Mulled Wine (Glögi, Glühwein) is a warm, spiced wine beverage thought to date back to Greek or Roman times called Hippocras. In modern times the beverage goes back to the Scandinavian Glögi, a spiced liquor that was used to warm messengers and travelers in the cold winter months…
Mulled Wine Time!
What is Maceration?
Maceration is the process where the skins and juice hang out together after the crushing of wine grapes, and flavor compounds, tannins, and color compounds are leached into the must (juice). Generally speaking (there are always exceptions to the rules) red wines macerate until fermentation is complete. Sometimes…
Happy Thanksgiving!
But what to pair with dinner tonight? Here is our handy guide to assist all palates and people. Sparkling Wine: What holiday celebration is complete without some bubbles? Furthermore, sparkling wines and Champagnes are wonderfully food friendly wines, hence their inclusion on every wine list in every restaurant. …
Happy Beaujolais Nouveau Day!
The third Thursday in November is a big day in the Beaujolais region south of the Burgundy in France. On this day there is a mad dash for the first, freshest bottles of the new vintage of Beaujolais that has been sent into the markets to arrive on…
Malbec Facts
If you didn’t know better, it would seem in the last decade a new varietal wine had been magically invented or finally discovered. During the last American recession, a new standard for structured reds just magically appeared in the marketplace hailing from Argentina, and its name? Malbec. The…
Merlot, Merlot, Merlot…
Happy International Merlot Day! Here are 10 facts about Merlot you may (or may not) know: Merlot is the child of Cabernet Franc & Magdeleine Noire des Charentes, recent DNA testing has proven this where the grape’s full origins were unknown for many years. Merlot’s soft skin is…
What is Carbonic Maceration?
Carbonic maceration is a process by which grapes are fermented in their skins in a carbon dioxide rich environment. The weight of all the grapes crushes the juice from the lower areas of the tank that holds the grapes and gas, and undergoes a somewhat more conventional fermentation…
Haunted Wineries
As we move into the darker, colder days of fall, the leaves start falling from the trees, and the last of the grapes have long been harvested. We begin to think about Halloween, and what better way to get into the spirit of the season than to pour…
TX Wine Facts
For Texas Wine Month, we’d like to share some information on the Lone Star state’s wine industry. Hopefully it will inspire you to check out some wineries on your next trip to the SXSW festival or whatever brings you to the great state of Texas! Texas has 7…
