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Wine Drops - Wine Trivia
Beaufort Wines ~ Comox Valley British Columbia
Drink to me only with thine eyes,
And I will pledge with mine;
Or leave a kiss but in the cup,
And I'll not look for wine .
Ben Jonson (1573–1637)
To Celia
Little Glass Of Wine
Little glass of wine, a good thing you are here
You're warm on my lips, warm as a tear
A comfort to the fool who's restless in his mind
... The lover's trusty potion, little glass of wine
Little glass of wine, you're oil on my flame
Shy of the sunlight, hiding your shame
Many, many tears, the number is sublime
Shall stain a woman's bosom for a little glass of wine
As soon as you learn that you don't live forever
You'll grow fond of the fruit of the vine
So here is to you, and here is to me
And here is to the ones we've left behind.
Little glass of wine sure makes the party gay,
It will seal a lover's bargain, it will chase the blues away.
So if you're feeling low, and you want to rest your mind,
Just run and fetch another little glass of wine.
Just run and fetch another little glass of wine.
©1978 Jesse Winchester
From the LP "A Touch On The Rainy Side"Vertical Tasting is a term that refers to a comparison of different vintages of the same wine
Terroir, french for soil, refers to the type and quality of soil, and more broadly to the microclimate and overall environmental conditions, of a vineyard or winemaking region. All these factors impart a unique flavour to the wine. Red grapes need a longer growing season than white grapes. Many BC wineries have vineyards in the southern Okanagan region for their red grapes.
Louis Pasteur discovered that when too much oxygen was allowed to contact wine, vinegar bacteria formed and spoiled the wine but small amounts of oxygen made the wine mature.
Acidity in a wine is desirable only to a certain degree. All wines have a certain amount of acidity. White wines have more acidity than reds and overly acidic wines will have a tart taste. Red wine can be chilled; the term room temperature comes from earlier days before central heating thus the wines were served at a much colder temperature. Just five minutes in a bucket of ice water. If you find your red wine is harsh and unbalanced, chill it.To produce a really good buttery Chardonnay, the grapes are sometimes put through a secondary process known as malolactic fermentation. This reduces the typically crisp flavor found in many Chardonnay wines and brings out a rich buttery taste.
A wines' body is its weight on the palate Light bodied wines feel about as heavy as skim milk,while full bodied wines feel like half and half or creamThe Wine Bible , has sold over 380,000 copies compared to the average for a wine book of only 6,000 copies
Rülander: This is the German name for pinot gris , used occasionally by British Columbia winemakers of German backgroundAndrew Peller owns wineries in British Columbia, Ontario and Nova Scotia, produces several brands including Peller Estates, Trius, Thirty Bench, Sandhill, Copper Moon, Red Rooster, Hochtaler and Domaine D'Or
Room temperature for wine means a typical cellar temperature of 58 F (14 C) the ideal temperature at which wine is stored. Red wine is often served too warm. The bottle should feel cool to the touch before drinking, reflecting the ideal room temperature. The United States is Canada's largest wine export market. Assuming a yield of 700 litres of wine per metric tonne of grapes, maximum production of wine possible made from 100% Canadian grapes would be 54.6 million litres. The Ontario industry uses a yield of 700 litres per tonne. However, some portion of this would go into blended wines which makes it difficult on a national basis to be certain how much of this wine is produced and sold as 100% Canadian origin.
Appassimento
Appassimento is not a new technique in Italy; and it’s usually used to make the
grapes more suitable for the production of generally richer and more important
wines.
In contrast to other viticoltural techniques this is a reasonably safe method
giving a reasonable amount of control over the perishability of the grapes, not to
say an effective defence against “rivals” such as the birds and animals who
regard the grapes as a potential source of nourishment.
When the grapes are picked the best bunches are laid out to dry for a variable
length of time. Once there were nets hung down from the ceiling and the
bunches were hooked into it, one by one, using a suitable protruding wing from
each bunch; there was also a similar system using chains hung from the ceiling,
too.
Often, the system was a simple one of reed mats laid out on the ground either
in suitable indoor rooms or outside, depending on the weather. Straw beds were
also used for the grapes to dry on (hence the French vins de paille).All these appassimento techniques have been and still are used elsewhere in
Italy, for example in the making of Vin Santo. And the Verona area is rightly
proud of their use in the making of Recioto and Amarone wines.
The most widespread system consists in laying the grapes on stacks of canerack-
trays set up in dry and well-ventilated rooms. Today, little by little, the cane
racks are being superseded, for reasons of practicality and manoeuverability,
with stacks of little “plateaux”, each holding about 8-10 kg of grapes. The length
of appassimento varies from 60-100 days, depending on the vintage.
The weather is of primary importance in the appassimento process.
Temperature and relative humidity are crucially important in encouraging or
discouraging the development of both the desirable noble Botrytis rot and its
opposite, the common and destructive grey mould. Indeed, no matter how
carefully the grapes laid out to dry in the “fruttaio” are picked over first, fungal
rot easily develops. An overlying layer of humidity can easily affect the grapes,
and any damage to their skins can lead to juice leaking out and hence ideal
conditions for the development of mould.
Obviously, mild temperatures and low relative humidity are ideal states for
successful appassimento, because they can also lead to a desirable attack of
Botrytis. This helps develop tastes and aromas in the finished wine that show
ripeness and intensity, but are structured and all enveloping too.
Rainy, wet years lead to less than healthy grapes and then the appassimento
process runs the risk of leading not to Botrytis but to “grey mould”, which
damages the grapes and leads to inferior quality wines. In this case, either the
length of time allotted to appassimento is reduced or the appassimento method
isn’t used at all.
ChapterConcord Grapes
Back in 1849, a new variety of grape was perfected after a decade of crossbreeding work that involved 125 vines. The resulting grape, not surprisingly, was named after the Massachusetts town where it was first grown: Concord.
Twenty years later, a physician/pastor managed to come up with a procedure to pasteurize Concord grape juice. This was important to him, as it would allow the members of his church to take part in the sacrament of communion without having to ingest wine (as alcohol was becoming increasingly unpopular amongst churchgoers in the era). The gent's name? Dr. Thomas Bramwell Welch, whose name would become synonymous with grape juice and grape jelly. Oh, and the New Jersey town that was home to Welch's church turned out to have a suitable grape-related name as well: Vineland.
Buena Vista Vineyards Sonoma County 1870's
From Chinese Wine Festival Advertisement
As it is known, there are over 1.3 billion people in China. China also boasts one of the biggest wine markets in the world. Statistics shows that each Chinese person consumes 0.35 liters wines and spirits per year and the fact is that 6.5 million liters of wine Chinese people drink are imported from overseas. With the decrease in tax, Chinese people's consumption of imported wine is still on dramatic rise, about 30% per year.
Wine Competitions
Who claims to have the largest wine competition in North America?
Sélections Mondiales des Vins Canada
Most Famous Wine Competition
Monde Selection is an International Institute for Quality Selections founded in 1961 on a Belgian initiative in Brussels. We have grown considerably and are currently the oldest and most representative organization in the field of Quality Selections world-wide
Montréal Passion Vin
Founded in 2002 by Jean Saine, Montréal Passion Vin (MPV) is the most prestigious wine-tasting event in Canada and one of the leading events of its kind in the world. It brings some of the most prominent wine producers on the planet to Montreal and has raised more than $1.5 million to date for the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Foundation. MPV is pleased to partner with the Société des alcools du Québec and enjoys the support of numerous sponsors, among them Air Canada, Mercedes-Benz and National Bank.
Kosher Wines
We know of 3 wineries that produce Kosher winesRodrigues in NL
Rush Creek in ON
Munro Meadery in ON
If you Know of an another kosher winery please let us know.Kelowna
Kelowna was incorporated in May 1905
the largest city in BC's Okanagan Valley
approx. population of 100,000 people
covers an area of approx. 101.2 square miles
Kelowna is located on the Okanagan Lake, mid-way between Penticton in the south and Vernon in the north and approx. 150 km. (90 miles) north of the US border and 395 km. (247 miles) east of Vancouver
For more information on Canada's wine townsCoffee to the Rescue
Coffee may counteract alcohol's poisonous effects on the liver and help prevent cirrhosis, researchers say. In a study of more than 125,000 people, one cup of coffee per day cut the risk of alcoholic cirrhosis by 20 percent. Four cups per day reduced the risk by 80 percent. The coffee effect held true for women and men of various ethnic backgrounds."It is unclear whether it is the caffeine or some other ingredient in coffee that provides the protection," said study co-author Dr. Arthur Klatsky of the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, Calif.
Do I own a winery? No, wish I did though.
But there is a Bell Winery. Bell Wine Cellars was founded in 1991 by John Baritelle and Anthony Bell. John, a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon grower and Anthony, viticulturist and assistant winemaker at Beaulieu Vineyard, developed a friendship that began in 1980. Through their frequent discussions about grape growing practices and wine quality, the two friends reinforced their firm belief that great wines are not only a product of the vineyard - the terroir - but that balance and fruit are hallmarks of a fine wine
Wine in the Bible
Go eat your bread and drink your wine in joy for your action was long ago approved by God
Ecclesiastes 9:7The Wine Bottle
The familiar wine bottle came into being in the 17th century. Prior to this wine was stored in amphora or casks. The cork came first The Amphta (also spelled Amphorae) was sealed with cork.
The Sweet Grape
The grapevine is the greatest collector of sugar among fruit bearing plants in the world. It can build sugar in the form of fructose and glucose and store it in grapes.
Chardonnays
Canadian Chardonnays are noted for their well-formed structure supported by natural acidity and ripe fruit, underlain by a balanced use of either French or American oak. Other styles include crisp, un-oaked versions, creamy Sur Lies, and sparkling wines . The buttery flavour found in chardonnay's a result of a technique used by the winemaker called malolactic fermentation.
At the prestigious Chardonnay-du-monde International wine championship Jackson Triggs Proprietors' Grand Reserve Chardonnay won Gold
Mission Hill Family Estate, Hillebrand Estate winery, MT BoucherieEstate Winery, Jackson Triggs - Sunrock chardonnay, Golden Mile Cellars - Black Arts Chardonnay, Golden Mile Cellars Chardonnay won silver.
Numerous wineries received a bronze.Room Temperature for wine means a typical cellar temperature of 58 F (14 C) the ideal temperature at which wine is stored. Red wine is often served too warm. The bottle should feel cool to the touch before drinking, reflecting the ideal room temperature.
Cork is the bark of the cork oak tree. It has a complex honeycomb structure of tiny, closely packed, air filled cells each of which has 14 sides, Cork is resistant to liquids and gases, lightweight and elastic. What makes cork especially imortant to the wine industry is its amazing ability to be compressed.
How many grapes does it take to make your average bottle of wine? Answer: It takes about 2 ½ pounds of grapes to make a bottle of wine.
How many varieties of wine grapes exist in the world today? Answer: Over 10,000!
Where were the first vineyards planted in Ontario? Answer: Port Credit
Liquor control in Canada
British Columbia
In British Columbia two agencies are responsible for regulating the liquor industry; the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch (LCLB) and the Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB). The LCLB issues licence's for making and selling liquor. The LDB is responsible for the importation, distribution and retailing of alcohol and operates government liquor stores and distribution centres. The LDB also makes agreements with private interests for the operation of retail stores.www.bcliquorstores.com www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/lclb/index.htm
Alberta
Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC) The Alberta government privatized liquor retailing in 1993. The private sector retails, warehouses and distributes liquor in Alberta. The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC), continues to regulate the industry, issue liquor licences, and collect revenues from the sale of liquor.
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) The Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) is responsible for the distribution, control and regulation of liquor across the province. SLGA distributes licence's for the sale of alcohol. They operate a number of liquor stores and franchise outlets in the province.Manitoba
Manitoba Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) The mission of the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) is to regulate, distribute and sell beverage alcohol. There are 176 agency liquor outlets and 46 board controlled outlets in the province.
Ontario
Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO)
The LCBO purchases wine, spirits and beer for Ontario consumers and licensees. More than 600 LCBO retail stores operate across the province.
Vintages is the fine wine and premium spirits division of the LCBO. The Vintages collection is available in 190 LCBO stores thought Ontario.Quebec
Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) The Société des alcools du Québec SAQ sells liquor throughout the province of Quebec. They operate more than 800 stores. They supply holders of alcoholic beverage sales licenses (hotels, restaurants, bars, etc.) and food wholesalers who serve the needs of grocers.
Newfoundland
Newfoundland Liquor Corporation (NLC) The Newfoundland Labrador Liquor Corporation (NLC) is responsible for managing the importation, sale and distribution of beverage alcohol within the province. NLC operates 24 retail stores, serves over 112 agency stores and distributes to more than 1,500 licensees.
Prince Edward Island
PEI Liquor Control Commission The Prince Edward Island Liquor Control Commission (PEILCC) is responsible for the purchase, control, and sale of alcohol in the province. The Licensing and Security Department is responsible for licensing. The commission operates 19 retail outlets.
New Brunswick
Alcohol New Brunswick Liquor (ANBL) Alcohol NB Liquor is responsible for the purchase, importation, distribution, and retail of beverage alcohol in New Brunswick. ANBL services the public and licensees through a network of 50 retail outlets and 70 private stores.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC) The Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation, one of the largest retailers of beverage alcohol in Canada, generates more than a half a billion dollars of revenue a year.
Yukon
Yukon Liquor Corporation Yukon Liquor Corporation is responsible for the purchase, distribution, and sale of liquor products in the Yukon. YLC operates six government liquor stores as well as directly serving some licensees.
Northwest Territories
NWT Liquor Commission The Northwest Territories Liquor Commission is responsible for the distribution of beverage alcohol across the territory. The commission operates stores to sell liquor to consumers.
Nunavut
Nunavut Liquor Commission Nunavut's liquor board, the Nunavut Liquor Commission works to ensure the lawful purchase, sale, and distribution of liquor in Nunavut.
In 1955, Bright's winery produced the first 100 percent Canadian chardonnay. Up to this point, the most illustrious brand in the company's repertoire was a Catawba grape-based sherry that was dubbed “Bright's Disease” by less than enthusiastic tipplers.
A wine's body is its weight on the palate. Light bodied wines feel about as heavy as skim milk, while full bodied wines feel like half and half or creamCool - Climate:
Canada along with Burgundy, Germany, Oregon, Washington Austria and New Zealand are all considered cool - Climate Viticulture regions.
Good for growing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling Wines from cooler climates are characteristically highly aromatic and high in acids. Their higher acidity results in wines with longer natural aging potential. Winemakers believe that cool climate regions produce lighter, fruitier wines .Reichensteiner
This grape is high in sugars, so is suited to cooler climates. It is suitable for making both sparkling and still wines, and is a good blending variety
Minnesota hybrids
The history of these varieties begins with Elmer Swenson, an American plant breeder who died in 2004. He began
breeding winter-hardy wine grapes in 1943 at his farm in Osceola, Wisconsin (one of his varieties grown in a Monte
Creek test plot is called Osceola). Later he moved to the University of Minnesota, which took over his work. The varieties
are grown in those northern states but also in Quebec, which accounts for the French names of some varieties.
In 1854, a gift from the vineyards of Nicholas Longworth of Cincinnati inspired Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to write the poem "Catawba Wine
Catawba Wine
This song of mine
Is a Song of the Vine,
To be sung by the glowing embers
Of wayside inns,
When the rain begins
To darken the drear Novembers.
It is not a song
Of the Scuppernong,
From warm Carolinian valleys,
Nor the Isabel
And the Muscadel
That bask in our garden alleys.
Nor the red Mustang,
Whose clusters hang
O'er the waves of the Colorado,
And the fiery flood
Of whose purple blood
Has a dash of Spanish bravado.
For richest and best
Is the wine of the West,
That grows by the Beautiful River;
Whose sweet perfume
Fills all the room
With a benison on the giver.
And as hollow trees
Are the haunts of bees,
Forever going and coming;
So this crystal hive
Is all alive
With a swarming and buzzing and humming.
Very good in its way
Is the Verzenay,
Or the Sillery soft and creamy;
But Catawba wine
Has a taste more divine,
More dulcet, delicious, and dreamy.
There grows no vine
By the haunted Rhine,
By Danube or Guadalquivir,
Nor on island or cape,
That bears such a grape
As grows by the Beautiful River.
Drugged is their juice
For foreign use,
When shipped o'er the reeling Atlantic,
To rack our brains
With the fever pains,
That have driven the Old World frantic.
To the sewers and sinks
With all such drinks,
And after them tumble the mixer;
For a poison malign
Is such Borgia wine,
Or at best but a Devil's Elixir.
While pure as a spring
Is the wine I sing,
And to praise it, one needs but name it;
For Catawba wine
Has need of no sign,
No tavern-bush to proclaim it.
And this Song of the Vine,
This greeting of mine,
The winds and the birds shall deliver
To the Queen of the West,
In her garlands dressed,
On the banks of the Beautiful River.
Let your boat of life be light, packed with only what you need - a homely home and simple pleasures, one or two friends, worth the name, someone to love and someone to love you, a cat, a dog, and a pipe or two, enough to eat and enough to wear, and a little more than enough to drink; for thirst is a dangerous thing.
Jerome K. Jerome
Three Men in a Boat
According to new research published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy , a key ingredient in garlic is effective at fighting a bacteria that's known to cause food poisoning . Garlic is even 100 times more powerful than two popular antibiotics, and takes significantly less time to work, reports The Daily Mail .
Perennia was created in May 2012 to be a fully integrated agri-food and bio-resource company combining the resources of AgraPoint, the Atlantic Bioventures Centre and AgriTECH Park. As a crown agency, we are owned by the Province of Nova Scotia with the Minister of Agriculture as the sole shareholder. Our mission is "empowering the industry by providing knowledge and advice to create value."
Meritage is a brand for red and white Bordeaux -style wines without infringing on the Bordeaux ( France ) region's legally protected designation of origin . Winemakers must license the Meritage trademark from its owner, the California-based Meritage Alliance. Member wineries are found principally in the United States , though increasingly elsewhere including Canada. Burrowing Owl in the Okanagan Reif in Niagara Peninsula
A red Meritage must be made from a blend of at least two of the following varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon , Merlot , Cabernet Franc , Malbec , Petit Verdot or Carmenère , with no varietal comprising more than 90% of the blend.
A white Meritage must be made from a blend of at least two or more of the following varieties: Sauvignon Blanc , Sémillon or Muscadelle du Bordelais , with no varietal comprising more than 90% of the blend
Featherstone 12 Brix Verjus Non-alcoholic - Verjus is made from Cabernet Franc grapes removed from our vines in midsummer, at a point in the growing cycle called véraison.
Inniskillin Icewine is well renowned as the world leader in Icewine. It is sold in over 59 countries
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