Vinceremos Organic Wine Blog

In recent years customers have often come to us wanting to know if there are indeed any benefits in drinking red wine.  The understanding that organic wine is more often than not healthier (because there are fewer chemicals used in its production) is only the start of the response as research undertaken over the last few years has indicated that there may be a benefit to drinking red wine over white – this is not to say that only organic red will suffice, but it certainly gives you a head start! Read the rest of this entry »

Having recently completed a presentation to vegans and vegetarians in London it was made more apparent than ever just how many people  are unaware of the fact that wines can be fined using animal by-products.    Read the rest of this entry »

Corks and Closures – What works best?

Every wine-drinker has something to say about this subject. Corks? Screwcaps? Plastic stoppers? Just which of these is the best way to seal a bottle of wine? There is no definitive answer to this unfortunately, but there are plenty of facts which allow one to form an opinion. Read the rest of this entry »

Châteauneuf -du-Pape (literally ‘the pope’s new castle’) is the most famous wine of the Southern Rhone region as well as being regarded as the greatest. For many wine lovers it was the first ‘quality’ wine they experienced as it remained fantastic value while the great wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy reached prices many couldn’t afford. Prices have since risen and one can expect to pay around £20 for a top quality bottle although there are producers whose reputation dictates prices of well over £30 and beyond. Read the rest of this entry »

Wine sediment and decanting
Sediment occurs mainly in red wine but occasionally tartrate crystals (see below) can appear in white and rosé wine – old dessert wine sometimes ‘throw’ a brownish sediment. Such deposits are not an indication of a fault in the wine. In fact most very expensive wine that is made to be aged to maturity – e.g. high class Claret, vintage Port – will throw sediment. This is the result of pigments and tannins breaking down.

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Malolactic fermentation – I’ve heard of that but what is it?

This fancy sounding process may have a complex name but it is very easy to understand in principle although it takes expertise to get it just right.

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Oak in wine – do I want that?

This subject is a real hot potato! Many wine drinkers have very firm opinions on the use of oak in wine but as it tends to be present in many of the worlds greatest wines it’s impossible to discount its importance. The nuances of vanilla, spice, nuts, caramel, cream, toast, butter etc. that oak can give to wine can enormously increase the wine’s complexity. The negatives are that wines can be ‘too oaky’ and have little else going on but oak character. Read the rest of this entry »

Botrytis Cinerea or Noble Rot
Whether these words are familiar to you or not, if you’re a fan of sweet wine you are likely to have encountered this sometimes magical fungus which affects grapes in certain conditions. Read the rest of this entry »

Bottle shapes – why do they differ?
Although we are used to seeing a variety of different bottle shapes on today’s market many people are unfamiliar with their origins. Most bottle shapes are from France where strict laws dictate which shape can be used in which region.

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Tartrate Crystals – what’s that?
It’s a common misconception that the small clear crystals found in wine (mainly white and rosé) are an indication that the wine is faulty. These sugar-like deposits are often found on the under side of the cork but can be found in free suspension in the bottle or settled at the bottom. They are completely harmless crystals which can form when a wine gets cold. Read the rest of this entry »