Wine Fun Facts & Trivia

How often should you drink wine? As often as possible!
Fun Facts: Did you know that vinifera actually means: grape varietals originating from Europe. The species covers thousands of different varieties including most of the best-known like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay. Grapes such as Concord, Niagara, and Catawba, are classified as "native" grapes.
Why would you use an oak barrel in winemaking? Oak does wonders for wine because it has a tendency to pull the tannins, acid, and alcohol into a perfect balance. Oak adds another dimension to the bouquet and flavor; it increases the acidity, lowers the pH, releases tannins and adds to the overall complexity. Hints of caramel, coconut, vanilla, roasted nuts are characteristics that can be found in oaked wine.
My grandmother is over 80 and still doesnt need glasses. She drinks right out of the bottle! Henny Youngman
A Few True or No Questions for you:

1. Chianti wines come from Tuscany.
2. Napa Valley is best known for the Chardonnay grape.
3. Chaptalization is the process of adding sugar to make wine higher in alcohol.
4. A corked wine is a high-quality wine.
5. In a restaurant, its appropriate to send back a bottle of wine you just dont like.
Answers to above True & No:
1. True - Tuscany in central Italy, is the home of Chianti.
2. No - Even though Napa Valley produces a large amount of chardonnay, its home to some of Californias most famous (and expensive) Cabernet Sauvignons.
3. True - chaptalization is important in places where the grapes may not fully ripen and achieve high enough sugar levels.
4. No - the term "corked" means that the cork has become moldy and has spoiled the wine. Hint - use synthetic or semi-synthetic corks to avoid cork taint.
5. No - If a wine is spoiled, you should absolutely send it back. However, if you select it and simply dont like it, its not appropriate to send it back.

TWO GLASSES OF WINE:

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 glasses of wine... A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous yes. The professor then produced two glasses of wine from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. Now, said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things; your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions; things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full." The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else; the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you." "Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. Do one more run down the ski slope. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first; the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand." One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the wine represented. The professor smiled. "Im glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, theres always room for a couple of glasses of wine with a friend."