by Rhino Wino on March 12, 2010
With St Patrick’s Day just a few short days away many are planning a traditional Irish feast to share with friends and loved ones for the occasion. While Ireland is known for its beer there is no reason why you cannot serve a quality wine with a classic dish such as corned beef and cabbage.
While this classic dish of boiled meat with cabbage can be a challenge to pare wine with it is possible to come up with a perfect taste combination. Chefs need to consider the salty nature of the meat along with the earthy flavor of the cabbage when shopping for their wine. Most wine experts agree the wine will need to be slightly sweet with just a little touch of acidity to pare well with this meal.
While a white wine such as a Pinot Gris should pare well this will leave red wine lovers still shopping for the perfect combination. For those who love red wine a Beaujolais should pare up nicely with the meal. Hosts do need to remember to serve this wine with the proper wine decanter accessories and decanters to ensure the flavor of the wine is optimal for paring with this traditional meal.
by Rhino Wino on March 11, 2010
Warren Buffet is one of the richest men in the United States, and recently he placed a substantial amount of his money in the wine industry. With reports saying Buffet paid top dollar to acquire Empire Distributing out of Atlanta. This niche wine distributor is an investment for Buffet who many believe will place more money in the wine industry after this purchase is complete.
With studies showing that the Baby Boomer generation spends more than any other filling their barossa moka wine tote at the store, Buffet is hoping to take these sales and get a significant return on his investment. While the reasons for consuming wine for the Baby Boomers may vary from pure taste enjoyment, to show success, and even for health the average amount spent per year is approximately $125 per person.
For the wine industry Buffet putting his money into the industry will only encourage others to do the same. Many follow the same path as Warren Buffet just because he has such a successful track record on getting positive returns for his money. In times like these with an unstable economy finding wise investments is something that many are looking for and look to people like Buffet for guidance.
by Rhino Wino on March 10, 2010
While the wine industry in South America is still reeling from the devastating earthquake, which rocked Chile and the surrounding area recently. The wine industry in North America is now preparing a hit of a different sort, which can affect production. Napa Valley is now under a quarantine to try and prevent the further spread of the European grapevine moth.
The moth was first discovered in Oakville last September and since then it appears they are spreading. In order to protect from further spread, which is augmented in the spring when larvae eat the young flowers on grape vines, quarantine has been placed inside the state. This controls the shipment of fruit and some plants in order to keep the moth from spreading farther.
Provided the quarantine is effective wine lovers will still be able to fill their Malibu picnic wine carrier with fine wines from Napa Valley with little problems. But if the moth gets out of control in the region grape harvest for the year will be devastated affecting the quantity of wine that will be made. This can in the long run affect not only bottle production but the price they will be sold for as well.
by Rhino Wino on March 9, 2010
Women now have yet another reason to tip that wine glass on occasion with friends or even on that date out and that is weight lose. Studies are now showing that women who drink moderately are more likely to not gain weight and reduce their risk of obesity.
The study conducted over thirteen years included over 19,000 women over 39 who drank a variety of alcoholic beverages. Those that drank in moderation were able to keep weight off during the course of the study and the women who consumed red wine were able to stay the slimmest.
While not a diet that will help everyone lose weight this study is just one more reason to drink a glass of red wine each day for your health. Packed with antioxidants and with so many studies backing up the health benefits red wine is something that everyone should include in moderation.
For those who want to take their health into their own hands and drink in moderation a weekender two bottle wine carrier is a perfect way to get together with friends and have a toast for the health of everyone while enjoying good company.
by Rhino Wino on March 8, 2010
There are just some foods that pare so well with wine it is hard to imagine serving them without a glass of red or white wine to accent its flavor. There is just nothing quite like cheese boards full of carefully crafted cheeses served with a complimentary wine. But then on the other hand there are foods that really compliment the flavor of other foods but make paring a wine almost impossible. Some consider asparagus to be one of those foods that is almost impossible to pare with a fine wine.
With asparagus the same grassy, green flavor provided by its naturals chemistry can really enhance the taste in good cuts of meat, shrimp, and even nuts. This same chemistry does not pare well with most wines making a meal with asparagus hard to include a fine wine.
When looking for a wine to pare with asparagus there are two things to keep in mind. First you can use sauces on the asparagus that will help bridge the flavor gap making it slightly easier to get a good combination, hollandaise sauce or even mayonnaise will do the trick. Also look for wines that are highly in oak flavor or full of acids for the perfect paring of wine and asparagus.
by Rhino Wino on March 5, 2010
For those who follow the Catholic faith Lent is in full swing and this means following a specific diet that meets the guidelines set down by the church. For many this means the Friday dinner will be fish for the next few weeks and this can be tricky enough finding a variety of ways to serve it but also for paring it with a good table wine.
For many friend fish in the classic English style of fish and chips is a quick and convenient choice after a long day at work. When serving any fried foods, including fish, sparkling wines are always a sure bet. The bubbles that are loaded in these particular wines can handle the heaviness that comes with fried fish.
For simpler fish meals such as a roasted snapper light white wines including Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio are good matches for a perfect meal. For spicier fish meals consider Riesling or another slightly sweet wine to combine with the heat.
Having the right wine and wine accessories to accompany those fish meals will make these meals for Lent enjoyable even for those who are not as into fish and would rather be eating a juicy steak instead.
by Rhino Wino on March 4, 2010
As more states such as New York debate and possibly allow grocery stores to sell wines many small liquor stores worry about their future. In states that already allow liquor sales in supermarkets small stores are feeling the pinch with fewer sales as more consumers buy everything they need at the larger chain stores.
What many wine consumers do not realize that with the added convenience they are actually giving up quality service from someone who actually knows their wines. There is something to be said for a small store that only has a focus on the wine art made by the finest vineyards, and not just putting things on their shelves and worrying about their bottom line.
While it may be easy to just grab that bottle of wine for dinner while you are at the store there is something to be said that comes with the expertise at the smaller store owned by the wine lover. Without that connoisseur behind the counter people will tend to stick with wines they know. But with the help and guidance of a professional wines can be explored and enjoyed as they should be.
by Rhino Wino on March 3, 2010
For many wine lovers the thought of their glass of wine coming from a metal barrel almost seems horrific. But many restaurants that serve wine by the glass are trying to figure out how best to keep that wine fresh after the bottle has been opened. Many end up pouring much of their inventory down the drain after customers drink one glass from the bottle with their dinner.
While wine stoppers and even wine decanters are often used to try and salvage the remaining wine until another wants a glass of this type most often the wine will oxidize first. One innovative establishment in Portland is now using metal kegs to serve up their wine by the glass. This specially designed system for wine has a delivery system that ensures that the last glass of wine will taste just like a freshly opened bottle as the first glass did.
These wine kegs will hold up to 125 glasses of wine and not only do they keep the wine fresh but they also cut down on packaging. Since no bottles are used the cost is lowered as well as the materials needed by the vineyard.
by Rhino Wino on March 2, 2010
The news has been full of the devastation caused by the large earthquake which struck in Chile this past weekend. While our hearts go out to those who are still reeling from this event it is not hard to stop and think about the industries the country depends on and how they will fare. One of the leading segments of the ecomony in the country is the wine industry in the hills and valleys especially in the Maule Valley.
While the news coming from the rural areas is scarce many vineyards seemed to report no lose of life at their facilities. But many are reporting of massive breakage in not only cases but barrels that were aging as well. Many are also reporting lots of equipment and wine accessories damage which will affect their ability to process the upcoming harvest for this years wines.
While the short term effects seem to have many wineries at least partially disabled the long term does not look too bad since many will have no problems recovering. For wine lovers this will mean a overall shortage in wines from Chile for awhile but in the long run this important part of Chilean economy will make it past this devastating event.
by Rhino Wino on March 1, 2010
As spring is quickly coming upon us many are starting to plan their upcoming vacations for summer and for many wine lovers these trips are often to top wine regions. While Napa Valley has long been one of the top west coast destinations for enjoying beautiful wine country and tasting quality wines there are other exceptional locations that are less well known. Many wine lovers are beginning to find the Paso Robles wine country just a little further down the road. Located in the hills between San Francisco and Los Angeles just a little inlaid from the famed Highway 1 this former cow town is now home to wineries that produce top quality short run wines.
Many of these vineyards do not have much of a following outside of California but not because of lack of quality in their product. The majority of these vineyards produce less than 5,000 cases a year making their output a little too small for distributing nationally. But of course visitors to the area are more than welcome to bring along their wine bags so they can stock up their home cellars with these top quality, carefully crafted wines to enjoy after their trip to the area.
