Italy produces some of the best varietal wines in the world. With the country’s 350 types of local grapes and 20 wine regions, finding a new bottle of Italian wine that suits your taste is easier said than done. Of all the imported wine you can get from Australian wine shops, Italy gives the most diverse selection.
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There are many things that can affect how wine tastes, and storage is one of them. There’s more to proper storage than just stuffing your bottles wherever it’s most convenient, which is why every wine connoisseur should always have a wine fridge at the ready.
Everyone knows that age makes all wine taste magnificent, but storage temperature also plays a crucial part in preserving flavour—so much so, in fact, that dedicated refrigerators were invented just to store bottles of wine. These specialised fridges create optimal storage conditions to keep your wine collection in top shape whenever you need them.
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People have loved fizzy drinks for years, though we’re not completely sure why. Scientists say it’s not really the bubbles that make them delicious, but the carbonic acid in them. The acid activates the pain receptors in your mouth with the same sensation produced by spicy food, and makes your tongue hurt a little in a strangely good way.
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According to connoisseurs, serving quality wine in the appropriate glass will deliver the full flavour and subtle aromas for a complete sensory experience. Every variety of wine is matched with a specific glass to showcase the wine’s colour and body, and the glassware you choose will help guests perceive you as either a consummate host or a novice entertainer. Either way, acquiring a beautiful set of wine glasses can be as rewarding as the wine tasting itself, and is a great step forward in your level of wine appreciation.
The names are similar. In fact, Syrah and Shiraz wines are made from the same variety of red grape. This leads many people to believe they are the same red wine with different names – called Syrah in France (and almost everywhere else) and Shiraz in Australia. However, as important as the grape is to wine production, it’s not the only thing that determines the taste. So what else is involved? Let’s backtrack a little and investigate Syrah and Shiraz.
Medical science is confirming what red wine drinkers have believed for decades – red wine drunk in moderation is good for you. The good-for-you / bad-for-you red wine debate has for a long time polarised opinions, mostly due to over zealous proponents from both sides, but when we put our prejudices aside a clearer picture begins to emerge. We all know that drinking too much alcohol of any type can be harmful but new evidence citing sensible and moderate drinking habits supports the health benefits of red wine.
There are a huge range of white wine varieties with characteristic colourings that can range from straw-yellow to almost golden. Surprisingly, white wines are manufactured from the pulp of both light and dark-skinned grapes. Most grapes, regardless of skin colour, have white pulp, and white winemakers avoid using the dark skin that gives red wine its colour. Wine grapes have become established in all corners of the globe where climatic conditions are suitable, and although there are hundreds of varieties, only a handful are commonly used in large-scale wine production.
Red wine is made from black (dark coloured) grape varieties. The colour of the wine is often associated with aging of the finished product and younger wines are often of violet hue while older wines more often brick-red or almost brownish. Most black grapes have greenish-white flesh and juice, therefore red wine production is reliant on processing red pigments in the grape’s skin. In fact, much of the flavour of red wine is achieved by extracting and blending components of the skin. There are many red wine types, all with their own special characteristics suited to pairing with foodstuffs and stimulating the palate.
Can I enjoy a red wine (or two) at night yet still keep in good physical shape? Do I need to eliminate wine from my diet in order to win the battle of the bulge? If I can’t see the calories, does that mean they don’t exist? Is red wine fattening, or is it just the mirror playing tricks with my mind? These kinds of questions often arise prior to embarking on a weight loss or health regimen but before you throw out that untrustworthy mirror, let’s examine the facts and consider incorporating sensible wine drinking practices into your daily ritual.