Fine Italian Wine

The other night I stopped at a little Italian Deli in Agoura Hills, California. I was looking for something quick to bring home for dinner. While the counter boy was preparing my two servings of lasagna in the back, I ventured over to the wine section. Here I stood, again staring at a wall of wine, a few I know, most I don't. Which brought me back to the reason we started this blog in the first place. Determined to try something new, I asked the woman next to me, who was also looking for a bottle of wine, if she had any suggestions. She pointed me in the direction of an Italian white wine. The name: 2006 Gavi di Gavi. She said it is one of her absolute favorites, and whenever she serves it to guests, they all enjoy it. So I thought, what the heck. Let's try it. Here I am, purchasing my two lasagnas and a bottle of wine, and the manager comes out of the back and asks me if I'd had this wine before. I comment no, and he tells me that its really 'excellent'. I am stoked. Off I go, amped for a 'bound to be' fantastic dinner.

Dinner and the wine were both great. I wouldn't go as far to say that this is one of my all time favorites, yet I would definitely buy it again. In fact, I plan on it, as I would like to give it another go. It was really refreshing, light, yet not too light, and would be great with any type of meal, or on a warm evening, just to sip.

Wino Joke

Costume Ideas for the Real Wino

Find these online at www.buycostumes.com.

Celebrate Halloween with Good Old Fashion Spirits

Halloween is, by far, my favorite holiday of the year. The leaves are turning (yes, even in California), the air becomes crisp, and night falls earlier. Halloween gives us an excuse, just for one day, to be anyone or anything we want to be (plus we get to consume a ton of candy doing it)! Here is a list of some ghoulishly good wine that no Halloween celebration should be without!

For the disturbed immortal soul, quench your blood-thirsty craving with Vampire Merlot (rumored to have actually been produced in Transylvania- now made in Paso Robles, CA- can be found at CostPlus World Market).
Vampire Wines: http://www.vampirewines.com/

Looking for a sinfully good time? Sip on Casillero del Diablo (or "Devil's Cellar") Cabernet Sauvignon from the Concha y Toro Winery in Chile. The interactive website is frightfully fantastic and explains the winery's haunting past.
Concha y Toro Winery: http://www.casillerodeldiablo.com/

Cast a spell with Eye of the Toad Rosé. "Eye of the newt" has disappeared thanks to this 9th vintage by Toad Hollow Vineyards.
Toad Hollow Vineyards: http://www.toadhollow.com/

Life is Too Short to Drink Cheap Wine...

So, let's make it instead!
Our latest VBLOG features Amardeep Mann, a cardiologist by profession and a garagiste for fun, leading us through his homemade winemaking process. Inspired by his father's hometown in Barnala, India, Amar has taken his passion for wine one step further in creating his own label. This is Amar's second year as a serious garagiste and he definitely plans on continuing-- hoping to establish his own wine shop in the future. Amar resides in Westlake, CA with his wife, Daisy, and two children, Jasmine and Jushin.

Tell us what you think by commenting on this post!

Wino Word of the Day - Pigeage

Pigeage: The process of punching grape skins and other solids (or the "cap") that float to the top of fermenting wine downward and back into the liquid. Remember, skins are the source of the tannins for the fermenting wine. Traditional winemakers will hand plunge or use the system of pigeage à pied (foot stomping) of the grapes in open fermentation tanks. Looks like Lucy was doing more than a comedy routine during her infamous grape stomping episode!

What did you say the name was?

We extend an open invitation to all, to share the name of a particularly fine wine you have enjoyed. Part of the purpose behind the Wino Adventures Blog is host a forum for the exchange of good recommendations of wine. We all know how it is to step into the market and look at shelves after shelves of wines...some fine, and some not so fine. How nice would it be to recognize a new name and take home a delicious wine? On that note, everyone feel invited to post the name and a comment or two about a tasty bottle you have stumbled (or not) across!

"Even an atheist may be ready to concede that a good wine is the drink of the gods."
- Paul Carvel, Belgian Author

Wino Word of the Day - Fermentation

Fermentation: Grape juice is joined by other ingredients resulting in a chemical reaction that produces wine.

Yeast is added to the juice, which converts sugars (fructose and glucose) contained in the grapes into ethanol and carbon dioxide. Eventually, the carbon dioxide releases into the air and the alcohol remains. Once all of the sugar turns into alcohol (meaning it is at 15%) and the yeast is completely destroyed, the wine is now ready for the next stage.

Usually red wine is fermented in oak barrels and white is stored in stainless steel vats at much colder temperatures. Nitrogen is added to prevent hydrogen sulfide gas from invading the wine. If the gas does attack the grapes, a rotten egg smell will stink up the mixture. Now this liquid is called the "must" and has to be stirred in order to avoid harmful bacteria from invading. Bubbling will occur anywhere from 8 to 20 hours. First stage of fermentation process for red wine is 5-10 days, while white sits for 10-15 days.

The second phase of fermentation occurs when the wine is siphoned into an airtight container-- no additional oxygen is allowed! This phase creates a higher alcohol content. Now, it is up to the winemaker to decide on what extra ingredient(s) to add. It can be anything, such as more yeast or blended finished wine.