יום שלישי, 20 בדצמבר 2011

:Eight types of wine and a quick homemade wine recipe


Syrah:
(Pronounced: Sah-ra or Shi-raz) 
Shiraz or syrah are two names for the same variety. Europe vintners only use the name syrah.
Food pairings: meat (steak, beef, wild game, stews, etc.)
Origin of the grapes: syrah excels in California, in Australia, and in France’s Rhone Valley.
Typical Taste Characteristics: aromas and flavors of wild black fruit (such as blackcurrant), with overtones of black pepper spice and roasting meat. The abundance of fruit sensations is often complemented by warm alcohol and gripping tannins.
Toffee notes if present come not from the fruit but from the wine having rested in oak barrels.
The shiraz variety gives hearty, spicy reds. While shiraz is used to produce many average wines it can produce some of the world’s finest, deepest, and darkest reds with intense flavors and excellent longevity. You’ll discover Syrahs of value and elegance by reading reviews of French wines.

Merlot:
(Pronounced: Mare-lo) 
Easy to drink. The softness of Merlot has made it an "introducing" wine for new red-wine drinkers.
Foods appropriate for this wine: any will do.
Origin of the grapes: a key player in the Bordeaux blend, merlot is now also grown in Italy, Romania, California, Washington State, Chile, Australia, etc. It is the fourth wine grape variety in terms of coverage worldwide (after sultanine blanche, airen blanc, and grenache noir).
Typical Taste Characteristics: typical scents include blackcherry, plums and herbal flavors. The texture is round but a middle palate gap is common. The Merlot type of wine is less tannic (rough) than Cabernet Sauvignon.

Malbec:
(Pronounced: Mal-bek) 
Foods appropriate for this wine: all types of meat-based meals, foie gras. Argentine Malbec suits Mexican, Cajun, and Indian dishes, if you insist on having wine with such meals.
Origin of the grapes: malbec has its origins in the French Bordeaux region. It is grown as côt in the Loire Valley and auxerrois in Cahors. Malbec has also been recognized as médoc noir or pressac again in France. Malbec is widely grown in Argentina, where it is the most popular red grape variety. It is also available in Chile, in Australia, and in the cooler regions of California.
Typical Taste Characteristics: malbec’s characteristics vary greatly depending on where it is grown and how it is transformed. Generally it produces an easy-drinking style, well colored wine that tastes of plums, berries, and spice.
Malbec is often blended with other varieties such as cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and petit verdot to make Bordeaux style wines. Malbec and some such blends may present some health benefits.

Cabernet Sauvignon:
(Pronounced: Ca-burr-nay so-veen-yaw) 
Widely accepted as one of the world’s best varieties. Cabernet sauvignon is often blended with cabernet franc and merlot. It usually undergoes oak treatment.
Foods appropriate for this wine: best with simply prepared red meat.
Origin of the grapes: cabernet sauvignon is planted wherever red wine grapes grow except in the Northern fringes such as Germany. It is part of the great red Médoc wines of France, and among the finest reds in Australia, California and Chile.
Typical Taste Characteristics: full-bodied, but firm and gripping when young.
With age, polyphenols polymerize: the grip fades away. The rich currant qualities of the Cabernet Sauvignon wine change to that of pencil box. Bell pepper notes remain.
Vanilla notes if present come not from the fruit but from the oak treatment. They increase review ratings but may overwhelm the varietal taste.

Pinot Noir:
(Pronounced: Pee-know na-wahr) 
One of the noblest red wine grapes. Pinot noir is difficult to grow, rarely blended, with no roughness.
Foods appropriate for this wine: excellent with grilled salmon, chicken, lamb and Japanese dishes (notably sushi rolls).
Origin of the grapes: makes the great reds of Burgundy (from Bourgogne, France), and good wines from Austria, California, Oregon, and New Zealand.
Typical Taste Characteristics: very unlike Cabernet Sauvignon. The structure is delicate and fresh. The tannins are very soft; this is related to the low level of polyphenols. The aromatics are very fruity (cherry, strawberry, plum), often with notes of tea-leaf, damp earth, or worn leather.
Yet pinot noir is very transparent to the place where it is grown. The staggering range of wines produced makes it pointless to define which personality is the best expression of the variety.

Zinfandel:
(Pronounced: Zin-fan-dell) 
Perhaps the world’s most versatile wine grape, making everything from blush wine (White Zinfandel), to rich, heavy reds.
Foods appropriate for this wine: very much depends on the freshness/heaviness of the wine; tomato-sauce pasta, pizza, and grilled and barbecued meats.
Origin of the grapes: only found in California.
Typical Taste Characteristics: often a zesty flavor with berry and pepper.


Sangiovese:
(Pronounced: San-gee-oh-ve-zee) 
Foods appropriate for this wine: a good choice for Italian and other Mediterranean-style cuisines.
Origin of the grapes: sangiovese produces the Chiantis of Italy’s Tuscany region and, of late, good wines from California.
Typical Taste Characteristics: the primary style is medium-bodied with fresh berry and plum flavors.


Barbera:
(Pronounced: Bar-bear-a) 
Not as popular as Merlot but with similar attributes.
Foods appropriate for this wine: barbera wines are versatile: they match many dishes, including tomato sauces.
Origin of the grapes: another classic red of Italian origin. Widespread in California.
Typical Taste Characteristics: juicy black cherry and plum fruit, a silky texture and excellent acidity.


And here is a quick recipe for homemade wine:

Ingredients:

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
4 cups sugar
1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen juice concentrate - any flavor except citrus, thawed
3 1/2 quarts cold water, or as needed

Directions:

Combine the yeast, sugar and juice concentrate in a gallon jug. Fill the jug the rest of the way with cold water. Rinse out a large balloon, and fit it over the opening of the jug. Secure the balloon with a rubber band.
Place jug in a cool dark place. Within a day you will notice the balloon starting to expand. As the sugar turns to alcohol the gasses released will fill up the balloon. When the balloon is deflated back to size the wine is ready to drink. It takes about 6 weeks total.

אין תגובות:

הוסף רשומת תגובה