Posted on 03/29/2014 7:20:12 PM PDT by nickcarraway
What every wine drinker should know about Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and Riesling
"I KNOW NOTHING about winewhere do I start?" is perhaps the most frequent question I am asked. An obvious starting point is with grape varieties, which each have their own distinctive character and flavor.
There are more than 5,000 varieties of wine grapes planted in the world. Luckily, for those new to the subject, only 100 or so have enough appeal to be deemed commercially viable. Luckier still, it's a relatively small number that have found international recognition.
Jean-Manuel Duvivier These used to be referred to as the Noble Grape Varieties, a term coined by the British wine trade to describe the classic grapes of Europe (though it's no longer used in professional wine exams). Nicholas King, research and development manager at the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, says it drifted out of use in about 2003. After using "common" or "international," the educational body has now settled on the term "principal" grape varieties.
Whatever the term, it refers to the eight classic varietiesChardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Grenache and Rieslingwhose flavor and character have led to them being exported around the world. Their success has, in many ways, been detrimental to their reputation: the level of planting being such that quality has inevitably been diluted.
Wherever you are on the wine journey, whether a connoisseur or a novice, an understanding and appreciation of these varieties will benefit you enormously.
I rather like the old term for them as, in their finest form, these grapes are capable of producing wines that are among the very best in the world. Here's my guide to what every wine drinker should know.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
The king of wines:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciR7Fq2tqJ0
Chilean Carménère. Amazing.
Argentine Malbec. Amazing.
1. Can of Welch’s concentrate and water.
2. 1 cup sugar
3. 1 pkg. yeast - your choice. As a youth, I preferred bread yeast.
4. A gallon jug.
5. A balloon to fit over the jug’s neck.
6. Wait for the balloon to inflate, and then deflate.
7. Enjoy!
the..wine....that winks back....at you.
I evidently missed that one the first time around.
I get mine in a box...er, a bag in a box. Description also fits my mother in law. But she ain’t 12% Alc.
Malbec = yum!
What’s the word?
Thunderbird.
THUNDERBIRD!!! yowza.. yowza.
I’m a Pinot Grigio mommy, especially after this past week!
What’s the price?
I’m not as thunk as you drink I am!
Mad Dog 20/20 + grape koolaid = Purple Jesus.
“I get mine in a box.”
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For heavy volume winos, such as myself, the box wines are a good deal. I buy Spanish and South American wines in one ltr. boxes. They come from South America and Spain. I buy both white and red for about $3 per ltr. The only problem is that they are available only in big cities, 2 hours from me.
I can, however, carry about 20 ltrs at one time.
What's the price? Thirty twice!
Mad Dog a BIG favorite of the CHOOM GANG Im told
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