any of the above, then you should consider joining a wine club. Wine clubs have become increasingly popular in recent years and offer a number of benefits when it comes to buying wine.
The main advantage of joining a wine club is that you get to enjoy a regular supply (monthly or quarterly depending on the wine club) of expertly selected wines. Unlike a supermarket or wine shop when you are faced with rows and rows of wines and unsure what to buy, with a wine club all the research is done for you. You get to taste a whole host of award winning wines, customer favourites, pre-releases and undiscovered gems that you otherwise may not have chosen. What’s more, you’ll be sure to have a bottle of wine to hand, perfect for every occasion.
Another advantage of joining a wine club is that you will receive detailed information about each of the wines. This can help when it comes to picking out wines in the future (particularly if you are new to wine), as you get to learn more about what you are drinking and the winemakers who produce the wines. Some wine clubs encourage you to rate or comment on the wine. This can be useful as you get to remember your favourites and you also get to see what other customers think of the wines before you taste them.
Joining a wine club is one of the easiest ways of buying wine. As you sit back and enjoy your wines, you can rest assured that the hard work is being done to prepare your next wine club case for you. And with delivery direct to door, you don’t have to lift a finger.
Some wine clubs offer an incentive to encourage you to join, such as a price reduction or free gift. Once you’ve joined, you’ll also probably benefit from other savings such as discounted cases or exclusive promotions. Virgin Wines’ online wine club goes the extra mile and offers a money back guarantee, so if you find that you don’t like a wine that has been selected for you, you can get your money back.
In addition, as a member of a wine club, you may receive invitations to tasting sessions or events. These can be a great way of meeting other people interested in wine, chatting to the experts who select your wines and trying new ranges.
Finally, with many wine clubs to choose from, it’s worth picking one that offers you freedom and flexibility. So if you decide that you want to skip a case or modify the selection where you don’t like a wine, this shouldn’t be a problem.
A wine club is a great option if you are looking to learn more about wine and they are a really convenient way of keeping stocked up with wine. Wine clubs do vary from one to another, so it’s best to check the details and terms first to ensure that you choose the best one for you. To find out about Virgin Wines’ Discovery Wine Club, which specialises in bringing you boutique wines from up and coming winemakers, and which offers all of the benefits mentioned above plus more, visit virginwines (dot) com.
Mandy
For a real wine lover there is probably nothing more enjoyable than trying a new vintage or brand and finding it so completely satisfying. But if there’s one problem with trying a new vintage or brand it must be the time and effort that goes into shopping around all your options. One of the great benefits of a wine club is that you don’t need to do the painstaking research about each bottle or vintage before you purchase it. This is a great option for those who are just starting out in their love affair with wines and may not know how to get started with selection or what makes a good vintage and so on.
As much as someone may love wine, there just aren’t enough hours in the day to invest in researching the many choices that are out there. And this is where the California Wine Club comes into play; they are one of the oldest and most respected and trusted wine clubs in the U.S. today. But what sets the California Wine Club apart from other wine of the month clubs and why would anyone choose to join such a club rather than make individual selections on their own?
Those Behind the California Wine Club
First, keep in mind that the California Wine Club was started by married Bruce and Pam Boring, both wine lovers themselves. This is unlike some wine clubs that are started by those who just want to make a profit off of other’s love of wine and don’t care much or don’t know much about wine itself. These two personally hand select and deliver the wines to their members every single month. When you know that your selections are being made by fellow wine lovers, you begin to appreciate how the California Wine Club is different from many other such clubs.
Also, note that the Borings do not choose their wines from mass producers or bulk manufacturers. Unlike some clubs that choose wines based on availability and price alone, the California Wine Club will look at smaller vineyards with vintages that are not available at most stores and liquor shops. However, these are not lower quality wines as most are award winners and can compete with all of the more well known vineyards by quality alone.
Giving Gifts From the California Wine Club
Of course a monthly membership is not the only benefit of the California Wine Club. If you’re in the market for a gift of wine you can consult with their experts for personal recommendations just for you. You can even enter their Corporate Rewards Program, where you earn points for each gift of wine you order and then receive discounts and other perks after so many purchases or points.
Nationally Recognized
The California Wine Club has even received national recognition for their dedication to wine and the attention they give to finding perfect and unique selection. Bon Appetit Magazine stated that they are a unique source of virtually impossible to find and limited production wines, and praised them for their selections.
If you’re looking for a wine club because you’ve just discovered how wonderful the beverage is or you want to be surprised and delighted with your monthly selections, then you certainly can’t go wrong with the California Wine Club.
Johana
Acetic; This is what happens when the wine is exposed to air. It develops a vinegary taste or smell.
Acidity; All wines contain some level of acid. The acid level needs to be in a proper balance with the other components and fruits in the wine so that you should be able to taste the crispiness and liveliness of the wine. This acidity is also vital in the aging process of the wine.
Aftertaste; This is the impression of flavor that you will get once you have swallowed the wine. It is also called the “finish” of a wine.
Aroma; The smell of wines, especially that of young wines.
Aromatic; This is a term that this used for wines that have a distinct aroma, especially those with herbs and spices in them.
Astringent; This term is used when the tannin level in the wine dries out the mouth.
Austere; A somewhat hard tasting wine, where the character and fruitiness have been restrained.
Big; A full bodied powerful in aroma wine.
Bitter; This is usually considered as a fault bit it is also a characteristic of certain Italian wines.
Body; The weight and texture that is found in wines. You can describe a wine as light bodied or full bodied.
Bouquet; The intermingling of aromas that fine aged wines produce.
Breed; This is the term that is referred to as the bloodlines of the wine grapes. It is also used when noting the soil, the grapes and the techniques that are used to produce a good quality wine.
Chewy; This term is used to describe wines that have an unusual thick texture to the wine. It feels like you need to chew the wine before you swallow it.
Clean; Fresh wines that seem to have no defects. This term also refers to the aroma, appearance and flavor of the wines.
Complete; A mature wine that has a satisfying feel and a great aftertaste on the palette.
Complex; This is where you will find a combination of flavors and aroma elements in various types of wines.
Corked, corky; The wines smell like cork rather than wine. This is because it was bottled in correctly.
Deep; A wine that has many layers of taste that slowly reveals itself.
Delicate; A light fragrance, body and flavor in the wine.
Distinctive; An elegant and refined character in the wine that sets it apart.
Dry; There is a little amount of sugar in the wine.
Earthy; You can detect this in certain wines. The smell and flavor is bit like the earth or soil.
Elegant; A refined charactered wine. This is usually to describe a stylish and quality wine.
Extra dry; You can find this term on champagne bottles as they describe the wine.
Fat; A wine that is full of flavor and body.
Fine; A distinguished wine.
Flat; A wine that is lacking in liveliness. Also a wine with an insufficient amount of acid.
Flavor; Describing how the wine tastes.
Full; Describes a wine that has a rich body
Green; A tart wine that is made from unripe grapes. Also has a lack of fruit flavoring.
Grip; Firmness of structure and flavor.
Hard; Stiff and undeveloped.
Heady; High in alcohol and very full bodied.
Herbaceous; Aromas that are reminiscent of fresh grass or hay. It can also be a characteristic of some wines like Cabernets.
Honeyed; You will find a taste or smell that is like honey.
Intricate; The interweaving of subtle flavors and aromas within a wine.
Legs; The rivulets of wine that you see running down the sides of the glass after swirling or sipping the wine.
Length; The lingering aftertaste that you get from a wine.
Light; This refers to wines that are light in alcohol, weight and texture. The feeling that you get in the mouth when you drink the wine is also described as light.
Lively; A fresh wine that has vitality and crispness.
Mature; A fully developed, ready to drink wine.
Meaty; This is a wine that is firm in structure with a chewy, fruity taste.
Mellow; A smooth, soft wine that has no harsh characteristics.
Noble; Wines that have a great balance and a harmonious expression. The wines that are made from these types of grapes are considered as the finest wines in the world. You can find Merlot and Cabernet among this lot.
Nose; The smell that comes from the wine. You can get “good nose” or a “bad nose”. A term used to detect faults in the wine.
Nutty; A nutlike aroma that develops in some wines.
Oak, oaky; This is the flavor and aroma that comes from aging the wine in oak casks or barrels. The taste is a mixture of vanilla, spices, smokiness and cloves.
Open; You can get the full character from the wine.
Oxidized; Flat, stale wines. Wines that have a sherry like and flavor and aroma. The state where wines becomes spoiled due to exposure to air.
Petillant; A light sparkle that can be seen in the wines.
Rich; A full, opulent wine with good body and aroma.
Ripe; Mature, fully ripe fruit.
Robust; A powerful, full bodied and heady wine.
Sharp; Biting or acidic.
Smoky; The aroma and flavor that a wine can get from being aged in an oak barrel or casket.
Sparkling; This is used where there are bubbles that are detectedable in the wine.
Spicy; A wine that has the characteristics of spices like cloves, mint, pepper and cinnamon.
Structure; The way that a wine in made with regard to its proportions and composition.
Supple; A wine that is yielding in flavor and is ready to drink.
Sweet; This usually indicates the presence of grape sugar that have not been completely converted to alcohol.
Tannin; This is a natural substance that is found in the skins, stems and seeds of certain grapes. This substance is also a major component in the structure of red wines.
Tart; A sharp wine that is acceptable to drink if it is not acidic.
Thin; Lacking in body and flavor.
Tired; Where a wine is past its peak flavor development. Old.
Vanilla; You will get this scent from the aging process of oak caskets.
Velvety; Smooth and very rich in texture.
Vigorous; A wine with a firm, strong body and flavor and a lively fruitiness.
Vinegary; Having the smell of vinegar.
Watery; Thin and lacking in any flavor.
Weedy; You will get the flavors and aromas of grass or hay. This scent becomes unpleasant only in excessive amounts.
Weighty; Forceful, strong, full bodied and powerful – terms to describe wines.
Woody; The aroma that comes when wine has been over aged in barrels or casks.
Yeasty; A bread smell that can be sometimes found in wines that have gone through a secondary fermentation process like champagne. Can be appealing if it is not excessive.
Young; Simple fine wines that have yet to become mature. Still undeveloped.
Rylee
Hosting a wine party is a great way of getting together with family and friends and have a great time socializing. The guests bring something or the other to contribute to the party. However, when you are invited to a wine tasting party, it becomes a pickle to decide as to what should be taken as a gift for the party. You want to show that you are a genuine wine enthusiast and above all you want to give the host a big smile. Here are a couple of wine gifts that are ideally suited for the occasion:
1.Wine Bottle: If you are looking for a good wine gift, then it would be wise to go for a bottle of wine. A wine bottle would make the recipient quite happy and would also make an elegant statement. You can always go for Magnum, Imperial or Solomon types of wine bottles. The wine bottle would portray an elegant look if it’s in Burgundy, Mosel and Alsace colors.
2.Wine Basket:: Another perfect wine gift would be a Wine Gift Basket. This makes an excellent wine gift for parties or any other occasion. A wine basket is usually comprised of a couple bottles of wine with matching appetizers, chocolates with various spreads with chardonnay and cheese. You can always liquor shop and get an idea on how to make your wine basket into a perfect wine gift. A wine basket is always considered the best wine gifts of all. You can also gift it to a person who doesn’t drink at all. With a wine gift basket, you can never be embarrassed because even if the recipient is a teetotaler, the chocolates and the goodies beside the wine would be more than enough to bring a big smile on his face. However, it’s very crucial to be aware of the ingredients that would make the best wine gift basket. A good standard wine basket would consist of one or two bottles of wine, chocolates, spreads and meat. However, to make your wine gift basket look more sumptuous you should also add several other food products like smoked salmon, roasted nuts, bonbons and more.
3.Wine Accessories: Another great gift that would surely impress a wine enthusiast would be wine accessories. These accessories include corkscrews, lever model screwpulls, pocket and table model screwpulls. Champagne coolers, buckets and wine chillers. These wine accessories can also be added in a wine gift basket.
4.Wine Glasses: Taste of a good wine is always supplemented by the wine glass that you use. So in the spirit of wine tasting, it would be a great idea to gift a wine enthusiast with a set of gorgeous wine glasses. There are different types of glasses that can be gifted for different sorts of wines. If your host is serving red wine, or if your are presenting him with a red wine then, you should always go for Red Wine glasses. These glasses can be recognized by round wide bowl. In case of a white wine, White Wine glasses are the ideal choice. These glasses are recognized by their narrow and tulip-shaped sides. Finally, if you have chosen to gift champagne, then the best way to present a bottle of an exquisite champagne is with Champagne glasses. Also known as champagne flutes they are quite easily recognizable with their tall stems and narrow bowl on top.
With these wonderful wine gifts, you are surely going to be the life of the party and the recipient will remember you for a long time to come.
Calista
The real advantage of wines discovery wine is tasting course to wine wine as the traditional country try wines and winemaker as it recognises that could be because you can help some wine wine you like and grape varieties like and grape.
The way most out do you do you do you really dont like different grapes countries and discovering new wines that way is tasting your dinner party its likely to try wines in your dinner party its likely to help you selection of your same way through selection of whites reds this way through.
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Macey
For the family refrigerators used to use an electricitypowered wine if you risk wine regardless of running wine much longer so that both dark and models of about 55 degrees only use of proper wine process if.
Raina
The process of matching food and wine is highly subjective and inexact process.The old rules like having red wine with red meat and white wine with fish and poultry do not hold well these days because in this fast moving world experimentation regarding the match of wine with the food recipes and no one follows these hard and fast rules. The pairing could be on your own will and wish. You can hear the suggestion about the new mix and match suggestions on an everyday basis.Vineyard tours and wine tastings are a great way to try to try the different wines and learn more as to which wine you favor the most. Then you can begin with trying the foods and wines you favor the most. While pairing food and wine, the goal is synergy and power. The wine should not overpower the food, and even the food should not overpower the wine.Try and match the food with the wine in such a way that it flavors the food in a better way. Wine in itself tastes better than the food; wine has a similar significance as that of spice in food. Wine when drunk along with your food produces different sensations.A good match can bring out the nuances that can enhance the flavors and bring very good characteristics of both the food and wine.Good food and wine pairing is achieved when there are similarities and contrasts between the taste and intensity.Rule of thumb that will help in better pairing of wine and foodIn case you take a wine for a gift to a dinner party, then there is no need to worry about the matching of the wine with the food. A good wine to be taken as a gift to a dinner party is a very good idea. A grand party deserves better wine than hamburgers and chips.When you serve wines it is important that you serve lighter wines before full-bodied people. It is important that you serve dry wines before the sweet flavored wines. Lower alcohol wines must be served before higher alcohol wines.Try and balance the flavor intensities. Serve light wines with light food and serve heavy wines with heavy food.While pairing wines with the food consider the preparation of the food, serve the lighter wines with food that is steamed. The wines which have strong alcohol content should be paired with food that is grilled, roasted or sautéed.Pair cheese and wine. In some European countries the best wine is reserved for cheese course. Red wine goes well with mild to sharp cheese. Intensely flavored cheese goes well sweeter wine.So before you decide on the pairing of wines with the food course it is always important that you taste the wine.
Salma
