Austwick Wine Club
The
Austwick Wine Club meets on the second Wednesday every month. The club is
friendly and unpretentious, endeavouring to explore the mainly affordable
wines from all corners of the globe.
For further information please contact:
Andy
Lewis:
Telephone:
015242 51766
Email:
andylew@nildram.co.uk
For tips on serving wines
click on the following link:
Austwick Wine
Club visit to Barcelona and Vineyards April 2008.
On April 17th twelve members of
the Austwick wine club flew to Barcelona to explore the city and sample the
delights of the vineyards. We stayed in a centrally located Hotel and during
the day independently visited the highlights of the city, such as ‘La
Rambla’, Sagrada Familia and Barcelona Cathedral.
The first excursion was to visit the famous
internationally renowned Cava Winery of Cordorniu, located
outside of Barcelona in Sant Sadurni D'Noia of the Penedés wine region. Its
most widely distributed product is Cava, the local variety of champagne.
During the trip, the guide gave a brief introduction to the cava growing
region in order to familiarise the group with the area. After the initial
welcome the group were taken on a one and a half hour interactive tour of
the vineyard during which the whole process, from the harvesting of the
grapes, through fermentation to the actual bottling and tasting itself, was
explained. Once the tour finished everyone was given the opportunity to
sample some of the vineyard's best Cavas which were accompanied by some
light snacks and explanation about the wine we were drinking.
The next vineyard, Albert I Noya was a
complete contrast as this was a totally organic winery run on a much smaller
scale. Our guide took us through the growing cycle for the vines,
harvesting, the vinification process, bottling and labelling. The final
stage, of course, was the tasting. We all agreed that this visit had taught
us so much but had also taken so long that the final visit to the Torres
vineyard had to be cancelled.
It was a very successful trip, if a little
disappointing as our team leader was unable to join us as he missed his
flight.
Wine Serving
Tips
In what sort of glass should I be serving wine?
Tulip-shaped or inward-curving glasses allow you to swirl, tilt and get
at the bouquet effectively, improving your ability to appreciate the
wine. In order to do this, fill your glass to no more than one-third
full. The extent to which a wine releases its aromas depends on the
shape of the glass. Thinner glass also allows more oxygen to enter the
mouth opening up the wines flavour.
What serving temperature should I serve wine?
Serving wine at the right temperature makes all the difference. It does
depend on personal preference but, as a general rule, always serve wines
on the cool side as they will warm up in your hands, whatever the
weather.
Serving White
Wines: Chilled wines are refreshing. Chilling does mask flavour, so the
finer the wine, the less it will need chilling. Remember, ice with water
in an ice bucket chills more efficiently than just ice alone.
|
|
Refrigeration |
Serving
Temperature oC |
|
Champagne & Sparkling Wines |
4 hours |
5-10 |
|
Light
Sweet Whites |
4 hours |
5-10 |
|
Dry
Light Aromatic Whites |
2 hours |
10-12 |
|
|
|
|
|
Medium-bodied Dry Whites |
1.5
hours |
10-12 |
|
Full-bodied Sweet Whites |
1.5
hours |
10-12 |
|
Full-bodied Dry Whites |
1 hours |
12-16 |
Serving Red
Wines.
The tannin
level in a wine dictates the temperature at which it should be served.
The greater the tannic in a wine, the warmer you it should be
drunk. Red wines that are low in tannin may be chilled like a
full-bodied white wine. If a red wine is served too warm, it will become
soupy and all you will be able to taste and smell will be the alcohol.
As with all wine, serve cooler rather than warmer.
|
|
Refrigeration |
Serving
Temperature oC |
|
Light
Reds |
1 hour |
12-16 |
|
Medium-bodied Reds |
- |
14-17 |
|
Full-bodied Reds |
- |
15-18 |
The expression room
temperature came from the days
before the introduction of
central heating when
dining rooms were usually 5 to 6 degrees cooler than they are today
always err towards coolness.
In what order should I serve wines?
Dry before sweet, white before red, light before heavy, lesser before
finer, young before old. This gives your taste buds a chance to get used
to the increasing strength or complexity.
When should I decant a wine?
Decanting is usually used as a means of removing sediment from a mature
wine. It can also be very effective in softening a firm, young red wine.
The younger and tougher the wine, the earlier you should decant. It is
the pouring action, bringing the wine into contact with the air, that
softens the wines. For mature wines, decant later rather than sooner.
Exposure to air accelerates the wine's development. You can always swirl
it around in your glass to bring it out.
Should I leave the wine to breathe?
Simply drawing the cork and leaving the bottle to stand for an hour or
two before drinking it 'does virtually nothing towards aerating
the wine. Wine once poured in the glass will start to aerate. A good tip
is to decant young and rustic wines into a plain jug.
How long can you keep a wine once it is opened?
Wine evolves once the bottle is opened and has a finite lifespan. It is
the gradual exposure to oxygen that ages a wine. Once you open the wine,
you are accelerating this procedure. The higher the alcohol, the more
robust the wine. Most half-full bottles of wines and champagnes will
oxidise overnight. Use a vacuvin to remove the air from the bottle.
Fortified wines have been stabilised with the addition of spirit, so
there is room for a little more leeway.
|
Vintage
Port |
as this
is still maturing in the bottle, it will keep for 5 to 7 days; |
|
Tawny Port/Madeira |
As this
has finished its maturation in the barrel, keeps for up to 1
month. |
|
Fino/Manzanilla Sherry |
These
fine, delicate sherries should only be kept for 5-7 days. |
|
Amontillado Sherry |
Can be
kept for not more than a week. |
|
Cream Sherry |
Can be
kept for up to 1 month. |
