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Box Wine Benefits
For many years box wine had a bad image as being cheap and not good to drink. That seems to have changed in recent years with the creation of the premium 3L box category. Consumers are opening up to buying box wine more and more. In 2017 Black Box and Bota Box wines had sales of over six million 9 Liter cases each. These brands and other box wine producers are putting better quality wine in a box, and keeping the price very reasonable. Could box wine become the new house wine at your restaurant or bar? After reading the following benefits of box wine, you might consider it as an option.
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Organic Wine
This information provided by Paul Dolan and Parducci wineries
A rapidly growing number of ecologically aware consumers who value taste and quality are enthusiastically purchasing wines from vineyards and wineries that are certified Biodynamic, certified organic and utilize certified sustainable farming and business practices. What do these terms mean?
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Vermouth
Vermouth is a liquor made from fortified white wine, with a number of different herbs added for flavor. The word vermouth comes from the German word “wermuth”,(in German the “W” sounds like a “V”) which means wormwood. Wormwood was originally the primary ingredient in vermouth until it was found to be poisonous. Vermouth is made from a combination of herbs, spices, flowers, and seeds.
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Sake Basics
Is it beer or wine?
Saké purists will say that saké is saké. It is not wine or beer. It is it’s own unique beverage and deserves it’s own identity. That is certainly true, but in a world that is trying to understand saké, it is not easy to be so definitive and may not be a good idea.
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Cachaca
The following content provided by Leblon …
The ABCs of Brazil's National Spirit, Cachaça
What is Cachaca? How do you say it? How do you use it? And is it a Rum or not? As the fastest growing spirit in the United States, more and more Americans are discovering Cachaça, the national spirit of Brazil. Unique only to Brazil, Cachaça is pronounced ka-SHA-sa, with the emphasis on the ‘SHA.' Like Hefeweizen, Fahrvergnugen, and Pinot Grigio, Cachaça is a foreign word easy to mispronounce - at least initially. Cachaça's cocktail sidekick, the Caipirinha, is the national cocktail of Brazil (pronounced kai-pur-EEN-ya, with the emphasis on the third syllable).
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Pinot Noir
PINOT NOIR (Red) [PEE-no NWA]
About:
Pinot Noir is a red grape varietal and is considered the classic grape of Burgundy France, however it is grown in areas all over the world. It is a difficult grape to grow and does best when grown in cooler, often fog prone regions. Pinot Noir is one of the varietals used to produce the great sparkling wines in Champagne France, as well as many other sparkling wines around the world. Pinot Noirs tend to be lighter in color and somewhat less tannic than most other red wines. Some can be a bit tannic when the vintner chooses to ferment the wine with some of its stems.
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Tequila 101
Tequila is exclusively a product of Mexico, and principally from its state of Jalisco and a few small, designated regions of the states of Guanajuato, Tamalpais, Michoacan, and Nayarit. It is a spirit made from the Blue agave plant. The Blue Agave plant is a dramatically beautiful plant of blue coloring, similar in look to a giant aloe. It can reach a height of six feet and although it looks like a Cactus, it is in fact a member of the Lily family.
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Amber Ale
History/About:
Amber Ales were created by American craft beer brewers in the early 1980’s. They are known as Red Ales in some regions.
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Merlot
MERLOT (murr-LOW or MARE-low)
About:
Merlot is a red grape varietal that produces wines with a dark ruby color, medium body and flavors of berry, plum, and currant. Merlot can be a stand-alone grape varietal producing 100% Merlot wines. It is also used many times as a blending grape comprising only a percentage of the overall makeup of a wine. The Merlot grape is relatively large in relation to their pips and thickness of the skins, making them a bit less tannic and easier to drink. When Merlot is blended with more tannic varieties like cabernet, it softens the overall makeup of the wine.
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Riesling
Riesling (Reessling)
About:
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is indigenous to Germany and, because of its ability to withstand cold weather, is one of the few quality grapes that can be grown there and other regions with similarly marginal climates. The grape can make entirely different wines when grown in other areas of the world. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines.
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German Wine 101
The German wine regions are some of the most northerly in the world. The main wine-producing climate lies below the 50th parallel, which runs through the regions Rheingau and Mosel. Above this line the climate becomes less conducive to wine production, but there are still some vineyards above this line. Most of Germany’s vineyards are planted on slopes or steep hills topped by protective forests that check the wind, and almost always near a sun-reflecting river – primarily the Rhine and its tributaries.
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Scotch Whiskey
The whisky (no “e”) must come from and matured in Scotland. Scotch has a distinct smoky flavor that comes from the use of peat fires to dry the malt. Scotch will be labeled as “single malt” or “blended”. The age statement on a blended Scotch will be that of the youngest whisky in the blend.
Single Malt Scotch Whisky – is produced by a single distillery and has not been blended with whisky from any other distillery. The ingredients used come from one of the few specific regions designated for Scoch production. The whisky must be distilled and matured for at least three years in Scotland in order to be named Scotch whisky. Some Single malt Scotch brands are: Balvenie, Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Aberlour and Laphroaig.
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Basics of Ales
Beer styles are divided into the two main groups of Ales and Lagers. While there are many differences between the two, the most important distinction is the flavor. Generally ales have more fruity, robust flavors than lagers while lagers can be more crisp and subtle. Ales are often referred to as being "top fermented" by the way they stay on top of the beer during primary fermentation and Lagers are referred to as "bottom fermented" because lager yeast tends to settle to the bottom and ferment.
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India Pale Ale/IPA
History:
In the early 1700’s troops and British citizens living in India as part of the colonial rule did not have access to good British ale and any attempts to ship the malt British ales to them resulted in spoilage, due to the extreme temperatures and rolling of the seas. A brewer discovered that a high dose of hops and increased alcohol content preserved his ales and during the long voyage to India.
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American Pale Ale
American pale ale
History/About:
This style is basically the American version of an English pale ale using American hops, malt, yeast and water as the ingredients.
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Basics of Lagers
Beer styles are divided into the two main groups of Ales and Lagers. While there are many differences between the two, the most important distinction is the flavor. Generally ales have more fruity, robust flavors than lagers while lagers can be more crisp and subtle. Ales are often referred to as being "top fermented" by the way they stay on top of the beer during primary fermentation and Lagers are referred to as "bottom fermented" because lager yeast tends to settle to the bottom and ferment.
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Gin 101
What is Gin?
Gin and its Lowlands cousin Genever (Jenever in Belgium) are white spirits made from a grain mash of barley, corn or rye, that are flavored with juniper berries, which have a piney sweet/sharp taste and smell, and so-called botanicals (herbs, spices, roots, pits, peels, and other plant substances added for more complex flavor). Some commonly used botanicals besides juniper are: almonds, angelica, aniseed, caraway seed, cardamom pods, cassia, cinnamon, citrus peel (lemon, orange, and bitter orange), coriander seed, cubeb berries, cumin seed, fennel seed, ginger root, iris root, licorice root, nutmeg, paradise grain, savory, star anise, and violet root. Probably anything else you can imagine has been used as well. Gin and Genever makers have their own secret combination of botanicals, the number of which can range from as few as four to as many as 15 and some even more. Gin ranges from 80 – 94 proof. Gin is not aged.
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Irish Whiskey
Irish whiskey must come from and mature in Ireland. It is made from barley (malted and unmalted, unlike Scotch which is from malted only) as well as corn, rye, wheat and oats. The malted barley in Irish whiskey is dried in enclosed kilns and not over peat fires like scotch, so they are not smoky tasting and smelling like scotch. They are triple-distilled for extra smoothness and aged in casks for a minimum of 3 (however, many are usually 7 to 8) years. The barrels used to age Irish whiskey often have been previously used to age bourbon, sherry or rum, which contribute unique nuances to the whiskey. Some Irish whiskey brands are: Jameson, Bushmills, Powers and Redbreast and Tullamore Dew.
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Spanish Wine 101
Spain is one of the world’s largest wine producing regions. The country has the largest area of vine cultivation in the European Union and the world followed by France and Italy. It is the third largest producer of wine after Italy and France. Spain’s geographical position, its climatic differences and its wide variety of soil types makes it a privileged place for producing wines with very different characteristics.
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Sauvignon Blanc
What is Sauvignon Blanc?
Sauvignon Blanc is a white grape varietal that is usually produced dry with a crisp acidity. Sauvignon blanc may have aromas of grass or hay (typical California style), grapefruit, green pepper, gooseberry (typical New Zealand style), minerality (French style and some South American styles), and sometimes even a little toast or smoke if it has been oak aged. Most Sauvignon blanc are all stainless steel fermented and never spend time in oak barrels. The wine should be served chilled.
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Malbec
Malbec – Red (MAHL-beck)
About:
Malbec is a red grape that tends to produce wines with an inky dark color. It is one of the grapes allowed in the production of Bordeaux wines of France but is used very little in those wines today. In France it is the main grape in the appellation of Cahors, where it is called Côt. Malbec has grown successfully in Argentina and makes up a large portion of the red wine produced in that area. The climate and soil in Argentina seem to bring out the best in the Malbec grape.
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Pinot Grigio
First of all, Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are the same grape. Pinot Grigio is the name used in Italy where it translates as “gray pinot” and in France “gray pinot” is Pinot Gris. This comes from the color of the grape which has a grayish/brownish pink skin. This white grape is thought to be a mutant clone of the red pinot noir grape. The word “pinot” means “pine cone” in French and is believed to be used because the grapes grow in small pine cone shaped clusters. The grape originated in France and is known there as Pinot Gris. However, it thrives in the Alsace region of France where it is called Tokay. In the United States you will see the wines labeled as either Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris. With the popularity of the term Pinot Grigio, this is the primary name used. However, when produced in Oregon it will be called Pinot Gris most of the time.
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Types of Sparkling Wine
“Sparkling wine” is the term used to combine all types of Champagne like wines into one category. In general, people looking for a sparkling wine will automatically refer to this as Champagne. They will ask, “Where is the Champagne section?” Then freak out on the price when you take them to the French Champagne section. In order to legally be called Champagne, it has to come from the Champagne region of France. Sparkling wines outside of this region have various names. So, let’s look at some of the main options in the Sparkling wine category:
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Rum 101
What is Rum and how is it made?
Rum is made by distilling fermented sugar and water. When sugar cane juice or other sugar-based liquids are allowed to rest, a natural process of fermentation occurs where sugars are converted by yeast into alcohols, at approximately the strength of wines. This sugar comes from the sugar cane and is fermented from one of the following raw materials: 1) Fresh Cane juice, which is fermented immediately after being crushed. This raw sugar cane liquid contains 18 – 24 percent sugar in solution. Rums made from fresh sugar cane juice include Cachacas from Brazil. 2) Molasses -- a by product of the crystalline sugar making process. Molasses is over 50% sugar and is used in most of the rums produced in the world. 3) Cane Syrup – also called sugar cane honey or sweet table-grade molasses. Cane syrup may contain more than 90% sugar.
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Beer Basics
Beer is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from malted grains – most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), and rice are widely used. Most beer is flavored with hops, which add bitterness and act as a natural preservative, though other flavorings such as herbs or fruit may occasionally be included. The basic ingredients of beer are water, malted barley, yeast and hops.