Twist n' Sip

My Next stop on wine-ing all over the world is South Africa. Not many people may know this, but South Africa makes delicious wine. In particular, it is known for some Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. However, Sauvignon Blanc, my favorite white wine, is what I want to focus on from South Africa. Bottle King recently featured "Fat Barrel" Sauvignon Blanc, at just around $10 a bottle. I obviously could not resist, so I tried it and it was defineitly worth it! This wine was not only tasty, but on the cap, it says that they donate 10% of proceeds to charity, which means, the more you drink the more you donate ;)

This wine is perfect and light for many occasions. It can be paired with a nice sushi dinner, a night out with friends, or finish off the perfect date. The light crisp taste is perfected when chilled. I would definitely recommend it to anyone on a budget, or just looking for a good white wine. Fat Barrel is also twist off, so you do not have to worry about getting the cork stuck.

Whine a little, you'll feel better

Something got ya down ? Whine a little, you'll feel better! Relax, kick back and enjoy a nice glass of wine with friends while you whine about your long, stressful day. And there is no need to fill guilty because red wine has proven health benefits! Here are a few of them :

Reduces coronary heart disease - as the wine hits your bloodstream, it alters your lipid levels. This lowers your total cholesterol count and reduces your chances of heart diseases.

Maintains immune system - red wine maintains a healthy immune system. It does not bring it down like other alcoholic beverages are said to.

Contains polyphenols - These have a positive effect on your body. They are an excellent antioxidant and known to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. They are also said to reduce you risk of getting cancer and stimulate your immune system

Flavonoids - these are found in red grapes and are also a powerful antioxidant. Good for preventing cancer

Anti-Stress - wine is known to calm people down. Having your dinner with a nice glass of red helps your body relax and unwind. It is the perfect way to transition from a day of work to a night of relaxation.

All in all - drinking a few glasses of red wine a night results in a healthier life !



Just wanted to thank this website for all their helpful research and information!

http://www.meteck.org/wine.html

Wine-ing all over the world

Wine is made all over the world, with each country having its own, unique taste. Over the next few weeks, I will be trying different wines imported from different countries, giving my own feedback and recommending my favorites.

I want to start with Spain. I went to Spain last May and while I was there, I tasted all different types of wines. Spain was an amazing country to enjoy wine in because for me, a college student, it was cheap. You could buy a bottle of wine for 2 euros at the local deli, which is comparable to a little less than $4. After trying a number of different kinds, as well as bringing back six bottles to America, I decided I enjoyed the reds over the whites. At the time, I only really liked the taste of white wine, but for some reason, Spain didn't do it for me. My favorite wine that I brought back from Spain was a red blend including cabernet sauvignon, merlot and tempranillo. Tempranillo is a well known variety in Spain and most of the red blends from Spain have it. For me, this was the wine that made me start to enjoy reds over white.

I went to my nearby bottle king, and asked what kind of Spanish wine they recommended. I left with "Niel Santofimia Almansa 2011." It was just under $10 and was not bad at all. I would definitely recommend it to someone that wants a taste of Spain!

If you don't know, now you know...

Let's be real, everyone can tell the difference between red and white, but what are the differences between each variation of wine? 

Lets start with some reds 


Merlot : Known as a smooth red. A great intro to new red-wine drinkers. A very common red to buy and you can never go wrong if you gift it!

Cabernet Sauvignon : One of the best and largest known variations of red wines. Known all around the world and very popular among people of all ages.  

Pinot Noir : I feel that Pinot Noir is only appriciated if you really appricate the taste of wine. I know many adults that really enjoy Pinot Noir, but I am not one of them yet. I feel that to enjoy Pinto Noir, you need to purchase a decently priced bottle to please your taste buds. 

Shiraz : Personally, I have never gotten into Shiraz, but when I went to Spain, I thoroughly enjoyed a red blend that incorporated a lot of Shiraz in it, so throughout the next couple months, I will definitely include Shiraz into my wine experiences. 

Zinfandel : One of America's classic Red's, Zinfandel is usually made in California. It is a very dark red, almost a black color.


Next come the white's


Pinot Grigio : Probably the most popular choice of white, Pinot Grigio is a simple white wine choice. Something you can never go wrong with. 

Chardonnay : Personally, I compare Chardonnay to Pinot Noir. They are in the same shape of a bottle and Chardonnay, 

Sauvignon Blanc : This is my all time favorite wine to drink. 
I like it because it is very light and its taste just matches perfectly with my taste buds.

Riesling : One of my least favorite whites. It is known to be very sweet 

White Zinfandel : To be honest, White Zinfandel reminds me of the first time I got drunk at a wedding with my family when I was 16, but it is very popular. It wouldn't be MY first choice but White Zinfandel has a very fruity, light taste that is perfect for the summer and warmer weather. It is also a good choice to include in a sangria.