Red Wine Facts

April 14th, 2011 by jenn in interesting facts

Here are some interesting red wine facts to savor as you sip.

Red wines account for 55 percent of all wine sales in US restaurants.
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Labor Day Wines

September 1st, 2010 by jolan in general wine knowledge, interesting facts, wine varieties and styles

Norton grapes are native to North America.

In honor of the upcoming Labor Day holiday, I would like to introduce (or re-introduce, for those of you already familiar) a few American grape varieties and the types of wines they make. (more…)

Start Spring Off Right: Recycle!

May 4th, 2010 by jolan in general wine knowledge, interesting facts, wine lifestyle

Ah, spring. ‘Tis the season to roll up your sleeves and start gardening – plant those petunias, prep your tomato posts, and perhaps begin on that compost pile you’ve been thinking about. A handy tip, for those who love a glass of cool wine after spending time in the hot sun: you can recycle natural corks in your own backyard. (more…)

Denim Day Photo Shoot

April 28th, 2009 by robin in interesting facts

Today, April 28th, is Denim Day. The purpose of the day is twofold: to increase awareness and knowledge about sexual violence in Warren County, NJ and to raise funds for the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Crisis Center. (more…)

Red Wine Headache – What’s the cause?

March 21st, 2009 by jess in interesting facts, sulfites

Many people who visit our wine making shops say they themselves or someone they know suffer from headaches after drinking red wine and they ask us why. We did some research on red wine headache and found there are several different explanations as to why people are affected differently. (more…)

How are wine kits made?

November 24th, 2008 by David in interesting facts, wine making kits

Most winemaking kit suppliers contract grape purchases from growers by specifying conditions at harvest (acid, pH, brix, and color along with organoleptic qualities flavor and aroma). Specifying harvest conditions enables our suppliers to create consistent high-quality wine kits. When the grapes are ripe they are harvested and taken to a winery, where they are sulfited and crushed.

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What Makes A Wine A Dry Wine?

November 23rd, 2008 by David in interesting facts, wine tips

The sweetness of a wine is defined by the level of residual sugar in the final wine after the fermentation process has ceased. However, how sweet the wine will actually taste is also controlled by factors such as the acidity and alcohol levels, the amount of tannin present, and whether the wine is sparkling. A sweet wine can actually taste dry due to the high level of acidity, or a dry wine can taste sweet if the alcohol level is elevated.

Young wines taste sweeter than aged wines.  The powerful bouquet of fruit in young wines causes your sense of smell to overpower your sense of taste, and tricks your senses to believe the wine tastes sweeter than it is.  People who don’t like the dry tannic taste of heavily oaked red wines often like the taste of lightly oaked young red wine.

Several methods have been used throughout history to sweeten wine. The most common way to sweeten wine was to harvest the grapes as late as possible. This method is used today to create “ice wines”, and was first advocated in Roman times. Early Greeks would harvest the grapes early, to preserve some of their acidity, and then leave the grapes in the sun for a few days to shrivel and concentrate the sugars.

Stopping the fermentation early also enhances a wine’s potential sweetness, but is very difficult to do. Wine can also be sweetened by the addition of sugar in some form after the fermentation has completed.

Chilling Wine

November 20th, 2008 by David in interesting facts, wine lifestyle

The temperature at which wines are served can greatly alter the flavors and aromas you will experience, and it is worth spending a few moments thinking about it. Store all wines in a cool dark place free from dramatic temperature changes.  It is also important to not store wine in direct sunlight.

The term “room temperature” refers to rooms in Europe at a time when rooms were about 60°. The old adage of serving white wines chilled and red wines at room temperature is practical, although not nearly detailed enough.

Household refrigerators often have internal temperatures of approximately 39°F and are far too cold for most white wines. Dry white wines are best served at a temperature between 46°F and 50°.  The ideal serving temperature for many fine red wines ranges from 57°F to 65°F.

Where did wine kits come from?

November 19th, 2008 by David in interesting facts

The birth of wine kits can be traced back to ancient Mesopotamia, where people would store dried grains and dates. Then they would crumble this concentrated source of sugar into water and allow it to ferment with the natural yeast present on the dates.

Prohibition sparked the next generation of wine kits. Grape producers in California shipped bricks of dehydrated Zinfandel grapes to Chicago and New York in railcars. These concentrated bricks of grapes came with a strong warning label: “CAUTION! Do not add these grapes to 5 gallons of water and five pounds of sugar with yeast, or it will ferment into wine, which is ILLEGAL”.

In the 1970′s the first of modern day wine kits where developed. The quality of the wine kits increased as the technology for packaging, preserving, and concentrating juices improved. During the last 15 years the demand for grape juice concentrate in the wine beverage industry soared due to industry demands and the advances in juice concentrating technology. Today, many commercial wineries bulk-store their crushed grape juice as concentrates until they are able to use it for winemaking.

Today’s wine kits can create wines of exceptional quality and value.  Certain manufactures even guarantee the quality of the wine you can produce.  When seeking a wine kit manufacturer, or a place to make your own wine, search for someone who will guarantee the quality of the wine produced.

History of Wine Bottle Shapes

September 26th, 2008 by David in interesting facts

Wine producing areas in Europe developed unique bottle shapes that became the traditional bottle design for that wine making region. Over time, new wineries often adopted these traditional European bottle shapes.

Burgundy style bottles, having sloped shoulders, are generally used for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines. Grown in the Burgundy region of France, these two grape varieties were used in most of the red and white wine production.

Bordeaux style bottles, having high shoulders, are generally used for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec. Grown in the Bordeaux region of France, these grape varieties were used in most of the red and white wine production.

Hock style bottles, tall withsloped shoulders, are generally used for Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Muller-Thurgau wines. Today, Hock style bottles are also used for desert or refreshment wines.

Hock Blue 375ml bottles are a favorite of brides to use for wedding wine favors.

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