I've included the contributions of Jose and Dale, as well as updating
the Napa visit section. As always, all comments and criticisms are welcome.

-------- Begin C&P -----------
Alt.food.wine FAQ - Version 0.2

Welcome to the FAQ for alt.food.wine! In this document, we have tried
to compile a list of questions that have frequently been asked on this
newsgroup. Alt.food.wine welcomes all questions relating to wine,
though questions concerning winemaking might get more responses in the
related newsgroup rec.crafts.winemaking.

Table of Contents
1. I have just found a bottle of wine in my parents' cupboard and...
1a. I want to know how much it's worth
1b. I want to know whether it's OK to drink
1c. Will it taste good?
2. I just had an incredible bottle of wine. Where I find some of it to buy?
3. What wineries should I visit (where should I stay? eat?) in...
3a. Napa?
3b. Sonoma?
3c. Paso Robles?
3d. Amador County?
3e. Santa Barbara County?
3f. Burgundy?
3g. The Rhone Valley?
3h. Bordeaux?
4. What is the best way to preserve an opened bottle of wine? How long
will it last?
5. What wine should I serve with this food?
6. Are those expensive Riedel glasses worth the money?
7. What causes red wine headaches? How can I prevent them?
8. What do those abbreviations mean?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. I have just found a bottle of wine in my parents' cupboard and...
1a. I want to know how much it's worth

First of all, an all-important question with any wine that's been
stored for any length of time is what the storage conditions were like.
It is generally agreed that wine prefers to be stored in cool, moist
locations, free of light and significant temperature variation. If you
can't guarantee such storage conditions, you're unlikely to get full
price for your wine. If it was found in a kitchen cupboard or garage,
it probably wouldn't sell for much at all.
It's also important to realize that most wine, maybe 99% of it, is
intended for near-term consumption. If your wine is one of those, it
probably won't be worth much unless it's got some sentimental or
historical value.
With those two caveats out of the way, there are several ways you can
get an idea of how much your wine might be worth. You can look for its
retail value on the websites http://www.wine-searcher.com or
http://www.winezap.com. If it's being sold today, you can find what
they're asking for it. However, don't expect to get retail value for
your wine. The easiest way to sell it is at auction, where you'd get
perhaps 80% of the retail price (in a best case analysis). To find out
what that wine has fetched at auction, you can use a database search
tool provided by the Chicago Wine Company (http://www.tcwc.com/ham.htm).
If you do want to sell your wine, there are several online auction
sites that you can use:
http://www.winecommune.com (probably the best for single bottles)
http://www.winebid.com

In some countries, you may be able to sell your wine on Ebay.
Additionally, in certain states of the United States, you may be able to
sell your wine on consignment through a retailer. Since each state has
different alcohol laws, you'd have to check with a local retailer to be
sure.

1b. I want to know whether it's OK to drink
The two caveats to the previous section apply equally to this
question. However, no wine will harm you, no matter how poorly it's
been stored nor how old it is. Also, old wine rarely if ever turns to
vinegar. The only real question is whether it'll be enjoyable to drink,
and one of the best ways to answer that is to open the bottle to see.
However, you can do some research on "drinking windows" proposed by
critics and other wine drinkers. Because most of the published
information is only available by subscription, you won't be able to find
Robert Parker's or the Wine Spectator's advice on the Web. However, a
decent resource is the website http://www.cellartracker.com, which is an
online cellar database for wine lovers. There is a search function on
their homepage that'll give you Cellartracker's customers' comments on
the wine in question, usually with a "recommended drinking window"
included. Of course, asking for advice on the newsgroup might get some
good advice, too.
Be aware, however, that any such drinking window is highly subjective
and based on an assumption of ideal storage conditions. Take such
recommendations with a good deal of skepticism, and open the bottle
earlier than recommended if there are questions about storage. If you
have any doubts about its storage, it's a good idea to open it up with a
backup bottle at hand in case the older wine turns out to not be to your
liking.

1c. Will it taste good?
One of the things about wine is that it evolves even after you open it.
Often an older wine will taste harsh or thin when first opened, but
don't give up on it. Let it sit in the glass for a while and "breathe"
for a while. Over the course of a meal it may "open up" and begin to
reveal its more subtle flavors and even become more full-bodied or
fruitier. Sometimes, recorked and tried the next day, older wines can
be seen to improve. Sometimes not. But don't give up on it based on
your first sip. Also keep in mind that some older wines are fragile and
may not last too long once opened. So, if you open it and like it, keep
in mind that it may not stay that way for long - or it might, depending ;-)


2. I just had an incredible bottle of wine. Where I find some of it to buy?
First of all, make sure that you know exactly what the wine is. That
means knowing the producer, the region it was made in, the vineyard name
(if there was any) and the year. Because there are lots of
similar-sounding names, you want to be sure that you're getting the same
thing you had. If you're not sure of those details and had the wine at
a restaurant, you can call them for a complete description of the wine.
If you had it at some other event, try to track down someone who would
know to ask them. Once you've got all the details, go to
http://www.wine-searcher.com (or http://www.winezap.com) and look up who
sells it in the Internet. Although you won't get all the listings
without buying the Professional version, you'll usually get enough
information to help anyway. If you can't find it for sale using
wine-searcher and it's a recent vintage (i.e., the year on the bottle is
no earlier than 2-4 years ago) you might try the winery's website or
call them to see if: a) they'll sell directly to you or b) they can tell
you who distributes their wine in your area. (You can then get ahold of
the distributor to find out who sells it near to you.

3. What wineries should I visit (where should I stay? eat?) in...
What follows is a compendium of recommendations made in alt.food.wine
over the past 5 years or so. Since they were made without knowledge of
your tastes, they may or may not be useful to you. If you can define
your tastes, you might get better advice asking the newsgroup after
describing your tastes to us.

3a. Napa?
Napa is known primarily for its Cabernet Sauvignon, but Chardonnay,
Zinfandel and Pinot Noir (in the region known as Carneros) also grow
there. Most wineries will charge a tasting fee, and many of them will
charge extra to taste their more expensive wines. These days, it is as
much a tourist destination as it is a wine region and has prices to
match. To avoid heavy crowding, you should avoid weekends, holidays,
the Summer and Hwy 29 by taking the Silverado Trail instead.

Here are the recommended wineries and why they're recommended (asterisks
indicate appointment needed):

Robert Mondavi Winery - informative tour, good wines, historical winery
Beringer Winery - great tour of limestone caves, history, good wines
Milat - good wines, reasonable prices
Sawyer - good wines, reasonable prices
Vincent Arroyo - excellent, unpretentious winemaking
Joseph Phelps - beautiful architecture and tour, great wines
Prager Port Works - unusual wines, nice people
Schramsberg - Good sparkling wines
Stony Hill* - Chardonnay specialists making very different Chards
Storybook Mountain* - Zinfandel specialists making serious Zins

Restaurants:
The French Laundry - Legendary and nearly impossible to get into; call 3
months in advance (to the day) for a chance for a very expensive trip to
foodie heaven
La Toque - Great French food and good wine list
Bistro Jeanty - Country French cooking
Mustard's - An old Napa Valley stalwart, good food
Domaine Chandon - This sparkling wine maker also has a first class
restaurant
Tra Vigne - Upscale Italian dining

Lodging:
Harvest Inn - hot tubs and view
El Bonita Inn (St. Helena) - cheap
Meadowood - Romantic (and pricey) resort
Deer Run Inn - Romantic and secluded
Vintage Inn - Wood-burning fireplaces, Jacuzzis, fancy motor lodge
Rancho Caymus - eclectic, great restaurant (La Toque)
Maison Fleurie - Nice bed and breakfast

Another attraction of the Napa Valley is that Calistoga, at the North
end of the valley, is also home to natural hot springs. If you're of a
mind to soak for a time in a mud bath, Dr. Wilkinson's Hot Springs comes
highly recommended.


3b.



4. What is the best way to preserve an opened bottle of wine? How long
will it last?

The primary enemy of wine is oxygen (even though proper aging of wine
requires it). Once wine is opened, it starts changing due to its
interaction with the air. In some cases this is good (a wine "opening
up" in flavor over the course of the meal, or even overnight in the case
of some older reds), but it will always end badly if enough time elapses.
If you haven't finished a bottle and want to save it for later
consumption, the best thing to do is to retard its reaction with oxygen.
Putting it in the refrigerator slows down the reactions, so this is a
good idea even for reds. (they should be warmed up again before
serving). Just corked back up, whites could go for a day or three
(depending on the kind and quality of the wine, the amount left in the
bottle, and your own palate), reds might last a week that way.
Probably the best method is to rebottle the wine in a smaller bottle
(such as a half bottle whose bottle you saved), allowing very little air
between the top of the wine and the cork. (that area is called the
"ullage"). When inserting the cork, put the end of a paper clip, or a
nail, or a wire, partially into the neck of the bottle as you insert the
cork as a spacer, allowing air to escape (so that pressure doesn't build
up). Then remove the object, allowing the cork to spring back. Tilt
the bottle to wet the cork, but then store upright for some time (to
give the cork a chance to fully spring back. Be sure to label the
bottle! Some say that wine rebottled this way could be put back in the
cellar and left there another year. If you have smaller bottles that
have screwcap closures, they are even better for storing excess wine.
There are also several systems on the market to reduce the wine's
exposure to oxygen. One is a hand pump and rubber stopper arrangement
which reduces the pressure in the bottle. They are marketed under
various names, including Vac-U-Vin. Follow the directions and do not
pump the wine down too much, or the volitiles in the wine will also
evaporate, leaving a wine "dead". Opinion is divided on whether wine
preserved with these devices tastes the same, with some people feeling
that wine loses some of its aromatic character when treated this way.
Those who favor its use say that proper use can extend the wine's life,
allowing a red wine to be stored for as much as two weeks in the
refrigerator under some circumstances before it becomes less than
interesting. Your own reaction may be different, of course.
Another wine preservation device is a gas displacement system.
Typically the gas is Nitrogen or Argon; it is introduced into the
bottle, displacing the air that was there before, and then the bottle is
resealed. The cheapest version is a spray can filled with a mixture of
nitrogen and carbon dioxide. It will likely do only a little to
preserve the wine due to the difficulty in removing all of the oxygen
this way. Given a choice, argon is a better gas to use because, since
it's heavier than air it will settle in the headspace of the bottle and
also leach out of the sealed bottle more slowly (it's also much more
costly, though). Even so, don't expect to store wines using canned gas
for more than a few days. More effective devices use a bubbler (such as
is used in fishtanks) to bubble nitrogen through the wine and
incorporate it into a tight seal for the bottle. Such devices are
marketed under the name Winekeeper and are sold online through Wine
Enthusiast (http://www.winenethusiast.com) and International Wine
Accessories (http://www.iwawine.com). You can buy them in one-, four-
and eight-bottle sizes, though the latter two are so expensive and
elaborate that they are more suited for wine bars and restaurants than
home use. Wine stored this way can probably be kept for a few days
without serious degradation.

5. What wine should I serve with this food?

There are no hard or fast rules for wine and food matching. No match
will be successful if you don't like the wine. This section, however,
is intended as a guide to some generally accepted principles, with
pointers to matches both good and bad (to most people's taste). The old
idea of "red with meat, white with fish" is not all that good a rule- it
depends what meat, what fish (and what red, what white!).

There are some matches that are considered classic:
Beef and Cabernet
Oysters and Muscadet or Chablis

There are some matches that very few people would find successful:
sole or other delicate fish with a big red, red meat with a light white
(basic Muscadet, Vinho Verde, or Sauvignon Blanc), spicy dishes with a
big Cabernet

However, the vast majority of dishes and possible wine matches are
in-between. There's no way to cover every eventuality here- we can say
beef and Cabernet is a good match, but a sauce, prep technique, or side
dish might conflict. So please be aware these are very general
guidelines, and feel free to ask specific questions on AFW .

Suggestions:
Meats
Poultry
Seafood
Vegetables/Sides
Cheeses

Meats
Beef is a classic accompaniment for bigger reds wines. With steaks,
especially if rare, one might stick to bigger more tannic reds- young
California Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux, Australian Shiraz, or young
Northern Rhones. Roasts and braised meat might be more appropriate for
mature Cabernet or Merlot based wines (whether Bordeaux, New World, or
elsewhere), mature Nebbiolo, or other elegant reds

Lamb is often associated with Pauillac, but is a fine match for any
Bordeaux or Bordeaux-blend ("Meritage") wine. If heavy on the herbs and
garlic you might consider a Rhone (or a wine from Rhone varietals such
as Grenache, Mouvedre, Syrah, etc. from California, Spain, Australia, or
elsewhere), Bandol, or Zinfandel. Rioja also is a historic match.

Pork is generally lighter, and does well with lighter reds (Pinot Noirs
that are less heavy, most Sangiovese except Brunello, etc.). Roses also
work well. But many people think that pork is best with whites. Try a
Gruner Veltliner or a dry to off-dry Riesling.

Ham- roses are often recommended. Cured raw hams (proscuitto for
example) do well with whites or sparkling wines.

Veal -recommendations similar to pork

Game- for elk or venison, generally look to powerful wines, Syrah (Rhone
or New World) in particular is a good match, as are bigger wines from
Provence, such as Bandol. For wild boar, consider Brunello di
Montalcino. Rabbit is great with Sangiovese or Pinot Noir (or Riesling
in some preparations).

Individual dishes:
Choucroute - Alsace Riesling is traditional
Steak tartare- crisp whites
Beef Bourguignon - um, Burgundy!


Poultry:
Chicken- simple roast chicken is a fine backdrop for fine mature reds,
yet can also do well with whites. Coq au vin is typically served with a
wine similar to the cooking wine (though one might use a simple
Bourgogne for cooking and a fine Chambolle 1er with dinner- or a
California appellation Pinot Noir for cooking and the single vineyard
version for the table).

Duck- Pinot Noir is excellent, but this goes well with mature Nebbiolo,
Syrah, or Bordeaux as well. A vocal minority support Amarone.

Goose- mature Bordeaux or softer New World Merlots or Cabernets. A good
backdrop for most non-tannic reds.

Foie Gras- Sauternes or other sweet botrytized wines are traditional and
fine, but arguments can be made for Chablis Grand Cru, too!

Turkey- pretty controversial. Advocates for Zinfandel, roses, Riesling
Kabinetts, and more

Game birds: bigger richer ones do well with classic red wines; smaller
delicate birds might be better served with a rich white. Gamier birds
(from long hanging) tend to go with Rhone reds with some spice.

Seafood:
White fleshed fish (flounder, sole, etc) : Soave, Chablis, unoaked
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc. If there's a richer sauce then oaked
Chardonnay or bigger white Burgundy

Salmon: many prefer big Chardonnays, but there is a long tradition of
reds, especially Pinot Noir with good acidity.

Tuna steaks- soft Merlot or other round reds. Less tannic Cabernet can work.

Lobster- big oaked Chardonnay (buttery California or a white Burgundy
like a Meursault) is the traditional accompaniment, but unoaked
Chardonnay (Chablis 1er Crus maybe) and Champagne have their adherents.
Try Grüner Veltliner as a dark horse.

Scallops: Chablis, Grüner Veltliner, Viognier, lighter Chardonnays
Oysters, clams, mussels: Muscadet or Chablis
Caviar: Champagne or Cremant de Bourgogne
Bouillabaisse- White Rhone or Southern French Rose

Vegetables and Sides

Mushrooms- one of the great pairings for red wine in general. Many types
are a great combo with earthy Pinot Noirs (especially crimini, cepes,
oysters, chanterelle, black trumpet, matsutake, etc). Crimini or porcini
in cream sauces do well with Chardonnay based wines. Creamed morels or
morels en croute call out for a fragrant (not big) Burgundy, though
others reach for Côte-Rotie and Temperanillo. Grilled portobellos
usually are a good match for Cabernet, Merlot, or Nebbiolo based wine.
Enokis and straw depend a lot on presentation (true for everything of
course), but more about sparkling or characterful white (Loire Chenin
Blanc, Viognier, Pinot Gris or Kabinett Riesling).

Truffles, black or white:
Best nebbiolo based wine you can find, Barbaresco can be even better
than Barolo for this match.


Artichokes - can be a wine killer, but try lighter whites
Asparagus - for some a strange match, but try NZ Sauvignon Blanc or
Grüner Veltliner. For white asparagus, try Alsace Muscat.
Fresh tomatoes - acidic whites
Ratatouille - fresh whites or roses
Salad- vinegary dressings are a wine killer. Drink water!

Cheeses
When in doubt, go with white.
Goat cheese - Sauvignon Blanc is the classic
Munster - dry Riesling
Gouda - lighter reds. Aged Gouda -good match for Cabernet based wines
Manchego - same as Gouda, depends on age. A tangy aged one is great with
Priorat.
Hoch Ybrig - does well with mature but vibrant big reds
Parmigiano Reggiano - Amarone, Cabernet
Cheddar: If we're talking young moist cheddar, fruity Zinfandel or
Merlot. Aged artisanal cheddars deserve a big dry red
Triple crèmes - Auslese level Riesling.
Epoisses - some of us like with red Burgundy, almost everyone likes with
white Burgundy.
Stilton - Port (or Tokay)
Roquefort - Sauternes
Gorgonzola dolce needs a bit of sweetness - recieto della Valpolicella
maybe. More mature versions, though pungent, can stand up to drier reds
Mimolette - Bordeaux
Brie and its relatives - better with whites

Non-European Ethnic Foods:
This section will be the most controversial. Unlike European cuisines
that developed alongside wine, there are few "classic" matches. So take
each of these suggestions with a grain of salt.

Chinese: Saying what red wine matches with Chinese food is impossible.
It's like saying which wine pairs with European food. The problem of
course is that "Chinese food" is not even one cuisine, but a group of
regional cuisines. The wine for a Cantonese dish is not neccesarily
going to be great for Szechuan, Shanghai, Fukien, Peking/Northern
dishes. And the same wine is probably not best choice for chicken, beef,
pork, and seafood dishes. Robert Parker I believe is on record
commenting on the affinity of Nebbiolo and dim sum dumplings with a
soy/shoyu dipping sauce. Beef with broccoli can pretty good with a
simpler Bordeaux or CalCab. Fiery Szechuan fare is probably best with
water or beer, but if you need wine try sparkling or off-dry Riesling.
Cab Franc has its fans, too.

Japanese: With sushi, sparkling wines or Sauvignon Blanc tend to get the
most votes. Other stick to sake ("rice wine", though actually brewed) or
beer. Of course, it you're ordering mostly grilled eel you might prefer
a lighter red. With cooked dishes, many find that Nebbiolo and Pinot
Noir do well with the umami flavors prevalent in some dishes.

Thai: Many people like Gewurztraminer. Others prefer Riesling or Chenin
Blanc. Rhone white varietals (Marsanne and Roussane) have their
proponents, too. A touch of sweetness helps if there's a lot of spice.

Vietnamese : Many of the same suggestions as Thai, lemongrass does well
with many aromatic whites (rousanne, viognier, etc). Fusion
(French/Vietnamese) can do well with Kabinett or Spatlese level offdry
Riesling, as well as dry Rieslings and Gruner Veltliner.

Mexican- like Chinese, really not one cuisine but a collection of
regional cuisines. Mole sauce might call for a Zinfandel or Sangiovese,
while huachinango Veracruz(red snapper w/green olives) might call for a
flavorful white. The usual Tex-Mex we often encounter in US defies wine
- beer is the usual answer. If you absolutely must have wine, then go
with Sangria or maybe sparkling or crisp offdry white.

Middle Eastern: a little easier. Does well with Rhone whites or spicier
ripe reds- Rhones, Zinfandel, etc. There are some Morrocan and Algerian
wines available, as well as the famous Ch. Musar from Lebanon, if you
wish to stay on theme.

Indian: Again, a collection of regional cuisines. Punjabi cuisine- with
a lot more kormas and cream-based dishes that have a fair amount of
spice and flavour to them, aromatic whites with good acidity tend to
pair well with Punjabi food, vegetarian or not. Rieslings usually work
very well, particularly the more acidic and citrusy ones from Australia.
North-west Frontier/Peshawari cuisine: Dry Riesling works very well in
conjunction with a lot of these, as it's one of the few wine styles that
can stand up to the strong flavours. Gewurztraminer also works quite well.

Malay/Singaporean cuisine: Riesling and Gewurztraminer both go well with
a lot of food from this area, but I've found that Sauvignon Blanc
(particularly the Marlborough style) works best. Very few combinations
in this part of the world work out as well as Singaporean chicke satays
with a glass of Sauv on the side.

Korean: lots of kimchi calls out for beer! But kalbi and bulgogi both
pair well with aggressive Syrah/Shiraz or other Rhone varietals.

Mark Lipton

Mark, excellent work (both writing and collating). I thought of one
more Q to A, and realize that means I write it. Several references to
good storage- maybe just a paragraph or two re what that entails? Will
get on that after the sauces/herbs.

Hi Mark,

Someone posted to "forget Chateauneuf du Pape" but I can't agree; in
spite of the tourist traps in town there are (as you know!) many fine
places to visit. Anyway I've put together a list on what I'd
suggest, to be edited and added to at will...

Some suggestions on Southern Rhone below:

On Fri, 22 Sep 2006 00:50:39 -0400
Mark Lipton > wrote:

> 3g. The Rhone Valley?

In Chateauneuf du Pape, avoid the center of town but seek out:

Dom. Beaurenard (Red, CdR, QPR)
Dom. Font de Michelle (Red, White)
Bosquet des Papes (Red Tradition)
Grand Tinel (Red, CdR, QPR)
Dom. du Pegau (Red)
Vieux Telegraphe (Red)
Dom Roger Perrin (Red, CdR, QPR)
La Nerthe (Red, White)
Beaucastel (Red, White, good tour)

CdR Villages:
Rasteau - La Soumade (expensive but still some deals and best vin doux naturel Rasteau)
Rasteau - Didier Charavin
Cairanne - Marcel Richaud
Cairanne - Corinne Couturier (Rabasse Charavin)
Beaumes de Venise - Domain Durban (VDN)

Gigondas/Vacqueyras:
Clos des Cazeaux
Montmirail
Sang des Cailloux
Raspail Ay

Want to go off the beaten track?
Try a Syrah from Rieu Frais, Vins de Pays des Côteaux des Baronnies.
You may never find a better value, anywhere. Shh!

-E
--
Emery Davis
You can reply to ecom
by removing the well known companies

On Fri, 22 Sep 2006 10:30:30 +0200
Emery Davis > wrote:

[]te:
>
> > 3g. The Rhone Valley?
>
[]

Oops forgot to add a rec from us also for Les Florets, very
pleasant indeed.

-E
--
Emery Davis
You can reply to ecom
by removing the well known companies

Mark Lipton wrote:
> I've included the contributions of Jose and Dale, as well as updating
> the Napa visit section. As always, all comments and criticisms are welcome.

There is a typo in a URL is section 4. The URL
http://www.winenethusiast.com which takes you to GoDaddy should be
http://www.wineethusiast.com .

I have added everything to the web page except part of Dale's. When I
finish I will post the URL that has all of the revisions so those
writing can check.

The page is already about 22 kb. The page of course contains more code
than just the text. However if the page gets much longer, I may need to
split it so those on slow dialup connections will not have to wait too
long for loading. This can be done by linking to another page rather
than the same page with the go buttons. Since I am on DSL with an about
5 Mbps download, I can not tell. Thus I will have to depend on someone
with a slow dialup connection to report if and when the page takes too
long to load. You need to check several times, because problems on the
web can slow everything down to a crawl now and then.

Seems to me that even if no genuine newcomers ever read this, it's been a
valuable compilation; kudos, Mark (and others, of course, especially Dale).

Emery Davis wrote:

> Hi Mark,
>
> Someone posted to "forget Chateauneuf du Pape" but I can't agree; in
> spite of the tourist traps in town there are (as you know!) many fine
> places to visit. Anyway I've put together a list on what I'd
> suggest, to be edited and added to at will...
>
> Some suggestions on Southern Rhone below:
>
> On Fri, 22 Sep 2006 00:50:39 -0400
> Mark Lipton > wrote:
>
>
>>3g. The Rhone Valley?
>
>
> In Chateauneuf du Pape, avoid the center of town but seek out:
>
> Dom. Beaurenard (Red, CdR, QPR)
> Dom. Font de Michelle (Red, White)
> Bosquet des Papes (Red Tradition)
> Grand Tinel (Red, CdR, QPR)
> Dom. du Pegau (Red)
> Vieux Telegraphe (Red)
> Dom Roger Perrin (Red, CdR, QPR)
> La Nerthe (Red, White)
> Beaucastel (Red, White, good tour)
>
> CdR Villages:
> Rasteau - La Soumade (expensive but still some deals and best vin doux naturel Rasteau)
> Rasteau - Didier Charavin
> Cairanne - Marcel Richaud
> Cairanne - Corinne Couturier (Rabasse Charavin)
> Beaumes de Venise - Domain Durban (VDN)
>
> Gigondas/Vacqueyras:
> Clos des Cazeaux
> Montmirail
> Sang des Cailloux
> Raspail Ay
>
> Want to go off the beaten track?
> Try a Syrah from Rieu Frais, Vins de Pays des Côteaux des Baronnies.
> You may never find a better value, anywhere. Shh!
>
> -E

cwdjrxyz wrote:
> Mark Lipton wrote:
>> I've included the contributions of Jose and Dale, as well as updating
>> the Napa visit section. As always, all comments and criticisms are welcome.
>
> There is a typo in a URL is section 4. The URL
> http://www.winenethusiast.com which takes you to GoDaddy should be
> http://www.wineethusiast.com .
>
> I have added everything to the web page except part of Dale's. When I
> finish I will post the URL that has all of the revisions so those
> writing can check.
>
> The page is already about 22 kb. The page of course contains more code
> than just the text. However if the page gets much longer, I may need to
> split it so those on slow dialup connections will not have to wait too
> long for loading. This can be done by linking to another page rather
> than the same page with the go buttons. Since I am on DSL with an about
> 5 Mbps download, I can not tell. Thus I will have to depend on someone
> with a slow dialup connection to report if and when the page takes too
> long to load. You need to check several times, because problems on the
> web can slow everything down to a crawl now and then.
>

Thanks for catching the typo. I agree about the size (which applies
even more to postings to Usenet) and think that maybe we should split it
up by major subtopic (i.e., the 8 questions that I currently list in
TOC) and link to them via the TOC.

Many thanks for your efforts,
Mark Lipton

Mark Lipton wrote:
> cwdjrxyz wrote:

> > I have added everything to the web page except part of Dale's. When I
> > finish I will post the URL that has all of the revisions so those
> > writing can check.

> I agree about the size (which applies
> even more to postings to Usenet) and think that maybe we should split it
> up by major subtopic (i.e., the 8 questions that I currently list in
> TOC) and link to them via the TOC.

The updated page is at http://www.cwdjr.info/wine/FAQ2.php . Those
writing new sections should check them for typos, etc. Dale's long
section on matching is set up with buttons for sections of it, and it
will thus be very easy to move to another page should the main page
become too long. When one copies text so many times from posts, note
pads, web pages, etc, often some white space is lost or added. So if
the layout is not what was intended, let me know. Conversion of the
other numbered topics to their own pages also will be little trouble if
this becomes desirable.

I have to admit that is really useful when on a web site. Better visual vs
a letter.

Nice job.

Can someone please knock off Paso Robles and Santa Barbara this weekend in
time for my trip next week.


"cwdjrxyz" > wrote in message
ps.com...
>
> Mark Lipton wrote:
>> cwdjrxyz wrote:
>
>> > I have added everything to the web page except part of Dale's. When I
>> > finish I will post the URL that has all of the revisions so those
>> > writing can check.
>
>> I agree about the size (which applies
>> even more to postings to Usenet) and think that maybe we should split it
>> up by major subtopic (i.e., the 8 questions that I currently list in
>> TOC) and link to them via the TOC.
>
> The updated page is at http://www.cwdjr.info/wine/FAQ2.php . Those
> writing new sections should check them for typos, etc. Dale's long
> section on matching is set up with buttons for sections of it, and it
> will thus be very easy to move to another page should the main page
> become too long. When one copies text so many times from posts, note
> pads, web pages, etc, often some white space is lost or added. So if
> the layout is not what was intended, let me know. Conversion of the
> other numbered topics to their own pages also will be little trouble if
> this becomes desirable.
>

6. Are those expensive Riedel glasses worth the money?

Yes.

(and Reidel isn't the only brand worth considering - Spiegleau is
another). They are not all that expensive - one can get very nice
glasses for about ten dollars (US) a stem, although they do go up from
there for those with the money. When you consider the total value of
the wine that will be poured into these glasses over the course of a
year or so, the price of the glass is very small indeed.

Scent (the "nose" of a wine) is easily as important as the other taste
sensations. Red wines tend to have a fuller nose, and the larger globe
style stemware is very effective in capturing the aromatic vapors the
wine gives off so they can be enjoyed. One should fill the glass only
part way, typically to the widest part of the globe, leaving a lot of
space for the nose to gather (and a lot of room to swirl the glass,
encouraging the release of these volitile elements). Although white
wines will do well enough in a "red wine" glass, a narrower vessel helps
show them off better. The same ideas apply however, fill the glass only
partway, to leave room for the nose.

The thinness of the rim of these glasses is more pleasant to many than a
thicker rimmed glass, and allows the sensations of the wine itself to
dominate. Thin glass also does not affect the temperature of the wine
as much as a thicker glass, although there is some controversy about how
much this matters over the course of a meal, since the wine will be
changing temperature anyway.

Champaigne and other sparkling wines should be served in a flute style
glass. This keeps the effervescence from disspiating too soon. Coupe
style glasses (the old classic with the shallow, wide bowl) are probably
the worst thing to do to champaigne, because the bubbles will dissipate
too quickly. Save the coupe glasses however; they make beautiful
dessert vessels.

Beyond this, it is not necessary to get a different kind of glass for
each style of wine; one can easily go overboard here. A simple globe
style red wine glass is sufficient, though you may want another glass
with a narrower bowl for white wines. Anybody who can appreciate the
finer differences between all the other kinds of glasses probably
doesn't need the faq in the first place!

Holding the wine glass by the stem keeps your hand from warming the wine
up as you drink it, which is why most wine glasses are stemware.
However, some places serve wine in non-stemware, notably the Healdsburg
Bar & Grill in California (http://www.hbg4fun.com/), which uses them in
their outdoor dining area, because non-stemware has a lower center of
gravity and is more stable on tables that might rock or be bumped.

====

4. What is the best way to preserve an opened bottle of wine? How long
will it last?

I'd edit the end of paragraph 3 thus:

Probably the best method is to rebottle the wine in a smaller bottle
[...]. Be sure to label the bottle! If you have smaller bottles that
have screwcap closures, they are even better for storing excess wine.
Although it seems that one could put the bottle back in the cellar for
another year, this may be optomistic. A winery bottling plant is ultra
clean. They sanitze the bottle, and purge the oxygen from the bottle
both before and after filling the bottle with wine. They also monitor
the oxygen level continuously, and stop the plant if excess oxygen is
detected. If you rebottle at home you are not likely to have these same
conditions, so putting it back in the cellar to age some more is
probably not reccomended.

Jose
--
"Never trust anything that can think for itself, if you can't see where
it keeps its brain." (chapter 10 of book 3 - Harry Potter).
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

cwdjrxyz wrote:

> The updated page is at http://www.cwdjr.info/wine/FAQ2.php . Those
> writing new sections should check them for typos, etc. Dale's long
> section on matching is set up with buttons for sections of it, and it
> will thus be very easy to move to another page should the main page
> become too long. When one copies text so many times from posts, note
> pads, web pages, etc, often some white space is lost or added. So if
> the layout is not what was intended, let me know. Conversion of the
> other numbered topics to their own pages also will be little trouble if
> this becomes desirable.

The page at http://www.cwdjr.info/wine/FAQ2.php has been modified so
that Dale's long discussion of matching is on a single page. The
wine/food matching button just links you to the match page rather than
to the bottom of the same page. You should notice no difference unless
you glance at the url you are on. One advantage is that if someone is
only interested in wine/food matching they could bookmark a link to the
match page rather than to the general FAQ page. An external style sheet
now is being used for all of the pages to make any needed style changes
for them easy and to avoid duplication of style code on every page.

Jose > wrote:

> 6. Are those expensive Riedel glasses worth the money?
>
> Yes.
>
> (and Reidel

R_ie_del.

> isn't the only brand worth considering - Spiegleau

Spieg_el_au.

> is another). ...
>
> [...]
>
> Champaigne

Champ_a_gne.

> and other sparkling wines should be served in a flute style
> glass.

Don't know whether a discussion is wished here, but it is my deep
conviction that this assumption has been wrong for at least 150
years.

Very tall, straight, narrow flutes stem from the times where
disgorgment for sparkling wines was unknown, until well into
the 19th century. Flutes were tall and slim to get the deposit
down in the glass as fast as possible.

From the point where disgorgment became common, there was
absolutely no need to stick to flutes. A decent all-purpose
wine glass is better in just about any aspect: nose, fragrancy
and drinking is better from a decent wine glass than a flute.

> This keeps the effervescence from dissipating too soon.

This is the standard pro-flutes argument. May I ask those who
stand behind it, whether they serve sparkling water in flutes?
Shouldn't the sparkle - the *only* property of that type of
drink - be preserved even more? So why sparkling wine in flutes,
but not water?

*I* don't use flutes for sparkling wine anymore, and I am more
than happy with my decision.

Anybody having tried side by side agrees with me.

Sorry if a response is undesired here, but I find this
"dissenting opinon" worthwhile, and maybe it could be
added to the FAQ (possibly in a better wording than mine).

M.

Michael Pronay wrote:
> Jose > wrote:
>
> > 6. Are those expensive Riedel glasses worth the money?
> >
> > Yes.
> >
> > (and Reidel
>
> R_ie_del.
>
> > isn't the only brand worth considering - Spiegleau
>
> Spieg_el_au.
>
> > is another). ...
> >
> > [...]
> >
> > Champaigne
>
> Champ_a_gne.
>
> > and other sparkling wines should be served in a flute style
> > glass.
>
> Don't know whether a discussion is wished here, but it is my deep
> conviction that this assumption has been wrong for at least 150
> years.
>
> Very tall, straight, narrow flutes stem from the times where
> disgorgment for sparkling wines was unknown, until well into
> the 19th century. Flutes were tall and slim to get the deposit
> down in the glass as fast as possible.
>
> From the point where disgorgment became common, there was
> absolutely no need to stick to flutes. A decent all-purpose
> wine glass is better in just about any aspect: nose, fragrancy
> and drinking is better from a decent wine glass than a flute.
>
> > This keeps the effervescence from dissipating too soon.
>
> This is the standard pro-flutes argument. May I ask those who
> stand behind it, whether they serve sparkling water in flutes?
> Shouldn't the sparkle - the *only* property of that type of
> drink - be preserved even more? So why sparkling wine in flutes,
> but not water?
>
> *I* don't use flutes for sparkling wine anymore, and I am more
> than happy with my decision.
>
> Anybody having tried side by side agrees with me.
>
> Sorry if a response is undesired here, but I find this
> "dissenting opinon" worthwhile, and maybe it could be
> added to the FAQ (possibly in a better wording than mine).


I am just putting the FAQs as developed by Mark Lipton on web pages in
case anyone wants them in this format. The only changes I am making to
Mark's content are technical ones to take advantage of some things you
can do on web pages, but not on a text-only Usenet post. Thus I do not
think it proper for me to add editorial comment at this time.

I will only note that many styles of Champagne glasses have been used
in various places at various times. Baccarat does or has made at least
4 styles. One is the tulip shape which is not too different from many
still wine glasses. It is a bit higher and curves in a bit at the rim.
This is my personal choice. However they also make a "V" shaped flute
which is apparently an older style, but for which there is still some
demand. The "V" shape of this glass is wider than many of the more
extreme "V" flutes. They also make the old fashioned saucer champagne
glass which apparently was quite popular in some English speaking
countries in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I do not much care for
this shape, because it is too easy to spill wine from it. Then I have
seen saucer Champagne glasses with very narrow hollow stems. These
produce more bubbles for those who want this effect and do not mind the
rapid loss of CO2. I detest such glasses, because such glasses are very
difficult to clean and dry. You may have to use long pipe cleaners to
clean the hollow stems. Then there are cylinder shaped champagne
glasses that are very thin and tall and that may curve in or out at the
top. I see no advantage of these, but some still use them. I have an
antique Italian sparkling wine glass that is of the saucer type.
However it has an octagonal cross section bowl rather than round. It
has lumps of clear glass on each of the 8 sides and much fancy gold
work. The stem has a very elaborate swirled pattern. I also have a very
elaborate antique Champagne glass from the Venice area. It is a fairly
tall flute with glass fish and swirls on the stem, gold flecks in the
glass etc.

Some of the Bohemian Champagne glasses from the late 1800s also are
very elaborate. At that time, a glass seemed to be used for a canvas to
be decorated. Several colors of glass might be used with or without
cutting. Much enamel often was used, including semi-transparent
enamels. Of course a lot of gold decoration often was used. Moser made
some of the most famous Bohemian glass from this era. However Riedel
made famous Bohemian glass of this type at the time also. I do not know
the connection between this old Riedel and current Riedel.

The most elaborate and expensive Champagne glass in current production
on special order likely is one by Baccarat designed for the last Tsar
of Russia. I have not priced them recently, but I seem to recall they
sold for over $US 1000 each. They are layered with 3 colors of glass,
which is heavily cut to show extremely complex patterns The stem and
base are heavily decorated also. It likely takes very many hours to cut
each glass.

"cwdjrxyz" > wrote:

> However Riedel made famous Bohemian glass of this type at the
> time also. I do not know the connection between this old Riedel
> and current Riedel.

They current Riedels (father Georg and son Maximilian) are direct
descendants. Georg's father Claus Joseph fled Bohemia in the late
1940s and found a new home as refugee in Tyrol.

M.

"Michael Pronay" > skrev i meddelandet
...
> Jose > wrote:

> A decent all-purpose
> wine glass is better in just about any aspect: nose, fragrancy
> and drinking is better from a decent wine glass than a flute.

Hear, hear! Absolutely agreed.

Cheers

Nils Gustaf
--
Respond to nils dot lindgren at drchips dot se

"Nils Gustaf Lindgren" > skrev i melding
...
>> A decent all-purpose
>> wine glass is better in just about any aspect: nose, fragrancy
>> and drinking is better from a decent wine glass than a flute.
>
> Hear, hear! Absolutely agreed.
>
Now, I learned something new :-) I've always taken the flûte for granted...
Anders

> Sorry if a response is undesired here, but I find this
> "dissenting opinon" worthwhile, and maybe it could be
> added to the FAQ (possibly in a better wording than mine)

Yes, dissenting opinions are valued - that's how we learn. I'll have to
try it.

Jose
--
"Never trust anything that can think for itself, if you can't see where
it keeps its brain." (chapter 10 of book 3 - Harry Potter).
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

Michael Pronay > wrote in
:

>
>> This keeps the effervescence from dissipating too soon.
>
> This is the standard pro-flutes argument. May I ask those who
> stand behind it, whether they serve sparkling water in flutes?
> Shouldn't the sparkle - the *only* property of that type of
> drink - be preserved even more? So why sparkling wine in flutes,
> but not water?
>

Well, I don't pay $40 a bottle for my sparkling water ;-)

Never the less you make as usual a very good point. good Champagne is first
and foremost good wine with effervescence as a benefit. I will be trying
your suggestion.

--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/

cwdjrxyz skrev i
dette:

> The updated page is at http://www.cwdjr.info/wine/FAQ2.php .

A very good initiative!
Thank You for the effort.

regards
Jan

--
A few photos can be found on http://jan.boegh.net/foto.htm

Jose > wrote:

>> Sorry if a response is undesired here, but I find this
>> "dissenting opinon" worthwhile, and maybe it could be
>> added to the FAQ (possibly in a better wording than mine)

> Yes, dissenting opinions are valued - that's how we learn.
> I'll have to try it.

Cheers! Or ¡salùd!

M.

Thanks for your work on this. I put up another draft, only change is
addition of herbs and spices section. If you would prefer a different
format than text post to AFW through Google, let me know.

cwdjrxyz wrote:
> cwdjrxyz wrote:
>
> > The updated page is at http://www.cwdjr.info/wine/FAQ2.php . Those
> > writing new sections should check them for typos, etc. Dale's long
> > section on matching is set up with buttons for sections of it, and it
> > will thus be very easy to move to another page should the main page
> > become too long. When one copies text so many times from posts, note
> > pads, web pages, etc, often some white space is lost or added. So if
> > the layout is not what was intended, let me know. Conversion of the
> > other numbered topics to their own pages also will be little trouble if
> > this becomes desirable.
>
> The page at http://www.cwdjr.info/wine/FAQ2.php has been modified so
> that Dale's long discussion of matching is on a single page. The
> wine/food matching button just links you to the match page rather than
> to the bottom of the same page. You should notice no difference unless
> you glance at the url you are on. One advantage is that if someone is
> only interested in wine/food matching they could bookmark a link to the
> match page rather than to the general FAQ page. An external style sheet
> now is being used for all of the pages to make any needed style changes
> for them easy and to avoid duplication of style code on every page.

DaleW wrote:
> Thanks for your work on this. I put up another draft, only change is
> addition of herbs and spices section. If you would prefer a different
> format than text post to AFW through Google, let me know.

Thanks for letting me know, Dale. Since the web pages are to reflect
the Usenet post format of the FAQs that Mark Lipton is putting
together, I am waiting to make any major changes or additions until
they appear on his FAQs. This avoids a lot of confusion for me, and
perhaps for Mark also. Too many cooks spoil the dish, or something of
the sort :-) . Now all of the major numbered section of the FAQs are on
single pages. The reason is that the FAQs seem to be growing so much
that this allows for expansion in the future without undue effort. If
we get very extensive additional notes about wine regions, I might even
have to make some pages for single regions to keep the load time down.
This can easily be done the way the main page is set up now. Copying
the text from Mark's revised post seems to be the best way from now.

I have made a few other minor technical revisions to help the pages
load faster. I added small margins around the page so that part of the
text will not be obscured if a monitor is a bit out of adjustment. I
slightly changed a few font sizes and weights to make the page a bit
easier to read - at least to my not-so-good eyes. These are changes
that most people may not even notice.

> What do those abbreviations mean?

http://www.acronymfinder.com
Best used with a browser other than IE, because it uses "tricks" to
foist popups on the user, and IE succombs to those tricks. It's
otherwise a good resource.
http://taa.pileofcrap.org/
is another acronym resource of interest.

Jose
--
"Never trust anything that can think for itself, if you can't see where
it keeps its brain." (chapter 10 of book 3 - Harry Potter).
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.