Top 10 Holiday Wines

Holiday is upon us. Time for those wonderful meals and those special visits with loved ones and friends.In preparing for these festive occasions, choosing that perfect holiday wine for that holiday meal or gathering friends and family is a must. What are the best holiday wines to choose ? With the help from about.com, they give you a great list of wines to match any event you plan. By the way, these wines are all under $20.

1) Kendall Jackson Vinter's Reserve Chardonnay 2005  (Ca ) 
This Chardonnay is a delicious compilation of fruit and smoke, full-bodied and balanced. Apple, melon and pear dominate the palate and are well supported by a rich, buttery texture. Kendall-Jackson is known for consistent quality, good distribution, and holds a stellar reputation for producing wines that are reasonably priced.


2) Fetzer Valley Oaks German Reisling 2005 (Germany )
The Fetzer Valley Oaks German Riesling is an off-dry, low-alcohol Riesling sourced from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer and the Rheinhessen, two of Germany's prominent grape growing regions. This is an "every man's" white wine, in that it will behave beautifully with an assortment of flavors, spices and white meats. The flavor profile boasts abundant apple, pear and peach combinations with an enticing semi-sweet finish. Fetzer's Valley Oaks offers an authentic German Riesling, that is easy on the palate, easy on the wallet and is versatile enough to be featured at all holiday get togethers whether formal or informal.


3)St. Supery Sauvignon Napa Valley (Ca) 
Citrus fruits burst to the forefront with orange, lemon and lime defining the palate. This Sauvignon Blanc also boasts a refreshing spirit with lots of spunk - earth, slate and balanced acidity all move within the wine providing ample elegance, familiarity and vibrancy for a festive holiday gathering.


4) Eola Hills Pinot Gris 2005 (Or)
A terrific Pinot Gris for the price and the flavor! This one will catch your attention with the honeyed pears and crisp apple flavor, followed by a refreshing finish. Pair this one with your favorite hors d' oeuvres.

5) McManis Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 (Ca)
This is a Cab that will "wow" the most discerning guests, especially if you reveal the price paid/bottle! A deep garnet colored red wine with plenty of blackberry and cherry on the palate. You'll notice dominant tannin definition and even a bit of coffee on the finish. The perfect party wine!


6) Rex Goliath Pinot Noir (Ca) 
Named after a 47 pound Texas rooster from the early 1900s, this Pinot Noir offers an undistracted aroma of ripe berries and a hint of spice. The flavor profile consists largely of strawberries and raspberries, with very subtle tannins and light weight acidity. A pleasant, supple Pinot Noir with enough versatility to go with everything from hors d'oeuvres to the main dish and for just $9 a pop you don't have to risk much to give Rex Goliath a go!

7) Yellow Tail Shiraz (Aus)
Can we see "lotsa fruit?" There is a reason that the Yellow Tail brand has done so well in the U.S. and abroad, it comes down to making consistent, quality wines with great distribution and a perfect "party" wine price point. Not to mention that the Yellow Tail Shiraz has good berry fruit-forward flavor, with raspberries rising to the top of the palate and a decent finish. This is a red wine that guests will like whether they are "into" reds or not.

8) Dancing Bull 2003 Zinfandel (Ca) 
This black cherry packed Zin has a spice and warmth that will perk up any table full of holiday dishes, with a special affinity for red meats, boisterous tomato sauces, mushrooms and sausage. Definitely a wine that is made for good times!


9) Beringer's White Zinfandel 2005 (Ca) 
While most oenophiles detest the thought of owning, much less offering a "white zin" at their holiday get togethers, there will no doubt be a fair amount of guests that will drink it with gusto. So, that said, Beringers offers a nice white zinfandel option with good pricing to satisfy the party necessity.


10) Korbel Chamapagne Brut 
Whether your celebrating something specific or just need to have a bottle of bubbly on hand. This is a champagne stand by that is perfect for party goers, the price is right, the taste is good and many guests just elect to have a sip or two anyway.

We hope this helps you in choosing that special wine for the holidays.  If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback you can reach us by  email.

Thank you for visiting!

Joseph A Jones & The WellLife Team

The Importance of Wine Temperature

         You purchased that special wine for that special occasion. In addition to that, you have researched and picked wonderful wine glasses to enjoy that wine. Finally, you have even paired the right foods with your wine selection. Do you think you are ready for that special wine experience ? You may be missing a very important detail. That detail is wine temperature. Yes, wine temperature can determine if you barely taste it being too cold  or overbearing if it is too warm.
     
       That brings up one important question. What is the proper wine temperature? With the expertise of New York Magazine, they provide the information you need to know the proper temperatures of  red and white wines.


        To enjoy wine at the proper temperature, you need to act in a counterintuitive manner: Chill your reds and warm your whites. Unless you have a proper wine cellar, you should let your red wines spend about forty-five minutes in the refrigerator or ten minutes in an ice bucket (fill the bucket with a mix of ice and water for the quickest results). This will bring out the fruit and de-emphasize the tannins. Whites should come out of the fridge about half an hour before serving, or you should start them at room temperature and ice them for some twenty or so minutes to release their bouquets. If you follow these rules of thumb, you'll notice an immediate improvement in your wine enjoyment.

         If you want to get more serious about temperature -- and I think it's well worth the trouble -- you can do a little experimenting. Chill a bottle of red wine overnight in the refrigerator. Get yourself a thermometer and pour and taste the wine as it rises through the various temperature levels. Touch the bottle to learn how the different temperatures feel on the back of your hand (just like feeling your kids' foreheads). You'll be an expert in a matter of hours, and you'll be able to serve every kind of wine at its ideal temperature.

• Full-bodied reds, such as Bordeaux, California Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Rhone Valley, Australian Shiraz, Burgundy, Oregon Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Italian Brunello and Barolo and port, show themselves best at 60ºF to 65ºF (about forty-five minutes in the fridge; bottle should be slightly cool to the touch). This is the warmest you should ever serve any wine. The truly great Burgundy whites, like Montrachet, drink more like reds than like whites and will also exhibit their flavors best at these temperatures.
• Light, fruity reds, like Italian Dolcetto and young Chianti, Valpolicella, young Rioja from Spain and Loire Valley reds like Chinon and Bourgueil do best at 50ºF to 60ºF (about one and a half hours in the fridge; bottle starting to feel cold).
• Likewise, the 50ºF to 60ºF range is ideal for substantial white wines, such as most white Burgundy, California and Australia Chardonnay and German Spatlese and Auslese, as well as high quality dessert wines like Sauternes and late-harvest Rieslings.
• Light, fruity whites, such as French whites from the Loire, Alsace and Bordeaux, lighter Australian whites, Oregon Pinot Gris and all Sauvignon Blancs are best at 45ºF to 50ºF (two hours in the fridge; bottle cold to the touch). This is also the proper range for fine vintage champagne and ice wine.
• Only the simplest wines should be ice cold (below 45ºF; three hours in the fridge). Basic Spanish and Portuguese whites (like Vinho Verde), the lesser-quality sweet wines, rosés and non-vintage sparkling wines. 

We hope this helps you to know the proper temperatures so you can experience the way the wine is suppose to be enjoyed. If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback you can reach us by  email.

Thank you for visiting!

Joseph A Jones & The WellLife Team

How to Store Wine

              You spent the time and money to purchase the wines of your choice. Now you must know how  to store it properly for it to last and keep its quality.  It is very important to know how to  store the various  wines. There are  before opening  and after opening storing methods you must  use to maintain your wine collection. Also, It is important to be made aware of the different storage options that are available. Thankfully , wiki how wrote a real informative article for us to use.
             
           Here is what they suggest :


Before Opening 


           Keep it in the dark. Store all wines away from light, especially direct sunlight and fluorescent fixtures. UV rays can cause wine to be 'light struck,' giving them an unpleasant smell.Darker bottles are better protected and some bottles have UV filters built into the glass, but enough UV rays can still penetrate to ruin the wine. If you can't keep a bottle entirely out of the light, keep it lightly wrapped up in a cloth, or simply put the bottle inside a box out of the way. If it does get exposed to light occasionally, try to make sure it's light from incandescent or sodium vapor lamps.

           Store corked wine bottles on their sides. If they are stored upright for a long amount of time, the corks will dry out, and air will eventually get to the wine, spoiling it. If you store it label side up, it'll be easier to spot any sediments that may have formed in the wine over time when you do eventually pick it up.


          Keep the temperature constant. For extended aging of wine (over 1 year), refrigeration is a must in most parts of the world; even a below-ground cellar is not cool enough.

• Wine storage temperature should not go over 75˚F (24°C), for longer than brief spans of time. At 75°F, wine begins to oxidize. An ideal temperature for storing a varied wine collection is 54°F (12.2°C).Letting the temperature drop below 54°F won't hurt the wine; it'll only slow down the aging process.
• However, A 68 to 73 degree storage area is far preferable to one that is 45 to 65 degrees F, though the first approaches the dangerous 75 figure. Rises in temperature force wine through the cork; drops cause air to be sucked back in.Temperature in a wine storage area should be as constant as possible. 
• All changes should occur slowly. The greater the changes in temperature a wine suffers, the greater the premature aging of the wine from overbreathing. The temperature should never fluctuate more than 3°F (1.6°C) a day and 5°F (2.7°C) a year, especially with red wines, which will suffer more temperature-related problems than white wines.

             
                Don't move the wine. If possible, store the wines in such a way that you don't need to move them in order to reach a bottle to drink. Try not to move a bottle at all once it is stored. Even vibrations from heavy traffic, motors, or generators may negatively affect the wine.

                Keep the humidity at around 70%. High humidity keeps the cork from drying and minimizes evaporation. Don't allow the humidity to go too much over 70%, however, because it can encourage the growth of mold and cause labels to loosen. You can purchase a hygrometer to track the moisture conditions and use humidifying or dehumidifying techniques as needed.

               Isolate the wine. Remember that wine "breathes", so don't store it with anything that has a strong smell, as the smell will permeate through the cork and taint the wine. Good ventilation may help prevent musty odors from entering the wine.

               Store for an appropriate amount of time. Not all wines improve over time. Generally, new world, inexpensive wines will not improve. Red wines can be stored and aged for anywhere between 2-10 years to mature. This, however, depends on the type of red wine and the balance of its sugar, acid and tannins. Most white wines should be consumed after 2-3 years of storage (though select White Burgundies (Chardonnays) can be aged for over 20 years.)


             Adjust the temperature before serving. Different wines taste best at slightly different temperatures, which may vary from the temperature in which they were stored. Right before drinking the wine, allow the temperature to rise or fall to the appropriate serving temperature:

• Blush, rose and dry white wines: 46-57F (8-14C)
• Sparkling wines and champagne: 43-47F (6-8C)
• Light red wine: 55F (13C)
• Deep red wines: 59-66F (15-19C)

After Opening 


               Store opened white wine in a wine cellar or closet. If you do not have one, put it in the fridge. This will generally only keep the wine  for three to five days if you have already opened it, though there are ways to ensure it stays good for longer:

• Minimize its exposure to air. Cork the bottle tightly. If there is only a little bit of wine left, try transferring it to a smaller bottle.
• Keep it away from excess amounts of light and heat. If you have multiple refrigerators, put it in the one that is used the least. If you only have one, try not to leave the fridge open for extended periods of time.
• Purchase a wine stopper and pump.

               
              Leave red wine out. As long as you place the cork in the bottle and put the bottle in a dark place, you won't need to worry about it going bad for a few days.


               Keep dessert wines like Sauternes, most everyday Ports and most Sherries for longer. They will resist degradation for more than 3-5 days, though exactly how long depends on the individual wine.


Storage Options 


            Wine cellar. This is an obvious one- if you have a wine cellar, worry no more! Just place the bottle of wine on the rack, close the door, and you are set. Make sure to have some type of system for finding certain bottles of wine in your wine cellar, though, otherwise it can be very easy to spend a good amount of time searching for that one particular bottle.


            Makeshift closet wine cellar. While digging a large hole in the basement  would seem the most effective thing to do, that would be a major undertaking, and will cost you quite a bit. A closet wine cellar is ideal for the every day wine  lover, and will probably only cost you around two, three hundred dollars.

•   Be sure you are committed, however, because it's not always easy to convert back into a regular closet.
• Find an empty, out of the way closet on the ground floor of your house.
• Glue strips of 1" foam board to the walls and ceiling of the closet, using construction cement as a glue.
• Replace the door with an insulated door (preferably steel). If you would like, you can also glue the foam to this.
• Attach weather stripping to the edges of the door to make sure that no air gets in or out—heat could ruin the wine.
• Make sure that the temperature is relatively cool. There are numerous devices you can use to decrease the temperature in the closet—find one that suits your particular closet.

          Wine cooler/refrigerator. This will generally keep the temperature constant, as long as you're not constantly opening and closing the door. Good humidity levels are maintained, as well. Some have different temperature zones for different wines.

We hope this gets you caught up with the many different methods in taking care of your wine collection. 

If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback you can reach us by  email.

Thank you for visiting!

Joseph A Jones & The WellLife Team

How to Pair Wine & Cheese

 
         Food Pairings are so important to  have that ultimate wine experience. One of the simpler and more effective wine pairings is with cheese.How do you pair  the right wine with the right cheese?
   
        With the expertise of wineintro.com,  they explain the taste process and then finish it off with a wine and cheese pairing list.So where to start ... how about those two sense organs that most humans possess: the nose and tongue.

The sensation wine gives you - flavor and aroma - does not come chiefly from your tongue. Your tongue has "zones" for each type of flavor it can taste, so you want the wine to be able to go over each section. The tip senses sweet, the front sides salt, the back sides acid, and the very back bitter. Even in each section, there are buds of different "intensities".

In comparison with this well-organized but generalizing tongue, your nose is incredibly sensitive at picking out minute differences in aroma. It is able to sense concentrations of some odors in the parts-per-million quantity. Practice often with both senses, paying attention to the flavors you are detecting in the wine, learning what combinations you enjoy and do not enjoy. The more flavors you try in your day to day activities, the greater the "background of taste knowledge" you will have when you try to figure out what a particular wine tastes like.

Pairing is not an arcane science. It is simply the decision of which wine will bring out the best in a given food, and which food will bring out the best in a given wine, all based on how you personally enjoy both.

One very typical wine-food pairing is Cheese, and many wine parties have cheese as the main snack. Why is this? There are so many varieties of cheeses that there is one that goes well with any type of wine you might try.

 
Cheese tends to make a wine taste better, too. It "smooths out" the wine and brings out what is best in both. Both wine and cheese are natural products, something created with care and aged to perfection.
In most cases a red wine goes well with hard cheese, while white wines go well with softer cheeses, but again this comes down to your own personal tastes and what combinations of flavors you enjoy.

         Cheese Type                          Wine                        Suggestion

• Brie                                        Red Wine              Cabernet/Beaujolais
• Mild Cheddar                          White Wine            Chardonnay
• Strong Cheddar                       Red Wine              Cabernet/Sauvignon Blanc
• Cream Cheese                        White Wine           White Zinfandel
• Danish Blue                            Red Wine              Cabernet
• Feta                                       Red Wine              Beaujolais
• Gorgonzola                             White Wine           Sauternes-Bordeaux
• Gouda                                    White Wine           Riesling
• Muenster                                Red Wine              Beaujolais
• Provolone                                White Wine          Chardonnay

We hope this gets you started on your wine pairing journey.


If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback, you can reach us by email.

Thank You for Visiting!
Joseph A. Jones  & The WellLife Team
                               

Explaining The Different Kinds of Red Wine and White Wine

         

         Whenever you go shopping for wine, it is easy to forget about all the the wines that are available to you.You also want to know what are in these wines and what are its characteristics.It is important to know these  choices that are available to you to enhance your wine experience.Vino for dinner.com is a wonderful resource to use which describes these wine in great detail below.

 

RED WINE

Cabernet Franc [cab-er-nay frahnk] - Traditionally used as a blending grape in Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Cab Franc has recently come into its own as an exceptional stand-alone varietal. The aromas and flavors can vary greatly depending on the region of the grape.

 

Cabernet Sauvignon [cab-er-nay so-vin-yon] - Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most widely recognized red wines and is considered to be the "King" of red wine. It is known for its depth of flavor, aroma and ability to age. It is full-bodied and intense, with cherry, currant and sometimes herbal flavors. Cabernet Sauvignon may have noticeable tannins and is usually aged using oak barrels.

 

Merlot [mur-low] - Merlot is a red wine grape that is used as both a blending grape and varietal wines. Merlot based wines usually have medium to full body and herbaceous flavors and hints of plum currant and berries. The flexibility of the grape has helped to make it one of the most popular and common wines in the United States.

 

Pinot Noir [pee-no nwahr] - The tremendously broad range of bouquets, flavors, textures and impressions that Pinot noir can produce sometimes confuses tasters. In the broadest terms, the wine tends to be of light to medium body with an aroma reminiscent of black cherry, raspberry or currant.

 

Syrah or Shiraz [sih-rah] - The name Shiraz is commonly used for wines that come from Australia, South Africa, Canada and New Zealand. Wines made from Syrah are often quite powerfully flavored and full-bodied. The variety produces wines with a wide range of flavor notes, depending on the climate and soils where it is grown, as well as other viticulture practices chosen. Aroma characters can range from violets to berries (usually dark as opposed to red), chocolate, espresso and black pepper. No one aroma can be called "typical" though blackberry and pepper are often noticed.

 

Zinfandel [zin-fan-del] - The taste of the red wine depends on the ripeness of the grapes from which it is made. Red berry fruits like raspberry predominate in wines from cooler areas such as the Napa Valley, whereas blackberry, anise and pepper notes are more common in wines made in warmer areas such as Sonoma County.

 

WHITE WINE

 

Chardonnay [shar-dun-nay] - Usually 100% varietal, Chardonnay is a white wine, which can range from clean and crisp with a hint of varietal flavor to rich and complex oak-aged wines. Chardonnay typically balances fruit, acidity and texture. Most Chardonnays spend time in oak, either barrel fermented and/or aged. It is becoming more common for Chardonnay to be fermented in using stainless steel. Chardonnay's fermented in stainless steel are usually more crisp and clean.

 

Gewurztraminer [gah-vertz-trah-mee-ner] - This variety has high natural sugar and the wines are white and usually off-dry, with a flamboyant bouquet of flavors. Dry Gewuerztraminers may also have aromas of roses, passion fruit and floral notes.

 

Pinot Gris [pee-noh gree] - Wines made from the Pinot Gris vary greatly and are dependent on the region and wine making style they are from. German Pinot Gris are more full-bodied with a balance of acidity and slight sweetness. In Oregon the wines are medium bodied with a yellow to copper-pink color and aromas of pear, apple, and/or melon. In California, the Pinot Gris are more light bodied with a crisp, refreshing taste with some pepper.

 

Riesling [rees-ling] - Riesling is a white grape variety which originates in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietal pure and are seldom oaked. Note that we did say dry for Riesling, this varietal is commonly thought to be sweet but most Rieslings made outside of Germany will tend to be drier.

 

Sauvignon Blanc [sah-vin-yon blahnk] - Is now planted in many of the world's wine regions, producing a crisp, dry, and refreshing white wine. Depending on climate, the flavor can range from aggressively grassy to sweetly tropical. It is common for this wine to be referred to as crisp, clean and fresh.

Semillon [sem-ee-yon] - is a golden-skinned grape used to make dry and sweet white wines, most notably in France and Australia. Usually blended with Sauvignon Blanc, and sometimes with Chardonnay, but can also stand on its own as a single varietal. Mostly fermented and aged in stainless steel and sometimes with oak.

If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback, you can reach us by email.

Thank You for Visiting !

Joseph A. Jones & The WellLife Team