Monday, July 25, 2016

Drinking Wine Before Bed Helps Weight Loss


There’s certainly enough scientific evidence out there that claims sipping some wine in moderate amounts is good for you. However, there’s an interesting bit of research that says that drinking some before hitting the sack can help you lose weight. While I don’t understand the chemistry behind this logic, it seems implausible. Wine contains alcohol that has calories and packing on added calories before bedtime without any exercise to work it off does not make sense. Some of the research was also carried out on mice and I don’t believe those results translate to humans that readily. As great as this concept would be, in my mind there simply isn’t enough human evidence from research that backs up this line of thinking.

Monday, July 18, 2016

Burgundy in Trouble


If you love Burgundy, you’re in for some hard times and higher prices. Burgundy production has never been large and has been dwindling continuously over time. However, for the last 6 years or so bad weather has devastated vineyards in the famed wine region, especially in the Côte de Beaune, reducing crops to scary low levels. Rain, floods and hail have done their damage causing consumer prices to sore even for low-end wines. As a producer, it’s bad enough if you own your own vineyards, but if you have to buy grapes from a grower, it’s insane. There’s so little fruit, that they can virtually ask whatever price they want, so the finished wines are much pricier. Consumers will have to lower their expectations and shop very carefully.

Monday, July 11, 2016

Natural Wine


“Natural Wine” is one of the hottest buzz concepts in the wine world today. Very simply, it is wine produced without chemicals and minimal technological intervention in the grape growing and winemaking. Although most is made organically and biodynamically, it differs in its winemaking and cellar practice. Nothing is added or removed during winemaking. Criteria include dry farming resulting in low yields; hand-harvested grapes only; no added sugars, foreign yeasts or bacteria; no acid adjustments; no additives for colour, mouth feel or minerality; minimal or no oak contact; minimal or no fining or filtration; no manipulation techniques to enhance flavour whatsoever, and minimal or no added sulfites.

Monday, July 4, 2016

Orange Wine


You know what style of vino is really popular right now? It’s “orange wine”. It’s simply white wine made from white gapes that have been macerated on their skins before fermentation. White wine is usually made without skin contact. This extended maceration on the skins gives the finished wine a golden pink to deep amber and burnt sienna colour. Like rosé, it’s very visually appealing. Although this style appears new the concept is ancient and has been around for some 8,000 years. It came to the foreground in the late nineteen-eighties when an Italian winemaker visiting Georgia resurrected the style. Now it’s hot, hot, hot and countless restaurants and bars around the world are having fun with it.