Another Great Wine Country Article

Storing Wine: What you need to know about Wine Cellars

It seems that aficionados and connoisseurs of wine are growing exponentially - statistics from the Wine Institute show that in 2005, the retail value of California wines alone, in the U.S. were $16.5 billion. With a growing love and passion for wine, many folks are doing more than just purchasing wine; in fact, many are having wine cellars built for storage and preservation

What is a wine cellar exactly? This is a climate controlled environment that similar to the wine caves in France produces an excellent environment for both storing and aging wine. What the much revered wine caves have taught us is that you don't have to be a commercial wine maker or winery to enjoy in the collecting, aging and storing of wines.

Yet, to mimic the caves, particular design elements must be rendered, and these are different from simply adding another room to the house. Factors such as humidification, refrigeration, vapor barriers and insulation are essential. With so many do-it-yourselfers, many are inclined to build their own wine cellar. Hiring a contractor or a company that specializes in wine cellar design are other options. There are also modular cellar unit kits available.

How one chooses is based on personal preference with budget being a deciding factor. However, remember that with building a wine cellar, one can go for the no-frills storage option: like a wine cellar the size of a closet with modular racking, or go for the-full-frills option, complete with endless customization from floors, counters to a wine room that rivals a Napa Valley Winery.

With any choice, Cellaryourwine.com provides those considering building a wine cellar with information about the necessary equipment from cooling to racking systems to the elements of cellar design with floors, doors and lighting. Information about, custom and modular designs are discussed, as are topics such as wine cellar software, when to choose a wine refrigerator and much more.

About the Author

Nancy Peterson, a self-professed wine lover, recently added a wine cellar to her new home. You can read more about wine cellar equipment and wine cellar racks at: http://www.cellaryourwine.com

Another short Wine Country review

Food and Wine Gifts


Wine and food have been paired for what seems like forever. Different food items are said to reveal the true nature of a particular wine. It is often ...


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Wine Country Products we recommend

The FTD Darling Delights Arrangement - Standard


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News about Wine Country

Australia Travel Log: day Six (Part Two)

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 05:01:21 PDT
Ahhh, OK, I’m back from the reef. Watch my mastery of the self-portrait. Prepare to be amazed. OK, first, I dress like an idiot when I travel. Did I mention that I carried on? Mmmm hmmm, you’ll see. OK, we left off in the rain forest, correct? It was all kinds of awesome. And full of questionable lighting. (like the outfit?) And mating Boyds Forest Dragons. This guy was like bair-chicka-bair-bair. K, think I mentioned lunch and then we went to Cape Tribulation. Fr

Australia Travel Log: Day Seven

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 05:01:22 PDT
OK, right on….day seven. And it’s sunny outside. Good thing because this is the day of the reef tour. I get ready and slather myself head-to-toe with sunscreen (big improvement, bug spray to sun screen). Bus pick-up at 8 Am. Big bus. Drive up to Port Douglas. Note to self: next time, stay in Port Douglas. Much more my style than Cairns. Anyhoo. I am not going to be able to do this day justice in print. Get to Port Douglas and hop on the Quicksilver 5, a huge boat. Catered lunch, full bar, et

Peeking

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 05:23:17 PDT
Peeking We just got back from our tour of the neighborhood, in which Zorro marked every tree and Miss Cleo, in her unerring clumsiness, managed to tromp through every fire ant mound in the mile-circuit we generally take. This was the shorter of our two mid-length routes: around the corner, through the park, across the street, around another corner, and down the long block home. I’m not sure what messages the dogs got this morning, but I noticed a few things: - The neighbors who share our ba

Demystifying French wines

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 07:03:35 PDT
The Quarterback and I attended this wine class at Bacchus last Monday. The class was informative, and the wines good. The teacher was helpful but not terribly exciting. Reading off Powerpoint slides and notes is not the best way to excite your four students. I like having a copy of the Powerpoint slides, though. I am a swot. France ties with Italy for most wine production, with Spain coming in third. 2.2 million acres of France are devoted to wine making. Marseilles was the first place (in 600

What's New in the Sustainable Blogosphere?

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 09:02:15 PDT
For the last two weeks I have been too busy to keep up with my emails and blogging, and now I'm catching up. Here's a few of the things that landed in my mailbox that I thought worth sharing with Bean Sprouts readers. Earth Day First of all, this coming Tuesday is Earth Day. Earth Day has been going since 1969, but the time is right for it to really take off. I'd love to see it become bigger than Christmas (which is a religious feast for Christians like me but tends to be just an excuse for an

I totally missed this

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 09:06:07 PDT
You all will have to forgive me for recycling old news. I was hanging out in Michigan a week ago when, it seems, Sen. Clinton was throwing a few back in a bar in Indiana. I have got to admit, I got a kick out of that. Particularly when I asked the Mister, "did that actually happen?" and he replied, "Yep. And she looked like a pro." ...although Clinton is no stranger to late night drinks with the press and her staff, she usually prefers red wine or the trendy wheat ale Blue Moon with a slice of

MADONNA REVEALS HER GOALS IN LIFE AS SHE APPROACHES 50

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 09:07:35 PDT
Apr 18 2008 By Rick Fulton MADONNA is still a Material Girl… she’s not ready to put out her music for free like Radiohead did last year. The most successful female singer ever has made enough money to last a dozen lifetimes but is still cautious about asking her fans to judge how much they should pay for her music. While not the first musicians to do so, Radiohead caused a sensation last year when they put seventh album In Rainbows out as a free download. The price was determined by the fan


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Labels: Wine Opener | Wine Pairing

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A Chianti Region Artilce for Your Viewing

Pinot Gris - The "Other" White Wine

Pinot Gris (or Tokay Pinot Gris) is a white wine grape of species Vitis Vinifera related to Pinot Noir which goes by a lot of other names:

Pinot Grigio (Italy)

Pinot Beurot (Loire Valley, France)

Rul?nder (Austria and Germany, Romania, sweet)

Grauburgunder or Grauer burgunder (Austria and Germany, dry)

Grauklevner (Germany)

Malvoisie (Loire Valley, France and Switzerland)

Tokay d'Alsace (Alsace) (currently being renamed due to EU regulations)

Auxerrois Gris (Alsace)

Fromentau (Langudoc, France)

Fromentot (France)

Fauvet (France)

Gris Cordelier (France)

Grauer M?nch (Germany)

Monemrasia

Crvena Klevanjka (Croatia)

Sivi Pinot (Slovenia)

Sz?rkebar?t (Hungary)

"Pinot" means "pinecone" in French, and "gris" means gray. The grapes grow in small clusters (hence the pinecone shape), and upon ripening, often display a pinkish-gray hue, although the colors can vary from blue-gray to pinkish-brown.

Pinot Gris is called Pinot Grigio in Italy, and the grape is grown in many regions, although, arguably, most successfully in Alsace (France), Italy, Germany, and Oregon. In the United States, Pinot Gris has recently supplanted Sauvignon Blanc as the most popular white wine grape next to Chardonnay. In fact, Pinot Gris is often referred to as "the other white wine".

Pinot Gris produces wines that are generally fruity in aroma, with flavors of honey, apple, pear, vanilla, oak, and citrus. The flavors can vary from region to region, but a good Pinot Gris will display crisp acidity, balanced with silky sweetness, resulting in a complex array of flavors on the pallet. Pinot gris goes well with foods typically associated with white wines, including fish, seafood, chicken, pork, and Asian cuisine.

Pinot Gris is thought to have originated in the Burgundy region of France, and was planted in Northern Europe for many years before making its way to Oregon in the 1960's. The grape is presently grown in many different areas, but prefers the relatively cool climate of places like France, Germany, Italy and Oregon, where the long (but not too hot) summer days mingled with cool autumn weather bring the grapes into perfect ripeness.

Pinot Gris grapes grown in Italy (Pinot Grigio) usually produce a somewhat wanting, light-colored wine with crisp acidity. German Pinot Gris tends to be medium-bodied, with good balance between sugar and acidity. Grapes grown in Oregon tend to produce a wine that is medium-bodied, exhibiting strong fruit flavors and aromas and superb crispness. Pinot Gris produced from grapes grown in the Alsace region of France has proven to show full-bodied, floral flavors, and a deep viscosity with a long-lasting finish.

Pinot Gris made from grapes grown in other regions can also be delicious, but generally don't deliver the same excellent qualities that people have come to expect from wines made in the regions listed above. California is one area where Pinot Gris is grown, but the wines made there tend to be flabby, losing their complexity due to the warmer weather. In fact, Pinot Gris produced in California is often called Pinot Grigio because of the similarity in style to the wines from Italy.

Pinot Gris can be found in many places, from restaurants to tasting rooms to supermarkets. Listed below are some of the places you can purchase Pinot Gris, and what it might cost you.

Restaurants - Easily the most expensive place to buy wine, the restaurant offers a cozy atmosphere, sometimes knowledgeable waiters, and comprehensive wine list. For a decent bottle of Pinot Gris, be prepared to pay 30 to 40 dollars or more, depending on how fancy the establishment is. One idea for frugal restaurant dining is to call beforehand and ask if you can bring in your own delicious bottle of Pinot Gris. The restaurant will charge you a nominal "pouring fee", but you won't have to shell out the big bucks.

Supermarkets - Probably the least expensive place to purchase wine, your neighborhood Safeway or Albertsons offers a variety of Pinot Gris at prices ranging from $7 to $20. Just don't expect too much help from the stockboy when deciding which Pinot Gris would go best with osso buco.

Tasting Rooms - Many wineries have their own tasting rooms with dramatic views and enchanting music geared to put the consumer into a wine buying-trance. If you buy Pinot Gris from the tasting room, however, you are usually buying directly from the winery, and won't get the big discounts that the stores receive. Expect to pay somewhere between 15 to 30 dollars for a good bottle of Pinot Gris.

The Internet - A great place to shop for wine in general, the web offers you some super deals. The upside of web shopping is that you can browse the wine shoppe at 3 AM if you desire. The downside is that every state has their own particular wine laws, and you may have to shop for awhile before you can find someone to ship Pinot Gris to your state. Oh, and you have to pay the shipping costs, and the wine may be exposed to all kinds of elements and hazards on its way to your door.

Wine Festivals - If you live in a reasonably populated area, chances are that you have an annual wine festival within 20 miles or so. These are great places to try a variety of wines by the glass, and mingle amongst large crowds. You will probably be paying close to Tasting Room prices, though, so a bottle of Pinot Gris will run you 12 to 25 dollars.

Wine Shops - Most wine shops have prices that are competitive with those found in the supermarkets. Wine shops also carry a nice variety of wines, but best of all, the owners or workers will often possess valuable knowledge that they will share with you most whole-heartedly if you promise to buy a bottle or two.

A Short Chianti Region Summary

Making Homemade Wine


6 Benefits to Making your own Wine
Ever thought what benefits you can reap by making your own homemade wine
Making wine is an art that is thousands ...


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Featured Chianti Region Items

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News about Chianti Region

Eco-tourism: Hotels go green

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 22:55:35 PST
The Green wave. Environmentally friendly hotels. Focuses on The Orchard Garden Hotel in San Francisco and Roots Restaurant, which serves organic, bio-dynamic and locally grown produce and stocks organic tequila, vodka and wine.

Yohji Yamamoto - Directors Bureau TDB Special Projects Party

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 11:16:50 PST
A nice blog entry from an amazing party I went to for the Yohji Yamamoto store opening designed by The Directors Bureau (TDB) Special Projects. It was an amazing time. The whole party took place in this very creative bubble structure that enclosed the store. Delicious Coppola wine was served, passed appetizers and Papabubble Candy.

The Joys of Italian Table Wine

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 14:58:25 PST
Never a fan of red wine, this Diva thought she would surely lead a life filled with Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio. Then one day, she entered a small restaurant in Rome and was served a glass of the restaurant’s own label...

“Dangers” of Lead-crystal Stemware?

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:44:20 PST
Are there really dangers from drinking wine served in lead-crystal based glasses?

His Poor Wife: An Interview With the Cheapest Man in America

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 19:06:56 PDT
Jeff Yeager's wife, Denise, knows better than anyone how frugal her husband can be. This is a man who soft-boils his eggs in the dishwasher (with the dirty dishes), funnels box wine into premium-label bottles and serves it to dinner guests, and has even attempted to make a sweater out of dryer lint.

Your Waiter Tonight... Will Be the Chef

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 09:28:44 PDT
Many chefs are not only cooking and plating the food, but also serving it, taking coats, recommending wine and confirming reservations.


Summer Wine
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Labels: Wine Importers

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