Investing In The Right Glass: Why Wine Glass Shape Matters

how to choose the right glass for wine tasting

It may surprise you to know that the size and shape of a wine glass can enhance the enjoyment of a wine by improving aromas, flavours, and feel of the wine. This article will discuss why wine glass shape matters and how it can affect the tasting experience. Not Just Any Wine Glass Will Do Of course, a great wine can be enjoyed anywhere and anytime, but dedicated enophiles give serious consideration to the glass they use to enjoy their wine. According to Georg Riedel, a wine glass is designed to be a tasting tool to balance the flavours and structural elements of a wine. This is achieved by the varying designs of the following three parameters of a glass: the size, shape and the opening. For example, if you are drinking a full-bodied white wine such as Viognier, choosing a glass with a larger bowl will make the wine taste better than in a smaller glass. Likewise, Champagne, though usually poured into a flute to keep the bubbles in suspension longer, is generally better from a tulip shaped glass. Subtle differences in glass design can also change how we experience a wine’s complete nature. When choosing a wine glass for your next tasting, take into consideration the reasons behind wine glass shapes and the impact that it has on your wine. Wine Glass Shape: The Science Behind It   At its most basic level, a wine glass is a vessel in which to hold wine. However, there is a science behind different wine glass shapes. The role of physics plays heavily in the design of glassware. This is evident in the varying designs of two components; the bowl and the opening. The process of aeration is a well-known part of the wine tasting experience. Once a wine reacts with the air, a wine taster will notice how the nose, body and structural components of a wine evolve depending on the chosen glassware. The bowl of a wine glass is designed with this process in mind. A larger bowl allows for more air exposure which better releases the volatile aromatic compounds in a wine and also softens tannins. However, a smaller bowl keeps white wine cooler for longer and gives the acidity and freshness more focus. Choosing The Perfect Bowl   Most white wines have lighter and fresher flavours and, for this reason, less aeration is required. This is why a smaller bowl is often the perfect choice for a white wine. The smaller bowl and long stem of white wine glasses will prevent too much air from circulating in the wine and prevents our body heat from affecting the temperature of the wine. However, it is important to keep in mind that fuller-bodied white wines such as an oaked chardonnay benefit from more aeration. In this case, a larger bowl is better. Due to their more complex flavours and need for more aeration, a red wine glass is designed with a much larger bowl. If you are tasting a …

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Developing Your Wine Tasting Skills: A How-To Guide

Developing your wine tasting skills requires practice and dedication. Not all wine tasters will have the ability to detect the more intricate elements of a wine overnight. Therefore, in order to refine your palate, you must be willing to invest both time and effort to understand how and why wines are different. This article will discuss techniques and exercises that you can employ when you are a tasting a wine to improve not only your tasting abilities but also your overall wine knowledge. A Taster Is Made, Not Born Honing your wine tasting ability is not only about being able to tell if a wine is from Rioja or the Loire. It is also about being able to detect the subtle differences between a Cabernet from Napa Valley and one from Bordeaux. Or a cool vintage and a warmer one. An expert taster should be able to decipher a wine’s biography and pick out features such as grape variety, region, age and possibly even the specific winery it was produced in by using just their senses and memory. This allows you to make evaluations about a wine’s quality and ageability. In order to assess and evaluate a wine effectively, it is important to familiarize yourself with the various elements that vary from one wine to another. These elements can interact with each other to make wine tasting a difficult exercise, but ultimately, these skills are learned, not ones that anyone is born with. Wine Tasting: Improving Your Skills When tasting a wine, it is useful to have a system, a mental checklist of elements against which you assess each wine.  We are all familiar with the fact that when tasting you should focus on a wine’s appearance, nose and palate. However, in order to really assess a wine, it is important to delve deeper into each of these areas to attain a better understanding of a wine’s complete nature.  Each of these areas tell you something about either a wine’s provenance or quality, which we will go into in later posts. Appearance Before tasting, make sure to take note of observations such as a wine’s clarity, intensity and the colour. The clarity of a wine will be easy to ascertain as it most often will be either clear or hazy. In regards to intensity, the appearance of wine can be either pale, medium or deep. For colour, it is important to note more than just initial observations. For example, a white wine may be described as lemon-green or gold in colour. And a rosé may be noted as having a salmon or orange hue. Make sure to take note of other observations you may have such as a wine’s deposit, legs or pétillance. Nose The nose of wine can tell a taster a lot about the wine’s profile. A wine taster should be able to identify the following when smelling a wine: condition, intensity and aroma characteristics. The condition of a wine will most often be noted as either clean …

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A Juicy Cabernet from one of California’s Most Exciting Wine Destinations

2016 James Mitchell Cabernet Sauvignon $20.15 btl / 246.00 cs (case of 12 x 750ml) Tucked between the San Francisco Bay and Sierra Nevada mountain range is Lodi, an American viticultural area located in the Central Valley of California. Lodi is quickly emerging as one of California’s most exciting wine destinations that offers great-value wines along with gorgeous California settings. The 2016 vintage was another fantastic vintage in Lodi. Fruit looked exceptional at harvest, crop was clean and the wines came out beautifully. This makes the 2016 James Mitchell Cabernet Sauvignon from Lodi, California a smart buy. Full-bodied with fruit flavors and aromas. Black cherry dominates on the palate, with a touch of warm spice, smoky mocha and vanilla from oak aging on the finish. Medium tannins. A big and bold wine perfect for juicy reds meat off the BBQ. Price: Case of 12 at $246.00 ($20.50 per bottle) Drink: Now or over the next 5 years Food Pairing: Steak, barbeque ribs or juicy beef hamburgers More about Lodi 40 years ago the California Central Coast, where Lodi is located, had yet to emerge as one of North America’s world-class winegrowing regions even though grape vines are over 150 years old. Between the 40s-60s, Lodi produced sought-after dessert wines alongside some Zinfandel. Between the 60s-90s, as consumer tastes shifted from sweet wines to dry table wines the demand for premium varietal wines increased and Lodi progressively transitioned into a source for premium grapes. However, at that time, planting on the Central Coast was a risk many winemakers did not want to take. One of the early pioneers, Jerry Lohr of J. Lohr Vineyards and Winery was among the first to realize the vast, untapped potential of this now-acclaimed region. Today, Lodi is predominately a red winegrowing region, with approximately two-thirds of the acreage dedicated to red varieties and is home to all of California’s leading varieties. It is a region known as California’s best kept secret for Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc. However, with over 100 varieties now in production, Lodi offers a vast portfolio of diverse and interesting wines. Lodi has a Mediterranean climate with warm days and cool nights. The soil, unlike many other appellations, varies within the AVA, though in most places it is a deep loam that occasionally is covered with large rocks, similar to Chateauneuf du Pape.

Demystifying Rosé Wine: Which Rosé Should You Choose?

Rosé has exploded onto the North American scene in the past decade. In France, it now surpasses the sale of white wine. While we enter a three-month stretch of blissful pink wine drinking weather we have to keep in mind that not all rosés are created equally. There are many factors that contribute to a good quality rosé. In fact, the different pink hues, styles, variety of grapes, county and producer can all effect quality and it can be daunting to decide which rosé will suite your taste. Hopefully, we can help demystify rosé wine and lead you to the perfect style for your summer sipping enjoyment. What is Rosé Wine? Simply put, rosé is made when the juice of red wine is strained from its skins before it becomes too dark. Where does Rosé Come From? You can make rosé anywhere in the world, from almost any black grape and is not from a specific grape or region; but referred to as a genre of wine such as red or white. The biggest producers by volume are France, Spain, Italy, and the United States. However, many other wine regions across the world produce high-quality, delicious rosé. Most rosés are blends of multiple grapes, but some of the best are made with single varietals from premium grapes. Common grape varieties used in dry styles are Grenache, Sangiovese, and Pinot Noir. However, unique varieties from smaller winemaking regions are becoming popular amongst serious wine enthusiasts. How is Rosé Made? Let`s walk through rosé making 101 to understand how production can affect quality: Blending: white + red = rosé, right? Most often not. The practice of blending is prohibited for most quality wines (except, strangely, Champagne) and associated with high-volume, low quality rosés. Direct Pressing: Same approach as white wine making, but black grapes are crushed then immediately pressed. Since the colour is in the skins, as opposed to the juice, and very little skin contact occurs, very little colour is extracted. Rosés produced this way often lack complexity, but they are refreshing and good for quaffing. Saignée or Bleeding Method: Early in the production of red wine, some juice is removed or “bled-off” to be vinified separately as a rosé. The rest of the juice continues vinifying into a red with even deeper colour. The winemaker gets two wines out of one batch of grapes. The rosés are good with this technique, but purists claim it is not a “true” rosé. Skin Maceration: Grapes are crushed and the juice is left in contact with the skins for a limited amount of time before pressing. Limited skin contact allows the juice to extract some colour and phenolic compounds from the skins. This method produces deeper colour, more aromatic and complex rosés. What are the Different Styles of Rosé? The primary flavors of dry rosé wines are red fruit, flowers, citrus, and melon, with green notes on the finish such as grass or celery. The varietal used to make the wine will greatly …

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Wine Profile: Why is Riesling a Super Grape?

Pronunciation:[reece-ling] Origin: Originating in Germany’s Rhineland in 1435, when a German count bought six vines making it the first documented varietal sale Styles: Dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines Profile: Colour: Bright, pale yellow when young or gold when aged Sweetness: Wide range from bone dry to very sweet Acidity: High Body: Light Alcohol: Low/Medium Ageing: From 5 to 30 depending on style, vintage and producer There is almost nothing better than sipping a cold glass of delicious Riesling on a hot summer day. No matter what the style, Riesling is the ideal wine to enjoy throughout the spring and summer months. Many connoisseurs consider Riesling to be the world’s finest grape because of its versatility, its food-friendliness and its ability to age gracefully. When young, these wines are aromatic, refreshing, and known for their intense fruit and floral aromas. They are crisp and juicy, with aromas of lemon, apricot, pear, honey-crisp apple, and nectarine. With age Riesling becomes fuller and richer and the fruit forward notes develop into notes of honey, petrol, mineral and smoke. This grape is extremely versatile; making excellent dessert and off-dry styles that we have come know and love in North America, however, the majority of Riesling produced in Germany and France are dry and similar in body and style to a light, aromatic Sauvignon Blanc. The consistent element through all styles of Riesling is its high acidity, making your mouth water as much as a glass of lemonade would. The different styles of Riesling depend on several factors such as the vineyards farming methods, soil varieties, climate, and winemaking techniques. For example, the grapes to make Spätlese, meaning late harvest in German, are picked at least seven days after the normal harvest, so they are riper and have higher sugar content than the grapes used to make a dry Riesling. No other grape variety in the world provides such a stylistic range. Where does Riesling come from? While the origin of Riesling is a bit of a mystery (like most varietals), many point to Germany as the country of origin. The earliest documentation of the German production of Riesling dates back to 1435. The region known as the birthplace is along the Rhein River, in the Rheinhessen wine region. Where does Riesling Grow? The delicate nature and slower growing pace compared to Chardonnay makes Riesling suited to grow in cooler climates and strives in places such as Germany and France. However, over time, Riesling has adapted to grow successfully in warmer climates, such as Australia, where sometimes the grape skins are seven times the thickness of German grown grape. Here are the regions that Riesling grows best: Germany Mosel Riesling production – 12,891 acres Pfalz Riesling production – 12,508 acres Rheinhessen Riesling production – 7,889 acres In addition to being known as the place of Rieslings origin, Germany is known for its production of some of the world’s best Riesling. In 2006, Riesling was the most grown variety Germany producing 20.8% of the country’s …

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Why Buy from A Wine Agent?

ontario wine agent

  The world of wine is vast. It is produced in virtually every country, from perhaps up to 10,000 grape varieties, not including hybrids. Yet, only a fraction of the wine produced in the world is carried at the LCBO. Restaurants, though, have long known where to find unique and interesting wines from boutique producers — they buy from their local Ontario wine agent. Wine Agents Offer Wines Not Found At The LCBO Have you ever been in a restaurant or a wine region in another part of the world and tried a wine that you just loved? The chances of finding it at your local LCBO, though, are slim, since they only carry a fraction of the world’s wines. And the ones they do carry are usually from large wineries. A wine agent is passionate about wine. They search the world to find hidden gems that demand to be shared. Their job is to develop relationships with small wineries, assist them in bringing their fine products into Ontario and find customers for them. Restaurants love dealing with wine agents because they can always find something new and interesting, and they love the service of having these wines delivered to their door. More and more private customers are realizing they can buy wine through a wine agent, great wine made by artisans with a story to tell. Imported Wine from The Small Winemakers Collection We’ve covered how a wine agent can get bottles not found at the LCBO. Here are a couple other benefits that you can take advantage of when ordering exclusive wines through the Small Winemakers Collection in Toronto.  1. Personalized approach  We take the time to find out your wine preferences, whether you have a cellar, and how you intend to drink the wine. This allows us to recommend a wine that is just right for you.  You may want wine for a wedding, or as a gift for a colleague. No problem. We can recommend something that will be perfect.  2. Understand the story  Small wineries are often steeped in history, with interesting characters that are expressed in the wines they produce. When you buy through The Small Winemakers Collection you learn that your wine is not a mass produced commodity, but an artisanal product lovely grown and produced to the highest quality. 3. Impress your friends Your guests will be amazed when you offer them a wine that they cannot get at their LCBO, and when you are able to relate the story of the winery and talk about how it is different from other wines, even the most wine-knowledgeable guest will be impressed. 4. Enjoy door-to-door delivery  The Small Winemakers Collection is an Ontario wine delivery service that is able to ship right to the door of your address. Discover which wines of the world you’d like to serve or view our full price list here.

Why You Should be Buying Your Wine Online

Wine has been enjoyed for centuries. While it is still fermented grape juice, every so often there is a new innovation, a blend, a hot variety, or something else new in the wine world. Recently, buying wine online has become increasingly popular among wine lovers in Ontario. There are many Ontario wine agents who make it their mission to source the world’s best wines from unique and hidden gem wineries. The Small Winemakers Collection has been doing this since 1991, and brings these exclusive wines directly to your door in Ontario. Here are a collection of benefits you can stand to gain from ordering your wine online. 1. It saves the trip According to the Canada Post, 76% of Canadians shopped online last year. The simple truth is driving, fighting for a parking spot, heading to the store just to find out the store doesn’t have what you want in stock is becoming more unacceptable. In recent years, the click of a mouse has saved shoppers from countless quarrels over finding the last parking spot. The best way to get your wine is to save the trip and have it delivered right to your front door. 2. Easier to search Shopping for your favourite wine is much easier when done online. Browsing through multiple offerings from the world’s best wineries can be done in a mere matter of minutes. Looking for a favourite wine or wine region? Searching on the Small Winemakers Collection website can narrow your search in seconds. You can also do your shopping in the comfort of your own home – not much can beat that. 3. Access to more wine For many Ontario wine enthusiasts, their favourite wines are yet to be discovered or may exist in another county. The LCBO only carries a certain number of wines from some of the world’s largest wineries. However, the smaller wineries are not as well represented. By ordering through your Ontario wine agent, you have access to far more wines that you would not be able to find at the LCBO. Treat yourself and your guests to an exclusive bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from Stellenbosch, South Africa, or a 2015 Raimat Albarino from Penedes, Spain. Check out some of these offerings from the Small Winemakers Collection. Raimat Albarino 2019, SpainThis is one of Raimat’s more exciting wines; the varietal is rare in this part of Spain. The wine is pale yellow in color with greenish hues. The are intense citrus aromas, dried flowers and spices with an additional hint of sweet vanilla. Very brief ageing in stainless steel tanks to preserve fruit vibrancy and maximize freshness on the palate. Appleby Lane Pinot Noir 2014, New ZealandThe second most produced wine in New Zealand is Pinot Noir. This bottle featuring Sweet red cherry, plum and dark berry fruit characters intermingling with spicy oak best showcase the country’s ability to produce great reds. This bottle from Appleby Lane features savoury, gamey flavours with hints of leather balanced with elegant tannins add …

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The 8 Keys to Home Wine Storage Success

wine storage options

Anyone who buys and enjoys wine can accumulate quite a collection over the years. Inevitably, when you get a new bottle you want to know “how long should I keep this for? and how should I store it?” How Long Should I Store Wine? Many fine wines, particularly reds, can improve with age. Ageing allows the various structural components (acid, tannin and alcohol) to become more integrated, making the wine easier to drink. It also changes the nature of the aromas and flavours. As wine ages, fruit flavours tend to fade or dry out and tertiary flavours (leather, humous, mushroom, soy) become more prominent. Eventually, a wine becomes completely tertiary. Not everyone likes these tertiary flavours, so the first thing you need to ask yourself is whether you like aged wines or young/fresh wines. If the answer is the latter, then don’t age them. Enjoy them the way they are! However, if you like your wines with the flavours imparted by bottle ageing, then, by all means, store them for a few years. Not all wines need to or can be stored. In fact, over 90% of red wines are better enjoyed within a short 5-year window. If you’re building a collection of wine that you plan to age, you should consider adding the wines that have this capability. As you can see in the following chart, some of the following wines vary in their ability to age well. In reality, it all comes down to the producer and your personal choice. Many wines will have a recommended cellaring time printed on the label. If that is not the case, however, refer to the winery for ageing suggestions. Keep in mind that some of these numbers can be quite subjective. Chardonnay 1 to 5 years Cabernet Sauvignon 4 to 20 years Merlot 2 to 10 years Pinot Noir 2 to 8 years Riesling 2 to 30 years Vintage Ports 20 to 50 years Red Bordeaux 8 to 25 years Source: Wikipedia How Should I Store My Wine? Building a wine collection can be the source of considerable pride. And it can even be a good investment if the wine is properly stored. Roughly 7% of affluents living in North America own their wine cellar or wine refrigerator. There are even facilities that will store your wine for you. The ideal place for storage is a dark place that has the right, consistent temperature with the right level of humidity, proper ventilation, and is secure. If you are looking to establish a suitable environment to keep wine in your house or restaurant, consider the following: 1. Regulating a cool temperature Not too hot It is vital that your wine is kept at a consistent and cool temperature. Too hot (18 to 22 degrees Celsius plus) and your wine will likely age more quickly, resulting in flat flavours and aromas. Not too cold But don’t keep your wine too cool. When wine is kept in a regular fridge (well below 7 degrees celsius), the …

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Wine Country Profile: New Zealand

new zealand wine

New Zealand’s population is just a mere 4 and a half million, and their experience in producing wine dates back only 40 years. Yet, the country’s contribution to the production of wine is remarkable, so remarkable in fact, that New Zealand has become the number 2 exporter of Sauvignon Blanc in the world. New Zealand is home to 10 great wine producing regions that have combined to make New Zealand’s world passion for wine-making known worldwide. The Lay of the Land New Zealand is a beautiful remote island country sitting a thousand miles to the south-east of Australia. Its tall mountain peaks and lush green forests are truly a sight to behold. Due to its long and narrow shape, most of the wine regions are close to the ocean and experience a Maritime climate. Since the majority of vineyards are in close proximity to the cool breezes of the oceans, the acidity in well preserved in most bottles of wine. The Central Otago wine region at the south end of New Zealand is interesting as it is the most southerly wine region in the world and the only region of New Zealand that features a continental climate. And in contrast to the rest of the country, Central Otago is almost exclusively focused on creating the best Pinot Noir. New Zealand Wine A common theme of freshness will prevail when consuming different glasses of the countries wines. While New Zealand is now well known for its great sauvignon blanc, the country has also become a great producer of Chardonnay, Cabernet/Merlot blends, and Pinot Noir. Sauvignon Blanc In 1975, the first Sauvignon Blanc was first planted in Marlborough – on the North end of the South Island. With its unique combination of crispness and intense fruity and herbaceousness, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has come to be seen as some of the world’s best. It’s such a popular wine that it accounts for just over 70% of all wine production in the country and is the second largest exporter of Sauvignon Blanc in the world. Try Some of These Authentic New Zealand Wines New Zealand has the ability to produce wines as wonderful as its gorgeous landscapes. Unfortunately for us in Ontario, the flight from Toronto to Auckland is 14,100 kilometres and just under 20 hours long. Fortunately, the Small Winemakers and their Toronto wine delivery service, has made great New Zealand wine is just a click of the mouse away from arriving at your doorstep.   Appleby Lane – Sauvignon Blanc 2014 $20.70 / Bottle This Sauvignon Blanc is aromatic with characters of citrus, lime, gooseberry and herbaceous. A mouth-filling palate showing delicious gooseberry, grapefruit and citrus fruit flavours with a typical minerally edge. Rich and concentrated, the mid-palate shows a genuine breadth and the overall impression remains clean, ripe and fresh.   Mt Difficulty – Roaring Meg Sauvignon Blanc 2014 $26.35 / Bottle While the name can suggest difficulty, this wine is a simple pleasure to drink. The warm summer growing conditions have …

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Best Food and Wine Combinations for the Cottage

Cottage living in Canada means clean air, star-filled nights and, of course, lots of opportunity to barbeque. And a great glass of wine goes with any of these simple pleasures. During those lazy July and August days, a chilled white or rosé wine is perfect. Not only are these usually naturally lower in alcohol than most reds, but they refresh your palate. However, many of the great summer foods cry out for red wines, and this can work if they are lighter bodied or even served a little chilled. Just picture it … sitting by the dock, soaking up the sun and enjoying a glass of wine. Doesn’t it make you forget winter? Cottage Food Cooking After running away from civilization in favour of easy cottage living, the last thing we want to do is slave away in the kitchen for hours on end. The best cottage dishes involve a barbeque and as little work as possible. Recently, The Food Network compiled a list of “24 Make-Ahead Cottage Dishes”. We thought it would be fun to highlight some of the best wines the world has to offer to pair with them. When you find yourself planning meals for your next cottage trip, try to include some of these great pairings 1. Sticky Spicy Slow-Cooked Ribs Perfect for a barbecue at the cottage, these sweet and spicy ribs are easy to make and are guaranteed to become quite messy. It’s important to have some napkins on hand in order to clean your hands before holding your wine glass. View recipe. Any red meats such as ribs are better enjoyed when served with a lighter bodied and fruity wine like a Valpolicella or Beaujolais. But these sweeter ribs call for a red with quite a bit of ripeness, like a California Zinfandel . Another option is the Zinfandel blend from Tierra Divina. This can be served slightly chilled. Tierra Divina Reds$22.40 / Bottle\ Rreds is deeply colored, aromatic, and deep, but with a lift to the finish. This description mirrors the three traditional components of REDS: petite sirrah, carignane, and zinfandel. Petite sirrah is deeply colored – is there any other varietal which makes such a black wine? Carignane imparts a white pepper, minerally component, which is distinctly aromatic and shines through the fruitiness of zinfandel, which itself provides the backbone and depth of Reds. 2. Harissa Marinated Chicken Skewers with Couscous Marinade these chicken skewers before you leave on your trip so they can soak up all the fiery-hot harissa flavour. Simply put them on the grill, place over the couscous, serve and enjoy! View recipe. To best compliment this dishes fiery-hot flavours, this light meal option will pair well with a Dry & Fruity Rosé wine such as a Chinon Rose or Rosato. This dish would be best served alongside a refreshing bottle of Rosato from the Marche region of Italy. Azzoni – Rosato 2015$16.00 / Bottle The Azzoni Rosato 2015 offers a Tuscan blend of Sangiovese with Ciliegiolo, Lacryma …

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