Posted on March 14th, 2012 by Chris, under Wine · No Comments
Which glasses suit my requirements?
One of the nicest problems in being involved in the retail of wine related accessories, of which one of the largest areas of interest being glassware is that, because of the vast range we offer, is that I’m totally spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing glassware to use at home.
I’m not going to be pushed into saying whether I prefer a particular glass manufacturer over another but the shape and size of the glass and the wine it is to be used for, to me, are the most important aspects when choosing any glassware.
Most quality glasses that are listed as being suitable for general red and white wines are just that and will definitely do the job, however, if you are into a particular type of wine, like I’m into Argentinian Malbec at the moment, then you’d need to look a little further and try a fairly large Bordeaux shaped glass and this will definitely bring out the aromas and taste even better than a general red wine glass. The increased enjoyment of the wine is definitely worth the additional expense of a nicer shaped glass which is better suited for that style of wine.
My consensus is that good glassware will definitely improve the taste of your wines and you should continue to experiment until you find the glasses that go with your wines (and your pocket). There are many manufactured glasses that suitably ‘do the job’ and once you find what suits you then I hope you reap the benefits by truly enjoying your wine!!
Posted on March 7th, 2012 by Chris, under Wine · No Comments
Fancy hosting your own Wine Tasting?
Many people consider this but not many take the plunge just because they have the impression it would be a difficult event to organise. The guests are the most important thing and if it’s a tasting in your home then all friends could be made welcome as you know what they’re like and how serious to make things. Always consider a theme such as Italian Reds or Spanish Whites or even more precisely such as Argentinian 2008 Malbec’s or Australian 2006 Shiraz’s.
The equipment needed is fairly basic in that you’d require a spittoon to spit your unwanted mouthfuls into plus around 2 to 6 wine tasting glasses per person. To make a tasting worthwhile, it’s usually best to concentrate on at least 4 to 6 different wines and in this way, the variety of different flavours should encourage some discussion. Once a theme for the event has been set then the quality of the wines should be decided upon and unless you are being extremely generous, a cost per person, in order to cover the expenditure on the various wines can be set and this is usually very reasonable unless very expensive wines are to be tasted.
The standard 21.5cl ISO wine tasting glass is the normal glass used for such tastings and seems to be the favoured choice of all the wine organisations, wine companies and wine clubs the world over. This simple little glass is usually found in clear glass but can also be obtained in black, to be utilised for ‘blind’ tastings where the taster has therefore no idea at all of what is within the glass and has to rely solely on his or her senses to decide on the identification of the wine. If you consider that there are around 6 good glasses of wine per bottle then this going to be way too much for general tastings. Each bottle can be used for up to 12 to 18 fairly generous ‘pours’ which is all you’ll need for tasting purposes.
A jug of water should be made available with a water glass for each taster simply for cleansing and refreshing the palate after each wine and the water can also be used for rinsing out the tasting glass should glasses be in short supply. This is also where the spittoon comes in handy for depositing the dregs! Another way of freshening the mouth between wines is to have a plate of crackers or wafers at hand and this steadies your taste buds in readiness for the next wine.
If you’re serious about your wine tastings then some sort of score card or notepad would be useful but in many home tasting sessions just the wine related discussion on each taste and aroma is sufficient and the more wines you taste the livelier these tend to become, especially if the spittoon is not being used!!
What do you need for a Wine Tasting?
Friends
Wines
Corkscrew
ISO style glasses (21.5cl) – ideally between two to six per person
Wine Spittoons / Ice Buckets
Have fun, enjoy and taste responsibly!!
Posted on February 29th, 2012 by Chris, under News · No Comments
Does the shape of the wine glass matter? Definitely!!
All quality glassware manufacturers produce numerous ranges of glasses whose designs are slightly different but the basic similarity is that the various bowl shapes are specifically designed for the grape varieties of the wines they are intended to hold.
A few producers limit their ranges to a very basic Red Wine, White Wine, Bordeaux style, Burgundy style and Champagne and these then cater generally for most reds, most whites etc. The more expansive producers create a glass for most of the major grape varieties and you will find glasses for Bordeaux, Burgundy, Chianti, Zinfandel, Shiraz, Rioja and the list goes on.
The general ranges will adequately cater for most Reds or Whites, but if you really want to get into Rioja for example choose a glass specifically designed for Rioja and your taste buds will really reap the rewards. The reason for this is that the grape specific glasses are designed in such a way that the bowls of the glasses, when tipped to the mouth, will direct the flow of the wine to the part of your mouth which will appreciate that sensation the most. There are sense areas in the mouth which allow you to taste sweetness, bitterness, saltiness and acidity and the glasses are designed so that the wine finds these areas and you appreciate the wine as it is intended.
Please note how the different shaped glasses make you tilt your head or strain your neck more in order to get the liquid into your mouth. In turn the liquid then finds different areas of the mouth because of the direction in which it enters.
Try it, it works!!
You’ll eventually find glasses that suit your needs for the types of wines you like and you should definitely enjoy your favourite wines even more than usual!
