Stonehurst Wines

Stonehurst Wines
Stonehurst Cedar Creek Wines rate 5 Stars !

Australia's most recognised Wine Judge, James Halliday, rated Stonehurst Wines 5 Stars in the 2009 Australian Wine Companion.

Halliday tasted the Shiraz and Chardonnay, gave both 94 points, 91 for the Chardonnay-Semillon. 'Winestate' gave our 1999 Semillon the top rating for a 1999 Semillon. And our medals in the annual Hunter Boutique Wine Show just add to the testament that our organically grown wines are certainly delivering the great flavours known of Stonehurst.

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Wine Tasting Cartoon

Wine Tasting Cartoon
Wine Tasting Cartoon

Wine tasting is an interesting conversation subject at parties. While some people are really interested in it and want to learn how to taste wine the proper way, others will simply say 'but I know how to taste wine, I don't need a lesson in it'. In a way it's true, everybody has the knowledge on proper wine tasting, however not everyone actually knows how to apply that knowledge in real life.

Wine Tasting Cartoon

Wine tasting is not like drinking water or your favorite juice. There is an art to savoring it in a way that will release its full bouquet in your mouth, making all your taste buds get a unique experience from it. Gulping it down is definitely not the way to go, however I've seen some people do just that during a party. Besides the fact that they wake up the next day with a major headache (aka hangover), they don't get to really enjoy wine the way it's supposed to be enjoyed.

Wine Tasting Cartoon

Wine Tasting Cartoon

Wine Tasting Cartoon

Wine Tasting Cartoon

Wine Tasting Cartoon

Wine Tasting Cartoon
Wine Tasting Cartoon

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Wine Racks Wood

Wine Racks Wood
Wine Racks Wood

Wooden racks are timeless and classic. There is nothing more beautiful than displaying a collection of fine wines in a well-designed wood rack. They are excellent for basement and cellar long-term storage.

Wine Racks Wood

Quality wood stands are constructed with mildew resistance capability, while allowing for the absorption of moisture. This is critical to keeping the cork moist and secure in the bottles. All wood parts that come in contact with the bottle should be free of any stain or varnish. Odors from these substances can seep into the wine.

Wine Racks Wood

Wine Racks Wood

Wine Racks Wood

Wine Racks Wood

Wine Racks Wood

Wine Racks Wood
Wine Racks Wood

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Wine Racks Wall

Wine Racks Wall
Wine Racks Wall

Wall Wine Rack - The Perfect Solution For Wine Storage
By Jeffrey R. Sanders - Ezinearticles

Extreme wine collectors will always be trying to find a dependable and secure system to preserve their treasured and oftentimes expensive bottles of wine. A wall mounted wine storage rack is an excellent alternative. It will be securely mounted on whatever wall in your abode, garage, cellar or restaurant.

Wine Racks Wall

The wall mounted wine rack is terrific for smaller rooms or condos too. They usually are nicely hung over a buffet or sideboard. They are often custom made to fit in a pantry or behind a door in a small kitchen. These types of racks are really the ideal method to maximize wine storage in any dimension room, small or large.

Wine Racks Wall

They can be found in many different kinds and shapes. They usually are seen made in iron, cherry, pine or oak or any kind of wood which can complement a home's décor. You'll find metal wine racks as well for the professional design kitchen creating a very professional feel and look.

A wall mounted wine cabinet often has the storage shelves at just the right a slope for conserving wine corks moist. It's normally recommended to pick a setting which is cool and dry and never in direct natural light. The racks normally would even decrease the potential for breakage if a building or space would rattle or shake for any reason.

Wine Racks Wall

There is certainly a wall mounted wine storage rack to designed many wine storage desire. A number of styles come with wine glass stemware racks fastened also resulting in a pretty efficient looking storage choice. They're also able to be hung right from the ceiling, such as, above a kitchen island conserving precious floor space.

Wine Racks Wall

You could have your wall hung wine storage rack professionally installed or do it yourself. They can be obtained completely assembled or unassembled and put it together yourself. When they are correctly mounted on the wall they could handle significant pounds permitting them to hold a quantity of bottles of wine.

Wine Racks Wall

Where a wall mounted wine rack is installed depends upon the owner's requirements. A wine rack might be installed in the dining room making it quite simple to serve wine at a dinner celebration. A small design may well be located inside kitchen to stock cooking wines or wines being served with a simple dinner. Or a wine rack may just be placed in a prominent space to exhibit your exclusive collection of collector wines.

Wine Racks Wall

Wine Racks Wall

Wine Racks Wall
Wine Racks Wall

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Wine Glass Drawing

Wine Glass Drawing
Wine Glass Drawing

A Great Gift - Fake Wine Glasses
By Sarah Sandori - Ezinearticles

If you're looking for a great gift for a wine lover, may I suggest fake drinking glasses? When I say "fake," I'm referring to the material from which they are made. These are real glasses in the sense that you can pour wine into them and drink from them, but they are not made of glass. The magic word is "polycarbonate."

Wine Glass Drawing


Polycarbonate is a type of plastic -- one of the most amazing ever invented. It's incredibly tough and shatter-resistant, and for that reason (among others) is used in eyeglasses, sunglasses, greenhouse windows, car headlights, CDs and DVDs, and cell-phone casings, to name just a few applications.

Wine Glass Drawing

Nowadays you can also buy a huge variety of dining ware made from polycarbonate, including wine glasses, which is what we're interested in here.

The main advantage of polycarbonate wine glasses is their durability, which is in sharp contrast to the fragility of typical crystal stemware. If you serve wine at your table, you know how easy it is to break stemware, whether in the dishwasher or simply from normal handling. But even if you try to break them, polycarbonate glasses will last forever.

The main disadvantage of polycarbonate glasses is their weight. Most of them are too light!

Wine Glass Drawing

Light weight is an advantage in eyeglass lenses and cell phones, but in a wine glass it just doesn't feel right. Part of the enjoyment of wine comes from the heft of the glass itself -- we don't want to feel that we are sipping our favorite vintage from some cheap, throwaway cup.

Wine Glass Drawing

The solution? Make sure you look for double weight polycarbonate wine glasses. These are made specifically to replicate both the look and feel of good crystal stemware. Many people cannot tell the difference between them, in fact.

Wine Glass Drawing

Double weight polycarbonate wine glasses are not especially cheap, but as a special gift -- to a friend, loved one or even yourself -- they can't be beat.

Wine Glass Drawing

Wine Glass Drawing
Wine Glass Drawing

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A Wine Tour Of France

A Wine Tour Of France
A Wine Tour Of France

VITAL INFORMATION
Population 63,587,700
Languages spoken French
Currency Euro (EUR); 1 EUR = 1.28 USD
Average temperature About 63°F in spring and fall
High season April to May, mid- to late September

Given France’s size and vast number of must-see attractions, it can be tough to fit it all in three weeks, never mind three days. So for this trip, we’re focusing on a wine tour. Our itinerary is a little aggressive and contrasts the ideal of taking one’s time while wine touring, but a quick tour trumps no tour at all.

During the flight to Europe, spend some time refreshing your memory with publications like The Wine Bible, Wine for Dummies or Wine Spectator Magazine. You’ll have a fresh recollection of what to try and what to expect so you can make the most of your limited time in France.

All prices are listed in U.S. dollars.

Day 1: Wine and old-world charm

Upon your arrival in Paris, drive about four hours southwest to Saumur in Val de Loire, the Loire Valley. Given its proximity to Paris, you’ll be amazed at how old world the region stands in contrast to the modern capital. In fact, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated this area a World Heritage Site between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes in 2000. Once in Saumur, check in at Hôtel Anne d’Anjou for about $100. To describe the hotel as “historic” would be an understatement: Percier and Fontaine, architects to Napoleon I, designed the decor here.

After check-in, it’s time for a short drive to Domaine des Baumard in the nearby village of Rochefort-sur-Loire. Established in 1634, generations of the Baumard family have produced some the region’s finest wines, especially light, crisp whites that are not to be missed.

Back in Saumur, you won’t have to wander far for dinner. In fact, Les Menestrels is located right in your hotel. Overlooking landscaped gardens, the 16th-century structure houses one of Saumur’s finest restaurants. The fixed-price, French-cuisine menus range from about $40 to $70. We suggest the John Dory fish with chestnuts and smoked mushrooms, another specialty of the Loire Valley. Chances are good you’ll get another chance to enjoy Baumard wine with your dinner.

Day 2: Palate pleasing in Cognac


Because of yesterday’s long flight and drive from Paris, today will be less hectic. You’ll leave Saumur and set out for Cognac, a couple of hours’ drive southwest in the Poitou-Charentes region. Just northwest of the city’s heart is your hotel, Hostellerie Les Pigeons Blancs, a 17th-century inn named for the white pigeons nesting in the mossy stone exterior walls. It’s quite a sight, but we don’t recommend gawking upward too close to the building. Rooms range from about $70 to $140.

Spend your third and final day getting tipsy off the Bordeaux…

Victor Hugo called cognac “the drink of the gods,” so we’d be remiss to come all this way without sampling the wine-derived brandy. By French law, cognac can’t be labeled as such unless it’s produced here. Because of this fact, this rather small area is home to many producers, including Courvoisier, Hennessy and Rémy Martin. The Rémy Martin estate is just outside Cognac and offers regular tours from May through September.

After touring, you’ll enjoy dinner at the hotel. Here we recommend checking out the fixed-price menu, with selections from about $50 to $90. Chef Jacques Tachet’s offerings will make it tough to decide, but his rack of lamb with grated truffles is a can’t-miss. You’ll also enjoy a foreshadowing of tomorrow with Bordeaux for dinner. Of course, you can’t complete the evening without one last cognac.

Day 3: Oh, the Bordeaux

We’ve saved the best for last. This is one of the world’s great wine-producing regions, and the perfect way to finish our whirlwind wine tour. As you take the drive from Cognac, point the car toward the village of Pauillac. This is where some of the best-loved, first-growth wines are born, including Château Lafite-Rothschild, Château Latour and Château Mouton-Rothschild.

Château Mouton-Rothschild sees thousands of visitors every year, making it a bit risky to get caught in a pack of tourists. The wine is worth the risk, though. The tour is about $20 if you want to include tasting -- which, of course, you do.

In nearby Médoc, spend your final evening at the celebrated Cordeillan-Bages Hotel. It’s a rare case when a hotel’s restaurant has a stronger reputation than the equally elegant accommodations, but that seems to be the case here. A night here is often an impromptu necessity after diners enjoy too much wine with their meals, but that’s not to suggest the rooms aren’t without charm. Some are contemporary, others traditional, but all are elegant and inviting.

Rates are pricey, so opt for one of their basic rooms for around $185. As for dinner, bring your appetite. Fixed-price menus range from about $60 to $120, and a la carte main courses from about $35 to $60. Decisions won’t be easy, but strongly consider the foie gras on a confit of peaches with a reduction of port wine. Finish the evening in the hotel bar with a glass of Bordeaux, reflecting on your travels.

Travel tips
  • Plan your visit. This means planning more than air and hotel reservations. In many cases, you will need to arrange your trip around the vineyards’ schedules. You might not be able to get in without credentials, so you may have no choice but to take part in an organized tour.
  • Keys, please. Despite the abundance of wine, France hates drinking and driving with a passion, and the penalties are harsh. Spitting good wine is better than jail.
  • When visiting a vineyard, signs saying degustation indicate places for tasting. Wine is for sale when you see en vente directe and/or vin à emporter.
  • Check out the tasting rooms, which are common in villages. They may feature the wines of several vineyards, including some hard-to-visit wineries. What’s more, you’ll be able to enjoy the wine and safely return to your hotel by walking.

Days of wine and… more wine

You could easily spend three days in any of France’s wine regions, so to cover three regions in so few days means you’ll have to pick and choose your sights carefully. Still, a whirlwind wine tour is better than none at all.

From: http://uk.askmen.com/fine_living/keywords/wine.html
A Wine Tour Of France

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Learning About Wine

Learning About Wine
Learning About Wine

So you want to learn about wine and don’t know where to start. This article is a good place to begin your adventure. The world of wine can be an intimidating and complex field, but the best way to get to know wines is to dive right in, try a bottle, and become familiar with its subtle nuances and tastes.

Firsthand experience is the best way to go about attaining a better appreciation for wine. The following are a few ways to get some real hands-on experience that will have you enjoying -- and learning about -- the grape in no time at all.

Take a wine tour at a local vineyard

Who better to go to for advice than the winemakers themselves? Many vintners will happily play host to visitors, and will go through the details of how they produce their wines and what makes their wines special. The best part about these tours is that you can expect to enjoy some samples with an opportunity to buy. Good vintners should be delighted to tell you about the nuances of each of their bottles and will make suggestions regarding food pairings.

If there isn’t a vintner near you, plan your next holiday near a tourist-friendly wine region. These regions extend throughout the world, from California’s Napa Valley to Northern Italy. You might also consider a trip to southern Ontario’s Niagara River Valley or the Loire Valley in France. It’s a wonderful experience to combine travel with wine tasting.

Try a different bottle each week

Make a point to select a different wine each week or month. Before purchasing it, research the varietal, the bottle and the right foods to pair it with. If you make tasting a regular event at your place or at a restaurant, you can experiment with different varietals and learn what works best with various dishes.

Ask the clerk

The great thing about serious wine shops is that they employ people who really know the products they sell -- unlike some retail stores where you probably know more than the kid at the cash. Once you’ve found a knowledgeable distributor, ask some questions: What’s good? What works with my dinner tonight? Why do you recommend this? A good wine clerk will have answers to all of these questions.

Learning through literature versus social events…

Ask the sommelier

A sommelier is a trained expert who has gone through years of instruction. He is employed by a restaurant to explain all the details regarding the wines in the cellar. It’s the sommelier’s job to make recommendations; feel free to take a few moments and pick the sommelier’s brain.

Use the trade media

Viticulture is big business and there’s a plethora of resources that deal exclusively with the subject of wine. While reading magazines and watching shows about wine may not be the absolute best way to learn, these resources will certainly give you some guidance.

Some of the top wine magazines include Wine Spectator, Decanter, Food & Wine, Wine Enthusiast, and Wine International Magazine.

Some of the best TV shows you’ll find are The Thirsty Traveler, Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello, Good Eats with Alton Brown, and Dave Does. Keep your eye on Food Network for other productions.

Read the label

Another great place to find out about tasting nuances and food pairings is on the product itself. The label usually provides a quick hit of information on what to expect from the bottle and what to pair it with. Labels may also provide you with information about the growing region and the serving temperature.

Order by the glass

If you’re settling in for a multicourse meal at a restaurant, instead of ordering a bottle, try ordering a different glass for each course. This is great way to learn more about different varietals and how they stand up to different foods. As above, ask the server or sommelier for suggestions.

Visit a wine bar

Wine bars are a cool place to relax and sip some great wines. They’re sophisticated and laidback -- think white tablecloths, cozy ambiance, cool jazz, and a great wine list. It’s the perfect place to sit and chat about wine, possibly with people who know more than you do.

Take a class

Quite often, local colleges offer classes in wine appreciation that are hands-on and allow you to sample different wines. A good beginner’s class will give you a better understanding of the wine vocabulary, a sampling of the major varietals, instructions on how to pair wines with food, and what to look for on the label.

Moreover, your local retailer might also offer tasting nights that allow you to learn about a handful of wines.

It’s a good night if each one of your friends brings a bottle…

Learning About Wine

Host a tasting party


Get a few friends together at your place on a regular basis for a potluck dinner or a wine and cheese party. Ask each of your guests to bring a bottle and tell them to be prepared to explain their choice, and why they thought it would work well with a particular cheese or dish. You might also want to try tasting the wines blindfolded to get a better appreciation of what you’re drinking.

One final note: Be sure to invite at least one guest who understands something about wine so that they can explain why a bottle does or doesn’t work with a particular food. This will help you and your guests learn.

Visit a wine expo

Many big North American cities host annual wine shows. These are usually professionally run expositions where you can meet with wine producers and sample their products. These expos also usually have quick tasting courses that allow you to sample and learn.

Keep a wine log

One final tip that you’ll want to keep in mind for all of these occasions is to keep a log of your wine-tasting experiences. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but you do want to devote a page to each bottle you try. Paste the bottle label in the book and write down your tasting notes as you enjoy the wine. A well-kept log is a handy reference to your own experiences with each wine -- not just what someone else thinks. What’s more, a wine diary is very useful when planning an evening of drink and grub.

From bottle to glass

The point of wine tasting is to get out there and fearlessly try different things. When you’re tasting wines, you’re going to love some and you’re going to hate some, but the most important thing is to learn why you love and hate them. This will help you build a great base of wine knowledge that will last a lifetime.

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Port Wine Basics

Port Wine Basics
Port wine basics for the neophyte

Traditionally served as a dessert wine, port wine has emerged as the sipping alternative to wine and cocktails at luncheons, after-work outings and at-home get-togethers.

What is porto?

You know that Europeans take their Porto seriously when the EU drafts legislation to define what it is. For the record, port is a fortified wine, produced in the Demarcated Region of the Douro, Portugal.

Officially, real port wine comes only from Portugal, very much the same way that true Champagne comes from the Champagne region of France. All other bubbly would be considered sparkling wine.

The alcohol in port wine is produced under very specific conditions that result from natural and human factors. While aging in wood, port wine's fruity aroma develops through oxidation to create a bouquet that is reminiscent of dried fruit, toasting, wood, and spices. The aging process also adds to its smoothness while making the bouquet more complex. Much older wines have a greenish tint.

Traditional production methods include stopping the fermentation process by adding grape brandy (beneficio) and other details relating to the aging of the wine. But since this article serves up the basics for the consumer and not the producer, I will focus on the info that you really need to know.

Can you handle it?


Port wine is different from other types of wine because it has an above average alcohol content; most range between 19% and 22% by volume. Another special characteristic is that its color and sweetness will vary according to the different types of port.

There are several styles of port, but there are essentially two aging styles: reductive aging and oxidative aging. Ports that are aged using the reductive process are sealed in their container and have no exposure to oxygen. They are smoother and less tannic. The ports that are aged using the oxidative process are matured in wooden barrels and are slightly exposed to oxygen. Oxidated ports are more viscous and intense. Following are several port styles that have been aged using one of these two methods.

Ruby

Ruby is the label given to younger wines that display a deep color; they are fairly fruity and are usually aged for between three and five years. This port is aged using the reductive process and it is stored in concrete or stainless-steel containers. It is the cheapest and most readily available port in production and it is often blended to match the style of the distributor.

Tawny


Generally speaking, blended tawny types vary considerably and they are aged using the oxidative process. Tawny Reserve port ages for a minimum of seven years in wooden barrels, where it takes on a nutty flavor. Other tawnies are a blend of several different vintages and the average age is printed on the label.

Port wine with an indication of age

Such wines are often tawny and are blended from wines of different years, expressing the nature of the wine as regards to characteristics that are given to it through oxidative aging in wood.

Connoisseurs understand, then, that a 20-year-old wine has the color, texture, aroma, and taste of a wine that has aged in wood for 20 years. Speaking of that legislation, the decreed age indicators are 10, 20, 30, and more than 40 years.

Don't call it a night just yet; which port wine is best for you?

Dated port

Wines from a single year can be sold after they have aged for at least seven years. These uniform types are labeled "dated port."

Late bottled vintage (LBV)

LBV port is also from a single year, only it's borne from years of excellent quality and is aged longer in wood barrels than is the case with vintage port. Generally, it is bottled between the fourth and sixth year after it is made. It is red in color, full-bodied and smooth. Traditionally, it's gentler and more full-bodied than vintage port wine (of the same year).

Vintage port

Vintages, as the name suggests, are wines of superior quality, produced in exceptionally great years from distinct areas within the region. Vintage port is kept in wooden barrels for two to three years of oxidative aging before it is bottled.
Vintages are very full-bodied and deep-colored. Once they are in the 10- to 30-year aging process (in the bottle), they get a smoothness and elegance that gradually takes over from their initial bitterness. A powerful Vintage is 1983 Offley Porto Boa Vista Vintage, Portugal.
But with age, the bouquet becomes balanced. If you want to gauge whether you would like a vintage port, ask yourself how a bouquet of chocolate, cocoa, coffee, and cigars, combined with spices such as cinnamon and pepper sounds.

Sweet port

Port wine range from very sweet, semi-sweet, semi-dry, dry, and extra dry. The wine maker will determine its sweetness based on when and how he interrupts the fermentation process. And it's up to you to decide if you have a sweet tooth or not.

White port

The color of port wine ranges from deep red to light gold, but variations in between exist. White port (pale, straw and golden white) gets its shade through the methods by which it is made. White port that has been aged for many years in wood obtains the same golden color that very old tawnies have.

Find the port for you

Neophyte port drinkers should start off with a tawny that provides an excellent introduction to port drinking and are relatively inexpensive. Moreover, you can drink it at the time of purchase. Tawny ports of very good quality are often sold with an indication of the time they have spent in cask (upon receiving the special approval of the Port Wine Institute): ranging 10, 20, 30 or 40 years.

Now go out there and find the best port for you.

From: http://uk.askmen.com/fine_living/keywords/wine.html

Port Wine Basics

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Wine And Cheese Party

Wine And Cheese Party
Wine And Cheese Party

Wine and cheese make a wonderful combination. A wine and cheese party is a great way to bring friends and relatives together, or makes a special birthday or wedding party. They are relatively simple to host and prepare for, requiring little work for even those who don't know much about wine.

Wine And Cheese Party

Wine And Cheese Party

Wine And Cheese Party

Wine And Cheese Party

Wine And Cheese Party

Wine And Cheese Party
Wine And Cheese Party

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Wine And Cheese Invitation

Wine And Cheese Invitation
Wine And Cheese Invitation
Wine And Cheese Invitation

Wine And Cheese Invitation

Wine And Cheese Invitation

Wine And Cheese Invitation

Wine And Cheese Invitation

Wine And Cheese Invitation


Wine And Cheese Invitation

Wine And Cheese Invitation

Wine And Cheese Invitation
Wine And Cheese Invitation

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