Coming soon to oe•no•phile will be in depth looks at a number of the local wineries located in and around the Grand River Valley AVA.
I'll be creating a special "section" here on the blog where you'll find tasting notes, photos, and winery history. Hopefully this will be a project that helps those outside our area - and maybe even those inside it! - learn more about our local grape growers and winemakers.
Links will be posted in the coming weeks.
Cheers!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Storing wine when you don't have a cellar
As you begin to collect wines from your favorite shop or traveling to wineries you'll start to find bottles that you'd like to hold on to. Many of today's wines do not require aging as they are produced for almost immediate consumption. However, some of them will continue to develop and exhibit more refined characteristics.
With this in mind it's safe to say that not every wine lover has a wine cellar, or sometimes not even a basement. While oxygen will begin destroying wine (through oxidation) once it is opened, there are still some factors that you want to avoid before pulling the cork. The following information will help you to find and prepare a perfect place for storing your wines.
Temperature
Heat is the first of three factors that will reduce the lifespan of your wine. While wines are best served at varying temperatures depending on the style - more about that below - for storage and aging purposes a range of 56-58º Fahrenheit is ideal. Excess heat will cause wines to prematurely age and they won't last nearly as long.
So in prepping your closet, or other storage area, be sure that it is not exposed to a great deal of heat - say a furnace or air duct that would make the area particularly warm. If there isn't an area with cooler temperature, then the best alternative is to ensure that there is little variation. Hugh Johnson, co-author of The World Atlas of Wine, notes that "if coolness is impractical, steady warmth will do." Also try to keep humidity levels constant to the best of your ability.
As for serving wines, depending on the type and body of the wine there are different recommended temperatures to keep in mind. For full reds (Cabernet Sauvignon) try for 59-68º. For lighter reds (Pinot Noir) a lower range of 54-57º is acceptable. White and rosé wines will be best served between 46-57º while Champagne or other sparkling wine is perfect at 43-47º.
Light
Exposure to light is the second factor to avoid when creating a wine storage space. Excess light of any kind, including sunlight, will cause wine to break down. For this reason it is not advised to store wines in a place where they might be exposed to a lot of light. Not to mention light is usually accompanied by some degree of heat.
Since closets are small, windowless areas in a home they make an ideal area for storing wine so that it is not exposed to any direct light. However, if you have a space that meets the temperature requirements above, any darker area will suffice. Displaying your wine is a fun way to share your passion with others, however those really special bottles should be hidden away rather than left in a counter-top wine rack.
Noise
By this point you might wonder if you're tending a bottle of wine or an elderly loved one. Noise really does have an effect on wine to some extent, mostly in terms of vibration. Loud noises, or vibrations - say from a nearby washer or drier - will agitate your bottles. Avoiding areas where there might be a lot of these disruptions is something to think about.
In your closet you can consider layering a towel over each row of bottles to avoid shifting and also to minimize the impact of any noise or movement in the area. Also avoid storing wine in areas that might be next to a stereo, especially if louder music is being played frequently.
While you can store wine without spending any money, there are kits and books that can help you convert an unused space into a professional looking wine storage area. You can also look into investing in an inexpensive wine fridge. While they can chill bottles for you, they are also great for temperature control.
Overall, it should not be difficult to find an area in your home that can easily substitute for having a fancy wine cellar. If you're uncertain whether a wine needs to be aged be sure and ask your favorite wine specialist or salesperson. Avoiding extreme varying temperatures, exposure to light, and loud noises or strong vibrations will help you to keep wines for many years and enjoy them as they develop.
Cheers!
With this in mind it's safe to say that not every wine lover has a wine cellar, or sometimes not even a basement. While oxygen will begin destroying wine (through oxidation) once it is opened, there are still some factors that you want to avoid before pulling the cork. The following information will help you to find and prepare a perfect place for storing your wines.
Temperature
Heat is the first of three factors that will reduce the lifespan of your wine. While wines are best served at varying temperatures depending on the style - more about that below - for storage and aging purposes a range of 56-58º Fahrenheit is ideal. Excess heat will cause wines to prematurely age and they won't last nearly as long.
So in prepping your closet, or other storage area, be sure that it is not exposed to a great deal of heat - say a furnace or air duct that would make the area particularly warm. If there isn't an area with cooler temperature, then the best alternative is to ensure that there is little variation. Hugh Johnson, co-author of The World Atlas of Wine, notes that "if coolness is impractical, steady warmth will do." Also try to keep humidity levels constant to the best of your ability.
As for serving wines, depending on the type and body of the wine there are different recommended temperatures to keep in mind. For full reds (Cabernet Sauvignon) try for 59-68º. For lighter reds (Pinot Noir) a lower range of 54-57º is acceptable. White and rosé wines will be best served between 46-57º while Champagne or other sparkling wine is perfect at 43-47º.
Light
Exposure to light is the second factor to avoid when creating a wine storage space. Excess light of any kind, including sunlight, will cause wine to break down. For this reason it is not advised to store wines in a place where they might be exposed to a lot of light. Not to mention light is usually accompanied by some degree of heat.
Since closets are small, windowless areas in a home they make an ideal area for storing wine so that it is not exposed to any direct light. However, if you have a space that meets the temperature requirements above, any darker area will suffice. Displaying your wine is a fun way to share your passion with others, however those really special bottles should be hidden away rather than left in a counter-top wine rack.
Noise
By this point you might wonder if you're tending a bottle of wine or an elderly loved one. Noise really does have an effect on wine to some extent, mostly in terms of vibration. Loud noises, or vibrations - say from a nearby washer or drier - will agitate your bottles. Avoiding areas where there might be a lot of these disruptions is something to think about.
In your closet you can consider layering a towel over each row of bottles to avoid shifting and also to minimize the impact of any noise or movement in the area. Also avoid storing wine in areas that might be next to a stereo, especially if louder music is being played frequently.
While you can store wine without spending any money, there are kits and books that can help you convert an unused space into a professional looking wine storage area. You can also look into investing in an inexpensive wine fridge. While they can chill bottles for you, they are also great for temperature control.
Overall, it should not be difficult to find an area in your home that can easily substitute for having a fancy wine cellar. If you're uncertain whether a wine needs to be aged be sure and ask your favorite wine specialist or salesperson. Avoiding extreme varying temperatures, exposure to light, and loud noises or strong vibrations will help you to keep wines for many years and enjoy them as they develop.
Cheers!
PS: Comment and share your ideas and techniques for storing wines!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
a zingy down under rielsing
Marlborough Dry Rielsing (2006)I'm not one to pass up a bargain - especially when it comes to wine! Recently I was shopping to stock up on some white wines and found a $16 bottle marked down to $8.99! Knowing the Kim Crawford name, I'd never actually sampled any of his (yes, Kim is a man - I had assumed surely it was Cindy's less attractive wine-making sister) wines. Even though seeing mark downs like that usually indicates that a vintage is on its way out, I bought a bottle anyhow. I had no intention on laying it down for more than a few days!
Kim Crawford
Rielsing
Marlborough, AUSTRALIA
This Riesling is from the Marlborough region of New Zealand, located on the southern of the two islands. Fairly new to the wine scene, vines weren't even planted in this regions until 1973 - literally a baby compared to old world Riesling from Germany. Marlborough is the largest wine growing region in New Zealand, and while renowned for Sauvignon Blanc also produces very good Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Riesling. The south island is the warmer of the two - things are reversed on that side of the equator - and with nearly 70 wineries Marlborough is home to over 40 percent of the country's producers.
Appearance: Brilliant and clear with just a slight hint of fizz. The color is somewhere between that of fresh hay and a golden wedding band.Based on this tasting I would definitely have to say that my perception of this wine nearing it's peak is way off. With all the acidity and fullness this has it could certainly age for a while - I'm going to have to go get a couple more bottles at that price! Also, while this is excellent served on its own I'd jump at the opportunity to pair this with food - well, then again when don't I jump at a chance to eat? Fatty fish, sharp cheeses, and fruit dishes would do very well matched to this wine. I'm sure it would be an excellent compliment to sushi as well.
Nose: Boasts of minerality - the smell you might notice along a riverbed in the spring - fresh, stony, earthy. This is my no means off putting, and in fact common in Rieslings, developing more as they age. Limes cut with a freshly sharpened knife also come to mind. The aromas are by no means intensely pronounced, but they are not hard to distinguish. Softening the hard line steeliness are floral notes as well as hints of peach, lemon, apple, and pineapple.
Palate: Holding the wine on my tongue the first thing I notice is how it prickles all over including the roof of my mouth. After swallowing I start salivating due to the high acidity. The label doesn't lie - this is a dry Riesling! The body, alcohol, and flavor intensity are all leaning towards the heavier end of medium. Flavors are bright and fresh - lime, apple, and lemon. Just as with the nose there is that sense that perhaps I just stuck a small pudding stone or piece of chalk in my mouth. The acidity lingers for a long time and is incredibly refreshing.
Rieslings are a great warm weather option, and come in a wide variety of styles. While this example is bone dry - even with 6g/L residual sugar - they can scale all the way to the sweet end of the spectrum, even into dessert wine territory. Additionally the grape is grown in many different regions around the world, each with it's own special characteristics. New Zealand, South America, and even those in the U.S. are great options especially when faced by a daunting sea of German labels. Don't let that discourage your exploration of Deutsch-Riesling though - there's a reason it's the most widely produced wine there!
Cheers!
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