Wine Info

Making Wine Like a Pro

2009-04-29T08:21:00.000-07:00

by: Bill Kaplan

Wine making is an easy, cost-efficient way to stock up on your favorite vintages. Although the wine-making process is fairly simple, it’s important to follow the steps carefully to ensure you don’t miss any elements. These steps will be crucial to the success of your batch.

Once you’ve decided to make a batch of wine, the first thing to consider is the equipment needed. The following is a list of the wine making equipment required to make a basic batch of red wine:

• Large nylon straining bag
• Cloth (any kind will do)
• Large pail (with a lid)
• Hydrometer
• Thermometer
• Acid titration kit
• Clear, bendable plastic tubing (a half inch in diameter)
• Two, one gallon glass jugs
• Corks
• Hand corker
• Fermentation lock and bung
• Wine bottles (between 5 and 7)

After you’ve assembled the necessary equipment, just follow these easy steps and you’ll produce a great batch of wine in practically no time at all:

1. Prepare the Produce – First, inspect the fruit to ensure the grapes are ripe and free of insects or other contaminants. Put the grapes in the straining bag and measure the sugar level using your hydrometer. A hydrometer can be purchased at any wine making store. The sugar density should be 22 ideally. Also, remember to remove the stems from all grapes in order to make your wine smoother and sweeter. Finish this step by transferring the ingredients into the jug.

2. Adjust the Juice – This is a crucial step in the wine-making process. You must measure the acid content using your titration kit. The ideal level is 6 to 7 grams per liter for red wine and 6.5 to 7.5 per liter for white wine. You’ll want to regulate the sugar level by measuring it with your hydrometer from time to time. Sugar levels should remain at 22 for both red and white wines. The fermentation should remain around 70-degrees-Fahrenheit for basic red wines. Abiding by these temperatures will ensure that the process goes smoothly.

3. Rack the Wine – Insert your clear plastic hose into the wine jug and attach it to the opening of the other (empty) sanitized jug. Siphon the wine from one jug to the other in order to keep the wine in a completely sanitized container. Next, fit the jug with a bung and fermentation lock. This step may take some time, but it’s important to be slow and careful so you don’t stir up the sediment. Let the wine sit for an extended period of time (some people choose to wait weeks or even months).

4. Bottle the Wine – Bottling your wine is the easy part. Simply siphon your wine from the jug into your wine bottles. Be sure to leave about 2-inches at the top of every bottle, otherwise it will cause overflow when the cork is inserted. To cork your wine bottles simply insert a cork into the hand corker, position the corker over the lever and insert.

5. Drink and Enjoy!

About the author:
Bill Kaplan spends most of his free time researching and practicing the art of beer brewing and wine making and serves as a contributing editor for the Beer Brewing and Wine Making website (www.winemakingandbeerbrewing.com/index.htm).

Guide To Buying Wine Glasses

2009-04-29T08:19:00.000-07:00

by: Brian Johnson

You’ve heard somewhere or read somewhere that wine must be served in the best crystal to get its full advantage, well not necessarily but there are a few basic principles to remember when choosing glasses that will help you get the best from your favorite bottle.

It is true however that the appearance, smell and even the taste can be enhanced by using the proper glasses. The oldest surviving wine glass with a stem and foot are 15th century enameled goblets that holds more than four ounces of liquid. Towards the end of the 16th century in Germany, wine glasses are sophistically engraved as decoration . Meanwhile The earliest surviving English wine glasses that were produced near the end of the 16th century were made by Verzelini, there were diamond-engraved. Around the 1740s plain straight stems and air twist stems gained popularity . France introduced fine crystal glasses towards the end of the 18th century.

Wine glasses during the 19th century were often produced in sets of a dozen each, each set for port and sherry, burgundy and claret, champagne glasses and liqueur glasses. In the 1950s, Riedel Crystal and other manufacturers have refined the design of wine glasses with unique size and shape for almost every wine variation.

When choosing glasses, always remember to first choose a plain glass to set off your best wines, stay away from colored or even those that have tinted stems or bases. The effect of light on the wine, specifically the “legs” and “tears’ on the inner wall when you swirl the wine and the way aromas are captured within the wine glass and finally presented to your nose while drinking are one of the most important things to consider when choosing wine glasses. Glasses with a wide bowl that tapers toward the mouth will allow the aroma of the wine to be released generously. This is because the deeper bowls allow more room for swirling and the narrow opening channels the aroma to your nostrils efficiently. A big flared opening will disperse the aroma rather quicker.

Red wines are traditionally served in bigger glasses than white wine, this is because red wines needs more space to breathe and develop, remember, a wine glass can never be too big. Sparkling wines should be served in think glasses with straight side or flutes so that the fizz is preserved.
Realizing the plight of budget restricted consumers, the California Wine Institute has developed an all-purpose wine glass. It is five and one half inches tall with a one and three quarter inch stem. Its clear, tulip-shaped bowl holds a capacity of up to eight ounces.

Setting of wine glasses at a dinner party should also be taken into consideration when serving different types of wine throughout each course. The glasses should be arranged in the order they are to be used and right to left. Typically wine is poured from the right, while food is served from the left. You might want to begin with tall stemmed glass for whites followed by a large wine goblet for reds and ending with short smaller glass for port or sherry. Finally remember that you need to leave room to capture the aroma as it rises from the swirled wine and allowing room for it to be tilted to evaluate the color of the wine, therefore it’s best to fill the wine glass at one third to one half full at the most.

About the author:
Stop by wine-blog today for the latest information about the wine world, with great wine articles, wine in the news and more. http://www.wine-blog.net

How to Begin Wine Collecting

2009-04-29T08:18:00.000-07:00

by: Dakota Caudilla

Some people collect wine for money…and some people collect wine because they have a passion for wine. Irregardless of whether you’re collecting wine for profit or for pleasure, collecting wine requires some investment. Enjoying wine is a completely different thing from collecting wine, bear this in mind.

When it comes to collecting wine, one of the most important thing to consider is where you’re going to keep the wine. A substantial portion of your investment towards your wine collection hobby is in ensuring that there’s a suitable place to store your wine. The motive is to ensure that the wine collection will increase in value, not decrease. Believe it or not, the storage and the way the wine is kept make a world of difference.

Wine that is kept, collected and protected in suitable condition will age nicely and will turn into vintage wines. However, if your wine collection is not properly cared for, well, you’ll know. The quality of the wine collection will deteriorate and a wine expert will be able to tell that your wine has been ill-treated.

First of all, do extensive research on the many different types of wines there are in the market. Some wines are meant to be kept and stored over a long period of time, some are not. Books on wine collection should be bought and if you’re at all serious about wine collection, spend some time reading through them and understand the different types of wines and the way that they should be kept. If keeping and reading books on wine is not your ‘glass of wine’, you can do your research on the internet. Either way, there’s a wealth of information on wine that you can find. Explore, absorb and remember.

Once you understand the way each type of wine should be kept, it’s time for you to design and construct the place where your wine is to be kept. This depends on the kind of wine you intend to keep there, of course.

And after you’ve built your wine ‘cellar’ (bear in mind, sometimes, wine cellars are not necessarily built in cellars), you should start purchasing wine; wine that you like. One basic thing to remember is that wine is differentiated with the provenance of the vintage. The better the storage, the better the quality. The better the quality, the higher the price. Before you buy wine, ask the seller for an authentic certificate. This may sound so trivial but it’s important if you want to know and be sure that you’re purchasing high quality wine. This is especially important if you’re making a bulk purchase of the wine.

In collecting wine, you would want to strive for a balance between New Age wine from Australia and Chile and with Old World Wine from Europe. Bear in mind that ready-to-drink wine is not suitable for long-term safekeeping. Dessert wine is also best opened and consumed within a short period of time. Know the difference before you start collecting wine.

About the author:
Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.creative-cooking.comon which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.

How to Brew Your Own Beer

2009-04-29T08:17:00.000-07:00

by: Bill Kaplan

Beer brewing has become increasingly popular because it produces a large amount of beer for a very little amount of money. There are three things to consider when brewing your own beer from home - equipment, ingredients and procedure.

Equipment Needed: Ingredients

• A 20 quart brew pot ● Water
• Large stirring spoon ● Malted Barley
• A basic tablespoon ● Hops
• Measuring cup ● Yeast
• Glass jar
• Fermenter (plastic bucket)
• Air lock
• Sanitizer
• Thermometer
• Rolling pin

Procedure:

1. Preparing the Ingredients – Crush the malted barley into suitable sizes using your rolling pin. This will break the grain into pieces and will extract the goodness of the grain when it’s inserted into hot water.

2. Boil the Wort – The ingredients for the wort are mixed with the amount stated on the beer recipe. This is called the “mash”. The mash is mixed together in the boiler and hot water is added. The mash is brought to a boil for approximately half an hour. Once it’s finished boiling, you must filter out the grains and add the hops. Boiling the hops will eliminate its bitter flavor. Boil the hops for approximately 10 minutes.

3. Fermentation – This is the most important step to beer brewing. Insert the yeast into the wort and leave it for approximately one week. If you use the correct amount of yeast, you will notice foam throughout the liquid within the first 24 hours. This foam indicates that the beer is fermenting accordingly.

4. Storage – Store your beer in tanks or package it in bottles or kegs until it is ready for consumption.

About the author:
Bill Kaplan spends most of his free time researching and practicing the art of beer brewing and wine making and serves as a contributing editor for the Beer Brewing and Wine Making website (www.winemakingandbeerbrewing.com/index.htm).

How to Store Wine

2009-04-29T08:16:00.001-07:00

by: Neil Best

Having invested possibly hundreds of dollars in your latest bottle of vintage wine (ah well, we can but dream), the next important decision is where to store this prized possession?

The main issue when it comes to storing wine is that it needs to be maintained at a cool temperature of between 12 and 16 degrees Celsius. Shoved under the bed won't do.

Many modern wines do not need to be aged over a great period of time; therefore extensive cellars are often unnecessary. Having said this, if you have the time, space and resource to excavate a cellar, your wine will surely benefit. A purpose built cellar is not normally an option for most households and so suitable alternatives must be explored.

Ideal areas for storage include a corner of a garage, garden shed, an unused fireplace or a cupboard that is against an outside wall.

Wherever you choose to store your wine, a few basic criteria are worth keeping in mind.

Choose an area that is less likely to be subjected to fluctuating temperatures caused by household heating systems.

Wines benefit from being kept in dark conditions. Although this is not always practical, wine should certainly be stored in an area that is not exposed it to direct sunlight.

As a final point, always store your wine bottles on their side. Corks are designed to be kept moist, so that they remain airtight and do not crumble when a corkscrew is inserted.

Bear in mind that some wines do not benefit from being stored at all. If you have poor or no storage facilities available, consider purchasing wine that matures quickly such as most white wines or new technology reds or, possibly, a new Beaujolais.

Move wine as little as possible once it has been placed in storage, unless of course it is being moved into a glass!

If you have a particularly special wine collection, it may be worth engaging a specialist company to store your wine for you (Oops, I'm dreaming again). Good storage has been recognized as vital for many wines and as such, many companies now provide storage facilities. Of course, this does not come cheap and is best reserved for those very special bottles or for those experts who are considering selling their wine on, at a future date.

About the author:
Since Neil Best first investigated wine history he's been recording his findings at http://www.goodglug.comThis article is part of the free Good Glug Wine Appreciation Course. Visit http://www.goodglug.com/free-wine-course.phpnow and get your copy

How Wine is Made

2009-04-29T08:15:00.000-07:00

by: Neil Best

The first stage in the wine making process is to crush the grapes. In days gone by the grapes would be loaded into a large vat and the wine maker(s) would gently tread on them to break the grapes' skins to release the juice.

Nowadays this procedure is almost invariably carried out using a machine called, unsurprisingly, a crusher.

In the case of white wines, after crushing, the juice is separated immediately from the pulp of skins and stalks and fermentation commences.

When making red (and rosé) wines, the juice is allowed to remain in contact with the crushed pulp for a while to add color, body and flavor to the 'must' (the juice to be fermented).

Most modern wines are fermented at a relatively low temperature (around 20° C), which results in wine with a fruity character. White wines are commonly made in large, cooled, stainless steel containers but some better quality wines are fermented in oak casks or, alternatively, oak chippings may be added to the must.

Red and rosé wines are usually produced in stainless steel vats or, sometimes, in oak. When the fermenting wine has reached the required color intensity, the liquid is drawn from the vessel, leaving behind the crushed skins and stalks.

Before bottling, wines from different batches may be blended together and matured. Depending on the type of wine, the length of this maturation process can be measured in anything from days to years.

If an "oaky" flavor is desired then the wine can be matured in oak barrels. New oak or old oak barrels can be used depending on the final flavor required.

Even after bottling, the flavor of some quality wines will continue to evolve, albeit at a slower rate. However nowadays, most wines, even expensive wines, are ready for drinking soon after bottling.

About the author:
Since Neil Best first asked: who made the first wine? he's been recording his findings at http://www.goodglug.comThis article is part of the free Good Glug Wine Appreciation Course. Visit http://www.goodglug.com/free-wine-course.phpto get your copy