http://local.interwine.co.uk/ InterWine.co.uk offers an extensive guide to all that is wine. 120 en-gb Articles@DirectoryM.com Articles@DirectoryM.com http://local.interwine.co.uk/ InterWine.co.uk offers an extensive guide to all that is wine. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Images/Image.aspx?Site=customDarkBlueWAdSense_en-GB Although the method for opening wine may depend on the type of corkscrew you are using, the general technique is as follows: First remove the plastic seal or metal foil around the top of the bottle (known as the capsule). You can do this by tearing or cutting it away, or by using a foil cutter. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Opening_Wine_London-r1348614-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Opening_Wine_London-r1348614-London_EN.html Unlike most agricultural crops, the grapevine does not require fertile, rich, soil to thrive, and the world's finest wines are nearly always produced from poor quality soils where few other crops would be worth planting. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Growing_Conditions_London-r1348613-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Growing_Conditions_London-r1348613-London_EN.html When buying wine, One of the major issues that people find difficult is deciphering the wine label. We aim to demystify this process for you, with an explanation of the wine classification system, and a guide to the often confusing appellation system in Europe. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Buying_Wine_London-r1348612-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Buying_Wine_London-r1348612-London_EN.html Green Grapes Green grapes are often yellow, pinkish or even brown on the vine, and go towards making crisp, refreshing white wine. They have wonderful array of flavours, producing wines that range from the breathtakingly sharp to the luscious and aromatic. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Green_Grapes_London-r1348611-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Green_Grapes_London-r1348611-London_EN.html As you try more and more wines, your awareness of flavour and your personal preferences will develop. Giving wine some contemplation whilst you're drinking it is easily the best method for finding your way around the grapes, regions and styles of the wine world. It's far more enjoyable than simply reading about it, and a taste will stay in your memory far longer than any book. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Wine_Tasting_London-r1348610-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Wine_Tasting_London-r1348610-London_EN.html Although in reality red grapes are deep purple or bluish, they are generally known by the colour of wine they produce. Although many of the wines produced from these grapes are robust and powerful, they can also produce wines of extreme delicacy and freshness. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Red_Grapes_London-r1348609-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Red_Grapes_London-r1348609-London_EN.html Not all wines are suitable for longer term storage, and most red wines, and almost all whites, will not benefit from more than four years of ageing. It is difficult for a winemaker to make a bottle of wine that tastes good after only one or two years, that can also evolve into something even better a decade later. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Storing_Wine_London-r1348608-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Storing_Wine_London-r1348608-London_EN.html decanting is merely the process of pouring wine from its original bottle into a carafe or a decanter, and may be carried out for one or more of the following reasons: To separate it from sediment that has formed in the bottle. To let the wine breathe. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Decanting_Wine_London-r1348607-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Decanting_Wine_London-r1348607-London_EN.html To understand how wine is made, it is important to understand the different components that go to make up the grape. If you take any grape and cut it down the middle it looks much the same. http://local.interwine.co.uk/The_Importance_of_the_Grape_London-r1348606-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/The_Importance_of_the_Grape_London-r1348606-London_EN.html Tips on Shopping for Wine Unless you set out for the wine shop with a specific bottle of wine in mind, you will have to make a buying decision based on limited information. Your goal is to bring home a wine you will like, at a price you feel comfortable with. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Tips_on_Shopping_for_Wine_London-r1348605-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Tips_on_Shopping_for_Wine_London-r1348605-London_EN.html If you are choosing a wine for several people to enjoy with dinner, you have one objective - pleasing everyone. If, on the other hand, you are choosing a wine for your own enjoyment, you have a much easier task, and you won't need to apologise to anyone if your choice of wine doesn't quite work out. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Risky_Wine_Choices_London-r1348604-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Risky_Wine_Choices_London-r1348604-London_EN.html Many established merchants and Internet-only wine 'e-tailers' have websites that you can browse at leisure, comparing prices gleaning far more information on individual wines than you'll be likely to find on a shop shelf. The wine will be delivered straight to your door, which gives you the added advantage that you don't need carry it home yourself. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Wine_on_the_Internet_London-r1348603-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Wine_on_the_Internet_London-r1348603-London_EN.html Pouring Wine When you pour wine, avoid tilting the bottle in an up and down motion. This motion increases the chance that the bottle will hit the rim of the glass, and may also make the wine shoot out of the bottle missing the glass altogether. It will also allow wine to drip down the front and sides of the bottle. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Pouring_Wine_London-r1348602-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Pouring_Wine_London-r1348602-London_EN.html Vintage wine is simply wine from a single year; it does not indicate that the wine is of greater age or distinction than a non-vintage wine. If a bottle states the year that it was made, then it's vintage wine. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Vintage_Wines_London-r1348601-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Vintage_Wines_London-r1348601-London_EN.html Any wine you choose to store should ideally be kept in the range of 9-15°C (48-58°F). If a wine is stored in a warm environment, it matures too quickly; in too cool an environment it will mature too slowly. However, maintaining a constant temperature is far more important than absolute coolness. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Wine_Storage_Conditions_London-r1348600-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Wine_Storage_Conditions_London-r1348600-London_EN.html There are two factors in determining the colour of a wine: the skin colour of the grape varietal, and the process the grapes go through when they are made into wine. Although red grape varieties are generally used to make red wine, their red colour would not be retained if the grape skins were not soaked with the juice. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Frequently_Asked_Questions_About_Wine_London-r1348599-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Frequently_Asked_Questions_About_Wine_London-r1348599-London_EN.html If you are buying wine for someone who likes white wine, then a New World Chardonnay is a good choice. As long as you don't choose the cheapest in the shop, then most Chardonnays will taste good. If possible, try to find one that isn't too acidic or oaky, however, any £8 Chardonnay from the New World will be a very safe bet. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Buying_Wine_for_Other_People_London-r1348597-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Buying_Wine_for_Other_People_London-r1348597-London_EN.html If you buy wines with labels printed in English where the grape variety or varieties are denoted, you will at least know a few things about your potential purchase. Not only will you have some idea of what you are buying, but after you drink the wine you can look at the bottle and know what type of wine you did, or didn't, enjoy. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Safe_Wine_Choices_London-r1348596-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Safe_Wine_Choices_London-r1348596-London_EN.html As a general rule, the cheaper, lighter or sweeter the wine, the cooler it should be. Inexpensive crisp, dry whites and dessert wines benefit from being served really cold, but if a fine white burgundy were chilled for the same amount of time, it would lose its subtle flavours. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Wine_Serving_Temperatures_1_of_3_London-r1348595-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Wine_Serving_Temperatures_1_of_3_London-r1348595-London_EN.html Choosing a Corkscrew Corkscrews are used for removing the cork from most wines bottles - apart from sparkling wines. When choosing a corkscrew, look for one with: a comfortable handle, an open spiral (solid core corkscrews tend to destroy delicate corks or get stuck in tough ones), a good lever system (a simple T-shaped corkscrew can make pulling the cork out hard work). http://local.interwine.co.uk/Choosing_a_Corkscrew_London-r1348594-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Choosing_a_Corkscrew_London-r1348594-London_EN.html As well as the standard 750ml bottle size found on supermarket and wine merchants shelves, and the useful half-bottle containing 375ml of wine, there are a number of 'large format' bottles, many of which are named after biblical kings. These large format bottles are popular with wine collectors, as the life expectancy of any wine tends to increase in direct proportion to the size of the bottle in which it is stored. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Wine_Bottle_Sizes_London-r1348593-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Wine_Bottle_Sizes_London-r1348593-London_EN.html There are many factors that affect the amount any of us will pay for a bottle of wine. Apart from the differences in how much each of us can afford to spend on a luxury item such as wine, it is likely that we'll pay more for a bottle to celebrate a special occasion, than for our everyday wine. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Understanding_the_Cost_of_Wine_London-r1348592-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Understanding_the_Cost_of_Wine_London-r1348592-London_EN.html If we want to taste wine at its best, to enjoy all its aromas and flavours and to admire its texture and colours, we need to show it a little bit of respect. This means opening it carefully, serving it at the right temperature, and using wine glasses designed for the purpose. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Serving_Wine_London-r1348591-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Serving_Wine_London-r1348591-London_EN.html If you're looking to improve your knowledge and appreciation of wine, then it's always a good idea to start with the basics. In this section, you can take a step back in time and look at the history of wine , and how it has evolved over the years, including the important influence New World wines have had on the wine industry. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Understanding_Wine_London-r1348590-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Understanding_Wine_London-r1348590-London_EN.html To really understand and enjoy wine, it helps if you can appreciate the role that the balance of alcohol, tannins, acidity, flavour and other components make in producing the finished product. It is up to the winemaker who manages the process from vineyard to bottle to manipulate these components to produce their desired style of wine. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Whats_in_the_Glass_London-r1348589-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Whats_in_the_Glass_London-r1348589-London_EN.html Boxed Wines are usually sold in boxes of 3 litres, with a bag inside the carton of wine that can be dispensed with the turn of a tap. Although these boxes are often bought for parties, they are also popular with anyone who just wants an occasional glass of wine in the evening. Once the box is opened, the wine inside will last a week or two before starting to deteriorate. http://local.interwine.co.uk/The_Wine_Price_Spectrum_London-r1348588-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/The_Wine_Price_Spectrum_London-r1348588-London_EN.html Most wines do not need to be opened early in order to let the wine breathe. A few fine red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz/Syrah or Nebbiolo may need to breathe for an hour or more, depending on how the wine was made and how mature it is. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Letting_Wine_Breathe_London-r1348587-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Letting_Wine_Breathe_London-r1348587-London_EN.html You can learn something about a wine simply by looking at the bottle shape. Many wine producing areas in Europe developed their own unique wine bottle shapes that became the traditional bottle for wines of that region. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Wine_Bottle_Shapes_London-r1348586-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Wine_Bottle_Shapes_London-r1348586-London_EN.html Only those red wines with sufficient tannins and acidity will last more than two or three years, which rules out lighter wines such as Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhône and most of the cheaper red wines, such as those from Central Europe. Generally, wines costing less than around £7.00 are unlikely to stand up to longer storage. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Storing_Red_Wine_London-r1348585-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Storing_Red_Wine_London-r1348585-London_EN.html The simplest way of reducing the effects of oxidation is to simply put the cork back in and store the wine in the fridge. If you have two leftover bottles of the same wine, pour the contents of both into one. The fuller the bottle, the longer the wine will last. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Storing_Leftover_Wine_London-r1348584-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Storing_Leftover_Wine_London-r1348584-London_EN.html A wine label is not just an attractive final touch to the bottle; it is a guide to its contents. Although you can see for yourself whether the wine is white or red, it is also useful to know which grapes the wine is made from, where they were grown, who made the wine, and when. With this information, you'll have a good idea of the style of wine you're buying. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Understanding_Wine_Bottle_Labels_London-r1348583-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Understanding_Wine_Bottle_Labels_London-r1348583-London_EN.html In this section we have a whole range of recipes to create light-hearted drinks with unpretentious ingredients and flexible amounts. Add wine to the fizz of sparkling water for a refreshing Spritzer, or combine the intense flavour of a liqueur and fruit juice to create a classy cranberry Valentine. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Drink_Recipes_Containing_Wine_London-r1348582-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Drink_Recipes_Containing_Wine_London-r1348582-London_EN.html The French appellation system is the most widely known system of quality control for wine. Other European countries have roughly equivalent gradings, though some have more categories. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Wine_Classifications_London-r1348581-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Wine_Classifications_London-r1348581-London_EN.html Wine glasses come in different sizes, and it is possible to buy a glass that holds two-thirds or even a whole bottle of wine. This is perhaps a little excessive, and a good general sized glass should hold between 310 ml (11 fl oz) and 375 ml (13 fl oz). Dessert wines are usually served in slightly smaller glasses - around 200 ml (7 fl oz). http://local.interwine.co.uk/Wine_Glasses_London-r1348580-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Wine_Glasses_London-r1348580-London_EN.html There are four fundamental factors that give wine with its characteristics: grape variety, soil, weather and winemaking technique: rich, low-lying valley floors and river deltas where so many crops thrive are not usually the best locations for growing wine grapes. http://local.interwine.co.uk/The_Fundamentals_of_Wine_Character_London-r1348579-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/The_Fundamentals_of_Wine_Character_London-r1348579-London_EN.html Wine was probably discovered by accident somewhere in the Fertile Crescent, the agriculturally generous expanse of river valleys extending from the Nile to the Persian Gulf. http://local.interwine.co.uk/The_History_of_Wine_London-r1348578-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/The_History_of_Wine_London-r1348578-London_EN.html Wine Appearance: Refers to a wine's clarity, not colour. Common descriptors refer to the reflective quality of the wine; brilliant, clear, dull or cloudy for those wines with visible suspended particulates. http://local.interwine.co.uk/Glossary_of_Wine_Tasting_Terms_London-r1348577-London_EN.html http://local.interwine.co.uk/Glossary_of_Wine_Tasting_Terms_London-r1348577-London_EN.html