Table of Contents What is a Wine Credenza? Factors to Consider When Buying a Wine Credenza Popular Wine Credenza Brands For serious wine collectors, the question of wine storage quickly becomes one of the primary issues you face, particularly as your wine collection grows and grows. You’ve got a number of options for places to store your wine -- wine racks, wine cabinets, wine coolers, and wine cellars for the especially ambitious, just to name a few. One … [Read more...]
Anyone who has spent enough time paying attention to the wine world knows that the industry is highly susceptible to trends. Some disappear seemingly as soon as they pop up, while others go on to influence the industry for many years to come. With 2017 right around the corner, it’s time to take a look at some of the wine trends that are likely to influence the wine world in the coming months, many of which show promise in terms of moving the industry in a forward direction. Want to stay … [Read more...]
In the depth of winter, many wines are well into their production process. With their harvest and fermentation complete, many of them are either bottled or are hanging out in toasted oak barrels. But for one particular type of wine, the cold winter months are when the fun is just beginning. Writings dating back to the first century A.D. by both Pliny the Elder and a Roman poet named Marcus Valerius Martialis reference wines made from grapes not harvested until after the first frost (or … [Read more...]
With the holidays right around the corner, many people are already starting to plan meals for family get-togethers. For wine lovers, this means also putting together a list of wines to pick up for the festivities. While there are countless different options to consider when it comes to choosing holiday wines, spice is where it’s at if you’re looking to create great food pairings. When we think “spicy” wines, we think grapes like Syrah, Malbec, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel, just to name a few. … [Read more...]
Rutherford dust, the minerality of Chablis...just two of the many ways wine geeks will describe wine in relationship to the region, or soils that they are grown. While many factors contribute to how a wine tastes, soil does contribute to characteristics in wines, as well as the vines' ability to grow. And while terroir is often used to describe a wine for its "sense of place" -- meaning the regional microclimates and grape varieties grown -- when it comes to soil, we’ll need to dig a little … [Read more...]
Though a special dinner at an upscale restaurant can be seen as a special event, there are other times in life when looking for an extra special bottle of wine is a must. It’s not necessarily to impress (well, who am I kidding, it kind of is), but instead is primarily to mark a celebration. It is a time to put forth a little more effort in picking out a nice bottle of wine versus our daily drinkers. Birthday Wines Birthdays are a milestone, and for many, no matter how hard we try to avoid … [Read more...]
When the word “wine” is uttered, one of the first things that comes to mind for most people is the 750ml bottle. Others may instantly notice the image of a cluster of grapes popping into their head, or perhaps a vast, sprawling vineyard. Others still, however, will find themselves visualizing a room full of oak barrels. This is true even for those who don’t quite understand what the barrels actually do, which can be confusing at first. That being said, the “barrel effect” so to speak is not … [Read more...]
It’s often said that there are some things in life worth waiting for, and few clichés are felt so thoroughly by wine lovers. The vast majority of wines on the market today are produced with the intention that they should be drank fresh, but this is not the case for certain styles and grapes. Take Brunello di Montalcino, for example, often abbreviated simply as “Brunello”. Produced from 100% Sangiovese -- a grape that is both modern and classic at the very same time -- Brunello requires a … [Read more...]
Once home to a mighty, decadent empire, and today associated mainly with cafe culture, chocolate cake and dramatic, mountainous landscapes, Austria is a fascinating country which is well worth looking into. Situated in the very heart of Europe, it sits on the edge of the east and west of this continent, sharing landlocked borders with Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Italy, Slovenia and Switzerland. Because of this, it comes as no surprise that Austria is at once a country with a … [Read more...]
Winter is a time of year to sit back and reflect, and also a prime opportunity to warm up by the fire at the end of a long day. Wine was built for relaxation, but there’s no getting around the fact that some wines just aren’t sturdy enough to stand up to the chill of winter. Others, however, are perfect choices for even the coldest of winter nights, just begging to be drunk by the fire. We call these Fireside Reds, and they’re sure to keep you warm this winter. Here are some of our favorite … [Read more...]
There are a variety of different things that people look for when choosing a restaurant. Obviously, quality of ingredients, preparation techniques and menu concept all play major roles in choosing where to go out to eat, as do location and pricing. For wine lovers, however, the decision often comes down to the wine list available, which can vary dramatically from one restaurant to another. Plenty of restaurants and bars offer at least a tolerable list that features one or two glasses that … [Read more...]
With a sunny, mild Mediterranean climate, glorious mountain ranges and a picturesque shoreline that stretches around much of the country, Portugal is an optimal location for wine production. However, the nearby countries of France, Spain and Italy have been traditionally attracting most of the attention among wine lovers for their own vintages. In recent years, Portugal has been shining in its own spotlight for award-winning, internationally-recognized wines. In addition, travelers have been … [Read more...]
While neither is inherently better than the other, it is important to understand the pros and cons of both thermoelectric and compressor wine refrigerators, so you can decide which is the best option for you. Below, we have outlined the benefits and drawbacks of both thermoelectric wine coolers and compressor wine coolers to help you make an educated decision when buying your unit. View Our Top Rated Wine Coolers Here The Benefits of Thermoelectric Cooling There are a lot of … [Read more...]
With its Mediterranean climate and dramatic mountainsides, very few think of South Africa as a force in the world of winemaking. But it’s actually a country that has been producing wine for almost as long as some of the Old World Wine producing regions we know today. It’s a region that has overcome many things in its three centuries of winemaking, and finally in recent years has seen international interest in wines as diverse as its people. History of South African Wine South African … [Read more...]
Everyone’s got a bucket list of one description or another, a detailed and criss-crossed catalogue of experiences which we feel compelled to tick off, before we grow too old and get tied down with the realities and grinding responsibilities of adult life. Some of us have a craving to watch the sunrise glow red over Uluru, others need to pad barefoot through the Forbidden City, or lie in the gardens of the Taj Mahal. Others still feel the call of adrenaline-fueled adventure -- to leap from an … [Read more...]
Sometimes, the world of fine food and wine can be a restrictive place. For all the talk of liberté and egalité that is implicit within viticulture and wine drinking, there are an astonishing number of rules -- written and unwritten -- which are strictly upheld through the medium of downward glances, muttered words and suchlike. These range from the appallingly complicated system of which glass is used for each wine, to the temperatures at which wines are served, and methods of pouring and … [Read more...]
When it comes time to order a glass of wine, the first thing that pops into most people's’ heads is the question of whether to go with red or white. There are, of course, other options (sparkling wine comes to mind), but on the average wine list, red and white essentially spell the boundaries of what is available. As restaurants throughout the world continue to place an increasing amount of focus on creating stellar wine programs, however, there’s a new, esoteric option beginning to pop up on … [Read more...]
It’s safe to say that more progress has been made in the way of making wine approachable in the past 20 years than ever before. Wine is no longer viewed as being the beverage of the elite, and the doors have opened up to a point where even those who never thought wine was for them are now able to find styles and varietals they enjoy without the pressure of trying to fit the part. Much of this shift can be attributed to the growing trend of wine bars opening throughout the country, which seems to … [Read more...]
Photo Credit: Wine Racks America The strong profile, the crisp bubbles, the tantalizing mouthfeel: A good glass of wine is always a treat. Your attraction to this libation may have led you to start buying and collecting your own wine. However, as the winemakers who lovingly and patiently prepare wine for many months or years already know, a bottle must be maintained properly for optimum richness and flavor. A wine rack is one such storage solution for those who have multiple bottles of wine … [Read more...]
If any country proves that it is possible to produce something from nothing, then surely Australia is the one. The land down under has gone from being a barren wasteland operating as little more than a prison colony under imperial English rule, to being a wealthy, cosmopolitan country in more or less one hundred and fifty years. Its wine industry is little different -- it wasn’t long ago that vines had never seen Australian soil, and there are no native varietals of grape anywhere in this part … [Read more...]
Photo Credit: Blue Apron Subscription boxes are all the rage these days -- just sign up online and get everything from clothes and make-up to food and gadgets delivered to your home on a regular basis. Naturally, where there’s a trend, there’s booze, and wine subscription boxes are a fun way to try out new wines, with less financial risk than with traditional wine clubs. Here’s why: Choice — Most wine subscriptions offer you a choice in what wine you get, either giving you a … [Read more...]
