If you’ve already explored the beautiful countryside of California, then you probably know about the rich wine heritage of Temecula; located in the fertile soils of Temecula Valley. The city is the place of California’s oldest wineries and is still a noteworthy wine production center in the state. And it would be a great experience for you to participate in a Temecula wine tasting event; with several notable wineries around the place.

For years, Temecula wine tasting has evolved as among the most significant wine tasting experiences in United States; thus, many first-time wine tasters opt for the place. In a Temecula wine tasting tour, you’ll be treated to a lavish wine tasting activity; outside green grounds, seated in a table covered in white linen cloth, intricately designed wine glasses and extensive varieties of the finest wines.

Many vacationers and locals of South California who love wine tasting are also frequenting Temecula; the place is accessible by vehicles like cars and bus and many novice wine tasters get on their wine tasting journey starting in Temecula. Aside from that, most wineries treat people with several wine tasting activities and events on weekends; mostly Friday and Saturday nights.

Temecula Wine Tasting Tours

The sunny climate of California is attractive enough for vacationers and travelers. And if you’re a wine lover, Temecula wine tasting experiences on California’s Temecula Valley would be a plus; you’ll have great holidays tasting different wines while spending your vacation with your family and friends. There are several wineries in Temecula and most are offering regular wine tasting event for the public; thus, you’ll have the opportunity to go on affordable wine tasting or even a free one.

If you’ve planned to visit Temecula and experience their wines, you can contact your travel agencies to inquire about their Temecula package. You can have them customize a package for you so that it will include wineries in the itinerary and wine tasting in the activities. On the other hand, there are travel agencies specializing in arranging wine tasting tours and packages; you may contact them and inquire about their offers. It would be advisable to have you and your family booked in advance to avoid last-minute rush and fiasco.

Finding Temecula wine tasting tours online is your most convenient option when looking for a suitable package. There are lots of travel agencies online that offers wine tasting tours along with Temecula vacations; you can browse their catalogues to find the best wine tasting experience that suits you.

By: Kevin Stith

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jorgeymm asked:

red red wine. De UB40 en un concierto en vivo.

Do you fancy having a go at making your own wine? Making wine is not as difficult as you may think and once you have all the materials you need you can experiment as much as you like for the perfect wine. Making wine is something I tried for the first time many years ago. Someone bought me a homebrew wine making kit for my eighteenth birthday so I thought I would try it out.

I have to say the first attempt tasted like something you would clean your toilet with despite my best efforts. But I persevered and in the end I got it right. Wine making is not something I do a great deal of but occasionally I will seek out my manual and have another go with a new recipe. I have many friends who are only to happy to try out a new wine when it is ready!Before you begin to make wine at home it is necessary to arm yourself with some essential equipment. This should include a demijohn with a bored cork, a fermentation lock, plastic funnel, siphon tube, sterilizing solution, some campden tablets, and half a dozen wine bottles and corks.

I would recommend that for the first few times you buy a kit. Not only will it contain step by step instructions on how to make the wine, but all the quantities of sugar, yeast and juice concentrates are already measured out for you. It is vital that you completely sterilize every piece of equipment before you use it. Once fermentation is complete and the wine becomes clear, it is simply a matter of transferring your wine into bottles and corking them immediately.These days it is much easier to obtain help and advice about making your own wine via the internet. There are many websites devoted to wine making and it is a very popular hobby for many people. I am not an expert on the subject, I simply enjoy it and it doesn’t take up too much time or effort.

By: CB Dodds

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JR asked:


I’m not sure what wines will be served, but I wanted to bring cheesecake (I love making and eating cheesecake!). I’ve wanted to try a mint chocolate cheesecake but I really can’t think of a worse flavor to mix with wine! So what do you suggest?

Mandy asked:


My husband and I would like to try to make our own wine. I’ve heard it isn’t as difficult of a process as we might think. Does anyone out there have any tips for us? We’d like to know what equipment is needed, etc.

Thanks in advance for your answers.

chikitychinadachinesechicken5010 asked:


I was just wondering if it’s bad to freeze red wine once you’ve opened it… I would think so, but cant think of why. Thanks

P.S. I’ve heard its ok to freeze white wine for cooking purposes
Just to make sure were on the same page, im talking about expensive nice wine. Thanks

MELISSA G asked:


I found a recipe for beef stew and alot of the reviews said they added red wine. I found burgundy cooking wine at the store, is this the same thing and if not can I use it instead?

Super S asked:


I am more of a red wine drinker but I eat mostly pasta.What flavors should I look for when selecting a white wine to drink with my creamy white pasta?
XOXOXOX to all who answer.

A degree in Oenology, the science of winemaking, is not required in order to understand the art of wine tasting. One need not be confused by the terminology used by professional wine tasters such as: clarity, bouquet, earthly, open, crisp or nostalgic. All that is required is to tune your senses and to become familiar with various definitions on well-known words.

Serving Wine

When first starting out, it is a good ideal to allow someone who is more knowledgeable to decide on how to serve the wine. To acquire the skills of wine serving you will need to gain a little more experience and education to start. White wines in general need to be served chilled, while red wines are usually served at room temperature. Serving wine chilled does not mean frozen; but usually starts at 50F and can be adjusted to taste. Room temperature usually refers to a slightly cooler room, approximately 60F.

Red wine (with the exception of a few brands) should be allowed to breathe first before serving. They should sit in an uncorked bottle and exposed to air for approximately 15 minutes or more. In general white wine should be served right away but there are also various brands of white wine that don’t adhere to this rule. There are also wines that require decanting. This is the process of filtering out the sediments before serving. Wines that have aged considerably and ports may require decanting before serving them.

An ordinary wine glass should be used when pouring wine as opposed to a heavy cut glass where visibility can be poor. You want to make sure to fill it approximately half full. Next you want to swirl the wine a bit to generate an additional winey vapour.

The Scent Of A Wine

Examine the color traits of the wine. Is it Hazy? Opaque? Clear? Take a short sniff and waft the wine vapors into the nose rather then directly holding your nose over the opening of the glass. To help you truly experience the wine you may want to close your eyes to allow you to focus on one or two senses at a time such as taste and smell over the sense of sight. There are even experts who misidentify wines during blind taste testing.

Next you want to try to identify the odor. Does the wine have a fruity smell similar to apples, oranges or grapes? Wines such as Merlots or Cabernet Sauvignon evoke the woody smell of pine or cedar needles. Syrah wines have been known to diffuse a floral or ground black pepper scent; while Chardonnay’s that are aged in oak, can remind one of figs or apples. One can argue that the scent of a wine is purely subjective, but there is often a wide agreement amongst amateurs and experts alike, although impressions differ on some degree.

Wine Tasting

The tongue has many different areas that are attuned to various types of tastes. Some areas of the tongue are more attuned to salty or sour tastes, while others attuned to sweet tastes. You want to take a sip of the wine and make sure you run it around the tongue to stimulate the many different kinds of taste buds. Some of the characteristics when tasting various brands of wines may include:

Pinot Noir – from Burgundy may arise a violet taste. Zinfandel – this wine may remind you of berries. Gewurztraminer – evokes peaches. Chenin Blanc – orange blossom taste.

When moving on to tasting another wine you want to make sure to finish or set aside the wine you have just tested, and to come back on another day. Don’t try to many or too much wine at one time. Ideally one brand of wine is preferred per day, but this can be a slow way to learn. You definitely do not want to try any more than three wines in one day. This may hinder your ability to discern differences in different types of wine.

On the next day you may want to try different red wines. Try to concentrate on sensing that oak storage cask. You will find some California reds to have hints and traces of coffee of chocolate. If you favour stronger scents you may want to try a fine Merlot. They carry a tarry quality.

Remember a good fine wine will not hit the nose over the head, so to speak. Above all the key is subtlety when tasting wine.

By: Joseph Wilson

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Pinot Gris (or Tokay Pinot Gris) is a white wine grape of species Vitis Vinifera related to Pinot Noir which goes by a lot of other names:

Pinot Grigio (Italy)

Pinot Beurot (Loire Valley, France)

Ruländer (Austria and Germany, Romania, sweet)

Grauburgunder or Grauer burgunder (Austria and Germany, dry)

Grauklevner (Germany)

Malvoisie (Loire Valley, France and Switzerland)

Tokay d’Alsace (Alsace) (currently being renamed due to EU regulations)

Auxerrois Gris (Alsace)

Fromentau (Langudoc, France)

Fromentot (France)

Fauvet (France)

Gris Cordelier (France)

Grauer Mönch (Germany)

Monemrasia

Crvena Klevanjka (Croatia)

Sivi Pinot (Slovenia)

Szürkebarát (Hungary)

“Pinot” means “pinecone” in French, and “gris” means gray. The grapes grow in small clusters (hence the pinecone shape), and upon ripening, often display a pinkish-gray hue, although the colors can vary from blue-gray to pinkish-brown.

Pinot Gris is called Pinot Grigio in Italy, and the grape is grown in many regions, although, arguably, most successfully in Alsace (France), Italy, Germany, and Oregon. In the United States, Pinot Gris has recently supplanted Sauvignon Blanc as the most popular white wine grape next to Chardonnay. In fact, Pinot Gris is often referred to as “the other white wine”.

Pinot Gris produces wines that are generally fruity in aroma, with flavors of honey, apple, pear, vanilla, oak, and citrus. The flavors can vary from region to region, but a good Pinot Gris will display crisp acidity, balanced with silky sweetness, resulting in a complex array of flavors on the pallet. Pinot gris goes well with foods typically associated with white wines, including fish, seafood, chicken, pork, and Asian cuisine.

Pinot Gris is thought to have originated in the Burgundy region of France, and was planted in Northern Europe for many years before making its way to Oregon in the 1960′s. The grape is presently grown in many different areas, but prefers the relatively cool climate of places like France, Germany, Italy and Oregon, where the long (but not too hot) summer days mingled with cool autumn weather bring the grapes into perfect ripeness.

Pinot Gris grapes grown in Italy (Pinot Grigio) usually produce a somewhat wanting, light-colored wine with crisp acidity. German Pinot Gris tends to be medium-bodied, with good balance between sugar and acidity. Grapes grown in Oregon tend to produce a wine that is medium-bodied, exhibiting strong fruit flavors and aromas and superb crispness. Pinot Gris produced from grapes grown in the Alsace region of France has proven to show full-bodied, floral flavors, and a deep viscosity with a long-lasting finish.

Pinot Gris made from grapes grown in other regions can also be delicious, but generally don’t deliver the same excellent qualities that people have come to expect from wines made in the regions listed above. California is one area where Pinot Gris is grown, but the wines made there tend to be flabby, losing their complexity due to the warmer weather. In fact, Pinot Gris produced in California is often called Pinot Grigio because of the similarity in style to the wines from Italy.

Pinot Gris can be found in many places, from restaurants to tasting rooms to supermarkets. Listed below are some of the places you can purchase Pinot Gris, and what it might cost you.

Restaurants – Easily the most expensive place to buy wine, the restaurant offers a cozy atmosphere, sometimes knowledgeable waiters, and comprehensive wine list. For a decent bottle of Pinot Gris, be prepared to pay 30 to 40 dollars or more, depending on how fancy the establishment is. One idea for frugal restaurant dining is to call beforehand and ask if you can bring in your own delicious bottle of Pinot Gris. The restaurant will charge you a nominal “pouring fee”, but you won’t have to shell out the big bucks.

Supermarkets – Probably the least expensive place to purchase wine, your neighborhood Safeway or Albertsons offers a variety of Pinot Gris at prices ranging from $7 to $20. Just don’t expect too much help from the stockboy when deciding which Pinot Gris would go best with osso buco.

Tasting Rooms – Many wineries have their own tasting rooms with dramatic views and enchanting music geared to put the consumer into a wine buying-trance. If you buy Pinot Gris from the tasting room, however, you are usually buying directly from the winery, and won’t get the big discounts that the stores receive. Expect to pay somewhere between 15 to 30 dollars for a good bottle of Pinot Gris.

The Internet – A great place to shop for wine in general, the web offers you some super deals. The upside of web shopping is that you can browse the wine shoppe at 3 AM if you desire. The downside is that every state has their own particular wine laws, and you may have to shop for awhile before you can find someone to ship Pinot Gris to your state. Oh, and you have to pay the shipping costs, and the wine may be exposed to all kinds of elements and hazards on its way to your door.

Wine Festivals – If you live in a reasonably populated area, chances are that you have an annual wine festival within 20 miles or so. These are great places to try a variety of wines by the glass, and mingle amongst large crowds. You will probably be paying close to Tasting Room prices, though, so a bottle of Pinot Gris will run you 12 to 25 dollars.

Wine Shops – Most wine shops have prices that are competitive with those found in the supermarkets. Wine shops also carry a nice variety of wines, but best of all, the owners or workers will often possess valuable knowledge that they will share with you most whole-heartedly if you promise to buy a bottle or two.

By: Scott Campanella

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