Category Archives: Wine

Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol, carbon dioxide, and heat. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts produce different styles of wine.

Wine Brandy – Cognac in France

Cognac basically is a variety of brandy made in France. Named after Cognac town located within the wine growing French regions of Charente & Charente-Maritime, this variety of brandy must be essentially made from the Ugni Blanc variety of grapes which is locally known as Saint-Emilion.

For any brandy to be named Cognac, the production methods are required to meet certain legal requirements which are regulated by a body called Appellation d’origine controlee. Cognac must be distilled twice using copper pot stills. It must be aged for at least two years of time within French oak barrels coming from Limousin or Troncais.

Maturing Cognac is quite similar to the processes adopted for whisky & other wines when aged in barrels. Most Cognacs sold in the market are aged for a considerable longer period of time than the basic legal requirement of two years.

Cognac Producing Regional Map

The Cognac producing region of France should not be confused with the Champagne producing northeastern region. Although Champagne, the sparkling wine & Cognac share a common etymology & are derivations of the French chalky soil, these basically stand distinctly apart. The authorized region for production of Cognac is divided into six zones.

These are the Fins Bois, Bon Bois, Bois Ordinaire, Borderies, Grande Champagne & Petite Champagne. All these six zones fall within the department of Charente & few areas of Deux-Sèvres & Dordogne. However, a blend of Grande & Petite known as Fine Champagne also comes from this region composed in equal proportions.

Process of Cognac Production

Produced by doubly distilling white wines from any of the designated wine growing regions of France, the wines used in Cognac is generally very dry acidic & thin. Generally characterized as “undrinkable”, this wine is classified as excellent for distillation & aging. In order to be considered true Cru, the wines composing Cognac must be strictly 90% Ugni Blanc (Trebbiano), Folle Blanche & Colombard.

The remaining 10% of the grapes in making Cognac can be Juracon Blanc, Folignan, Meslier St-François (Ramé), Sélect, Montils or Sémillon. Cognacs that do not carry labels as Cru are freer in the selection of allowed variety of grapes.

These can be 90% Juracon Blanc, Colombard, Folle Blanche, Meslier St-François (Ramé) Montils, Ugni Blanc or Sémillon & 10% Sélect or Folignan. After all, Cognac is a type of brandy which after distillation & during aging is also known as eau de vie.

Cognac Aging Process

After the process of distillation is complete Cognac must essentially be aged in Limousin oak casks for a minimum of two years before it can be sold in the markets. Distilled Cognac is typically put in casks around 70% alcohol by volume strength. While interacting with the air inside casks & the oak barrels 3% of Cognac & water eventually get lost through evaporation every year.

Since alcohol dissipates much faster than water, concentration of alcohol in Cognac drops to about 40% over time during the aging process. Oak barrels normally stop contributing to the flavor of Cognac after fout to five decades, any further aging periods of time does not benefit anyway. Lastly, aged Cognac is transferred & stored in Bonbonnes (Glass Carboys) for further blending.

Blending Cognac

The age of Cognac is based on the youngest component of the spirit which has been used in the blend. Mostly, in the case of large commercial producers the blend is normally composed of spirits of varying ages coming from different local areas. Blending of various eau-de-vie is quite important in the making of Cognac. Master tasters are employed for the complexity of blending in obtaining the right flavor.

Moreover, most large companies maintain a consistent brand style & quality quite similar to the processes adapted in blending whiskies & non-vintage champagne. Cognac obtained from eau-de-vie of a single distillery or vineyards do not have to face any such blending challenges.

Wine Brandy After-Dinner Drink

Made from a wine base significantly differing from regular table wines, Brandy normally contains 35 to 60 percent alcohol by volume. Typically consumed after dinner, this spirit features smaller amounts of sulfur than regular wines. Largely obtained from wines made of early grapes achieving high acid concentration & low sugar levels, Brandies are most often aged in wooden casks.

Some of the Brandies are also colored with caramel imitating the effects of aging, while quite a few are produced using aging & coloring combinations. A variety of Brandies are found across the winemaking world. Some of the most popular global varieties of wine include Cognac & Armagnac coming from Southwestern France.

Brandy Production & Consumption

Apart from a few major producers, production of Brandy & consumption tend to display a regional character. Significantly varying in methods of production, Wine Brandy comes largely from an extensive variety of grape cultivars. Special selections of cultivars are strictly used for the making of high-quality Brandy Wines.

This allows producers maintain & provide a distinct aroma & character to the brands. However, cheaper qualities of Brandies are made from whichever wine is available in the markets.

Wine Brandy Distillation Process

Brandy is mostly distilled from a wine base in two phases. The first stage removes a large part of solids & water from the base. Called as ‘low wine’, this is basically a concentration of wine which is about 28 to 30 percent alcohol by volume. This ‘low wine’ is subsequently distilled into Brandy in the second stage.

The second stage comprises of three phases known as the “heads”, the “heart” & the “tails” Leaving the pot still, “head” as the first portion displays alcohol concentration of about 83%, however with an unpleasant odor. The third & the last portion “tail” is weak & is generally discarded with the “head” only to be mixed with another batch of the low wine so as to enter the distillation process once again.

It is the middle “heart” portion which is rich in aromas & flavors constituting as Brandy which is preserved for maturation.

Brandy Wine Aging Process

Fresh Brandy Wine is now put inside oak barrels to mature after distillation. Normally, natural golden or brown colored Brandies are aged in a single barrel oak cask. However, most Brandies coming from Spain use the Solera system for aging. In the Solera system the spirit changes barrel every year depending upon the style, class & legal requirements of the product.

Finally, matured Brandy is mixed with distilled water to maintain concentration of alcohol before bottling. Some Brandies also add sugar & caramel color to simulate appearance of barrel aging.

Culinary Uses of Brandy Wine

Brandy is often used to create an intense flavor in the making of some soups like the ‘onion soup’. It is commonly used as a deglazing liquid in the making of pan sauces for steak & other varieties of meat. Used as a common flavoring agent for making traditional English Christmas foods like Christmas Pudding, Brandy Butter & Christmas Cakes.

Brandy is also commonly used in drinks like mulled wine largely drunk during the festive season. Used to flambé dishes like Cherries Jubilee & Crêpe Suzette while serving, Brandy is delightedly poured over Christmas Puddings & set alight. Even if the flames are thought to consume most of the alcohol, the pudding is definitely left with a distinctive taste.

Warning – Watch the Bad Mixers Rantidine (Zantac), an acid-reducing drug common as a heartburn medication, taken in combination with most alcoholic beverages even with light to moderate drinking cause blood alcohol levels to rise dangerously high. While interfering with the processes breaking down alcohol, the raised alcohol levels can impair driving amongst social drinkers.

People taking Rantidine need to be warned of possibly developing unexpected functional impairment even when consuming amounts of alcohol previously considered as safe.

Wine is Better in Cocktail Form

There is nothing better than a glass of wine at the fag-end of a long day. Though wine as such is great, it is even better when served in cocktail form. So why settle for less.

Great for Calorie-Conscious Tipplers

As long as humans have learned to coax alcohol from grapes and edible flora, wine cocktails in some form or the other have fallen in and out of fashion over time. Wine cocktails today endure great ways to mix up your beverages.

Just in case you are more of a cocktail drinker, adding sparkle to your wine drinking can effectively add a whole new layer of complexity to the beverage. Cocktails can also use wine rather than stronger spirits for the calorie-conscious tipplers.

Cocktails from Your Favorite Wine

Oenophiles on the other hand will be able to discover newer ways to appreciate the best of their favorite wines by combining these with spirits and other ingredients. This will complement the flavor profiles and other characteristics of the drink. Add a little spritz to a cocktail with sparkling wine. Fortified wines also add depth of flavor along with a touch of sweetness to your cherished drink.

However, it is not recommended to make cocktails with wines that you do not enjoy drinking on its own. Although, wine cocktails present a great way of making use of simple yet inexpensive good quality of wine that is uninteresting to be consumed on its own.

Wine Cocktails Out There

Right from old standbys to esoteric delights, there are wine cocktails out there for all types of tipplers to enjoy. Here are five of the most favorite cocktails for you to get started. These recommended wine styles are capable of making each recipe stand out.

Kir Royale – This is the most classic of Champagne cocktails. Kir Royale is fun, fruity, and festive. This variation on the Kir is a cocktail that was originally designed by members of the French resistance during World War II. It is made by combining dry white Burgundian wine known as aligoté with crème de cassis. Kir Royale swaps in Champagne for white wine. As a budget-friendly option, you could try cava, the Spanish sparkling wine made using a similar method like Champagne.

Sherry Cobbler – In all of its diverse styles, Sherry can elevate and effectively add complexity to a wide array of wine cocktails. From the early 1800s, Sherry Cobbler is a straightforward classic American cocktail. It perfectly showcases the nutty flavors of Sherry while seeing that the fortified wine elegantly combines with simple syrup and muddled orange. Remember to use a dry style of Sherry like amontillado or fino. This cocktail requires you to add a splash of simple syrup for all the sweetness you’d like to have.

Kalimotxo – Red wines can also be used for making wine cocktails. It is not just the white and sparkling wines that get to have all the fun. Kalimotxo is a Spanish invention that was popularized during the 1970s. This 50-50 mix of red wine with Coca-Cola is a refreshing summer sipper that works best with wines like the youthful Joven-style Rioja tipping its hat to the Spanish origins of the drink.

Watermelon White Wine Spritzer – This Spritz comes in numerous forms. Each one is more refreshing than the other. The amaro-based Aperol Spritz has taken the wine cocktail world by storm. Almost anything can be made into a spritz by adding a splash of bubbly water. You’d love this ultra-refreshing watermelon rendition during the warmer months. The drink combines pureed watermelon with white wine and club soda. Watermelon White Wine Spritzer works perfectly along with a dry, crisp, unoaked white wine like pinot grigio.

French 75 – A combination of Champagne, gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup, this is a bubbly tippler. Coming straight out of the history books it dates back to the prohibition era. This is an American creation despite the name it applies. It is the only classic cocktail that was invented in the U.S. during those times. Historians disagree whether the French 75 was created with cognac or gin, but both versions are delicious and worth trying. However, you shouldn’t blow your Champagne budget here with Burgundy, Alsace, or Loire Valley instead try a French crémant. Switch to other sparkling wines from the regions in place of Champagne that offers quality along with more bang.

Wine Cocktails are Having a Day For good reasons, wine cocktails are having a day once again. They are light and refreshing and can be served as a smart drink for two or more. They are also perfect to be made in batches and are both low-lift and festive for entertaining a crowd. There are wine cocktail recipes for every occasion, every season and every holiday that you can imagine.

Some of the favorite recipes given above may want you to have them again and again. So go and grab a bottle of your favorite wine and get mixing.

Sherry Special White Wine

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Sherry Special White Wine

Regarded by many wine specialists as a neglected wine treasure, Sherry is traditionally drunk from a Copita which is a special tulip-shaped glass. Sherry is a fortified wine made from white grapes specially grown in Andalusia in Spain, is produced in a variety of styles. Enjoying protected origin status, all wine labeled as “Sherry” must essentially come from the Sherry Triangle located in the Cadiz province of Spain.

This region follows a predictable climate with about 70 days of rainfall alongside 300 days of sunshine every year. Together with dry & hot summers winds from ocean bring moisture to vineyards so as to enable clays in soil retain water below surface.

Unique Albariza Soil

There are three varieties of soil found in the grape growing Sherry Triangle region. Albariza, almost white is a light soil which is one of the best for growing Palomino grapes. A blend of chalk, limestone, clay & sand, Albariza is able to preserve moisture even during hot summers.

Barros consisting of chalk & high clay compost is the other dark brown soil utilized in grape cultivation. Arenas, is a yellow soil comprising of chalk along with a comparatively high sand content.

Of these Albariza is most suitable for Palomino grape cultivation which by law must constitute 40 percent of grapes used in Sherry production.

Variety of Grapes

Sherry production in Spain is accredited to be having over 100 varieties of grapes in the past. However, only three varieties of white grapes are now used in the making of Sherry.

Palomino is the dominant variety of white grape used in the production of dry Sherries. The wine coming of Palomino is very bland with neutral characteristics, which makes it an ideal choice for Sherry winemaking style. Almost 90 percent of Sherry wines come from Palomino grapes.
Pedro Ximénez is the other variety of grapes which is normally used to produce sweet wines. After harvesting these grapes are normally sun-dried for two days so as to concentrate the sugars.
Moscatel is another variety of grapes which is less common but used for production of sweet wines.
Other countries in other parts of the world often use several other varieties of grapes in the production of Sherry-style of wines.

Process of Fermentation

Harvested early in September, Palomino grapes are lightly pressed to extract Must. Primera Yema or extract of the first pressing produce Fino & Manzanilla. The Must from second pressing known as Segunda Yema is utilized in the production of Oloroso.

Subsequent pressings are generally used for distillation & production of lesser wines & vinegar. Fermented in stainless steel vats, this Must generates a dry white wine with 11-12 percent content of alcohol.

Fortification

Soon after fermentation the wine is sampled & stored in casks with distinct markers according potential of wine. Sherry is then distilled & fortified using La Mancha. It is mixed in a two-stage procedure with mature Sherry first in a 50/50 blend & then further with younger Sherry in selective proportions to ensure that strong alcohol does not shock & spoil the younger Sherry.

Aged in the Solera for 3 years at least, it is ensured that each bottle of Sherry also contains some much older wine.

Sherry the Product

Once bottled, Sherry does not age with time. Though fit for immediate consumption Sherry can also be stored for years without any loss in taste or flavor. Stored upright in a cool, dark place some Sherries will continue to develop in bottle for some years. Other fragile types should be consumed just as other unfortified wines.

Some Sherries are sold in half bottles where the remaining wine is thrown away if not drunk on the same day. While, some blended cream Sherries can last weeks or months after opening as the sugar content serves as preservative.

Aperitifs are Perfect Starters

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Aperitifs are Perfect Starters

Like wine, Aperitif is usually served before a meal. Aperitif typically stimulates appetite and can be served alone or with bread, antipasti or cheese. Moreover, many Aperitifs are wine based beverages; however others are liqueurs like vermouth. Aperitifs are delicious pre-dinner drinks. Some of the most common Aperitifs include sherry, champagne, prosecco, cava, ouzo, Campari, lillet and pernod.

Aperitifs arose from European culinary traditions. Light and refreshing beverages were meant for stimulating senses so as to provide an enticing peak ahead of meals. Italy, France & Spain offer traditional versions of Aperitifs which have now found their way to United States and other parts of the world.

White Recommendations

Still and dry white wines are some of the best and most popular Aperitifs. These white wine Aperitifs are served lightly chilled along with light appetizers, olives, crackers and cheese. Some of the most popular Aperitifs are enumerated below.

Sauvignon Blanc – Naked un-oaked Sauvignon Blanc is a refreshing Aperitif featuring notes of lime, tangerine, jasmine and fruity flavors like pineapple and grapefruit.
White Bordeaux – Clos du Roy Bordeaux Blanc is a dry white wine which is easy to drink. This White Bordeaux is soft white and is dry and having floral and fruity notes.
Chablis – A sweet white wine which can be served chilled. Chablis has a clean finish and high citrus notes.
Rieslings – Crisp and a bit dry with hints of fruit, Kendall Jackson’s Riesling Vintner’s Reserve 2010 features notes of honeysuckle along with peach and apricot flavors. Rieslings are highly aromatic and never overpowering.

Aperitifs are Perfect Starters

Rose Aperitif Recommendations

Rose wines also make for some great Aperitifs. Ranging in colors from light pink to deep salmon, Rose Aperitifs are simple yet contain refreshing flavor. Rose Aperitifs are perfect start for any meal and have slightly fruity notes. Rose Aperitifs pair exceptionally well with barbeque, pizza, grilled foods and fresh fruits. Here are some Rose Aperitifs to check out.

Sutter Home Pink Moscato – With a hint of vanilla along with honeydew, passion fruit and fresh berries, Sutter Home Pink Moscato is worth the name it carries.
Menage a Trois Rose – A smooth wine featuring flavors of flowers, lychee nuts, strawberries and raspberries, Menage a Trois Rose is a great appetizer.

Aperitif for that Perfect Start

Aperitifs are great for stimulating appetite before large meals. They provide a perfect start at parties and can also be enjoyed outdoors on a warm & sunny day or by fire on a cool night. Aperitifs are beverages which are light and refreshing and are extremely delightful to sip while waiting for a meal.

Breaking Ice with Ice Wine

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Breaking Ice with Ice Wine

Also known as Eiswein, Ice Wine is a type of Dessert Wine which is produced from grapes that have been frozen while still on vine. However, while the water in grape freezes, sugar & dissolved solids do not freeze. Eventually, this allows a more concentrated grape which must be pressed from frozen grapes and thereby results in smaller amount of more concentrated and highly sweet wine.

Freezing happens prior to fermentation during production of Ice Wine. Only healthy grapes which are in good shape until the time of Ice Wine harvest are utilized for manufacturing of this type of wine. Characteristics of Ice Wine produced this way behold refreshing sweetness that is balanced by high acidity.

Producing Ice Wine is Risky Business

Production of Ice Wine is risky because the frost may not come at all or get lost before grapes rot. For this reason availability of a large labor force is required for picking the whole crop within a few hours of time. This is one of the prime reasons as to why there are small amounts of Ice Wine which is made worldwide.

Ice Wines are therefore expensive since making Ice Wine itself is quite expensive. Production of Ice Wine nowadays is restricted to wine-growing regions where cold temperatures are reached with regularity. Germany & Canada are the largest producers of Ice Wine and about 75 percent of Canadian Ice Wine comes from the Ontario region.

History of Ice Wine

Frozen grapes were also used for making wine during Roman times. While wine made in Chiomonte in Val di Susa was popular during the Roman era, this town still indulges in producing one of the few finest Ice Wines in Italy.

However, Eiswein harvests during the 19^th century & until 1960 were rare occurrence in Germany, the invention of pneumatic bladder press subsequently made production of Ice Wine practical and eventually led to substantial increase in frequency and quantity of production.

Ice Wine in Modern World

The first Ice Wine in modern history was produced in 1984 in Canada and is recorded as the first Ice Wine in the country. This Ice Wine was produced in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia by German immigrant Walter Hainle. Resulting from an early & unexpected frost, the first commercially produced Canadian Ice Wine was released in Canada in 1978.

However, Ice Wine is nowadays also available in European countries like Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Slovenia, Slovakia, Moldova, Romania, Poland, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Italy, Hungary, France, Georgia, Denmark, Czech Republic, Croatia & Austria. Other countries where you can grab a bottle of Ice Wine include Japan & the United States.

Fruit Wines From Around the World

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Fruit Wines From Around the World

Fruit Wines are basically fermented alcoholic beverages which are made from a variety of base ingredients and not just grapes. Fruit Wines may also additionally combine flavors which are taken from flowers, fruits & herbs.

Quite often Fruit Wines are referred by their main ingredient like Plum Wine or Elderberry Wine since the common definition of wine relates to fermented grape juice. Fruit Wine is also commonly known as Country Wine in the United Kingdom.

Producing Fruit Wine

Fruit Wine can typically be made from any plant matter that can be fermented. Most types of berries and fruits have the potential to produce wines. Procedures generally include extracting juice & flavor from fruits, pressing the juice, stewing and fermenting pulp of fruits are common.

However, there are few fruits other than grapes which provide balanced quality & quantity of sugar, tannin, acid & nutritive salts which can naturally produce a stable & drinkable wine. Nevertheless, some of these produces require addition of honey or sugar in order to make them palatable and for increasing the alcohol content in the beverage.

Fruit Wines From Around the World

Most Popular Fruit Wines

Several fruits have natural acid content which can be too high for producing savory & pleasant type of Fruit Wine in undiluted form. Cherries, strawberries, pineapple & raspberries especially fit this bill. However, some of the most commonly made Fruit Wines in the market include plum Wine, Pineapple Wine, Dandelion Wine, Rose Hip Wine, Cherry Wine, and Orange Wine.

Plum Wine – Most popular in Japan & Korea, Plum Wine is also produced in China. Normally made with distilled liquor & soaked with plum, alcohol level in this Fruit Wine is typically higher because it is fermented with just fruits.

Pineapple Wine – Made from juice of pineapples, fermentation of Pineapple Wine takes in temperature-controlled vats and which stop at near-dryness. Pineapple Wine is a soft & dry Fruit Wine having a strong bouquet of the fruit named after.

Dandelion Wine – This Fruit Wine contains moderate alcohol content and is made from dandelion petals & sugar which are combined with acids like lemon juice. However, there are just a handful wineries like Breitenbach Winery in Ohio, Maple River Winery of North Dakota, Hidden Legend Winery of Montana and Bellview Winery of New Jersey which now commercially produce Dandelion Wine.

Rose Hip Wine – This Fruit Wine is made or fresh or dried rose hips. As part of the procedure rose hips are fermented in syrup with yeast & citric acid in order to create an extract. Wine produced from rose hips is sweet & strong after at least two years of storage.

Cherry Wine – Usually tart cherries that provide sufficient acid are used for producing this Fruit Wine. Cherry Wine is also most often used for making Fortified Wines & Liqueurs. There are several versions of Cherry Wines which are available, including cherry-grape blends & spiced versions.

Orange Wine – Orange Wine is not commercially widely available but is produced in the White River region of South Africa. Orange Wine tastes as a pale or golden light-bodied wine which is dry & thin in body. However, since orange juice is highly acidic, great care has to be taken in the making of Orange Wine.

Flavor & Strength of Fortified Wines

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Flavor & Strength of Fortified Wines

Fortified Wine is a type of wine to which like brandy are added. Fortified Wines are often confused with distilled spirits. Fortified Wines are not distilled but instead distilled beverages are added to them. Originally used as a method for prevention through which the natural yeast present in the beverage may be destroyed and thus stop further fermentation, wines are fortified nowadays in order to enhance flavor and strength of the drink.

Adding Spirits to Wine

Adding spirits to wine prematurely stops fermentation and thereby leaves natural sugars intact within the beverage. This eventually results in a sweeter wine with more alcohol content by volume. Quite often, Fortified Wines are also referred to as Dessert Wine due to the high level of sweetness and the tendency to be consumed following meals.

History of Fortified Wines

History of during the Great Depression took a bad turn merely because high number of inexpensive wines at that time, were fortified in order to produce high alcohol content beverages. Several high alcohol content Fortified Wines which are inexpensive are still sold in the market even today, and many of which are banned or restricted in some regions.

Popular Varieties of Fortified Wines

Some of the most popular varieties of Fortified Wines are enumerated below.

Madeira – This is a type of Fortified Wine which is produced in Madeira Islands. Madeira can range from dry to sweet. While sweet varieties of Madeira are consumed as Dessert Wine, the dry varieties of this Fortified Wine are generally consumed as aperitifs.

Marsala – The two varieties of Marsala which are available include the fortified version and the non-fortified one. However, both these wines are named after the port of Marsala located in Sicily. Brandy is added to fortify Marsala which was originally created as a substitute for Sherry. Marsala is particularly a very popular ingredient in Italian cooking and is commonly added to risottos, desserts & sauces.

Port – This is a popular type of red wine which is produced in Portugal. Port is typically fortified with a spirit called Aguardente. Fortified Port Wine is normally sweet, but dry and semi-dry varieties are also available. Fortified Port Wine is most often consumed as Dessert Wine.

Sherry – This type of Fortified Wine is produced in Spain. In fact, Sherry is slightly different from other types of Fortified Wines due to the reason that it is fortified only after completion of the fermentation process. Sherry therefore is a dry wine with high alcohol content by volume. Quite often, Sherry is consumed as an aperitif from small tulip shaped glasses which are known as ‘Copita’.

Vermouth – This wine is not just fortified with spirits but also flavored with spices and herbs. While recipe of Vermouth is kept secret, some of the spices and herbs which are used in the making include cardamom, marjoram, chamomile & cinnamon. Vermouth today is a popular ingredient in several cocktails and also consumed straight as an aperitif.

So Sweet Dessert Wine – 1

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So Sweet Dessert Wine

Also known as Pudding Wine, Dessert Wines are sweet and typically served along with dessert. However, there is no simple definition and Dessert Wine is expected to be a sweet wine which can be drunk with meal. Dessert Wine in United States was earlier defined as any wine which contains over 14 percent alcohol by volume.

Moreover, these included fortified wines as well and were highly taxed as a result. But then this classification is outdated now with modern yeast and viticulture producing dry wines which contain over 15 percent of alcohol by volume, without any fortification.

Making Dessert Wine

Tokaji Aszu & Sauternes are best examples of Dessert Wine. Since Dessert Wine makers have to produce sugar within the vineyard, grape varieties like Ortega, Muscat and Huxelrebe are excellent due to the fact that they naturally produce a lot more sugar in comparison with other varieties. However, environmental conditions do make a great difference on ultimate sugar levels within grapes.

Moreover, techniques like green harvesting which reduce number of bunches on vine early in summer effectively contribute to sugar production since the division is between fewer bunches. It is also true that a sunny year can help sugar levels a lot.

Serving Dessert Wine

As a rule, Dessert Wine should be sweeter than the food which is being served. A perfectly ripe peach is considered as an ideal partner for several Dessert Wines. However, it is pointless to drink Dessert Wine with chocolate and toffee based dishes. Red Dessert Wines like Recioto Della Valpolicella is a good match for difficult to pair desserts.

On several occasions wine itself can prove to be dessert, although bakery sweets make a good match. This is especially true when little bitterness similar to that which is concealed in almond biscuits dunked in Vin Santo. Rich savory dishes like Foie Gras can ideally develop a matching contrast with Dessert Wines such as Sauternes. White Dessert Wines are usually served somewhat chilled or too cold, while Red Dessert Wines are mostly served at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Global Production of Country Wine

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Global Production of Country Wine

Country Wine is wine which is made using varieties of grapes or procedures which are other than those required as per established rules & regulations. Unlike table wines which indicate being made in France, Country Wines can be made in any part of the world but carry geographic designation of origin.

Regulations regarding labeling practice of Country Wine are typically far more lenient than regulations laid down for other types of wines.

Production Rules for Country Wine

There are several conditions Country Wine producers are meant to follow. The yield of grapes for Country Wine should be less than 90 hectoliters per hectare for white wine and less than 85 hectoliters for red & rose Country Wines. Wine producers having total yield of less than 100 hectoliters per hectare can alone qualify for Country Wine. Permitted amounts of sulfur dioxide for Country Wine is 150 mg/l for white & rose wine and 125 mg/l for red wine.

However, the quantity of sulfur dioxide for Country Wines with sugar content 5 g/l can be slightly higher. Sulfur dioxide levels in such Country Wines can be 175 mg/l for white & rose wine and 150 mg/l for red wine. Acidity levels for Country Wine in terms of pH values are also regulated in certain areas which are stricter than others.

Moreover, Country Wine should also be kept and produced separately and are also subject to quality monitoring by a designated official regional committee.

Global Production of Country Wine

Economic Factors Affecting Country Wine

Initially Country Wine was regarded inferior to other types of wine and referred to as thin & simple wine. With increase in demand for varietal wines during the late 1980s, producers making Country Wine in France turned away from highly restrictive AOC Appellation guidelines laid down for manufacturing wines using specific blends of grape varieties.

This was largely in response to increasing success of sales of Country Wines coming from countries like Chile, South Africa, United States, New Zealand & Australia. Country Wine in France is now also involved in producing non-traditional blends of wine which do not confirm with the required rules & regulations. Moreover, some of these Country Wines are also considered much better than other wines coming from the same region.