In a recent blog, I listed some of the many factors that can affect a wine’s flavors. One of the factors is the type of vessel chosen by the winemaker to ferment the wine. So, let’s take a closer look. The three most common fermentation vessels are ...
Last time we looked specifically at how oak affects the flavor of wine. There we learned that oak can be used in the fermentation process and/or the aging process to add various flavors to the wine. But before you take a first sip of wine, swirl your...
Oak has been used for thousands of years as a wine vessel. Going back to Roman times, it was an inexpensive and durable container for transporting wines over land and by sea. And, today, oak remains and important wine vessel. Oak barrels are someti...
2015 Phantom Red Blend by Bogle ($25) The Phantom is back! Last week’s Behind the Cork™ feature was the Phantom Chardonnay that was so good I went out and bought another bottle. This week feature is the Phantom Red Blend by Bogle. This Phantom R...
2016 Thomas Allen Generations Red Blend ($7) This was a new one to me. I’d previously tried the Thomas Allen Cabernet Sauvignon, but wasn’t aware of their red blend. Thomas Allen is owned and operated by third generation wine grape growers, Thoma...
Oak has been used as an aging vessel for wines for centuries. Wines get added flavors and complexity from being aged in oak barrels, especially new oak. But oak barrels are expensive. And they only impart flavor to wines during their first two to th...
2015 1000 Stories Zinfandel ($18) I’ve had my eyes on this one for a while now. It differentiates itself by noting on the front label that it is “Bourbon Barrel Aged.” Aging wines in oak barrels is common, but I’ve not seen a wine aged in Bourbon...
Last time we learned that aging wine in barrels can impart flavors ranging from none, in older ‘neutral’ barrels, to subtle hints of vanilla, or bolder flavors of chocolate and smokiness, depending on the barrels age and the degree to which its insid...
We’ve been exploring where wine gets it flavor from starting with the star of show, the juice of the grapes, then learning how the grape skins, seeds and stems can affect the finished flavor and we also looked at how the fermentation process can af...
Last time we looked at the differences between new oak versus neutral oak wine barrels. New oak imparts lots of flavors to wine. But after about three vintages, the oak no longer imparts flavor so it is called neutral oak. Much of the flavor imparte...
Wine may be fermented and aged in a variety of materials including stainless steel, oak and ceramic vessels, including concrete. The use of oak barrels is very common and its use dates back to the early days of Roman wine making. While stainless s...
Last time we took a quick look at one of the characteristics of wine, its body. A wine’s body is simply based on how it feels in your mouth. And a wine’s body is affected by its alcohol level, tannin, acidity and sweetness. And each plays a role. ...
Last time we discussed how all the fruit flavors get into wine. We discussed that wines don’t actually contain fruit other than grapes, but the grapes, the soil they are grown in, the fermentation process, and the aging process can impart other fruit...
You may have read about a wine, or checked the back label, or heard people speak of wines with flavors of apple, grapefruit, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries. Or, leather, tobacco, chocolate, and coffee. Or my all-time favorite, from the b...