Tuesday, March 15, 2011

WINE LIST PLEASE


....corkscrews.

Just for review and for a reason to post this photo of my dad and one of his crews I put all the wine info together in one post

Finishing up on this exciting info is the last 2. The wing or double lever corkscrew, has two lever arms that project from either side of the bottle when the corkscrew is fimly inserted in the cork. To remove the cork you merely press the two levers down. The wooden corkscrew with count screw functions with a minumumof effort on your part. the corkscrew is inserted by turning the handle at the top and the cork is removed by turning the larger lower handle. The newest aid to uncorking a bottle is a device called the "Ah-so" it actually does not pierce the cork but is pushed down on either side of the cork and then wiggled up and out with a bit of exertion on your part. I must say I prefer the double lever and the Ah soo. How about you?
With Thanksgiving around the corner I thought I'd add a few wine picking tips, but first lets start with...."Le Corkscrew"
A good corkscrew can make opening a bottle of wine the simple pleasure it ought to be.
The festive bottle of wine adds to the fun of any occasion. But many people face the prospect of uncorking a bottle with uncertainty,if not downright trepidation. Happily a good corkscrew can turn the trick for you. The best corkscrews are simple to use , widely available and inexpensive. They can be purchased in most department stores and some grocery stores. Before you buy look at the end of the corkscrew it should not be centered, but should be aligned with or a continuation of the spirals. Ideally the screw should be 2 to 21/2 inches long with rounded or flattened edges.  The "T" corkscrew is a very basic one and provides the least amount of help for removing the cork. Once inserted it relies on you to do the pulling.  The "Waiters Corkscrew" is the one most often used in restaurants. It resembles a fat pocket knife with a curved knife on one end and a lever on the other with the corkscrew in the middle. The knife protion is used to cut andremove the capsule covering the top of the bottle . The corkscrew is inserted with the lever extended.  After the corkscrew is fully inserted the lever is pressed down to help draw out the cork.


WINE TIPS
  • If you are having red wine, open the bottle one to two hours before you need it and serve the wine at room temperature,(65-68 degreesF)
  •  All white,pink and sparkling wines should be chilled (42-45 degrees F) and opened just a few minures before serving.
  • Champagne and sparkling wines should never be opened with a corkscrew!
  • To open a bottle of sparkling wine properly, first remove the wire and the foil covering the cork. Wrap the bottle in a towel or napkin and hold the bottle at a slight angle. Using a napkin for a better grip, grasp the cork firmly and twist it toward you while turning the bottle in the opposite direction. As the cork nears the top of the bottle, the gas inside will force it the rest of the way out. After the cork has been removed, keep the bottle at an angle for a few seconds until the pressure inside has been equalized with that outside the bottle. If the bottle is held upright you could end up with a gush of wine accompanying the escaping gas.
Of course there are so many more corkscrews available today, as you can see for yourself on the link at the end of this post!








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 THEPETIT SIRAH
ALL THREE OF THESE GRAPES ON A LABEL EQUAL A FINE BURGANDY!

1 comment:

mangiabella said...

i am going to love visiting your blog often!!!! thank you so much for your thoughtful words at mangiabella - it really is these types of things that God uses to refine us! have a glorious day sweet bella!!