Greetings.
Today, I would like to share with you some information from my recent wine course.
In this complex world of wine, wine can be broken down into three types wine, light, sparkling or fortified. These three types are further broken down by the style of wine, such as red, white or rosé...then either dry, medium or sweet, and finally light, medium or full bodied.
I have selected a sample of each type for you to try.
The first type is LIGHT WINE: The majority of wines fall in to this category. These are what you normally think of when someone says 'wine'. They are still, that is not sparkling or fizzy, and are between 8 - 15% alcohol by volume. Many light wines are named after the region they are produced in; such as Bordeaux and Burgundy from France, Rioja from Spain and Chianti from Italy. New world wines from countries like Australia, Chile, New Zealand, and Canada are often labelled with the name of the grape, such as Chardonnay or Syrah.
Chono Reserva Syrah 2006, Elqui Valley, Chile
Price: $18
UPC: 07804606220229
Score: 89/100
Remarks: 'Good intensity and balance with a smooth finish. Attractive style'. To me, this is an outstanding Syrah, soft round and supple on the pallet, good acidity and the tannins were not overpowering. We had it with BBQ chicken, which was a fantastic pairing. I have seen it in Nanaimo and West Vancouver. An example of a dry, full bodied red wine.
The second type of wine is SPARKLING WINE: These are wines where bubbles of carbon dioxide gas have been trapped in the wine. Often seen as the wine of celebration, it's best known (and usually most expensive) example is Champagne from France. Other examples are Cava from Spain (see below) and Asti from Italy (which, by the way, is sweet), but sparkling wine is made all over the world. My first encounter with sparkling wine came when a group of us from Howe Sound Secondary School went to Expo 67 in Montreal...no one seemed to mind selling 'Champagne' to 15 year olds, which was fine by us...
Segura Viudas Lavit Rosado Brut Cava N/VPenedès, Catalunya, Spain
Prices: $17.99
UPC: 033293653004
Score: 87/100
Remarks: 'Consistent year after year with an attractive coppery salmon colour. Fresh cherry, red apple, toasty, mineral fruit notes with nutty streak. Serve at most any occasion with or without food'. We had this with Ellen's brother and sister in law on Valentines Day as an aperitif with brochette and cheese done in the oven. Fabulous. An example of a dry, medium bodied rosé.
The third type of wine is FORTIFIED WINE: These are also known as 'liqueur' wines, which means that the wines have had extra alcohol added to them and there for have higher alcohol levels of 15 - 22%. Examples of fortified wines include Port from Portugal (see below). With Port, the fermentation of the wine is halted with the introduction of alcohol part way through, so it remains sweet. Sherry from Spain on the other hand is fermented out to dry and then has the alcohol added. Hence, you can get either dry or sweet Sherry.
Warre's Warrior Special Reserve N/V, Douro Valley, Portugal
Price: $21.49
UPC: 5010867100336
Score: 91/100
Remarks: 'Warre's Warrior Special Reserve is the oldest mark of Port having been shipped continuously since the 1750s. It's still being made the same way - aged in seasoned oak casks for four to five years before being drawn off and bottled following a light filtration. Like all the wood ports in this category Warrior Special Reserve is ready to drink sans decanting. Look for dark, intense ripe prune fruit and a strong cocoa powder flavour. Not as sweet as the Graham's and not as dry as the Dow. A pleasing fireside sipper — break out the toasted walnuts'.
We had this with a delicious cheese cake and dark chocolate. The pairing of the Port and the dessert was exquisite...An example of a sweet, full bodied red wine.
I hope that you enjoy these wines...
Keith
Keith Rush
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