Wine drinking is an age-old pleasure. A glass of wine lifts the spirits as well as delights the taste buds. The fragrance makes your mouth water with anticipation. The flavor and smoothness give way to a pleasant aftertaste that many enjoy.
Wine has the power to elevate a meal. A wine’s story is told in its taste. The distinguishing pallet can tell how the wine was curated from the subtle tones and hints of flavor. The soil that nourished the grapes, the flavor of the wood barrel it was aged in, and the climate give the wine a distinctive taste that could not be created anywhere else.
Every wine has special and unique qualities. Whether seeking an everyday wine or one for a special occasion, everyone is sure to find both among the many varieties of wines. Some connoisseurs may want a medium-priced bottle of superb wine and reserve serving it with a flourish at the perfect temperature and in the perfect stemware. Others may reserve that behavior for a really fine expensive wine. There are plenty of different wines at different price ranges for every wine drinker.
Many people prefer wine cocktails at times to sipping pure wine. Wine cocktails are mixed with liquors, fruits, and a variety of other flavors. A precursor to wine cocktails that were popular during the ’70s and ’80s, the wine cooler was bottled and sold around the world. Eastern Europe and Spain also had a version of a mixed cocktail called a spritzer. Wine spritzers are made using rose or white wines and carbonated water served chilled.
Distilled wines, such as brandy, and wines to add sweetness to a cocktail such as sparkling wines, as well as vermouth used to add bitterness. All are used to give a distinctive flavor to a drink. These flavors are used with high proof liquors to create unique tastes. You can find a variety of wine cocktails & recipes and more flavors of wine than traditional types. It is easy to find wines infused with other flavors including grapefruit, peach, mango, and berries. You can view these blackberry wines here and try them out for yourself. Blackberry wine goes best with grilled foods or pizza.
The most used wines for cocktails are fortified, aromatized, sparkling, and distilled. Brandy is a distilled wine. Distilled drinks are called spirits. Distilled wines include cognac. During the distillation process, water is removed and the alcohol content increases. Sherry is a fortified wine and its color can range from very pale to deep and dark.
Madeira is a fortified wine made with grapes from Portugal. Marsala is a fortified wine produced in Sicily and is often used in food recipes. Aromatized wines were once used as medicine. They have a very strong flavor. Aromatized wines can enhance the flavor of strong liquors with spices, flowers or herbs. The bitter taste of aromatized wines come from quinine. Vermouth can be dry, sweet, light, and red. It is flavored with herbs and spices.
Sangria is a mixture of distilled wine, brandy, and fruit. There are many versions of this aromatized wine including white, sparkling and red. It can be served cold or warm and originated in Spain and Portugal. Sparkling wines get their fizz from fermentation or by adding CO2. These wines are always served chilled.
Champagne is one of the most popular sparkling wines and was only produced in Champagne, France. Mimosa is the most famous Champagne cocktail made with orange juice. Mulled wine is usually warmed with spices, fruit, and flavorings. It is thought to have started in Rome in 2 CE.
Wine enhances life for many and many swear by a glass a day. There are many studies that indicate that wine, in moderation, has proven health benefits. The list of health benefits include:
- Lessen chances of a heart attack
- Lessen chances of cataracts
- Lessen chances of diabetes
- Lessen chances of heart disease
- Lessen chances of stroke
- Lessen chances of prostate cancer
- Lessen chances of colon cancer
- Lessen chances of Alzheimer’s and dementia
- Increased brain health
- Increased life span
Those who enjoy wine drinking can experience the health benefits as well as the many enjoyable traits wines bring to the table, especially great food and good friends.
