About Wine : about wine

Paco & Lola wine from Rias Baixas Albariño grapes - Marta Benedet

admin — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:24:00 GMT

There is something mysterious about Galicia only known by those who live there. There is something wild and abrupt in its landscapes of high mountains and steep cliffs. Also its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, which 365 days a year hits its shores in force leaving in its removal hundreds of women collecting shellfish on the beaches and among the rocks.

The gray and rainy climate of the region gives some respite per year in the very few sunny days that are well received by the pilgrims who, about to finish his journey, are approaching Santiago de Compostela from all over the world.

The strength of Christian faith coexists with the remotest pagan beliefs in the minds of the Galician. “Las meigas” (witches) are much more than just a legend to the inhabitants of the small towns of the coast of Galicia.

Ordinary people in many of the backyards of their houses still have the barns (“hórreos”), so typical from this land, that were once used to store cereals in the period between harvests.

Sitting at the table in Galicia is to enjoy the traditional taste in soups and stews, good bread, good wine and excellent company. But what the visitor can not miss is the “Empanada gallega” (sardine / tuna pie), the “lacón con grelos” (front pork leg pieces cooked with turnip), the “pulpo con cachelos” (boiled octopus served with sliced potatoes with skin) and the seafood, another classic.

In the area of the Rias Baixas Albariño grapes are grown and they are the ones which compose entirely the wine Paco & Lola. No doubt this wine will add a color on any table that has its presence. The fun design of the bottle, very chic, prepares us for the pleasant experience that involves drinking it. With 13.5% alcohol, comes from the best selection of grapes from each vintage and even taste better if we are aware of that the cellar, winner of numerous national and international awards every year, is working with a production of Integrated Sustainable Agriculture.

Marta Benedet

S p e c i a l f e a t u r e - Wine Decanters: The inside story

admin — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:13:00 GMT

If the confusion over wines is not enough then one has to keep a track of varieties of decanters available for different wines. Read more.

I am a sucker for wine decanters for red wines. The charm of a decanter for me emanates from the childhood memory of a handsome cut glass Waterford piece which was heavy, almost ceremonial. I was further seduced by the practical and simple shapes of Riedel decanters. Their annual editions are fluid lines of sheer seduction.

Utility of a Decanter
Is there a utility factor of a decanter beyond its visual beauty? Yes, definitely, if one agrees that wine in a bottle is an ever changing living entity that has been there for a few years waiting to be opened and appreciated. When opened wine needs to interact with air to reach its optimum potential in developing its primary and secondary aromas and to deliver its full potential richness on the palate.

A decanter serves that purpose beautifully, allowing a faster interaction with air. But, does that inversely mean that there is no need or benefit from decanting a very young wine? A young wine, unlike its more mature counterpart, might sometimes have a strong aspect to its nose which settles into a more acceptable level once it is allowed to mix with air. Of course, there is the added advantage of giving it more than a cursory honour which goes down well with guests as well.

However, when speaking of utility of a decanter, one must not forget its greatest function – allowing the sediment to settle at the bottom of the decanter, letting you serve wine in glasses without having to worry about the sudden appearance of any sediment which one might not be able to see in a dark bottle to start with.

A Standard Decanter
Shapes and designs vary from one manufacturer to another and are often for beauty though they do provide ease of pouring as well. In a functional restaurant or pizzeria one would be served house wine in an open carafe and that is not the same as a decanter either in its appeal or function.

Glass as a material was pioneered by the ancient Romans and when their empire fell and glass production became scarce, majority of decanters were made in metal ranging from bronze to silver or gold; or even earthenware. During the Venetian supremacy in the Renaissance period glass reappeared and the style of a long slender neck that opens to a wide body increased in popularity. At some point in late 18th century the British glass makers introduced the stopper – thereby decanters were used for brandy or heavier whiskies as well.

Ordinarily a decanter would hold contents of a full wine bottle and still leave space for air to permeate. Decanters meant for brandy or other spirits normally have a squatter neck and a fancy stopper too.

They would normally also have a plaque declaring the contents to be ‘brandy’, ‘cognac’, even ‘single malt scotch’, etc and contents in a decanter in such cases would be left in the bottle until they were finished over a period of time.

Effective Process
An old style decanter might come with a rod meant for aiding the decanting process. Wines that have not been filtered or wines that have been aged for a long period naturally get some segment at the bottom of the bottle. Decanting is meant to separate the sediment, most of the sediment would be left in the original bottle but what comes down in the decanter also settles and would stay in the decanter. Modern international wine making techniques have greatly reduced the build up of sediment and that is probably the reason why decanters are no longer necessary.

Tannic wines include impressive names like Bordeaux, Barolo, some complex Cabernet Sauvignon, Port; though wines made of Pinot Noir are rarely decanted. Effectiveness of decanting as a debate has been raging for a while now and there are firm believers for both sides. Some wine experts would praise the aesthetic value of decanter usage while others say that prolonged exposure to oxygen actually diffuses and dissipates more aroma than what it stimulates while the former group says that mixing of the air with wine in a decanter mimics the action of swirling the wine in a glass.

Professional Suggestion
The opinion of a qualified person always carries more weight than practices on a whim. Magandeep Singh, a Delhi based Sommelier differentiates between ‘Decanter’ and ‘Carafe’; the former being for older wines while the latter is for a younger wine to allow it to breathe. "Decanters have narrow necks to reduce air contact while carafes are wider to increase wine surface area in contact with air," he says, while adding that "if a customer desires the wine should be decanted/carafed as it is about the service."

While bottle breathing (opening the bottle a few hours earlier to leave it to breathe) won’t do much for the wine, according tp Singh, he suggests ‘pour it out in a glass jug, leave it there and then pour it back into the bottle.’ Sane piece of advice to an individual wine lover from him would be to buy what you can afford and definitely the same principlewould apply to a commercial outlet but theyjust need more variety, for as Singh remindsus there are decanters for all wines, "Reds,Whites, even Sparkling (the non vintagecommercial bubbly wines), I don’t entirelymind it, even though there are not many takersfor decanted sparkling wine," he concludes.

In a Restaurant
Most restaurants, standalone or partof the F&B of a five star property wouldstock the simplest and easiest to maintaindecanters of slim neck and round bottom – ashaft and half globe bottom style. From timeto time in private homes one gets to see thenew shapes of Riedel or other internationalbrand names that would be sweeping shapesand might look impractical, but are greatfor using as a lot of research goes in to thedesigning. However they are not practicalfor restaurants to stock, and of course areextremely expensive.

A leisure segment hotel such as Amanin Delhi stocks different styles of decantersand carafes in their wine cellar and asuggestion for decanting is made as a regularexercise. But then that is to be expected ofa hotel that boasts custom disgorged SalonChampagne on their wine list.

Kumar Shobhan, F&B, AssociateDirector Food and Beverage for HyattRegency Delhi says they use BormilloItalian Glass decanters and mainly offer theservice at their speciality Italian restaurant,La Piazza, which often hosts Michelin starchefs and has an in house Italian chef whowould regularly be promoting local Italiancuisine. It is a given that they would suggesta decanting exercise if the wine needed it,and honour your request for decanting it inany event.

— Ameeta Sharma
http://www.ambrosiaindia.com

Defying age for that perfect taste!

admin — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 21:04:00 GMT

Wine is one of the few commodities that can improve with age but it can also rapidly deteriorate if kept in inadequate conditions. The three factors that have the most direct impact on a wine’s condition are light, humidity and temperature. A fourth consideration can be security, since wine can be considered a luxury good with value on the after-market. Here’s a lowdown on how to store wine to retain that perfect blend and taste.

Storage is an important consideration for any wine that is being kept for long-term aging. While most wine produced today is meant for near-term consumption (with much being consumed within 24 hours of purchase), there are certain situations in which it may be set aside for long-term storage. Historically, the long-term storage of wine was handled by wine merchants, but since the mid-20th century the task of handling and storing wine has increasingly fallen to consumers. Industries relating to specialty wine storage facilities and the construction of home-based wine cellars have emerged to cater to the storage needs of consumers.

Conditions affecting wine
In wine storage conditions, there are three factors that have the most pronounced affect on the wine: light, humidity and temperature. Direct light, whether it be sunlight or incandescent, can adversely react with phenolic compounds in the wine and create potential wine faults. Delicate, lightbodied white wines run the greatest risk from light exposure and are often packaged in darkly-tinted wine bottles that offer some protection from the light. Wines packaged in clear, light green and blue coloured bottles are the most vulnerable to light and may need extra precautions for storage. For example, the Champagne house of Louis Roederer uses cellophane wrap to protect its premium cuvee Cristal from light, the wine being packaged in a clear bottle. In the cellar, wines are stored in cardboard cartons or wooden crates to protect the wines from direct light.

Some degree of humidity is required in order to keep wines with cork enclosures from drying out. Even when wine bottles are stored on their sides, one side of the cork is still exposed to air. If the cork begins to dry out, it can allow oxygen to enter the bottle, filling the ullage space and possibly causing the wine to spoil or oxidise. Excessive humidity can also pose the risk of damaging wine labels, which may hinder identification or hurt potential resale value. Wine experts such as Jancis Robinson note that 75 per cent humidity is often cited as ideal, but there is very little significant research to definitively establish an optimal range. Concern about humidity is one of the primary reasons why wine experts such as Tom Stevenson recommends that wine should not be kept in a refrigerator since the refrigeration process often includes dehumidifying, which can quickly dry out corks.

Some wine experts debate the importance of humidity for proper wine storage. Famous wine writer Matt Kramer cites a French study which claimed that the relative humidity within a bottle is maintained at 100 per cent regardless of the closure used or the orientation of the bottle. However, Alexis Lichine contends that low humidity can still be detrimental to premium wine quality due to the risk of the cork drying out. As a way of maintaining optimal humidity, Lichine recommends spreading half an inch of gravel on the floor of a wine cellar and periodically sprinkling it with some water.

Wine is very susceptible to changes in temperature, with temperature control being an important consideration in wine storage. If the wine is exposed to too high a temperature (in excess of 77 °F (25 °C)) for long periods of time, it may become spoilt or ‘cooked’ and develop off flavours that taste raisiny or stewed. The exact length of time that a wine is at risk of exposure to high temperatures will vary depending on the wine, with some wines (such as Madeira which is exposed to high temperatures during its winemaking) being able to sustain exposure to high temperatures more easily than other, more delicate wines (such as Riesling). If the wine is exposed to temperatures that are too cold, the wine can freeze and expand, causing the cork to be pushed out; this will allow more oxygen to be exposed to the wine. Dramatic temperature swings (such as repeated transferring a wine from a warm room to a cool refrigerator) can also cause adverse chemical reactions in the wine that may lead to a variety of wine faults. Most experts, such as Jancis Robinson, recommend that wine be kept at constant temperatures between 50 and 59 °F (10 and 15 °C). Tom Stevenson speculates that 52 °F (11 °C) may be the most ideal temperature for storage and aging.

The storage condition of the bottled wine will influence a wine’s aging. Vibrations and heat fluctuations can hasten a wine’s deterioration and cause adverse effect to it. In general, a wine has a greater potential to develop complexity and a more aromatic bouquet if it is allowed to age slowly in a relatively cool environment. The lower the temperature, the more slowly a wine develops. On average, the rate of chemical reactions in wine doubles with each 18 °F (8 °C) increase in temperature. Wine expert Karen MacNeil, recommends keeping wine intended for aging in a cool area with a constant temperature around 55 °F (13 °C). Wine can be stored at temperatures as high as 69 °F (21 °C) without long-term negative effect. Professor Cornelius Ough of the University of California, Davis believes that wine can be exposed to temperatures as high as 120 °F (49 °C) for a few hours and not be damaged.

Orientation of the bottle
Most wine racks are designed to allow a wine to be stored on its side. The thinking behind this orientation is that the cork is more likely to stay moist and not dry out if it is kept in constant contact with the wine. Some wineries package their wines upside down in the box for much the same reason. Research in the late 1990s suggested that the ideal orientation for wine bottles is at a slight angle, rather than completely horizontal. This allows the cork to maintain partial contact with the wine in order to stay damp but also keeps the air bubble formed by a wine’s ullage at the top rather than in the middle of the bottle if the wine is lying on its side. Keeping the ullage near the top, it has been argued, allows for a slower and more gradual oxidation and maturation process. This is because the air bubble that is the ullage space expands and contracts depending on temperature fluctuation. When exposed to higher temperatures the bubble expands, and if the wine is tilted at an angle, this expansion will diffuse through the cork and not harm the wine. If the wine is completely on its side then this expansion will cause the bubble located in the middle of the bottle to push toward the cork, ejecting some wine in the process. When temperatures drop, the bubble contracts and forms a vacuum that brings more oxygen into the wine, speeding up the oxidation process.

Alternative wine closures
Storing wine that is bottled with alternative wine closures other than cork have many of the same considerations in regards to temperature and light sensitivity. While humidity and concerns about oxidation are not as pronounced, the relative recent popularity and increased usage of these closures have not given much opportunity for much research into the storage and aging potential of wines that use these closures.

Places to store wine
Since the end of the 20th century, there has been growth in industries relating to wine storage. Some wine connoisseurs may elect to store their wine at home in a dedicated room or closet. Other options involve purchases and rentals at off-site wine storage facilities that are specifically designed for the task. Some of these industries focus on the construction of home wine cellars and wine caves, small rooms or spaces in which to store wine. Others produce smaller wine accessories, such as racks and wine refrigerators. These appliances can feature adjustable temperature interfaces, two chambers for red and white wines, and materials which protect the wine from the sun and ambient environment.

http://www.ambrosiaindia.com

c o c k t a i l s Champagne cocktails to add more zing to party

admin — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 18:14:00 GMT

Purists may cringe and baulk. But can they ignore the acceptance of champagne cocktails world over? The drink that is synonymous with French aristocracy and luxury, champagne together with its sparkling wine cousins were barely seen to be mixed with other ingredients and drink mixers.

History has witnessed both the highs and lows in the popularity of champagne cocktails. Presently, in India the trend has seemingly caught on, and is on its way up quite rapidly. Awareness is the primary factor to influence the growth. Indians have definitely grown more adventurous with their choice of drinks. The lovers of cocktail typically, would vouch that it adds more zing to the bubbly potion. The concoction serves as a great accompaniment to a relaxing Sunday brunch, or the perfect welcome drink to an enjoyable party.

Craig Edney, a UK-based bar consultant, with Hydromel, in an interview with Ambrosia gives an insight into this bourgeoning trend internationally. He says, “Champagne cocktails have always been popular as they are seen as glamorous and decadent, particularly for special occasions like weddings and birthdays.” He classifies the champagne cocktail in two broad groups. “There are two main varieties of champagne cocktails. First, there are those in which the predominant ingredient is champagne or some type of sparkling wine and served in a flute or champagne saucer, for example the classic champagne cocktail, comprising sugar, angostura bitters, cognac and of course champagne. Then there are cocktails where the champagne or sparkling wine is the finishing touch to the drink, such as the Russian Spring Punch containing vodka, cassis, lime juice, gomme, raspberry puree and finally champagne.”

As there are different varieties of champagnes (Blanc de Blancs and Blanc de Noirs) and sparkling wines available in the market, a question arises: What kinds of champagnes make the best cocktails? Edney informs, “For those cocktails that are predominantly champagne or sparkling wine (as I mentioned earlier) a good quality product, (is to be used) as the main ingredient, the overall taste of the drink will be determined by the sparkling wine used. As for drinks where the sparkling wine is not the main ingredient, the quality is not as important. Something a little less distinctive is best.”

One has to be careful while preparing this drink. Edney highlights some of the important measures. “Both of the varieties of drinks are made by combining the other ingredients, in whatever fashion are called for, and then pouring the champagne or sparkling wine slowly as it is likely that the other ingredients will cause the champagne to fizz up. This will avoid spillage and consequent waste. Ensure that all the ingredients are the freshest possible and that all the ingredients are of a comparable quality. There are some cases where the champagne needs to be layered on top of the drink. This can be done by pouring the champagne down an upturned bar spoon with the disc touching the surface of the drink as would be done when making something like, for instance a B52 cocktail.” (Please note, ‘B52’ is not a champagne cocktail but composed of coffee liqueur, Baileys Irish Cream, and Grand Marnier. The ingredients are poured in such a way one after the other that they separate into three distinctly visible layers, due to the relative densities of the ingredients. Edney used the term to explain how the specific kind of champagne cocktail is to be layered). He mentions that worldwide, champagne cocktails or cocktails made using other sparkling wines are very popular with women, although not exclusively, in the 18 to 30 age group.

There is a mention of champagne cocktails in the first book on bartending, ever published in America in 1862, called ‘How to Mix Drinks; or, the Bon Vivant’s Companion’. Back in the 1920s in Europe, this cocktail was found to be extremely popular among the ‘upper crust’. The classic champagne cocktail was preferred during the Civil War era in the US. It was also chosen by Esquire magazine as one of the top 10 cocktails of 1934. The original champagne cocktail was served in champagne saucers, modeled after French queen Marie Antoinette’s breasts. But they are rarely used now. Champagne served in champagne flutes is better as the shape of the flute doesn’t let the bubbles escape easily.

But in India it is only in recent times that the concoction has found more aficionados. Bangalore-based Aslam Gafoor (49) Chief Operating Officer, Weber Grills India and member of Bangalore Wine Club and Chaine des Rotisseurs, informs, in India, “There are plenty of champagne cocktails that Indians enjoy. Popular among those are, Bellini containing peach, Kir Royale with creme de cassis, Mimosa, Axis Kiss with amaretto and creme de cassis, Champagne Fizz with gin and lemon juice, Buck’s Fizz with orange juice.” Just like in other countries, in India too champagne cocktails are usually served as ‘welcome drinks’ or ‘celebration drinks’ and people move on to other drinks as the party progresses. “Champagne cocktails are a very popular choice on Valentine’s Day, something like plain champagne with strawberry has many takers here. Champagne cocktails are also usually liked by younger folks and particularly women,” informs Aslam.

Try out the following recipes of champagne cocktails. In the classic champagne cocktails, the bitters and brandy add warmth to the champagne. Good champagne contributes to the taste and flavour. In all champagne cocktails, champagnes are added last, right before serving for best results.

Ingredients of a Classic champagne cocktail includes one sugar cube, two to three Angostura bitters, a good quality champagne, 30 ml of brandy, orange slice for garnish, maraschino cherry for garnish.

Place the sugar cube in the bottom of a champagne flute. Add the Angostura bitters. Then add the brandy. And fill the champagne flute with champagne. Finally, garnish with the orange slice and cherry. Another simple variation you might like to try out. Here goes. Add four drops of Angostura Bitters to a sugar cube in a champagne flute. Pour some brandy and top up with champagne. As you sip it slow and easy you will be able to taste a sensation changing from dry to sweet.

Kir Royal is another traditional favourite. Simply add champagne to crème de cassis, and get a luxurious and tantalizing aperitif. True to its name, Disco Fizz makes another exciting cocktail drink. An electric blue cocktail, the drink comprises blue curacao, elderflower cordial, pineapple juice and lemon juice in small measures all going in to a champagne flute. And finally, top up with champagne.

You don’t need a reason to party now, do you? Now next time don’t wait for an occasion to pop a bottle of bubbly and fill in your champagne flute. Just make sure you add some ingredients to double the fun.

—Debdutta Ray
http://www.ambrosiaindia.com

Bark to Bottle: Journey of Cork Immortal - Rajiv Seth

admin — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 18:00:00 GMT

Although there is some historical evidence suggesting that cork was used as a stopper about 2,000 years ago, its use became more prevalent with the introduction of glass bottles in the 17th century. In recent years, other alternatives such as capsules and plastic stoppers have been introduced as closures for wine bottles. However, cork still remains the principal closure of choice for premium wines. – Writes Rajiv Seth

Cork - an introduction

Cork is essentially a piece of bark from an oak tree known as cork oak, Quercus suber. The cork tree grows naturally in a region bordering the western Mediterranean Sea. The major cork producing countries include Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy in Europe; and Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia in Africa. Several efforts have been made to grow this species in other parts of the world; but, so far, the results have not been encouraging. Worldwide production of cork is estimated to be 3,075,000 tons. Of this amount, Portugal produces the lion's share (about 55%).

Why use Cork as a Wine closure

Cork is a unique substance and a long proven closure for wines. The cork possesses many remarkable qualities which make it an ideal stopper for wine bottles. Some of the important qualities include: compressibility, resilience, impermeability to liquids, low density, little tendency to rot, and a high coefficient of friction.

Cork is highly compressible. It can be compressed without causing significant lateral expansion. It is also very resilient. After compression, the cork can return to 85% of its original volume in about 20 minutes, and about 95% of its volume after 24 hours. During corking, a cylindrical cork 38 to 40 mm long and 23 to 25 mm in diameter is inserted in a bottle with a bore size of about 18 mm. In this situation, the cork diameter is reduced by 25% (from 24 mm to 18 mm) and the cork volume is reduced by 40 to 50%. Due to its elastic nature, the cork exerts a pressure of 1.5 to 3 kg/cm2 against the glass surface (in the neck of the bottle) and forms an excellent seal. The elastic property of the cork is due to the unique cell structure. As noted earlier, the tiny cork cells are filled with air and thus the tissue can be envisioned as layers of tiny air cushions grouped together. The cork is very light in density (0.12 to 0.25 g/cm3) and a little over 50% of the cork volume is air. When the cork is squeezed (as during corking), the air inside the cells is compressed. The compressed air inside the tiny cells exerts counter pressure which permits the cork tissue to expand and provide an effective seal. With prolonged compression, the gas inside the cells gradually permeates out and the resiliency of the cork is permanently lost; the cork is not as elastic as it was before compression. This phenomenon can be observed when a cork from an old bottle (10 to 15 years storage) is withdrawn.

The elastic property of the cork is influenced by its moisture content. The cork remains fairly elastic for insertion into the bottle within a moisture content range of 5 to 12%. But the moisture content is maintained around the 5 to 7% level in order to discourage microbial growth. Cork is practically impermeable to liquids. This is because the cork tissue is made of tightly packed cells; this leaves practically no room for liquid to pass. One millimeter thick cork tissue may have as much as 30 layers of cells. The waxy and suberous composition of the cell wall makes it even more difficult for liquid or gasses to pass.

Another unique and highly desirable property of cork is its high coefficient of friction. This means that it does not slide easily on smooth surfaces such as glass. The cut surface of the cork consists of broken cells that act like suction cups when they are in contact with the glass. Due to this tendency, the cork adheres tightly to the glass surface (this is what makes it hard to remove the cork from the bottle), and also assumes the shape of the neck of the bottle. In spite of small irregularities in the neck of the bottle, the cork fits well and provides an effective seal.

Cork is a very durable stopper. When in contact with wine, it does not readily degrade. In most cases, very little wine penetrates into the cork and few cork constituents leak into the wine (this assumes good cork). Occasionally, vanillin/woody odors may be imparted to the wine, but overall, it doesn't affect the wine flavor.

How Corks are made

As noted earlier, cork is produced from the bark of a cork oak tree. The cork tree is unique; in that, a careful removal of the bark does not harm the tree and secondly, after stripping the bark, a new bark is regenerated. Although the cork tree is a forest species, it does require some care and attention in order to produce high quality cork bark over a long period of time.

The stripping of the bark begins in summer, usually in July. After the bark is peeled off, the tree produces a reddish fluid which protects the mother bark. The fluid dries to a thin layer and by early autumn, new cork cells begin to form. The first stripping of the bark occurs when a young tree is about 15 to 30 years old and has attained a trunk diameter of 70 cm. The bark that is removed for the first time is known as virgin cork. Its structure is irregular, it is relatively hard (not supple), and is not useful for cork stopper production. This virgin cork is used for producing other cork-based materials.

After a period of about nine years from the first stripping, the bark is removed again. The cork bark removed for the second time is called second bark, and is still not considered good enough to produce cork stoppers. The cork bark that is removed in the third and subsequent stripping is called reproduction cork. Its texture is more uniform and it provides excellent material for producing cork stoppers. Usually the cork quality is considered best when a tree is about 50 years old. The tree will live and produce cork until it is 160 to 180 years old. But after about 100 years, the quality of the cork declines. The stripping of cork is done every nine years. This allows enough time for a tree to grow and produce good sized bark. Starting at 25 years, a tree will yield about 15 stripping.

The stripped bark, also called cork slabs or cork planks, is stacked in piles outdoors. This allows the cork slabs to season or cure. During this period, the sap from the bark dries off and the cork planks undergo weather-induced chemical changes. Following curing, the cork planks are subjected to a boiling process which cleans and disinfects them and also makes the cork planks softer and more flexible. This is important because it allows the semi-cylindrical cork planks to be made into flat slabs called cork board.

In the next step, the cork board is cut into strips. The width of the strip is slightly greater than the length of the cork. The strips are placed on their side and the cork is punched out perpendicular to that of the cork growth. This ensures that the lenticels are positioned on the side of the cork touching the glass when the cork is inserted in the bottle. This reduces the potential leakage of wine through the lenticels.

Cork punching requires great skill in order to maximize the quality and quantity of the corks produced. It is estimated that about 30% of the cork board is used in making cork stoppers. After punching, the corks are polished and the edges are trimmed, if needed. Corks with edges trimmed at 45° are called champerd corks. Some winemakers prefer champerd corks because champering makes it easier to insert the cork during corking. Corks used for fortified wines are made by gluing or binding the plastic top to the end of the cork. Such corks are referred to as T-corks.

After polishing, the corks are rinsed with water to remove dust and treated with a solution of calcium hypochlorite and oxalic acid, followed by a final rinse. The process bleaches and disinfects the cork surface. Since chlorine treatment can contribute to the formation of 2, 4, 6-trichloroanisol, a compound known for causing cork taint, an alternative treatment is preferred.

Instead of chemical treatments, some cork producers sterilize corks by exposing them to irradiation. The process is very effective in eliminating microorganisms such as molds and bacteria. Cobalt-60 isotope (radioactive cobalt) emits gamma rays which can penetrate deep into the cork. This achieves the destruction of harmful microbes both on the surface, as well as, inside the cork.

Following chemical sterilization, the corks are dried to bring the moisture content between 6 to 8%, and then graded. Based on the customer's request, the corks are branded and/or surface treated with silicon or paraffin. Coated corks are often used in high speed bottling. Finally, the corks are packaged in plastic bags containing sulfur dioxide and stored at a temperature of 15 to 20°C and 50 to 70% humidity.

Agglomerate cork or composition cork is another kind of cork used sometimes by the wine industry. It is important to note that the agglomerate cork has a low compressibility and is less elastic;

Champagne corks are a type of composition cork. They are larger than the corks used to stopper still table wines. The upper section of the cork is made of cork particles (like agglomerate cork) and the lower section has two cork disks glued to it. The lower end is in contact with the wine when the cork is inserted into the bottle. Champagne corks must be able to withstand high pressure (about six atmospheres). To achieve this, corks with larger diameters (31 mm instead of 24 mm) are used and they are compressed to a greater degree than table wine corks. For example, the regular corks when compressed are reduced in volume by 45 to 50%. In the case of champagne corks, the volume is reduced by 65%. This provides an effective seal and holds the wine in the bottle under high pressure. Large single piece corks are available for stoppering champagne bottles.

Cork Faults and Quality Control

Cork Defects - A defective cork can cause problems such as leaking. formation of deposits or sediment, and equally important, the development of cork taints. To prevent these problems the vintner should recognize faulty corks and avoid using them. Cork defects can be serious; that is, they can cause leakage and/or make cork insertion difficult. These are defined as critical defects. Other flaws may not be as problematic. They may be related to the appearance of the cork rather than the function. Such defects are considered noncritical. Some of the critical defects are given below.

1. Green wood - This is caused by immature cork cells. The flaw is considered critical if more than 50% of the cork length is made of green wood.

2. Poor cork ends - They are caused by holes, cracks, and/or fissures. If the hole or crack is over one-third the length of the cork, it is a serious flaw. The holes can also be caused by worms. Such corks should not be used.

3. Holes - The presence of any large holes (>2 mm) is considered a critical defect, especially if they are connected together over 50% of the cork length. The holes can be due to insect damage or a large number of lenticels.

4. Belly spots or cuts - These are surface depressions caused by the inner density of the cork or by poor cutting of the cork cylinder. The defect is critical when the spots occur over 50% of the cork's length.

5. Woody corks - This condition results when a cork is cut too close to the bark surface. If over 50% of the cork is woody, it is a serious flaw.

6. Chips, breaks and cracks - This kind of damage usually occurs during the processing of corks. A dry cork is also prone to chipping and cracking. Larger chipped areas or a crack on the cork surface is a serious defect.

7. Poor or improper surface coating - The cork surface is often coated with paraffin, waxes, silicon, and other polymer coatings. The purpose of surface treatment is to make dry corking and cork extraction easier, and also to improve impermeability. When the coating is done improperly, it can cause problems during corking or in forming an effective seal.

8. Dimensions not in accordance with designated size - Incorrect cutting can result in corks that are smaller than the intended size.

Other problems associated with corks are sediment and off odors. Cork dust can sometimes be a source of unsightly deposits. The dust is produced during processing and can be located in large lenticels. Usually coating the cork prevents the dust from getting into the wine.

Cork taint or must and moldy odors can sometimes be imparted to a wine by a defective cork. There are many compounds which are associated with corky (musty and moldy) odors. Most important of these compounds is 2, 4, 6-trichloroanisol. When this compound gets into the wine, it imparts an off odor. It should be noted that this compound can get into the wine from various other sources.

So that's it the Journey of cork immortal from Bark to Bottle, surviving the extreme summers, frequent fires and onslaughts of modern technology, with ever changing scientific perceptions.

Rajiv Seth

Rajiv Seth is a wine educationist, Author and an expert in International Wine Legislation especially European Union. In 1987, he became the first Indian to be awarded a gold medal from WSET, London. He also writes for DelWine. Contact him at royalcellar@yahoo.co.in .

PROSECCO- THE NEW CHAMPAGNE? “ Prosecco has become a sexy alternative to Champagne”

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 18:52:00 GMT

Refreshingly easy to drink, this versatile, fruity, sparkling wine from the Veneto region of Northern Italy is now bubbling worldwide. Gaining acceptance as a less expensive alternative to Champagne, it is rapidly becoming the drink of choice for consumers seeking a fashionable, festive, sparkling wine which won’t break the budget.

Prosecco is both the name of the grape and wine, primarily grown in the hills from Conegliano and Valdobbiane,- the main areas of production in the Veneto region (just north of Venice). It is produced using the Charmat method whereby the secondary fermentation takes place in large steel vats. Contact with the yeast is brief which is why Prosecco is typically fresh, fruity and slightly aromatic.

In 2009 the Italian government recognized the distinctive geographic area of Coneglian and Valdobbiane by awarding it the prestigious DOCG status (Denominazione di Origine Controllata). The G stands for “Guaranteed” and basically ensures the winemakers must adhere to stricter guidelines than DOC wines. The primary difference is these wines must undergo an in-depth chemical analysis and evaluation of a tasting committee before they can be bottled. They are then are sealed with a numbered governmental seal across the cap or cork.

Considering there are only 41 DOCG regions in Italy compared to 300 DOC this is a noteworthy allocation and entitles Prosecco extra prestige and recognition as an exclusive sparkling wine in its own right.

This newly acquired status can only help worldwide sales of Prosecco which have already increased visibly according to Mondial Wine. In the UK alone, sales have doubled; Pierpaolo Petrassi Senior Product Development Manager for Italy at Tesco explains, “Prosecco is stylistically appropriate for UK consumers who are not looking for more structured, (usually) drier and more premium-priced Champagne.”. It is traditionally served without food and is fresh in style.

In America; “Prosecco is on fire and will continue to grow as consumers look for alternatives to high-priced Champagne,” says Leonardo LoCascio, president and CEO of Winebow Inc.

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, consumption of Italian sparkling wines grew 14 percent, up to 16.7 million litres from 14.7 million litres the previous year. This growth includes other popular sparkling wines coming out of Italy, such as Oltrepo’Pavese, Asti Spumante and the prestigious Franciacorta. A crisp and elegant sparkling wine, it is often compared to Champagne, as it uses the same grape varieties and production method (methode Champenoise) where secondary fermentation takes place in bottles. Though lower in cost, Francicorta undergoes even stricter regulations than Champagne regarding maximum yield and maturation time. It is produced in much smaller quantities than Prosecco, but it is another of Italy’s sparkling wines gaining worldwide recognition and accolade.

It is not only the Americans and Europeans who are embracing Italian sparkling wines with such fervour, sales in Hong Kong (regarded as the Asian hub) recorded a dramatic rise of 81.2% in terms of value.

In December last year, Italian farmers' union Coldiretti said that exports of Italian sparkling wine would exceed domestic consumption for the first time. It said Prosecco was showing "dynamic" growth in foreign markets. Around 340m bottles of sparkling wine were produced in Italy in 2009, with around 160m bottles supporting the new Prosecco DOC and DOCG denominations.

Most commonly drunk on its own, Prosecco also makes for an enticing cocktail. Undoubtedly the most famous Prosecco based cocktail would be the Bellini, from the renowned “Harrys Bar in Venice”Frequented by the Genre of Ernest Hemingway, Oscar Wilde and Henry Fonda, Harrys Bar has always been a destination for an artistic entourage.The Bellini cocktail was invented by its owner back in the 40’s andaccording to their Head Barman it still remains the most popular drink onthe menu – “perfect whatever the time, whatever the season”.

The Bellini is prepared with freshly squeezed white peach juice and prosecco, served in a chilled Champagne flute. The perfect end to a perfectday.

Salute!!

Christine Macleod

Christine@vinouno.com

www.vinouno.com

The tale of Corkscrew

admin — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:58:00 GMT

For the cork and corkscrew—the question of “chicken and egg” is an easy one. Exactly when or by whom the corkscrew was invented is unknown. But as corks became a more common way to cap containers, our beer or wine guzzling forefathers clearly needed a way to access the goods they had so wonderfully learned to seal.

The earliest reference to a corkscrew comes in 1681 where it is called a “steel worm used for the drawing of corks out of bottles.” The term “steel worm” was derived by gunsmiths, likely the first producers of corkscrews, who had crafted similar tools by the same name for cleaning the barrel of a musket.

It was not until the early 18th century, however, that corks were used for wine in the way in which we are currently accustomed. After some major technology breakthroughs in the glass blowing industry, craftsmen were able to shape bottles with long straight sides and skinny necks—a design that allowed later-day vintners to seal, and thus age, a bottle of wine.

While its task and form are simple, artisans have found many ways to decorate and shape the corkscrew throughout the millennia. Some disguise it, some keep it simple, and others pay tribute to various other hobbies or cultures.

curtesuy : http://www.ambrosiaindia.com

Go...Go....Organic & Bio-dynamic Wine!!!

pragati — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 15:21:00 GMT

Sustainability is the need of the hour and seeing the wine industry growing to a very large extent everyone wants to get into it. Being in this wine industry for such a long time has anyone seriously thought about getting organic and applying any of the bio-dynamic preparations especially belonging to a country – INDIA; where most of these applications have their origins from!!! These preparations include applying most of the natural resources from our mother nature with just a bit of modifications like we make our food.

My first day of work @ Burn Cottage vineyard (Central Otago, NZ)....Wow! Didn’t ever imagine I would do all this on a foreign land that too when I come from a country where all these activities are considered to be holy "My India" and carried out on a daily basis especially in the rural areas....Had just heard about sustainability, organic and bio-dynamic wine but never got a chance to work with one...SO here I am.....

Collecting cow dung every morning was bit of experience. I never thought of doing this on a foreign land that too when I come from a country where all these activities are considered to be holy and are daily activities in most of the Indian rural areas. Initially to my surprise I never thought that these foreigners would ever put their bare hands into this so called *** which is considered to be holy only in INDIA, but I was wrong. Every one of us got our bare hands into the collected cow dung every morning and treated it as normal dough to make it more consistent adding some basalt and egg shell pieces.

It’s made sure that this cow dung comes from the cows where they are kept in a very good environment...grazed naturally on the paddocks...all the cows here were from Scotland...Looked like pretty Eskimo Cows :P

The cow dung had to be fresh, with consistency, just like our chapatti flour dough...did u ever thought of selecting cow dung properties...so there we go....in bio-dynamic activities u need to be careful with all these points....

After collecting a few handful of cow dung we got them on to a sorting table where we sorted out the dung for any crap found in it. Just imagine the tiny dirty worms were not considered to be crap. They looked so disgusting, but yes they are very good to maintain the consistency of the cow dung. So just close your eyes and get on to the dung, put your soft hands into it to make it more consistent just like u do to your dough while preparing pizzas...don’t u ??? :P

After that this matter is filled into such brick made pits which are called the 'cow pat pits (CPP)'....after filling it in these pits they are to be mixed over a period of time and rotated just to keep it breathing and give it a mix at least twice a week so that it becomes consistent on all sides....after 5-6 months it actually turns itself into earthy matter and gives a very good earthy aroma which makes you very difficult to believe that this was actually fresh cow dung a few months ago....and it was surprisingly true to my eyes after seeing the samples of these....

There are a lot of bio-dynamic preps: like CPP, 500, 501, 502 - 507...out of these I got the opportunity to make the CPP, 504, 507, 501 and use the 500 as well...u must be imagining what crap I am saying about all these numbers...that’s d fun mate!!!

ok lets begin...:

CPP - cow pat pit
500 - In this the cow dung that I spoke before is filled in cow horns and buried under the ground for around 3 months and then the matter is used to mix in water or stinging nettle tea to sprinkle over the vineyard.
501 - Silica along with cow dung is filled just like 500 and buried under and then used.
502 - Yarrow flowers are fermented in deer's bladder.
503 - Chamomile flowers are just fermented in the soil and applied on compost
504 – That’s my favourite. I love the sting from the nettle. It’s like someone’s pinching you from within you whole night or just poking a needle on u...u should have seen my Vineyard Manager ‘Jared’ the way he handles the nettle...he doesn’t even get the sting now a days since he has have got so many. So 504 is basically about cutting the nettle plant into small pieces...just chop it down and put it in hot water and make a tea out of it...and just drink a sip!!! Hey I am just kidding, it’s now ready to sprinkle it on your vineyards :D
505 - Oak barrel pieces are fermented in the skull of a domestic animal preferably sheep as NZ's sheep population is 15times the population of human beings :P
506 - In this the dandelion flowers are fermented in a cow mesentery and then applied over...
507 - Valerian flowers look very pretty. Small white coloured ones. From the flowers, attempt is made only to take the petals from the entire flower and then crush them down in typical

Indian traditional way like you chop garlic and ginger and then fermented over a period of one week or so in a glass jar and then the juice is drained out and filled in empty bottles.
Sorry, but I do not have any personal experience about how they go about with the rest of the preps as I dint get to experience them with my own hands :P but yes I am sure they must be fun to prepare just like the others :)

In the alongside picture u can see a cement kind of structure where the nettle tea water is just flowing down and then revolving back and flowing down again just like a normal fountain water. This actually is creating a vortex as well as shape of 8 while its going down. The concept of vortex is actually very interesting to know about. Even I was amused to know it and it actually makes sense. Even while you mix the CPP or nettle tea u mix it in a way with a stick so that u create a vortex while u mixing it....it’s about absorbing all the energies of the universe that are around u...have u ever seen a galaxy picture??? The universe pic??

how it looks - like u r going into its vortex round n round n round....lots of star inside it....yes d same way looks d vortex of these solutions...so it is said that when u create a vortex it takes d energies from the universe and when u sprinkle it on the vineyard all these energies are transferred into them and help their growth....

You must be imagining why am I holding this cute little chicken in my hand...

No don’t worry I didn’t had it in my dinner...these are actually free range chickens which are on the entire vineyard...they help maintain the bio-dynamic and organic activities that we carry....whatever preps that we make and sprinkle on vineyard result in having nice earth worms inside the soil of the vineyard which keeps soil healthy...and also there are some ugly insects which may destroy the vine plants in some way or the other for example a orange ugly grass rub which take on the roots of the vine plants...so these chickens they actually feed on such little insects and help in keeping the soil healthy, wealthy and wise.

Sustainability, organic and bio-dynamics are huge concepts which can be applied on nature to keep it healthy and cannot be explained in one go. Here I would like to give you reference of a very good book "Grasp: The Nettle" By Peter Proctor and lot of his works in India. It has been seen that most of these practices still exist but none of them ever heard about applying them around the Indian wine industry. So, this is just a thought that I would like to share with each one of you. Hopefully I will be hearing someone from the Indian Wine Industry doing something like this very soon

Enjoy....Think Organic and be Sustainable!!!

Pragati Thorat

Cork Sense - Judy Beardsall

admin — Mon, 03 May 2010 15:36:00 GMT

When ordering a bottle of wine at a restaurant, make sure you check the cork. Always make sure what is branded on the cork matches what is printed on the wine label.

About a year ago, I was having dinner at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant in New York. After I ordered off the wine list, the waiter opened the bottle somewhere out of sight. When he came back and started to pour the wine, I asked to see the cork. He looked at me and sarcastically said "Oh, you want to see the cork, do you? We‘ll then I guess I‘ll have to fish it out of the trash, because that‘s where I put it". He continued pouring, expecting me to drop the subject, but I quickly fired back "Well you gotta do what you gotta do. Now, get me the cork out of the trash, you might be able to find it next to your tip." A bit taken back, he left and came back 10 minutes later with a cork in a small cardboard gift box(which I still have) - a snotty move. The bottle must always be open in front of you, otherwise there is no way to know if it was a bottle opened earlier. Now Gordon Ramsay's restaurant is closed, the waiter never got his tip, but the cork lives on.

One of my pet peeves is cork sniffing, which is nothing more than a theatrical flourish!

The importance of cork sniffing to determine the quality of the wine is one of those often repeated wine myths, which, like most tales, spring from an arcane bit of truth. Sniffing the cork tells you nothing about the wine.

Only the most knowledgeable and highly trained specialists in the field of oenology can detect a possible taint on the cork - the effect of a cork mold - which could potentially affect a wine's taste, and then only sometimes. This is not a skill anyone other than such a wine expert can genuinely perform.

So, discounting the rare experts, if you're at a restaurant and the waiter or the server smells the cork, you're witnessing affectation in action. If you're at a dinner party, and your host sniffs the cork and actually makes a remark about how great the aroma is...you know better!

Judy Beardsall
Johnny Russo

www.JudyBeardsall.com
www.AnandaWine.com

THE COLOR OF WINE

admin — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 02:06:00 GMT

Most of us aren't conditioned to stop and look at wine, but it's the start of the fun. Pour a glass and take a moment to notice and admire the color.

Color can tell you a lot about the maturity or condition of a wine. If it's browned out, the wine could have been badly stored or it may be mature but past drinkability. White wine can fade, showing gradations of color. Fading - meaning the color pales out toward the edges - has a bad connotation and usually implies that the wine has lost its intensity.

Young healthy red wines, as a general rule, show a very deep purple or mulberry purple before they begin to mature. A common term people use for this stage of maturity is "ruby colored". As they age, many but not all red wines take on different hues, sometimes invoking words like "garnet" or "warm orange" at the rim. These are subtleties, but if a red wine is very yellow or brown at the rim, it's probably past its peak.

Most wine bottles are green, so you can't see the true wine color. There's a good reason to put red wine in green bottles: simply to protect it from the light. I don't think you'll ever see a bottle of red wine that's not in green glass. But the myriad variations of reds or whites stress the argument for only pouring wine into clear glasses, or if you choose to, into a clear glass decanter.

There are thousands of variations and depths of color related to wine. Red can be a deep red, as opaque and dark as a mahogany stain. There are rich, lush reds and the deep purple of a young wine. Some wines are so opaque, you can't see through them to the bottom of the glass. Others are light and clear.

The visual experience with white wine is totally different from that with reds. With whites, you look for depth, clarity, and shadings of color. Some whites are gold straw yellow, lemon yellow, or green tinged, others turn a pale gold or golden with age, depending on the wines and whether they are dry or sweet.

TIP: Once you've got at least a third of a glass of wine, don't hold it up to the light or at arm's distance in front of you. Instead, take your glass and tilt it slightly against a white surface or napkin. You'll see the real color. Shades of color extend from the middle of the glass to the rim when you tilt it, too.

Judy Beardsall
Johnny Russo
www.JudyBeardsall.com

The Passive Wine Cellar

venki — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:48:00 GMT

As many of us try our best to be the greenest we can be...I am often asked is it possible to build a green wine cellar? There is no exact way to do this...but here are a few ideas that can help. Try building your wine cellar in a spot that will require the minimum amount of cooling or even better, no cooling at all. The "passive" wine cellar should be built below ground with as little natural light as possible. Installing a floor vent which draws cooler air from the underground can really help with temperature conditions. Using natural stone (slate) is a great way to help maintain consistent temperature as well. Other ways you can push the "green" button would be to use re-claimed wood for the wine racks and recycled glass. Further, you may wish to check the wineries you are buying from: are they using wind power, organically grown grapes, certified biodynamic wines (no sulfites) or perhaps they ship wines by train. We are all looking for ways to sustain the planet and to be the best stewards possible...but if you are looking for a perfect 56 degrees for wine storage it would be difficult to achieve in a passive cellar. However, if you are willing to give up a few degrees and some fluctuations in temperature...then a passive cellar just may be the way to go.

www.josephandcurtis.com

WINE AND LONGER LIFE...

admin — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 20:09:00 GMT

...Since wine has such beneficial effects on the heart, on stabilizing blood pressure, possibly stopping loss of bone tissue, is replete with cancer-fighting elements, aids in digestion, and reduces stress, it is no surprise that wine is also connected to living longer.

Bordeaux wines may have been regarded as a health tonic for many centuries, and nothing proves it more than the high percentage of healthy octogenarians in the Medoc area of France - that is, Bordeaux. The number of octogenarians and even nonagenarians is much higher there than the national average. It is even a local custom in Bordeaux to present a woman with a bottle of red wine before she goes into labor to help ease the birth and also bless the baby with long life.

Here is my mantra for you: Red wine...red wine...red wine. Make a daily habit of drinking red wine with dinner for the rest of your long and healthy life.

Judy Beardsal
www.judybeardsall.com

Biography:
As America's preeminent Wine Consultant and internationally respected wine broker, Judy has forged a niche in the high stakes world of wine.

With over 20 years experience and a career that has taken her from the first woman manager of New York's premiere wine shop, Sherry-Lehman...To starting the most successful wine consulting business in the world and amassing the largest wine collections ever assembled on earth...To the creation of her very own wine at a vineyard in Tuscany.

Judy's specialty is creating investment portfolios and drinking cellars of the worlds finest and rarest wines for a clientele of discreet and discerning collectors.

As President and CEO of Beardsall and Associates, Judy oversees personalized service with extensive knowledge of the fine wine market and provides -- Strategic Buying Services, Portfolio and Cellar Planning and Management, Storage Arranged and Managed, State of the Art Wine Inventory and Tracking System, Market Trend and Investing Reports, International Trading Advisory.

CORK VS ZORK : END OF ERA OR A NEW BEGINNING - By Rajiv Seth

admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 16:49:00 GMT

Vintners have been sealing their bottles with corks since at least the 16th century, when English innovators started using them to seal their newly invented hard-glass bottles. Cork was the cutting-edge technology of the time, quickly displacing the old method of storing wine in casks and urns, writes Rajiv Seth.

But now traditional corks as the preferred seal for wine bottles have come under attack mostly for the reason that they could allow the wine to become "corked". That is, the wine reacts with a substance called trichloroanisole. This substance is formed when the chlorine, which is used to sanitize the cork, reacts with a mold that grows in some cork. Trichloroanisole, or TCA, causes a musty odor, and a flat, moldy flavor, an estimated 5-10% of wines on merchant shelves are "corked".

This problems has been around for centuries, but it took on new prominence after a Swiss chemist in 1981 discovered it was caused by corks, specifically those infected with a naturally occurring chemical compound called trichloroanisole (TCA). Around that time, world wine consumption also began to boom, driving up the prices of corks. As a result of both, winemakers began looking for alternative methods to close their bottles.

Natural corks are also not always easy to remove from the bottle. With the old spiral corkscrew, you have to put it in the cork just right, and not screw it in too far. And even if you get the corkscrew into the cork just right, pieces of the cork do crumble into the wine.

That isn't to say that cork stoppers are bad. They do allow the wine to breathe a bit. Their porous nature allow oxygen in the bottle and other gases out. Some experts say that this is what allows wine to age. Others, however, claim that it is the compounds in the wine that allow aging. One of the other goods things about natural corks, is the satisfying "pop" as it comes out of the bottle. A screw cap can't compare with the drama and romance of popping a cork out of the neck of the bottle.

You may have also seen synthetic corks in some bottles of wine. These stoppers, instead of being made from natural cork bark, are made from plastic. Synthetic corks are even harder to get out of the bottle than natural corks, and near impossible to put back into the bottle, if you need to put the bottle away after opening. Synthetic corks have also been known to allow the wine to oxidize, which causes flatness in the wine. It takes away some of the chemicals that form an important part of the wine aroma.

Screw caps, on the other hand, seem to be the perfect solution for sealing a bottle of wine. Screw caps don't allow the wine to become "corked", like natural corks. They're easier to remove than both natural and synthetic corks. And they don't allow the wine to oxidize like synthetic corks. There is some argument about whether screw caps allow the wine to age, like a natural cork does. Since aging a bottle of wine may take 5-50 years, and the screw cap is a relatively recent development, it will take some time to determine whether or not the wine will age as well.

But for once, the old way of doing things turns out to be better for the environment. Cork is admirably renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable. It is made from the bark of cork oak trees, which is peeled off in huge strips about once every 17 years legally and then grows back. A typical cork oak can continue producing usable bark for up to 200 years.

The trees also help preserving the environmental aspects of the planet. Cork oak forests cover huge swaths of land in the Mediterranean countries of Spain, Algeria, Morocco, Italy, Tunisia, France and especially Portugal. They provide shelter to a range of plant and animal species, including endangered ones like the lynx, Barbary deer and the Imperial Iberian eagle, as well as jobs for more than 100,000 people. Almost 70 percent of their product is used to make the 15 billion bottle stoppers sold annually.

Synthetic corks and screw tops, by contrast, require a considerable amount of energy to manufacture- which equals carbon emissions and other pollution. They're also hard to recycle. All of which explains why environmental groups including the WWF and the Forest Stewardship Council are campaigning for cork.

In addition to their green appeal, corks have tradition on their side. Their centuries long association with wine and the elaborate ceremonies and paraphernalia that have developed around the act of uncorking have a powerful hold on many tipplers' minds. "You can't minimize the importance of that 'pop,' "In many ways, that's the biggest hurdle for screw caps, along with its association with being cheap."

The cork industry is battling back, too. Major manufacturers have invested millions in recent years to screen their cork more carefully and upgrade their production processes to cut down on taint. As a result, the percentage of tainted bottles has dropped.

Amorim the leader in cork industry from Portugal is employing significant research and development practices and using the findings to improve its processing techniques. By offering the wine market a dramatically improved product, the company hopes to raise the cork industry standard at large, thereby forcing many of the 600 existing cork producers to follow suit. Though the industry maintains an 80-85% share in the wine closure market, producers that ignore the need for an improved product will most likely be swallowed up by consolidation among the larger companies such as Amorim, in a push for quality control across the industry.

New Innovative wine closures

Zork

Some new innovations are also making inroads in wine closure industry. One new closure teetering on commercial deployment is the Zork, developed by a group of South Australians. It aims to eliminate cork-related spoilage and seals with a foil membrane similar to that found in screw caps. It doesn’t require a special tool to open, as a plastic tap is wound off and the firm polyethylene stopper removed. There’s almost a popping sound to please diehard cork fans. It is replaceable to keep wine in the bottle and fits into standard glass bottles designed for conventional cork. Visually it looks a bit like a wine bottle stack hat.

Vino-Lock

Another new entrant in closure market of some particular interest will be Vino-Lock, a new "glass on glass" closure still in early trials, which uses a very thin synthetic coating on a glass topper that fits snugly in the bottle neck to provide a seal. It's actually quite attractive and has an aura of quality that is perhaps lacking in thin metal screw caps. However, this closure demands fine tolerances in the manufacturing process. I suspect that glass manufacturers won't like this, as it will shift the responsibility of closure integrity upon them. However, should this process eventuate, it will result in better bottle quality and provide a real bonus for the industry.

The Vino-Lok closure system fills a need in the wine industry, which has sought alternatives to natural cork that meets both the quality and aesthetic demands of connoisseurs."

The Vino-Lok closure looks like a decorative decanter stopper, and it is recyclable. Made with rubberized O-rings, the glass stopper provides a sterile seal, preventing contamination or oxidation. An aluminum cap over the bottle will ensure mechanical protection and temper evidence.

A one-year independent test recently conducted by scientists and wine experts from the prestigious Geisenheim Institute for Applied Enological Sciences and the Oppenheim/Rheinhessen State Teaching and Testing Institute indicates that Alcoa CSI's Vino-Lok closure system meets parameters for technical as well as taste performance compared to traditional wine closures.

Pro Cork

Another innovative wine closure offered by Australia and New Zealand, which is a recent development is offered by Vinpac International, Australia's largest bottling company, is the exclusive distributor of ProCork, a new wine closure that reduces oxidation and cork taint, using revolutionary technology that adapts to regular corks.

Developed by former CSIRO scientist, ProCork is a thin polymer membrane applied to each end of the cork to decrease the amount of taint entering the wine. The cork technology also controls the passage of oxygen through the cork and retains cork moisture to prevent breakage. "The five-layered membranes resemble contact lenses and have been proven to enhance the natural attributes of cork," informes Vinpac's marketing manager for wine solutions Lisa Roberts. Recent independent trials by the Australian Wine and Research Institute (AWRI) have found ProCork reduces oxidation experienced by a regular cork to levels that are comparable to a screwcap.

At last the future?

Cork is a wonderfully sustainable product with a low carbon footprint. The cork forests really are beautiful, and because wine stoppers are the most profitable use for cork, using cork this way sustains rural communities and helps preserve these ecosystems.

On the other hand Winemakers have a responsibility to source cork only from those companies that are serious about combating taint. A ROSA treated cork is advised to all wine makers.

It is largely because of the pressure put on cork companies by the success of alternative closures that these companies have started putting large investments on R&D to remove *** taint and this may prolong the use of cork as a leading source for wine closures.

Rajiv Seth

Rajiv Seth became the first Indian in the year 1987 to receive a gold medal from wine and spirit education trust, London. Presently he is making continues efforts in educating the lab assistants of a number of wineries on procedures of micro vilification through his manuals.

Wine Tasting Rooms Gaining Popularity

venki — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:52:00 GMT

As home wine cellars become more and more popular, wine tasting rooms are as well. A wine tasting room is simply a room set-up to enjoy your wine, food, and friends. It can become the main entertaining space in your home. It is also a room or space that isn't 56 degrees like a wine cellar with a cooling system!

Some common features of a wine tasting room:

dishwashers for glass ware
cabinets for storage
wine racks for obvious reasons
custom built Joseph & Curtis walk-in humidor or desktop humidors
smoke-eaters to enjoy Room 101 Cigars
murals and paint finishes
tables
flat-screen and touch pad music control

All of these features make for some great nights in the tasting room! If there is not enough space to have a dedicated tasting room...try a barrel with a table top, or a bar. We have included some pictures our latest completed cellar...enjoy!

Curtsey: http://www.josephandcurtis.com

T e c h n i c a l T r o v e - Grappa – An Attitude

admin — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 17:07:00 GMT

Grappa is a uniquely Italian drink. Traditionally, made from pomace, the discarded grape seeds, stalks, and stems that are a by-product of the winemaking process, Grappa has been around since the Middle Ages. For generations, Italians have sipped this “firewater” after meals and even added a little to their morning espresso, to “correct” it. Once considered an acquired taste, popular only in Italy, Grappa, today, is making itself known around the world.

Distilleries from Australia to Oregon, as well as Italy, are trying their hand at making Grappa, with surprisingly good results. Grappa was originally made in Bassano del Grappa, a town of around 40,000 residents in Italy’s northern Veneto region. It is from this town that Grappa gets its name.

Grappa started as a by-product of the Italian winemaking trade, a rough drink made with what was available, potent enough to get the farmers through the cold winter months. It was good at warming you up, but not particularly tasty, similar to the grain alcohols of the Midwestern United States. Grappa, largely, remained a drink of the poor workmen and farmers until the 1960s.

Similar to France’s brandies and Cognac, and Portugal’s Sherry, Grappa is a distilled beverage. That means the mixture of grape pieces and alcohol is heated gently, allowing much of the mixture to evaporate, and leaving a potent concentration.

Today’s Grappa is about 40 to 45 per cent alcohol. That’s 80 to 90 proof. After distillation, Grappa is usually stored in glass bottles for about six months before it is distributed. The flavour profile of Grappa depends on the grape varietal used, and, generally, Grappa is potent and dry. Occasionally, a producer will add a little syrup to sweeten the lot. This sweeter Grappa is particularly popular in the American market.

Some of the famous grappas include Nonino, Mazzetti, Jacopo Poli and Nardini.

Some grappas like Mazzetti grappa classica is vacuum distilled in copper pot stills, in a steam flow, and it is refined in stainless steel tanks for at least three months.

Cocktails aside, grappa’s slowly improving reputation during the past several decades from hillbilly liquor to artisan spirit may be credited to better quality control and elegant packaging. Italian producers used better (less dry) pomace, improved distillation techniques and release singlevarietal grappas meant to reflect the raw ingredients. Then they put their grappa, which was traditionally known as cheap, rough and harsh, into expensive, delicate handblown glass bottles. Mazzetti signed an agreement with Swarovski, the prestigious Austrian manufacturer of cut crystal, to have its superb objects in their hand-blown Grappa’s bottles.

“We knew about Mazzetti d’Altavilla as one of the best known companies acting in the premium and superpremium segment,” Mr. Langes-Swarovski said that is why we have considered with interest the possibility of coupling our collections to a special series of their distillates”

Curtsey http://www.ambrosiaindia.com