Learn a few pointers from the articles that feature various aspects of wine that will provide you the basic knowledge that you should know about. These articles will also let you know the Dos and the Don’ts that you should take note of.

Besides learning the basic knowledge, at ABC of Wines, we aim to ease the intimidating wine shopping experience that most of us might have. From providing affordable and presentable wine gift sets, we also provide gifting advice that will help you find the perfect choice of gift for your recipient. Take heed from the gifting tips, and be sure that your wine shopping experience will be a smooth and pleasant one.

So join us together to start on a wonderful journey on our wine learning experience!

1. Wine is a natural product:  You may be surprise to find that wine is a natural product. The natural sugar in the grape turns into alcohol to become wine

2. There are many different types of wine: Wine can be differentated based on their wine styles like; Grape variety, weather conditions, the soil or the wine marker’s knowledge

3. Pairing wine and food. : Wine would have to be paired with food accordingly as the basic idea is that the food should help reveal the wine’s aromas and vice-versa. They should compliment each other instead of competing with each other.

4. Wine tasting:  Make full use of your senese to help you describe what you feel with a particular wine. In the beginning, most wines would seem alike, but time and practice will help you distinguish the wines’ characteristics effectively.

5. How to choose the best wine: Price does not equate to quality. Buying an expensive wine does not necessary means that the wine would be the best. Follow your heart, choose the wine that best suit your tase and to the occasion.

6. Types of wine: Understanding the various types of wine is essential. Whether the wine is a sparkling wine or dessert wine? Knowing them well would also help in the selection of the most suitable wine.

-          Still Wine: Red, White, Rosé. No bubbles and less than 15% alcohol.

-          Sparkling Wine: Champagne and others. Fermentation gives wines their bubbles.

-          Fizzy Wine: Bubbles are not naturally produced. Gas is added as in fizzy drinks 

-          Fortified Wines: Alcohol would be added at some point of time during fermentation.

-          Dessert Wines: At best when balance between natural sugar and acidity allows them to age well. Normally would serve with desserts.     

 7 . Serving temperature: Certain types of wine would be best served chilled and certain types would be fine under room temperature. For example, white wine would be best served chilled and red wine would be best served at room temperature. Serving temperature will also help to fully bring out the aroma of the wine itself.

8. Elements impacting wine quality: Not just the serving temperature and the pairing of food. There are other external factors like; soil, climate, grape variety and the methods in making the wine.

-          Soil: It gives the wine part of its character

-          The climate: The warmer the weather, the more body and alcohol the wine would have. The cooler the weather, the more refreshing and acid the wine would be.

9. Wine aging: The wine obtains tannins and complexity from the oak barrel. The wood has tiny pores that let the oxygen in and allow the wine age. Only full-bodied wines can bear long aging periods. 
 

10. Last but not least, remember that good company is the key to enjoying a fine wine.

If you are thinking of breaking the norm and send a wine gift basket for an auspicious occasion like an official opening, a twin bottle wine basket will be a good choice for consideration. As the saying goes; “Good things come in pairs”. So by sending a twin bottle wine basket, it can also help you convey a message of “Good things or good prosperity to the company”. Besides, wine could also be considered as a keepsake that helps create a longer impression in the recipient’s mind.

What would be the best way to ensure that your heartiest congratulations will be conveyed to your recipient other than an affordable and presentable twin bottle wine basket?

So take on this suggestion now and start shopping for a wine basket that best fits!

RSO12 Spanish Delights  $130 (w/GST $139.10)

The elaboration of the taste of rosé wine is delicate. It is probably why the amateur is sometimes disappointed by the quality. Particularity, European rosé is “dry”. On the contrary, American rosé is sweet and similar to white wine.

There are at least three methods of making rosé wine:

Gray or pale rosé wine

The grapes are pressed as soon as they arrive in the cellar. It allows a quicker diffusion of the colour in the must.
The juice is left with a very short time being in contact with the skin. No more than a few hours! That way rosé wine could be delicately coloured.

Rosé wine is then made in the same way as a white wine, fermentation of the must cleared of solid elements with out any more maceration. Through this, winemakers obtain a grey or pale rosé wine.

Rosé D’Anjou is obtained based on this method. With abit of sweetness and fruity in its finish, it would be best to match it with white meat dishes.

Anjou wines are made around the city of Angers and they are very popular in England. Anjou is famous for their rosé wine which contributes to about half of the production in Anjou.

< ABC0028 Rosé D’Anjou $21 (w/GST$22.47)

Coloured pink wine

To obtain a coloured pink wine the grapes are put in the fermentation tank after having been crushed. The juice quickly enriches itself in alcohol with the temperature going up in the tank.

At the contact of the solid element, the colour quickly diffuses. The winemaker chooses the intensity of the colour by controlling a sample every hour. When the colour is of satisfactory, the wine would then be evacuated to another tank to finish fermenting.   

Dark rosé wine

In order to obtain an even more intense colour, the wine maker would take out a certain amount of juice from the tank once every hour during the initial fermentation stage.
When the desired colour is obtained for rosé, the rest of the wine making process would follow the methods as for a white wine.

1. Beef
In the case of a basic beef dish, such as grilled or roasted steak, there will be plenty of choices. Basically, a wine that has enough tannin to balance the fats in the beef will be a perfect choice. Choices for a great wine to go with steak include; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz.
However, for any beef dishes in Chinese Cuisine, whereby the distinct and spicy flavours which clashes with wine were often used. If you are thinking of pairing wine with Chinese beef dishes, go for an off-dry Gewurztraminer or Riesling where the sugars in these wines help smooth out the spices in the food.

< The sugars in the Riesling would help to smooth out the spices in Chinese beef dishes. Thus, this bottle of Klipfel Riesling $49 (w/GST $52.43) would be a good choice for these dishes.

2. Pork

A straightforward pork dish requires a straightforward wine which matches the food’s simplicity while fully complimenting it. If a white wine is considered, a Sauvignon Blanc or basic Chardonnay will work. If red wine is considered, then go for Loire Valley that would work wonders when paired with pork.

< To fully compliment any pork dishes, a straightforward wine that provides precision and intensity would match the food’s simplicity and works its wonder on the palate. Consider this bottle of Wedgetail Estate Chardonnay 2004 750ML $56 (w/GST $59.92) if the menu includes any pork dishes!

3. Lamb

A savory red meat like lamb goes well with savory red wines like red Bordeaux from France or a Cabernet Sauvignon from America.

4. Chicken

In a cream sauce: The full flavours of the cream sauce will require a full flavoured wine to match up with it. Choose a Chardonnay or a full white Burgundy for chicken cooked with cream sauce.

Fried Chicken: Fried chicken is a very heavy dish which will respond best to the lean Sauvignon Blanc that will help to cleanse the palate and refresh the diner to get them ready for the next bite.

Roasted Chicken: A simple roast chicken would go very well with a Chardonnay or white Burgundy. It would add flavour and complexity to the dining experience!

Chicken in Japanese Food: Japanese food, with its generally lighter spices and cleaner flavours, tends to go well with Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.

< A bottle of Sauvignon Blanc would help to cleanse the palate for heavy dishes like Fried Chicken or Chicken in Japanese Food whereb the light spices and cleaner flavours would certainly go well with Sauvignon Blanc. Take this bottle of Mansion House Bay Sauvignon Blanc $42 (w/GST $44.94).

5. Fish

Cooked in Rich Sauce: If the fish is cooked in a rich and buttery sauce, then you should be thinking about a full-flavoured win such as Chardonnay

Salmon: Salmon is richer, fattier and has more distinct flavour of its own than the average fish. Pair the salmon with a Pinot Noir or Burgundy/ The are light enough to go with fish, with a tinge of delightful raspberry or strawberry flavour to fully compliment the salmon’s flavour.

6. Seafood

Most seafood requires wine with some acidic backbone. This would make Chardonnay the perfect choice for pairing it with Seafood. However, there are certain seafood that you can consider with other types of wine!

Crabs: Dry Riesling will truly be the perfect choice for crabs. Well, if you are thinking of having Chili crabs, go for a Riesling where the sugars will help cleanse the palate and compliments it completely.

Oysters: The briny nature of oysters requires a crisp, structured wine to accompany them. A Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis, or Champagne will make a great match.

< Vibrant and lively on the palate, the Jindalee Chardonnay $24 (w/GST $25.68) is of medium body and possesses a crisp citrus-driven lingering finish. Thus, to compliment any seafood dishes, the Chardonnay would be a good choice.

7. Pasta

In a Cream Sauce: Cream-based pasta dishes need a wine which can cut through the dominating richness of the sauce. Consider a Sauvignon Blanc or Italian Chardonnay.

In Tomato Sauce: For pastas in tomato sauce like your Spaghetti Bolognaise, match the acidity of the sauce with an acidic wine such as Zinfandel.

Light Pasta (Oil Tossed): A Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc will be a good choice for light pasta like your Al

8. Vegetables

Green Vegetables: Green Vegetables have a natural leanness to them which finds its perfect mate in a fuller wine like Chablis

Mushroom/ Potatoes: Both mushrooms and potatoes create a mildly flavoured that will be a perfect match with Pinot Noir

For sending your well wishes for a new appointment or to congratulate a success to your business associates, bosses or co-workers, wine will present a celebratory and congratulatory message to your intended recipient. It helps to convey your most sincere wishes in any way! And if you would like to further enhance your message, add a little note saying: “A toast to your great success”. Be assured that it will bound to delight!

The versatility of a wine basket will also be suitable for a gift as a token of appreciation. Send it to your employees to express your appreciation and acknowledgement for their hard work and efforts that they have rendered throughout the whole year.

There are many occasions to present a wine basket as a gift. They are simple yet elegant and prove to be a great way to show you care! So choose a wine basket now that best bridge the relationship between you and your business associates or coworkers.

< QC16 New World Winners $129 (w/GST $138.03)

When in situations like this, a medal winner wine will be a best choice for your wine connoisseur recipient. A medal winner wine is a wine that had been awarded gold, sliver or bronze by trained experts in a wine competition.

A wine competition is held annually whereby various types of wine will go through blind tasting by the trained expert. This measure is to prevent any biasness that the experts might have. The wine will then be awarded based on their taste, clarity and the quality of the wine itself. Wines which are awarded the medal would then be deemed as of good quality and taste and they were often the likes of wine lovers.

So next time, look for the medal winner wines when you are purchasing a wine gift for your wine expert recipient. Be assured that they will bound to bring a smile to their faces!

< QC2A Medallion Winners   $160 (w/GST $171.20)

But when we get too carried away in identifying the taste of the wine, we might want to take a step back and slowly appreciate the key player in wine making – grapes.

The 4 Major Types of Red Grape You Should Know

1. Syrah or Shiraz

This grape is grown in France and California as Syrah wine, and in Australia as Shiraz. Syrah tends towards a blueberry, or sometimes spicy and peppery type of flavor.

Food pairings: Stew Red Meat

Districts:syrah grows well in California, in Australia, and in France’s Rhone Valley.

Typical taste: Aromas and flavors of wild black-fruit (such as blackcurrant), with a tinge of black pepper spice and roasting meat. The abundance of fruit sensations is often complemented by warm alcohol and gripping tannins.

2. Merlot

This is an early ripening grape, with gentle flavors of cherry, honey, and sometimes mint. It has less tannin than some of its red cousins. It is easy to drink and the softness of Merlot has made it an “introducing” wine for new red-wine drinkers.

Food pairings: Anything will do.

Districts:a key player in the Bordeaux blend, merlot is now also grown in Italy, Romania, California, Washington State, Chile, Australia, etc.

Typical taste: Typical scents include blackcherry, plums and herbal flavors. The texture is round but a middle palate gap is common. The Merlot type of wine is less tannic than Cabernet Sauvignon.

Learn more about the characteristics of the other two wine at the second part of the article now!

But when we get too carried away in identifying the taste of the wine, we might want to take a step back and slowly appreciate the key player in wine making – grapes.
3. Cabernet Sauvignon

Widely accepted as one of the world’s best varieties. Cabernet sauvignon is often blended with cabernet franc and merlot. It usually undergoes oak treatment. The wines tend to taste like blackberries and cedar. Cabernet Sauvignon grape is usually mixed in with Merlot to produce Bordeaux.

Food pairings: Best with rich roasted red meat like prime ribs.

Districts:Cabernet sauvignon is planted wherever red wine grapes grow except in the Northern fringes such as Germany. They are among the finest reds in Australia, California and Chile.

Typical taste: Full-bodied, but firm and gripping when young. However, the grip will slowly fade away with age.

4. Pinot Noir

Pinot noir is difficult to grow, rarely blended, with any roughness. These grapes are softer and earlier ripening than Cabernet grapes and are very sensitive to conditions. Used often in red wines, they are also used (without skins) as a white ingredient in Champagne.

Food pairings: Excellent with grilled salmon and lightly sauced pasta.

Districts: Makes the great reds of Burgundy in France, and good wines from Austria, California, Oregon, and New Zealand.

Typical taste: Unlike Cabernet Sauvignon, the structure is delicate and fresh. The tannins are very soft; this is related to the low level of polyphenols. The aromatics are very fruity (cherry, strawberry, plum), often with notes of tea-leaf, damp earth, or worn leather.

Glossary

1. Merlot (Mair-lo): a red wine grape that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. Merlot-based wines usually have medium body with hints of berry, plum, and currant.
2. Bordeaux (Bor-doh): a region of France. Average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine, although in good vintages, this total can exceed over 900 million
3. Cabernet Sauvignon (Ca-burr-nay so-veen-yaw): is one of the world’s most widely recognized red wine grape varieties
4. Pinot Noir (Pee-no N’war): is a lighter colored and flavored red wine, well-suited to pair with poultry, ham, lamb and pork. Its flavors are reminiscent of sweet red berries, plums, tomatoes, cherries.
5. Syrah or shiraz (Sah-ra or Shi-raz): grows well in California, Australia and France’s Rhone Valley. Gives a blueberry, spicy type of flavour.
6. Polyphenols: a group of chemical substances found in plants, characterized by the presence of more than one carbolic acid unit or building block per molecule
7. Tannins: a substance in the secondary elements of a grape such as the seeds, the skins and stems. With red wines, these secondary elements are fermented with the grapes and tannin becomes influential in the taste of the wine.