Wine and What I Love About It
12-30-2024 | 07:06 AM
#1
Thread Starter
FitDay Member
Joined: Oct 2023
Posts: 339
Wine and What I Love About It
Ok y’all… time to sit down with a glass of wine and relax. I have always loved to call myself a self proclaimed wine connoisseur. In my dreams one day I’ll be a sommelier! LOL, props to those guys though because they know an insane amount of detail. Plus they always help me find what I like, and I’m a picky girl about wine! Everything I mention in this post is all about reds.
First things first, I am just having fun trying new wines at home and figuring out what we like and don’t. Currently my faves are mainly French and Italian; specifically from Bordeaux and Tuscany. There is something about the terroir there is just so complex that really creates a mix of flavors that Aaron and I just love. We are big fans of high tannin. What is tannin you ask? Simply put, it is how dry the wine is.
The region in France that we are loving is Bordeaux at the moment. In that region the reds are primarily Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Although these are not all of them, they are the star of the show!
G.A.A.V.!
There is this little thing called G.A.V.V. to help everyone understand how the laws work. They are different by each region in the world (or AVA/DOCG/AOC), but all stand for Grape, Area, Vineyard, Vintage. This regulates how much percentage of the grape is actually what it says on the bottle.
For example, in California the grape mentioned on the bottle is legally required to have at least 75% of what the varietal is (cab, merlot, chardonnay etc..) The area mentioned must legally have a minimum of 85% of the grapes from that area. So if the wine is from Sonoma or Russian River Valley, it is legally required to have at least 85% of the grapes in that bottle grown from that area. The rest can be from anywhere else.
Cont...
Next, the vineyard and the vintage are 95%. If the vineyard on the label is Opus One, at least 95% must be from there. If the vintage is 2008, at least 95% of the grapes must be harvested in that year. In Europe, it is actually much more strict. The G.A.V.V. is pretty much 100%. So you gotta keep those vines healthy! I could go on forever about all the laws and little details, but I don’t want to bore anyone.
It is quite interesting how much goes into a wine bottle. I know we are French and Italian lovers at the moment, but it is worth to mention that in a blind taste test Chateau Montelena (a California Winery) came in first place above all the Bordeaux’s tasted next to it. Which, by the way, all the judges were French, in Paris and all sommeliers’!!! I’ll say I’m proud to be an American at that LOL!
Be Adventurous
You really just have to try it all and not put your nose down at anything you haven’t tried yet. This is such a fun hobby of ours and in no way am I claiming we know it all, but I am claiming I know what I like! Which is a delicious Frenchy wine! If you’re trying wine for the first time, maybe consider getting a wine club subscription! You take tests online that ask you about your tastes and they customize a box for you! Great gift idea BTW for the holidays.
What I Love
I’ve never met a chianti I didn’t love. I love them not only because of the price variety, but also I can always find something to pair with it like steak, fish or pizza. Next up on my list is a Barolo. I love when I open a bottle for the first time, I go to pour it, and it is more of a brown than a purple color. I feel like that low clarity brown is just the perfect glass for me! Make it a 2015 and I’m in heaven!!! I have my favorite vintage’s and 2015 is definitely high on my list.
First things first, I am just having fun trying new wines at home and figuring out what we like and don’t. Currently my faves are mainly French and Italian; specifically from Bordeaux and Tuscany. There is something about the terroir there is just so complex that really creates a mix of flavors that Aaron and I just love. We are big fans of high tannin. What is tannin you ask? Simply put, it is how dry the wine is.
The region in France that we are loving is Bordeaux at the moment. In that region the reds are primarily Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Although these are not all of them, they are the star of the show!
G.A.A.V.!
There is this little thing called G.A.V.V. to help everyone understand how the laws work. They are different by each region in the world (or AVA/DOCG/AOC), but all stand for Grape, Area, Vineyard, Vintage. This regulates how much percentage of the grape is actually what it says on the bottle.
For example, in California the grape mentioned on the bottle is legally required to have at least 75% of what the varietal is (cab, merlot, chardonnay etc..) The area mentioned must legally have a minimum of 85% of the grapes from that area. So if the wine is from Sonoma or Russian River Valley, it is legally required to have at least 85% of the grapes in that bottle grown from that area. The rest can be from anywhere else.
Cont...
Next, the vineyard and the vintage are 95%. If the vineyard on the label is Opus One, at least 95% must be from there. If the vintage is 2008, at least 95% of the grapes must be harvested in that year. In Europe, it is actually much more strict. The G.A.V.V. is pretty much 100%. So you gotta keep those vines healthy! I could go on forever about all the laws and little details, but I don’t want to bore anyone.
It is quite interesting how much goes into a wine bottle. I know we are French and Italian lovers at the moment, but it is worth to mention that in a blind taste test Chateau Montelena (a California Winery) came in first place above all the Bordeaux’s tasted next to it. Which, by the way, all the judges were French, in Paris and all sommeliers’!!! I’ll say I’m proud to be an American at that LOL!
Be Adventurous
You really just have to try it all and not put your nose down at anything you haven’t tried yet. This is such a fun hobby of ours and in no way am I claiming we know it all, but I am claiming I know what I like! Which is a delicious Frenchy wine! If you’re trying wine for the first time, maybe consider getting a wine club subscription! You take tests online that ask you about your tastes and they customize a box for you! Great gift idea BTW for the holidays.
What I Love
I’ve never met a chianti I didn’t love. I love them not only because of the price variety, but also I can always find something to pair with it like steak, fish or pizza. Next up on my list is a Barolo. I love when I open a bottle for the first time, I go to pour it, and it is more of a brown than a purple color. I feel like that low clarity brown is just the perfect glass for me! Make it a 2015 and I’m in heaven!!! I have my favorite vintage’s and 2015 is definitely high on my list.
12-30-2024 | 07:21 AM
#2
FitDay Member
Joined: Aug 2024
Posts: 127
Nowadays, wine cellars are no longer just for rich people. As many people have become interested in wine both as an investment and as a hobby, wine cellars have become more popular for many. If you've ever had to throw away a bottle because the wine was unpalatable, in that case you probably already understand the value of a good wine storage solution. That's why I encourage you to build a custom wine cellar so you can store your wines in the best conditions.
