That is in fact quite a complicated question that is impossible to answer briefly, but if I had to answer it with simply one word, it would be: Burgundy.

I say that because, first of all, the famous wine known as “Burgundy” comes from this appellation. It’s vinified from 100% Pinot Noir grapes and I feel sure that you’ll come across little or no argument from most wine lovers that a top-drawer Burgundy is the finest expression of this temperamental varietal to be found anywhere in the world, and, arguably, the very finest red wine in the world. It’s surely the world’s most costly wine. That is to say, Burgundy’s most highly-acclaimed wine, Romanee-Conti, of which just about 450 cases are produced a year from grapes grown in the 4.5 acre Romanee-Conti vineyard, is the world’s priciest wine. The law of supply and demand is clearly involved in this case but, for instance, in 1996, Sotheby’s sold a set of eight 750 ml. bottles of 1990 Romanee-Conti for $224,900; which works out to over $28,000 per bottle for a wine that was made just six years before it was sold for this fabulous sum. So, is it actually worth that much money? Well, I wouldn’t say so. It seems to me that any person who has that kind of money to spend on a few bottles of wine, they could devote it to a lot of more worthwhile things, but at any rate, here’s what wine critic Clive Coates has said when it comes to Romanee-Conti:

“This is the purest, most aristocratic and most intense example of Pinot Noir you could possibly imagine. Not only nectar: a yardstick with which to judge all other Burgundies.”

But Burgundy does not only produce outstanding reds, it’s also the home of incredible white wines, the two most famous of which are Chablis and Montrachet. White Burgundies are generally known as “white Burgundy,” and mostly vinified from 100% Chardonnay grapes. Chardonnay is by far the most popular white wine grape all over the world and, in the opinion of the majority of connoisseurs, finds its best expression in Burgundy. Montrachet especially is believed by many to be the greatest dry white wine in the world. So, it can be argued that Burgundy makes both the greatest red and white wines in the world, so, I think my claim that it’s the the place where the best wines come from is justified.

If I had to nominate the finest wine-producing country in the world, I would have to say France. One reason for that choice is the stellar wines of Burgundy, but that’s in no way the end of the story. Whilst a lot of people find Burgundy to be the world’s best red, that title is usually given to another French wine: Bordeaux, made from the renowned “Bordeaux blend” of the native French grapes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc–the first two of which are very popular as varietals in both old and new world wine-producing countries.

And France has another great white wine-producing region in Alsace, which produces some of the finest Rieslings, Gewurztraminers, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blancs in the world and I haven’t yet mentioned Champagne, which is without peer among the world’s sparkling wines. Another proof of France’s dominant position in the world of wine is the undeniable effect it has had on new world producers–the wines made in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and South America are produced overwhelmingly from grapes which are native to France

Add there’s even more: thanks to the fact that France is, in most years, the world’s biggest wine producer (France is eclipsed by Italy in some years ), there are many excellent French wines available at really affordable prices. A couple of regions to go to for great deals on wine are the Loire Valley and southern France. You can get excellent wines produced in these regions for just $10.00 to $15.00. As a matter of fact, you can even get some very good Bordeaux for very sensible prices. In fact, France fairly abounds with incredible wine bargains, for exactly the same reason that it also turns out some of the most expensive wines: supply and demand. While most of France’s most sought-after wines are in limited supply, the country also produces an astounding amount of truly outstanding wine.

Even though I have already committed myself to the position that the world’s greatest wine comes from France, I will nevertheless append two caveats:

1. Italy is an additional pretender to the crown of being the world’s finest wine-producing country. Their wine production is on a similar scale to France’s, Italy has an extraordinary diversity of native varietals from which they produce a lot of excellent wines in the large number of micro-climates Italy is lucky enough to have, and Italian wines are exceptionally food friendly. It’s generally difficult to match French wines with food, but this is normally a much less complicated process with Italian wines.

2. Even though it’s true that Bordeaux is considered by a lot of people to be the greatest red wine in the world, it lost out in a head-to-head contest with Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons, on two different occasions. The first upset was in 1976 at a blind tasting that goes by the name of the Judgment of Paris. The eleven judges–nine French, one American and one British–gave better marks to the Napa wines, which were vying with some of Bordeaux’s most renowned wines. There were critics who thought the final results inconclusive, declaring that the French wines would age far better than their American counterparts. A re-tasting was organized 30 years later, in which the original ten wines, which ranged in vintage from 1969 to 1973, were once again blind tasted. This time the American wines won hands down, with the Napa Valley Cabs taking the top five slots. So it can be argued that the best reds in the world come from Napa Valley.

In summary, I believe that, all in all, the greatest wine in the world is produced in France. But that certainly is not the last word on the matter; there are a large number of of caveats which easily could be added to the two I mentioned. Quality has been getting better by leaps and bounds in more or less\practically every wine-producing region in the world for the past twenty years at the very least. I personally routinely drink wines made in France, Italy, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, The United States, Chili and Argentina. All of these countries make outstanding wines, quite a few at very low prices. And there are many nations I haven’t even talked about which also produce interesting, high-quality wines. It seems to me that the best way to answer the question, “Where does the best wine come from?” is to get stuck in and start tasting various wines from various areas of the world yourself. That may not be the most direct route to discovering the answer, but it definitely is the most satisfying.

If you’re interested in finding out more about wine, particularly wine tours in Santa Barbara county, then why not visit Eric Hilton’s website: Santa Barbara Wine Tours.

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The Difference between Syrah and Shiraz is principally in the name. As Shakespeare might have said, What’s in a name? That which we call Shiraz is simply the Australian name for France’s Syrah.

The Syrah wine grape, a.k.a. Shiraz in Australia, is indigenous to the Rhone Valley, situated in southeastern France. Syrah and Shiraz wines come from the exact same variety of grape but, as is the case with wine in general, the style and flavor depend to no small extent on the different terroir and winemaking types it’s developed under. The Rhone Valley itself produces two very distinct wines, in the northern and southern wine producing regions, using Syrah grapes.

Most Northern Rhone reds are made from 100% Syrah grapes and for the most part said to be powerful, manly, meaty, leathery, strapping, vigorous, serious, peppery, bold, and so on. These wines are darkish, intense, and masculine wines that commonly need many years of maturity to subdue their strong tannins. The Hermitage appellation typifies this style of Syrah wines, some of which are thought to be among the greatest wines made in the world.

The archetypical Southern Rhone red is a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre. Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the most prestigious Southern Rhone appellation, permits the use of thirteen distinct varietals, but the most widely used are the 3 aforementioned grapes, especially Grenache. These are also full colored and sturdy reds, but these wines are more approachable than their northern neighbors, and personally, I tend to favor the Southern Rhones because I find them to be more food-friendly.

Shiraz, as its called Down Under, is Australia’s most important red wine grape. It’s also the most broadly planted, with more than 100,000 acres of vineyard dedicated to it, making Australia the world’s second greatest producer of Syrah/Shiraz, following France. Australian Shiraz runs the gamut in terms of both value and quality. It not tough to uncover some more than passable Shiraz and Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon blends under $10.00. At the opposite end of the spectrum is Penfolds Grange. This is Australia’s one truly iconic wine, and it can be as high priced as a top tier Bordeaux or Burgundy. Doing a simple Google search, I located the Penfolds Grange 2005, the most recent release at time of writing, at costs varying from $360.00 to $550.00 per bottle, and some of the most sought after vintages go for thousands of dollars . This is also a big, intense and masculine wine (in principal 100% Shiraz, but blended with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon in some vintages) but easily distinguishable from Northern Rhone Syrah owing to the different terroir and, in no small part, from the fact that Penfolds Grange is aged in new American oak barrels.

California, with about 20,000 acres of Syrah vineyards, is the other important Syrah producing region. As you might have expected, a lot of excellent Syrahs are produced in Napa Valley and Sonoma, but in recent years it is an important grape in the Central Coast region–particularly in Paso Robles and Santa Barbara County. Actually, Wine Spectator designated a Paso Robles wine, Saxum Winery’s James Berry Vineyard Paso Robles 2007, its wine of the year for 2010. This wine is a blend of Grenache, Mourvdre and Syrah, so it’s produced very much in the Southern Rhone style. Two Santa Barbara County Syrahs were also on the top 100 list: Tensley’s Syrah Santa Barbara County Colson Canyon Vineyard 2008 and Zaca Mesa’s Syrah Santa Ynez Valley 2006, at no. 17 and 29 respectively.

The Syrahs produced in Washington State have also lately been winning accolades, both from wine critics and wine drinkers. The remaining major Syrah producing regions are South Africa (in which it’s usually known as Shiraz, but labeled Syrah for wines created in the Rhone style), Argentina and Chile. Simply to make the matter a lot more confusing, there’s one more varietal, mainly grown in California, dubbed Petite Sirah or Petite Syrah which is really not Syrah, but actually a hybrid of Syrah and an obscure Rhone grape known as Peloursin. The hybrid was discovered in 1880 by a French botanist, Francois Durif, who named the new variety after himself. It’s now referred to as Durif in Australia, and Petite Sirah in California and Israel.

If you are interested in finding out more concerning different wine varieties, particularly California wines, or are interested in wine tours in Santa Barbara County, then drop by Eric Hilton’s website, at http://santabarbarawinetours.org.

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Wine stemware is not supposed to be generic, at least not in experienced circles. Sure, you can buy cheap stuff, but when your taste in good Chardonnay and Riesling becomes more expensive it makes sense to have glasses on hand worth pouring them into. Vintners and sommeliers will tell you that a special glass is best for each sub-group. They hold differing views on materials also.

Crystal tops the list of recommended and accepted materials for making these products. Among choices are those imported, sometimes ornate offerings from established wine making countries in Europe. Even the most modest sets will cost more for just one or two than an entire set of cheaper products bought at a local hardware store.

A new wave of novelty glasses often arrives on the market. A recent addition is the stemless variety. This article tips less readily than stemmed version. On the other hand, unless insulated, your hand will affect liquid temperature. Metal glasses also came onto the scene a few years ago but are not as popular as glass and crystal. Sometimes consumers will see brightly colored glass which may or may not have been hand-blown, but these are not favored for serious sipping. Your drink should steal the show.

Sparkling wines and champagne belong in tall, narrow vessels. Tip your glass slightly to meet the bottle and watch the bubbles foam up. Without a bit of height it would take a while to pour, or the bubbles would spill. Besides, the end effect can be very pretty, especially in a uniquely shaped article.

Drinkers of red will tell you: swirling matters. This is one way to release aroma. When you do, it helps to have a wide bulb at the bottom for sticking your nose right in and smelling. Mind you, this only works if there is just an inch or two of liquid at the bottom. Otherwise the result could be embarrassing.

Whites like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc can go into just about any glass, though a combination between flutes and red bulbs is common. Not as wide at the bottom, they are also not as thin and tall as vessels for their sparkling cousins. Then again, at a restaurant you might be surprised by the size you are given and how much wine will fit inside of it.

Speaking of restaurants, commercial settings including these and bars or wineries do not skimp on good stemware. This can lead to a frequent turn over of stock due to chipping and cracking. Consumers know the difference when they pick up good quality glass or crystal: it weighs more. Consequently, their expectation will rise or fall.

Before you buy wine gifts, make sure you check Wealthwoods top quality Wine Stemware. Look for free shipping! Or, read more wine articles Wine Stemware.

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Raising a glass in a toast, to a special couple or to each other is not something that is new. It has been done for centuries throughout the world. It has a special meaning that conveys best wishes and friendship. For many years the wine, for the toast, was served in a stemmed glass however now stemless wine glasses are in style.

Talking to any wine connoisseur today one will find that many prefer the stemless glassware for a number of reasons. They are beautiful, they are practical and they store easily. When filled with red or white variety they present a beautiful display in any arrangement.

The fact that they do not need special racks for storage has been very well received. Whether stored in a cupboard, out of sight, or on shelves for special display, they can easily be stacked with no danger of possible damage. They are available in 7.5 ounce and 16.75 ounce sizes, which also give an excellent choice as to the size of drink one wishes to serve.

For someone who wishes a special design that will fit in with the surrounding decorations they are easily available. Whether it is a monogram, a character or something else, there is no limit as to what can be ordered. One particular glass has an outstanding design with a cobalt blue tint, which makes it a thing of beauty.

The fact that they can be uniquely designed makes them a special feature to any table setting. In addition, they are equally attractive with red or white wine, which makes it easy for the hostess to dress the table in a very inviting manner.

Brides, wedding and event planners have found they are a welcome addition to the occasions. There is a personalized touch, yet a style, to the way the drink is being served which makes it a festive occasion. Whether a red or white type is served their uniqueness gives a definite personal touch.

Using this type of stemless wine glasses presents an outstanding appearance to a table setting. The sophisticated display, the unique design and the elegant style presents an outstanding picture that is very impressive. It immediately makes the guests aware of the special touch that has been made to give them a feeling of welcome and friendship.

Before you buy wine gifts, make sure you check Wealthwoods top quality Stemless Wine Glasses. Look for free shipping! or read more wine articles Stemless Wine Glasses.

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