Two countries have emerged with new wines, for all markets, that are great quality and remarkably cheap – Argentina and New Zealand.

Argentina Wines
A relatively newcomer to the world of wines, Argentina is the biggest producer of wine outside of Europe, and up until relatively recently 90% of all the wines produced were drunk in the country. However, the political climate of the country changed, Argentina emerged from a a dictatorship and under a huge economic cloud. Suddenly, to get money, they had to sell commodities abroad. One such commodity was wine.

As such, the wine industry contributes nearly US$500 million per annum to the economy, and conditions are incredibly good for Argentine wine. The temperature is hot, the altitude is high and rocky and there’s no humidity. This means that whilst grapes can be grown, pests and fungi struggle. As such, Argentine wines are often labeled as organic, as it’s relatively easy to not use chemicals and pesticides.

Traditionally, red wines are more popular in Argentina. The most critically and commercially successful is the Argentine Malbec, produced in the Mendoza region of Buenos Aires.

New Zealand Wine
Whilst Argentine wines did have a long pedigree before launching, New Zealand Wines relatively speaking didn’t. However, like Argentine wines, New Zealand wines also became popular after politics crippled the economy. The UK was New Zealand’s biggest importer, but when they joined the EEC (European Economic Community), they had to close off all the favorable trad links between the two countries. Almost overnight, New Zealand went from a producer of meat and dairy products, to a producer of wine, and it was a lot more profitable.

However, to begin with, wine growing in New Zealand was tricky, and this lead to a lot of poor quality wines. However the Marlborough region (not originally considered for wine growing) put New Zealand on the map with it’s excellent Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, the Sauvignon Blanc grape adoring the cooler climates of Marlborough. Critics have since voted the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc as the best of it’s type in the world.

Wine
An obvious one, but can be a bit dangerous! A bottle of wine, bought with thought, can make a great gift for a wine lover. However, it needs to be spot on, based on their tastes on current brands. If you’re not knowledgeable about wine, then a good idea is to see what they currently drink, go to a wine merchant (either somebody you know or online) and get them to recommend you want. Ideally, for a good quality wine gift you are looking in the region of $50. Usually, to make the look complete, the wine will be included in a presentation wooden box with straw or hay.

Wine Hampers
A little more expensive alternative to one bottle of wine is to get a wine hamper. These hampers contain two or more bottles of wine and often some chocolates or cheese, in a attractive presentation hamper usually made of wood or thatch, with hay or cloth as filler material. Hampers for 2 bottles of wine and 1 box of chocolates start at around $70.

Glassware
A safer, but slightly more expensive wine gift would be glassware. Not all wine glasses are the same though, so a range of white wine glasses, red wine glasses and champagne flutes could make a great gift. However, due to the cost involved, I really would only recommend it for special occasions such as big birthdays or weddings. Most places that offer glasses also offer a glass engraving service as well, to make that gift even more memorable. But be warned, they don’t come cheap! A full set of 10 wine glasses can cost around $150-$200.

Wine Coolers/Stoppers/Jackets A much cheaper gift would be some wine accessories. Wine coolers are plastic jacket that keep your wine chilled when out from the fridge. Wine stoppers prevent the wines from corking and jackets make the wine bottles prettier. You can get a cheap one of these for $10.

Of course, there are plenty more wine gifts you can get people, but this is a summary of the more popular ones. If have a good idea of what sort of wine lover your friend is, you can get them a gift they will treasure for a long time to come.

Here a a few tips for setting up an informative and fun wine and cheese pairing party:

CHEESE

• Purchase cheeses in large pieces as you will need about 100 g or 4 oz per person.
• Cheeses should be served at room temperature so take them out about an 1 hour before serving and keep the cheese wrapped while warming.
• The stronger the flavor of the cheese, the sweeter and heavier the wine.
• Salty cheese are better with sweeter wines. White wines generally go better with a creamy cheese selection.

WINE

• Plan on a minimum of 125 ml or 1/2 cup of  wine per person.
• Serve most wines fairly cool-whites between 50 to 55 degrees F and reds between 60 to 65 deg F
• Let your reds breathe 15 to 20 minutes after you open them.

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PRESENTATION

• Lay a table with 6 to 8 cheeses and 4 to 6 different wines
• Keep cheese as an entire piece or large piece and provide a separate knife for each cheese display.
• Identify the different cheeses with name tags and whether they are strong or mild.
• Serve cheese on platters, cheese boards, or even a piece of marble
• Serve cheese with savory or sweet fruit breads, water crackers, and nuts, fruit chutneys, fruit preserves, artisanal honey and fresh or dried fruit.
• Have your guests taste the cheeses from mildest to strongest in flavor.
• Taste wine first, then sample the cheese. The wines will affect the cheeses uniquely and the cheese will affect the wine in texture and flavor.

Most importantly is relax and enjoy the event!!

Treating Your Friends and Family

A unique bottle of wine can earn you some serious favour. If you know their taste consider treating Chianti fans to Brunello. Sauvignon Blanc lovers will enjoy Sancerre or Pauilly-Fume. Another great tip is to pick wines that are not available year round and as a special touch consider sharing the story behind the wine.

Celebratory Vino

For ringing in the New Year consider Louis Roederer Brut Premier Champagne which will be a hit for either small or intimate gatherings.  For the big swinging out of control wing dings try Cava from Spain. The Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava has a decent taste and a modest price at under $20.00.

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Medium to deep purple in colour, the Banrock Station Shiraz Cabernet displays spicy white pepper, red cherry and blackcurrant, with hints of toasty vanillin oak. White pepper, raspberry and red cherry Shiraz fruit flavours dominate the palate, while Cabernet fruit adds blackcurrant flavours and savoury tones. Subtle hints of vanilla and toasty oak add to the complexity of this wine, resulting in a very approachable, persistent, fruit driven and distinctive style of wine. The Banrock Station Shiraz Cabernet is ideal when accompanied with barbecued lamb chops with mint pesto and tomato and onion salsa.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

A full flavoured and easy drinking style, this wine is ideal for all occasions. Deep red in colour with purple hues, this unique blend reveals white pepper, cherry and blackcurrant flavours, with hints of vanillin oak. A full and rich palate is characterised by subtle nuances of cherry, pepper and blackcurrant.
750 MLComment: We took this wine to a wine tasting party and we were pleasantly surprised as it was preferred over Yellow Tail Shiraz and any other wine served that evening. It was the hit of the party and the added bonus was the cost, which is under $10.00.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Bookmark this page or return frequently to see our wine picks.

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Check out our home page for some great wine tasting tips.

Beginners Guide to Choosing Wine

Wine can get people flustered. Not just drinking it but making a selection. Some people know little about wine. Knowing the different types of wine will help you to make a more educated choice the next time you are out shopping for a bottle.Wines from the Canada or the United States are named first for the type of grape used in them and then for the place they were made. European wines are named by the place they were made and then by the type of grape. This simple explanation will help you to immediately define a domestic wine from an imported wine.The different types of wines are based upon what is used to make them and sometimes by the process in which they are made. The following list explains each type of wine.

• Red wine – These wines are made form dark skinned grapes or dark colored grapes.

• White wine – This wine is made from light skinned grapes or from dark skinned grapes whose skins have been removed prior to processing or fermentation.

• Rose wine- This is made from leaving the skins on dark grapes just so the wine is tinted and then removing them. A Rosé (Italian: Rosato) is a type of wine that has some of the color typical of a red wine, but only enough to turn it pink. The pink color can range from a pale orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grapes and winemaking techniques.

• Sparkling wine or champagne- This is made as a regular wine and then goes through a second fermentation process. Wine that undergoes a secondary fermentation in a vat (charmat process) or bottle (champagne) and thus becomes effervescent through the formation of bubbles of carbon-dioxide. To put it simply carbonated wine.

• Dessert wines – These are made the same as the others, but have a higher sugar content.

• Fruit wines – These wines are made from fruit other than grapes.

• Kosher wine – Made for those of the Jewish religions, these wines follow a rabbinical production process.

• Organic wines – This type is made from grapes that are grown organically. Wine is labeled “organic” or “made with organic grapes” with the strict organic rules set by the USDA National Organic Program.

• Ice Wines – A dessert wine made from ripe grapes grown in very cold climates that have been left on the vine and allowed to freeze. The grapes are pressed so as to leave the frozen water behind concentrating the sugars, acidity and flavour. A Canadian specialty.

• Homemade wine – high alcohol content avoid!! Instead, use it to peel wall paper. This usually relates to vino given to you and not wine you have made yourself.

• Nonalcoholic wines – These wines begin as a traditional wine and then go through additional processing to remove almost all of the alcohol.

When choosing a wine you really should go with your gut and from your personal preference or experience. Taste the wine and consider its flavor and the flavor of the food you are pairing it with. You do not want the wine to overpower the food. The wine is expected to compliment the food. If you are unsure purchase champagne which goes with anything.

Having some knowledge and a little background on wine can help you to make a more informed and confident decision. Having an idea of the general type of wine you want before arriving at the store will expedite your selection process.

You will need:
* Primary fermentation container (4-gallon food grade quality heavy plastic container with lid)
* Secondary fermentation containers (2 or 3 1-gallon glass jugs)
* Bung (rubber cork for the airlock to fit in, should fit into secondary fermentation container)
* Airlock
* Large nylon mesh straining bag
* 6 feet of clear plastic ½” tubing
* 5 wine bottles for one gallon of wine
* Corks (size #9 fits standard wine bottles)
* Hand corker
* Hydrometer (measures sugar content)

Other items that are useful but not essential are:
* Thermometer
* Acid titration kit (measures acid level)
* Grape press (essential if you are making wine from fresh grapes)

1. Wine added to a dish should be cooked uncovered and brought to a low boil, which removes the alcohol, and then reduced to a simmer.
2. For a lighter flavor, add the wine near the end of the cooking process, bring it to a quick boil, and remove from the heat.
3. Marinate tough cuts of meat in wine or wine based marinade overnight. The acid will tenderize the meat.
4. Reducing wines will concentrate the flavors and the sugars.
5. Do not use cooking wines. They’re usually over-salted which acts as a preservative, and the wine is usually of poor quality.
6. Do not cook with aluminum or cast iron pots when cooking with wine. Non-reactive cookware is best.
7. Wines for cooking should complement or contrast the main ingredients, not over power them.
8. To avoid a bitter flavor when deglazing add the wine over a low heat.
9. If a wine becomes to acidic in the reduction process add fresh or dried fruit to compensate.
10. Using a good quality wine means using less of it because it will have more concentrated flavors.
11. Save leftover drinking wines for cooking. Cork and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
12. Leftover wine can also be frozen in ice cube trays for future use.
13. Use a fairly acidic wine for a beurre blanc sauce. (Preferably a French Muscadet or Sauvignon Blanc).
14. Integral sauces would call for a little less acidity in the wine (Try a California Sauvignon Blanc).
15. Lightly colored fruity wines should not be used for sauce making. Cooking will destroy the delicate fruitiness and will make for a highly acidic tasting sauce.
16. Select red wines that are deep in color and low in acid. Especially for pasta sauces.
17. Red wines take on a different complexity when cooked with meats. The acids and the tannins will react differently with meats than they will with just vegetables, onions or mushrooms.

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To bring out the best qualities of bottled wine, it is essential that you provide the best possible storage conditions.

1. Keep the wine away from direct sunlight and strong flourescent light.
2. The wine should be stored in a consistent temperature range of 12 – 18 degrees Celsius (54 – 64 degrees F.) with the lower end of the range preferred. Avoid rapid fluctuations in temperature (no more than 3 – 4 degress Celsius over a year) as this will cause premature oxidation and flavour deterioration. If you cannot store your wine in this temperature range, it is best not to age your wine for long periods. Storing wine at above 20 degrees Celsius (68 degress F.) over time actually damages the taste and aroma, particularly in lighter bodied white and red wines.
3. Maintain a relative humidity range of 50 – 80 %.
4. Keep vibration and movement to a minimum.
5. Invest in proper wine storage units or in a true wine preservation system.