Correct Stemware For Serving Wine By Sarah Martin

There are in the world of American connoisseurs and wine snobs a dozen cardinal rules of ostentatious wine service. Silly or otherwise, correct stemware is one of the first and foremost “rules” when it comes to properly serving fine wine.

As for correct stemware, it is suggested that you first get rid of those pretty wineglasses you received as a wedding gift. They may look lovely displayed on a shelf, but, with certain exceptions, they are worse than useless for drinking wine. Why? Because the wine-ignorant manufacturers make them in thimble sizes that don't hold enough wine for more than a taste.

When you serve a guest the skimpy two-ounce portion of Tempranillo (http://www.wineaccess.com/wine/grape/Tempranillo/) that the average one of these baubles holds, he empties it at a single sip and waits, thirsty and embarrassed, for you to pour some more. In Europe you are served table wine in respectable stemmed bowls that hold seven, eight, or even nine ounces. Rarely are they poured more than two-thirds full; the head space allows the wine to send forth its fragrance, which is part of its flavor.

You will do better to serve table wine in your water goblets than in the tiny so-called wineglasses. If the water glass seems too big, pour it only half full. At a dinner in your home, four ounces of table wine is a decent serving; the average guest will have a second glass. Your old-fashioned cocktail glasses, or even your highball glasses, are equally acceptable.

Or buy some of the sensible wineglasses which a few manufacturers are at last beginning to place on the market in response to the urgent pleas of vintners. The best ones are plain in design, to let the wine’s color show through; they are tulip-shaped—narrower at the top than at the widest part of the bowl-thereby concentrating the wine's bouquet to delight your olfactory sense. A fine glass of Pinot Noir (http://www.wineaccess.com/wine/grape/Pinot%20Noir/) will practically illuminate a red glow from a glass such as this.

They measure seven or eight ounces to their brim, providing a four-ounce serving when half full, and are sturdy enough to survive ordinary dishwashing. They can be used for all kinds of wine, pouring only a third of a glass when serving Sherry. The thimbles in your set of stemware will do for cordials; or, if they can hold at least two ounces without spilling onto the tablecloth, are also suitable for serving Sherry, Port, and other dessert wines.

Whoever first inflicted on American householders the several different grotesquely shaped, various-sized and colored glasses that are sold as complete sets for the separate serving of Claret, Barbera, Rhine wine, Sauterne, Sherry, and Port, must have copied them out of some rare old book treasured only by glassware hobbyists.

In medieval Europe, it is true; every ancient winegrowing district originally developed its own distinctive wineglass. For example, the old Rhine wine glasses were colored green to hide the fact that early Rhine wines were often cloudy and brown. Such relics of past centuries are no excuse for bamboozling the average American shopper into buying ridiculous glassware.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=321875&ca=Food

Learn About Wine Connoisseurs and Consumption By Daniel Millions

Wine has been around for thousands of years, and has been produced through the simple fermentation of grapes. Many adults like to drink wine with their dinner, as not only does it have an enjoyable taste, the fact that there is alcohol present makes wine a relaxing and fun beverage. Wine enthusiasts who want to collect and specialize in wines must amass a vast amount of knowledge. In fact, there are even adult education classes that focus solely on wine, and even include wine tasting.

The grape is not the only fruit that can be used to make wine. Other fruits, such as apples, can be fermented to produce wine. When a fruit besides the grape is utilizing, that fruit's name is usually implemented in to the title of the wine. For example, if wine was created from an apple, it would be called apple wine. Wine without a preceding descriptor is assumed to be grape wine, as that is the most common type.

While many people avoid alcohol because of its detrimental health effects, research has revealed that the moderate consumption of alcohol can yield several health benefits. The most beneficial form of alcohol has been found to be red wine. This is because red grapes are packed with antioxidants, and those stick around during the transformation from grapes to wine. The primary benefit of regular red wine consumption is cardiovascular protection. This means a lower risk of stroke and heart attack. Antioxidants improve cardio health by decreasing bad cholesterol, increasing good cholesterol, and reducing blood clotting (which is the ultimate reason that heart attacks and strokes occur).

Wine contains a special antioxidant called resveratrol, which has incredible, positive health effects. It has anti-cancer and anti-tumor properties, and has even been shown to extend the lives of certain species. Resveratrol also facilitates nerve production. Due to the chemical's properties, it has been theorized that the antioxidant is effective in preventing diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's.

If you are purely interested in health, then you should choose a red wine with the most antioxidants. The less sweet the wine, the more antioxidants it has, so that is the type of wine you should secure. Avoid white wine altogether, as while it does have some benefits, they pail in comparison to that of red wine.

Wine is a somewhat expensive commodity, which has led many people to begin brewing their own wine. The process of creating homemade wine is fun, not as expensive as one would think, and the final product can be as high a quality as the best wine on the market. You can find plenty of guides on exactly how to create wine on the Internet, but make sure to invest time in to identifying the best one. Not many materials are needed for this activity.

All you need is a large bucket, a hydrometer, a few wine-enhancing chemicals, an air tight mechanism, and of course either grapes or grape juice. There are vineyards that will sell fresh grapes and grape juice, and although taking this route is the most expensive, the final expenses still fall short of the cost of buying pre-bottled wine.

Whether you choose to make your own wine or buy it, it is important to store the product in a wine rack. A wine rack maintains the wine at a forty five degree angle, which is necessary to keep the seal strong and effective.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=292420&ca=Food