A World of Wine

Friday, 9 May 2008

What is it thats makes us fall in love with a particular wine? Is it the aroma, the feel in the mouth, the label, the bottle, the name, the vintage? Sometimes its all of these, but for some, rather like perfume, there are the associated memories, which we may not even recognise. When we un-cork a g0od wine we are stuck by its mystery, how did it mature when laid down? Just like essence perfume behaves differently on different people skins, so does wine under different conditions, heat humidity, transport. This is what makes it so mysterious, it's unpredictability. The same winegrower toils in the soil to bring the new harvest from the same vines, but yet each year can produce a very different wine, even from the same varietals, Why? humitiy, rain days, amount of sun at the ripening stage, harvesting, bottling in different moon phases. Many things, some of which can be controlled, and some of which can't. Just like honey made from different flowers tastes distinctly different, so do different vintages to trained tasters.
Over the next few weeks we will be talking about the reds and their versatility, and the particular popularity of regions.
"life's too short to drink plonk"

3 comments:

leisureviewsMay 10, 2008 06:39 AM
This isn't a bad post, but I would focus on your grammar and structure of your sentence. I don't drink any wine at all, but maybe I'll give it a try next time I have a chance.
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AnonymousMay 12, 2008 11:13 PM
I have so enjoyed reading this! and I've subscribed. So few blogs cover new world wines (apart from California that is) so good for you! I wait in anticipation for next months wine too. Can't think of my own wine to suggest now (lost the label I kept!), thanks from the other side of the werld.
IMO
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AnonymousMay 13, 2008 04:13 AM
A good glass of red wine, a fireplace and good friends, this is life! Nice to share wine passion with someone who has taste and knowledge on it.
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Do you know your vintages? The good and bad years when buying.

Here on Wine world we take the mystery out of ordering a wine. What vintage to buy and which wine goes best with what. You can order wines right here on the site from the vineyards or suppliers by clicking on the picture links.

Italy vintages
1996 Vintage
This was a good year for wine producers across most of Italy, especially from Tuscany and Piedmonte which experienced good conditions for maturation. Piemonte enjoyed a late hot summer so look out for the 1996 vintage in Piemonte.
1997 Vintage
A fabulous vintage, especially for Tuscan wines and those from Piedmonte. For Tuscany this was once in fifty year vintage. So a Chianti Classico 1997 is worth what you will pay for it. Everywhere else was, ok and 1997 was still a good vintage.
1998 Vintage
A very good year for Piemonte, so choose Barolo, or Barbera from the Piedmont, these are fabulous now and will only improve in the cellar. In 1998 Some Tuscan producers were ok others not so, and avoid the Southern regions of Campagnia and Basilicata on the heel.
1999 Vintage
A mixed year in Italy, with rain for much of the country, resulting in average wines. But, as is often the case, ok wines from Piedmont. The two exceptions were Tuscany and Campania on the southwest coast which had a good growing season leading to excellent vintages.
2000 Vintage
2000 was the year of Barolo, if you can find one, snap it up. - The season was much too hot for much of Italy including Chianti, but the more-northern Piemonte was alright. The wines produced across Piemonte are exceptional, and will lay down well.
2001 Vintage
a successful vintage for Italy's wine makers on the whole, with the best wines coming from Camania & Basilicata . Many Tuscan wines were affected though because of irregular weather conditions. Amarone & the Veneto region experienced dry weather and wines from 2001 are good to excellent.
2002 Vintage
2002 could go down as the 'worst in 50 years'. Italy had heavy rains and Piedmont had hailstorms which wrecked most Barolo vineyards. Rains in Tuscany in September and October which affected the vintage so overall try to avoid this vintage,and if you see it offered cheap you know why.
2003 Vintage
Summer In Europe in 2003 was one of the hottest on record and this caused problems for growers in Tuscany and Piedmont. To be safe try and avoid this vintage in general, however the wines from Montepulciano are worth getting, and Amarone wines are drinking well now, but will get better with a few more years in the cellar.
2004 Vintage
Wines from 2004 from Tuscany and Piedmont and the Veneto should definately be on your list. With good growing conditions throughout. Sun-filled days, followed by cooler nights and a late harvest. Avoid Campania & Basilicata however, which had bad weather in September and October. 2005 Vintage
Europe's wine producers called 2005 one of the best years in recent times. Italy was the exception though - with heavy rains. Tuscany and Piedmont and the deep South were alright, and you can still find good wines in this vintage from the top vineyards.