Award Winning Chateau Routas, Wild Boar Rosé

A well done to Chateau Routas for winning the prestigious five star, best in show, international trophy at the 2012 Decanter World Wine Awards for their Wild Boar Rose. The award was for the category ‘Rosé under £10’

It is a well-deserved award for winemaker Jean Louis Bavay who strives to “Coax the best wine the earth wants to give me”. He certainly does that with the Wild Boar Rose, which is a great example of how you can produce a top quality rose wine yet still be very affordable.

Here is what they said about the wine at the Decanter World Wine Awards

“Appetising, moreish style singing of Mediterranean France. Clean, fresh herbal aromas with invigorating aniseed over a ripe peach and tropical fruit palate with pretty, floral notes, plum skins and stony, mineral acidity.”

We certainly agree with the award and if you haven’t already tried the wine, then where have you been? Only joking! But if you love rose wine then definitely give this one a try. You won’t be disappointed!

Tips for a Non-Expert to order Wine at a Wine Restaurant

Whether it is a holiday or a special event, it may be an evening that requires going to a fancy restaurant. Typically when taking a date to an upscale restaurant, wine is the drink of choice. The tough part is deciding on a bottle when you know nothing about wine. It is assumed that women prefer wine, therefore it would be advantageous to suggest having a bottle with the meal.

Although it may not matter who orders the bottle of wine, a person may try to impress their date by showing they know their way around wine even though they may not. There are some women that may prefer their date to order the wine similar to having their chair pushed in or the door opened for them. No matter the reason for ordering wine, there are a few strategies for getting the job done.

Read Up
By taking a few minutes to look at a book or magazine, it is easy to understand the basics of wine and which bottles will taste good with each meal. The internet will have several resources and it is easier to find exactly what you want to know. After reading up on some information, it is time to hit the restaurant.

Switch it Up
When the waiter comes to the table they will usually ask you want something to drink such as a glass of wine. Rather than ordering a bottle right away, ask your date if she would drink a glass of Champagne with you. If you date is agrees you can ask for two glasses of sparkling wine. This will give you time to look over the menu and be able to pair the wine and the meal together.

Get a bottle
Rather than ordering a few glasses of wine, purchase a bottle. A bottle will be more romantic for your date. Typically at a wine restaurant, it is cheaper to order a bottle of wine than four glasses of wine. It may look like money does not matter, when in fact you are saving money.

Take Time and Order
Look over the wine list slowly. It will show that you actually care about the right bottle rather than getting the best deal. It will also give your date the impression that you know a lot about wine. It may even be a good idea to stay away from bottles costing less than $25. Ask your date if she prefers red or white wine. There are two types that are very flexible with any food. If she says white, order a Riesling. If she says red, order a Pinot Noir.



Memorial Wine Cellar is continually eveling their collection based upon the palates of guests. This is a great wine restaurant to take your date for that special occation. Memorial Wine Cellar has curbside service for picking up wine and they always offer a high level of customer service.

Free Wine Class: How To Choose The Correct Wine Glass

Today I'd like to offer you some quality advice on the best way to choose wine glasses. It may not sound like that big of a deal but will come in handy the next time you are hosting a dinner or a cocktail party. Just imagine for a second that you are just about ready to serve your wine; but just before you set the table, fear starts to set in. Just what glasses should you put on the table? There is a method to the madness of different wine glass shapes. Let me tell you step by step which wine is preferred to go in which glass so you’ll have no fear whatsoever the next time you set your table for a great dinner with a food and wine pairing.

White Wines:
Now if you’re looking for white wines, you need a glass with a little bit more narrow opening. So this is a traditional wine glass. This would be good for white wines and red wines but it will be good for white wines in that the narrower the opening, the better because white wines don’t need as much aeration as red wine does but they have more delicate flavour. You can definitely smell a red wine from six inches away; you know the smells are coming out of that wine. I can smell these red wines now and I haven’t even put my nose in the glass. But white wines, particularly the lighter ones, you are getting into a sense of apricots, and lemons, light-citrus. You want to get every single piece of that flavour from the wine into your nose so when you’re drinking it, you’ll look for a narrower opening so when you smell it, all those aromas are trapped inside the glass by the narrow opening and they are not allowed to dissipate into the surrounding table area as they would be if there was a wide opening.

Red Wines:

Let’s just stop and think for a second. Take red wines for example. Typically Red wines are bigger, they have more tannins, they open up slower and sometimes they have to age for years in the bottle before they resemble anything remotely drinkable. They also have big flavours, they need a lot of air put in to them, (usually achieved by swirling), they need to be decanted, and finally; they usually require a lot more air than your typical white wine. Red wines need a big surface area so more air gets to them and they need a big bowl like this so when you swirl them, more wine can get contact with air. So if you’re serving a red wine, look for a glass that has a big bottom on it. This glass is also another good glass for good red wine but it does have not so much a big bottom as this traditional glass, but it does have a lot of volume in the glass so you can definitely aerate the wine better.

Sparkling wines:
In the first part of the last century; people liked their sparkling wines were sweeter than anything by today's standards. So there a wasn't a need to seek out soft, delicate flavours that would be in a small opening to a wine glass. So if you’re looking for sparkling wines, there are two kinds. There is dry which would go in a tall champagne slue and a sweeter sparkling wine can go either in a champagne slue or it can go in one of those bowl sized traditional champagne glasses.

So now that we have gone through the set of wine glasses and what wines they would traditionally be served in each glass, let’s ask ourselves some questions to kind of test what we know.

Would you consider owning more than one type of wine glass?

This would be your typical entry level wine glass that will be good for all wines. Are you going to consider owning certain types of different wine glasses based on the types of wine you would want to serve and which types of wine glasses do you think should be in your kitchen?

Would you invest in a top of the line Riedel glass or would you invest in maybe more glasses for the same price in different shapes at a lower price point?

And last, would you buy the more expensive glasses or instead would you want to invest in stronger, more economical glasses?

To find out more about red or white wine, or to just dive in an order a case; please visit us at www.bordeaux-undiscovered.co.uk

Image credit: Martin Cathrae

Upcoming Wine Trends

Wines come in different varieties and flavor that strictly confine to the wine and food rules. These trends are categorized in various classes. Wines are classified according to class, time of consumption and where it should be consumed. People with great knowledge on wine are more concerned with specialty in terms of place and labels. Each type of wine has a close relationship with the geographical environment where it is found.



For instance Terroir is a French name for wine, coffee or tea and may have to bear the meaning of a sense of place. For those who understand what they can achieve by taking wine, don’t just go for names but are concerned very much on with the origin of the brand. Chardonnay is a French term but ordering by that name is not enough since the same type from Chablis contain minerals flavor of the sea which are unique because the grapes used grow on fossils soils and decomposed sea creatures. Another Chardonnay type from California is characterized by citric fruits which defines their origin.

Local wines
Turning to local wines is one thing that can make you enjoy your staff without having to change the taste and flavor. When you stick to one taste you are likely to gain good experience and this is important when choosing what you need to take. Something you are used to it becomes more delicious even when you are visiting new places. The notion that locally processed wine is not as good as that from abroad is misplaced and you should realize how someone from somewhere else may love to order it at the expense of those imported from their countries of origin. It is easy to choose the local brand because you are well conversant with the flavor and chances of falling prey to unscrupulous dealers do not arise.

Break the rules
Choosing the type of food and wine that combines with it is immaterial therefore breaking this rule may not have any impact on your appetite. As long as you have picked on a balanced diet, a well balanced wine is goods for your health. If the food is good and you pick on a wine that has good flavor then you are ok since it leaves you satisfied. Color in this case does not matter. Always settle for what you like in terms of food and wine and combine the two to your enjoyment.
Steer clear of adulterated wine
You should be aware of wines that contain foreign additives. Go for pristine wines which have natural flavors and nothing more. The original taste should be retained all through. Exaggerating the taste with too much sugar is uncalled for as this robs it of its natural sweetness and the original alcoholic content which needs to remain the same throughout.

Affordable wines
When placing orders for wine; pick on less expensive ones. The wide range of wine processing firms guarantee a pocket friendly quality but you should be careful on what you place your money on. There is no difference in these wines since they contain the same alcoholic values. Cheaper wines may be better than the expensive ones since high prices do not necessarily mean good quality. You can still enjoy your day with cheaper wine and still save some money for other uses.

Article provided by http://www.johnjenkinsdirect.co.uk 

Top 5 Wine Regions in the USA

The American wine industry is as old as the nation itself and few wine lovers realize that over 5,500 wineries are located throughout the United States. Statistically, the United States yields over 660 million gallons of wine each year and ranks fourth in worldwide wine production. Additionally, the wine industry creates numerous jobs in agriculture, production, and tourism. While vineyards and wineries exist in all 50 states, most are clustered in five geographical regions.

California
The top wine-producing region in the United States is the West Coast. According to the National Association of American Wineries, California alone yields 90% of all American wines and provides 95% of all wine exported from the United States. Napa and Sonoma counties are the most popular wine tasting areas of the state and boast of many fine wines and wineries. Additionally, the beauty of the foothills of the Sierra Mountain Range draws many tourists to the local wine tours. Up the coast, Washington and Oregon have hundreds of wineries and thousands of acres of vineyard as well.

New York
In the northeast, New York and its surrounding states make up the second top wine-producing region in the United States. Growing dramatically in last thirty years, New York ranks third in terms of U.S. production. Popular vineyards and wineries lie around Lake Erie, Long Island, the Hudson River, and the Finger Lakes area. Most are small family-run businesses. In Virginia, wine growing dates back to the 1600s. Thomas Jefferson was one of the most famous vine growers in this area, boasting an extensive wine collection. Other wine-producing states in the area include Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland.

South
Texas and New Mexico make up the third top wine-producing area of the United States. Texas alone ranks fifth in production. The earliest vineyards are traced to the Spanish missionaries of the 1700s. The Texas High Plains and the upper elevations of New Mexico yield the best grapes in the area.

Lakes Region
The Great Lakes region, including Michigan, Ohio, and northern New York, ranks fourth in wine production. Michigan is the fourth largest grape growing state, but only a tenth of that is turned into table wine. Ohio’s wine industry is enjoying resurgence in recent years.

Midwest
Finally, the Midwestern region, consisting of Missouri, Illinois, and Kentucky, is one of the fastest growing wine-producing regions in the country. In Illinois, the number of wineries doubled in the years since the 1990s. Missouri is rebuilding its wine industry as well. Settled largely by German immigrants, Missouri’s wineries retain a strong German influence in its family owned operations.


Article by ezCater.com. The easiest, most reliable way to find and order Charleston catering.

The Best Tasting Wine For Your Dinner

Whether you are hosting an important dinner party for work or you are planning a romantic dinner for two, there may come a time when you need to choose which wines to serve with your dinner. Although you may be inclined to stress over your decision, choosing wines for dinner can be a fairly simple task. With a basic understanding of a few simple concepts, you can be confident in impressing your guests with a tasteful and quality wine.

Consider Your Cuisine
As you plan for your event, you will want to prepare in advance for the type of food you will be serving. While you might not know every detail of side dishes and other entrees, it can be very helpful to have a good idea of the main course and the overall genre of your menu. Knowing the type of meat you will be serving can make a large difference in helping you choose which wines to serve. White meats such as fish and turkey, for example, often pair better with different wines than you might consider with steak.
If you don’t have a particular dinner menu in mind, you have the option of planning your meal around your favorite choice in wine. Starting with your wines and working backwards with the dinner menu is a similar process. In either case, the goal is to have the wines and the dinner menu complement one another, providing the best experience for everyone.

Common Sense Advice
If you are new to serving or drinking wines, there are a few simple things to keep in mind to create the best combinations. Just as you would plan various components of your dinner menu to work well together, you will want to make sure that your wines complement the meal. Years of experience with wines may provide you with some added insights, but in the beginning, you can follow some simple advice.
*Lighter dishes often work better with lighter wines.
*Heavier foods tend to mesh more with heavier and darker wines.
*When serving white meats, choose white wines.
*For red meats, use red wines.
No matter what you are serving, your goal should be to create a balance. Your foods and wines should work together to enhance the entire dining experience.

Popular Combinations
If you are feeling hesitant or unsure about making a selection, you can always stick with popular combinations that have already been proved to work well. Here are a few popular combinations to consider.
*Chicken and grilled fish are often paired with Chardonnay.
*Merlot is often used in combination with a hearty dish of pasta or a heavier, red meat.
*Dishes of steak and beef are often paired with Cabernet Sauvignon.
*Pinot Noir can be a great choice with pork or red sauce.
*Lighter dishes that include chicken or other white meats tend to work well with Sauvignon Blanc.

Experiment
As with anything else, experimenting and practice is likely going to be the best way to gain confidence and expertise in choosing wines for dinner. Often times, wines are chosen simply as a matter of preference, so it might take some time to figure out exactly what you like best.

When you have given some thought to your menu and taken some simple advice on selecting wines, you can be sure to give your guests a pleasant dining experience.

Health Benefits Of Red Wine

It is now common knowledge that drinking a little bit of wine can improve the health of an individual, but before you go drinking a bunch of wine, it's vital to understand just exactly what those benefits are so you can actually experience those benefits. If you take for example the differences between red and white wine, the whites are not going to give the same sorts of health benefits that you will get out of red wine, which is the one that is truly beneficial. I'm not saying here that whites are completely bad for you by any stretch, but when individuals talk about benefiting from drinking wine, they're talking about the benefits that they gain from the reds.

The Benefits
There are an abundant amount of benefits to consuming red wine in moderation, including the fact that studies have shown that it can actually help to prevent heart disease. These studies have gone on to show that if a woman drinks one glass of wine a day, and for men, two glasses per day, they can actually lower their chance of having a heart attack by as much as 30 to 50% when they are in the midst of their life. That is truly quite an amazing figure for the individuals that are in that age group.

Some additional benefits to drinking red wine in moderation include its uncanny ability to lower an individuals LDL-cholesterol, which is the bad variety of cholesterol that has a tendency to build up in older folks, and that is absolutely proven to be true. So this particular benefit of drinking red wine is going to work in your favor by reducing the risk of having any type of blood clot development in your veins as a result of fatty deposits that may have built up.

It really can't be emphasized enough that an individual is only going to gain these benefits when they consume the red wine in moderation. It's important that you always exercise caution with such things because they can be habit-forming and lead you to overindulgence which is never a good thing. Just because a little bit of something is good for you doesn't mean that drinking a bunch of it is going to increase those benefits. For example, if you drink too much the red wine you'll have a higher chance of developing other types of health issues such as high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, and a higher build up of cholesterol.

Benefits of Consuming Red Wine
Red wine happens to be a very good supplier of antioxidants which are an essential component of a person's diet who wishes to maintain a healthy and clean system. All of these antioxidants will work within your bloodstream to prevent plaque formation, or blood clots which have a tendency to build up on the walls of your circulatory system. These antioxidants help to decrease your chance of experiencing a heart attack or stroke. Another healthy substance that red wine contains which is known to raise the levels of your HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol) is resveratrol.

All of the research and studies that have been done on the benefits of drinking wine have shown that it can be quite healthy when consumed in moderation, but it also needs to be noted that in order to experience the most benefits, an individual needs to embark on healthy lifestyle as well. Drinking red wine isn't going to be a cure-all for all of your ailments by any stretch of the imagination, and the best benefits from drinking red wine are always going to be achieved from an individual who combines it with an active and healthy style of living.
If you would like to boost your health, why not visit us at www.interestinwine.co.uk

What is Rose Champagne?

Rose Champagne is essentially any pink or blush champagne. Although I have said “pink” champagne, it can actually vary in colour much like a typical rose wine, from orange, to pinks, purples and even reddish in colour.

As with all white champagnes, rose champagne gets its name from being produced in the French region of Champagne. This is where the most famous and elegant of sparkling wines are produced.

The same methods are used elsewhere in the world but they aren’t able to adopt the champagne name as they are not produced in the region. These wines are simply named sparkling wines. It can also have a different name depending on what country it is produced in. In Italy, they have a sparkling wine called Prosecco, in Spain, they produce Cava.


How is it made?

Rose champagne or sparkling rose wine is made just like any other champagne. First of all, a still rose wine is produced by either blending white and red wine together to get a pinkish colour or a method called ‘Saignée’ which is when the wine is allowed to stay in contact with the grape skins longer than would normally be used to produce a white wine but a lot less than a full red.

This still wine is aged as usual in a wooden cask or in steel depending on the winemaker. The wine is then bottled with a mixture of yeast and sugar and left to age again. During this aging process, the yeast reacts with the sugar, converting it to alcohol. As the yeast does this, it produces carbon dioxide as a by-product. As there is nowhere for the gas to go, it is dissolved by the wine, creating bubbles.

The yeast is then removed. If left in, it would leave the champagne or sparkling wine cloudy.

First, the technique remuage (riddling in English) is used to move the yeast to the neck of the bottle by slowly rotating and tipping the bottle. This was once done by hand but is now mechanically done.

The second technique called dégorgement is then used to actually remove the yeast from the bottle. The neck of the bottle is cooled until the yeast is frozen. The lid of the bottle is then opened, the frozen yeast is slipped out and the bottled is then quickly resealed with a cork held in place by a small amount of wire.

Rosé wine on the up!

Probably one the most significant trends within the wonderful world of wine in the last couple of years has to be the increase in recognition, popularity and demand for rosé wines.

There are several reasons for this. Rosé wines can vary in colour, from pale to vibrant, ranging from orange through pink or sometimes even purple. These colour variations can be very eye catching and striking. This could be one of the reasons why rosé wines are more popular today.

Rosé wines can also be very refreshing due to their fruity taste and are usually served chilled. This makes them easy to drink and a great introductory wine for people new to drinking wine or has only been drinking wine for a short period of time. This used to mean that they were described as a more summer wine but now people are drinking them all year round and used for many different occasions. The rosé wine is winning over fans from both the red and white wine sections.

Another factor in the rising popularity of these rosé wines is that they can be quite flexible when pairing up with food. Rosé wines have great versatility and can match up with variety of foods and compliment many different meals. This makes it a great wine to serve at the dinner table if each diner has a different dish or if several courses are being served. The reduced tannin levels compared to their red wine counterparts make rosé wines an ideal match for dressed salads, seafood dishes, grilled meats and can even be a great wine used at barbeques.

Many of the well known wine makers have recognised this increasing popularity in rosé wines and are looking to find a place for themselves in an increasingly lucrative marketplace. This can only be a good thing as it means that the quality of rosé wines will keep improving when some of the best wine makers in the world are using their unique and well established wine making techniques to produce these wines. Gone are the days when a simple mixture of red and white wine was used to make rosés or blush wines.

Rosé wines are readily available today. You can find good value wines in your local supermarket or alcohol retailer from wine makers such as Gallo Family Vineyards or Blossom Hill. If you are looking for something a bit more special, there are several rosé wine specialists shops out there or online. If you are really looking to splash out, you could spend around £60 on a bottle of Chateau D’Esclans, Garrus from renowned winemaker Sacha Lachine which is regarded as one of the most expensive and best rosé wines on the planet. This wine is available at Rose-wine.com or on Wine-searcher.com.

The history of Mouton Cadet

Since 1930, Mouton Cadet has been renowned for its setting a marker for wines with its dedication to produce the highest quality wine. This comes from the excellent fruit grown in the area and also the passion led by Baron Philippe de Rothschild (1902-1988) and then continued by his daughter Baroness Philippine de Rothschild. Over the years Mouton Cadet has consistently combined quality, prestige and know-how in an expressive, seductive wine. Today, Mouton Cadet has become the leading producer of wines from the Bordeaux region.

Determined to maintain the quality and prestige of Chateau Mouton Rothschild at the highest level, Baron Phillippe de Rothschild decided that the wines produced in 1930 should not bear the Chateau label. In 1932, he decided to sell it under the name Mouton Cadet (Baron Phillipe was a younger son – cadet in French).

Mouton Cadet was originally started in Pauillac. In 1931, due to its growing reputation, the harvest from the estate soon became inadequate to meet the demand. Grapes had to be bought in from vineyards in the neighbouring areas. Soon even this wasn’t enough and sources of supply were extended to other Bordeaux appellations in a constant quest for the best grapes and Mouton Cadet became a Bordeaux AOC.

In the 1950’s, Baron Phillipe toured the United States to promote his wine. The tour was an instant hit. In 1960’s, Mouton Cadet’s reputation continued to grow, spreading through Canada and then Britain. Mouton Cadet gained recognition as a sophisticated brand and popular wine worldwide Encouraged by this reception, Baron Philippe de Rothschild created Mouton Cadet White in the 1970’s. Fruity and rounder than the usual Bordeaux whites around at the time, it became instantly popular.

After the death of Baron Philippe, his daughter took over the running of the estate. Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, found new ways to promote the Mouton Cadet brand worldwide. Mouton Cadet began to appear in sport, fashion and even cinema. In sport, Mouton Cadet sponsored the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics, golf’s Lancôme Trophy and the Roland Garros and Monte Carlo tennis tournaments. In fashion, it was a sponsor of the New York Young Designer Award and in 1992 became the official partner of the Cannes International Film Festival.

In recent times, Mouton Cadet has moved towards a rounder, fruitier style, even adding a rose wine to the range. Its look has also changed too. An icon has been created, a combination of a bunch of grapes and a ram, evoking nature’s generosity (the quality of the grapes that goes into every bottle) and work of human hands. The wine is delivered in more simple and refined packaging. Selling over 12 million bottles a year in over 150 countries, Mouton Cadet is the world’s most widely available wine brand. Today, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild continues to pursue her father’s ambition and philosophy of making Mouton Cadet a fine Bordeaux wine accessible to all.

Mouton Cadet wines are available at Rose-wine.com or on Wine-searcher.com.

Pairing wine and cheese

Pairing wine and cheese can be quite daunting. There are so many combinations out there; it boggles the mind but not to worry. There are not set rules when it comes pairing wine and cheese, it’s really all about experimenting and finding what works for your taste buds.
Here are a few combinations that could start you off:

Salty with Sweet
Salty flavoured cheeses such blue cheese goes well with the sweet tendencies of dessert wines and vice versa. Stilton compliments Port especially well.

Rich and Creamy with Sparkling
The pairing of rich and creamy textured cheeses with champagne or sparkling wines is definitely a combination that should be tried. Would go down well at a reasonably decedent party. A cheese such as Brie or Gruyere would be a good start.

Local Pairings
Another easy place to start when pairing cheese with wine is to try pair up a wine and cheese produced in the same region or state. It won’t always work but is a good starting place and worth a try.