Professionals believe that wine tasting is a skill and not some exact science.  You see, when a person taste wine, his or her private decisions will affect how he or she perceives the taste of the wine.  According to studies, wine tasting involves the senses so the opinion of the person who tasted the wine is rather subjective.  Since the opinions of the members of a wine tasting circle may differ, the ratings a wine gets in one country may different from the ratings that it may get in another country.  Does this mean that wine tasting is an untrustworthy form of wine rating?  Well, not particularly, the difference in the opinion of the wine tasters do present some type of bewilderment at times but since many of us are called on to rank the wine, the opinion of the majority wins in the end.  If most of the wine tasters in a certain wine tasting circle claimed the wine is a 8 in the ten point scale, then that particular wine will be rated as a 8. 

The Beginnings of Wine Tasting

Tasting the quality of the wine is a particularly old tradition.  Way back in the olden times, people who are adept at testing the quality of the wine are called on to sample the wine before it is served to the king or the emperor.  The job of the wine taster is essentially extremely crucial.  Some kings and rulers are known to put to put to death the wine taster if the king doesn't like the wine served on his table.  Since wine tasting is thought of as a very important job in the older times, a formal methodology of the making a sensory analysis of the quality and taste of the wine evolved in the 14th century.  During this time, a method of ascertaining the quality of the wine was first established. 

Since the 14th century, the art of making sensory of evaluation of the standard of the wine have developed.  {However ,} the basic principles of ascertaining the quality of the wine still remain.  In our modern times, wine tasters still abide by the 4 well established points of tasting wines namely the appearance of the wine, the smell or the fragrance of the wine when put in the glass, the taste of the wine when you drink it and the after taste of the wine.  The results of these stages or points of sensory analysis are mixed to come up with a more complex analysis of the flavour of the wine.

Choosing a wine to go with a festive holiday meal can be a challenge. A bold, celebratory wine seems a good first pick - but it risks clashing with, or worse overshadowing, any of the delicious food prepared for the occasion. But too light or fruity, and the traditional holiday meats might make the wine seem bland in comparison. Furthermore, holidays are a time when families come together from all over town, the country, or even the world - and the bottle needs to be able to appeal to a diverse group of people. Here, therefore, are some ideas to get you started, along with some specific recommendations, so that the holiday bottle becomes a gift to share, not another source of stress.

Traditional Thanksgiving wines are many. A Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and earthy - a perfect pairing with a herb-encrusted turkey or herb-based stuffing dish. The warm, natural tastes of this particular wine could be the perfect complement. You might want to try the Beringer Vineyards, Napa Valley, 2004 - these fruity, zingy wines have a great earthy taste. Or, incorporate the grass notes of the $15 Ferrari-Carano from Sonoma County, for a rosemary-based dish. Riesling is another option, good with spicy dishes. A recommendation here is the $18 Pikes Clare Valley Riesling.

The problem, of course, is that one wine for spicy sides and one for the main dish isn't really ideal. This isn't a traditional three-course meal, usually, but a family-style extravaganza. For red wines, which are typically heartier and more suited to these wintry months, Pinot Noir is both simple and tasty enough to go with practically everything. Simple, homey, and sure to please - the perfect family Thanksgiving combination. For the more adventurous, the Beaujolais Nouveau might be a good choice. This fruity wine goes wonderfully with turkey - and best of all, it's perfectly seasonal; it's always released on the third Thursday in November! For your dessert - if it's pumpkin pie - bring out a cream sherry; they're sweet enough to stand up to the spicy confidence of the pie.

For Christmas dinner, a new wine can be an inventive way of making a traditional Christmas meal seem more even more special. Try a Zinfandel, for example, with a succulent Christmas ham, or a Shiraz with turkey. You would probably be better off sticking with red wines, since it is winter.  With lighter meals - cold meats or hams - try the Chianti Classico 2001 Borgo Salcetino, an Italian wine that can be had for under $15. Its tannin taste complements the ham well. For a fat bird like goose or duck, the velvety Chassagne-Montmrachet Rouge, Blain-Gagnard, is a rich Burgundy that will enhance the meat's richness. For a beef or lamb dish, try a Bordeaux (such as the 1998 Les Pagodes de Cos, St-Estephe, just over $20, an elegant, decadent bottle). And, a nice port might be the perfect finish!

One more thing about holiday feasts and wine - you may receive a bottle of wine from a dinner guest, as a gift. You shouldn’t feel obligated to serve it at all, unless it really is a special wine that goes well, and that you want to share. Or, you could just save it for another occasion; it is a gift for you, after all. And, don’t forget to store your wine properly, in a wine fridge or wine cellar, so that you can enjoy it when you finally do uncork it, for that special occasion. Even a 12-bottle wine cooler will do, but you'll likely find that you'll fill that up very quickly, so take expansion into consideration. (You can find a nice wine cooler buyer's guide at WineCoolerreviews.com.) In the meantime, enjoy your holiday meal with your friends and family, along with a choice selection of wine.

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 “Pale plonk packs an acidic punch!” says the BBC, Well, it does and it doesn’t. It also depends on the types of wine grapes as to how acidic the wine is and how long the wine is held in the mouth, as to how much damage is done. People who taste wine are much more likely to suffer from rotting teeth than your normal wine drinker, this is because they hold the wine in their mouths longer. Loads of noise on twitter for the story on http://twitter.com/winewarecouk and http://twitter.com/thirstforwine.

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So what does White wine actually do to teeth?

It should be pointed out that the erosion of teeth by wine is the result of extensive wine use that would also lead to damaged liver and all sorts of other problems. The typical wine drinker who sips a glass of wine at dinner or with their evening meal should not be ‘scared off’ by the tooth decay headlines, remember 100 year old women in Italy swear that wine was the secret of their longevity.

White wine stains teeth:

I think that anyone who has drank a few glasses of Red would agree that, yes, it does. Has it ever crossed your mind how this is? “Red wine, unlike white, contains a highly-pigmented substance known as chromogen," explained Dr. Wolff of New York University College says "The acids in wine create rough spots and grooves that enable chemicals in other beverages that cause staining, such as coffee and tea, to penetrate deeper into the tooth”.

Dr Wolff pointed out that all wine has the abilty to damage the tooths surface, red wine merely lets us know where that damage is.

Stop wine erosion on teeth?

1) Alkaline mouthwashes are highly recommended

2) Proper brushing of your teeth with a soft tooth brush is encouraged.

3) Food and drink go together very well, acid in your food and acid in the wine can both be combatted at once with your mouths natural mineralisation.

4) To help the remineralisation work, wait 30 mins after eating before brushing your teeth.

5) Cheese can also help as it contains calcium in a high concentration

I hope this is helped a little towards taking away the fear factor of White wine.

Think I need a drink after all that …

To complement a good dinner you need exquisite wine to go with it. When having a smart slap up meal the waiter would ask you what you would like to drink to which you would answer, “A bottle of your finest Nashik region sauvignon blanc wine or an original Maharastran Shiraz”. Like any good meal there are some essentials that you need, for example, glassware, an ice bucket to keep the wine cold (if it's white) and ideally someone to pour it for you. Whilst all of these are most often associated with fine French or Italian cuisine, India are now making a move for the market.

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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The fruit wine making process is one which is quite complex but which can be understood rather easily, if you are willing.  Using a guide like the ultimate fruit winemaker's guide will help you in your effort

Once you have all the equipment and a recipe book, you can begin your venture to making wine the best you have ever tasted. Home wine making allows you to try different flavor juices or fruits. You will find there are many different types of wines that you can make with a home wine making venture.

You might want a citrus wine favor. If so, you can use oranges, apples, grapefruit or gooseberry. If you want something a little less citrus flavored, you might try bananas, cherry, pear, peach, strawberry or grapes. There are people who use dandelions and rhubarb as well as watermelon and ginger root to make wine.

The next step in the wine making process involves fermentation. This is really where the magic is in the process and if left to its own devices, the must or juice will begin to ferment naturally within about eight hours, with the aid of wild yeasts in the air.  In clean wineries and vineyards however the fermentation process is quite different. Once fermentation begins, regardless of the chosen path, it will normally continue on until all of the sugar has been converted to alcohol and a dry wine is produced.

The second essential factor is to determine the available sugar in the juice and to make the required adjustments to the sugar level. A winemaking hydrometer is very useful to perform this job. It provides you all the required information regarding the sugar level in the juice including the current level of sugar, the potential of preparing alcohol and the required amount of sugar. There are actually a wide variety of sugars available in the market. You may become a little unsure which will be the best sugar for your wine.

Enjoy your wine as a professional wine taster. When the wine is ready to be opened, try a little taste before taking a few drinks. You want to savor the taste before making a judgment as to how it tastes. Your home wine making skills might have created a extraordinary bottle of wine. You might want to share some with friends to hear their opinions about the taste. A good wine maker always shares to find reviews. Once the reviews are in, you will know whether you have a great wine or maybe a best seller as well.