Wine Reviews

The dishes and the wine are the most important factors in order to have one fine dining experience. So, it is best to make proper inquires and dining arrangements in the restaurants you wish to dine in. Other considerations include your accounts with the wine preference and culinary taste of your dining companions; that is, if you don't like to eat out alone. You should also take note of how light, sweet, tannic, heavy, and acidic the wines are in one restaurant.

There are times when I assume in selecting and ordering for best wines while dining. In Europe, I realized that the more one spends for superb wines, the more exquisite the quality is. Still, there are still ways for you to taste a decent wine for a considerable price. For instance, if you wish to taste the most renowned wines of Europe, I advise you to dine at the prime restaurants in the region. Since exquisite wines of Europe are known to be expensive, you can taste a good wine without having to purchase the entire bottle when you dine in fine restaurants.

We all have this idea that drinking gourmet red wine is healthy as long as it is taken in moderation. In this modern information age, ideas of the past are constantly being revised and modified either to suit our current needs, or just maybe our damn addictions! Recent studies have shown that drinking gourmet red wine is as natural as breathing. Yes, our body needs it as much as it needs sleep and breathable air, or at least we're hooked up with what drinking this shit provides our damn bodies with!

Don't you notice how much people can't resist guzzling a bottle of red wine after a good hearty dinner? Plus, don't you always have the urge to drink this gourmet drink at night, and just at night? Well, these scientists back in Italy have found out what makes drinking red wine a form of natural addiction! These geniuses have stated that a hormone found in our bodies is also found with high-damn levels of a certain substance! This can be compared to the damn grapes used to actually make red wine.

The substance found in red wine is said to be the same sleep hormone found in our bodies. Now this hormone is naturally given off, or secreted, by our brain's pineal gland, and is called melatonin. Plus, this sleep hormone of ours is secreted, in continuous amounts, by the brain, of course, at night. With this, we now know why it does that: to tell us, or our bodies, to fuckin' sleep! Yes, red wine regulates the damn circadian rhythm of our fuckin' bodies! As natural as it gets, don't you think?

There's this thing our French friends call food and wine pairing. I don't actually prefer a good bottle of wine over a cold beer after a good hearty meal, but sometimes, my curiosity takes hold of my better judgment. With this, I tried picking a bottle of wine which I think would match my next meal in mind yesterday. The results were disastrous! I think I got the wrong bottle of wine, the wrong meal, or just about the wrong person to test it out!

Having learned my lesson, I now know what sort of wine goes with which sort of food. Those greasy fast food meals should only be paired with a cold beer, and those delicately fine gourmet meals should always be eaten with a good bottle of gourmet wine. The more expensive your meal is, the more expensive the bottle of wine that should go with it! You should know that in the situation where food and gourmet wine pairings are as important as winning the World Cup (and too bad, the French team lasted like a tasty gourmet dinner gone spoiled in the end), the main aspect is balance. You see, with a bad gourmet meal, getting a good bottle of wine to go with it would only make your experience worse! You should make it a point to choose a bad bottle of gourmet wine with bad gourmet food, for it would at least leave you with something that's just bad and not worse!

Andalusia is a region in Spain where sherry manzanilla, fino, amontillado, and oloroso are made. In other words, we can have a wine feast in Andalusia. Seriously, the region produces as much wine as any other cities in Europe. Only, we do not usually find them in gourmet restaurants because maybe they are meant to be drunk singly. I bet, that's the best way to enjoy their extraordinary taste.

Sherry is made by adding distilled grape wine to ordinary wine prior the aging process. On the other hand, manzanilla and fino are younger sherries. They are crispier, lighter, and contains more acid. Lastly, the oloroso and amontillado are older sherries. They appear darker, mellower, but richer. Connoisseurs say they have nutty flavor and are sweeter.

I discovered such wines one time when I have been to the city of Granada in Andalusia. Here, I learned of the famous names regarded as the best wines and winemakers in the region. One of which is the Ximenez regarded as dessert fortified sherry. It's texture resembles that of honey and is very delicious. There is also Montillas whose name is already famed during ancient times. It has large quantity of sugar that helps pack the alcohol thus alcohol is not included in its recipe.

Almost two months have passed since the Gourmet Summit was held in Singapore. It just pains me that I have not been there to witness this most prestigious celebration of gourmet excellence. But I was not surprised to learn that El Bulli won as the best gourmet restaurant.

Anyway, I was after the participating wineries in the said summit. I was not looking for a specific brand. I just wanted to know who among the thousands of vintners from all parts of the globe will join the summit. The brands listed on the website were real fine ones. I was not at all startled to find the wine brands from Bordeaux, the French wine district. Included in the list are Estournel, Figeac, Martray from Burgundy, Faiveley from Burgundy, Gros from Burgundy, and Sandrone from Italy.

I wonder if I will get to see the some brands next year. But I hope that other wine connoisseur will make it to the event. I believe that the summit is perfect avenue to promote gourmet wines and, of course, gourmet recipes. I would like to see new connoisseurs. I am pretty sure that some of them are just waiting for the right time to come out in the open. Wine makers are very patient enough to endure time.

Wine is a big deal in gourmet. I cannot imagine a gourmet dish paired with soda or simply drinking water. Some people say that wine is the alpha and omega of gourmet. I still could remember, several years ago, just how a budding chef attentively watched over my wine drinking. I got annoyed by then and asked him just what is a big deal. That was the day when I learned how to drink wine and the philosophy behind it.

You do not simply swallow wine! Any connoisseur will definitely punish for simple gulping an ounce of wine. Based on experience, I learned that wines, the good ones or the new ones, must be rolled around the tongue. Silly? Well, that is the wisdom behind wine tasting. Try it, and you will be able to discover the difference between each and every wine that you taste.

Most of the time, I drink the wine after I finished my meal. It is kinda lonely to drink alone but this is the only time when I get to really appreciate the wine. With no food to interfere my taste buds from savoring the crispiness of wine, I can easily describe the taste. This was how I got to learn of the specific wine that goes with specific dish.

However, should you want to engage in wine tasting, I suggest that you consult a connoisseur first. Some wines are meant to be served before others ( the lighter ones before the strong ones) Also, some wines need no tasting, I mean, you can just swallow them up, just like the French Beaujolais Nouveau. Meanwhile, red wine needs to be set aside for some time in the open air. Let it breathe so its taste will come out.

Almost every week, I receive inquiries from my friends on what type of gourmet wine suits a specified food of dish. Most of the time, I tell them to visualize the after taste that a wine might bring to the food. Of course, sweets go with less sweets, while sour goes with sweets. Well, those are just examples, and before you discover it, there is an endless list of combinations. So, how do we solve this problem?

There is no single rule with pairing wine and food. It is safe to say that a good wine completes the course. But, how will you know that it is a good wine that you bought? Just stick to your preferences. What if you are torn between two wines? Well, then, choose the lighter to be served first.

Now, when it comes to flavor, light wines match light dishes. The same applies with food with delicate flavors. For example, a spicy chicken barbecue must be paired with sweet, light wines so as not to counteract the taste of the dish. Meanwhile, fish dishes are usually paired with citrus flavored wines. I know you are thinking of chocolate dishes. Do not pair them with wine, rather, match your chocolate cakes with beer. But, on top of it all, I recommend to serve wine and cheese. I usually do this when I do not have time to prepare for dishes.

Patience is all you need if you want to produce the finest wines. Well, to use the word finest would mean outrageous boasting. However, it is a truism that the older a wine is kept, the finer it tastes. It is safe to say that wines even do not even give a care to world history. Time may freely pass, as long as the wines are kept safe in oak barrels, while awaiting for the day they will be taste-tested.

I admit, it never occurred to me that there are wineries in Canada. I mean, I have always referred to the beautiful Alsace region in France for wines. But, recently, I met wine cellar owner in Canada. He paid a visit in America to find other connoisseurs with whom he could discuss the
matter. Unfortunately, he met me, a gourmet traveler. But, he was humble enough not to brag about his business. Although I admit, he sure looks professional, I mean, seasoned.

It was through him that I learned of Icewines. They were specially fermented wines that are usually served as desserts. Unusual, right? I mean, the cold weather in Canada could have made it impossible for wineries to produce good wines. Specifically, the wineries are located in Niagara. A wide vineyard is situated near the river that divides New York and Ontario. This is the same place where my new friend came from. It was really an amazing discovery for me. According to him, the relatively warm weather there enabled them to store wines. Although, unlike French wines, their wines are icy instead of crispy.

I never developed a penchant for non-vintage champagnes. That is, not until I tasted Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve several years ago. It was presented to me as a gift by one of my wine merchant friends. Coming from the generosity of my friend's heart, it would be very ungrateful of me if I won't give the wine a try. And I did.

Truly, it is one of the finest wines I have ever tasted. I say that it's fabulous down to the last drop. Why did I say so? Well, unlike common champagnes, Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve is fresh and long tasting with a clean finish on the palate. Further, it has enough crispiness and fizz to retain its refreshing tinge. It is also an excellent partner to a wide variety of dishes.

Since 1945, Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve has remained its harmonious and balanced blend of grapes which are carefully selected from the best vineyards of France. With its comparatively reasonable price, it may be drunk on all occasions. As a bonus, this champagne comes in a very attractive package, which would qualify it as a good gift idea.

They say that the proof of the pudding is in the eating and that's true with regards wine connoisseurs. They get to sample best wines in the world and get paid for it. All you need to be a wine connoisseur is complete and functional sense of smell and taste. If these organs are working just fine then it's time to earn much money out of them.

Wine connoisseurs make a living by tasting hundreds of different wines and distinguishing one from the other. They have to experience the wine-tasting themselves because articles in wine magazines aren't enough. Actual taste it the better test. They work in some of the most expensive restaurants and hotels. Guests order wines and the wine connoisseur offers his suggestions so he needs to get acquainted with every wine the restaurant has and describe it in full detail. He does the choosing with confidence and has to make sure that the guests will be satisfied.

A wine connoisseur has to undergo a rigid training before he can be called an expert in wine-tasting. He has to of course get his brain working and senses pumped up to get familiar with the different types of wine. He also has to speak in an eloquent and stylish manner and also he has to be groomed well to look perfect.

Why do you need to spend so much money for one bottle of wine when you can buy cheaper and tastier ones? Before I discovered the wine called Vulcano, I used to go over my budget when I hold formal parties and social gatherings. The reason for this was that I only bought expensive alcoholic drinks for my guests such as Chianti or Brunello. However, I reached a point when I did not have enough money to buy enough drinks for one party. As such, I had to look for alternative wines that can offer the same quality and delicious taste for half the price.

Vulcano is a wine from the country of Italy that was named after an extinct volcano called Mt. Vulture. The reason why it was named after this was because the mountain overlooked the vineyard of Vulcano. What I really like about this wine is the fact that it combines the fruity flavor with the right amount of alcohol. When I served this to all my guests, they even thought that I bought a more expensive wine. But, the truth is, it only cost me 10 bucks for each bottle.

Here's an epicurian delight that will make you all thirst. Introducing the Amisfield Pinot Noir 2003 label from Amisfield Wine Company. The red wine grape product is soft and supple to the taste buds.

There's a complex yet concentrated taste to it. And the smell is definitely heavenly! Dark cherry and spice aromas greet you at first pop. Really smooth. Simply irresistible. Serve the wine with your best meat dish or serve it to your friends during hearty conversations. They will love it.