WINE Tips, Info and Guide

Chablis is thought to have originated in northern Spain and grows well in a 'Mediterranean' climate. As a result, it is widely grown in many of the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea including France, Italy, Spain, and Algeria. Chablis is the most widely planted grape in France. It has also found a home in almost every other wine producing country around the world.

Italian red wine is known for its pleasantly tart taste and offers a traditionally different from the red wines produced in other parts of the world. Traditional Italian Red Wine is regarded as a perfect drink during a meal due to it is bitter taste that accompanies, but doesn't overpower, the food. But if you want a wine that can be sipped during a meeting or as a simple past time then you would have to find a sweeter Italian red wine, off which plenty exist.

Each Italian red wine is normally named after the region from which it is produced. Piedmont Red wines, produced in the North of Italy, are one of the more prominent wines produced in Italy. Barolo wines, which are full bodied and heavy wines, are the standard barer and the most well known style of wine coming from the Piedmont region. Barolo and Barbaresco wines (Barbaresco being a lighter Barolo) both are from the same grape, the Nebbiolo, but are aged differently. Italian red wines are produced from different specific regions of Italy and they are very much dependent on the climatic conditions of the region. Therefore while you can plant the same grape in a different region, the wine produced may be completely different.

The west-central region of Tuscany in Italy produces some intrepid and bold varieties of Italian red wine. The steep hills and occasionally harsh climate in the region give the Tuscan soil a unique composition, and this factor gets transformed into the taste of the wines produced in Tuscany. Tuscan wine producers of this region are also very skilled in producing unique and individual Italian red wine, so much so that not only are the mesoclimates of the vineyards a factor, but also the year the wine is produced, with prices varying year by year. Some years the Tuscan wine producers have concocted some fantastic Italian red wine, and there are some sought after vintages.

The wine producers of a variety of different regions of Italy have embraced modern techniques in the production of Italian red wine. However, some manufacturers are closely following traditional methods of wine production, believing that those wines produced by simple methods mean great tasting wine. What are we to know? However, what we do know is that there are plenty of great tasting Italian red wines out there, perfect for every occasion!

By Andrew Roberts

Check Out the Related Article : A Wine Story - Wine, Food & Lifestyle

Never having been a wine drinker when I first arrived in Mallorca I found myself drinking mainly local white Mallorquin wines at meals. Red wines never seemed to appeal considering the lovely warm climate and I don't recall sampling the fine reds produced in Binissalem in those days.

Moving to Madrid after a few years this was all to change as I discovered heavy red wines and have never looked back. Not surprisingly it was Rioja wine that first caught my attention, the strong oaky flavour proving particularly appealing. When buying Riojas it was easy to recognise supposed differences in quality according to whether they were labelled Rioja, Rioja Crianza, Rioja Reserva or Rioja Gran Reserva ...

'Rioja' simply means the wine has spent less than a year in an oak barrel whilst 'Vino de Crianza' is wine in its third year, matured for at least one year in the oak cask. 'Reserva' is aged for at least three years with at least one is in oak cask. 'Gran Reserva' is a vintage wine which has aged at least two years in an oak cask and three years in the bottle.

My favourite based on value for money is certainly the 'Crianza' wines. Personally I can't justify the additional cost of buying 'Reservas' and 'Grand Reservas' as I can't appreciate any noticeable jump in quality. As a poor man's Rioja I'd recommend Navarra wine which is produced further east around Pamplona.

A lesser known region abroad is Ribera del Duero which is centred on the town of Aranda del Duero between Madrid and Burgos. Its wines are recognised in international circles as the finest of Spanish reds. A couple to keep an eye out for are Pesquera and Vega Sicilia.

Catalonia is another area producing quality wines, I particularly enjoy Sangre de Toro from the Torres winery. The Penedes region just south-west of Barcelona is famous for its fine white wines and Cava, Spanish champagne at a fraction of the cost of its French counterpart. I'm not a great Cava drinker as it makes me fall over very quickly, however, there is one particular white wine I'd like to recommend which is from the opposite side of the peninsular from Catalunya.

In Galicia you'll find a wine region called Rías Baixas, home of the Albariño grape. This grape is difficult to cultivate and yields are low yet it produces what for me is the finest white wine I've ever tasted. Albariño wines are known as the 'wines of the sea' given their production is so close to the Atlantic ocean and how they complement the delicious seafood of the region so perfectly. If I lived in Galicia I'm sure I'd be a white wine drinker. The whites from the nearby Ribeiro region are also outstanding.

Another white I'd recommend comes from deepest Andalucia and is one of Spain's best selling wines. It is labelled Barbadillo (Castillo de San Diego) and is produced in Sanlúcar de Barrameda which is one point of Spain's 'sherry triangle' consisting of Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María and Sanlúcar. This triangle represents the biggest sherry producing area in the world. Jerez is a town we get to visit frequently on our private tours the highlights being a tour of one of the sherry bodegas and a visit to the Royal School of Equestrian Art where you can see a performance of the famous dancing horses.


By Gerry Kerkhof

Check Out the Related Article : A Wine Story - Wine, Food & Lifestyle

Whenever wine is the subject, we often think of where it was popularized. Study their names – from the Champagne to the tongue twisting name Beaujolais up to the very romantic names -- Bordeaux and Burgundy. Where do you think wines were popularized -- France, of course.

Wine, in the old times of France, was made by the peasants for their own consumption. This explains why the French produce and sell some of the best wine vintages in the world. Unlike New World wines that label their products as to what grape variants they've used, Old World French wine is labeled with the location where it was made. By doing so, the French have inadvertently added a romantic note when buying their wine.

Many wine enthusiasts consider French wine as their drink of choice. Most buy different kinds of French wine, so that they may experience and compare differences on tastes, aroma and the wines texture.

With thirteen different regions having thousands of wine producing vineyards, wine enthusiasts are able to enjoy an almost limitless choice of quality French wines. It is said that France has the perfect geographical location for growing grapes, having the perfect soil conditions, and being in close proximity to bodies of water. Add this with the best climate -- a combination of cold winds and a relentless sun, the grapes produced under these conditions are very full bodied with very rich taste.

The availability of French wines range from the most common wine that can be found in retail locations to the more rare variants, which can only be bought by special orders. It is suggested that if you're looking for a rare vintage of French wine, try browsing through the Internet.

Although New World wines may prove to use the same methods and ingredients in making wine, and may produce wines that may taste like those made in France, many will say that this doesn’t matter, and nothing will ever match the romance given out by French wines.

French Wine provides detailed information on French Wine, French Wine Gifts, French White Wines, French Red Wines and more. French Wine is affiliated with Italian Red Wines.


By Jimmy Sturo

Check Out the Related Article : A Wine Story - Wine, Food & Lifestyle

The components that influence how a type of wine develops fall broadly into two categories. The more 'internal' factors are things such as the variety of grape, the amounts of sugar and the tannin that can be extracted. More external factors are the yeasts, growing conditions, barrels and so on. Whilst it cannot be argued that the principal influence is the combination of grapes these external factors cannot be ignored.

The difference between grape juice and wine is alcohol which is created by yeast fermentation. In many types of wine the yeast itself is actually a factor in the flavor and the strain of yeast certainly affects the amount of alcohol. Most yeast naturally dies off at certain levels of alcohol bringing a natural end to the fermentation, some like Tokay yeast, have a higher tolerance and so make stronger wines. When the yeast dies off and fermentation is complete the wine is still cloudy and full of dead cells. There are many different methods of removing these and they also have an effect on the flavor of the wine. Racking, where the clear wine is drawn off after the yeast has settled to the bottom is one. Some wines are deliberately left on the lees, the dead yeast cells, because this gives them a richness and depth of flavor - Champagne is a classic example of this and it is what gives the wine that delicious toasty aroma and taste. Muscadet Sur Lie is another example of this technique and you can taste the difference between the lighter wines that have been racked off and those that have not - it is quite astonishing. Most yeasts occur naturally and fermentation will start on its own, but sometimes if a wine maker is trying to create something quite specific a starter yeast may be used. However this can be fraught with dangers in terms of bringing in unnatural flavors such as the 'Banana Beaujolais' that was prevalent some years ago.

Botrytis or Noble Rot has a dramatic effect on the sugars in the grapes and consequently on the wines produced from grapes that have been affected by this benign fungus. It is prevalent in areas where there are large bodies of water that produce morning mists that are burnt off by afternoon sun. Day long mists produce gray rot which is altogether less pleasant. Sauternes, in Bordeaux is probably the best known area for botrytised wines. The grapes affected by botrytis are shriveled and look quite unpleasant but they produce the most fabulous sweet dessert wines. The fungus reduces the water content in the grapes making the sugars and the flavors far more highly concentrated. The grapes are generally hand picked at just the right stage which can involve as many as ten picking sessions to get the maximum amount of grapes at just the right point. The wines are generally aged for many years and have a rich, almost unctuous texture and flavor that is unique. The wines are highly prized and very expensive. They are not to everyone's taste but I have to confess to a personal passion for them.

Without alcohol wine would not exist, it would merely be the juice of grapes. The amount of alcohol is dictated by the sugars in the grapes and the yeast used to ferment the juice. Wines from cooler climates often have less than 10% abv (alcohol by volume). The types of wine produced in warmer climates can have much higher percentages of alcohol, often dictated by the yeast used. There is a tendency for wines to be made with an abv of 14% or more, however the alcohol can completely overpower the wine itself and all you can taste is the alcohol 'burn', they should certainly not be drunk without food. The control of fermentation is where many winemakers display their skill, hot, rapid fermentation produces a very different wine to a cooler, more controlled process. If a winemaker wishes to protect the delicate fruit flavors of a wine such as Viognier, then temperatures must be carefully controlled or all its subtleties will be lost.

Of the external factors that affect the flavor of many types of wine, Oak is probably the most widely debated. Some wines are fermented in oak, or just stored in oak for a few months but it will always have an effect. Additionally the type of oak will produce completely different flavours. The effect of French Oak is harsher when young, emphasizing the tannins, but becomes buttery with age. American Oak is far more redolent of Vanilla and spice. Russian Oak is not dissimilar to French but is not yet as widely used. As well as the origin of the oak, there is the question of 'old' or 'new'. Old oak barrels will impart some of the flavors of the previous wine and be mellower than new, some barrels are even 'toasted' to give yet a different set of flavors. Oak is not the only wood used for barrels, though it does have the most dramatic effect. One of my favorite wines, from Chateau Marie De Fou in the Vendee is aged in Acacia barrels and has truly unique and distinctive characteristics. The difference between oaked and unoaked wines is probably best demonstrated with Chardonnay - there are those that say it is dead without Oak and those who won't touch it with Oak. It is very much a matter of personal preference.

All types of wine are affected by many things other than these basic internal and external components, and each will have a different effect depending on the type of grapes that have been used in the first place. Most of us start from either the grape variety or the region from which it came, but why not try following a more subtle thread in your choice of wine such as the difference between French and American Oak. These minute differences in types of wine can lead to some stunning discoveries and increase your enjoyment of the wines you drink.

By Chloe Alster

Check Out the Related Article : 5 Unique Wine Gifts For the Wine Lover on Your List

If wines are stored incorrectly, the subtle flavours and aromas that characterise them may be spoiled. Knowing the correct way to cellar wine will help you preserve it in optimum condition and allow the wine to develop to its full potential.

Store bottles on their side

Store wines horizontally on their side so the wine is in contact with the cork. This will keep the cork wet. If the cork dries out it will shrink and air will get to your wine. Air is the greatest enemy of a good wine and will turn it into vinegar. Store it with the label up so that you can easily see what the wine is. The sediment that forms in a good wine will form on the opposite side to the label. You can see how heavy it is when the time comes to open the bottle and decide to decant it or serve it from the bottle, and the label is less likely to be damaged. Sparkling wines can be stored upright. The carbon dioxide naturally produced in the wine will form a layer in the neck and protect the wine from contact with the air. Carbon dioxide is heavier than air and will sit on top of the wine.

Store wine where the temperature is cool and constant

Wines is best stored at temperatures of 12-16 degrees Centigrade. However, any temperature between 5-18C is acceptable so long as the temperature stays constant. A gradual change of a few degrees between summer and winter won't matter, but the same change each day will age your wines more rapidly and harm them. The most important rule when storing wine is to avoid large temperature changes or fluctuations. Over time the continual expansion and contraction of the wine will damage the integrity'of the cork. Air can seep in and begin the irreversible process of oxidation which will ruin your wine. White wines are affected far more by temperature than red wines. You can generally recognize a heat damaged wine by its colour. A brick red brown colour, especially in a young wine can be an indicator of oxidation damage due to heat. Since Sherry is an oxidised wine, another indicator of heat damage in wines is a sherry-like taste.

Store wine where relative humidity is between 50-80%

Low humidity will cause a cork to dry out and lose its elasticity and allow air to get into the bottle. This will happen even if the bottle is stored on its side. A very easy way to increase the humidity in a confined space is to leave out a bucket of water. This will naturally evaporate and raise the humidity. Excessive humidity will not harm the wine but may cause the labels to rot. Moderate humidity is important to keep the cork in good resilient condition and prevent it shrinking. A relative humidity of 50-80% is an acceptable range with about 70% recommended.

Light will prematurely age a bottle of wine. Ultraviolet light will damage wine by causing the degradation of the otherwise stable organic compounds that contribute to the aroma, flavour and structure of the wine. Without them your wine would be flat and thin. Sparkling wines are more sensitive to light than other wines. Incandescent or sodium vapour lights are better for a cellar than fluorescent lighting, as fluorescent lights give off significant amounts of UV light.

In general

Pick a location for you wine cellar very carefully and try and keep it away from an outside wall such as a cupboard or a spot under a staircase in the centre of the house. This will give you the greatest chance of keeping your wines at a stable temperature. The temperature is the single most important thing you can control to help age your wines properly. There are dozens of temperature controlled wine cabinets on the market and they all do a great job, so if you are serious about your wine you should aim to get one - it is a worthwhile long-term investment.

By Ian Love

Check Out the Related Article : 5 Unique Wine Gifts For the Wine Lover on Your List

Chardonnay is the world's most popular white wine grape. Chardonnay wine's homeland is the Burgundy region of France, where it produces sublime, complex Chardonnay table wines (in Champagne and elsewhere it provides the base for many of the world’s best sparkling wines), but it also flourishes in California, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina and South Africa.

Chardonnay is one of the few grapes in the world that does not require blending. It is a highly complex, aromatic grape, complete and balanced enough in flavor to stand beautifully on its own. The artistry of the winemaker's fermentation and aging process brings forth an intriguing variety of delicate aromas and flavors in Chardonnay wines.

Chardonnay made as a pure white wine conjures up visions of green apple, lemon or citrus, all pointing to fruity flavor and acidity. Wines made from extremely ripe grapes bear the distinctly softer Chardonnay flavors of figs, pineapples, ripe apples, melons and honey.

Chardonnay is a good-yielding variety that buds early in the season and also ripens relatively early, with its thin skin making it susceptible to rot from early rains. Chardonnay ripens easily and produces medium-to-full-bodied Chardonnay wines with rich apple, citrus, and tropical fruit aromas and flavors. When Chardonnay wines are made with care, they are bold, rich and complex and taste of ripe figs and peach, honey and butter, hazelnuts and spice. The best are medium-bodied, medium dry and high in acidity. Chardonnays, more than any other white wine, love to be aged in oak.

Chardonnay Wine Tip:

Chardonnay wine is not an especially versatile food wine and is best paired with simply prepared seafood and poultry dishes.



By Steve Austin


Check Out the Related Article : Wine Club - Reasons Why You Should Join a Wine Club

Once again, we are breaking into the series tasting wines from each of Italy’s twenty wine regions. This article examines a noble red wine from the island of Sicily in southern Italy. It is very far from a bargain wine. We were about a dozen to taste it. I’ll be presenting my opinions and those of others.

So far, the wines that I purchased for this series have cost a maximum of about $20. I thought that I should try one at about double the price. I felt that by going to a relatively unknown region such as Sicily I might get a bargain. A lot of wines from the Tuscany or Piedmont regions of Italy cost $40 or much, much more. Such is not the case for Sicily.

Italy’s top of the line wine designation is DOCG, which stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata Garantita (Denomination of Controlled, Guaranteed Origin.) There are no DOCG wines in Sicily. But the formal designation is not very important, many Super Tuscans costing at least twice my budget carry “inferior” designations. The wine I chose carries the Contea di Sclafania DOC designation, having been promoted from the Sicilia IGT designation. The wine reviewed here is produced by the same company as the white Sicilian wine reviewed in my article I Love Italian Wine and Food – The Sicily Region. This was no accident. First I bought the relatively expensive red. Then I bought the white wine for about one third the price. This white wine carries the Sicilia IGT designation, but I found it to be pretty good. Let’s take a look at its much more expensive red cousin.

Wine Reviewed
Tasca d’Almerita Regaleali ‘Rosso del Conte’ Contea di Sclafania DOC 2002 15% alcohol about $38

About 35 years ago, Count Tasca d’Almerita decided to make a flagship Sicilian red wine from two local grapes, Nero d’avola and Perricone. Nero d’avola is a thin-skinned grape that ripens extremely late, perhaps three weeks after Cabernet Sauvignon. Consequently this variety is virtually limited to Sicily. Some think that it is a relative of Syrah. Nero d’avola wines are usually dark and tarry, with lots of black fruit aroma and taste. They are rich and well structured, with firm and silky tannins. Many of the grapes in this bottle came from vines over forty years old. The plants are grown as shrubs, a somewhat unusual practice. This wine was aged for twelve months in French oak barrels, about 60% of which are new. It can be cellared for years. I only wish that I could taste a ten or twenty year old Rosso del Conte.

I’ll spare you the marketing materials and reviews that tend to be very laudatory. Here are the comments from my tasting group.

A bit of black fruit. Highly oaked. Toasted grains, toast, grilled barley. Nervous and wild. Garriga (a mixture of spices found in areas near the Mediterranean Sea). Leather, dried meat, musk, and underbrush. A strong presence. Acidic and tannic, but not very long. Moderately long, fairly tannic. Round. More fruit than oak.

When asked to guess the price, the general consensus was considerably lower than what I actually paid. It’s fair to assume that most of these people would not purchase this wine, even if they do buy wines in this price range. On the other hand, it’s not hard to find reviews on the Internet that draw the opposite conclusion. In fact, every review that I read was more laudatory than my tasting group was. And my thoughts?

Personally, I would rather drink wine with food than without food. There were only a few sips left in the bottle but I was able to squeeze out two pairings. First I tried slow-cooked beef ribs with potatoes and a side of green beans in tomato sauce. This wine was the essence of mouth-filling, a tiny sip enveloped my mouth with pleasure. The wine’s acidity and tannins handled the meat’s fat. If only I had more.

Isola is a Sicilian fresh cheese made from sheep’s milk. The Isola cheese was powerful, strong smelling and strong tasting, especially when you crunched into a peppercorn. The Rosso del Conte’s richness and complexity was quite noticeable in the presence of this cheese. I am glad that I didn’t waste the last precious sips of this wine on a weak cheese.

Final verdict. It’ll probably be quite some time before I buy another bottle of Rosso del Conte. I do think that it’s worth the price, but I can’t say that I got a $100 wine for less than $40. Have you ever done so?

By Levi Reiss


Check Out the Related Article : Wine Club - Reasons Why You Should Join a Wine Club

Italian wines are usually ranked among the best wines in the world. The demand for Italian wines is so high that this small country produces around 8 billion bottles of wine each year. But the growing number has not resulted in deterioration in quality, as most Italian wine producers are known for their strict quality control.

The history of Italian wine dates back around four thousand years. Perhaps, what has helped Italian wine stay ahead of its competitors is the fact that Italy has more local grape varieties than any other country on earth.

Italian wine is considered unique due to rich blend of diverse wine cultures that exist in various wine regions in the country. There are certain general qualities of Italian wine which make it stand out in the crowded wine market.

It is better to take Italian wines with food, as they have relatively high acidity levels. Italian wine bottles are full of earthy aromas and regional flavor. This is also known as ""earthiness"". It helps make an Italian wine complement the food, not compete with it. Most Italian wines are not heavy. They are moderate in nature, though there are some heavy wines, too.

A number of grape varieties that do not grow in other parts of the world are grown in Italy. These varieties are used for producing wines which have unmatched taste.

Italian wines are available in a wide range of prices. Some of them are very expensive, but many of them are easily affordable. A number of Italian wine stores sell these wines online. Most popular department stores also sell Italian wine bottles from different parts of the world. It is better to buy Italian wine from an authorized store, as many ordinary wines are also sold as "Italian wine" in the market.


By Eddie Tobey


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Bordeaux is a region in France that produces some of the world's finest and most famous red, white and dessert wines. The greatest red wines of Bordeaux come from the Medoc, Graves, Saint-Emilion and Pomerol; dry white wines mostly from Graves; and dessert wines from Sauternes, Barsac and Sainte-Croix-du- Mont.

The red Bordeaux wines are almost always blends which include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with sometimes small amounts of Malbec and Petit Verdot. The white and dessert Bordeaux wines consist of mostly Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Many of the world's most spectacular and sought-after wines come from this region, including Chateaux Lafite-Rothschild, Mouton-Rothschild, Petrus, Cheval Blanc, Haut-Brion, Latour, d'Yquem, etc.

With 57 appellations, more than 9,000 wine-producing chateaux, and 13,000 wine growers in the Bordeaux region, you can find sophisticated Bordeaux wines, refreshing wines, aged wines and young wines. Though the top-quality Bordeaux merit the higher prices they command, there is virtually an endless choice of Bordeaux wines in every price category. Some of the lower prices Bordeaux wines are of an execellent quality. If you enjoy red wines, hen Bordeaux can be a great choice. The Bordeaux's produced in France are some of the best the world has to offer.


By Steve Austin


Check Out the Related Article : Italian Wine - The Long History of Italian Wine

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Aosta Valley region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

The Aosta Valley is a tiny corner of of northwestern Italy bordering on France and Switzerland. This valley is surrounded by high mountains, including Europe’s highest peak, Mount Blanc. This was arguably the last region of Italy to be populated, because it was covered with ice until relatively recently. Over time it was occupied by Celts, Romans, Ostrogoths, Byzantines, Lombards, and Franks. It is bilingual, Italian and French. The Aosta Valley is by far the smallest region of Italy with a population of only 120 thousand.

Agricultural is not particularly important, with the exception of cattle raising. There is substantial forestry and some industry, in particular hydroelectric power. The region is one of the wealthiest in Italy, with a highly developed tourist sector.

This region has no single capital. The largest city is Aosta, with a population of about 35 thousand. It was a Roman garrison over two thousand years ago, and is the best example of Roman city planning in Italy. Among the Aosta Valley’s tourist attractions are the remains of a Roman amphitheater said to hold 20,000 spectators. Other tourist attractions include medieval fortresses and churches, the Matterhorn, and Mount Blanc.

The Aosta Valley devotes only fifteen hundred acres to grapevines, and ranks 20th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about six hundred thousand gallons, also giving it a 20th place. About 90% of the wine production is red or rosé (only a bit of rosé), leaving about 10% for white. The region produces a single DOC wine, that is divided into 23 categories. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin. Almost 23% of this region’s wine carries the DOC. The Aosta Valley is home to almost three dozen major and secondary grape varieties, with somewhat more red than white varieties.

Chardonnay is the most important international white grape variety in the Aosta Valley. Muscat and Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris) are also grown. Local white varieties include Blanc de Morgeux and Petite Arvine, also grown in Switzerland.

International red grape varieties grown in the Aosta Valley include Gamay, Grenache, Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir), and Syrah. Local red varieties include Picotendro (called Nebbiolo in neighboring Piedmont and arguably Italy’s finest red grape), Petit Rouge, and Fumin. In the unfortunate absence of any Aosta Valley wines, I am reviewing a DOCG Nebbiolo-based wine from neighboring Piedmont. If I am ever in the Aosta Valley, I promise to drink and review a few local wines.

Before reviewing the Aosta Valley-style wine and Italian cheese that I was lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Jambon de Bosses; Uncooked Ham.
As the second course try Carré D’Agnello Gratinato Alle Erbe; Grilled Loin of Lamb in a Pastry and Herb Crust.
For dessert indulge yourself with Crema alla Panna; Pannacotta from the Aosta Valley (a sort of crème caramel without eggs.)

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have communicated with well over a thousand Italian wine producers and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy is clear. All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Travaglina Gattinara DOCG 13.5% alcohol about $28

As stated above, little if any wine from the Aosta Valley region is available in North America. We had to settle for a Piedmont wine produced only a few miles away from the Aosta Valley. For some reason I can’t get out of my mind the 1905 George M. Cohan Broadway title tune (Only) Forty-five Minutes from Broadway, think of the changes it brings. Given that this is a DOCG wine made with Italy’s best red grape, I really don’t feel that I made a sacrifice. It is perhaps a fitting way to treat the last of Italy’s regions.

Let’s start with the marketing materials. “The winery has other jewels in its crown, as the fabulous base Gattinara 2001 so eloquently proves in the best version we can remember. A pure, austere nose expresses the Gattinara territory, with licorice and crushed roses from the Nebbiolo grape and elegant streaks of eucalyptus, menthol, and even acacia blossoms. The long lingering palate is lively and tangy, slightly held back by assertive tannins.”

Let’s talk a bit about the bottle. As a DOCG red wine, there is a lavender ribbon at the top of the bottle. The bottle itself has a unique curve that fits in the palm of the hand. It was designed by a glassmaker for the 1952 vintage, and proved so popular that the producer has been using it ever since. The grapes are grown on steep slopes at 900-1300 feet in iron-rich soil with traces of Calcium and Magnesium Carbonate. The wine is aged a year in French oak barriques, 18 months in Slovenian oak casks, and then for six months in the bottle. It has been called an affordable Barolo, (one of Italy’s finest red wines that starts at about twice its price). Wine Spectator Magazine has listed a previous vintage as one of the year’s 100 best wines.

My first pairing was with a cheeseless meat lasagna. Frankly the wine was wasted on this meal. It was mouth-filling, long, and powerful, but yet delicate. I felt that the wine was great on its own. A few ounces kept my mouth satisfied for a very long time.

The next pairing was more suitable, grilled rib steak in my spicy, homemade barbeque sauce that included ketchup, sweet and sour mustard, fresh garlic, and black pepper. The meal also included potato patties, and caponata, an Italian-style eggplant and tomato salad. This marriage was made in heaven. The wine was mouthfilling and powerful. A little bit went a very long way.

The final meal was with slow-cooked, boneless beef ribs and potatoes. Once again, the wine was very powerful, tasting of leather and dark fruit. It is easily the most powerful wine of the series, and probably one of the most powerful wines that I have ever tasted. However, I did not find the tannins assertive; they blended perfectly with the fruit and other flavors.

It might have been best to try this wine with a Piedmont cheese such as Gran Padano or Gorgonzola, or with an Aosta Valley cheese such as Fontina. I had none of the above, so I settled for the ends of my Italian cheeses, coincidentally at more or less the end of this series. The Gattinara took on a pleasant acidic character to deal with a Montasio cheese from the Veneto area that was past its prime. It also went well with a Sicilian Isola. I liked it the best with an Asiago, also from the Veneto region. But once again the wine was somewhat wasted on these cheeses.

Final verdict. I don’t think that this wine should be cellared wine for a dozen years, but I would love to find out. If I had the money, I’d buy a case, drink a bottle a year, and then decide what to do. Not going to happen. This wonderful wine will have to go into my once a year category. I’m already looking forward to savoring and comparing the 2002 vintage with this wonderful 2001.


By Levi Reiss


Check Out the Related Article : Red Wine and White Wine

Merlot wine is a rich, soft wine with the flavor of blackberries, beloved because it is seldom harsh and not as acidic as a Cabernet Sauvignon with which it is often blended. Merlot wine has the added advantage of being rich and supple but only moderately tannic and, therefore, wonderfully drinkable from early on.

The Merlot grape is larger and thinner skinned than the Cabernet grape. It has an opulent texture that goes admirably with h'ordeuves or as a dinner drink. Similar to the soft Algerian wines of the Pied Noirs, Merlot wine is used to round out and add complexity to Cabernets.

in today's world, Merlot wine is a premium varietal in its own right. Merlot wine is a round sensual wine that does not need the same care in aging. So Merlot wine can be a splendidly pragmatic and commendable choice for many occasions.

Merlot wine is so popular due to the fact that it is softer, fruitier, and earlier-maturing than cabernet sauvignon, yet displays many of the same aromas and flavors – black cherry, currant, cedar, and green olive – along with mint, tobacco and tea-leaf tones.

The most critically acclaimed Merlot wines are dark, rich and strong. Aromas include scents of plums, black cherry, toffee, chocolate, violets, orange and tea.

Merlot Wine Tip:

Merlot wine is a good accompaniment to simply prepared beef and lamb dishes.

By Steve Austin


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The Carignane grape variety is one of the most widely planted grapes in the world. It's popularity stems from the high crop yeilds that it produces as well as the characteristics that it can bring to a wine. Wine made from Carignane usually has red-fruit characteristics, deep violet and purple color, strong tannin structure and high levels of alcohol content. It is sometimes peppery like Syrah. These characteristics have made it very popular as a blending agent in the vast quantities of local table wines (jug wines) that are consumed around the world. It often provides the 'backbone' of these wines and is blended with other grape varieties that bring additonal flavor characteristics.

Carignane is thought to have originated in northern Spain and grows well in a 'Mediterranean' climate. As a result, it is widely grown in many of the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea including France, Italy, Spain, and Algeria. Carignane is the most widely planted grape in France. It has also found a home in almost every other wine producing country around the world.

Carignane Wine Tip:

The Carignane wines are generally dry and range from medium to full-bodied. They have lots of "life" to them, are recommended with fuller-bodied foods and are best served at cool room or cellar temperature. Carignane grapes produce more red wine than any other grape variety.


By Steve Austin


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Italian wine has a long and interesting history. In fact, Greek settlers were producing it in the region way before the Romans started planting and harvesting their own vineyards in the second century before Christ. While the Greeks may have started it, the Romans perfected it, organizing large scale productions and developing their own storing techniques.

Indeed, if it weren't for the Romans, we wouldn't have wine made in barrels or bottles of the beverage. Even though it's been more two thousand years since the Romans took over wine making, Italy remains one of the world's greatest producers of wine. In fact, Italy was responsible for around 20 percent of the world's production in 2005.

Grapes are grown in nearly every part of Italy, and there are more than 1 million vineyards being cultivated this year. While each winery produces a different wine, overall Italian wine can be characterized as acidic and dry. They have a subdued flavor and aroma, which makes them better with food than enjoyed alone.

Italian culture is centered around wine. Many Italians drink it with every meal; almost as many drink it in between meals, too. It is customary for visitors to be offered a glass of wine upon arriving to the host's house.

There are four classes of Italian wine, falling under two different categories. The first category is Table Wine, the other is Quality Wine Produced in a Specific Region (QWPSR). Under table wine, there is Vino de Tavola and Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT). The former just means that it's made in Italy, while the latter denotes wine from a specific region within the country.

In the QWPSR category, there are two subcategories. Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) refer to very specific zones in Italy. These are more specific than the aformentioned IGT wines. Who knew there was so much to Italian wine?


By Jennifer Waite


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I have been wondering about the difference between red wines and white wines. To me, they taste quite different. Red wines are heavier and more complex than white wine, and often tend to be less sweet. Why is this? Actually red and white wines are made quite differently. The differences between red and white wines include the kinds of grapes used, the fermentation and aging process, and the character and flavor of the wine.

White wines are almost always made from white grapes, although they can be made from black grapes, since the juice in most black grapes is clear. When white wine is made, the skins of the grapes are separated from the juice when they are put into a crushing machine. Then yeast is added to the juice for fermentation, until the juice becomes white wine. After filtering etc, the wine is aged by storing it in stainless steel or occasionally oak containers and bottled after a few months. White wines, then, are made without skins or seeds and are essentially fermented grape juice. They have a light character and have crisp fruit flavors and aromas. They can be sweet or dry or somewhere in between. Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio/ Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc are all white wines.

Red wine is usually made from red or black grapes, although all the kinds of grapes usually have a clear juice. The process of making red wine is different from the one of making white wine. After the grapes have been in the crushing machine, the red grapes with their skins and everything sit in a fermentation vat for a period of time, typically about one to two weeks. . The skins tend to rise to the surface of the mixture and form a layer on top. The winemaker frequently mixes this layer back into the fermenting juice (which is called must). After fermentation is over, the new wine is taken from the vat. A little "free run" juice is allowed to pour and the rest of the must is squeezed into "press wine". The wine is clarified and then is stored, usually in oak containers, for several months until it is ready to be bottled. The oak containers add additional wood tannins and flavors to the wine which help to intensify it and add richness to it. The result of this process is that red wines exhibit a set of rich flavors with spicy, herby, and even meaty characteristics. Beaujolais, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel are all red wines.

The main difference between red and white wines is the amount of tannins they have. Since tannins largely come from the grape skins, red wines have more of them than white wines. Red wine acquires it's tannins in the process of maceration (leaving juice to mix together with the skin, seeds and woody bits). It is the tannins and skins of the red grapes which are released into the wine that contribute to the deep color and flavor of red wine. Tannins have a slightly bitter taste and create a dry puckery sensation in the mouth and in the back of the throat; and often lend a wonderful complexity to red wine. They also help preserve the wine. This is why red wines are usually aged longer than white wines.

There are as many different flavor profiles among red wines as there are among white ones. Some red wines are sweet and fruity, while some whites ( such as Chardonnay) have tannins from being stored in oak containers. Some German white wines have lasted for centuries, while some red wines are made for immeadiate consumption. For wines meant for consumption right away the winemaker takes out the bitter tannins, creating a fruity, fresh, and approachable wine. So, apart from the color, there are no hard and fast rules about the differences between red and white wine.

Is it true that red wine is better for you? The research of Dr Frankel has shown that red wine contains more antioxidants than white wine, although the total amount varies according to the variety of grape, region it was grown, the climate and soil it was grown in, and whether it was stored in oak (since wines stored in oak have more antioxidants) and the filtration techniques used. However the antioxidants in white wine are apparently more effective. The research of Dr Troup shows that the antioxidant molecules in white wine are smaller and thus more effective because they can be more easily absorbed. It seems that white wine is just as healthy as red wine.

In summary, the primary difference between red and white wine is the amount of tannins they contain, although there are no hard and fast rules about the differences between them outside of the color of the wine. Usually red wines are more complex, richer, and heavier, with spicy, herby, and even meaty characteristics. White wines are usually sweeter, and lighter, and have crisp fruit flavors and aromas. Neither is significantly better for you. Which wine is best for you to drink is simply a matter of taste.


By Tracy Crowe

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