Jun. 25th 2009
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.
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Jun. 25th 2009
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.
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Jun. 17th 2009
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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