What makes wine add such a touch of sophistication to just about anybody? Is it the jewel-like color or the fancy glasses we drink it from? Is it because it represents special occasions for many of us? Is it because we associate it with formal events and celebrations? Maybe it is because we don’t really understand wine very well and feel that those who do have a little extra touch of sophistication about them.
Language
The language of wine gives us wine drinkers the image of sophistication. Often those who do not drink wine are not familiar with wine terminology like tannin, body, acidity, oak, fruitiness, legs and aromas. Wine lovers often debate the different types of wine, the right or wrong way to serve it, whether to decant or not and the flavors and aromas detected in it. They also discuss where wines are from, good years versus bad ones and so much more. It definitely can lead non-wine drinkers to think that we are more sophisticated than the norm. It can also make people think we’re a little pompous!
Reputation
Wine is, by and large, the drink of choice for many special events and for celebrations. Therefore people have come to associate it with people enjoying themselves. When you add wine to just about any occasion, suddenly things are more joyous and people feel like it is a special event. Wine’s reputation makes it sound like a sophisticated choice to drink, unless of course it comes in a box!
Rules
Now most wine drinkers know that there are no hard and fast rules for enjoying wine. However, wine has the reputation of having rules about what temperature to serve it at or what wines go with what foods. Yet in reality, it is all about your taste. Some people serve their red wines chilled or even with an ice cube in it because they simply cannot palate room temperature wine. Others simply enjoy their favorite wine with whatever meal they prepare, regardless of pairing suggestions. It is all about what you like.
Discovery
One of the things that adds to the mystery and sophistication of wine is that there is always something new to try and learn about. There are new wines, different vintages and wines from different regions or different producers to explore. The variety of wine is endless. For many people who enjoy wine immensely, life can be all about discovering new favorites, visiting wineries, making wine at home or learning about wine.
It is a complex subject. For anyone who wants to learn more about wine, there is much written about it. There are books, magazines, web sites and more. Although one of the best ways to explore new wines and learn about them is through wine tasting. Whether you do a wine tasting at home or go to an event, trying it yourself and talking with other wine lovers is the best way to make wine discoveries.
Wine is a sophisticated drink. It is very complex, but can nonetheless be enjoyed by anyone. Whether you have the desire to understand it or not, wine is a wonderful way to relax, enjoy a meal or just liven up a get-together.
Beatriz
The table is set , the food is almost ready but you are unsure what to serve with it and how you can be certain that you will impress your friends with the food, wine and atmosphere of your party. There are loads of reasons why wine will impress your guests but the best way to make sure that you are serving the best wine to your friends is to do a bit of research to find out: what will go well with the types of food that you are serving; whether the wine should be served cold, chilled or at room temperature and to make sure that any wine that you buy is of a good quality. A good quality wine will impress your friends or that someone special. But how do you know that it is a good quality wine? And how do you know that it is something that will suit you or your companions palate? A great way to find out more about wines is to go to a wine tasting event. Many companies hold wine tasting events across the country and they are a great way to get to know wine in more detail. One tip to be aware of is that some companies only carry a small selection of wines - so make sure you go to an event held by an independent retailer, that way you can be sure that there will be a wide range of wines on offer and not just wine from a particular region or country. At a wine tasting there are three things to look out for: appearance, aroma and taste. It is best to taste wine during the daylight hours as this ensures that you can get a good look at the colour of the wine that you are drinking. Look out for clear, bright colours. Secondly, make sure you are not near anyone with gallons of perfume on - you want to be able to smell the wine, not Chanel No 5. Thirdly, don’t eat whilst tasting wine - the flavour of the food will taint the flavour of the wine that you are tasting, if you are really desperate for food, have some dry biscuits. Another way to ensure that the wine that you serve is of a high quality is to buy a fine wine. This is a term used fo wines that have achieved status within the industry. They can be from on of the world’s finest producers or from a region which is well known for producing high quality grapes. The best way to get into buying this kind of wine is to seek the service of an expert. Many independent online wine retailers employ people who can give you this kind of help to ensure that the wine you buy really is of a high quality. And one last thing that will definitely ensure that the wine you serve will delight your guests is to make sure you serve your wine at the right temperature. Nothing is worse than a warm white wine! In general a white wine needs an hour in the fridge before drinking and a red needs to be served at room temperature. If you have forgotten to chill your wine and need to do it in a hurry a bucket of ice and water will bring the temperature down.
Destini
If you ask any group of wine enthusiasts what they think of dessert wines, you are likely to get mixed reactions. Some wine drinkers wouldn’t think of “insulting” their palate with sweet or fortified wines, while others wouldn’t dare end a meal without a delightful dessert wine. As with many things in the wonderful world of wine, there are many degrees of taste involved.
Dessert wines are very sweet, and are typically much thicker and richer than table wines. The servings of dessert wines are much smaller than table wines. They are usually served with dessert following a meal because the sweetness of dessert wines complements the sweetness of desserts.
Like any wine and food pairing, it’s essential to pair dessert wines with foods that they will balance nicely. Dessert wines should always be sweeter than the dessert with which they are served. The reason for this is that if your dessert is sweeter than the wine, the wine will taste bitter after you take a bite of dessert. However, if the wine is sweeter than the dessert, taking a bite of dessert will actually calm the sweetness of the wine somewhat.
Finding dessert wines to go well with chocolate desserts can pose a great challenge, since it’s rare to find a dessert wine that is richer and sweeter than a chocolate dessert.
Types of Dessert Wines
The very definition of a dessert wine is the topic of debate in the wine community. In the United States, the legal definition of a dessert wine is one that is fortified and contains more than 15% alcohol by volume. However, many people believe that it is the sugar content that makes the distinction. After all, some fortified wines with more than 15% alcohol are in fact aperitifs, meant to be consumed before eating, not after.
Sherry is perhaps the most well-known of dessert wines. It is typically made in Spain. Port follows closely in popularity as a well-known dessert wine originating in Portugal. Marsala (from Italy) and Madeira (from Portugal) are other popular choices of fortified dessert wines.
There are also several non-fortified wines which may be used as dessert wines in some instances, such as Moscato d’Asti and Vin Santo (of Italian origin) and Sauternes or Champagne Doux (from France).
How Dessert Wines are Made
Grapes destined to be made into dessert wines are harvested when they are at a higher sugar content than table wine grapes. Their ageing process is halted before all of the sugar is able to ferment, leaving a distinct residual sweetness. Then, either additional alcohol (usually brandy) is added to make fortified wine, or the immature wine is concentrated to condense the alcohol content. Though choosing a dessert wine can seem intimidating, it’s actually a very enjoyable process. They tend to be more expensive than table wines, but they also last much longer due to the small portions. When you find a dessert wine that you enjoy, you will never want to end a meal without it again.
Ellie
