A New Breed Of Wine Enthusiast

Do you remember the episode of Taxi where Father Jim takes a hit off a joint and says, Columbian, Indica strain, South side of the mountains, picked in October, in the morning. Now that wasn't wine tasting but there are wine enthusiasts that can tell you the strain of grape, the area it was produced in and in some cases, the specific vineyard.

What you say?

You make your own wine and you consider yourself a wine enthusiast. But do you ferment your own grapes and look down on the people that use kits? Yes there are a few definitions of wine enthusiasts. You may even consider yourself a wine enthusiast if you go to lots of wine tasting events such as the Los Alto Arts and Wine Festival.

There are many more events in wine regions all over the world. At these events, wine enthusiasts can go to taste the new offerings of both domestic and foreign wineries.

Imagine my Surprise!

Before my wine enthusiast stage, I pictured wine tasting as a gathering of stuffy looking men with mustaches who would look at and smell the wine, take a sip and spit it out. I thought it was all quite stuffy and high-brow, something akin to polo.

Another view of the wine enthusiast was the one portrayed in TV and movies, that of the cork-smelling, glass swirlers with a superiority attitude.

I remember my wife asking me to go to a winery for tasting. I relented after a few words and resigned myself to the fact that I was going to "taste" wine. Happily I went and discovered the joy of wine tasting.

I had no idea it would be that much fun. My God, they weren’t all stuffy. Most of them were good people who had a love of wine in common.

A Changing of the Times

In the past, the public generally took their wine choices from so-called wine experts. That has changed because of more wine tasting opportunities and the fact that most community education programs include wine education classes.

This has taught the general public to judge the wine on its own merits, after all each person has individual taste.

Here Taste This

There are lots of conversations that go on while wine tasting. Wine enthusiasts are generally very social animals who love nothing better than to discuss the merits of the favorite wine of the day. They take great joy in introducing new offerings to complete strangers within the wine tasting room.

They discuss different vineyards and wineries. The may steadfastly claim their love for a certain blend but they are open to at least trying new wines. Back in the day, wine enthusiasts were depicted as unrelenting about trying new blends.

So what's in it for me?

These days there are advantages to being a wine enthusiast. People get paid well as tasters. Another more likely source of benefit to the wine enthusiast is in educational forums, teaching other people what to look for in a good wine.

With this multi billion dollar industry, there are lots of spin-offs. Wine accessories are a huge business and growing by leaps and bounds.

Go to --> Make Homemade Wine and pick up the book...."how to make homemade wine" and start creating some fantastic wine for yourself right away!

Thanks for reading,
Chef Brian

7 Tips To Get Rid Of A Wine Hangover

How about teaming up your favorite meal with the best of
wine this weekend? It sounds a great idea but don’t you
think you may overindulge? Well, you may not mind this but
what about the hangover you have to face, the other
morning. How about spending you entire Sunday afternoon
sitting inside the bathroom, with one hand on your forehead
and the other on your stomach? Scary isn’t it?

Hey, hold on! I am not trying to scare the life out of
you. I am just showing you the real picture of a hangover
that you may require to face the following day after you
have overindulged in your favorite wine.

This sounds really bad but don’t worry, there are many
tips you can follow in order to get rid of a wine hangover.
All you need to do is to follow the instructions given below:

a) Water, water and water:

Water is the key to get over the wine hangover. Drink
plenty of water. Alcohol has a tendency to dehydrate your
body. This is the main reason that most people end up
having a lot of liquids in the form of plain water, lemon
water, coffee and black tea without having pee for a single
time. If you want to stay away from the temptation of
overindulging in wine, the best way is to have a glass of
water for each glass of wine you desire to have. Wine is a
great source of water, but the presence of water tends to
produce adverse effects on the body. Hence, it is necessary
to keep hydrating your body with water.

b) Binge in:

Sounds great! Believe me, it really works. Eat your
favorite meal or some snacks an hour before a drink. This
will save you from getting involved into overindulge and
the hangover. The meal or snack should include bread or
pasta.

c) No prescription drugs:

So you want to save money! It’s a good idea but you should
not save money via mixing your glass of wine with
prescription drugs for more effects. This will only damage
your body. Drink less if you really want to save money.

d) Milk:

Drink a glass of milk prior to consuming wine. This will
provide a protection coat to your stomach and helps you
absorb the alcohol in the wine.

e) No salt:

Salt will prove dangerous as it tends to maximize the
process of dehydration. You should stay away from salt when
having margarita...

f) An aspirin:

An aspirin will help you to remove headache. Avoid taking
ibuprofen or paracetamol. These medicines usually have
adverse effects on the body especially after the
consumption of wine.

g) Avoid dark drinks:

The major hangover you experience may be due to combining
red wine with whiskey. You should mix whiskey with soda or
water. Avoid mixing it with cola and tonic.

Hangover is due to over indulgence in wine. Try to stay
away from it. Follow the instructions mentioned above you
would feel better after a wine party with your friends.

Learn How To Make Homemade Wine

Thanks for reading and keep on brewin'

Chef Brian Ankner