Great New Books for Wine Lovers

The best all around new book for wine lovers is Wine Across America by Daphne Larkin and Charles O’Rear. This book is good for all wine enthusiasts whether they are just starting in the industry or have been in it for years.

To complete this book the authors drove across America for 2 years and 80,000 miles to visit all wineries across America in all 50 states. This is a comprehensive wine book with 300 full color photographs. It is a tour across America giving the history of winemaking in America, beginning in Florida in 1564 to the present day.

This book is a must have for any wine connoisseur from the beginner to the intellectual, from the winemaker to the chef, and from the bartender to the patron. All will be thrilled to receive this book.

Other great new wine books are:

1) The All American Cheese and Wine Book by Lauren Werlin

The All American Cheese and Wine Book is a great book for any wine lover who entertains. This book tells you how to pair your cheeses with wines and how to set out your cheese plates. It gives 55 recipes for cheese and wine parties and meals.

It also profiles 50 cheesemakers and winemakers.

2) The Pocket Wine Book by Hugh Johnson

The Pocket Wine Book is great for the wine enthusiast on the go.

3) The World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson

The World Atlas of Wine is a great reference wine book for the die-hard wine enthusiast who may be studying winemaking, wine serving, wine growing, or wine tasting.

4) The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil

The Wine Bible is a quick reference wine book of 910 Continue Reading

Ranked number 53 on the New York Times Best Places To Go, Australias wine country of Barossa and Eden Valley is home to some of the oldest Shiraz and fantastic Rieslings vineyards in the world. Barossa is very diverse with countless festivals and strong cultural heritage resembling its wines. Come to the area to experience Barossas rich history, shopping and rolling hills on your next Australia Tour.

Over 160 years of grape growing and winemaking have long regulated the regional economy and over 20% of Australian wine originates from this region. The feature wines, Barossa Shiraz and Eden Valley Riesling, are the product of two very distinct warm, low lying Barossa Valley and a cooler and higher elevation setting Eden Valley have put Barossa on the winemakers world map. Barossa is known for the worlds oldest Shiraz vineyard. Shiraz, which has been perfectly suited to the regions climate and soil since the 1840s, is very complex wine. It has a rich and full body flavor, but with soft tannins. Barossa Shiraz is a style like no other assuring Australias mark in the international wine scene.

The Eden Valley Riesling is elegant and typical of a cooler climate and the stony soil that is customer to higher elevation vineyards. The soft citrus bouquet and lime fruit palate make Eden Valley Riesling one of Australias classic wine brands.

While in wine country, ride a vintage 1929 Streetcar in Glenelg from Victoria Square to Jetty Road. You can also check out the Adelaide Botanic Gardens and take a walk in this historic location which features green landscapes, a secret lotus pond, and discover tropical plants at the world renown Bicentennial Conservatory. Mount Lofty Botanic Garden features numerous walking trails that reveal displays of Magnolias, Camellias, Lilacs and the most comprehensive Continue Reading

French Wines Are Still Considered the Best! Anyone that loves wine is probably going to agree that French wines are some of the best in the business, if not the absolute best in the world. How can such a small country be such a dominant force in the winemaking world? What makes wines from France so superior to wines you find in other parts of the world?

The country of France has been one that has always taken pride in its food, and French wines are a very important part of that. Professional chefs have long been highly regarded in French society, and this has been true for hundreds of years. During the Middle Ages, lavish banquets were common, and during the time of Napoleon the ability of personal cooks and chefs to produce new and exotic dishes was almost revered. The French celebrated virtually everything with large meals and painstakingly prepared dishes, and enjoyed rich food for their everyday meals as well. To this day the French still consider food preparation and the making of wine an art form and go to great lengths to maintain a very high standard for the rest of the world.

Wine is also commonly enjoyed in France, and not saved for special occasions the way it is with some cultures. This no doubt has contributed to the reasons why French wines are of such high quality; after all, if you’re going to enjoy a beverage every day, it would only make sense that you would do everything to improve upon it and its varieties. Think of what happened with coffee in the United States in the last few years – since so many enjoy it every day, why not spruce it up a bit with some Continue Reading

Organic wines are one of the hottest trends in restaurants today, according to a report last week from the National Restaurant Association. But what is the difference between traditional winemaking practices, and organic practices?

Conventional wine means that the winemakers us an industrialized agricultural system characterized by mechanization, monocultures, and the use of synthetic inputs such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides, with an emphasis on maximizing productivity and profitability.

Organic winemaking is a type of agricultural process that promotes the use of renewable resources and management of biological cycles to enhance biological diversity, without the use of genetically modified organisms, or synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. Organic production is a system that integrates ¡§cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. At its most basic level, organic wine is made from grapes that have been grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides.

When a label says ¡§organic,¡¨ it means the wine has met certain standards that are set by a government agency. Different nations have their own certification criteria, so what¡¦s organic in one country may not be so in another. Many wineries that are technically organic still choose not to be certified. There are many reasons for this. Some do not want the added costs and bureaucracy of registering. Others may disagree with their government¡¦s standards. It can also be a marketing decision. Whatever the case, they are not allowed to use ¡§organic¡¨ on their labels. To make the claim on its label, a wine must be made with at least 70 percent organic grapes, according to the Organic Consumers Association. There¡¦s no official seal for ¡§wines made from organic grapes¡¨, so you¡¦ll have to read the label or ask the wine store owner Continue Reading

Writing is like Turning Water into Wine

I live on the edge of a vineyard so perhaps that was what put the simile in my mind. Writing, any kind of writing, is like changing water into wine. You take something simple and pure and you create something complex that did not exist before. The fresh water, the grapes, the yeast and the sugar are nothing in themselves, but in skilled hands they become something magical that adds to the quality of our lives.

We writers begin with the simple building blocks of letters and make them into words. Once we have our words we need to make sentences and then paragraphs. Finally, when we have mastered paragraphs and the words have matured, we can go beyond paragraphs and the universe is ours! Now there is nowhere that words cannot take us.

With our words we can travel into the distant past and relive the history of lost civilizations or reach into the future and create worlds that have never existed before. We can climb mountains, cross deserts and survive storms at sea while working with only the same letters that we see on our children’s set of building blocks – just A.B.Cs.

Again, as in winemaking, timing is important. If we keep our ideas locked in our heads for too long then they lose freshness and turn sour. If we begin too soon and try to finish too quickly, then our work lacks flavor and body. A good idea needs to age awhile as the words mature so the writing has ‘finish’.

Like the master winemaker, a writer needs to keep testing. It may be that some spice is needed in the mix. Too much sugar can spoil a paragraph. The world is Continue Reading

Wine producing has been carried out in one way or another for many thousands of years with pottery jars discovered in Persia (modern day Iran) dating as far back as 5,500 BC showing evidence of grapes use for winemaking. Additionally, jars from Jiahu in China dated to somewhere between 6000 and 7000 BC have also been found containing wine from wild grapes.

But whether we are considering ancient or modern wine production, many of the same conditions apply and not dissimilar techniques are used because the chemistry of the humble grape is an eternal quality.

With some exceptions the grapes used for producing wine grow only only between latitudes 30-50 degrees North and 30-45 degrees South of the equator. Unlike many other crops, grapes do not need a particularly fertile soil and it should be noted that a thinner soil often produces a small crop but also often produces grapes of a higher quality.

Paradoxically, soils which are rich in nitrogen and other nutrients (conditions which are usually highly beneficial for the majority of plants) can produce grapes which are not suitable for winemaking. Such grapes are often excellent for eating, but lack the desirable amounts of minerals, sugars and acids for winemaking.

Undoubtedly, the finest wines come from soils which would be considered poor quality for other agricultural purposes. For example, the stellar wines from Bordeaux are made from grapes grown in gravelly soil, which overlies a base of chalk or clay. The crop here is sparse, but the quality of the grapes is high. In this instance the pebbly earth allows for good drainage, which is vital as vines need adequate but not excessive water, but these conditions also force the roots to grow deep into the earth where they absorb a variety of Continue Reading

Perfect Pairings

September 19, 2007 – as published in the Beacon News and Naperville Sun

By Bill Garlough

Autumn is the time of year when grape growers all over the world lovingly harvest their crops and celebrate their bounty.

However, the recent adverse weather could put a damper on much of the merriment. Our world’s shifting weather patterns have made it challenging for grape growers across the globe. Locally, with the recent rainstorms and flooding, I was concerned about its impact on Illinois wine production.

Harvest forecast

Overseas, it has been very difficult for grape growers. France experienced a cold, wet summer and had widespread attacks of vine mildew, translating into lower production this year.

South Africa and Argentina also have repeated poor harvests. Parts of Australia have suffered from a very hot, dry growing season and fires. The resultant ash will dominate their grape juice with notes of smoke and bacon.

On the other hand, California experienced ideal growing conditions. Grapes love warm, sunny summer days, cool nights and light rain. Winemakers check the grapes pH, acidity and brix (the amount of sugar, which is available to convert to alcohol) levels. When right, the growers rush to pick the crops before any heavy fall rains occur. Grape growers prefer a drier, warm summer as it creates some vine stress (resulting in better wine) and allows a grower to add, through irrigation, the amount of water the crop needs. You can always add water, but cannot take it away.

Locally, our Illinois winemakers had a more challenging year. Kori Faltz of the Fox Valley Winery reported the early summer provided weather the grapes love. The heavy rains in August adversely affected the grape pH, acidity and brix, so more time was needed on the vine to hopefully restore the grapes to the proper levels. The recent Labor Day Continue Reading

Provence is often overlooked by companies that offer traditional wine tasting tours, in spite of the excellence of its wines. If you’re a true wine lover and wine fan, this beautiful location in France offers the most fascinating scenery and, not to mention, some of the best vineyards around.

In Provence, as everywhere in the Mediterranean, you’ll find the people full of warmth, spontaneity and a “joie de vivre”. As you will soon discover, any of these master oenologists (winemakers) will be delighted to introduce you to the wines they have become famous for; and share a little of the region’s history with you.

In Provence your days will be filled with sunshine and warmth, and lush nights, scented with jasmine, lavender and wild thyme – whether you stay in a bustling, crowded metropolis with all the modern conveniences, or a turn-of-the-century country guest house filled with 17th and 18th century antiques.

However, little do outsiders know that winemaking in Provence is a serious business. Many of the winegrowers here have won the rights to include the prestigious “AOC” designation (Appellation d’Origine Controlee) on their bottles of wines. This label assures the buyer of a guaranteed vintage from the designated region. In order to win the right to become designated as an appellation wine, winegrowers much pass rigorous tests and inspections.

If you are thinking of traveling to the south of France in the near future, think about including a trip to one of the vineyards of the 60 winegrowers in the “Cotes de Provence” region. A small, yet beautiful area, it takes in the departments of the Var and part of the Bouches-du-Rhone.

Located in the heart of Provence’s winemaking region, the “Maison des Cotes de Provence” boasts an outstanding selection of Continue Reading

California is a state that produces 90% of all wine in the US, and the vineyards in the north, in Sonoma and Napa, are among the most famous in the world. However, they do not have the only quality vineyards in the state. The wines from the younger southern California wineries are on an equal par to their cousins of the north.

The majority of southern California wine is produced in two areas, the vineyards of Santa Barbara, 100 miles north of Los Angeles, and those close to San Diego, 100 miles south of the city. Both areas have been deeply involved in the growth of the California wine industry, an industry that now ships over 450 million gallons of wine a year to the US and other countries.

Santa Barbara’s Vineyards

The costal mountains east-west positioning creates the valleys that open onto the Pacific Ocean. The flow of fog and breezes that result from this bit of serendipitous geography produce the perfect conditions for the world-class varieties of wine that are the pride of Santa Barbara. The moderate climate produces the most favorable conditions that grapes need for optimal sugar and acid levels. There are also several “micro-climates” near the Pacific Coast and the Pala Mesa mountains.

The fifty mile coast from Point Conception to Rincon forms the longest east-west shoreline on the west coast. The vines here grow on anything and everything, from the rolling hillsides to the exceptionally warm valleys, where summer temperatures often reach 100F or 38C. This climate allows the vintners to work throughout the four seasons: the pruning and weeding is done during the winter, new planting begins in the spring, canopy management in the summer and finally the annual harvest in the fall. This area has a comparable climate Continue Reading

Anyone that loves wine is probably going to agree that French wines are some of the best in the business, if not the absolute best in the world. How can such a small country be such a dominant force in the winemaking world? What makes wines from France so superior to wines you find in other parts of the world?

The country of France has been one that has always taken pride in its food, and French wines are a very important part of that. Professional chefs have long been highly regarded in French society, and this has been true for hundreds of years. During the Middle Ages, lavish banquets were common, and during the time of Napoleon the ability of personal cooks and chefs to produce new and exotic dishes was almost revered. The French celebrated virtually everything with large meals and painstakingly prepared dishes, and enjoyed rich food for their everyday meals as well. To this day the French still consider food preparation and the making of wine an art form and go to great lengths to maintain a very high standard for the rest of the world.

Wine is also commonly enjoyed in France, and not saved for special occasions the way it is with some cultures. This no doubt has contributed to the reasons why French wines are of such high quality; after all, if you’re going to enjoy a beverage every day, it would only make sense that you would do everything to improve upon it and its varieties. Think of what happened with coffee in the United States in the last few years – since so many enjoy it every day, why not spruce it up a bit with some new varieties and improve Continue Reading