Every few years, WineShop At Home, the Napa winery I’m affiliated with, comes out with a Black Muscat. It is a delightful wine but one that I don’t know much about. So, I decided to do some research. Here’s what I learned. Thank you to thebacklabel and Stanne’s Vineyards for their help with this article.
[Read more…]Why Is There a Foil Capsule on Wine Bottles?
My Ohio wine friend Jim Sperk just shared this amazing story about why we find a foil capsule on each wine bottle. I had no idea. Did you?
Why Should You Buy Large-Format Wine Bottles?
Every time I open a magnum or double magnum bottle of wine, I’m thrilled. The large-format wine bottles I open are at least 10 years old, and the wine tastes perfect! Well balanced, deeply mature, with a lot of dark berry notes. I know that had the wine been in normal 750 ml bottles, it wouldn’t have tasted nearly as good. Let’s take a look at why large-format wine bottles are so great for aging wine.
Thank you to VinePair, The Wine Cellar Insider and TheFinestBubbles for your very informative articles.
Large-Format Wine Bottles Slow Down the Aging Process
According TheWineCellarInsider, “It is a fact that wine from larger format wine bottles age more slowly, and possibly even develop more complexity and nuances than wines from smaller wine bottle sizes.” The main reason for this is that the space between the bottom of the cork and the wine’s surface, also known as the ullage, is the same regardless of the size of the bottle. With larger bottles, you have a much greater volume of liquid exposed to the oxygen from the cork. So, the impact of oxygen is greatly reduced, thus reducing the likelihood of oxidation.
Interestingly, TheFineBubble says that the slowing down of aging in large wine bottles is more pronounced for Champagne and Sparkling Wine than for still wine. It might be time to get some large-format bubbly!
Large-Format Wine Bottles Offer More Protection
Large wine bottles have thicker glass than regular-sized bottles, which means greater protection. They also do a better job of protecting your wine from heat, temperature changes and travel-related vibrations. And the glass is typically dark green, which does a better job of keeping out the light.
You Can Find Great Bargains
According to VInePair, “Most rosés are designed to be chugged during the current vintage; they start to lose value as they age. However, large format rosés will still taste fresh and fruity well beyond their vintage, since they aren’t aging as quickly as standard bottles. In turn, that can mean big deals as retailers try to offload enormous, happy bottles of rosé.”
They Make Wonderful Centerpieces
Large wine bottles are impressive. They set a festive tone for big celebrations, including big birthday parties, anniversaries, the Super Bowl or something else. At WineShop At Home, we sell great personalized double magnums for $283. If you’re interested in buying one, please let me know.
As an independent wine consultant with WineShop At Home, I absolutely enjoy bringing a taste of the Napa wine country home to you one sip at a time. Whether you simply love to drink wine, seek a special personalized wine gift, or are in search of a new wine jobs opportunity as a wine consultant, feel free to contact me for a truly unique wine tasting experience!
Cheers, Betty Kaufman
WineShop At Home
WineShop At Home
The Fifth Taste Sensation: Umami
Have you heard of Umami (pronounced oo-mom’-ee)? It’s the savory taste that’s described as the fifth taste sensation, along with sweet, sour, bitter and salty. In Japanese, Umami translates to “pleasant, savory taste.” But truth be told, it’s a difficult word to translate. Kalin Cellars says that “Linguists have suggested that Umami has English equivalents, such as savory, essence, pungent, deliciousness, and meaty. Umami is associated with an experience of perfect quality in a taste. It is also said to involve all the senses, not just that of taste. In the Asian context there is both a spiritual and mystical quality to Umami.” Today, we’ll dive into this wonderful fifth taste sensation.
[Read more…]Developing Your Wine Smelling Skills
Did you know that smell is the most acute of our five senses? It’s something like 1,000 times more sensitive than the sense of taste. That’s hard to believe. Isn’t it? Especially since many of us have a heck of a hard time describing what we’re smelling in our wine glasses. Today, we’re going to dig into the mystery of developing our wine smelling skills.
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