12:33 PM

November 05, 2008 - Wine Project

Wine Project For Your Reading Pleasure

Wine labels - Peeling off the mystery

One of the most baffling subjects that confronts the budding wine enthusiast is the deciphering of the myriad of information contained on the bottle label, especially that contained on wine bottles from European countries. Once the basic rules are taken on board it becomes a lot simpler. Whereas most New World countries put details of the grape varieties on the front label, a lot of European regions do not, and as this is the most basic of information for taste purposes why is this the case?

European winemakers tend to put more emphasis on the place of origin. For instance, a Bordeaux red typically wont say 'Cabernet' or 'Merlot' on the front label, but instead have the name of the chateau where it was made, and usually the part of Bordeaux where it was made, for example Haut-Medoc. Similarly a Sancerre is totally Sauvignon Blanc, but an in depth analysis of the label will leave you none the wiser. For the French the important factor is that the wine comes from Sancerre in the Loire valley and for them it is inbred knowledge that white Sancerre is Sauvignon Blanc.

Moving south to Spain, red Rioja declares itself as Rioja on the label, not Tempranillo the grape variety used, whilst in Italy most Tuscan reds have no information on the Sangiovese grape that is most widely used in these wines. Given this mish-mash of information it is no wonder that many of us head for that bottle with the label announcing it is a Chardonnay Viognier from the Ironstone Vineyard of California.

It is clear then that the Europeans believe the most important factor influencing a wine's character is the soil, climate and culture of the area where the grape is grown and this is particularly important to single-vineyard wines who make the most of capturing the essence of a particular area of land. So whereas a French winemaker will see his wine as reflecting the character of a particular region, a New World winemaker mad about grape varieties will consider that soil is just the growing medium in which the fruit grows, and that the grape variety and hard work in the winery are what really counts. Today these two opposing approaches to wine labelling are moving closer together with New World producers emphasising their regionality and its characteristics, whilst European, even the parochial French winemakers possibly prompted by the wholesalers and the supermarkets are labelling their wines more clearly.

About the Author

James Pendleton is a lover of the better things in life. For more information on wine visit Wine Capital

A synopsis on Wine Project.

Wine labels - Peeling off the mystery

One of the most baffling subjects that confronts the budding wine enthusiast is the deciphering of the myriad of information contained on the bottle l...

Click Here to Read More About Wine ...

Wine Project Products we recommend

The FTD® Glowing Ray™ Arrangement - Deluxe

Let this splendid arrangement express your utmost sympathies. Luscious yellow blooms - roses, carnations, snapdragons, and spider chrysanthemums - are beautifully composed and accented by Bells of Ireland. Design is one-sided and is appropriate to send to the funeral home or memorial service. Sa-3790D

Price: 150.99 USD

Headlines on Wine Project

Barack Obama, John McCain Action Figures | Gift Idea Shop

Tue, 04 Nov 08 19:35:32 -0800
The Barack Obama and John McCain action figures. Pew! Pew! Pew!Plus bonus Hillary nutcracker and Bill Clinton corkscrew.

New Corporate Gift Ideas Top the Promopeddler 2008 Best Pick

Tue, 04 Nov 08 13:09:30 -0800
The Branding Ideas Guru, Dale Kirby, continues her holiday list of best corporate merchandise for year end employee and client gift giving. Consider food. You can say thank you to an entire office with one gift. A tower of treats or a canister of cookies are fun and everyone feels good sharing his or her treats.

This Season's Hot Tech Gift: Navigation (Carteret County News-Times)

Tue, 04 Nov 08 12:41:03 -0800
(ARA) - The holidays are fast approaching, and you're probably starting to think about gift ideas for those near and dear to your heart. Whether you're shopping for a teenager, a college student, a friend, spouse or parent, you can't go wrong by giving the gift of technology.

Wine Chateau
Pinot Wine
Sparkling Wine

Labels: Burgundy Wine | Buy Wine

&type=page">

Posted by Steven Smith | 0 comments

8:10 PM

This composition on Wine Accessory was written with the purest intention of spreading information Wine Accessory . Let it retain its purity.

A Featured Wine Accessory Article

The World's Largest Wine Producer

The largest wine producing area of the world can be found at the border of the Mediterranean Sea, in between Spain and the Rhone delta. Out of a population of 2.4 million, there are fifty thousand involved in growing vines. The area they consume spans twenty seven thousand and four hundred square kilometers (10500 miles). There are 400 cooperatives and about 2800 private wineries in the land with Banyuls to the southwest and Muscat to the east. Out of that comes two billion bottles of wine.

The area has hot summers and mild winters. The soil ranges from sandstone and limestone to granite pebbles. Cargnan, Merlot and Grenache other red wines are produced here and among the white wines there is Roussane, Chardonnay and Viognier.

It was the Greeks who started the cultivation of vineyards in this area as early as the 6th century BC when the Romans arrived in the region this cultivation was developed and it went on with the Visigoths in the 5th century. The monasteries in the 9th century developed the hillside regions for the vineyards and used the valleys for grains and in the 19th century the plains became vineyards as well. Currently it is the plains of Herault, Gard and Aude that make up a half of France?s overall grape yield.

For some years the quality of wines began to lag but in the past few decades with the emergence of Syrah there is been a return to quality. Syrah is opaque, purple in color, and has the scent of sweet black berry spiced with cassis and black pepper

The Vin de Pay D?Oc has been improving the region?s reputation in the past ten years with the Corbieres and the earthy Minervois.

Most winegrowing areas are dominated by a particular Chateau. In this area this is not so, most wines are produces by cooperatives who buy grapes grown on local farms. The grapes are put through a process that includes adding grape spirit. This stops the fermentation, saves the sweetness and raises the alcohol level to fifteen or sixteen percent. Wines such as Vin Doux Naturel made from Grenache or Muscat and Muscat de Frontignan or Banyuls are made from this process. They are wonderful dessert wines and are similar to port when it comes to aging potential.

White wine grown here are also of high quality. The Chardonnay and Marsanne are grown in Argelier, an area west of Bezier. The dry, fresh taste with an aroma of apple and oak comes from the chalky soil and the early harvesting process which allows for only a few hours of skin contact before pressing.

There are other red wines of interest such as the full bodied, spicy Corbieres that are made from Carignan and Grenache grapes grown in marl, sandstone and limestone. There are more than seventy million bottles produced that can go through three to seven years of aging.

In the sunniest region of France the Pyrenees in Roussillon produces another variety of reds. The area is closer to Spain and the Carignan is the main grape variety grown in the region. The wine produced is of medium body, spicy and has hints of licorice.

About the Author:

Melinda Carnes is a staff writer at Everything Gourmet and is an occasional contributor to several other websites, including Coffee Enthusiast.

Wine Accessory and More

Organic Wine, Beer And Spirits

In the UK and USA, producers are increasingly making wines labeled organic or produced from organically grown grapes. The meaning and legal force of t...

Click Here to Read More About Wine ...

Wine Accessory Items For Viewing

The FTD Floral Festival Bouquet - Deluxe

Send this festive array of orange lilies, purple irises, lavender daisies, and other purple and white blooms in a glass vase. C13-3065D

Price: 58.99 USD

Wine Tours
Wine Types | Wine Valley

Labels: Burgundy Wine | Buy Wine