Archive for January, 2009
Understanding Bordeaux
I will be the first to admit that the first time I heard a reference to Bordeaux, I didn’t know if it was a wine varietal, region, style or just a geographical location. Since then it has become much clearer, but I’m willing to bet that there are many of you out there who are [...]
The Upside to a Financial Crisis
It’s been well over a month since France’s largest wine industry equipment event was held in Bordeaux, and as we lurch into 2009 issues raised during the Vinitech Trade Show become increasingly relevant.
By now almost everyone on the planet is aware of the ever-present ‘financial crisis’, as it has been dubbed the world over. The [...]
The Laymans Guide to Wine Making
Here’s my guide to the complex process of wine making. To keep it simple I’ve summarized each step into as few words as possible…
Step 1: Harvesting
Grapes are harvested at precisely the right moment. The stems are removed from the grapes by the mechanical process of destemming.
Step 2: Crushing
The berries are gently squeezed breaking the skins [...]
Wine Regions of South Africa
Although fairly obvious to most of us locals, South Africa’s wine growing regions remain mysterious to some… and perhaps by some I’m referring to the tourists among us.
In reality the first-time tourist is only vaguely familiar with a fraction of the South African wine growing regions. When asked, the average tourist is usually armed with [...]
Wine and Heavy Metal Don’t Mix
Ok, it’s not quite what you think. By ‘heavy metal’ I mean heavy metals such as vanadium, copper, manganese, nickel, zinc, chromium and lead. And no they certainly do not mix with wine… or rather should not mix with wine.
In a study carried out by Kingston University in South West London, it was found that wines [...]
Know your Yeasts
What many people sometimes forget is that if it were not for the existence of yeasts there would be no wine. And could you imagine a world without wine!? Certainly not me
Back in the day, around 6000BC to be precise, it was wild grape yeasts that did the trick. What ’trick’ you might [...]
The Truth in our Taste Buds
Wine is a curious combination of both science and art. Wine can be easily scrutinized in a lab, and everything from alcohol content to acidity carefully calculated. However, when it comes to the aromatic properties of wine it all gets hazy.
‘What one man will describe as a work of art, a masterpiece, is to another [...]
My 50th Post!
Today’s post marks my 50th post on My Wine Cellar! And may I remind you, this is just the beginning and am most pleased that in such a short space of time I have been able to connect with so many other wine enthusiasts from all over the world.
I raise my glass in a toast to [...]
