Different from its cousin, red wine, which derives its name from the red color, white wine gets its name from the misconception of the society who blends clear color as white. White wine has a clear color of yellow, golden or straw-like color, not white like milk. However, the former society has already called it white, maybe because it’s not nice to call it Clear Wine, or maybe because if there is Red then there is White, but not Clear color. The misconception continues from generation to generation and will last until who knows when.
Well, for now lets just called it white, especially when we are invited to a dinner in a restaurant or in your friend’s place. Otherwise we will make people assumed that there is a new variety of a Clear Wine, and of course we can imagine the confusing looks of the sommeliers (wine advisor). Let’s not put them into trouble. Simply because we still need them when choosing the most appropriate beverage to accompany our fantastic dinner. Fantastic food should be combined with fantastic beverage, isn’t it?
Then, if the waiter asked you which one would you like, Red or White? What is your choice? First of all, that would highly depend on your appetite. If you are a red lover, say red, or say white for white lover or if you do not drink alcohol you can also simply choose other beverage. The problem is: what if you want to get the best companion for your meal. The best answer is to ask the waiter or sommelier since they are already familiar with the taste of food or the wine. Do not hesitate to ask their opinion as they will give you their best experience and expertise.
What if you are not eating in the restaurant and there is no waiter or sommelier? Well, there is a basic guideline: choose red wine for red meat, and choose white wine for white meat. And what if they serve red and white meat together? Are you going to ask a mixture of red and white one also? You can try that revolutionary but not so crazy idea, but I will suggest you to ask your self deep in your heart, what is your favorite? Red wine or white wine, it’s your choice.
February 25, 2009
February 13, 2009
Red Wine
For some people, having a dinner without wine is sometime felt incomplete. Yes, wine has become a way of life for some people, especially in the western country. There are several kinds of wine available in the market: Red, white and sparkling wines are the most popular, and are known as light wines because they are only 10–14% alcohol-content by volume. Apéritif and dessert wines contain 14–20% alcohol, and are sometimes fortified to make them richer and sweeter. In this topic we will focus more on red wine.
Red wine can be identified easily from its color, which is dark red. The color indicates the high concentration of antioxidants flavonoid phenolics. Among other components, there are two phenolic constituent which are extensively studied, i.e: resveratrol and flavonoids. Resveratrol, found in grape skins and seeds, increases HDL cholesterol and prevent blood clotting, while Flavonoids exhibit antioxidant properties helping prevent blood clots and plaques formation in arteries.
The red color is derived from a vast assortment of grape varietals ranging from grapes that are reddish, deep purple, and even a beautiful blue on the color scale. The different color of the varieties involved in the slight difference of the red wine colors which range from garnet, almost black, dark red, light red, ruby red, opaque purple, deep violet, maroon, etc. It is the grape skins that are responsible for the red wine’s distinct color spectrum. Why? It’s because the skins are in contact with the grape’s juice during the fermentation process, allowing the dispersion of both color and tannins.
The quality of red wine may vary due to several reasons: the varieties of the grapes, the location of where it’s grown, the fermentation processes, the temperature and humidity of the storage site and last but not least is how long it has been store. Bordeaux, a city in France, is known to be the best grower and producer of red wine. They have the longest tradition of wine producing combine with the best geographic location for growing grapes, processing, fermenting and storing red wine.
Red wine is a legendary beverage in France.
Red wine can be identified easily from its color, which is dark red. The color indicates the high concentration of antioxidants flavonoid phenolics. Among other components, there are two phenolic constituent which are extensively studied, i.e: resveratrol and flavonoids. Resveratrol, found in grape skins and seeds, increases HDL cholesterol and prevent blood clotting, while Flavonoids exhibit antioxidant properties helping prevent blood clots and plaques formation in arteries.
The red color is derived from a vast assortment of grape varietals ranging from grapes that are reddish, deep purple, and even a beautiful blue on the color scale. The different color of the varieties involved in the slight difference of the red wine colors which range from garnet, almost black, dark red, light red, ruby red, opaque purple, deep violet, maroon, etc. It is the grape skins that are responsible for the red wine’s distinct color spectrum. Why? It’s because the skins are in contact with the grape’s juice during the fermentation process, allowing the dispersion of both color and tannins.
The quality of red wine may vary due to several reasons: the varieties of the grapes, the location of where it’s grown, the fermentation processes, the temperature and humidity of the storage site and last but not least is how long it has been store. Bordeaux, a city in France, is known to be the best grower and producer of red wine. They have the longest tradition of wine producing combine with the best geographic location for growing grapes, processing, fermenting and storing red wine.
Red wine is a legendary beverage in France.
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