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Another Wine Byte 8: Any Port in the Storm
Once home, we began unpacking various wine club shipments that had arrived in our absence. Joe’s mom noticed a bottle of port, and asked “What do you do with port?” Joe pointed to the 10 lb. bar ofGuittard chocolate he got me for Valentine’s Day, and we proceeded to open a bottle of Frog’s Tooth Tawny Portoad, we picked up in Murphys during our fabulous visit to Twisted Oak Winery. All for the sake of teaching Joe’s mom a little about port, and chocolate, of course.
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Another Wine Byte 7: You Say Meritage…
So many people want to put an implied French pronunciation on the word “Meritage.” And it’s always fun when it’s someone acting like a know-it-all. What many don’t know is that the word “Meritage” is a word used to distinguish that are made in the style of red Bordeaux but without infringing on that region’s legally protected designation of origin.
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Please Don’t Spill Burgundy on My Brassiere
Given that the TSA has decided we can no longer carry on liquids over 3 ounces and they must fit into one little quart-sized bag and we tend to have enough hair care products to max that out, what are we to do if we find some fabulous wine that we want to enjoy at a later date, in the comfort of our own home?
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To Hell with States’ Rights! – Part I
There are a number of states that make it next to impossible for a consumer to get wine direct-shipped to her. Most of these laws effectively protect the three-tiered system, that takes wine from the winery, to the distributor, to the retail establishment. And I would argue that there is a pretty strong lobby that seeks protectionism for its state-run wineries, and its distribution system.
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Another Wine Byte 6: Even Wine Gets Stressed!
Bottle shock can result from a wine’s over-oxidation or if sulfur dioxide was added during the bottling process. The effect on the wine is a flatness of aroma and flavor, sometimes accompanied by an unpleasant odor. It can also occur when your wine becomes stressed from the excessive jostling of the bottles during shipping, especially if the bottles travel from Califonria Wine Country to parts south and southwest on a long circuitous journey in an un-air-conditioned brown truck in the middle of the summer. Most of the time, it is a temporary condition.
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Be a Home Superstar Chef (Part 5 – High Heat)
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Another Wine Byte 5: Descriptive Terms
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Another Wine Byte 4: Temperature Tips
The most important thing to remember in serving wine is to avoid extremities. Over chilling kills the flavor and aroma; too much warmth makes the wine taste bland. These guidelines will help ensure that you’ll enjoy your wine to its fullest!
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Another Wine Byte 3: Noble Rot
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Can red wine cure the common cold?