Italian wine-Marchesi di Grésy

The 2001 Langhe Nebbiolo Martinenga does not come in contact with oak. It presents very good value (at Euro 10.5 at the estate): a nose of strawberry and cherry, with a hint of flower; a palate of cherry and fur, balanced.

The 2001 Merlot is a new product. It tastes of the international style as you would guess: very well made, technological; a nose with much burnt oak, lead pencil, fruit; the burnt flavour encumbers the silky mouthfeel.

Barrels at Marchesi di Grésy

1999 Barbaresco Martinenga is very nice (even when I came back to it at the end of the tasting): a nose with mint, rose, plum; the palate is harmonious, with fruit, prune pit, and balance

1997 Barbaresco Camp Gros Martinenga smells of peat and kirsch; the palate is Barbaresco-typical, tannic and yet harmonious

1996 Barbaresco Cayun Martinenga smells of liquorice, fruit brandy, kirsch; the palate is evolved, fine, fresh, with a strange note on the finish; the aftertaste is a bit hard

1986 Barbaresco Cayun Martinenga is splendid - it smells of rose, leather, mushroom, toffee, rhubarb tart; tannins are velvety, the mouthfeel is fine, the alcohol is much less felt than in the younger Barbarescos

charming wine bottle holders

Sulfite Free Wine - Fact or Fiction?

Totally sulfite-free wines would be an accident of nature, however wines that are low in sulfites or free of added sulfites do exist. According to Department of Viticulture and Enology Professor Roger Boulton, Ph.D. (University of California at Davis), fermenting yeasts will produce SO 2 from the naturally occurring inorganic sulfates in all grape juices. The fermenting yeasts present on all grape skins generate naturally occurring sulfites in amounts ranging from 6 to 40 parts per million (ppm) thus, making it is impossible for any wine to be completely free of sulfur dioxide.

Adding Sulfites to Wine Prevents Spoilage and
Preserves Its Natural Flavor!

Freshly pressed grape juice is naturally prone to spoiling. To prevent this, European winemakers pioneered using sulfites in wine-making 200 years ago. Most viticulture experts today concur that some sulfites must be added during the wine-making process to make consistently stable wine. Added sulfites inhibit spoilage, stop oxidation (browning) and safeguard wine's natural flavor. In reality, sulfite free wine would likely be undesirable for consumption.

Legally, conventional wines in the U.S. can contain up to 350ppm of sulfites. However, for Organic winemaking, the USDA has adopted standards that limit the use of sulfites to 100ppm in all finished products. Regular analysis by the local BATF laboratory shows that our French Wine Online red wines average about 40ppm (20 to 60) while white wines and sparkling wines average about 70ppm (50 to 90). Federal law requires wine containing 10ppm or more of total sulfites to state contain sulfites on the label. This does not mean that a lack of this notice implies sulfite-free wine.

Can You Enjoy FWO Wines Without Experiencing Side Effects? - Most Likely!

The FDA has stated that about 0.4% of the population is considered highly allergic to sulfites. According to Dr. Vincent Marinkovich, an allergist and clinical immunologist who has performed extensive research on SO 2, sulfites pose no danger to about 99.75% of the population. The highest risk groups are asthmatics, and only about 5% of them are allergic to sulfites. Many people, however, are considered sulfite-sensitive. Even for moderate wine drinkers, the average level of sulfites found in conventional wines can cause side effects like heartburn, burning sensations, hives and cramps or flushing of the skin. For them, wines produced from organically grown grapes are an especially good choice since they contain minimal amounts of sulfites that will in most cases lie below their threshold level.

2007 White Burgundy In-Bond

Overview

After a series of ripe to very ripe vintages such as 2002, 2005 and 2006, 2007 sees a return to a classic style of white Burgundy. By ‘classic’ I mean a vintage where flavour ripeness is achieved at relatively low potential alcohol levels, between 12–13% potential alcohol, which produces the most aromatic style of wines, with intense floral and fruity aromas, which have not been burned off by the heat.

Furthermore, on the palate the wines are crisp, with a pleasing tension between freshness and richness. This makes them a pleasure to drink, because they stimulate rather than sate the palate, encouraging another sip. They will also stand up to food better than overripe wines.They display a register of flavours ranging from appley Bourgognes, via honeysuckle-scented St Aubins and Pulignys to the richer and more buttery flavours of Meursault and Pouilly-Fuissé.We recommend them to you.

As ever, these remarks only apply to the conscientious producers, such as those we have selected for this offer. Growers with excessive yields and who harvested too early will have made thin and unappealing wines.

The weather: a superb September

The year started well with one of the hottest Aprils for 20 years producing a flowering that was two to three weeks early, presaging another August harvest. But June, July and August were cool with about twice as much rain as usual. In mid August the grapes were far from ripe, but superb weather from the end of August to the end of September changed everything.

The autumn weather was considerably sunnier and drier than normal, and the north wind blew, evaporating the water in the grapes and preventing disease. In Château de Beauregard’s Le Roue vineyard the potential alcohol levels accelerated from just 7.5% on August 23rd to an ideal 12.8% on September 19th. However, full flavour maturity lagged behind potential alcohol.

How to Store Wine

How to Store Wine

Integrating modern organic winery techniques with centuries of traditional viticulture experience enables us to produce only the finest of natural tasting wines for your special moments.

Proper wine storage ensures the success of your Mood & Food occasions!

As mentioned in the section on "how to serve wine", you must allow wine the time to rest. If unopened wine is allowed to rest for more than a few weeks it requires proper storage conditions. For successful wine storage, proper attention must be given to: temperature, darkness, vibration and angle of storage.

Temperature - The ideal is a constant, low temperature, around 50°F to 60°F. Wine will endure 80°F as long as the fluctuation relative to the 80°F temperature is kept to a minimum. Wine in storage should also be kept well away from any heat sources. If a cellar is not available, one suggestion is to place your wine in a dark cupboard or closet with good ventilation and a constant internal temperature.

Darkness - Wine spoils (oxidizes) with long exposure to direct sunlight, or daylight balanced artificial light. Although it is tempting to display wine bottles in fancy racks in dining rooms and kitchens, it is better to keep them in the dark - they will be preserved better, and last longer.

Vibration - Constant agitation causes wine to age prematurely. Keep wine away from vibrations of any sort - motors, HVAC ducts, street traffic, elevators, fans, etc....

Angle of storage - Wine must be stored on its side to keep the cork moist and tight against the bottle neck. If a bottle is stored upright, the cork will eventually dry out and shrink, exposing the wine to the dangers of oxidation and vinegaring. Bubbles will escape from Sparkling wines causing them to 'go flat' as well.

Once Wine is Opened - It is best to consume any wine relatively soon once it has been opened. However, should you find yourself with a little left over, two basic rules apply 1) refrigerate the wine to help preserve its taste, and 2) minimize the wine's exposure to oxygen by transferring it to a smaller container and corking it with a vacuum stopper. Adding a neutral gas like nitrogen in the bottle seriously extends the life of the wine. You should find it safe to store White Wines and Red Wines for up to a couple of weeks and Sweet Wines for about 2 to 4 weeks.

How to Taste Wine

Learning how to taste test wine is as simple as 1 - 2 - 3. The main skill in tasting wine is easy to learn, and anybody can become a good wine taster if they want. Truly "tasting" wine means taking care to study the qualities wine has to offer, which leads to a better appreciation and enjoyment of the wine, and the food you have paired with it.

Three senses unite to make wine tasting a delightful experience: sight, smell and taste. Watch an experienced wine-taster at work and you'll see a relatively casual 3-step process: a glance, a sniff and a sip (#4 could be the Ahhhh! after the sip ritual is completed). This expertise can be easily acquired with a minimum of practice.

Sight or Appearance - Looking can tell you quite a lot about the
wine. Lift your glass up against a white or neutral background in a well lit room to get a general impression of the color. Tilt it away from you until it is almost horizontal to reveal the width and hue of the wine's "rim". Then, with the glass standing on a table, examine the wine from above to see its true clarity, brightness and depth of color.

What you See: The wine should be clear and bright, not hazy. The color should be rich and full. When checking the appearance for degree of color, notice if it is: bright purple (typical of young red wines), ruby and browny-red (typical of aging red wines), or brown and dull (an indication of a wine that is oxidized).

Smell or Nose - The smell of a wine is described in a general sense as its "nose". Smell stimulates the palate as do tastes, and is the most important of our senses for appreciating and enjoying wine. Most of what we "taste" is in fact what we "smell". Just recall how little you were able to taste food or drink when you had a cold or a stuffy nose.

To begin, swirl the glass around gently, holding it by the stem or foot in order to release the "aroma" (forward smells that come from the grape) and "bouquet" (subtle scents that develop as a result of maturing and oak aging). Then sniff the wine, concentrating on the smell, and of what it reminds you.

What you Smell: The nose of a wine will vary in intensity and distinction according to its age, grape variety, origin and quality, but it should always be clean i.e. free of unpleasant odors. There are many words to describe what we smell, however the easiest is to correlate what we smell to that with which we are familiar. For example, you may hear wines described as floral (rose, jasmine, violet), spicy (pepper, licorice), fruity (lemon, cherry, melon) and woody (oak, cedar, vanilla). These correlations will help you express the sensations your nose experiences.

Taste - Tasting is the only way to build real knowledge of wine. Experiencing the taste of bitter, sweet or salt is relative to which part of the tongue is exposed to food or drink. Therefore, take a sip of the wine and instead of swallowing it straight down, work it around your mouth for several seconds (this is called "chewing"). Notice how much more of its flavor you can taste. With the next sip, in addition to chewing it, purse your lips and suck a little air through the wine a few times before swallowing. Notice how you can taste/smell even more of the wine this way because you have deliberately released its aroma and bouquet. "Chewing" and "aerating" for several seconds help to get the most out of any wine you taste. And then there's the "Finish" - the taste that's left in your mouth after the swallowing - the longer the finish, the better the wine.

How to Serve Wine

Wines produced from organically grown grapes allow us to experience their true quality and taste, just as nature intended. Following some basic serving, tasting and storing techniques will allow our wine selections the best opportunity to enhance those special food and mood events of your life.

Let's make the most of every sip!

.Serving - The decision to open a bottle of wine can, of
course, be spontaneous. That's part of the excitement!
The following basic considerations will help enhance the pleasure of every glass.

.Rest - A bottle of wine that is rushed to the table straight from the delivery box or shopping bag can never be at its best. Wines, especially older ones, suffer from being moved, and regain their balance and character only after a period of rest (a few days), preferably in a cool, dark place.

.Temperature - Even the simplest bottle of wine tastes better at the right temperature. Allow time for bottles to chill - or warm up - before serving. In general, white and sparkling wines should be served chilled to around 48°F to 54°F. Red wines are usually best between 58°F & 65°F. Useful tip: An ice/water bucket is the quickest way to chill wine. Cubes of ice surrounded by water will rapidly chill a bottle in less than 15 minutes, while a refrigerator takes more than an hour to do the job. Today, there are also "sleeves" that can be kept in your freezer, and then slipped over a bottle to do the chilling.

.Let wine "breathe" - Whenever possible we strongly recommend opening the bottle of wine at least one hour before serving. Uncorking a bottle and exposing it to oxygen for a period of time before pouring gives the wine a chance to aerate, enhancing subtle flavors and aromas, and making an enormous difference in the character of the wine. Pouring the wine in a decanter or in a large glass jar and putting it back in the bottle will considerably speed up the process.

Selecting the "right" Stemware - Rule #1 is cleanliness; always use a clean glass! Using one that is dirty or tainted will, without fail, ruin any wine tasting experience. That being said, wine tastes better, more like what it is supposed to taste like, when drunk from the appropriate stemware. This observation, seemingly esoteric, has been proven over and over in carefully-conducted comparative taste tests.

In General: Thick glass will distort the clarity of the wine, and colored glass will alter the look as well. The preference here is to use stemware that is thin and clear, the ideal being thin clear crystal. The bowl should be of a size to allow for a half-full glass to be swished without spilling.

For White wine: Use an all-purpose white wine glass with a tulip-shaped bowl and a tall, thin stem. Small to medium glasses work quite well for the whites.

For Red wine: Most red wines show best in a larger glass with a round or tulip-shaped bowl and tall, thin stem. Medium to large glasses work quite well for the reds.

For Sparkling wines: These are usually served in tulip-shaped stemware. Flutes are ideal for serving Champagnes and Sparkling Wines.

For Dessert wines: The general rule of thumb for dessert wines is to use basically small glasses, some with unique shapes which have a tendency to generate conversation and enhance the moment.

It is really not necessary to spend a lot of money to ensure that you have all the varieties of stemware on hand to meet every possible situation. Typically an all-purpose red wine glass will allow you to enjoy any occasion without compromising the effect.

Matching wine with food

Matching wine with food

Avoid

The following food damages wine tasting: spice, garlic, vinegar (to be replaced by white wine), raw fruits.

You should also:

Avoid red meat with white wines or sweet wines.

Avoid fish, raw vegetables, and goat cheese, with red wines that dry the palate - but think of trying a cool Gamay or a fruity Pinot.

Avoid desserts, Foie Gras, and very strong cheeses (Munster, blue cheese), with Loire Cabernet, pink wine, or crisp white (such as dry Loire, Champagne, or Vinho Verde).

Food-wine pairing explained

Wine rouses pleasure with various food. Almost any dish can be matched with many types of wines. People have different palates and inclinations: everyone will make their own combinations.

For example you can try cheese with a young white (any cheese with Chardonnay, light cheeses with Sauvignon Blanc).

Some rules can guide your matching experiments though:

• A simple course leaves room for the wine to shine.
• Old wines are delicate to serve and match. The dish should be discreet.
• In theory, a slightly sweetened or bitter course accentuates the dryness (acidity, tannins) of a wine. You should thus avoid hard wines with sweet food.
• On the contrary, the more a dish is salty or acidic, the sweeter the wine will taste. This is an opportunity for you to try wines for fresher climates.

What is Vegan Wine?

Vegan Wine is a Surprising and Delightful Complement to Vegan Food - Satisfying the Strictest of Vegetarian Demands!

During the wine making process both organic and non-organic vintners typically employ the use of clarifying/fining agents derived from animal products - those ranging from egg whites, egg albumin, casein (milk protein) and gelatin (derived from animal bones) to chitin (obtained from lobster and crab shells) and isinglass
(a fish by-product).

Fining is the process which makes cloudy wine clear, and removes "off" tastes and unwanted substances missed during the filtration part of the process. As the fining agents are poured into the wine, they pass from top to bottom, acting as magnets that attract the unwanted particles. Once completing their journey they are removed - theoretically leaving no traces of them behind.

It is the agents used for fining that determine the suitability of wine for Vegans. Fining agents used to process Vegan Wines are typically organic, plant or mineral-based material such as bentonite clay, kaolin, carbon or diatomaceous earth (rock made from pulverized algae).

It is fortunate that there are wines available that have had no contact with animal matter whatsoever. It is unfortunate however that finding them is difficult, as they are not always readily available, or clearly labeled. Then too, once you locate one of these Vegan Wines you'll find that it may not be produced as vegan in a subsequent vintage of that same wine.

What is Biodynamic Wine?

Biodynamic Wine is Truly the Hallmark of Natural Flavor in Wine!

The proof is on your palate! For those who have tasted biodynamic wines, you know what we mean. For those who have yet to taste them, you're in for a treat.

Comparatively speaking, biodynamic is like "ultra" organic, and is actually the oldest system of organic agriculture known, dating back to 1924. Most people are aware of the superior quality, nutritional value and flavor of organic foods. With respect to wine, the theory is that better-tasting wine is the result of better-tasting grapes, which result from healthier vines and healthier soil - seems rather logical.

. Organic vintners shun synthetic chemicals in favor of nurturing soil and plants in an ecologically sound manner. They follow nature's lead in combating plant and soil adversities with natural remedies - No synthetics for us to digest.

. Biodynamic viticulture adheres to the same natural practices as organic viticulture, but places even more emphasis on nourishing the soil while caring for the vines - using natural remedies and stringent vinification processes. The biodynamic grape grower carries organic to the next level by supporting and intensifying nature's processes to heal vineyards damaged by decades of previous pollution.

Biodynamic viticulture is in tune with the totality of forces affecting the growth of the vines and their fruit. Believing that plants respond to all the various forces of nature, biodynamic vintners conduct their farming practices on strict schedules in accordance with the cycles of the moon, planets and stars. They have been able to us that total harmony with nature to optimize the taste that you experience with biodynamic wines.

Gradually, more vintners are moving toward biodynamic viticulture because they know it works, and wine critics are finding more and more that biodynamic wines have cleaner taste, better aroma and a longer finish.

Organic Wine Types

2000 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine Pierre André

NV Champagne Carte d’Or Brut, Serge Faust

1999 Chianti Classico Riserva, Casina Di Cornia

Port Finest Reserve Casal dos Jordoes

2003 St.Chinian, Château Bousquette Prestige

NV Cartagène Prestige Dessert Wine, André Bourguet

2004 Bourgogne Chardonnay, Guy Chaumont

Blanquette de Limoux Brut Delmas

2004 Chianti Classico, Casina di Cornia

2004 Syrah, Mas de Janiny

2003 Bordeaux, Château Moulin de Peyronin Capucine

2002 Limoux, Domaine Delmas Chardonnay

2003 St.Chinian, Château Bousquette Tradition

2006 Prosecco Perlage Riva Moretta

2006 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, Guy Bossard

2003 Coteaux du Languedoc, Château Véronique

2006 Bordeaux, Château Moulin de Peyronin

2006 Côtes-du-Rhône, Domaine des Cèdres

2006 Pinot Grigio Perlage

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Domaine de Bajac

2002 Merlot Domaine de Bajac

The fundamental idea behind organic anything is health. There is an enormous amount of scientific evidence documenting how pesticides, weed killers, fungicides and other synthetic chemical substances damage the health of our soil. They also affect the health of plants grown in it, which in turn affects the health of the fruit and anything else in the extended chain - including you and I.

If it goes into the soil or onto a plant, it will be absorbed and transferred to whatever follows. What's the likelihood that chemically sprayed grapes grown in chemically altered soil will give us wine whose taste is unaltered?

By using conventional viticulture with pesticides, herbicides and fungicides it throws the natural harmony of a vineyard and winery completely off balance. The soil is stripped of minerals essential to its health, thus necessitating an ever-increasing reliance on artificial inputs to restore what has been lost. The chain never ends.

CATEGORIES OF WINES

Wine can be made from almost any vegetable matter. However, when referring to grape wine, there are three basic categories; red, white and rosé (pronounced "rose-ay") which is a pinkish wine. More on this later.

Wine contains sugar. The less sugar the "drier" the wine. When you buy wine at a wine store, you will notice that each bin is usually classified with a number "1", "2" or "3". The higher the number, the sweeter the wine.

The alcohol content of wine is between 9% and 12%. This is because the yeast used to make wine reaches its tolerance at about 12% then it stops fermenting. But, you ask, what about brandy, sherry and port? Their alcohol content can be as high as 20%. True.

Spirits are alcohol which is made by means of distillation. Brandy, sherry, and dubonnet are distilled from grape wine. Liqueurs however are generally distilled from fruit wines. Distilled wines are call Apertifs (ah-pair-teefs) and are usually served before a meal with or without an appetizer. No further information is available on this site about distillation except to say that doing it at home is illegal and can kill you if you don't do it exactly right. Beware the evils of methyl alcohol. Condsider yourself warned.

Table wine is served (surprise) at the table with dinner. Usually the wine will be dry in order to complement rather than compete with the food being served. As an only very general rule, white wine is served with white meat and, conversely, red wine is served with red meat. The reason being is that the flavours of most white wines are subtle as are the flavours of most white meats, therefore there is no competition for the taste buds. Red wines generally have a stronger flavour as do most red meats and the taste buds can handle the equality of flavours.

Still not sure which wine to serve? Compromise and delight with a rosé. It is fairly dry, goes with almost everything and generally pleases everyone.

Dessert wines are sweet and usually served with (surprise again) dessert. Mosëlle and sauternes are such wines.

After-dinner wines are (take a guess) served after dinner. They are sweet wines which are either spirits (see above) or fortified wines which means alcohol was added to the wine after fermentation stopped. Port, sherry and brandy fit this category. So do liqueurs.