French Wine For Dummies explores all the major wine regions of France — from The Rhone Valley to Alsace, with special emphasis on the wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy, the most important wine regions of France (and possibly the world). This friendly guide explains how France names its wines and decodes French wine labels. It describes classic combinations of French wine with foods, with a new look at some versatile French wines with various types of food. Plus, it details how to buy, drink, and…Sale at book sale library

Ed McCarthy and his wife, Mary Ewing-Mulligan, began with “Wine for Dummies” in 1995, and they keep getting better at it as they work from big picture to small. After covering all of the wine world in one book they have narrowed their focus in subsequent “dummies” books on red wine, white wine and champagne.

Now focusing geographically, they tackle French and Italian wines in two new books. The French book will tell the tale here because French is the most daunting wine for teacher and student alike. That because almost all French wines are named for places (regions, towns, chateaus) instead of the grapes they’re made from, which is the practice in most other countries. Thus your Bordeaux could be made from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and most often is–but one of the most famous and most expensive Bordeaux, Petrus, is made almost entirely from Merlot. Not that you’d know from the label.  Read more...

We don’t see as much plain coffee these days as we used to. What could be the reason for it? It’s probably because it is very easy these days to brew up a cup of gourmet coffee for your family, friends, and acquaintances. There are now coffee clubs and coffee social areas where coffee is taking on the look of a social group. These meeting places can take place within the shops and community or on the Internet.

Gone are the days when you just went to a coffee shop to get a regular cup of coffee.

This is a happening because of an obsession by coffee fans all over America for the gourmet or specialty coffee. These people visit all the coffee specialty stores and order it from catalogues or the Internet. They love grinding the coffee beans themselves. And when they take trips to places like Costa Rica, they look for and bring back the specialty coffees. Now we have “coffee tasting” events much like wine tasting.

There is even interior design products and furniture coming on the market touting a coffee theme — great gifts for the coffee fan.

Coffee had its beginnings as a stimulant in 900 A.D. It has also had its beginnings in a variety of uses such as a medicine and a wine. Nothing is much different today.  Read more...

Tasting time : Cool white Wine The impact on the taste of aged

A quiet dark Wine Pit, the temperature constant to point to 13 degrees Celsius, wine racks, lay Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone Valley, Rioja, Ba Luoluo … … their strong spicy, “choke” people with tannin years … … with the passing away, replaced by the complex soft sweet taste, in addition to vintage, we have any way to tame these wines do?

To delight in talking about the textbook content with the aged almost entirely for the red Wine , Especially those top Red wine . White wine? Wine white wine to “spit” white grape skin, so the tannin content of wine which very little attention to drink white wine and fresh and tasty. This white wine with a long, and wine and flavor but seemed stiff, delays, and even complete loss of vitality. That there is a need for white wine aged it? For some, particularly the senior white wine, the answer is yes. Because, aged white wine can achieve a balanced fruit and acidity, this was the soul of a bottle of white wine.

I did not let you go and put a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand ten years and then drink the need to drink vintage transition to the main means of white wine into the following categories:  Read more...

What can be said about red wine can be said about great conversation: the best will be savored for years to come. A particularly keen vintage of Pinot Noir, an elegant Cabernet Sauvignon, or a sensual Syrah will linger in your memory with the same resonance as a hilarious witticism or a moving exchange. Each great wine has its own individual taste and presence, and as such, should be enjoyed with the same appreciation and respect you accord an old friend. 

Pinot Noir 

Pinot Noir, one of the darker red wines, is grown from a delicate grape which requires great finesse and very specific weather conditions to reach maturity. Often, the grapes from a previously successful crop are not consistent in shape or size. Because of the difficulty involved in its production, a great Pinot Noir tends to be slightly more expensive than other comparable wines. Best uncorked five to eight years after its bottling date, Pinot Noir will surprise you with its complexity while delighting you with its multitude of flavors. The low, powerful, earthy taste, like the slow note of a gracefully tuned cello, grabs hold of your tongue as it introduces a full-bodied flavor to your palette. Drinking an excellent vintage of Pinot Noir is almost always a precursor to a fantastic evening of camaraderie and memorable banter. 

Cabernet Sauvignon   Read more...

White wines, although sometimes dismissed by red wine aficionados, can be the elegant companion to a fish dinner. Compared to red wine, white wine tends to be slightly sweeter and lighter, and usually is served with less complex fare. However, on occasion a glass of white wine is welcome even to the most dedicated red wine drinkers, if only to remind them of the wide variety of tastes and textures that a single grape can produce. Surprisingly, while many white wines are best in their youth, a few rare breeds get better with age. 

Pinot Grigio has become one of the most readily identifiable white wines. The grape used to produce Pinot Grigio is a mutated version of the darkly complex red wine Pinot Noir, giving Pinot Grigio a slightly weightier taste than other white wines. Comparable to the sensation of inhaling the vapors of a burbling freshwater river, Pinot Grigio initially presents with a smooth, feathery taste. A perfect accompaniment for very delicately spiced food, such as a perch or sea bass dish, this wine will not overwhelm the flavor of the fish, but will contribute to an overall feeling of joviality and camaraderie. Pinot is best drunk soon after bottling. 

Due to the tenacity of the grape from which it is produced, Chardonnay is enjoyed worldwide. Known for its dryness and slightly fruity highlights, this wine pairs exceptionally well with saltier meals, including pork and garlic dishes. Some vintages emphasize Chardonnay’s buttery flavor. Usually best when served during its youth, Chardonnay provides an elegant balance for a rich meal.   Read more...