Chris Robertson

Food and wine were meant to go together. In my big Italian family, no gathering was complete without plenty of both. Winter feasts were easy for the food and wine lovers among us - a hearty red table wine is the perfect foil for most southern Italian dishes. A pitcher of table wine drawn from the cask in the basement was the typical accompaniment to our everyday meals.

Red, white or rose, Italian table wines are meant to be imbibed in the casual atmosphere of a family dinner. They are light enough to be enjoyed even by the casual food and wine enthusiast, and robust enough to complement the full-flavored richness of smoked and barbecued food. Which leads us to the subject of this little soliloquy - mixing and matching food and wine for the barbecue. My own tastes run to Italian jug wines, and if it was up to me, I’d tell you to just go out and buy a jug of Chianti and a jug of Lambrusco. It’s what I grew up with, and I happen to love the little sparkle that a good Lambrusco (yes, they do exist!) adds to food.

In the interests of presenting a fair and educated view, however, I decided to check with an expert. Austin Liquor has been voted Best Liquor Store in Worcester for the past 5 years, mostly on the strength of its weekly wine tasting. A Friday night tradition in Worcester since the late 1970s, each tasting offers food and wine based around one or two specific vintages. I was directed to Richard Beams, Austin Liquor’s resident wine expert, and directed my question to him: “What food and wine combination would you recommend for a summer barbecue?”

I did get my recommendations - but I also got a wonderful overview of Rich’s philosophy of choosing wines, especially for fun or everyday occasions.

“I don’t think it’s necessary for people to spend more than $12 for a bottle of wine for an everyday dinner,” he told me. “For a special occasion like an anniversary dinner, sure, you can spend $20 or more for a bottle. A barbecue is a fun occasion, though. For a barbecue you can get really good quality wine for under $12.”

That may come as a surprise to those of us who have been intimidated into believing that the only true quality wines come with corks and high price tags.

Said Rich to that: “I like wine to be fun. It should be fun. Too many people try to snob it up and break down the flavors so far that it’s not fun anymore. I advise people to find something they like and enjoy it. I like to steer people to the less expensive wines that are excellent quality.”

So what does Rich recommend to go with the food at a summer barbecue?

“I like to recommend a nice, light Riesling, ” he told me. “Something crisp and fresh.”

In fact, he told me, several of their recent wine tasting afternoons have featured barbecued food and wine that complements it. He recommended several wines that he feels are ‘fun wines’ with good value.

Flaio Primitivo (Salento, Italy) Primitivo is a grape varietal grown in the heel of Italy’s boot. It’s very similar to a good California Zinfandel - in Rich’s words it’s “almost an exact copy”. It retails for about $7 a bottle and is a great accompaniment for burgers and ribs.

Bonny Doon Big House Red (California) Bonny Doon has a lot of fun with their wines, according to Rich, and he does believe that wine should be fun. Big House Red is a blend of 7 or 8 grapes. According to Bonny Doon’s own web site, those varietals include syrah, petite sirah, Grenache, barbera and malbec. It retails for about $12 a bottle and its robust licorice and raspberry-accented bouquet stands up to the spiciest barbecued ribs.

Monte Antico (Tuscany, Italy) - “very similar to a Chianti Sangiovese,” said Rich. At $12 a bottle, it’s got great fruit, balances a barbecue, holds up well, and has a very Italian looking label.” To quote Monte Antico’s own press, this wine is “Dark ruby in color, its bouquet of leather, earth, herbs, black cherries, licorice and plums is confirmed on the medium to full-bodied palate - round, spicy, elegant, attractively fruity and extremely versatile with any fare from pasta or risotto, to meat, fowl and cheese.”

Rich’s final recommendation was another ‘fun’ wine, one that he says is a great ‘food wine’. The top in his book is:

Three Thieves 2002 Zinfandel was voted #8 as one of the Hottest Small Brands of 2005. The wine comes in a 1 liter jug with a screw top, and is marketed as a ‘fun thing’, says Rich, but the wine inside is a full bodied red zinfandel that goes great with burgers or eggplant parmagiana.

“The wine is excellent, and it’s about $11,” Rich added. He also added the following advice for would-be wine fanciers. “You don’t have to spend a lot to find excellent quality wines. If you find something that you like, make a note. You can go into a store and tell someone there that you liked ‘this brand’ and they’ll steer you to other similar wines for you to try.”

Final analysis? Good food and wine that’s fun are the cornerstone of a great summer barbecue. Skip the fancy labels, vintages and price tags and pick out a wine that you like. Who cares what the noses think as long as your nose is tickled pink?

About the author:

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Visit this Food Website and Majon’s Food directory.

Sarah Manners

Stellenbosch is home to the oldest and most acclaimed wineland regions in South Africa. Conveniently located 40km east of Cape Town it is the perfect destination for a day trip, a weekend break or a holiday getaway.

A Brief History In the Seventeenth Century Simon van der Stel, the second governor of the Cape of Good Hope, set out to explore the uncharted land in the peninsula. On 6 November 1679 he happened across a river running through a magnificent valley. He named the river Eerste Rivier and the area surrounding it Van der Stel Bosch. Families began to settle there not long after the area was discovered due to the rich and fertile nature of the soil. This small settlement later became known as Stellenbosch, and is the second oldest city in South Africa. Many years later in 1971 Stellenbosch became home to the first official South African Wine Route.

Stellenbosch Today Stellenbosch, affectionately known as “Eikestad” (town of oaks), is the second oldest town in South Africa and boasts a reputation as a melting pot of culture, history and of course… wine. Apart from being a rich agricultural area Stellenbosch is also home to South Africas second oldest university. The University of Stellenbosch was founded in 1866 and is now educating approximately 22,000 students a year.

What to See and Do Whether you are planning a short or long stay in Stellenbosch there is plenty to keep you occupied. The main tourist attractions in the area are the wine farms but you don’t have to be a wine connoisseur to enjoy yourself in this novel town. The mountainous escarpment lends itself to magnificent nature walks, hikes and downhill mountain biking.

There is an abundance of scenic venues for picnicking, hot air ballooning, horse riding and watching the sun set, preferably with an award winning pinotage in hand.

The town itself is a bustling hive of activity with it’s many museums, restaurants, pubs and rustic gift shops (such as the renowned “Oom Samie se winkel” (directly translated “Uncle Sam’s Shop”), a traditional trading store with unique gifts from past era’s).

One of Stellenboschs’ most charming offerings is strawberry picking where for a set fee you can spend the day picking the freshest, most succulent strawberries the Western Cape has to offer. The Stellenbosch health hydro is also one of the town’s main attractions and comes highly recommended by its guests.

Wine Routes Stellenbosch has earned international acclaim as being one of the best wine producing districts in the world. Wines produced in this area are exported all over the world and can be bought online by international wine connoisseurs. The Stellenbosch Winelands is home to a multitude of estates and spending some time exploring the wine routes will afford you the opportunity to sample a bit of each one.

The Wine Route comprises 23 private cellars and 5 co-operative wineries, which produce between them a large variety of red and white wines. Set in the spectacular scenery that the mountains, rivers and vineyards paint, spending time on any of these wine farms is a pleasure.

Wine Estates The farms are so exquisite that many couples hold their weddings on the wine estates themselves and as most are equipped with full restaurant and conference facilities this is the perfect location for such a special day. There are many prearranged day tours that take visitors to a limited number of estates for wine tasting, exploring and lunch. If you prefer to drive the route yourself you have the opportunity to stop at any estate that tickles your fancy.

The wine estates are impressive expanses of vineyards, Cape Dutch style farm houses and overwhelming beauty. Some estates are larger and offer more activities than others but they are all unique and worth visiting. Spier wine estate is a great example of one of the bigger estates housing its own open air theatre, accommodation, picnicking venues and many popular restaurants. Spier is also home to the Cheetah Outreach Programme which set out to introduce the cheetah to the South African community as well as to increase awareness of the diminishing numbers of cheetahs and to raise funds in order to enhance their efforts.

A visit to the cheetahs is a must especially for the little ones. This wine estate is also home to the Spier golf club, an internationally acclaimed championship golf course, this estate is a must for all golfing enthusiasts. Another one of the bigger estates definitely worth the visit is Fairview, not only can you sample South Africa’s fine wines in a glorious setting but you can sample their award winning cheeses!

Other estates definitely worth a visit are Delheim, Morganhof, Rus & Vrede, Boschendal and Lanzarac to name a few. Most of the wine estates offer their own accommodation and there are many guest houses, lodges and hotels in the town itself.

Experience it for Yourself Whether you are a wine enthusiast, a keen explorer or in need of a well earned break Stellenbosch’s quaint charm will have you feeling at home in no time.

The Stellenbosch winelands, the vibrant town life and the picturesque scenery are what have earned the regions its local and international praise. Why not experience it for yourself?

About the Author:

Essential Travel Info http//www.essentialtravelinfo.com”>www.essentialtravelinfo.com”>http//www.essentialtravelinfo.com is the largest online travel database in South Africa. The Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) provides users with detailed information for the purpose of finding quality accommodation as well as a range of comprehensive online travel guides. Read more articles by: Sarah Manners

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Ken Finnigan

You have decided to join the ranks of millions and become a wine enthusiast. You might be wondering to yourself what this entails exactly, and what sorts of gadgets and gizmos are you going to need to properly enjoy your wine. To be honest, there are few accessories that a person absolutely needs to enjoy their wine.

The first of the more important wine accessories is a bottle opener or corkscrew. There are many kinds of wine bottle openers on the market today. The most common corkscrews that people know about are either the winged style or waiter’s friends (sometimes called a wine key). A winged style looks exactly like the name states; it has a lever on each side that will rise when the center screw is inserted into the cork of a bottle. To remove the cork, the wings are lowered causing the screw and attached cork to rise with it and be removed from the bottle. A wine key is smaller and uses a single lever positioned onto the side of the bottle to provide leverage to remove the cork from the bottle. Both types of corkscrews are rather easy to find and usually start out selling for around $5.00. These openers in most cases can cause a cork to break in half if not pulled out correctly, or if the screw is not centered though the cork.

Lever pull corkscrews tend to be more expensive than winged or waiter’s friends, however, they are usually more user friendly. Ranging from $20.00 to $80.00, most lever models are designed with a clamp to hold the neck of the bottle in the corkscrew for ease of handling. Typically, the lever arm swings over the top and extracts the cork in a few very easy movements; ensuring removal is quick and effortless.

There is, however, another type of corkscrew that appeals to those looking for an effective and easy to use corkscrew but also one that is not overly expensive. Selling for roughly $15.00, the Vacuvin style corkscrew is my pick. Made from a heavy grade plastic, the Vacuvin opener is easy to use and only involves two steps: placing the opener on the bottle of wine and twisting the handle until the cork is released. This opener does not require a user to have super human strength, and I have yet to have a cork break during opening. The main reason the cork does not break is because the screw completely removes the cork from the bottle for you, there is no need to pull on the opener to remove the cork like some corkscrews require.

Once you have your bottle of wine open, the second must have accessory are wine glasses. Most people believe that there are certain glasses for certain wines; this is not necessarily the case. Usually a larger, broader bowl style wine glass is used for red wines with bigger bouquets, and smaller glasses for white wines to help concentrate the more subtle aromas. However, if space or budget are limiting you to one type of glass, many companies nowadays manufacture universal style glasses which are suitable to both red and white wine, and are inexpensive and attractively designed.

Another must have accessory for your collection is a wine stopper. Bottle stoppers come in a variety of colors, styles, and finishes to fit every taste and personality. Usually solid metal, metal and plastic, or metal and cork, wine stoppers are an excellent way to close an open bottle of wine to preserve it and protect it from air contamination for short periods of time.

A simple bottle stopper however, is not going to protect an open bottle of wine from the air that has already entered the bottle. Air trapped inside the bottle will cause a bottle of wine to expire much quicker than an unopened bottle, which is why I suggest using a vacuum bottle stopper system. A product such as the Vacuvin Concerto Wine Saver can greatly extend the life of an opened bottle of wine compared to a simple bottle stopper. Easy to use and inexpensive, all that a person does is place one of the specially designed bottle stoppers in the open bottle of wine and use the pump to draw the air out of the bottle. When the air is drawn out, the seal of the stopper is so strong the bottle can be held upside down or stored on its side without spilling. Starting at roughly $20.00, this type of bottle stopper is most effective for those looking to store open wine for longer periods of time.

Now you have your opener, glasses and bottle stoppers, what else do you need? A wine rack of course! Wine racks are available in a variety of styles and finishes to compliment any décor. Styles include wall mounted, counter top, hanging and free standing wine racks. Finishes are varied as well and include wood and wrought iron. If interested in learning more about wine racks and what to look for in picking out the perfect rack, my article, “How To Select The Finest Wine Rack For You Home” is quite informative.

The list of wine accessories that are available on the market today can be quite exhausting, however it is important to keep in mind that not all accessories are essential to becoming a wine enthusiast, or simply to enjoy the pleasure of your wine. The most important to remember are the ones essential to drinking and storing a bottle of wine: a bottle opener, glasses, a bottle stopper and a wine rack. Once you have these, the other accessories become fun extras to collect to make your wine experience all the more enjoyable.

About the Author:

Ken Finnigan is the CEO of Finest Wine Racks a website specializing in quality decorative wine racks and durable wine storage systems. Read more articles by: Ken Finnigan

Article Source: www.iSnare.com