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It offers spacious rooms, refreshing wines of exceptional quality of its land and sea breezes given. Finesse, style and character are the hallmarks of this great wine and engaging. WHITE Edge
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A fresh wine, with a combination of grapefruit, gooseberry and green fig. ends there fresh and crisp, dry with a fair.
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Wine Tasting Clip of Domaine du Salvard Vieux Clos Cheverny 2005 selected from Majestic on 12 July 2006. WINE: Domaine du Salvard Vieux Clos Cheverny 2005 VINTAGE: 2005 PRODUCER: Domaine du Salvard GRAPES: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay REGION: Cheverny, Loire Valley COUNTRY: France ONE WORD: Herbaceous TASTING: A delicious and cheaper alternative to Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. A dash of Chardonnay is added to the Sauvignon to balance and broaden the flavour profile of the wine. Herbaceous, glossy and full of racy crisp fruit. FOOD MATCH: Red mullet salad FOOD MATCH FROM: John Burton Race, “French Leave”
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No one is particularly fond of washing dishes, with many people reserving it for times when the tower of dirty dishes in the kitchen sink begins to resemble the Tower of Pisa. But, for those who have a collection of wine glasses, particularly crystal wine glasses, washing dishes correctly becomes essential in preserving the glasses ability to fully do their job.
Non-Crystal Wine Glasses
Non-crystal wine glasses are not as high maintenance as crystal wine glasses, but they still require a certain know how, knowledge on what to do for everything from using dish soap to removing a rabid wine stain that, no matter how much you yourself whine, will not come out.
Just Add Water: A simple method in wine glasses is to just add water. Rinsing the wine glasses three or four times in hot water should be enough to remove all residual wine. And, placing the wine glasses upside down on a clean cloth, when finished, will help the wine glasses in their quest to air dry.
A Touch of Soap: Adding just a drop of soap can help remove a wine glass with a stubborn wine residue. The soap used should be very mild, and the cloth used for scrubbing should be soft and sponge-like. Be sure you rinse all the soap from the glass; if the tiniest amount remains, you may find that your next glass of Merlot is as sudsy as a bottle of beer.
Use the Dishwasher: While it may seem like the modern day dishwasher is a place where wine glasses go to die, those that are not made of crystal and do not possess long stems can actually be washed in this manner. But, if you wash wine glasses in technology, don’t use very much detergent and don’t allow the dishes to be dried by heat; as soon as the dishwasher is finished rinsing, remove the wineglasses and dry them by hand.
Crystal Wine Glasses
Crystal Wine Glasses are definitely the most elegant of glasses and they know it, standing tall and acting as if they are the Holy Grail. Because of this, they require a lot of tender loving care and they need more attention than other types of dinnerware. If they don’t receive it, they will likely rebel, forfeiting their ability to enhance the taste of wine, ruining it in the process.
Crystal is porous and can absorb flavors – particularly soapy flavors – with relative ease. If this absorption happens, you might have a clean wine glass, but you will also have a wine glass that alters the flavor of your wine, adding in a dollop of detergent.
Use Washing Soda: Washing soda – and baking soda works too, but not as well – is a type of cleaning soda that is designed for use on glass in a gentle, but complete, manner. It is made to be a cleaner that won’t be absorbed by crystal. Most grocery stores sell it in the detergent aisle.
Use the Force of Lukewarm Water: Like non-crystal wine glasses, crystal wine glasses can be washed simply with water. Making sure the water is lukewarm in temperature, rinse the wine glass repeatedly. If the wine won’t come out, add just a drop of very mild detergent and gently wash with a soft cloth. Never use a steel or a wool pad, your crystal wine glasses will never speak to you again.
Don’t Use the Dishwasher: While the Maytag man would probably assert that dishwashers are safe enough for crystal wineglasses, the truth of the matter is the dishwasher can ruin the wine glass one of two ways. While one of these ways simply involves placing your wine glass in the dishwasher, allowing it to run, and then opening it up only to find that your one crystal wine glass is now several pieces of crystal wine glass, the other way a dishwasher can ruin it is by allowing detergent to bake into the crystal. This baking causes the wine glass to cloud, ruining it and refuting the old “crystal clear” saying.
Place Over Boiling Water: The experts at the Riedel Wine Glass Company suggest that to make your crystal wine glass really shine, hold the glass over a pot of boiling water, allowing the steam to cover it. Once this “steam bath” is finished, simply dry the wine glasses with a linen towel.
Taking care of dinnerware can be no fun: the easily aggravated wine drinker may simply refuse to give their dinnerware proper care, telling their wine collection to kiss their glass. But, taking proper care of wine glasses is elemental in making sure the wine glasses hold their ability to add to wine’s elegance, never losing their edge and beating a regular old cup by a stem.
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Much like the surrounding states of Missouri, Iowa, and Indiana, Illinois offers several appealing destinations to wine travel lovers. You’ll find clusters of wineries in every part of the state, including metropolitan Chicago. Grapes grow well here, and Illinois vintners display their creativity by making a tempting array of wines that are attracting national press.
Our destination for this trip, the Shawnee Hills Region, is an official American Viticultural Area, established in late 2006. It’s the first AVA in Illinois. In essence, designation as an AVA tells the general public the grapes, and wines, are unique and special. Further, wines can be labeled Estate Bottled if 80% of the wine grapes originate from the AVA’s region.
As of late 2008, Illinois boasts almost 60 wineries. You’re never far from a great wine experience here in Illinois!
All Aboard For Wine Country
In the far southern part of the state, less than an hour from the Kentucky border, you’ll find the Shawnee National Forest region. This lush, green, almost rugged territory stretches 80 miles east to west and about 20 miles north/south. The northern gateway to the area is the college town of Carbondale, home to Southern Illinois University and a convenient Amtrak hub for travelers heading to Memphis or New Orleans. We booked round trip service on Amtrak’s Illini line and relished the thought of relaxing with a good book and enjoying the Illinois landscape on the way to Illinois’ first wine country, the Shawnee Wine Trail.
Arriving in Illinois Wine Country
With a late Thursday arrival and two full days of wine touring ahead of us, we headed straight for our lodging after arriving in Carbondale. Our choice, which we highly recommend, is the Giant City Lodge, 12 miles from the Amtrak station.
Giant City Lodge, located in Giant City State Park, was originally built in the 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Local building materials were used, and the lodge itself is a sturdy structure of sandstone and white oak timber. One of the lodging options is the Historic Cabins, which was our choice for our weekend stay.
The “historic” cabins are actually newer cabins which sit on the sites of the original cabins built 70 years ago. These one room cabins are charmingly comfortable and clean. For families, larger cabins are available. The only downside we saw is that pets are not allowed, but if you want to bring your pet, there are several other lodging options in the area.
Day One On The Shawnee Wine Trail
The next morning, fresh off a great breakfast and a spirited hike in Giant City State Park, we headed off to begin our wine exploration for the weekend with a stop at Owl Creek Vineyard. Immediately, we learned why the Shawnee Hills Region is ideal for wine travelers.
All ten wineries are within 15 miles of one another, and while the roads are a bit winding, the scenery is so gorgeous and the air so fresh and clean, the short drives are very enjoyable.
This beautiful region is bordered by the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, and the land is anywhere from 400 to 800 feet higher here than the immediate surrounding area. This in and of itself creates a unique microclimate. It’s cooler in summer, warmer in winter, and there’s a longer growing season, along with consistent summer breezes which help dry out the grapes and vineyards. The soil drains well, and it’s rich in sandstone and limestone. In short, a perfect area for growing grapes!
There are 10 wineries on the Shawnee Wine Trail, and a little simple math told us we could visit them all in 2 1/2 days. Both Friday and Saturday called for four winery visits each, with two left over for early Sunday afternoon. This is an ideal schedule for the dedicated wine tourist. A good, hearty breakfast followed by two late morning winery visits. Then, a stop for lunch and sightseeing, and two more wineries in the afternoon.
And so, our day one agenda consisted of visits to Owl Creek Vineyard, Blue Sky Vineyard, Orlandini Vineyards, and finally Star View Vineyards. This makes for a leisurely, interesting day, with plenty of time to enjoy the scenery and a local lunch stop.
Our first stop on the trail is Owl Creek Vineyard, located just over 4 miles from Giant City State Lodge. Open since 1995, this family operated vineyard and winery uses grapes that are well known in this region, like Chambourcin, Norton, Seyval Blanc, Chardonnel, and a new favorite of ours, Villard. Owl Creek is a true taste of southern Illinois, as all wines are made with grapes grown in this area.
For starters, we liked ChardonOwl, a toasty white in the Chardonnay style and made with Chardonnel grapes. From the red side, try Owl’s Leap, a great Chambourcin style wine with hints of clove and anise. Every wine here is filled with depth and intrigue. We recommend you find out if Owl Creek can ship to your state, as their wines are great examples of the Shawnee Region AVA.
When you leave Owl Creek, proceed three miles up Water Valley Road and you’ll arrive at Blue Sky Vineyard, our second stop of the morning. This is one of the most beautiful winery settings on this or any other wine trail. A large Tuscan style winery building and tasting room set the stage, with two outdoor terraces overlooking row after row of vines.
We were a bit early for lunch, but Blue Sky is a perfect stop if you’re hungry. Items like pulled pork on a croissant, pizza, and chicken salad round out a nice menu, and of course, there are numerous wines for you to taste!
Our favorite was Infinity, a semi dry white made with Geisenheim grapes. All sorts of fruit flavors will dance with your taste buds – we sensed ripe melon and grapefruit. Perhaps even more outstanding was the Chambourcin Reserve, a multiple award winner that just might be the best of this style we’ve had. We loved the dark cherry flavors mingling with rich dark spices, along with a burst of vanilla mid palate.
Now it was off to Orlandini Vineyard, where we planned a picnic lunch by their peaceful vineyard pond. Orlandini’s location is atop one of the highest ridges in southern Illinois, so be prepared to be impressed by the view.
With plenty of time on our hands, we decided to split a bottle of Orlandini’s White Chambourcin. A white chambourcin is created by removing grape skins during the early part of the wine making process. The result is an almost blush colored wine with all the spicy fruit stylings of a good Chambourcin. We left with two bottles to add to our Illinois wine collection, along with a bottle of Vidal, a semi dry white full of grapefruit flavor.
Later on Friday afternoon, we visited our final winery of the day, Star View Vineyards. This is another perfect place to enjoy a glass of wine outdoors. There’s a large, expansive deck that overlooks koi ponds and the surrounding countryside. Make sure to visit the gift shop here, as there are all sorts of one of a kind gifts for those on your list!
We visited on a beautiful fall day, so we decided to buy a glass of wine each and enjoy the deck. The two Star View wines we tried were Silver Star, a white, and Norton, a red.
Silver Star is an easy sipper, slightly sweet. It’s a blend of white grapes, with Niagara in the forefront. We were intrigued by the Norton, a style common to nearby Missouri wineries. We found Star View’s Norton exceptional, bursting with dark fruit flavors and complex on the palate. What a perfect happy hour!
There are numerous small towns in the area with local restaurants, so you’ll have plenty of choices if you want to wander. Also, it’s well worth noting the charming town of Cape Girardeau, Missouri is only 25 miles away. We visited there late Sunday morning and early afternoon. There’s a French influence in Cape Girardeau and it’s well worth your time if you’re a fan of historic river towns.
Day Two On The Trail
Saturday brought us the opportunity to visit the western side of the Shawnee Wine Trail. After another brisk morning hike, our first winery of the day is Inheritance Valley in the small hamlet of Cobden. Cobden is 2 miles south of the more well known Alto Pass, and 7 miles north of Jonesboro.
Open since 2003, Inheritance Valley offers a pleasant tasting room and free tasting of six wines. We decided to splurge a bit and buy a wine glass and unlimited tastings for $3 each.
We really enjoyed our time here because Inheritance Valley offers a real sample of southern Illinois. Almost all of their grapes and other fruits are locally grown. When you stop here, be sure to try the various port wines as they are a house specialty.
Our favorite Inheritance Valley wine was Two Worlds. This off dry red wine is a blend of two grapes that do very well here, Cabernet Franc and Norton. Another very enjoyable choice was Roadside Red, a little sweeter and softer on the palate.
Next on the agenda was the unofficial wine center of southern Illinois, Alto Pass. Here you’ll find three wineries – Hedman Vineyards, Alto Vineyards, and Von Jakob Winery. You can easily visit all three in one afternoon, they are that close to one another. If you arrive at lunch time as we did, Hedman is a great place to start. You can enjoy an old fashioned Swedish lunch at the Peach Barn, on the winery grounds and quite well known in these parts.
Hedman Vineyards is one part bed and breakfast, one part cafe, and one part winery. It’s a unique destination and one of the most popular attractions in the area. Do eat here if you get a chance. We stopped for lunch and among other delicacies enjoyed the sampler platter. This Swedish delight offered tastes of all the following: pickled herring, creamed caviar, Swedish meatballs, lingonberries, and hardboiled eggs. You can also indulge on a very good pecan crusted chicken breast salad, served with warm homemade bread.
The tasting room is adjacent to the cafe, and we recommend the Chambourcin and the Tucker Hill Red. Chambourcins are prominent here, and in neighboring Missouri. Full bodied, spicy, and smooth, this was a winner. For something slightly sweeter, Tucker Hill Red fits the bill. It’s a blend of Chambourcin and Concord, with neither grape dominating the flavor.
Alto Vineyards has long been on our radar. It’s the oldest and largest winery in the area and one of the most well known and respected in Illinois. This pioneering winery was the first to plant grapes for commercial wine production in the early 1980’s.
We noted the Alto wines are widely available around the area, but you really should stop here if you’re in this neck of the woods. There’s a relaxed, peaceful vibe and it’s a great place to spend an hour or two. The gift shop is stocked with unique specialty foods and you can relax on the grounds with a glass of Alto wine for only $3.
We particularly enjoyed the white wines here, perhaps because we focused on reds at Hedman. Nonetheless, you won’t go wrong with Heartland White, a semi dry offering with the pleasant scent of lemon petals and apple palate. Another favorite was Wiener Dog White, a charming blend of several grapes with pear and mango tones. If you’re so inclined, buy a few bottles to go. Prices are reasonable!
Saturday afternoon’s last winery was Von Jakob Winery, where you can cozy up to the indoor or outdoor fireplace and sample any of their 20+ wines. We split the difference between red and white here and enjoyed Von Jakob’s White Chambourcin, and fun and fruity blush. We also picked up a few bottles for home and can definitely recommend Chateau Red, a real bargain at $11. This deep, complex red bursts with flavors of black cherry and pairs wonderfully with a grilled rib eye!
And On The 7th Day … We Drank Wine
With our Amtrak departure scheduled well into the afternoon, we were able to visit the final two wineries on the Shawnee Wine Trail. Our first, Pomona Winery, is quite near one of the most well known natural attractions in the area, Little Grand Canyon.
We arrived at Pomona Winery just after noon, ready to sample some of Pomona’s unique apple wines. Wine lovers often look down their nose at apple wines, but we’ve always been fans. The combination of tart and sweet is a delight, and we’ve been intrigued by the various blends and styles. Our favorite here was the Jonathan Oak Aged Reserve, kind of combination chardonnay and apple wine. You’ll note the delicious apple taste along with the oakiness found in the chardonnay style, balanced with the mellowness of aging. This wine has won several Midwest wine competition medals and is one of the most unique apple wines we’ve ever tried.
Pomona offers nine other wines, including some interesting port style and dessert wines. All are made with fruit grown in the immediate area.
From here, it was on to Kite Hill Vineyards in Carbondale. This was our last stop as it’s not far from the Amtrak station. It’s a beautiful setting, with a charming bed and breakfast just waiting for you to visit. Stroll around the adjacent lake or sidle up to the expansive outdoor deck and enjoy a glass of Traminette or White Chambourcin. We took a bottle of each to go, and headed to the Amtrak station for our journey back to Chicago.
The Shawnee Hills Wine Trail is ideal for a weekend escape. You’ll enjoy the abundance of nature and a blossoming array of unique wineries to tempt your taste buds. And if you don’t want to drive, Amtrak takes you right to the trails front door.
We encourage you to visit southern Illinois wine country and relax in the natural splendor of the Midwest!
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Chardonnay or sauvignon blanc, sweet or dry? Want to try a new wine, but don’t know where to start?
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Why buy wine?
In Australia, wine has become the new beverage of choice for people in all walks of life. Moreover, Australia has developed an enviable reputation amongst wine drinkers and appreciators the world over. Myshopping.com.au can help you make the right selection of wine for any occasion and to suit any taste. Listed on our website, you will find some of the most celebrated labels and award winning wines and you can make a selection based on reviews, price and supplier, regardless of why you want to purchase wine.
There are essentially three reasons that we can think of why you might want to buy wine: to drink in some social occasion, to give as a gift, or as an investment with a realisable future.
Buying wine to drink
Winemaker Greg Gallagher at the Charles Sturt University, South Australia, says judging a good wine is simple. “It starts with asking, ‘do you like it?’ ” he says, “and finishes with ‘did you like it?’” When you have a list of favourite wines, all you need to do is find them on Myshopping.com.au, and you will find out where it’s sold for the best price.
But, because it’s not always easy remembering the name, style and vintage of the wine you enjoy, it’s a good idea to keep a record of wines you drink that you really like (and those that you’d prefer to avoid), for future reference.
When you’re buying wine to drink, there are a number of considerations you might like to bear in mind, the first being: what is the occasion? It stands to reason that a wine for an intimate dinner with a partner might be a different choice than one for a footy night with the boys. Sharing a wine with someone is a lot more than simply sharing the drink. It’s also sharing your taste, your values and your standards, so it pays to think carefully about the occasion and the company with whom you are sharing the wine.
A second consideration might be, what is accompanying the wine? Wine is often enjoyed with a meal, but you might like to consider also how the occasion (or meal) will develop. Matching the perfect wine with the perfect food and mood is an exhilarating experience, and is often at the heart of great memories.
You may also want to consider the ambience of the occasion. A wine for enjoying at an evening symphony concert will have a different character to that enjoyed at a beach picnic.
Buying wine as a gift
Wine makes an excellent gift for many reasons. It’s an easy purchase; you can buy a wine to suit practically any budget. And it is a demonstration of your taste and standards, subtly imparted to someone whom you may care for.
However, as well as meeting your taste standards, you also need to choose a wine that will meet the tastes of the receiver. It pays to find out what sort of wine that person enjoys, and buy within that person’s style or region preferences. A person who enjoys sweet white wines will appreciate a gift that matches that personality.
Buying wine as an investment
Some wines make a good investment because they are rare and have an established reputation causing them to appreciate in value. Possibly the most famous of these in Australia is Penfolds’ Grange Hermitage, a Shiraz style Claret that has been made since 1951 (a bottle of that vintage now might set you back $50,000 or more if you can find one). Although young in terms of wine heritage, Australia has some notable wines that do and will appreciate in value.
A good investment wine is not necessarily a guarantee of a high quality drinking wine. The investment values are arrived at by reputation. A particular vintage may have enjoyed popularity for any number of reasons and become scarce because only a limited number of bottles were produced. What results is a collectors market and wine changes hands through auctions, private sales, estate dissolutions and wine club memberships.
What makes a good investment wine however, is the fact that you are able to sell the wine at some future date for a sum greater than what you paid. Therefore the condition of the wine-or more importantly, the bottle-is of paramount consideration. The provenance of an investment wine is important. Before buying, you need to establish its history of origin and previous ownership. Satisfied that the bottle is in good condition, once in your possession it needs to be cellared correctly in the absence of heat, light and movement. You should document your ownership and the conditions of its cellaring before selling it to a new buyer.
What makes good wine?
The winemaking process
The quality of a wine is affected by a wide variety of factors that occur in and as a result of the winemaking, cellaring and handling processes. One of the key factors is the terrain and climate, commonly referred to as a ‘region’, where the grapes are grown. Different conditions affect different varieties differently. A Shiraz style from McLaren Vale in South Australia, for example, is a heavier and darker wine than the same style from the Swan Valley in Western Australia, which tends to be lighter and more peppery. A Chardonnay from the Hunter Valley is more full-bodied than one from Margaret River.
While knowing which vines are best suited to a soil type and climate is one aspect, another is knowing when to pick the fruit for particular effect. The fruit’s flavour at the time of picking is a major character of the residual flavours of the wine. After initial fermentation, some winemakers choose to ferment in oak, others not to. Using oak affects the reduction of tannins in the wine. Different types of oak-English, American, old-affect the flavour and character of the wine as it matures to its nominal alcohol level. It is in the barrel that a lot of transformations in flavours and character occur, and a great deal of skill is required to know exactly when to bottle the wine.
Different winemakers have different techniques and, while a good wine can’t be made from bad grapes, it is largely the winemaker’s skill that produces a good wine.
Taste
One of the ways we can tell the quality of wine as judged by its taste, is whether it has had successes in any of a number of wine shows held around the country. Experts from the wine industry judge wines on their quality and medal winners enjoy the benefits of being recognised and written about in the main media.
While not every medal winner is a wine that suits our taste, it is as a direct result of the shows and competitions that Australian wines have grown in popularity and quality. At Myshopping.com.au you can compare many award winning wines.
What’s your taste?
Regions and style
When you are shopping for wine, one of the first questions to answer is whether you are choosing a red wine or a white wine. Once you have decided this, you can then start to narrow down the different styles. Begin with the question of whether you are seeking a dry wine or a sweet wine.
Styles of wine are named after the region from which the grape originated. In the popular dark reds you have the Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot styles that tend to be drier wines. Lighter reds feature Beaujolais, Pinot Noir and Rose styles and these tend toward sweeter wines.
Popular white wines include the Chablis, Riesling, Semillon, Chenin, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay styles in dry wines, with Traminer Riesling, Moselle and late picked Verdelho in the sweeter styles. Aperitifs include sweet and dry sherry and Marsala. Dessert wines include Sauternes, Muscats and Ports.
Many wines are now presented as blended wines, a way to offer wider variety in taste and a way to use up less popular grapes and thereby minimise waste in the industry.
Australia has more than a dozen identified wine growing regions that produce distinctive wines of the main styles. The Barossa Valley in South Australia is possibly the most famous region with the richest heritage, and features many labels from subregions such as Claire Valley, McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek and the Adelaide Hills. These regions produce some of the most spectacular Riesling wines, and Shiraz styles in the country. East of this region, near the border with Victoria lies the Coonawarra district (also known as Riverland), famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon. In Victoria lie the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsular districts. The Goulbourn Valley lies on the border with New South Wales. The Hunter Valley in New South Wales produces some of Australia’s finest wines, while in the West, Margaret River, t4he Swan Valley and the Plantagenet districts all produce fine wines.
Trends
Recent economic conditions and consecutive years of oversupply have changed much of Australia’s wine market. There are many small boutique wineries whose products can be bought direct from the cellar door. Many of these wines are featured on Myshopping.com.au by style and region.
The wine industry is encouraging the buying of wines and cellaring them (storing them in a cool place) for a period of time and enjoying them at a later time. To cellar your wine, store it somewhere cool, dark, airy, and free from vibration and dampness. Temperature stability is the most important factor in preserving wine in the cellar. Storing wine in an environment where the temperature varies gradually with the seasons is better than in a room that varies with the day and night.
For long-term storage, the ideal cellar temperature is 18 degrees Celsius and a relative humidity of 60-75%. Warmer conditions accelerate the development of wines, which could mean a reduction in the pleasure of drinking them.
The second phenomenon to occur through oversupply is the introduction of cleanskins, a method of selling wine without a brand label. This is presented as being ‘money saving’ because of a reduction in marketing expense, however the real cost saving per bottle is around 3-5 cents (the cost of printing and applying a label).
Cleanskins enable a wine producer to present a lower cost bottle, but this is mostly achieved by not having to identify the origins of the grape, or the varietal blends that make up the wine. And while it is true that some cleanskins are eminently drinkable wines, evidence suggests that they are generally of a far poorer quality than branded label products. It is suggested that you taste the wine before purchasing any cleanskins.
Wine is a high fashion product, and wine trends emerge on a regular basis. The best way to follow these trends is to shop using Myshopping.com.au — comparing prices and suppliers, and following medal winning labels.
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Pinot Grigio is the Italian name for Pinot Gris wine. This wine is made from grapes that range in color from bluish gray to pinkish gray which is where they get their name. In fact, clusters of grapes on the same vine can be of different colors.
The grapes have varying levels of sweetness, which tends to dissipate as the grapes ripen. There are different names for the grapes and thus the wine made from them depending on the country in which they are grown. In Burgundy they are known as Pinot Beurot, In Germany, they are called Rulander, not to be confused with Riesling.
The main area for production of Pinot Grigio is the Fruili region of Italy. There are also sizeable vineyards in Alsace, France and Oregon in the US. In Alsace, this grape is known as the Tokay d’Alsace and the wine has a very distinctive flavor. The Italian variety from Fruili has the best taste of all, perhaps due to the attention given to the growing and vinifying processes.
The typical flavor of the wine is delicately fragrant and has a slight lemon taste. However, the taste does depend on the wine making process used and can range from tangy to light and can be full-bodied. You can also get flavors of this wine that taste of pears, melons and tropical fruits, much like a Sauvignon Blanc. The Oregon versions of the wine have mainly tastes of peach and apricots, while those from Germany have a more earthy and austere taste.
The color of Pinot Grigio is usually light yellow in color and the texture is very smooth. It works well with cheese and fruit trays and with foods that are high in acidity because of the high acidic taste of the wine itself. This is a very simple wine that can be a very refreshing drink on a hot summer day. Because of its simplicity it is often overlooked for use at events and with meals. In Alsace it is most often paired with desserts or rich tasting foods. As a rule, it is mainly a cocktail wine.
Some of the most popular brands of Pinot Grigio [http://www.wineaccess.com/wine/grape/Pinot%20Grigio/Gris] are:
• Graffigna. This wine comes from the wineries of the San Juan region of Argentina and very closely resembles the Pinot Grigio of Alsace with its peach and pear aroma.
• Villa del Borgo. This wine has a fine, silky and succulent taste with a hint of fresh cream. It is inexpensive, but has the taste of a really expensive wine that you can have as an aperitif.
• Di Lenardo. Direct from Fruili, Italy, the home of Pinot Grigio, this wine has a crisp and refreshing taste. It is the perfect choice for relaxing at the end of the day.
• Villa Girardi. Produced in Venetto, Italy, this brand will give you a Venetian style of Pinot Grigio. It has a medium body and an aromatic flavour that just lends itself to use at a wine and cheese event.
• Jean-Baptists Adam. These wines from Alsace have a tendency to stimulate your appetite. They are the perfect choice as cocktails before dinner so that your guests will really enjoy the cuisine you prepare.
• Terlano. If you want a Pinot Grigio wine for sipping while you have stimulating conversation, this wine from Alto Adige, Italy, has the taste of minerals and lemon. It is the perfect wine to accompany seafood dishes.
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Wine, essentially a food itself, is complemented by an incredibly diverse number of foods. Many wines and foods were meant to be enjoyed together, bringing about each other’s nuances and individual characteristics. Long gone are the days of simply pairing red meat with a Claret or Chablis with poultry.
When serving acidic dishes containing citrusy foods or sauces with vinegar, stay with an acidic wine such as a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or any sparkling wine. Pinot Grigio is perfect for lemon based dishes such as Greek salads.
For zesty recipes made with tomato sauces, choose a wine with a comparable acidity level such as the dry Chianti along with fettuccine prepared with tomato sauce. Fettuccine Alfredo, on the other hand, is best with a Chardonnay, which complements seafood such as lobster most deliciously.
Buttery, creamy sauces should be paired with New World Chardonnays that are also flavourful. Marrying similar flavours and textures is an ideal way of finding foods that compliment wines.
Spicy foods can be paired beautifully with sweet, dessert wines, causing the two to play off of each other’s opposing flavours. Hot dishes that tend to numb the palate need an opposite to help cleanse the palate.
Meats, including game meats, pair well with red wines such as a classic Burgundy Pinot Noir whose flavour accentuates those within the meat. Chicken is a versatile food to serve along with wine as it pairs well with Bordeaux and Burgundies as well as Chardonnay or Pinot Blanc. Duck, quail and turkey, a bit more flavourful than chicken, will need a rich, hearty wine.
For most pork dishes, try a rich wine like Pinot Blanc or most all Chardonnays. Ham can be a challenge when it comes to matching an appropriate wine because of its highly salty taste and strong flavour. Consider a fruity Zinfandel or Pinot Blanc to offset the meat’s strong taste.
Pair foie gras with a Burgundy in either red or white, and lamb should be matched with Bordeaux or any dry, red wines. Beef meals like steaks and roasts are best with tannic wines like a dry Cabernet Sauvignon or deep Merlot.
You will also want to take into consideration the way a dish has been prepared when finding foods that compliment a certain type of wine. Foods prepared lightly such as through steaming or poaching will be most appreciated with a wine that is delicate in nature. When foods are prepared more flavourfully through braising, grilling, roasting, or sauteing, you will want to match the wine with the sauce used.
In terms of cheese, choose deep, red wines for either sharp or mild cheeses and for those with a strong, pungent taste, opt for fruity, sweet wines. For soft cheeses like brie or camembert, most all red wines will be appropriate. Red wines also pair well with hard cheeses such as blue cheese.
If you will be serving more than one wine with your meal, always serve the lighter one first so the full bodied wine doesn’t interfere with the food’s taste. Likewise, serve dry wines before their sweeter counterparts unless the main entree or similar dish is also sweet in nature.
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By Chris Franklyn. The Yarra Valley is Australia’s oldest wine region, with over 70 wineries producing the finest blends of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, semillon, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and merlot. To find out more about touring, tasting and dining in the Valley, visit www.wineyarravalley.com
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