What does Chardonnay really taste like?

When conducting private wine tasting sessions I sometimes hear people comment ”I don't care for chardonnay” when what they really mean is that they don't care for overly oaked whites.

The majority of chardonnays on the market are fermented in oak with the un-oaked chardonnay being the exception. Because of this, when people think 'CHARDONNAY' they think spicy, smokey, vanilla, and butterscotch. This isn't the grape they are tasting though, it is the oak in which chardonnay is typically fermented.

An unoaked chardonnay has little in common with the often overly oaked Chardonnay.  

A quality crafted un-oaked chardonnay will boast deliciously fruity flavors ranging from apple and
melon in the colder growing regions to luscious tropical fruit flavors such as pineapple in the warmer climates.

I have recently discovered an un-oaked chardonnay blend from The Traveling Vineyard that has been a real hit at my wine tasting sessions.

The Scotto family has masterfully blended 13.7% Marsanne with 86.3% Chardonnay to create a fruity, crisp Chardonnay blend that is full of flavor and intrigue.  The wine went through a cold fermentation (fermented at 52 degrees Fahrenheit) to protect and develop the delicate fruit flavors, and was not aged in oak, but rather was aged sur-lie (on the yeast) to add smoothness, complexity and character.
Fruit flavors evident in this Chardonnay/Marsanne blend include tropical citrus, pineapple, melon, and green apple.  The wine pairs beautifully with shrimp, fish, or Asian cuisine.
I am loving this Scotto chardonnay! If you would like to give it a swirl you can find it at www.myttv.com/freewinetasting

Save the Earth Drink Wine With Cork!

We’ve had the cork or screw cap debate on many occasions in the past and yet there’s still some confusion. Today we have a look at the  some “urban legends” about cork, screw caps and plastic closures.
Facts

1. Cork trees are not cut down, they are harvested, by hand, every 9 years.
2. A cork tree that is harvested of its bark will, over its lifetime, absorb 10 tons more CO2 than one not harvested.
3. There is no cork shortage; in fact, there is enough cork to close all the bottles of wine produced for the next 100 years.
4. Cork forests support one of our planet’s highest levels of forest biodiversity and keep 6.6 million acres of the Mediterranean basin from becoming a desert.
5. Wineries are choosing screw caps and plastic closure for financial reasons, not wine quality.
6. Screw caps and plastic closures are not sustainably sourced or biodegradable.

Fiction

1. People claim that screw caps can be recycled. – No, they can’t. They are too small to be picked up in the sorting facilities and end up in landfills.
2. Screw caps are more environmentally friendly than cork. – Mining for bauxite remains one of the most environmentally devastating practices on our planet. The aluminum industry uses 1% of all the electricity generated in the world.
3. Wine cannot be “tainted” if closed with a screw cap. – About 2% of all screw cap wines are affected by some sort of “taint”.
4. There are no health issues when using a screw cap. – Recent studies have shown higher than normal levels of endocrine disruptor’s in wines closed with screw caps because of the plastic seal inside the cap.
5. Plastic closures are recyclable. – Yes, but less than 1% of them ever are. They end up in landfills, being incinerated or floating around in our oceans.
6. Plastic is safe for use with wine. – Wine is a solvent due to its alcohol content. When plastic and solvents come in contact, there is leaching (much the same as with the screw cap).
7. Plastic is safe for our environment. – Plastic never goes away, it may break down into small particles, but it is here forever.

The cork forests of the Mediterranean basin have been placed on the United Nation’s “25 Hotspots for Biodiversity” list. They are vital to the environmental sustainability of our earth. By supporting wineries that use natural cork, you are making a statement about your commitment to our planet’s health, and your reward is a wonderful glass of wine.

Article From:   winetimes

Mulled Wine for the Holdiays

Happy Holidays! It's time to Wine~
This is my favorite time of year.   I love shopping and wrapping and gift giving and especially gathering with friends to celebrate the year.  What I don't care for though is the part where temperatures plunge and we skitter around with our shoulders up to our ears in an attempt to keep warm.
Mulled wine is great for taking the chill out, relaxing those shoulders and filling your home with wonderful aromas.  I will post a few recipies over the next few days and would love to read yours as well! After all 'tis the season of sharing~
Happy Holidays

 Mulled Wine -
1 bottle of Merlot,
1 t almond extract,
2 cinnamon sticks (plus xtras for garnish if desired).
3 whole cloves,
1/2 t nutmeg,
1 T honey.
 Pour wine into top of double boiler, warm over med heat. Add remaining ingredients, stir til honey dissolves. Reduce heat, cover, simmer, stirring occasionally.
and Sip!
Makes the house smell delicious too!

How to Open a Wine bottle with a Shoe

Desperate times call for for desperate measures!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEPz1nkiwLI

Warding off the Red Wine Headache

I have a lot of people ask me why red wine gives them a headache. My first response is to tell them that they are either drinking cheap wine, or drinking way to much cheap wine. This is commonly referred to as a HANGOVER.

However, there are some people who,despite drinking a quality red wine above the $15 mark still suffer from headaches and/or flushed skin.  Although there are many theories as to why this happens, there are no solid  answers.

Luckily, there are preventative measures  you can take without giving up your cup of red nectar, (providing you aren't drinking cheap wine.)

Try drinking a cup of black tea before you drink the wine. If you will be drinking over the course of an evening, have another cup or two of black tea during the evening. Quercetin, a bioflavonoid found in black tea, significantly inhibits the headache/flush response (which is an inflammatory effect from histamines), according to Tareq Khan, M.D., a pain expert with St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in Houston, Texas.

Or if the problem you suffer from is bloating due to alcohol's dehydrating and water retention effects, try munching on magnesium-rich snacks like dark chocolate and unsalted nuts, according to Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D.

Viva la Screw Cap!

As late as the mid-17th century, the French wine makers did not use corks. Instead, they used oil-soaked rags stuffed into the necks of bottles.
Sure makes the screw cap sound a bit more attractive, doesn't it?!

Happy Hallowine!

Some people have Halloween parties but in our neighborhood we enjoy an adult version of Trick or Treat we call '”Trick or Drink”

Once the kiddies are safely off the street, a few of us more adventurous adults don our costumes, grab our 'hallo wine' glasses and travel from house to house, demanding “Trick or Drink!”

As we wind our way down the street we gather others of our kind and eventually converge upon the home of the couple who,unfortunately, could not find a sitter for their children. It's really quite fun and being that it's Halloween there's always a lot of candy available to pair with our wine.

SUGGESTIONS TO PACIFY THE TRICK OR DRINKERS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Here are some suggestions of wines to have on hand for the “Trick or Drinkers” in your neighborhood, or if you should find yourself stuck at home, pairings to treat yourself with while you hand out candy or rifle through your little goblin's sack of goodies after he or she has finally passed out from a sugar induced high.

       Of course we all know that chocolate is ghoulishly delicious and appropriate to eat with just about any red wine, but if you should find a bit of the rare 'white' chocolate variety in the bounty, save it for an Australian Shiraz! It is an amazing food pairing and is a surprisingly sinful combination even if you are under the assumtion that you don't care for white chocolate or Shiraz. Try it anyways. It's the perfect example of how food and wine change one another to bring out the best in both.

Vanilla flavored candies such as candy corn and popcorn balls are scrumptious with a creamy Chardonnay, Semillon or a sweet Riesling.

Do you love to sink your fangs into a gooey juicy Caramel Apple? Try matching the toasty flavor of the butterscotch and caramel with a Gewurztraminer or, if you prefer bringing the apple taste to the forefront for your tasting pleasure, sip a nice crisp Sauvignon Blanc while you munch.

Feeling a little nutty after handing out candy for hours and and then chasing your little berzerker around the house? Put your feet up and dig down into the bowl. Unwrap yourself a Babe Ruth , Snickers, Payday or other nutty bar and pop a bottle of sweet Moscato to enhance those nutty flavors while you wait for those Trick or Drinkers to bang on your door!

Happy Hallowine everyone!