December 13, 2011

No 4 in our series of "Wine Knowledge" from our sommelier, Gianna Baggett:

Corks:

* Approximately 3-5% of wines are tainted due to corks that are not completely sanitized.
* Corks are made from the bark of Quercus suber, the cork tree.
* Portugal has the most extensive acreage devoted to cork forest.
* It takes 25 years for the cork tree to develop bark thick enough to be stripped in order to make the corks we use in wine bottles.
* The tree may not be stripped again for at least 9 more years.

Screw caps:

Official name is Stelvin Closure
Patented in 1889. First used in Switzerland in 1970.
No threat of oxidation which may occur with a dried cork.
Easier to open and can be stored upright, sideways or upsidedown. No cork taint.

November 29, 2011

There are many different wine bottle shapes but the most common are:
Bordeaux - straight-sided, high shoulders to catch sediment. (i.e., Cabernet Sauvignon)
Burgundy - gently sloping shoulders. (Pinot Noir)
Mosel/Rhine - tall and slender. (Riesling)
Champagne - very thick to retain carbonation pressure, sloping shoulders.
Fortified - Sturdy bottles with steep shoulders, also designed to catch any sediment. (Ports)

Fun Facts: Screw tops are officially called Stelvin Closure. The capsule is the wrapping that covers the cork and neck of the bottle.  The indentation at the bottom of the wine bottle is called the punt.  The proper term for boxed wine is Cask

November 20, 2011

With Thanksgiving around the corner, you will want to have that perfect wine with your meal. 

Start with a sparkling wine as an aperitif.  I recommend a Prosecco from Italy.  If you are having turkey and cornbread stuffing, enjoy a nice California chardonnay. Turkey with herb stuffing & cranberry sauce?  Go with Beaujolais Nouveau. Having baked ham? both Pinot Noir and Beaujolais Nouveau pair nicely. For dessert, pecan or  pumpkin pie?  Have both with a tawny port.  Your taste buds will thank you. Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving.