wine blog #5

HELLO!
sorry it's been so long I've been really busy with work and traveling, etc. Haven't been able to update as I wanted to but I'm back today to give you guys what you need! SUMMER TIME IS HERE GUYS sooo today, I want to devote this wine blog to some a nice summer wine that one could really enjoy.
If you guys don't know already there are two basic types of wine. Red wine and then white wine. Then you can make those wine's into more complex wines with different tastes and characteristics.
Today for the summer time, I will introduce another type of wine called a "rose (ro-say)" wine. Rose wines can be made from red grapes or white grapes depending on the grape. Usually they are made from red grapes by leaving the skin on them for a certain amount of time while fermenting. The actual amount of time that the skin is on determines the color of the rose. Rose's can vary from orange to deep lush red/pink.
although a lot of my favorite rose wines are from France, today I will speak of a Pinot Grigio by Folonari that has been made into a rose. The reasons why I plan on speaking of this particular bottle is because it's light, some what sweet and easy for the non-experienced wine drinker to try and enjoy. Also, I happen to really think for the price, it's a fabulous bottle. I think I paid around 9-10 dollars like last summer. Anyway
lets talk about the wine. The wine itself is from Italy and is made entirely of the pinot grigio grape. Pinot Grigio is a white grape usually found in Italy. Totally great during summer time. The grape itself has a rather darker tone to the skin and this particular rose is created through the allowance of skin contact while fermenting. They also make a regular non rose Pinot Grigio which they make without the skin on the grape hence it lacks the delicate pink color that the Pink Pinot has.
Taste wise it is really refreshing especially on a hot day. Enjoy it while the sun is out. It has a beautiful blush color with a nice and light fragrance of fruit and flowers. Very fresh and vibrant through the palate and also with a touch of sweetness from the fruit. When I had it last year I had it with a nice grilled chicken caesar salad from the deli next door and it went together great. You could eat it with seafood, or chicken and it goes exceptionally well with japanese food.
TRY IT!

Wine Blog #4

Today I will be taking a different method and not critiquing a wine that I've tried.
Instead I ask my readers, if they could suggest a wine that THEY've tried and want me to try myself or just to let others know about what they like. It doesn't just have to be wine it can be beer or sake whatever you like as long as it's something different and something that you want to share. I know everybody in the world has a frikking alcoholic beverage that they simply delight in so c'mon and don't be shy. Or else you'll end up like this...
Nintendo's very own, SHY GUY. lol. alright maybe it was corny but whatever I laughed when I saw the picture.

*Question of the day: What is your favorite beer?
You can answer it through commenting haha.
Mine for the time being happens to be Newcastle Brown Ale. Delicious summer beer. Nice and full with a dark semi-sweet taste to it. MMMMMMMMMM.
Get it while it's hot boy's.. or should i say cold?

Also some new media for all you Johnny Depp lovers check this out.. http://www.filmofilia.com/2009/06/22/new-tim-burtons-alice-in-wonderland-images/
its going to be one hell of a wonderland folks.

Thats all for today, let's see some comments guys!

Wine Log #3

Sorry for the late update guys, was a tad busy and tired but I'm still here to give you what you want. I know it's been a few days but the weekend was packed for me and I love writing my posts at work to kill time so...
Today I will be showing you guys another wine that I drink from time to time which is called (drum roll...) Menage a Trois by Folie A Deux. Usually this wine tastes the same regardless of vintage to me. I've tried the '07 and '08 and they both tasted about the same. Either way this bottle is a great bottle especially for those who are inexperienced with wine and seek to try more of a milder, softer taste to develop their taste buds for wine. The wine itself is not made with just one grape but blended to create a soft and lush taste with a full body. Women generally tend to love it as it is easy to drink and it can easily be said that the price is ridiculously cheap for such a great wine. Some have compared this to higher end bottles ($150+).
Anywhos as I was saying this wine is blended with 3 different grapes and is from California! It's rather unusual that they used this combination of grapes but it works out fantastic! Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. These three grapes are very different from one another with different tastes but combined in this blends brings a great balance to the wine and is pleasing for the consumer. Also, Folie A Duex ferments each grape by itself before blending to retain the complexity of each grape and showcases the characteristics of the grapes. We can seperate the three grapes into layers of taste. For the first layer we have the Zinfandel which has a jammy punch to it bringing out the flavors of raspberry and blackberry and tying them together. A solid first bite to the wine. Then the Merlot shines right through with lots of red fruit and its soft and medium bodied texture for a great sensation to the mouth. Finally we have the Cabernet Sauvignon which offers firm and chewy tannins which are round and visible and rich concentrated full bodied flavors for the ideal finish which is not subtle at all.
This wine is a great buy. I've seen it go for $8.95 up to about $12.95 but it tastes like its worth a lot more than that. The great thing that I love about this bottle is that it has such a soft and smooth silky taste to it yet has a great robust full body. Such a great combination of flavor and technique went into making this awesome wine, one would be a fool not to try it. It goes great with pastas with light pink sauce or a heavy red sauce, grilled foods especially chicken and steak as well.
I recommend it to all of you and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
Cheers!

wine log #2

Paul said...

you should summarize at the end without using vino vernacular for those of us that are vino illiterate.
June 18, 2009 9:38 AM

Thank you Paul for the beautiful input and thoughts you have on my blog. Now I know what to write my second wine log about. For you people who are relatively new to wine or don't know anything about it at all, I am going to let you know some KEY terms in the wine industry. This may help you guys have a further knowledge of wine and understand the things I talk about as I continue this blog that I have recently started. WOOHOO~ learn it and love it you beautiful babies.
(Not as beautiful as Kate Beckinsale though. HAH JK :D)


Let's begin. (These definitions are taken from Wikipedia. I've chosen the ones that I think will be most beneficial for you and most commonly used. For the full list or if you want to see the ones I didn't use go to Wikipedia.com and type "wine terms".)

1.) Bottle

A bottle is a small container with a neck that is narrower than the body and a "mouth." Modern wine bottles are nearly always made of glass because it is nonporous, strong, and aesthetically pleasing.

(Yes not only is it the universal container for our wines, but it is also PLEASING TO THE EYE because of beautiful glass.)

2.) Breathing

The interaction between air and wine after a wine has been opened. Breathing may take place while the wine is decanting. (Let it breathe man, let it breathe. You'll see the difference I swear.)

3.) Capsule

The plastic or foil that covers the cork and part of the neck of a wine bottle.

( You can cut it with the knife that comes attached to most wine bottle openers these days.)

4.) Château

Generally a winery in Bordeaux, although the term is sometimes used for wineries in other parts of the world, such as the Barossa Valley. (Pronounced SHA-TOE.)

5.) Cult wines

Wines for which committed buyers will pay large sums of money because of their desirability and rarity. (dirtbag alcoholics, haha just kidding.)

6.)Dessert wine

Varies by region. In the UK, a very sweet, low alcohol wine. In the US by law, any wine containing over 15% alcohol. (Very delicious with desserts. I love dessert. Cheesecake is f*cking awesome.)

7.) Drip dickey

A wine accessory that slips over the neck of a wine bottle and absorbs any drips that may run down the bottle after pouring - preventing stains to table cloths, counter tops or other surfaces. (Am I immature because I laughed when I read this?)

8.) Entry-level wine

The wine from a producer's portfolio that is the lowest cost for purchase and offers the most basic quality. (Perfect for those of you who aren't used to wine drinking yet.)

9.) Fine wine

The highest category of wine quality, representing only a very small percentage of worldwide production of wine. (The good shit)

10.) Flying winemaker

A winemaker who travels extensively across the globe, sharing techniques and technology from one region of the world to another. The term originated with Australian winemakers who would fly to Northern Hemisphere wine regions in Europe and the United States during the August-October harvest time when viticulture in the Southern Hemisphere is relatively quiet. (What I aim to be? Hmmmmm.)

11.) Ice wine

Wine made from frozen grapes. Written, and trademarked as a single word - Icewine - in Canada. Called Eiswein in German. (This is really good stuff, you guys should all try it. Generally a bit more expensive however.)

12.) Kosher wine

Wine that is produced under the supervision of a rabbi so as to be ritually pure or clean. (Just because its Kosher doesn't mean it's bad. Don't be afraid to try new things.)

13.) Litre (US - Liter)

A metric measure of volume equal to 33.8 fluid ounces (U.S.) or 35.2 fl oz (imperial). (A liter. Im pretty sure you know what this is unless your a dummy. Dummy.)

14.) Magnum

A bottle holding 1.5 litres, the equivalent of two regular wine bottles. (Lol I laughed at this one too.)

15.) Master of Wine

A qualification (not an academic degree) conferred by The Institute of Masters of Wine, which is located in the United Kingdom. (What I will be in the next 5 years.)

16.) Meritage

Originally created in California, these blended wines can be summed up as the "American Bordeaux". The Red blend is made from at least 2 of the 5 Bordeaux grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. The White Meritage is a blend at least 2 of Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Vert, and Semillon. (Pretty delicious, for those of you who doesn't understand this, we'll go into details about wine grapes very soon maybe next post!)

17.) Nebuchadnezzar

A large bottle holding 15 litres, the equivalent of 20 regular wine bottles. (Just wanted to add this because its the name of a ship in the Matrix. I love the Matrix.)

18.) Nose

The aroma or bouquet of a wine. (Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm)

19.) Port

A sweet fortified wine, which is produced from grapes grown and processed in the Douro region of Portugal. This wine is fortified with the addition of distilled grape spirits in order to boost the alcohol content and stop fermentation thus preserving some of the natural grape sugars. Several imitations are made throughout the world. (Personally don't like drinking it but tastes good when cooked with.)

20.) Reserve

A term given to wine to indicate that it is of higher quality than usual. (You already know!)

21.) Sangria

A tart punch made from red wine along with orange, lemon and apricot juice with added sugar. (My favorite concoction especially if made right, if you haven't tried it yet they serve it at your local Pio Pio a Peruvian chicken restaurant which is also delicious.)

22.) Sommelier

A wine expert who often works in restaurants. (What I aim to be.)

23.) Sparkling wine

Effervescent wine containing significant levels of carbon dioxide. (It ain't soda so don't drink it like it is.)

24.) Table wine

Generally any wine that is not sparkling or fortified. In the US these wines must also be between 7% and 14% alcohol by volume. The term table wine is also used to describe a wine that is considered a good, everyday drinker. (Your generic during dinner wine that is served daily.)

25.) Vermouth

An aromatized wine that is made with wormwood and potentially other ingredients.
(This stuff is kind of crazy, usually put into Martini's. Tastes like crap when drunk by itself.)

26.) Vin

French for wine. (French for wine.)

27.) Wine

An alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of unmodified grape juice. (What I am focusing on.)

Well there you have it, some nice information for you guys to learn a bit more about the wine world. If you feel as though I missed some stuff or you have other words that you are interested in learning about feel free to ask in post comments.

COMING TOMORROW!
Different types of wines.
COMING SUNDAY!
Different types of grapes.
(If I can actually get to it! LOL!)

Til then take care ladies and gents,
and keep reading!

wine log #1

As it has come to my attention that people seem to have a theme for their blogs to create a website that has something in common for most readers, I too have chosen a theme.
For all you wine lovers out there this is your chance to see what I love to drink and what I think about wines and I would also love to know what you love and what you think about different bottles and types of wines.
As I am studying wine as a gateway to my future career and start school at the International Wine Center in September I have been prepping myself and tasting as many different wines as I can (not to mention I worked at several different wine stores for the past 5 years during college and late high school.)
Here's today's wine and my input.
A Montepulciano d'Abruzzo by Cantina Zaccagnini.
This here is one of my favorite bottles of wine and relatively cheap too. The price depending on provider goes generally between $14.99 to $16.99 at most stores. It has a great palate with a smooth finish and is medium bodied. There are a lot of flavors that consist in this bottle of wine from start to finish. For the aromatic sense of the bottle, one could see that it has a lot of fruit from figs to grapes and berries all within the nose with a touch of vanilla and oak to give it the earthy terroir based taste that it has. The berries give it the sweetness it needs with a touch of acidity to even it out. The finish mainly consists of the vanilla and oak with a smoky taste to it.
Now lets talk a little about why I like it. For my tastes, I love a dry wine with a full body to pack my mouth with great tastes and a clean palatte. This wine is on the smoother side with a medium body but the fruits and aromatics explode on this particular bottle for me and gives me a great feel to the wine. You can really taste each component and break it down as you taste it. This is a big thumbs up in my book. It is also bottled and aged for about 2 years before being sold to stores and also it is given time before bottling to really let the fruit shine and carry through the wine by being stored in stainless steel then stored in oak for about 4 months. The company Zaccagnini gives it the proper time needed to age and develop. For me this is a great combination as the flavor really shows and I love it. Some may dissaggree and not give the bottle as much credit as I do but hey, thats what opinions are for and I would love to see some criticism on the bottle. There is not a lot of tannin content in the bottle itself but for the low tannin content, they are nice and round as well as chewy (hence the medium body and not full which would be more of a high tannin content.) AND the wine goes reallllly well with pasta and pizza (tomato sauce based) as well as meats. ALL OF WHICH I LOVE!

The wine is great and if you haven't tried it you should, if you have then let me know what you think.
Til next time, keep reading.

i miss college

in college, i barely studied and took advantage of the fact that i was 400 miles away from home by doing anything i wanted. staying up til 7 am watching movies and smoking weed (when i used to smoke weed not anymore) or going out partying with my college boys.. to reading books on campus, playing basketball, fishing at south lake, and last but not least going to church friday night, saturday morning, and sunday morning consecutively for about a year and a half. it was through this church that formed my basis of God knowledge and God love.

i loved my years in college every single one of them for different reasons at a time. But surprisingly the thing i miss a lot more than i ever thought i would are the classes that i took for my major media study. i miss creating controversial projects that would be critiqued by my professor and fellow classmates such as "the tetris board of LIFE", or my other project which portrayed the message of how much damage computer gaming had on people by hand crafting a sculpture out of clay with a hand on a computer mouse with the wire leading to a hand holding a gun (think about it).

viewing peoples projects such as stop motion videos which would take many days just to do like 10 seconds of film was such a great intense experience. heres one that you can watch. i ran into it yesterday while youtubing. iron man vs captain america! haha its pretty crazy. you'd think it was simple to create something like this but it probably took more than a month maybe more than two.

idk thats it for now. i dont even know why im being nostalgic. love life love yourself and love college because college is something that you shouldnt take for granted. guarenteed best 4 years of your life unless you suck at making the best of things,

then you probably fail and should work on that cause failing sucks.
hard.

first blog?

i dont know what im supposed to write on this so im not gonna write anything
...
sike
work blows people dont work
try to stay away from it for as long as possible.
i recently came back from business trips to texas (laredo, dallas, houston) chicago, st. louis, memphis and atlanta all within the short span of two weeks.
all of which consisted much driving.
i still feel the effects of such a trip as i have a hard time waking up in the mornings.

this is what my close friends thing of me.

me: yeah i just created a blog

Young: ohhh so you're a scumblog

i am scum. thanks young.
til next time.