Sparkling Wine & Champagne

Do you know that:
1. Sparkling wine was first produced by Dom Pergnon in the 1600s.
2. You need to chill them thoroughly by putting them in a bucket filled with ice and water for thirty to forty minutes before consumption.
3. Sparkling wine is produced for immediate consumption.
4. Champagne and sparkling wines are best served in fluted glasses.

I love both Sparkling Wine & Champagne. Sparkling wine is commonly served in wedding banquets and officially dinners. It is also very common to have a Champagne toss by couple during their wedding dinner. One of the most embarrassing moment is not knowing how to open a Champagne on your big day. Most of the time the Master of Ceremony will remove the foil, pull down the wire loop before handing over the Champagne to you. To open the bottle, you need to firmly grasp the cork and the cage by your hand and rotate the bottle till the cork come out on its own, with only a slight sigh.

What Wine Americans Like?

I came across a very interesting article about what wine Americans like. To my surprise the header says Americans prefer cheap and fun wine. This really interest me to read further as to what are these cheap fun wines about. This article is based on a survey of the most-frequently ordered wines in U.S. restaurants in 2005.

Enter here to read on and find out more.

Does Your Fine Wine Age Well?

Most of the time it is difficult to know exactly how long to age wine. Wines from different vineyard, different wine structures and their complexity make wines age differently. The many types of grape and method used for wine production and the way of storing wines are important factors affecting wines as they age.

As the wine ages, it loses the fruitiness and gains complexity. It also become softer as it ages.

Generally Cabernet Sauvignon will mellow and improve for ten to fifteen years, while Pinot Noir and Zinfandel will age well for five to ten years beyond the vintage date.

Most wines are produced to be consumed within a couple of years after their production although the more expensive wines usually become better with age. However, one interesting thing to note is that the most expensive wine do not benefit from aging.

Other than knowing how long wine age, it is important to know how long can wine last after a bottle is opened.

Hai Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

I was got lucky and snagged a glass of the Hai Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 wine from the grill and share it with some friends. They all love this wine, it has a healthy medium body with sweet berries taste at first. It then follows with black fruit and lastly finishes with wood and a hint of bitter chocolate. Nice tannins that filled the mouth and sent down smoothly. However, it does not have a long finish though.

Note that this wine need some breathing, you need some time in the glass to open the wine.

I quite like it. All my friend too have enjoyed this wine and keep asking me how I know how to select a good wine. So think of sharing this article on "The 10 Tips for Buying Wine". This is good article especially for wine newbies. Click on the article or click here.

Where Was Wine First Made?

We have been enjoying our wine glass after glass. Have you wonder where is wine first made? How to make wine?

Exactly where wine was first made is still unclear. It could have been anywhere in the vast region, stretching from Spain to Central Asia, where wild grapes grow. However, the first large-scale production of wine must have been in……

Take a look at this article on "What is wine". It is a very intersting article giving an idea of the history of wine, how wine is made? How a wine gets its name?

It also defines the different types of wine served during different occassions and when do you need to let your wine breathe before drinking, in other words aeration.

Finest Stuff To Complement Finest Wine

Getting finest wine is important. We want to appreciate the fine wine that give us good aftertaste. The longer it stays the better.

Drinking wine is like an hobby. It is not just about drinking, it is a whole process of getting to know how to store them properly so that as the wine ages, it enhances the wine and not killing it. It is about appreciating wine and having the finest assessories to complement it. Having a glass of wine with the finest wine glass will definitely give you great satisfaction while tasting and sipping the fine wine.

Wine drinking is like an art, you need to learn to appreciate.