葡萄酒變身雞尾酒 享經典與創意於一杯
我在活動中和媒體上常喜歡提到，許多葡萄酒專業人士把他們自己和葡萄酒這個主題往往看得太嚴肅了。他們非但沒有讓品味葡萄酒成為一件輕鬆有趣的事，反而還建立起一套勢利排他的文化。這可真是個扼殺消費者的舉動，尤其是對於臺灣這種新興市場。就像多數葡萄酒愛好者一樣，當我品嚐到十足的好東西時，我絕不讓多餘的事物去破壞它純粹的美好，並且以正確的侍酒溫度和適當的水晶酒杯盛裝，來表現我對於這杯葡萄酒的尊重。換句話說，有幾次我也是挺嚴肅的。不過每次我們都非得這麼嚴肅嗎？並不盡然。有時候放輕鬆盡興喝葡萄酒也是一種樂趣。而盡興的方法之一就是來杯葡萄酒雞尾酒。這裡提供三種作法簡單、口感討喜的葡萄酒雞尾酒，以及它們有趣的故事。
Reliable red wine quality and value from Spain
For high quality red wines at a reasonable price there are two words you should never forget, Rioja and Crianza. Rioja is Spain’s most famous wine region located in the hilly north of the country. Winemaking in this region dates back thousands of years to the Phoenicians and Celtiberians, but it wasn’t until the mid to late 19th century that the region gained global recognition for making great wines. At this point of history, winemakers in Bordeaux were devastated by the phylloxera vine disease and many settled in Rioja bringing their considerable wine-making skills. In 1991, Rioja became the first region in Spain to receive the Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa), the nation’s highest designation of quality for wines. Read more
Delightful crisp and fresh whites from Adelaide Hills
The world’s best dry white wines all have something in common, namely cool evening temperatures during the growing season. Of course, there are many other factors that are important in making superior white wines, but the difference in temperature between sunny days and cool evening is critical. Adelaide Hills in Southern Australia has the perfect climate to make fresh white wines with good acidity. The high elevation of the vineyards results in cool evening temperatures, while the sloping vineyards provide ideal exposure to the sun. The result is complex white wines with abundant fruit but also a high degree of acidity. The excellent balance between the fruit and acidity is what make the white wines of this region so impressive. Read more
The art of Thai chilies and wines
Chilies were introduced to Thai cooking during the late 1600s by Portuguese missionaries who developed a taste for them while serving in South America. Since then, chili peppers have become an essential ingredient in Thai cooking. But what about dishes with chilies enjoyed with wine? Some gourmets may claim that spicy Thai dishes only go with beer. This is erroneous. While beer is a neutral partner when paired with Thai dishes containing chili peppers, the proper wine becomes an embellisher of the flavors and textures in the dishes. Read more
Try the new age bubblies
While I make no bones about my preference for old world sparklers, I must admit that there are some very desirable new world sparkling wines that offer plenty of delicious bubbles for the money. While old world sparkling wines tend to have defined regions and known brands like Champagne, Cava and Prosecco, new world sparkling wines can come from almost any region and lack the defined style and regulated production of their old world counterparts. Purchasing new world sparkling wines is risky as you never really know what you are getting unless you’ve already tasted the wine. The most reliable way to pick a good new world sparkler is to know the producer. The label also usually indicates how dry or sweet the wine is (for instance brut for dry, extra brut for very dry and demi sec for sweet) and the grape or blend of grapes. Let’s take a look at some of the new world’s best sparklers that are readily available in Shanghai. Read more