Fine Wine Master

Spanish missionaries landing in Argentina

History Of Wine In Argentina

As it is peculiar with most history of Argentina, the story of its wine production is also an interesting one. Many years ago, an average of twenty-two gallons of wine was consumed per person every year. At that same period, an average of one to two gallons of wine was consumed per person every year in America. Also, the import of wine to America was almost non-existence. Now, things have turned around as Argentina's consumption of wine has drastically reduced to ten gallons from the original twenty gallons while that of America rose to 2.5 gallons. Several compelling factors, such as economic, cultural, and historical factors, brought about the exportation of Argentine wine to America... Continue reading

Six Rules For Cooking With Wine

Cooking with wine has been around for quite a while. With many households trying to discover new taste in their homes, using wine in cooking can help add variety to the flavor of food. When putting together a particular dish or recipe, it is essential to note that not just any kind of wine will do. A wrong combination of wine with a simple dish can eventually make the food unappealing to taste.

However, a nice blend of wine with a simple recipe can make quite an elegant meal. We look at some simple rules for using wine when cooking. Continue reading

Popular Sangiovese Wine Regions

Sangiovese is a very popular Italian grape variety. For quite a long time, Sangiovese grapes have been relegated to the wild grape category. It was not until recently that its excellent winemaking potential was discovered. It is the major variety used in making Chianti and some other popular red wine.

Sangiovese is a very versatile grape variety. It can show a difference in taste when grown in different regions. Its taste can also be easily adjusted through the winemaker's process and the nuances of climate. For this incredible ability, many wines that originate from Sangiovese vary widely in taste... Continue reading

A Guide to Dessert Wines

Dessert wine has been in great demand for quite a while now, and its characteristic sweetness makes it mysteriously charming. How best to take dessert wines remains a bit of a puzzle considering its high alcoholic content as well as sweetness, but one thing that has never been in doubt is its richness in taste.

While a lot of people like to refer all wines that generally accompany desserts as a dessert wine, others are of the school of thought that dessert wines can be taken alone or even with other sumptuous food. However, the United States wine industry defines the dessert wine as any wine that has alcoholic content measuring over 14% by content. This definition can be concluded to be the most definitive, and it’s safe to say fortified wines and unfortified wines fall within this class. Continue reading

Château Musar Gaston Hochar Review

Founded in the 1930s, Gaston Hochar spent time in the Bordeaux region, where he refined his wine making abilities, and often leads to comparisons with the Château Musar wines being compared to Bordeaux or Burgundy wines - and we can definitely see why.

While the wine is made from a variety of grapes each year (Cabernet Sauvignon and Cinsault forming the main grapes, with Carignan and Granache filling the remnant), this wine is far more than a simple blend. However, this does mean that there is both significant bottle variation and strong ageing potential - although the price tag might make this hard to stomach, we’d recommend buying a crate if you’re able to and enjoying them over time... Continue reading

History Of Wine In Japan

Viticulture in Japan dates back to 718 AD. The first consumption of wine recorded in Japanese history was in the 16th century. At this time, Jesuit Missionaries from Portugal came to Japan. The leader of the mission, presented European wines as gifts to woo the goodwill of the feudal lords who ruled the Japanese residents of Kyūshū at that time.

The missionaries were accepted into the Japanese community. As the missionaries used wine in their meetings, Japanese indigenes gradually acquired a taste for imported wines made from grapes. The Japanese coined the term "chintashu," which was used to refer to the Portuguese red wine that was becoming quite popular during that period. Continue reading

10 Popular White Wine Grape Varieties From All Over the World

Riesling, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc are by far the most popular white wine grapes in the world. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any other excellent white wine grapes as much popular. But for some reason, they are not much familiar to folks.

Here we will go through the best white wines worldwide, the regions that produce them, as well as, what they bring to the table in terms of acidity and flavors. Continue reading

Top Japanese wines for your cellar

Japan is best known for its national drink sake. However, it is its wine industry that has been making splashes in the last few years with its portfolio of domestic wines. The several medals that they’ve won at the Decant World Wine Awards witness the quality of their wines. There is an ongoing demand for these wines.

The Japanese wine industry is still expanding, as well as their wine tourism. Here’s a list of wines that we think are the best Japan have to offer... Continue reading

Porta 6 Lisboa Review

James Martin, famous celebrity chef and wine aficionado, recently caused a “rush” on the Porta 6 during a televised interview while extolling the virtues of the wine. As a famous British chef, we figured that his expertise was worth heeding, so we decided to place an order for the Porta 6 and see for ourselves what all of the fuss was about... Continue reading

Unique gifts for wine lovers…others than wine

Nowadays, plenty of people that are into wine, and there are chances that some of your friends enjoy it, too. Buying a gift for a wine lover might look like a pretty straightforward job. You buy the best wine you can get within your planned budget.

Well, in theory, that should do the job. However, keep in mind that 90% of the other people buying gifts for a wine-lover will be thinking exactly the same. If you don’t want to be just another friend that brought yet another decent bottle of wine, you might want to go through our list of unique gift ideas for wine lovers. Continue reading