Cartegna Family Wines BlogSpot

Good Wines for the Holidays!!

2008-12-06T11:08:00.000-08:00

Good company, good food, and of course, good wine. What better way to celebrate the holidays than with a bottle of one of the magnificent wines available today. Enjoy the distinctive tastes of merlot and cabernet, sip the cold and flavorful white wines, like Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, and for dessert, try a nice sweet wine served ice cold.

There are literally hundreds and hundreds of varieties of wine, as remarkably different as the artful bottles that hold the wine. It is said, however, that there are eight major varieties of wine, including: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Shiraz, Pinot Noir, for the reds, and Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc for the whites.

Here's a Rundown on What to Look For

• German Riesling is sometimes considered the forgotten wine and not thought of as a dinner wine. But if you know how to serve it and what to serve it with, it can be one of the most refreshing wines, often said to be one of the world's greatest food wines. Pairing it with poultry and fish has long been a recommended match, but some people may be surprised to know that it also goes incredibly well with spicy foods, such as Mexican and Thai. When we think of Riesling, we think of sweet, but it can also be dry, or less sweet with just enough refreshing acidity to balance it out.

• Another white wine that is one of America's favorites is Chardonnay, the wine that made California famous. There are as many flavors of Chardonnay as there are lights on a Christmas tree, and flavors vary depending on how it is barreled. If it's barreled in stainless steel the wine can be light and refreshing. If barreled in oak, it is said to have an earthy, rich buttery flavor, full of life. Serve it chilled and pair it with poultry, fish, pasta dishes, or try pairing it with your favorite foods. This is a food-friendly wine and would make a good addition to your holiday menu. Besides pairing up wonderfully with your turkey dinner, it is also great with vegetables and dishes that require a lot of herbs. Chill and serve at your next holiday get-together.

• White wine is a matter of taste. Try an aromatic wine with an earthy, citrus flavor like Sauvignon Blanc. Be sure to chill all of your white wines at least 20 minutes, 90 for dessert wines.

Now for the Reds

• Merlot is a favorite for any red wine drinker. It is said to be one of the most versatile wines and should not be served chilled for more than ten minutes. This is a stout wine that also needs to breathe. Open the bottle and let it set for at least 20 minutes or serve it from a decanter. It is always recommended that you have a bottle or two on hand for holiday gatherings.

• Cabernet Sauvignon pairs well with meat, but try it with other dishes. Host a wine tasting long before guests arrive and find the perfect match. Better yet, have some of each on hand and let the parties roll. When writing your holiday menu you may want to choose a few more delectable varieties of wine, such as Shiraz, Syrah and Zinfandel. All of the red wines need to breath. Most people like it room temperature, or just slightly cooled.

• Keep in mind that foods are meant to be paired with whatever you like, but remember red wine in general has more tannin than white wine, and salty foods will accentuate a wine's tannin and vice versa. Tannin is the bitter properties found in the skin and seeds of grapes, generally red. Generally speaking, proteins will calm this tannic level in wines and will be a good complement to this type of food.

If you are serving salty dishes at your gathering, you may want to keep in mind that salty food will diminish the flavor of sweet wines, making it a perfect match while allowing the fruity attributes of the wine to come through. Foods with a fruity flavor may best be served with a fruity wine or even dessert. And stout reds might be a better choice for appetizers of crackers, bread and cheeses. Explore your options.

Whether you're planning an office party, an appetizer gathering with the girls, or a full- fledged Christmas dinner, don't forget the wine. And since there are so many tastes in wine, have a variety of whites and reds. Then you can't go wrong.

Source:WineCountry.com

Did You Know? Pa Wine Facts!

2008-11-11T08:05:00.000-08:00

Pennsylvania's moderate climate and rolling terrain provides some of the best growing conditions on the East Coast. Here, more than 100 wineries produce a delightful array of wine varieties - perhaps more kinds than any other wine region.

The roster of award-winning Pennsylvania varietals includes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Catawba, Cayuga, Chambourcin, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Reisling, Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc, Vignoles - and, yes, even wine made in the Champagne manner!

A LABOR OF LOVE

Pennsylania's wine industry is growing in both production and reputation. At the heart of it all is the passion of its winery owners. These family-owned agricultural operations create not only a unique offering of wines, but also have developed a special brand of hospitality which is offered to the thousands who visit their wineries each year.

PA WINE FACTS

With approximately 14,000 acres of grapes, Pennsylvania ranks 4th nationally in the amount of grapes grown (including juice grapes). The state also ranks 8th in the production of wine.
Pennsylvania is home to the two highest elevation vineyards east of the Rockies.
The nation's first commercial grapevine nursery was in Montgomery County in southeastern Pennsylvania.
In addition to selling from the winery, Pennsylvania wineries may have up to five retail outlets; they may sell at festivals and make direct sales to restaurants. All other wine sales in PA are transacted in state-owned shops.
Source:www.pennsylvaniawine.com

Top 10 Myths About Wine!

2008-11-08T14:19:00.000-08:00

There are several myths that make good wine trivia. These myths and truths are a great way to quiz your wine loving friends and give them and yourself and education at the same time. Here are the top ten wine myths revealed.

1. Aged Wine is Better than Young Wine
Not all wines require aging. In fact, many wines are intended to be drunk young and they do not require aging. Typically, red wines that have high tannins are the only wines that require aging. There are also some white wines that will benefit from aging, such as Rieslings, but in general they are intended to be drunk young as well. There are also those wines that taste worse after being aged and those that will not change much at all.

2. Red Wine Should Never Be Chilled
There are some light reds such as the Beaujolais that will benefit from being chilled. Beaujolais Nouveau is the first wine that is made from each year’s harvest. The wine was originally made for the workers of the winery, but the wine quickly spread in popularity to local bistros. There are several festivals that are held around the world that celebrate the wine’s release.

3. “Reserve” Wines Are Top of the Line
On American labels, “reserve” has no true meaning and is used at the discretion of the winemaker. The term is often used to designate a special wine, although the reputation of the vineyard will often have an effect on the quality and price of the wine.

4. Wines With Sulfates Will Give You a Headache
Sulfates only cause headaches in about one percent of the population and this tends to be those who suffer from asthma. Sulfates are naturally present in wine and sulfur is abundant in various forms in all living things. Sulfites are used as a preservative by winemakers worldwide and only the United States notes the sulfite warning on the label. The amounts of added sulfites are small and all whites will have more than reds.

There are several other reasons that you may be having a headache. These causes may be:

Histamines: Histamines cause the blood vessels in your brain to dilate and are higher in red wines than whites. They are found in aged and fermented foods.
Tyramines: Found in cultured foods such as cheese and yogurt as well as ferment foods such as wine, dark beer, soy sauce, chocolate and a few other foods. Tyramines cause your blood vessels to constrict.
Congeners: These are organic compounds that are found in the by-products of the fermentation process and give wine its flavor. When they enter your blood stream, the immune system recognizes them as poisons and releases cytokines to eliminate them. These are more prevalent in red wines.
Prostaglandins: These are naturally occurring in your body and are pain producers. The dilation of the arteries triggers their release. They may also be responsible for migraine headaches.
Sensitivities to Elements in Wine Production: Some people are sensitive to certain types of wood while other are sensitive to the chemicals that are used in a particular area.

5. All German Wines Are Sweet
There are a variety of German wines and they range from dry to very sweet like wines that are produced in various other countries. If you see “trocken” on a German wine label it means “dry.”

6. Screw tops Are a Sign of Cheap Wine
More and more wineries are using screw tops so that they may avoid cork contamination of their wines. Don’t be surprised if you find a high dollar bottle with a screw top.

7. Wines Should Always Breathe
Allowing a wine to breathe is generally only necessary for those wines that need further aging. Breathing also allows the wine to be exposed to air and to soften the tannins.

8. All Wines Have the Same Amount of Alcohol
The level of alcohol in a wine depends on the amount of sugar that has been converted during fermentation. There are also wines that have been fortified with alcohol to raise the alcohol content.

9. The More a Wine Costs, the Better It Is
The price of a wine depends on numerous factors. The land of the vineyard, the price of the packaging, the types of grapes that are used, how the wine is aged and the reputation of the winery or winemaker all have an effect on the price of a bottle of wine. You may find a fairly expensive bottle of wine and think that it will be good when in fact you wish you hadn’t spent so much on it.

10. Zinfandel is a Pink Wine
Zinfandel is actually a red grape, but the name has become very popular due to the blush wine, the White Zinfandel. There are several good red Zinfandels.
Source-www.professorshouse.com

2008-11-08T14:16:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our new blog at Cartegna Family Wines

2008-11-08T09:09:00.001-08:00

Hello and welcome to our new blog here we will be talking about everything from the new winery on providence rd in scranton..everything dealing with wine...we ask you to comment at will and let us know what you think.. thank you!