Understanding Wine Grapes
You will find that one of the easiest ways to get to know your way around wine flavors is through grape varieties. Each grape variety has specific characteristics. In some regions, one grape variety is used to make a wine; in others, winemakers blend several varieties in a single wine. To help you identify grape varieties, below is an overview of each of the major red grapes and their characteristics.Cabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon is the big daddy of the red wine world. It is like the Chardonnay, as it is widely planted and distributed.
The result of this is that there are so many versions of this grape. Many people think of Cabernet Sauvignon as being a wine that needs to age, but that is only because the best red Bordeaux need age. Most non-premium varieties are ready to go right away.Under ideal conditions, it produces an aromatic, tannic wine that ages and evolves to be both elegant and powerful. Perfectly balanced Bordeaux is one that has classic notes of black-currants, cedar, cigar boxes, pencils, mint and dark chocolate. Sounds delicious!GamayFor the most part, you will find Gamay produced as Beaujolais.
It mainly grows on the hills in south Burgundy. The aroma of a young Gamay is described as a wave of cherry and strawberry fruit. On the palate, Gamay wines are bright and crisp. They are moderate in alcohol and have very little tannin. Wines from Gamay grapes are ideal for all kinds of foods.MerlotMerlot started out as a Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux and has risen to international popularity.
The great wines of Pomerol and St. Emilion in Bordeaux are based on Merlot with Cabernet in the blend. These wines show Merlot at its toughest and most intense. Merlot?s popularity is because it is softer, fruiter, and earlier maturing than Cabernet Sauvignon and displays some of the same aromas along with mint, and tobacco. In general, drink Merlot young.
Pinot NoirAt its best Pinot Noir is beautiful with a seductive silky texture and at its worst, it is heavy or flat. A good mature Pinot Noir has complex flavors of strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, violets, all-spice, tobacco and hay. Pinot Noir is relatively low in tannin and acidity and needs a cool climate to grow. Too much warmth, Pinot Noir can develop baked together flavors, losing its elegance.SangioveseA taste of Sangiovese and you will immediately conjure images of Italy. The name of the grape may not seem familiar, but it is the principal variety behind Chianti, Italy?s most famous red wine.
It is taken very seriously in Tuscany, and you will find it in California, Australia, and Argentina. It is naturally tannic and is best used in a blend, usually with Cabernet Sauvignon. It requires a hot climate in order to produce its required richness and alcohol content. In cooler climates, it tends to have sharp and bitter tannins.SyrahCalled Shiraz in Australia and South Africa, Syrah is one of the greats of southeastern France's Rhone Valley grape. At home in France, it produces wines that are smoky, herby, and austere.
Australian Shiraz tends to be richer, softer with a leathery quality and personally one of my favorites. All Syrah/Shiraz need a year or two from the vintage to hit its stride. Top wines will last about ten years.ZinfandelIt is disputable where this grape originated, but it is indisputably California's grape today, with almost no winemakers in other places producing it. The best Zinfandel is spicy and heartwarming. Other styles range from off white to high intensity sweet wines.
Try a bottle not more than three or four years old, because that's when the Zinfandel character is strongest..
Contributor: Stuart Glasure [A wine enthusiast and publishing member of the wine source: http://www.WineDefinitions.com.]SPEND MORE TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
Too often we forgo entertaining because of the mere thought of all of the preparation that is involved. And more is not better. Often we try to out do each other with lavish parties and expensive gifts. Stop and remember for a second what was important from your own childhood. Was it an outing? Baking cookies with your grandmother? Building a snowman with your dad? We need to connect.
This doesn't require more time, just shifting the focus of the time we already have. Here, a casual party and a very simple activity were the catalyst that brought everyone together.To get the entire neighborhood into the Christmas spirit we planned a caroling party. The day before our guests arrived, my kids and I spent an afternoon making decorative candleholders to give to each caroler, to light the way for our caroling expedition. Dad, dressed as Santa, provided our very own photo opportunity. Little ones whispered their Christmas list in Santa's ear.
Grown ups, as well as kids, had their...
SPEND MORE TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
Chocolate > SPEND MORE TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
Cherry Blossoms Not Just in D.C. ... Also in Columbia Valley, Washington State
Prosser, WA (ContentDesk) March 24, 2006 -- Every spring the National Cherry Blossom Festival attracts millions of visitors to our nations Capitol, but in southeastern Washington State, the number one producer of sweet cherries in the world, theres a quiet, gentler profusion of cherry blossoms, a true feast for the eyes. This year we are projecting our Washington State cherry trees will bloom early-April, says Pamela Montgomery, C.E.O. of the Chukar Cherry Company, a producer of gourmet cherry foods, headquartered in Prosser, Washington, the heartland of the Washington State cherry industry. This beautiful, bountiful place in the Columbia Valley has the ideal growing conditions for cherries; cool nights, warm days, deep and sandy soil, little rainfall and controlled irrigation. Fresh or dried, these cherries are a year round treat... and cause for celebration, Mrs.
Montgomery explains. During late winter and early spring at the cherry orchards, emerging fruit buds, waking...
Cherry Blossoms Not Just in D.C. ... Also in Columbia Valley, Washington State
Chocolate > Cherry Blossoms Not Just in D.C. ... Also in Columbia Valley, Washington State
Lake Champlain Chocolates Offers Free Factory Tours - Free Chocolate-Making Demonstrations 9/10, 10/22 & 11/12/2005 - Picked As ?Yankee Magazine Editor?s Choice?
Burlington, VT (ContentDesk) June 7, 2005 -- Lake Champlain Chocolates (LCC) announced today that it was named an Editors' Choice in the Yankee Magazine Travel Guide to New England, an honor reserved for noteworthy travel destinations.
Free guided factory tours are offered weekdays on the hour from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the 750 Pine Street, Burlington, Vermont location.Melt in your mouth aromas greet you at the door to the 750 Pine Street factory & caf?, where visitors satisfy all their senses while learning the story "from bean to chocolate to you."
Knowledgeable, friendly tour guides explain the history of the company as well as cocoa bean growing, harvesting, fermenting, conching, tempering, and molding.
Favorite processes to watch are chocolate enrobing, depositing, molding, packaging, and hand painting of the chocolates.
For those who can't travel to Vermont, an online version of the tour is at
Lake Champlain Chocolates Offers Free Factory Tours - Free Chocolate-Making Demonstrations 9/10, 10/22 & 11/12/2005 - Picked As ?Yankee Magazine Editor?s Choice?
Chocolate > Lake Champlain Chocolates Offers Free Factory Tours - Free Chocolate-Making Demonstrations 9/10, 10/22 & 11/12/2005 - Picked As ?Yankee Magazine Editor?s Choice?
Acne - Your Hormones May Be The Culprit!
Copyright 2006 Tony Buel
Acne can often be considered the worst thing to happen to a teenager. Where in the world does it come from and how do you get rid it once you have it? They are a source of endless embarrassment and inconvenience!
And while everyone has suffered from them to some extent, no one likes them. Major culprits in causing acne can be simple hormones.
Specifically, the male hormone 'testosterone' can cause acne. During puberty the teenagers' body is changing. During this time, most teenagers produce abnormal levels of the male hormone testosterone.
Most people outgrow this condition by their early twenties, but with some people it lasts longer.
Women also produce additional hormones during the menstrual cycle, and for many women this can lead to more problems with acne. If this occurs, visiting with a doctor or other medical professional can provide a cure or remedy.
There is also a medical theory that...
Chocolate > Acne - Your Hormones May Be The Culprit!
Your Guide To Acne Skin Care
Contrary to popular belief, acne is not caused by dirty pores or eating chocolate. Acne is actually caused by overactive sebaceous glands. Hormones in you body cause acne to appear. Acne is extremely common in people ages 12-24, when our hormones are very active due to puberty, but many people continue to have acne outbreaks throughout their lives. Acne can show up on the face, neck, chest, back, and shoulders.
While it is not life threatening, acne can cause scarring and emotional distress to those that suffer from it. This is why acne skin care is so important.Many things can cause outbreaks of pimples and zits. Allergies, heredity, stress, weather, menstruation and even over washing can cause acne. There are lots of ways to treat acne. For mild to moderate cases, experts recommend washing your face twice daily and after any exercise.
They also recommend over the counter acne products that contain ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. These products can...
Your Guide To Acne Skin Care
Chocolate > Your Guide To Acne Skin Care
Would you like S'more? - Cooking S'mores Indoors
The best part of camping has nothing to do with being outside. Think back to the last time you slept in the woods and you will agree with me. Take away the mosquitoes, the unexpected rainstorms and going to the bathroom in the bushes and what's left? Not much you say? Well then you forgot the best part because nothing is more fun about camping than making s'mores. If you don't have time for camping anymore but melted chocolate, marshmallows and graham crackers still sounds tempting, don't worry. We'll show you three ways to skip the great outdoors and cook up some s'mores in the comforts of your own home.A great way to cook s'mores indoors is to use the Casa Moda S'mores Maker.
It's a lot like cooking smores outdoors. The S'mores Maker replaces the campfire with a sterno and instead of passing around the bag of marshmallows, there are neat places to stack all of your ingredients. The Casa Moda S'mores Maker is great for those of us who are trying to set a mood. There are people...
Would you like S'more? - Cooking S'mores Indoors
Chocolate > Would you like S'more? - Cooking S'mores Indoors
For the Love of Chocolate
For the Love of Chocolate.Almost everyone loves chocolate. In a recent study conducted by the Chocolate Manufacturers Association, chocolate was ranked as America's favorite flavor. Of course, the love of chocolate is not unique to modern society. As far back as 2000 years ago, the Mayans created a drink from crushed cocoa beans and referred to chocolate as "food of the gods."Chocolate might even be good for us! Some medical studies have indicated some health benefits associated with eating chocolate. According to Larry Graham, president of the American Cocoa Research Institute (ACRI), chocolate is very high in antioxidants.
In fact, it contains one of the highest levels of antioxidant compounds that can be found in any food and may reduce the risk for coronary heart disease. Subjects in a study conducted at Pennsylvania State University experience higher HDL, "good," cholesterol levels when they included small amounts of chocolate in their diets. Experts have concluded that eating...
For the Love of Chocolate
Chocolate > For the Love of Chocolate
ScentAir Technologies Integrates Scent Systems with X3D Technologies Offering a New 3D ?Scentsory? Advertising Medium for In-Store Digital Signage Networks
Chicago, IL (ContentDesk) April 29, 2004 -? Follow your nose to ScentAir Technologies booth #3871 at the FMI (Food Marketing Institute) May 2 ? 4 at McCormick Place, Chicago, IL.
ScentAir will display new-patented scent systems emitting fabulous food scents as a new medium for brand marketers and retailers to promote category and brands.
ScentAir together with X3D Technologies, a glasses-free 3D digital signage company, will show for the first time, a three-dimensional flat panel screen integrated with scent.
The system will emit the scent of certain brands as consumers watch commercials in a three-dimensional format for products having scent such Dash fabric softener, Meijer Chocolate, Pepsi, and Herbal Essence Shampoo.
This patented scent technology emits scent in a clean, controllable way across a 200 square foot area in front of the 3D advertising display.
"This is a significant inflection for the advertising industry," says Myles Owens,...
ScentAir Technologies Integrates Scent Systems with X3D Technologies Offering a New 3D ?Scentsory? Advertising Medium for In-Store Digital Signage Networks
Chocolate > ScentAir Technologies Integrates Scent Systems with X3D Technologies Offering a New 3D ?Scentsory? Advertising Medium for In-Store Digital Signage Networks