Champagne is basically sparkling wine. It is not uncommon to see the term Champagne used as a generic term for sparkling wine. The product Champagne is a sparkling wine but can only be legally labeled as Champagne if produced in the Champagne region of France. The EU law requires this sparkling wine to be Champagne if it is produced from grapes grown in the Champagne region of France following rules that demand a secondary fermentation of the wine in the bottle to create the characteristic carbonation, very specific vineyard practices, a selection of grapes exclusively from specific parcels in the Champagne appellation including the grapes Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay are used in the production of almost all Champagne, with specific wine pressing regiments unique to the Champagne region.
The Champagne wine making community has developed a comprehensive set of rules and regulations for all wine produced in the region to protect its economic interests. They include defining and classifying the most suitable growing places, the most suitable grape types and a lengthy set of requirements specifying most aspects of viticulture. The various aspects of viticulture include pruning, vineyard yield, procedures for standard pruning, the degree of pressing, and the time that wine must remain on its lees before bottling. The rules also include economic drivers that can limit the release of Champagne to the market to maintain competitive pricing It can also limit the release of Champagne to market to maintain prices. Only when a wine meets these requirements and rules set forth by INAO ( Institut national de l’origine et de l a qualité) may it be labeled Champagne. The INAO is the government organization that controls all wine appellation in France.
EXCEPTIONAL BEVERAGE
Considering the demanding parameters for rare Champagnes it is no surprise that Champagne is an exceptional beverage. Brisk, sweet and dry this beverage is an extraordinary experience for the wine connoisseur. Below is a selection of fine and rare Champagnes for your pleasure. Please let us know your thoughts in ‘comments’ .
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Dom Pérignon Rosé demonstrates a strong influence of Pinot Noir but is a balance of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. This Champagne has received great reviews including 95 points from Antonio Galloni. Dom Pérignon Rosé is brisk and refreshing with hints of blood orange, mint, sage and dried flower. A simply beautiful Champagne experience. Give this a try and let me know in the comments.
Beau Joie Brut NV Champagne
Beau Joie is first-class Champagne produced by Bertrand Senecourt. This selection was awarded Double Gold and Class Champion in the Houston Rodeo Wine Competition. This Champagne is important in regards to that it is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay sourced from prime vineyards in Epernay. This Brut Champagne has an excellent balance of sweetness and dryness giving a blend of perfect flavors.
Ayala Brut Majeur NV Champagne
Ayala, founded in 1860 is one of the original Grand Marque Champagne houses and located in the historic village of Ay. Ayala is essentially a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Menieur and has a fruity style with fruit flavors that are well balanced with secondary hints of almonds, green berries but not acidity. The Wine Spectator has scored it 92 points and made it a top 100 selection. Wine Enthusiast scored it 91 points saying “A beautifully balanced non-vintage, in the lighter style that is Ayala’s hallmark style.
Moet Reserve Imperial Brut NV Champagne
This Champagne is thought to be the most famous and one of the most popular Champagnes in the world, Moet Brut Reserve Imperial is a gold standard wine that never disappoints. Tasting Panel Magazine scored this 92 points. It has citrus tones that shows hints of white flowers, minerals, brioche and is slightly acidic.
Louis Roederer Cristal 2008 Brut Champagne
Originally produced in 1809 for Tsar Alexander II of Russia, 200 years later it is still the ultimate Champagne; an icon of luxury, style, and taste. The 2008 was outstanding, receiving a 98+ score by Antonio Galloni. Wine Enthusiast Magazine scored it a perfect 100 points. The composition is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay.
The flavors resonate for apple and citrus flavors working with the tight minerality to give a textured yet fruity wine. These rare Champagnes demonstrate some aspects of white peach, lemon and yellow grapefruit, and hints of almost brambly sous bois aromas. The yeast characters are also super fresh, and there are subtle woody notes, with a hint of vanilla bean and light spices. This is considered the best drink of 2008.
Veuve Clicquot 2008 Grand Dame Champagne with Carousel Gift Box
This Champagne was launched in 1972 to celebrate the bicentenary of the House, La Grande Dame. The 2008 vintage in Champagne has been widely recognized and this wine received a 95 point score for Wine Spectator. An elegant Champagne with refined flavors of black currant, lemon curd, toast and marzipan and hints of spice and smoke.
Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut NV
This Champagne is one the most popular Champagnes in the world, Veuve Clicquot is consistently first-rate and is currently scoring 90 points. It has hints of biscuit and toast with lightly honeyed flavors of apple blossom, peach and quince with a smokey tinged finish.
Krug Champagne Grande Cuvee NV
Krug is considered the ultimate luxury champagne. The Grand Cuveé is a blend of wines going back 20 years that retains the bold, distinctive style with every new release scoring multiple 95+ point reviews, This fine Champagne with all the wines in production are barrel fermented adding complexity and depth. The beverage offers aromatic hints of toast and vanilla ground coffee and mandarin orange peel flavors as well as anise and cardamom spice notes unraveling on the palate. This is the essential definition of rare Champagnes.
Sweet dessert wines are sometimes overlooked in regard to the other mainstream selections. However, there is nothing like an intensely flavored chocolate mousse or a very rich plate of chocolate cookies with an excellent sweet dessert wine or a lighter fruit-based dessert with a lightly sweet wine. Dessert wines come in a variety of styles and run the gamut from light and dry to dark, full-bodied or alcohol fortified for an additional sweet flavor. The sweet dessert would need to be sweeter than the dessert to achieve a balance in flavors and not to neutralize the flavor of the wine. These great dessert wines will pair well with many of your favorite desserts and may be sufficient to be the dessert in itself. Following the basic rules of wine to food pairing, lighter wines pair with lighter foods and more substantial wine will pair well with very rick flavored desserts.
Grapes and Noble Rot
Strawberry Pie
The desired sweetness is a product of harvesting grapes late in the harvest season. At this point in the season, the grapes are drying and losing water but retaining their concentration sugars. Also, a very expensive cherished dessert wine, Bordeaux Sauternes is produced by a sugar concentrating fungus, Botrytis cinerea. This process is known as Noble Rot. Noble rot or botrytized, wines are a type of late-harvest wine. The healthy grapes are actually attacked by a fungus called Botrytis cinerea, which punctures grape skins to dehydrate them and concentrate flavors, sugar and acidity. Botrytis can often add its own unique flavors as well, such as honey, orange essence and ginger.
ICE WINE
Ice wine or (German) Eiswein is a type of sweet dessert wine produced from grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine. The sugars and other dissolved solids do not freeze, but the water does, allowing for a more concentrated grape juice to develop. The grapes must is pressed from the frozen grapes, resulting in a smaller amount of more concentrated, very sweet wine. With ice wines, the freezing happens before the fermentation, not afterward. Unlike the grapes from which other dessert wines are made, such as ice wine grapes should not be affected by Botrytis cinerea or noble rot, at least not to any great degree. Only healthy grapes keep in good shape until the opportunity arises for an ice wine harvest, which in extreme cases can occur after the New Year, on a northern hemisphere calendar. This gives ice wine its characteristic refreshing sweetness balanced by high acidity. When the grapes are free of Botrytis, they are said to come in “clean”. Ice wine production is complicated and very dependent on perfect timing as the freeze may not come before the grapes rot. Harvesting also requires the availability of a large labor force to pick the whole crop within a few hours, at a moment’s notice, and usually at night. This results in relatively small amounts of ice wine being made worldwide, making ice wines generally expensive.
Ice wines are very concentrated and sweet. The range of flavor can be varied as the Ice Wine can be made from many varieties of grapes such as Riesling to Cabernet Franc, Merlot or Muscatine grapes. Ice wines are predominately produced in Canada and secondarily in cold regions of Germany and Oregon. Ice wine is well suited for chocolate desserts and is accentuated with truffle, or caramel toppings, or fruit and fruit compotes. These ice wines are a great experiences and a great dessert wine experience. Please let me known if you have questions on these delectable wines.
Tokaji Wines
Originating as far back as the 1530s, Hungary and Slovakia are the only countries permitted by law to use the Tokaj or Tokaji name under the brand as it is a designated controlled appellation. Only six grape varietals are permitted under the Tokaj regulation to be used in the fermentation process that includes Furmint, Hárslevelı, Yellow Muscat, Zéta (Oremus), KövérszŒlŒ and Kabar.
The Tokaj process of making wine includes a harvest under conditions of noble rot (botrytis), which following a long summer preceded by a brutally cold winter, allows for a raising of the grapes resulting in a super sugar concentration. Baskets of Aszu grapes are stomped into a paste-like consistency called Aszu dough (puttonyos) that is then blended with wine must for up to 48 hours. Following the blending process, the wine is placed in wooded vats and racked. A slow fermentation process results in which can take up to several years. A Tokaji is classified by the number of Puttonyos added to the casks and can range from 3 to 6 Puttonyos with six being the sweetest and most prestigious. Tokaj has a sweet, honey, caramelized flavors that are excellent served with creamy cheeses, foie gras, fruit desserts or rich cakes. Essencia, which is nectar that bleeds off the racks from the Aszu can also be bottled. As it has such a high concentration and a much smaller fraction of production, it is often consumed in smaller glasses and is quite expensive (around $500 a bottle) due to its cellaring capacity to last over 200 years in bottle. Tokaji Essencia can be consumed with fruit, cheese, or decadent cake, however, its scarcity and exclusivity really make it a standalone wine.
Tokaji (Hungarian or Tokay is the name of the wines from the Tokaj wine region in Hungary or the adjoining Tokaj wine region in Slovakia. This region has a long reputation for its sweet dessert wines made from grapes that have been subjected to noble rot. The Slovak wine region of Tokaj may use the Tokaj” in Slovak if they apply the Hungarian quality control regulation. This area used to be part of the greater Tokaj-Hegyalja region within the Kingdom of Hungary but was divided between Hungary and Czechoslovakia after the Treaty of Trianon. There are many wine cellars involved in production in the region of Tokaj. 185 cellars were counted in the town of Tokaj.
Six grape varieties are officially approved for Tokaji wine production:
Furmint
Hárslevelű
Yellow Muscat (Hungarian: Sárgamuskotály)
Zéta (previously called Oremus – a cross of Furmint and Bouvier grapes)
Kövérszőlő
Kabar (a cross of Hárslevelű and Bouvier grapes)
Furmint is the predominant and most important grape and accounts for 60% of the area and is by far the most important grape in the production of these wines. Hárslevelű stands for a further 30%. Nevertheless, many other different types and styles of wines are produced in this region, ranging from dry whites to the world’s sweetest wine. The area where Tokaji wine is traditionally grown on a small plateau area, (1,500 ft) above sea level, near the Carpathian Mountains. The soil is of volcanic origin and the region has a unique climate, beneficial to this particular viniculture. The winters are cold with spring tending to be cool and dry with dry and hot summers. Autumns are long with early rains followed by an extended Indian summer to allow for an extended long ripening period.
The Furmint grapes begin maturation with thick skins but ripen with thinner and transparent skins. This allows the sun to penetrate the grape and evaporate much of the liquid inside, producing a higher concentration of sugar. Other types of grapes mature to the point of bursting, however, unlike most other grapes, Furmint will grow a second skin which seals it from rot. This also has the effect of concentrating the grape’s natural sugars. The grapes are left on the vine long enough to develop the “noble rot”. Grapes then are harvested, sometimes as late as December (and in the case of true Eszencia, occasionally into January).
Sweet Dessert Wine
Types of Tokaji wine
The first village level dry Furmint in the Tokaji wine region
Dry Wines of Tokaji Furmint The fine quality dry Tokaji Furmint is a newer development in the Hungarian/Slovakian wine-producing area. For centuries the main product of the area was the sweet dessert wine, mainly the Botrytised selections. This dry Furmint has gotten the attention of many wine connoisseurs and experts of the world and was considered to be a fine white dry wine of exceptional favor and structure.
Tokaj Wines of the Hungarian Solvakian regions are now named after their respective grape varieties: Tokaji Furmint, Tokaji Hárslevelű, Tokaji Sárgamuskotály and Tokaji Kövérszőlő.
Szamorodni:
This type of wine was initially known from the 1820s Polish merchants popularized the name samorodny, The distinguishing characteristic of Szamorodni apart is that it is made from bunches of grapes which contain a high proportion of botrytized grapes and is typically higher in alcohol than ordinary wine. Szamorodni often contains up to 100-120 g of residual sugar and thus is termed sweet. A bottle of Tokaji Aszú 4 Puttonyos, vintage 1990, in a 500 ml bottle of the style that is typical for Tokaji wine. The capsule label with the colors of the Hungarian flag is also characteristic.
Aszú:
This is the world-famous sweet dessert, topaz-colored wine known throughout the English-speaking world as Tokay. Unlike most other wines, the alcohol content of aszú typically runs higher than 14%. The original meaning of the Hungarian word aszú came to be associated with the type of wine made with botrytized grapes.
Eszencia:
This beverage is called nectar, this is often described as one of the most exclusive wines in the world, although technically it cannot even be called a wine because its enormous concentration of sugar means that its alcohol level never rises above 5-6 percent. Eszencia is the juice of aszú berries which is collected from the vats in which they are collected during harvesting. Unlike virtually all other wines, Eszencia maintains its quality and drinkability when stored for 200 years or more.
Fordítás:
A reductive sweet Hungarian wine containing residual sugars at least 50 to 180 g/l/ These are ready for release about 2 years after harvest. These are marketed as Tokaj wine that is not completely under the appellation laws but considered high quality and high priced.
Máslás: This is derived from the word “copy” in Hungarian and is another sweet dessert wine. This often contains residual sugars of at least 50 to 280 g/l. These are marketed as Tokaj wine that is not completely under the appellation laws but considered high quality and high priced.
PORT
Port wine is produced from grapes grown and processed in the demarcated Douro region, the river valley of the Douro River in northern Portugal. Over a hundred varieties of grapes are sanctioned for port production, although only five Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Touriga Francesa, and Touriga Nacional are primarily cultivated and used. The wine produced is then fortified by the addition of a neutral grape spirit known as aguardente to stop the fermentation, leaving residual sugar in the wine, and to boost the alcohol content. The wine is then stored and aged in barrels stored in the cellar facility before being bottled. The wine received its name, “port”, in the latter half of the 17th century from the seaport city of Porto at the mouth of the Douro River, where much of the product was brought to market or for export. The taste profile of ports includes nuttiness (hazelnuts), leather, jerky, bacon, and currant.
Wine Regions
The demarcation of the Douro River Valley includes a broad swath of land beginning around the village of Barqueiros 43 mi upstream from Porto, the valley extends east to near the Spanish border. The region is protected from the Atlantic Ocean by the Serra do Marão mountains. The area is sub-divided into three official zones: the Baixo (lower) Corgo, the Cima (higher) Corgo and the Douro Superior.
Baixo Corgo: The western zone located downstream from the Corgo river, within the municipality of Peso da Régua. This region is the wettest port production region. receiving an annual average of 35 in/yr , and has the coolest average temperature of the three zones. The grapes grown here are used mainly for the production of inexpensive ruby and tawny ports.
Cima Corgo: Located upstream from the Baixo Corgo, this region is centered on the town of Pinhão of the municipality of Alijó. The region’s annual rainfall is significantly less at 4 in/yr. The summertime average temperature of the region is a few degrees higher producing grapes of a higher quality. The grapes grown in this zone are considered of higher quality, being used in bottlings of Vintage, Reserve, aged Tawny and Late Bottled Vintage Ports.
Douro Superior: The eastern zone extends almost to the Spanish border. This is the least cultivated region of DouroThis is the most arid and warmest region of the Douro. The overall terrain is relatively flat, with the potential for mechanization.
Offley Ruby Port Sanderman 20yr Tawny Taylor Fladgate LBV Port
PORT: BARREL AGED or BOTTLE AGED
Port wine is divided into two groups: barrel-aged and bottle aged port. Both of these make a great sweet dessert wine.
Barrel-Aged Port
Barrel-Aged Port is designed to be aged and consumed in the long term, and include:
Tawny Port:
Produced from red grapes and incubated to wooden casks to allow for partial oxygenation to produce a darker, richer color. This is normally consumed as a dessert wine. Tawny ports are designated by year or by non-year. Designation such as 20 year Tawny indicates the blends are from wines that have been in barrel at least 20 years.
Colheita Port:
A tawny port that is produced from a single vintage, and must be in the barrel at least 20+ years. Red Colheitas are more traditional, however, White Colheita ports have also been created as a successful product.
Garrafeira Port:
A single vintage harvest is produced and barrel-aged, upon which the port is transferred to a glass bottle for continued aging. This technique is a less common occurrence.
Bottle Aged Port
Bottle Aged Port is designed to be a short term consumable.
Ruby Port:
The least expensive port, produced by blending in large steel or concrete tanks to protect its rich color. Ruby ports do not improve with aging are extensively used for cooking or immediate consumption.
Reserve Port:
A blend of various vintages of lesser desirable ports.
Rose Port:
A newer experiment in port production where there is a limited exposure to the grape skins thus producing a product in a style similar to rose wines. This has had limited success in the marketplace.
White Port:
Produced from white grapes, the product is usually fermented for longer periods of time, and typically served chilled or blended with cocktails. With increased bottle aging it will acquire a darker color.
LBV or Late Bottle Vintage Port:
A single vintage port that is produced as an alternative to barrel aging products. Unlike vintage port, it is filtered and meant for immediate consumption without the requirement of extensive aging.
Crusted Port:
A blend of several higher quality, unfiltered vintage ports. This port is required to be bottle-aged for at least three years before release.
Vintage Port:
This port accounts for 2% of total production. This vintage port is produced from a declared vintage, and barrel-aged for a minimum of two and a half years before bottling with an additional 10-50 years in bottle before its ready to consume. This is the most prestigious Port and also the smallest production. The decision to declare a vintage port is not done every year in an effort to maintain the highest standard.
SHERRY
Balvenie 15 Yr Single Barrel Sherry Cask Harveys Bristol Cream Sherry Osborne Manzanilla Sherry
Sherry, fortified wine of Spanish origin that typically has a distinctive nutty flavor. It takes its name from the province of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia, Spain. Sherry is the Anglicization of Jerez and the Spanish producers have reserved the name sherry exclusively for the fortified wines of Spain. Spanish sherry is produced in the region centered on the southwestern coast encompassing the towns of Sanlucar de Barrameda, El Puertode Santa Maria and Jerez de la Frontera. The native grapes are Palomino and Pedro Ximenez particularly and a unique vinification process. The process is completed with the action of flor, mildew like yeasts after fermentation, which imparts the characteristic nutty flavor.
The process of blending wines involves what is known as the solera system, which mixes wines of several vintages. This method matures the younger wines, freshens the older wines, and helps maintain the consistency, or historical continuity, of a type. The date on a sherry bottle or label refers to the year the solera for that sherry was begun. All sherry is fortified after fermentation with high-proof brandy, to about 16–18 percent alcohol. The main styles of sherries, listed from driest and palest to sweetest and darkest are fino, manzanilla, amontillado, oloroso, cream, and Pedro Ximénez. The paler, usually drier, sherries are made chiefly from Palomino grapes, and the sweeter, richer sherries from Pedro Ximénez and sometimes muscat grapes.
FINO
This sherry is made from the Palomino grape and barrel-aged, usually 7-10 years. entirely under a layer of flor or yeast cap, This cap of yeast prevents contact with the air, resulting in a yeasty, saline profile with notes of Mediterranean herbs and a variety of nuts
Pairing
Fino is a perfect accompaniment for many foods. Served chilled, between 4°C and 9°C, it goes well with fried fish, seafood, olives, almonds, and light cheese.
MANZANILLA
Manzanilla is basically the same as Fino sherry but produced around Sanlúcar de Barrameda, closer to the sea than Jerez, and by definition it is the only place where it is allowed to be made. The renowned Manzanillas include La Gitana (Hidalgo), La Guita (Hijos de Rainera Perez Marin) and Solear (Barbadillo). It is essentially made the same way as Fino from the Palomino grape and biologically aged, entirely under a layer of flor yeast. However, the location provide different climatic conditions of this town are responsible for higher humidity and cooler, more constant temperatures which contributes to a higher yield of the yeast or flor. The thicker layer of yeast or flor protects the wine even more from air contact, resulting in a slightly lighter variety of Fino. It is typically released at a younger age than Fino, but the best Manzanilla examples are still between three to seven years of age.
Types of Manzanilla
The yeast or flor in Manzanilla barrels will usually live for about 6 to 8 years. Depending on the stage of the flor, there are different classifications of Manzanilla:
Manzanilla (sometimes Manzanilla Fina to differentiate from the Manzanilla Pasada) is the traditional Manzanilla sherry, typically bottled around 3 to 5 years. Maturation of at least 2 years is prescribed by law.
Manzanilla Pasada is a richer, older Manzanilla in which the yeast or flor starts to go away at 6 to 7 years. Today Manzanilla Pasada is bottled as a younger wine due to it’s consumer popularity for a lighter style.
Manzanilla Pairing
Manzanilla It is best served chilled at a temperature of between 4°C and 9°C. It is a perfect accompaniment to a wide variety of foods. It goes particularly well with many olives, fish dishes, seafood, and olives. Manzanilla is also an excellent combo with sushi and it makes a great, refreshing spritzer or cocktail.
Palo Cortado
Palo Cortado is an intermediate type of sherry and is very popular at this day and age. This sherry should have the aromatic refinement of Amontillado combined with the structure and body of an Oloroso. Originally, a Palo Cortado would originate as a Fino that did not process properly as unplanned yeast activity, specific characteristics of the grape juice, a slightly off-beat cask or certain ambient conditions that influenced the flor and caused it to fail to develop normally. Under these conditions, it’s yeast or flor would be killed by fortifying the wine to 17-18 degrees and it would continue its life as a barrel that ages oxidatively thus being Palo Cortado.
Though the Palo Cortado is naturally dry, with relatively high strength and full body and will give it an impression of roundness and even sweetness. The best of these sherrys’s are lightly sweetened and then left to mature further or cutting off the fermentation process before it is complete hence leaving additional residual sugars for an elegant sweetness.
Palo Cortado Pairing
The classic pairing for a Palo Cortado would be a wild game or any red meat but it will also be lovely with well-aged cheese. It is served around 12-16°C.
Pedro Ximénez
Pedro Ximénez Is a name used for naturally sweet dessert wines created with the grape variety with the same name. The grapes can be either picked very ripe or sun-dried to concentrate. These are intensely sweet wines, especially when the grapes are dried in the sun in a process called asoleo. The amount of sugar in Pedro Ximénez wines is typically between 300 and 400 grams of sugar per liter and this means the fermentation will be partial at best. This sherry’s not only displayed intense, ultra-sweet aromas of dates and candied figs but also flavors of coffee, chocolate, licorice, and spices. Older P.X. will have higher acidity and much more elegance compared as they become quite savory, with aromas of smoke, herbs, and smoke, but maintaining their sweet side.
Pedro Ximénez Pairing
Young Pedro Ximénez can be full of sticky sweetness These are excellent with chocolate desserts, crepes or spicy cheese. They should be chilled to around 12 to 14°C to balance the sweetness and also pair well with delicate desserts and several cheeses
Moscatel
Moscatel is a naturally sweet wine, produced in a similar way as Pedro Ximénez, with the grape variety being at least 85% Moscatel de Alejandria. They are so thick and sugary they can hardly ferment and this is stopped by fortification in the early stages.
A Moscatel Pasas or Moscatel de Pasas is made from grapes that were dried in the sun for up to three weeks, a process called asoleo. These raisin wines have a sweeter, darker profile. These sweet dessert sherry’s are characterized by a lot of aromas of jasmine and orange blossom and fruitiness, with tones of honey and raisin. They are sometimes blended with Pedro Ximénez or a kind of must syrup called arrope to create a darker color and a more caramelly character. Moscatel is produced in different parts of Spain, as well as in other countries like Portugal.
Moscatel Pairing
Moscatel must be served slightly chilled at between 12 and 14º C. It makes the ideal combination for which are not excessively sweet, based on fruit and ice cream. What is your favorite?
Medium / Cream
Cream sherry is the general name for different kinds of sweetened sherries. These are produced by blending a dry wine like Amontillado or Oloroso with naturally sweet Pedro Ximénez or Moscatel wines.
Medium sherry is half sweet. Sweet sherry used to be a hugely popular category, especially in certain export regions, but it is slowly losing ground in favor of the drier styles. In Spanish, this type of sherry wines is called Vinos Generosos de Licoror liquor wines.
The Cream / Medium category is named after a hugely popular product called Bristol Cream. Around 1860 they invented a kind of thick, sweet blend that originated in Bristol but became very popular throughout the world. Since the 1950’s this is the top-selling sherry worldwide. Today sherry drinkers still cherish Bristol Cream but are also looking at the drier sherries. Once called abocado or amoroso, sometimes rich or dulce, the common name for sweetened sherry is now Medium and Cream
The best examples of sweetened sherry, Gonzalez Byass Matusalem or the Harveys Oloroso V.O.R.S. are old, established wines that are much more balanced than the cheap commercial types. The absolute best sweet sherries are sweetened long before bottling. In this process, the sweeter wine will blend with the dry one, creating a harmony resulting in a semi-sweet rather than a totally sweet wine.
Note that you can have sweetened Fino, sweetened Amontillado or sweetened Oloroso, but a lot of sweetened sherries will be blends, compositions of multiple styles. Usually, there’s some Fino and Amontillado as a base wine, with Oloroso to add depth and Pedro Ximénez to add sweetness. Most of these blends are mixed right before bottling, but again the better examples return to a solera to mature further and integrate their flavors.
SWEETENED SHERRY
There are various categories for sweetened sherry, based on their sugar content and flavor:
Pale Cream sherry:
This sherry contains 45-115 grams of sugar per liter. It is composed around a biologically aged wine of Fino or Manzanilla. A a well-known type of this style is the Croft Sherry.
Medium sherry:
This sherry contains between 5 and 115 grams of sugar per liter and usually produced around Amontillado.
Cream sherry:
This sherry is between 115–140 grams. A sweet wine produced around Oloroso, as well as Amontillado, and possibly blended with some Pedro Ximénez or Moscatel to make it sweeter.
Dulce:
This is the name for a naturally sweet sherry, produced like an Oloroso but as the fermentation is halted early leaving some residual sugar in the final product.
East India Solera:
This was derived from the tradition of maturing wines in the holds of ships that sailed for the East Indies. The motion of the ship and the specific climatic conditions would create a softer, more gentle style of sherry. Today the style is recreated by blending some Pedro Ximénez with Oloroso and storing the resulting blend in the warmest parts of the winery.
Sweet Sherry Pairing
Because of its great sweetness, it should be served chilled, between 10 and 12°C, and it can be paired with a wide variety of ways such as with pastry, sweet pies, fruit salads, cheeses or after dinner with coffee.
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Please make a selection from the fine dessert wines above or go to ourMAIN SITE to view all our collections ofFINE WINE AND SPIRITS
Many of us truly enjoy a fine wine and usually associate this with a fine meal or just appetizers. Not really thinking along the lines to wine and food pairing, we select a wine that we feel would taste good with our food items. We probably have not completely evaluated the process of wine and food pairing. Wine and food pairing is truly a process of pairing a selection of wine with food dishes with the objective of improving the dining experience. Traditionally regional wines were served with the traditional local food selections and available foods and wines usually defined what came to the dinner table. The process of wine and food pairing is a recent phenomenon and has become an industry unto itself. The primary concept behind wine to food pairings is that the elements as texture and flavor in both food and wine interact with each other, to find the right combination of these elements will make the entire dining experience more enjoyable. What do you look for in a wine and food pairing.
Many restaurants that serve wine offer suggestions for wine and food pairings. However, the problem lies in the restaurant may not have the appropriate knowledge to make recommendations for wine and food pairing. This provides an opportunity for any restaurant or food service organization to provide training. Having the appropriate will help increase consumer interest in purchasing wine with their meal and hence increase wine sales. Here are some tips to keep in mind that can help you and your staff make the right pairings.
In food and wine pairings, the most basic element considered is the “weight” between the weight of the food, a heavy meat vs. a light cheese or salad and the weight or “body” of the wine, a heavy Cabernet Sauvignon versus a lighter Riesling.
When thinking about textures you are looking at the quality of light or heavy. Basically, light foods are best with light wines and heavy foods with heavy wines. Very sweet foods are best paired with a sweet dessert wine. Everyone has a fair idea of what is a heavy or light food component is. However, it is not always completely clear what is the appropriate pairing selection of wine. Start with trusting your palate and some enclosed recommendation from the wine experts. What would be some of your wine selections for a thick juicy steak covered in sauteed mushrooms or lightly singed Ahi tuna steak?
SALT:
Highly salted foods are not a good pair for most wine. The salt content may alter the taste of the wine and not in a good way. However, the sparkling wines would be a good choice as the carbonation and acidic state tend to wash the salt effects away. The sparkling wine are also a good choice with salty seafood such as oysters. The acidic wines will wash out the salt and enhance the flavors of the salty seafood. For highly salted menu a select beer may be a good choice. What would be your selection, a sparkling wine or beer?
FAT:
Many of fine wines including heavy reds and heavy whites possess strong flavors, significant tannin influences and high acid level. These wine combinations provide and fantastic flavor enhancement to some of our more fatty foods that we all know and love such meats and dairy products. The wine provides a balance for the fats with the fats, neutralize with tannin and complement the richness with the alcohol.
ACID:
Acid is a primary element in both food and wine. It adds a freshness and exuberance to the wine and can equally enhance the flavor of food. When seeking a wine to go with an acidic dish, you should make sure that the acidity of the wine is at least equal to that of the food. Explore the recommendation of expert wine connoisseurs for some optimal suggestions. A strong acidic wine Sauvignon Blanc will retain its flavor with your menu.
SWEETNESS:
Sweet desserts deserve a good sweet wine to enhance their flavor. However you must maintain a cardinal rule that the wine should taste sweeter than the dessert or the wine again will taste bland next to a great sweet plate. The sweetness of the wine can range from lightly sweet to very sweet such as ice wine. Several years ago on a trip to Niagara Falls I discovered ice wine in some local Canadian vineyards. Ice wine is extremely rare and expensive as it only occurs in years when a vineyard freezes and these grapes must be harvested and pressed while the grapes are still frozen which may be in the middle of the night. Ice wine is often made from Riesling or Vidal grapes, but many other grapes will suffice. You will find the end product to be a very sweet and delectable experience.
BITTERNESS:
Bitterness is usually perceived as unpleasant and something to be avoided in both wine and food. In wine is usually caused by problems associated with the fermentation process such as contamination by grape seeds or stems or just unripened grapes. A bitterness in the food and wine together just make the situation worse and need to be avoided completely.
ALCOHOL:
Alcohol is an important factor in the wine’s body and weight. Increasing the alcohol content would give an indication of greater density and texture. In wine and food pairing spicy and salty foods will enhance the alcohol giving the subject the perception of heat to the taste. In wine tasting, body is determined primarily by the alcohol content of the wine and can be influenced by the perceptions of tannins from the grape skins or oak barrels and the extract of dissolved solids from the wine making process.
Great Wine and Food Pairing
Suggestions for a great food and wine pairing… What are your favorites and what drives your palate?
White Wine Pairings
Seared Scallops and caramelized Onions with Chardonnay
Spinach Crepes with Sauvignon Blanc
Oysters on the half shell with Sauvignon Blanc
Fish Tacos with a Dry Riesling or Pinot Gris. Both are great with meaty fish and fried foods
Grilled Chicken Burgers with Chardonnay
Creamy Mushroom Soup with Sauvignon Blanc
Chinese Chicken Salad with Sauvignon Blanc
Cucumber Soup with Riesling
Steak Salad with Gewurztraminer
Chicken Tostadas with Vouray
Chicken and Mushroom Paellas with Sauvignon Blanc
Linguine with Shrimp, Scallops and Clams with Chardonnay
Pork Loin with Pinot Blanc
Green Curry Fish with Sauvignon Blanc
Pesto Pasta with Chardonnay
Cra and corn soup with Chardonnay
Tomato Gazpacho with Lobster with White Bordeaux
Squash Soup with White Burgundy
Fish Salad Sandwiches with Chardonnay
Halibut with Pesto with Sauvignon Blanc
Marinated Chicken Fajitas with Chardonnay
Red Wine Pairings
Spiced Short Ribs with Petite Sirah
Spiced Lamb Chops with Pinot Noir
Pork Chops with Pinot Noir
Mushroom Rice Salad with Cabernet Franc
Roasted Duck with Red Burgundy
Lamb Shanks with Beaujolais
Grilled Chicken Thighs withMerlot
Classic Burgers and Zinfandel
Portobello and Red Pepper Burgers with Pinot Noir
Grilled Salmon with Pinot Noir
Salmon Burgers with Pinot Noir
Herb-Rubbed Baby Back Ribs with Zinfandel
Pepper Steaks with Cabernet Sauvignon
Spicy Grilled Shrimp Stew with Chianti
Steak Frites with Zinfandel
Penne pasta, Swiss Chard, Jack Cheese and Pecans with Syrah
Roast Duckling with Merlot-Chocolate Sauce with Merlot
Warm Steak Salad with Marinara Sauce with Cabernet Sauvignon
Rack of Lamb and Cabernet Sauvignon
Rosé Wine Pairings
Tuna Tomato Salad and Rosé
Vegetable Soup and Chianti
Bouillabaisse with Rosé
Grilled Whole Red Snapper and Ratatouille with White Rhône Blend
Champagne and Sparkling Wine Pairings
Smoked Salmon and Caviar with Brut Blanc de Blancs
Chicken Liver Pate with Non-vintage Brut Rose Champagne
Summer Melon Salad and Prosciutto with Prosecco
Duck Breast with Brut Champagne
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Please make a selection from the fine wines above to create the ultimate food pairing experience or go to ourMAIN SITE to view all our collections ofFINE WINE AND SPIRITS
As always the wine drinkers and connoisseurs of the world wish to enjoy a splendid bottle of wine, but of all the parameters taken into consideration for a good wine many forgets the importance of wine storage systems. When you start drinking wine you will become aware that the wine needs to be stored properly to maintain its quality and flavor. Maintaining quality and flavor not only applies to wine that you have made in your own home but also those purchased from other quality vineyards or wineries. At this point, you will appreciate the value given to aged wines from famous wineries. At this point, the wine drinker/connoisseur is thinking about the best way to store his collection of wine and maintain the quality. The default wine storage system is a wine rack that nicely displays the wine collection in elegant wood or presentable polished metal frame. The reality is that these fine wines or any wine need more attention than a simple storage rack. Wine needs to be stored at a constant temperature between 53 and 57o F and away from any direct light source in a vibration-free environment. The moisture levels also need to be between 55-70%. These characteristics define the specifications for the best storage solutions available for premium wine refrigerators and refrigerated wine cellars. You also need to determine if you wish to collect a variety of wine types. Generally, white wines and red wines are served at different temperatures with white wine a little colder than red wines. These temperature parameters can be selected in wine cooler or cellars with varying temperature capabilities. These parameters can be provided as a sophisticated yet simple wine storage system such as a wine cooler or wine cellar appliance.
Ideal Humidity Factors
Humidity is also an important factor in keeping the corks from drying out and allowing air (oxygen) to enter the bottle and spoil or oxidize the wine. If the corks Even when wine bottles are stored on their sides, one side of the cork is still exposed to air and can cause a problem with oxidation. Wine experts recommend that 75% humidity as the ideal level for a wine storage system.
Light Exposure
Light exposure, either direct sunlight or incandescent light may adversely affect the wine quality in regard to changes to the overall chemistry. Wines are general stored in tinted glass bottles to protect against the light pollution and shipped or stored in wooden or corrugated boxes. Our wine coolers or cellars provide the perfect environment for long term storage and aging. However, our coolers and cellars are equipped with elegant LED lighting for quick display and easy selection of your favorite wine.
Environmental Vibration
Unconfirmed information regarding the effects of vibrations on the state of wine in storage has been suggested to be detrimental to the wine chemistry and wine aging process. Today’s wine storage systems including wine coolers, refrigerators, and wine cellars provide an essentially vibration-free environment for the successful aging and storage of your wine.
Wine Storage Systems
Optimal Wine Storage Parameters:
As always the wine drinkers and connoisseurs of the world wish to enjoy a splendid bottle of wine, but of all the parameters taken into consideration for a good wine many forgets the importance of wine storage systems. When you start drinking wine you will become aware that the wine needs to be stored properly to maintain its quality and flavor. Maintaining quality and flavor not only applies to wine that you have made in your own home but also those purchased from other quality vineyards or wineries. At this point, you will appreciate the value given to aged wines from famous wineries. At this point, the wine drinker/connoisseur is thinking about the best way to store his collection of wine and maintain the quality. The default wine storage system is a wine rack that nicely displays the wine collection in elegant wood or presentable polished metal frame. The reality is that these fine wines or any wine need more attention than a simple storage rack. Wine needs to be stored at a constant temperature between 53 and 57o F and away from any direct light source in a vibration-free environment. The moisture levels also need to be between 55-70%. These characteristics define the specifications for the best storage solutions available for premium wine refrigerators and refrigerated wine cellars. You also need to determine if you wish to collect a variety of wine types. Generally, white wines and red wines are served at different temperatures with white wine a little colder than red wines. These temperature parameters can be selected in wine cooler or cellars with varying temperature capabilities. These parameters can be provided as a sophisticated yet simple wine storage system such as a wine cooler or wine cellar appliance.
Rum was an accidental byproduct of the sugar cane industry in the new world during Colonial times. Sugar production created huge amounts of molasses as a by-product which was discovered that it could be fermented and distilled into the fantastic product known as rum. The world best Rum has been the traditional drink in the Caribbean and because of its popularity among sailors and other seafaring people the popularity of rum quickly has spread across the world and is enjoyed in nearly every country.
WORLD BEST RUM – Pina Colada
The first distillation of rum in the Caribbean took place on the sugarcane plantations there in the 17th century. Plantation slaves discovered that molasses, a byproduct of the sugar refining process, could be fermented into alcohol. Later, a distillation of these alcoholic byproducts concentrated the alcohol and removed impurities, producing the first and steps to fine modern rums. Tradition suggests this type of rum first originated on the island of Nevis. However, in the decade of the 1620s, rum production was also recorded in Brazil.
WORLD BEST RUM – Great Rum Cocktails
Rum is produced or distilled in numerous different ways alleviating the many restrictions required by many other liquors. This provides an opportunity for a multitude of different varieties to expand the client palates. Rum has become a favorite of many people throughout the world. It is also important to know that not all rums require the same amount of time in the barrel. Climate plays a large role in aging times. The Caribbean’s warm, humid climate can make a rum in just a few years that tastes similar to an American rum that has been aged for a decade or more.
World Best Rum is a very diverse category of liquor with many great brands, labels, and styles available. When you’re looking for something new to mix into your favorite rum cocktails, you will find endless options. You can explore some of the possibilities within the light, gold, aged, dark, and flavored styles of rum and guide you through what defines each style.
WORLD BEST RUM – Pineapple Rum
White Rum
White rum is clear, usually has a milder flavor and lighter body than gold or dark rums. These light types of rum are most often used to create cocktails that do not have a need for bold rum flavor.
In the U.S., most white rums are sold at 80 proof, or 40% alcohol by volume. They are often aged one or more years, then filtered to remove color. White rum will be your first choice for mixing the majority of rum cocktails, including favorites like the mojito. It has a sweet, neutral flavor that pairs well with almost any flavor and its clear color doesn’t affect the appearance of the drink.
There are many quality light rums available, and many are very reasonably priced. While it’s easy to grab a bottle you’re familiar with, try to look beyond the big brand names like Bacardi when you want something different. You may find that some of the lesser-known brands are superior in taste and mixability.
Gold Rums
As rum is aged in barrels over time, it takes on amber or golden hues. These golden types of rum usually present a more flavorful profile than the white or clear rums. Gold rums are used to make cocktails in which a stronger flavor is desired. Gold rums are often aged several years or more and some coloring may be added to provide consistency. Subtle flavors of vanilla, almond, citrus, caramel or coconut may be present from the type of barrels used in the aging process.
Dark Rums
Aged rums are referred to as dark, only to distinguish them from light. The label of dark rum is often assigned to a range of rums that are not clear, from light golden amber to black, as well as rums that are well-aged. Dark types of rum are often aged in oak barrels for extended periods. When used in cocktail recipes, the robust rums offer a contrast of more flavorful profiles compared to white rums, overproof rums, flavored and spiced rums.
Rum is a great mixer and lends itself to many cocktails as Daiquiri, Mojito, Pina Collado, Cuba Libre or Rum Punch. Rum is also infused with many flavors such as mango, orange, lime, coconut or essentially any fruit flavor. rum also lends itself to many foods such as rum cakes or rum pies.
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Check out some great rum selections or go to our main site for a complete selection of Rum as well as all our fine beverages
Wine needs to be stored at a constant temperature between 53 and 57 degrees F and away from any direct light source in a vibration-free environment. The moisture levels also need to be between 55-70%. These characteristics define the specifications for the best storage solutions available for premium wine coolers refrigerators and wine cellars.
Refrigerated Wine Cellars:
If you plan to store, drink, and experiment with your wine choices longer than 12 months and want to grow your collection, a refrigerated wine cellar can be an exceptional choice for your household. The refrigerated wine cellars are specially designed and engineered for long term storage. They have the specifications for a larger capacity, moisture level, and vibration control and also may include multiple temperature environments to accommodate different wine types such as reds and whites. Many of these high end refrigerated wine cellars are designed to be built-in models to be artistically including in the kitchen, family, or rec-room décor.
Wine Coolers Refrigerators
Many wine connoisseurs consume their collection of wine fairly quickly or within a year. These individuals do not plan on establishing a long term or aged collection. They may be quite satisfied with a wine refrigerator. These wine refrigerators are designed to be more compact than a wine cellar and tend to be more portable to be located on a countertop, recessed in your cabinetry, or just freestanding. These usually have a capacity to store anywhere from 6 to 48 bottles but will be quite capable of maintaining the necessary environment of zonal temperature environment, moisture level, and vibration control.
Wine Cellar or Wine Cooler Selection
Wine coolers are available in a larger selection of sizes and styles from large freestanding units to small built-in models. These can be in a variety of styles from fully finished with black or stainless cabinets and insulated dual-pane glass to block out light and UV. Freestanding units can be set on your countertop and tucking in a recess beneath your home bar. Designed for convenient storage in almost any nook or cranny, some built-in wine coolers even feature reversible door hinges. You may also order you unit to function as a wine cooler and a beverage refrigerator have the multi-temperature capabilities to accommodate a variety of different wines as well as a general beverage refrigerator.
You can choose from wine coolers with black, platinum, or stainless steel-trimmed doors for an attractive freestanding unit. Fully finished with black or stainless steel cabinets and insulated dual-pane glass that block out UV rays, freestanding wine coolers provide warranted functionality and style. With the added flexibility of being easy to move, a freestanding fridge can sit directly on your countertop or rest comfortably underneath your home bar.
Engineered for efficiency, wine coolers feature advanced cooling technology to effectively distribute cool air throughout the interior, using powerful circulation fans to prevent hot spots from uneven cooling. These units can be thermoelectric or compressor-based units to provide as high energy efficiency as possible. Insulated double-pane glass not only helps keep the cold air in but also works to block out UV rays and other light sources that can be potentially harmful to the wine. Internal LED lights and electronic control panels make adjusting temperatures very easy.
Of course, all this technology can be expanded into a complete wine cellar as a semi-permanent unit or a complete room conversion in a selected space in your home. These units are manufactured to meet your needs, desires, and how you wish to scale.
Please review the sample selection below there are many more models available. Besides the various storage units, I really love the wine dispensers units, where one or more bottles are attached to a dispenser to dispatch a single glass of chilled wine. A great idea when you are entertaining family and friends.
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Check out some great wine cellars, coolers and dispensers available here or go to ourmain sitefor a complete selection.
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Bacardi Gold Rum
Kirk & Sweeney Dominican Aged Rum
Bacardi Superior White rum
Denizen Rum reserve 8 Year Aged rum
Meyer’s Jamaican Rum
Malahat Ginger Rum
Pitu Cachaca Rum
Stroh Dark Rum
Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum
Bacardi Raspberry Rum
Ron Botran Rum Reserva Blanca Aged Rum
Ron Centenario 7 year Anejo
Bacardi Limon Rum
Captain Morgan White Rum
Mount Gay Eclipse Barbados Rum
Pampero Rum Aniversario Aged Rum
Malahat Spiced Rum
Blue Chair Bay White Rum
Flor de Cana 5 Year Old Anejo Clasico Rum
Blue Chair Bay Banana Rum
Deadhead Cask Aged Rum
Ron Abuilo 7 Year Aged Rum
Captain Morgan Private Stock
