Tag: Wine

Best Picnicking Wines

Picnic season is right around the corner and they are a great way to enjoy the outdoors, good food and good company. Wine is often a staple for many picnics, so choosing the right wine is important to enhance the experience. Here are some of the best picnicking wines for your next picnic:

Rosé: A light, crisp rosé is the perfect wine for a picnic. It is refreshing and easy to drink, making it a great option for a warm day. Rosés are often made from a blend of red and white grapes and are known for their fruity, floral, and slightly sweet taste.

Sparkling wine: Sparkling wine is a great choice for a picnic because it’s festive and adds a touch of elegance to the occasion. Choose a dry, crisp sparkling wine like Prosecco or Cava for a light and refreshing option.

White wine: A light, crisp white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio is a great option for a picnic. These wines are easy to drink and pair well with light, summery foods like salads, fruits, and grilled vegetables.

Light red wine: If you prefer a red wine, opt for a light, refreshing red like a Beaujolais or Pinot Noir. These wines are lower in tannins and alcohol, making them a great option for a picnic in the sun.

Boxed wine: If you’re looking for a convenient and cost-effective option, consider taking a boxed wine. Boxed wines are easy to transport and can be as good as bottled wine.

When choosing the best picnicking wines, consider the temperature and the time of day. Wines that are too heavy or high in alcohol may be too much for a warm day, so opt for light and refreshing wines that are easy to drink. And, don’t forget to bring along a cooler to keep your wine at the proper temperature. Even though red wines are often served at a higher temperature, the direct sunlight can dramatically change the drinking experience.

In conclusion, picnics and wine go hand in hand. From rosé to sparkling wine to light reds, there are many options to choose from to make your picnic even more enjoyable. Just remember to choose a wine that is easy to drink and refreshing for a warm day in the sun. And don’t forget your bottle opener!

When you find your perfect wine and would like to bring it to your favorite restaurant, be sure to download the CorkageFee app to share your experience with other wine lovers. 

Why & How to Swirl Wine

Swirling wine is more than just a showy gesture often seen in movies and fancy restaurants. It serves a number of important purposes that enhance the overall wine-drinking experience.

First and foremost, swirling wine adds oxygen to the wine, releasing hundreds of aroma compounds that enrich the smell and taste of the wine. This is particularly important for red wines, which tend to have more complex aromas and flavors due to their extended time in oak barrels. Swirling the wine allows those aromas to be more fully expressed, enhancing the overall tasting experience.

Swirling wine also has the added benefit of clearing out any unpleasant smells, such as sulfides and sulfites, which can be common in wine. By swirling the wine, these odors are allowed to dissipate, resulting in a more pleasant and enjoyable wine-drinking experience.

In addition to enhancing the smell and taste of the wine, swirling also allows for a better understanding of the wine visually. By swirling the wine, the “legs” or “tears” are exposed, which can give clues about the wine’s body and viscosity. The viscosity of a wine is determined by the amount of alcohol and sugar present, with higher alcohol and sugar levels resulting in a thicker, more viscous wine. A wine’s viscosity can be an indicator of its flavor and mouthfeel, with thicker, more viscous wines often having a fuller body and a richer, more intense flavor.

Swirling wine also allows for a better appreciation of its color. A wine’s color can provide clues about its age, grape variety, and the conditions under which it was grown. For example, a young red wine will often have a brighter, more vibrant color, while an older red wine may have a more muted or brick-like color. Similarly, a white wine’s color can range from pale straw to golden yellow, depending on the grape variety and aging process.

So, how do you properly swirl wine? There are a few different techniques to choose from, but the two most common are either leaving the wine glass firmly planted on the table and making circles with the base, or picking up the wine glass and ever-so-slightly flicking your wrist to make small circles in the air. Both methods work well, and it really comes down to personal preference. Just be sure to choose a wide wine glass, as this allows for more exposure to oxygen and allows for a more thorough swirling experience.

It’s also worth noting that a sommelier will often only pour a small amount of wine in your glass for the first taste. This is not just to be stingy, but rather to provide maximum exposure to oxygen, which allows the wine’s aromas and flavors to fully develop.In the end, swirling wine is all about having fun and enhancing the overall wine-drinking experience. So, go ahead and give it a try, and see how it enhances your appreciation of the wine you are drinking. Find a local BYOW restaurant to practice swirling your favorite wine by simply downloading the CorkageFee app now!

Understanding Wine Bottle Labels

At first, reading a wine label can be overwhelming, but once you understand what the information means, it will help you choose the best wine suited for every occasion. Wine labels have a multitude of information including the vineyard where the wine is produced, the year, alcohol by volume and much more. The wine label provides consumers with precise details and history of the wine.

  • Brand Name – When looking at a wine label you will notice that most of the time the brand name appears in larger letters than the rest of the writing on the label.
  • Vintage – The vintage states the exact year the grapes used to produce the wine were harvested.
  • Vineyard – The name of the vineyard reflects the location where at least 95% of the grapes used to produce the wine came from.
  • Type of Wine – This information is mandatory and must be placed on all wine bottles according to federal regulations. This information provides the type of grapes used to create the wine. In addition, you may also see the appellation of origin, but that information is optional.
  • Bottler – The bottler and/or producer of the wine is mandatory content on wine labels. You will see the name of the bottler and the location in which it was bottled.
  • Alcohol Content – The alcohol content is also known as “ABV” on wine labels. This information portrays the alcohol content by volume. The alcohol level indicates how rich the wine may taste. American produced wine commonly has 17% ABV, especially for the dry wines, while the European wine regions who produce the highest quality wines hold the ABV to 13.5%. Only the finest wines can hold the 13.5% ABV.
  • Acknowledgement of Sulfites – The information about sulfites is a mandatory requirement. Grapes naturally contain sulfites from the vineyard where they are harvested. The declaration of sulfites is required on imported and domestic wines.
  • Contents – The fluid volume is measured in metrics and is mandatory on all wine labels.
  • Government Warning – This information is mandatory for all wines created after 1989. According to federal regulations all wines are required to provide a health warning.

The next time you are choosing a wine for a special date, romantic dinner, celebration, dinner party, special event or for dinner, you will be able to read and understand all the details on the wine labels. This information will guide you toward the best suited wine for the occasion.