White wine goes BETTER with cheese than Red wine

A Robust glass of red wine has long been regarded as the perfect accompaniment for cheese.

But gastronomic experts now say that the tipple has been served erroneously at dinner parties for decades.
The perfect partner for cheese, they claim, is in fact white wine, which is more mellow and versatile than its red counter-part.


The perfect partner for cheese is a more mellow and versatile white wine

It is argued that reds, which are generally more strongly flavoured than whites, dominate all but the most potent of cheeses.
Stephen Williams, the founder of The Antique Wine Company, said: "Basically, you should never have any kind of creamy cheese with red wine. It’s just a no-no.The flavour of cheese is drowned out by the tannins – the bitter compounds from the stalks, skins and seeds of grapes. But the matching issue is wider than that: white wines generally go better with almost every type of cheese."


Red and White wine

Cheeses commonly associated with red wine include blues such as Roquefort and creamy cheese such as Camembert.

Sweeter styles of white wines such as sauternes are the best match for a blue cheese such as roquefort as the beverage is believed to enhance its saltiness.


Whites are regarded as providing a wider range of matches with cheese and other foods than reds

 However whites which have been 'oaked' where they are stored in large barrels in order to absorb the wood's flavour should be avoided with cheese.
Successful cheese and wine matching is all about balance. It is not about contrast. White wines generally tend to provide better, more versatile matches than reds.
Some experts even say - Whites should also be considered for foods traditionally matched with reds, such as game, fish and even turkey.


white wine or red wine?

 In short, a big tannic red simply doesn’t go with a soft, creamy cheese.

Ice Wine

The Legend of Ice Wine

Legend has it that ice wine was discovered by a German winemaker who was away from his vineyard during harvest (never a good idea), and when he returned all of his grapes had been frozen on the vine. Undeterred he carried out the unorthodox harvest as usual and proceeded to press his frozen grapes for fermentation. The result, the first eiswein!!!

Icewine, or Eiswein, originated in Franconia, Germany in 1794. However, Canada has got the current claim to ice wine-making fame, with the majority of the market's ice wine offerings coming from British Columbia. Grapes were left on the vines until the first deep frost, and the freeze/thaw cycles that occurred concentrated both the sugars and flavors of the grapes.

Ice wine is made from frozen grapes

The process was refined, and now icewines are highly prized drinks that are created in Germany, Austria, and Canada. The Niagara region of Ontario, Canada is currently the most widely respected producer of ice wines.

German eiswein is a Qualitätswein and falls under those rules. In Canada, the ice wine is governed by the Vintners Quality Alliance.

Canadian Ice wine, properly created, must follow VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance) regulations to ensure a quality product. Key amongst these rules is that the wine must be naturally produced - no artificial freezing allowed. This makes ice wine very difficult to create - grapes must be guarded against too extreme temperatures, and because they are the last grapes on the vines, they must be defended vigorously against birds and other animals.

Freezing of grapes caused the sugar level to be concentrated

As in all harvests, the exact moment of harvest is extremely important for ice wine. Ideally the temperature should get to -10°C to -13°C before picking. This provides the optimum level of sugar and flavor in the grapes. This chart shows how sugar varies with the temperature:

Sugar Levels

Temperature	Sugar Content
-6°C	29%
-7°C	33%
-8°C	36%
-9°C	39%
-10°C	43%
-11°C	46%
-12°C	49%
-13°C	52%
-14°C	56%

When the grapes are just right, they're carefully picked by hand. Grapes in this condition have a very low yield - often an entire vine only makes a single bottle. That's why ice wine can be so expensive and is often sold in half-bottles only ... but it's worth it!

Ice wine: mostly made from Riesling and Vidal grapes

What Grapes are Used in Ice Wine?

The most common grapes utilized in the making of ice wine are Riesling, Vidal, Gewurztraminer and Cabernet Franc - grapes with higher levels of acidity to render the final wine refreshing and not heavy or overly "sticky." However, as is common in the wine industry there are plenty of winemakers experimenting with a variety of grapes in a variety of regions to stretch the limits and discover new twists on this famous form of wine.

After long harvest process, the grapes go through weeks of fermentation, followed by a few months of barrel aging.

The wine ends up a golden color, or a deep, rich amber. Most ice wines are made in a medium to full-bodied style. The most common aromas tend towards the stone fruits, with apricot and peach being the top components of aromatic character in the ice wines made from white grape varietals. On the palate, sweet, honey-like nuances shine bright along with the replay of stone fruit and rich, exotic flavors of tropical mango. Red wines tend towards strawberry and candied red fruit profiles with sweet spicy aromas woven in the mix.

Fiori Vidal Blanc Ice Wine

Inniskillin is perhaps the most well-known producer of Icewine, and for good reason. As Canada's premier producer of Icewine they have created quite a reputation of quality-driven and surprisingly accessible Icewines. There are up and coming producers of ice wines in many regions of the world. In the U.S., the Pacific Northwest, New York and Michigan are maximizing their climate zones to put their grapes to use in making ice wines when the seasons cooperate. Others are artificially freezing grapes post-harvest to emulate the process of making ice wines, though the results are not as stunning as those made from naturally frozen grapes.

Brandy and Whiskey.. What’s the difference?

While Cognac is made from grapes (the brandwijn), Whiskey is made from grains. Both are fermented, and convert sugar to ethanol. One thing that whisky and cognac have in common is that they are aged in barrels: They get more and more smooth. The spirits pick up quite a lot from the wooden barrels: Color and taste of course. And scotch and cognac share the method of distillation in pot stills. Both spirits are distilled at low proof.

Whisky

Grapes vs. grains
But let’s be honest: There are quite some differences between whiskey and brandy. It begins with the raw materials, over methods and how to consume the actual product.
Whiskey is made from grains, normally barley. That is then mixed with water and yeast, then it gets distilled. The spirit then is aged in oak barrels.

Now what is the difference between Whiskey and Whisky? One word with the “e” and the other one without it. The spelling referrs to the location of distilling: Whisky comes from Scotland, Japan or Canada – and whiskey comes from Ireland and the United States.

The name “brandy” comes from Dutch “branwijn”, burnt wine. And that is quite a good name, as wine is distilled for brandies and of course Cognac.

The raw material of cognac is grapes: A juice is fermented and we get a very acid wine as a result – perfect for cognac production. The juice is fermented about 5 days before distilling, after a double distillation process, the eaux-de-vie is stocked in oak casks.

Brandy barrel ageing

What about age? Is Cognac older than Whiskey?
Both Cognac and Whiskey is aged in casks. The age of brandies can be below three to six years, and Cognac at least 2 1/2 years. Most of the brandies are below six years, but can also be a hundred years old.

While cognac and brandy uses age terms such as VOP, VS, VSOP or XO, Whiskey shows the exact age of its content: for example 3, 5, 10, 12 or 15 years. There are also Whiskies at 18 years, but older seems to be rare and pricey.

Rémy Martin XO Premier Cru

While brandy is seen as a digestif, after dinner spirit – perhaps with some coffee – Whiskey doesn’t have such an “old” and “conservative” image, and is also consumed in bars or nightclubs. Cognac is about to (re)become more and more a cocktail drink. Even when it used to be an important cocktail ingredient some time ago.

The Macallan 18 year Whiskey

Regarding the drinking: You may drink a whiskey with water, some people think you would never add water to brandy, even when it was done hundreds of years ago. Why? Because Cognac is made from fruits and Whisky from grains – that means it has a different structure. I'm not sure if that’s true, at least it’s just an opinion.
There are also Cognacs where you can add a spash of water.

So, brandy and whiskey differ in quite some points.

And what is the difference between a brandy and a cognac? Well…  all Cognac is brandy, but not all brandy is Cognac.

Cabernet Sauvignon

When people think of red wine, they often think of Cabernet Sauvignon. This dark red, tannic wine is a perennial favorite, produced by both Old World and New World growers around the globe. With the variety in climate and soils in Cabernet Sauvignon growing regions, the wine yields a vast array of styles and flavors, making it easy to find a Cabernet Sauvignon wine to suit your palate.

What Is Cabernet Sauvignon?
The Cabernet Sauvignon grape is a hearty variety that grows well in multiple soil and climate conditions. Because of this, most of the world's wine regions grow some Cabernet grapes. The dark blue grapes are small in size, but they yield powerful flavors backed by substantial tannins. The result is a flavorful red wine that typically ages well and blends well with other grapes.

History
Growers in southwestern France first produced the Cabernet Sauvignon grape in the 17th century, when they crossed a Cabernet Franc grape with a Sauvignon Blanc grape. The result was a hardy grape that held up well to weather extremes including frost and high temperatures. Winemakers in the Bordeaux region recognized the potential for such a grape, and began making delicious and powerful wines that featured the newcomer.

Regions
Many wine regions produce Cabernet Sauvignon or wines that contain Cabernet Sauvignon blends. Most notable is Bordeaux; however, you will discover Cabernet Sauvignons grown in other regions, as well including:

Tuscany: This region produces Super Tuscans, which blend Cabernet Sauvignon with traditional red wine grapes from the region.
California: Wines from California are often powerful and fruit forward with tremendous aging potential.
Washington: This state makes many world-class Cabernet Sauvignon wines and blends.
South America: Chile and Argentina are relative newcomers to Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines are ripe and fruity, and often quite affordable.

Flavors
It is a truism in winemaking that wines will taste of the terroir (earth) in which they are grown. The more subtle flavors found in Cabernet Sauvignon may vary according to the wine region, and even the specific vineyard; however, in general the grapes produce wines with familiar flavors including black cherry, chocolate, eucalyptus, and peppers. Because Cabernet Sauvignon has an affinity for oak, the wines often also have a characteristic toasty flavor that comes from aging in oak caskets. With the thick skins inherent in the grape, many wines made from Cabernet also contain substantial tannins; however, as the wines age these often soften and give way to the more subtle flavors that arise from terroir.

Storing and Serving
While many Cabernet Sauvignon wines do need to be aged in order to open up their full flavor profiles and soften the tannins, the grapes grown in warmer climates like South America often drink relatively early. If you do purchase an ageworthy wine made from this grape, store it at 50 to 55 degrees in a humidity controlled environment away from light, vibration, and temperature fluctuation. Store the wine on its side in order to keep the cork moist and avoid oxidation. Some Cabernet Sauvignon wines may age for as long as 20 years, while others need to be opened right away.

Serve the Cabernet Sauvignon at slightly cooler than room temperature; about 55 to 60 degrees is ideal. Because of the bold flavors and tannins, the wines pair especially well with fatty meats, such as a rib-eye steak. The slightly smokey flavors of grilled meats, and the gamey flavors of lamb also work well. Many people also enjoy pairing the wine with dark chocolate or similarly strongly flavored foods.

10 Best Red Wine Brands

Wine is made up of fermented grape juice and is an alcoholic drink. The original grape wine is produced by fermenting the crushed grape juice with various types of yeast.
So, here I have the top 10 brands of red wine for you guys,

French Beaujolais

This type of wine is made by Gamay grapes. This one is really a light bodied red wine; its name is from the historical province of Beaujolais; which was a wine producing region.

South African Pinotage

This wine comes with smoky, bramble and earthy flavors. These are also made up of grapes in South Africa. These were bred in 1925.

German Spatburgunder

It is also called Pinot noir, which is a form of red grape wine. The pinot noir grapes are grown all over the world and are associated with Burgundy region of France.

Argentinean Malbec

This wine is made with purple grapes, which are think-skinned grapes. This is an inky or violet colored wine.

Californian Zinfandel

This is produced in the country Napa and is named after the name of the grape from which it is made.

Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon

It is the most widely recognized wine in the world and is internationally recognized.

Italian Chianti

Chianti is basically an Italian wine and is packed in a straw basket called fiasco. The area Chianti was defined in 1716.

Australian Shiraz

Shiraz is a dark skinned grape and this wine is made from those grapes, this wine is really popular among people.

French Bordeaux

Wine that is produced in the Bordeaux region of France is the Bordeaux wine. It has many levels starting from table wine to the most prestigious wines.

Spanish Rioja

La Rioja is the place in Spain where this wine is made. La Rioja is a wine region and has 123,000 acres area of wine yards.