Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Wine Selection for Dummies part 1

adapted from an article in a 1953 Cosmopolitan :

Cabernet is a celebrated name in the aristocracy of wines.
Our ignorance about wines and the art of enjoying them is one of the secret scandals of the civilized world.If what follow succees in lifting a few spirit towards the Olympus of artful living, we may rightfully raise a glass to the lyrical qualities of fine wines. The objective is simple...to give you a few basic facts about wine. Once you have mastered them, you will be able to walk into a store and buy a first-class wine, asking for it by name and anticipate its individual qualities. In a restaurant you will be able to select the perfect complimentary wine for you meal. So here goes....
BEST KNOWN TABLE WINES.
THERE ARE FIVE:
CLARET 
BURGNADY
SAUTERNE
RHINE
CHABLIS
THESE FIVE ARE ALSO KNOWN AS GENERIC WINES
MOST RED AND WHITE TABLE WINES ARE VARIATIONS OF THESE FIVE
NOW BECAUSE OF THE MANY DIFFERENT GRAPES GROWN AND USED IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD AS WELL AS THE VINTNER BLENDING METHODS (NOT TO MENTION SKILL, AND STANDARDS OF QUALITY) THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT CHARACTER AND MERIT.
THE GRAPE:
IF MORE THAN 55% OF A SINGLE WINES VOLUME IS MADE FROM A CERTAIN TYPE OF GRAPE, THE LABEL WILL BEAR THE NAME OF THAT GRAPE. BUT THERE IS SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT TO THE LABEL.
THE RED TABLE WINES:
MOST OF THE RED TABLE WINES ARE COMPLETELY DRY. RICH,SOMETIMES TART OR EVEN ASTRINGENT FLAVOR THAT BLENDS ADMIRABLY WITH RED MEATS,GAME. AND HIGHLY SEASONED FOOD. THE MOST POPULAR DRY RED TABLE WINES ARE
1) BURGANDY
2)CLARET
ALL RED TABLE WINES SHOULD BE SERVED AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.
BURGANDY IS THE NAME ATTACHED TO A FAMILY OF GENEROUS FULL-BODIED DRY RED TABLE WINES. THEY ARE STRONGER IN FLAVOR, BODY AND BOUQUET AND OF A DEEPER RED COLOR THAN CLARETS. THE BEST ONES ARE MADE FROM A GRAPE CALL PINOT NOIR, COMING IN SECOND IS THE GAMAY GRAPE AND THIRD IS THE PETIT SIRAH
ALL THREE OF THESE GRAPES ON A LABEL EQUAL A FINE BURGANDY!

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