In the news recently was the high-profile contentious issue of wine producers being able to mix together red and white wine, and call the end product rosé. Classically rosé has been made by removing the white juice mixture from the red grape skins at just the right time so that it doesn’t absorb so much of the colour. However, spurred on by the squeeze of the global recession on wine produces, a number of countries passed a law saying that producers could now sell blended wine (white will a dash of red) under the label of rosé.

Countries such as France, widely considered the finest wine producing country in the world, were not best pleased with this “mutilation” of rosé wine and did not agree for it to be sold in their country, or even be given as wine gifts. However, those countries that have not set such strict rules for themselves, such as those in Australasia and Eastern Europe have profited from their liberalism. A spokesman from the New Zealand alcohol authority defended his country’s move by stating that people are free to consume whichever wine they wish. They never market their blended rosé as wine made in the traditional way and the difference in pricing makes it quite obvious this is a different product entirely. The spokesman argued that if people can make milk chocolate in a thousand different ways, why can the same not be done for rosé?

Many of the Australasian countries have even embraced the full blending together of other wines as well.In Fiji for example you can buy Chenin Blanc mixed with Pinot Grigio and Tempranillo blended with Cabernet Franc. Mirroring the laid back approach of New Zealand, the Fijian wine makers suggest that wine is able to be blended just as easily and with the same success rate as whisky. They state that companies all over the world, and in particular Scotland, produce some very fine blended whiskies that not only often taste superior to single malts, but that are also able to sell at more modest prices. Next they will be telling us which tableware we must use when consuming the wine, stated one official.

The new blended wine has proved to be a real hit internally with the Fijian population, with producers selling around 120,000 bottles in 2008. This might not sound like the largest figure in the world, but when you consider that the population of the country is little over 800,000, you soon realise how popular it actually is. There are plans to start exporting this fully blended wine very soon and given the fact they are able to undercut many ‘single malt’ wine produces, they are almost certain to do well.

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Australasian Wine Producers Have More Freedom Than Anywhere Else

The Indian wine industry is desperately trying to emulate the success of the sub-continents beer (Cobra) and food (Curry). However India’s oldest winery only dates back to early 1982 so the industry is still really in the starting phases. India as a nation are trying to increase their revenue stream as much as possible by broadening their own commerical potential. Exporting Indian wine as well as Indian beer and food will be a great move for India as a nation as this will un-doubtedly help their relation and profit prospects.

White wine and red wine go well with any meal and normally you would go for a wine that has been brewed and made in France or Italy for example, but Indian wine could change all of that. Sales have grown by 30% to 35% in India every year since 2002 and although only 2% of the population drinks wine, that still accounts for a staggering twenty million people. Last year alone the Indian wine market accounted for 1.two million cases of wine being sold, representing a doubling of domestic consumption in only just five years. Compared to global players in the wine industry – America last year produced 270 million cases – India remains a viticultural minnow but now producers believe they have spotted a receptive export for the globe and a massive avenue to make plenty of money.

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New Wine of India

Red wine and white wine sales are on the increase as well as champagne, whisky and cognacs. This has incidentally caused an increase in the sale of almost all drinking glasses, including crystal glasses and the humble whisky glass. The British public consumed 720 million bottles of red wine and seven hundred and sixty four million bottles of white wine in 2008 and that figure is expected to grow for 2009. However red wine is rapidly falling in popularity, as white wine and rose wine take larger shares of the increasing market industry.

Wine merchants have been extremely busy for the last year. Additionally, reports have indicated that many wine accessories such as glass vases, decanters and dinnerware have been selling extremely fast as a natural accompaniment to wine. The thirst for wine is set to deepen in emerging economies such as China and Russia, whose consumption levels are soon expected to overtake that of Spain in Europe which is another nation historically associated with wine. It predicted that the financial and economic crisis affecting many wine consumer countries worldwide would only have ‘limited’ consequences for the growth of the wine sector. The report forecasts vast growth for the coming four years roughly in line with pre-crisis trends. Either way it is a very terrifying thought.

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Britain Consume The Most Wine

The claim follows a 7 month trial carried out at the university, where mainly athletes with muscles tissue damage had wine applied and rubbed into the skin as part of the recovery massage regime. The results showed that incredibly, the participants whose massage included the use of wine, displayed a muscle recover rate of, on average, 25% quicker than those without wine.  Tim Herring from the Universities Sports Sciences department stated that “whenever muscles are used they become damaged to some degree….the research that we conducted showed the the healing of this damage was speed ed up when wine was included in participant's recovery massages.  It is thought that the alcohol in the wine numbs nerve endings and so allows muscles to reach a greater state of relaxation. This relaxation then allows a vaso-dilation of the blood vessels that surround muscle tissue and means more healing nutrients can get to the damaged tissue.This said, when the scientists tested other beverages with similar levels of alcohol content, the same positive effects on muscle healing were not recorded, which suggests there are additional elements in the wine that influence the process.

You probably won’t find that there is a rush in wine rack sales from health spas around the country, but maybe they will invest in some riedel vinum chardonnay just to give it a go.

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Wine Used In Massage

What most people do not have however are wine maps, showing exactly which regions produce which wine and at what time of the year. There have been some big leaps forward in wine map production in recent years and they are now meticulously researched.  The California wine map for example is updated every year due to the complicated layout of the area, especially after Napa Valley was officially recognized as an American Viticultural Area in 1981. In total then there are 108 AVA's in this region alone, with myriad terrains, varieties of grape and production methods.

Lots of people tend to rely on the information they can cleave from the label on the wine bottle, but if you really want to understand the wines you drink and why they each have their own unique tastes a wine map is a must. Wine regions can be quite confusing to say the least, so if you are actually going to see one for yourself, a wine map is as important to take as a wine glass. There are so many different factors that go into defining a wine's taste and lots of them overlap between various vineyards and production areas. A wine map will allow you to not only understand the wines better but also identify where the tastes and aromas coming from your wine glasses were born

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How Good Are Wine Maps?

Wood. As mentioned previously, wine is drunk from wooden cups in some places but it does have some major flaws. Stains are the first major issue, which more often than not occur as a result of red wine drinking. Even the less porous harder woods fall victim to this fate before long. Secondly, when wood is in contact with liquid from prolonged periods it starts to rot. So you would have to spend time making sure it was bone dry after using each time.

Metal. If you have ever drunk wine from a metal cup you will know it’s not the best experience ever. something called 'displacement' takes place with lots of wines as a result of the high ion count in most metals. This means that when the wine comes into contact with the metal it absorbs a number of the ions and effects the flavour. This is why you often pick up metallic notes when drink from this type of cup. Also, because of its very heat-conductive qualities, almost any other material would keep the wine cooler when you’re holding it

Ceramic.  Like glass, ceramic is non porous, does not release any of its qualities into the wine, and can be easily cleaned with a glass cloth. For these reasons it utilised an an alternative, however it will never be as popular as glass due to one elemental floor - you can't see through it. A large part of the experience of enjoying a fine wine is watching it swirl around the glass, admiring its body. Since glass was first developed, we have had the very simple and instinctive desire for this.

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Why Is That We Only Really Drink Wine Out Of Glasses

Fine wine prices have been rocketing upwards for many years now. As wineries continue to perfect their production methods and develop better storage facilities, the prices people pay for fine wines has crept up.Sotherby's Jame Richie who works as the top wine professional there actually said "Prices had risen to nearly unsustainable levels last spring".This has changed somewhat now however, as prices are starting to come back down during the struggling economy. March 2009 saw a relatively big downturn in prices averaging 1.2% according to Liv-Ex 100, the tracking index for the top 100 collectable wines.  This is trend that experts expect to continue for while and can in fact be seen throught the wine sector, from wine production to the sales of general wine glasses.

A bottle of Montrachet Domaine Romanee-Conti (1978) very recently got picked up at a Chicago auction for $3,500. $23,929 was the price paid for that same wine only a couple of years previous at Sotherby's auction. This sharp decline means that if you’ve ever wanted to start your own wine collection, either for your own consumption or as an investment, it will soon be the right time.The lowest point in that the market will face is predicted to be somewhere towards the end of the year. It should then be able to start gaining some speed again.

Wine investment expert, Joss Fowler has some words of wisdom for doing well. He recommends that a very good bet is, and always has been, a Red Bordeaux as they age beautifully. Also, always go for the best vintage and don't scrimp on cost, get the best you can possibly. Stick to this adage and you'll be filling up your little champagne flutes sooner than you think.

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As Fine Wine Prices Drop, There Has Never Been A Better Time To Invest

The ‘Redwood Creek’ range is aimed at 35-65 year old men who have an enthusiasm for the great outdoors.It is not aiming to venture into the extreme sports of even very active sports markets but instead aims at appealing to those who they would consider "active in nature".Outdoor pursuits that Gallo has said their new wines are inspired by include fishing, camping, hunting and hiking. They have already created links with the woodland trust, the Californian Tourist Board,Riedel Glass and clothing label ‘Regatta’. This kind of business linking technique has paid off the USA and they are hoping it will do in the UK also.

The new range of wines includes a simple Chardonnay and a couple of reds, a Merlot and a Cabernet Sauvignon.  Iain Newell marketing director for Europe has said that the new wine charms the very soul, with a rugged quality and a rich taste. “They will be everything you associate with nature and activity” Newell says, “freshness, passion and full flavours” are all qualities that this wine processes.  A great deal of research was put into investigating the market and developing the products and early feedback from the US suggests they could be on to something.

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E&J Gallo Have Now Made A Wine Aimed At Men

Location. Your bottles, both white and also red wine, are best placed in a cool room, away from the light and with moderate humidity levels. The best temperature to store you wine at is between 10° and 16° C (50° to 61° F).Anything higher than this will lead to a decrease in wine quality but anything higher than 25° C will seriously damage the wine's flavors and body. The wine can change colour if left in direct light and also increase in temperature. The bottle's cork can expand or shrink depending on the levels of moisture in the room air. This can lead to oxidation, a common problem where air seeps into the bottle and causes the wine (over a period of time) to react with the oxygen.

Positioning. You should lay the wine bottles on their side or slightly elevated when in storage. This is due to a real risk of the cork losing its natural moisture and contracting if not in contact with the wine. This can cause the wine to suffer from oxidation, a mentioned previously.

Display. You don't want your pride and joys to be hidden away the whole time. Sometimes you want to display them and show them off. A good choice would be a wooden wine cabinet because these tend to maintain a steady temperature and always go for one that lets you store your wines on their side.Avoid any that have glass paneling as this can use the air temperature to increase due to the greenhouse effect.

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The Best Way To Keep Your Wine At Home

Healthy or Excuse to Get Drunk? Nutrition

Many people don’t realize it but wine—specifically red wine—is a health drink if absorbd in moderation. Thats all because analyzes predict that red wine is plentiful in antioxidants.

More and more scientific findings show that drinking red wine owes its health benefits from the high level of antioxidants called "resveratrol," a kind of polyphenol known as "phytoalexin."  This is a group of compounds plants use to defend themselves against attacks such as untimely stress, possible injuries, or UV irradiation and certain diseases such as fungus and infection.

Resveratrol is known to be present in the core and skins of system and fermented grapes during the rigorous system of earning red wine. And, because of the long process and prolonged fermentation of grapes in red-wine making, high levels of resveratrol are found to be present in each bottle of red wine.

Red wine wonders

Nowadays, many people are using red wine as a health drink during their meals because they believe that since it is best antioxidant supplement,red wine can help veer them away from certain terminal illness as well as to all forms of diseases that come with aging. These belows are just some of the conceived profits of red wine as a heart drink:

- Serves in the prevention of developing various neuro-degenerative illnesses and diseases. Many analyses show that as of the high resveratrol content of red wine, it can help people—especially those who are getting older—to develop s and illnesses that are common to them like Alzheimer's infection and Parkinson's infection. Red wine is again believed to suspend the possible progression of dementia especially to older ones.

- Really nice for the heart. Experts concur that the specific substances in red wines like tannins & flavoniods can raise the levels of good cholesterol or highdensity lipoproteins (HDL) in the person's blood. The red wine's antioxidant properties can also help in the reduction of bad cholesterol or low-density lipoproteins (LDL). Once LDL levels are decreased, there is lesser chances of developing cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and stroke.

- Prevents certain cancers. Many people who are prone to the "Big C" are using red wine as a health drink because of the wonders brought by resveratrol in it. Experts believe that regular but moderate consumption of red wine can help fight possible cancer cells from proliferating and thus, preventing the development of the disease eventually.

- Reduces the harmful effects of food poisoning. Main advantage of redwine is that it reduce the toxicity by spoiled food. The properties in red wine can help cleanse the body from toxins and also help in avoiding dysentery as well as diarrhea.

- Prevents and maybe cures sure gum illnesses.Tobacco user are the ones who are prown to gum illnesses. But there are again those who also endure gum infection that are normally caused by inflamed brawn in the gums and anemic tooth. By using red wine as a health drink, experts believe that the polyphenols present in this can help reduce the presence of free radicals that cause the infection the and bacteria proliferation inside the person's mouth.

- Serves as blood thinner. For people with high blood pressure, red wine is an ideal health drink because it contains blood pressure lowering-substances and compounds that are effective in lowering high blood pressure.

- Provides healthy skin. For people who are after maintaining youthful skin, red wine can be a good health drink option because the number of polyphenols present in average consumption can prevent the damages brought by cell oxidation processes.

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How to Make Wine – Making Red Wine