WINE BOTTLE SIZES

Most wine will come in a standard 750 ml. bottle and in fact this size bottle is the basis for naming many of the other bottle sizes.  Wine cooler and chillers are typically sized to handle the standard 750 ml. bottle.  Some of the standard sized wine bottles that you are most likely to come across are: Split (1/4 bottle, 0.1875 liters ), Half (1/2 bottle, 0.375 liters), Bottle (full bottle; 0.750 liters), Magnum (2 bottles, 1.5  liters), Double Magnum (4 bottles; 3.0  liters), Jeroboam  ( 6 bottles, 4 ½ liters), Methuselah (8 bottles, 6.0 liters), Salmanazar (12 bottles; 12.0 liters), Balthazar (16 bottles; 12.0 liter), and Nebuchadnezzar (20 bottles; 15.0 l.).  It is interesting to note that many of the larger sized wine bottles were named after Biblical Kings and other figures.  The United States waited until 1979 to adopt the metric measurements for bottles of wine and use the 750 ml. standard bottle.

The Split size bottle stands about 7 ½ inches tall with a bottom diameter of about 2 ½ inches.  These wine bottles are often used for desert and sparkling wines and are small enough to drink in one serving as they lose their fizz rapidly after opening.   The most widely sold standard 750 ml. bottle stands about 11 ½ to 12 inches high and is typically 3 ½ inches in diameter at the base.  Magnum bottles stand about 14 inches tall and are around 4 inches in diameter.  Jeroboam bottles stand 19 ½ inches tall with a base diameter of about 5 inches.  The higher capacity bottles such as the Methuselah (22 inches tall) range upward in size to the Nebuchadnezzar that is 31 inches tall.  Imagine picking up a bottle that is over 31 inches tall and pouring its wine into your delicate glass stemware.

WINE BOTTLE SHAPES

Wine bottle shapes are as varied as their sizes.  Most wine producers opt for bottle shapes that are most appropriate for their wine.  For example, Chianti and some other Italian wines come in a round-bottomed bottle encased in a straw basket.  Champagne and other sparkling wines come in bottles that are thicker walled because of the excess internal pressures.  Wine producers often choose a wine bottle shape strictly for marketing purposes.  For that reason, a German Company uses a bottle shaped as a “house cat’” for a Riesling wine it produces.

WINE BOTTLE COLORS

There are several traditional colors that you will find being used in wine bottles.  Dark green bottles are typically used for red wines (Bordeaux, Burgundy and Rhone).  Mosel, Rhine and Alsace wines often use a lighter green or amber colored bottle.  Clear bottles seem to be the most popular for white wines in many countries.  Champagne is typically bottled in a dark to medium green color.  Some wine producers also use colors relating to their individual marketing strategies.

FUTURE WINE PACKAGING

The future of wine packaging is wide open.  Many producers are opting for cost reducing screw type caps instead of corks.  Because the weight of the bottle approximates about 40 percent of the total bottled wine weight, plastic bottles and tetra packs are being explored as a lighter alternative that is cheaper to handle and ship.  Packaging wine in lighter containers and exporting wine in bulk quantities then bottling it in smaller bottles closer to the point of consumption are all strategies being explored to improve wine sales and reduce shipping costs.  Perhaps, the cost of a good imported French wine will become more affordable in the future.

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice President, Ideal Wine Coolers

The Avanti wine bottle coolers can be used in counter top, free standing and under counter applications.  Wine bottle capacity ranges from 8 to 166 wine bottles.  Features that are available include French door designs, table top to pantry size classes, dual zone wine compartments, clear and mirrored glass doors, slide out shelves, interior lighting, auto defrost and more.

The Avanti compact refrigerators are perfect when space is an issue as in a apartment, condo or dormitory room.  Avanti mini refrigerators range in capacity from 1.7 to 3.1 cubic foot capacity.  Several models also incorporate a small freezer section that will aid in keeping your food properly preserved.  Another Avanti appliance we carry is a unique ice maker water dispenser that will fit your kitchen counter top and make up to 30 pounds of ice per day.

We also carry two different Avanti Beverage Coolers.  Our Avanti Side-by-Side beverage center model has dual zone storage for both beverage cans and wine bottles and is made for either free standing or under counter applications.  The smaller Avanti beverage can cooler has a storage capacity of 3.1 cubic feet with a reversible door, adjustable shelves, auto defrost, stainless steel door trim and full range temperture control.

Ideal Wine Cooler’s original Mission Statement stated that we would continue to find more quality products to maximize the choices our customer has.  We believe the Avanti products that we have added will provide our customers with the best possible range of choice.

ALSO CHECK OUT OUR HALLOWEEN SALE THAT IS ACTIVE UNTIL THE END OF OCTOBER.  We have reduced pricing on our entire product line at our web store.  Additionally, you can get additional bonus saving of $10 to $30 dollars off the reduced pricing.  Any one purchasing more than a $750 cooler will also receive a FREE 1 year extended in home warranty that will add to the standard factory warranty.  For details CLICK here.

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers

In 1999, the state had a grand total of 2 licensed wineries, but now can boast that there are more than 85.  In the twelve years since 1999, Iowa can boast about what many call an “explosive expansion” in wine related industries.  The first commercial vineyard planted in the state was in 1857.  When Prohibition became a reality in the United States and following many unplanned events in the late 1800s, the Iowa grape growing industry pretty much disappeared until its recent growth spurt. Iowa was recently ranked 14^th nationally in the number of wineries and 22^nd in production.

Iowa wineries are in what I would call a time of trial and error when it comes to grape growing.  Many times new vineyards are initially planted with several grape varieties just to see which ones will grow and which will not.  Some of the grape types currently cultivated are: Bluebell, Catawba, Chardonel, Concord, La Crosse, Niagara, Steuben and Vidal Blanc.  Several other varieties are also grown, but most commercial wine growing focuses on French hybrids and grapes native to America.  Agricultural Extension Services at Iowa and Minnesota Colleges continue to provide expert advice to current and potential grape growers to improve the odds of success.

There are no recognized official wine growing regions in Iowa.  The three primary grape growing areas that I recognize are located near the cities of Dubuque (Dubuque and Jackson Counties), Des Moines-Ames (Story, Polk, Dallas, Madison, Warren, Boone, Jasper and Marion Counties) and Council Bluffs (Fremont, Mills and Pottawattamie Counties).  Other counties that have notable grape growing operations are Carroll, Jefferson and Van Buren Counties.  Many of these operations are small family run collaborations where grapes are often harvested by hand.  Total Iowan area in grape production is about 1200 acres spread out on over 400 vineyards.

While the Iowa grape industry is considered in its infancy, a 2007 economic study showed it did account for an economic impact to the state of $235 million dollars with over 10 percent of that total attributed to tourism.  Wine touring trails are starting to develop that will further enhance the tourism aspect of this industry.  Many wineries make addition income by renting their tasting rooms for use in parties or wedding receptions.

If you are ever in Iowa, take the time to visit some of these family wineries and vineyards.  You may be surprised to find a wine you will really like, but I do know you will meet some wonderful, hardworking people in the process.  Remember, buy the wine you like, store and serve it at its optimal temperature and enjoy it completely.

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Idealwinecoolers.com

French Wine Producing Regions

Three of the best known wine growing regions in France include Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Champagne.  The Burgundy area produces various wines from the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varieties.  The Bordeaux area features the “noble” vine, the Cabernet Sauvignon.  The best sparkling wines in the world are produced in the Champagne region.  Other wine growing regions in France include Loire Valley, Savole, Rhone Valley, Alsace and the Midi and Provence Regions near Montpellier, France.  These other regions produce a wide variety of different full-bodied reds, whites, aperitif and dessert wines and popular roses.

Les Coteaux De St Christol Winery

As we drove into the entrance to Les Coteaux, it was obvious that most of the acreage of the farm was cultivated in grapes.  Most of the vines we saw were mature and laden with grapes moving towards harvest.  Harvest of these grapes would not occur until late August or early September.  Most of the vineyards in the same area also had acres and acres of grape vines stretching as far as the eye could see.  One farm had started some new vines that had been lost in a wild fire in 2010.  It was clear from looking at the landscape why France is the leading wine producer in the world.  I was surprise to find out that Luxembourg actually drinks more wine per-capita than France.

As we approached the winery, warehouse and retail shops, I was impressed with the simplicity and neatness of the lay out.  Grapes were harvested here, processed into various types of wines, boxed wine was warehoused and shipped from here and retail sales were also conducted.  The store had a neat but comprehensive display of all the wines that Les Coteaux De St Christol Winery offered.

We shopped and selected some of the ones we wanted to taste before buying.  A cheerful young lady assisted us by carefully pouring into fresh glasses the portion of wine needed to make a decision about its taste.  A black vat was located nearby for us to pour off the unwanted taste tests.  Of course, when we found one we liked, we drank the whole sample.  The best part of visiting a winery like this for me was the rural French hospitality that was coupled with a simple wine tasting experience that I soon won’t forget.  We ended up buying several bottles and I am happy to say they made it back to the States without breaking.

Wine Touring

Touring the wine regions in France provided me many fond memories.  The vineyards we visited were beautiful to behold and included a back drop of historical structures that date back hundreds and hundreds of years.  If you get a chance to tour a French vineyard, you will enjoy the wine tasting, the country style hospitality and at the same time soak up the historical significance of this area of Europe.  For example, several vineyards in the area where we were staying were bisected by an old Roman aqueduct built around 92 A.D.

I failed to mention that the winery we visited had recently won an award for some of its offerings.  I intend to follow up with more details on our trip to France.  In the meantime, buy the wine you like best, store and serve it at its optimum temperature and enjoy immensely.

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers

FRENCH WINE GROWING HISTORY

Cultivation of wine in France has been an enduring enterprise since thousands of years before Christ.  Romans occupying the area around 90 AD produced a surplus of wine that forced Emperor Domitian to order half of the vineyards uprooted.  Viticulture in France during the Middle Ages (400 to 1200 AD) was primarily kept alive by various monasteries located in the country.  During the period of English rule (middle 1100 to middle 1400 AD) of the Bordeaux region of France, much of the wine produced there was shipped to England.  Wine growing in Europe and France was set back in the mid to late 1800s because of disease and insect problems.  In the 1930s, France led a movement to ensure the authenticity of wine related to where it was produced.  Today, France is still producing some of the best wines in the world.

FRENCH WINE PRODUCTION

France is the leading wine producer in the world.  Rankings based on 2002 wine production totals, put France number one followed by Italy, Spain, United States and Australia, respectively.  In 2002, France produced 5,199,930 metric tons, which was nearly 17 percent more than Italy.  Other countries that are top ten producers of wine in ranking order are Argentina, China, Germany, South Africa and Portugal.  However, France is not the per-capita wine consumption leader, but is second to Luxembourg.  The other top three consumers of wine are Italy, Portugal and Croatia.  The United States doesn’t even make the top thirty per-capita consumers.

FRENCH WINE GROWING REGIONS

RED WINE TYPES

Some of the most popular red wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.  Grenache grapes are often used as a blending additive when wine making from other grapes and are one of the most planted red wines in the world, especially in Spain and France. Other red wines that are not as well-known but deserve mention are Barbera, Malbec, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Nebbiolo and Gamay. Syrah and Shiraz wines are made from the same grape, but are developed using uniquely different grape processing techniques. The modern era has brought an increasing popularity for red organic wine, produced with no fertilizers or chemicals.

RED WINE STORAGE REQUIREMENTS

The best rule of thumb for red wine storage is to store them at a temperature between 50 and 60 degrees F.  When temperatures approach 90 degrees F., red wine can easily be damaged.  Imagine it is August in the Arizona Desert; you stop to buy your red wine for dinner and leave it in the trunk of your car while you  continue to shop for several hours. Your red wine will be damaged. You will not be able to undo the damage if you rush home and stick the red wine bottle in the freezer. That action of moving your wine from one temperature extreme to another will also cause damage to it.  Alexander J. Pandell has written an excellent article on How Temperature Affects the Aging of Wine that is worth reading.

Red wines are best stored in a wine fridge, bottles properly racked in a horizontal position and with the temperature precisely regulated. The horizontal position will insure that the cork won’t crack or leak from drying out. Relative humidity should be around 70 percent. Leaking corks can cause premature oxidation of the wine.  Disturbance of the bottles should be minimized to the best of your ability, particularly if you intend to age them awhile.  Look for slide out shelving in your wine cooler appliance to make access to your bottles easier and to minimize movement of the other stored bottles.  Your storage appliance should be placed out of direct sunlight to maximize your wine cooler’s ability to hold a constant temperature.

RED WINE SERVING TEMPERATURES

Most red wines should be served at room temperature, which means an average of 60 to 65 degrees F.  If the red wine is served too warm, the taste will be dominated by the alcohol and if it is served to cold, it will definitely be less flavorful.  Red sweet and sparkling wines should be served much colder than room temperature, about 45 degrees F. Lighter reds like Pinot Noir and Zinfandel should be served around 60 degrees F. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, full bodied red wines, are best when served at 65 degrees F. Use the serving guidelines, but good wine tasting often comes down to personal preference in balancing flavor and alcohol taste. It is best to experiment on your own when serving your favorite red to find your personal temperature niche.

The more you refine your red wine storage and serving parameters, the more you will appreciate the quality of your taste experience.  As popular as wine is becoming as an addition to our lives, I still recommend to everyone to buy the wine you like best, store and serve it the proper temperatures and enjoy it any time you want to.  Wine refrigerators are designed today to address all the critical conditions needed to keep make your red wine storage easy and keep your bottles ready to enjoy.

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers, May 2011

FEATURES:
* Use in Free-standing or Built-in Applications
* Black Cabinet with Stainless Steel Trimmed Door
* Digital Temperature Controls
* Stainless Steed Trimmed Wood Shelves
* Stainless Towel Bar Style Door Handle
* Powerful Compressor Based Cooling
* Auto Defrost
* Dual Temperature Zones
* Blue LED Interior Lighting
* Reversible Door Hinges
* Security Lock
* Upper Zone Temperature Range is 54 to 65 Degrees F.
* Lower Zone Temperature Range is 50 to 54 Degrees F.

CAPACITY:
* 26 Wine Bottles

DIMENSIONS:
* Width 15.0 Inches x Depth 23.5 Inches x Height 32.0 Inches
* Depth With Door Handle 24.5 Inches

SHIPPING:
* FREE

MANUFACTURER’S WARRANTY:
* 90 Days Labor/1 Year Parts

If you ever had thoughts about having a wine cooler to store and age your favorite vintages, now is the time to take a hard look at this EdgeStar Wine Refrigerator.

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers

History of Virginia Wine Growing

Although grape growing first started in the infamous area of Jamestown in the 1600’s, the wine industry was pretty much a failure to begin with.  Success finally started to become a reality in the early 1800’s.  Notoriety for Virginia wines really came to light at the Vienna’s World Fair in 1873 when a Virginia Norton wine was named “Best Red Wine of All Nations”.  The wine industry in the entire United States was drastically set back by Prohibition (1920-1933) and Virginia was no exception.  Virginia commercial grape growing totaled only 15 acres in the early 1950’s.  Since then Virginia’s wine industry has experienced wide spread growth and now can claim over 190 different wineries in the state.  Virginia is currently ranked 5^th amongst U.S. states for wine production.

Wine Growing Regions

Virginia is divided into nine recognized wine growing regions.  The Northern Virginia, Shenandoah and Central Virginia Regions have approximately 78 percent of all the wineries in the state.  The Blue Ridge Highlands, Southern Virginia and Chesapeake Bay Regions account for another 17 percent of the wineries.  The remaining regions, Heart of Appalachia, Hampton Roads and Eastern Virginia account for the remaining 5 percent of the state’s wineries.  Annette Boyd is the Director of the Virginia Wine Board Marketing Office.  In her presentation to the Virginia Vineyards Association in 2009, Annette stated that “Total grape production was up 25% in 2008 from the previous year” and “Total grape production was up 22.8% in 2009” from 2008.  The wine industry in Virginia is definitely quickly on the rise.

Wine Types Grown

Virginia’s climate, topography and soils allow growers to cultivate a broad range of great grapes.  The combination of these special characteristics that affect wine helps vintners create wines that are especially tasteful with food.  Standard wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet France, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Merlot, Virginia Norton, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier.  Virginia Viognier is now recognized as an acceptable term among wine fanciers.  Virginia Viognier wine, along with Virginia Cabernet Franc and native Norton, are fast becoming the state’s most notable wines.  You will most probably find a Virginia Wine available to enjoy in many upscale restaurants.

Touring Virginia Wine Country

If you like to tour various areas that produce wine, Virginia offers an extensive choice of “wine trails” to explore.  Bedford County, Blue Ridge, Chesapeake Bay, Loudoun, Monticello, Mountain Road, Shenandoah Valley and Tuskie are just a few of the wine trail names.  The character of Virginia abounds with American history and small scattered communities across the state that will make any wine tour you decide to try a truly enlightened experience.

I intend to try some Virginia wines when I visit my son on our next trip.  I am sure that I will find one or more to my liking.  I am betting, given the broad range of grape varieties found in Virginia, that you also will find one to your liking.  As I always say, buy the wine that you like, store it properly in a wine refrigerator and then serve it at the perfect temperature.  Your enjoyment of that favorite vintage will be enhanced.

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers

Preparation Work Detail

When December rolled around, my wife started preparations immediately.  First, we had to do spring cleaning in December, which included walls, furnace registers, base boards, floors, etc.  The next step was the obligatory decorations that needed to be scattered around the house, including an ornate light display for the outside that had me untangling and hanging lights for days.  I was sent to the Party Store to rent tables, chairs and huge serving platters for the food.  My final assignment was to get “The Birds” and the wine to go with it.  I was beginning to wish we had entertained at Thanksgiving.

Ask The Right Questions

Before I left to do the shopping, my wife told me, “Make sure you talk to someone at the wine store so you get the right wine to compliment the turkey”.  I said, “Why didn’t you ask everyone to bring their own wine, instead of us risking that we wouldn’t buy their favorite?”  My wife raised her voice at least one octave and replied, “We are doing the entertainment so it is our responsibility not theirs and besides I want everything to be just perfect”.  I love my wife dearly and I have learned when it is best to just say, “Yes Dear”.  Before I left, I hopped on the computer and did my research so I could portray to the wine store clerk how knowledgeable I was about pairing turkey with wine.  I didn’t want to embarrass myself at the wine store.  Some sites that I found interesting are Chiff.com, Thatsthespirit.com and an article by Collen Graham found at: http://cocktails.about.com/od/foodbeveragepairing/f/turkey_pairing.htm.

Red Wine or White?

The general consensus from the web research was for a lighter red (not over burdened with tannins) or several white wines that tended to be fruity and slightly sweeter.  Another caution, that seems well advised, is during dinner stick with wines lower in alcohol content.  Northhamptonwines.com stated, “Save the 15 percent alcohol ‘in your face Zins’ for after dinner when it is OK for folks to go to sleep.” 

The top choices I found for red wine lovers were Pinot Noir, Merlot, Shiraz and Red Zinfandel.   White wine enthusiasts might enjoy a Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Beaujolais Nouveau or White Burgundy.  If some of your guests have a sweet-tooth, then try White Zinfandel or Cranberry Wine.  Save the desert wines for after the main meal when it is time to devour the pumpkin and pecan pie.

Not A Wine Drinker, Try This.

Not everyone is a wine drinker.  I also ran across some advice for people for pairing turkey with beer and cocktails.  The consensus was that a beer should be complex but not over bearing.  A good choice might be pale ale from one of the smaller breweries.  Another website suggested that for the cocktail drinkers, gin cocktails like an English Rose, Park Avenue or Verbena Martini would work.

I went to the wine store and made my selections with an air of “I know what I am doing”.  When I arrived home my wife said, “What wine did you decide on?”   I smiled and told her, “One of each, a total of 12 bottles”.   She exclaimed, “We won’t be able to serve all that wine at dinner!”  I responded, “I wouldn’t think of doing that.  I am going to raffle off any that we don’t serve.”  My wife grabbed her forehead and walked away stating, “What I am I going to do with you.”  I let her have the final word and started preparing the raffle tickets.

I always maintain that there are a lot of people that will tell you what wine to pair with what food.  In the end, as I always say, buy the wine you like, store wine properly in a wine refrigerator, serve it at the proper temperature and enjoy it immensely.

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers