WINE

Wine
Ages under 19 are prohibited to drink wine

History:

Italy's modern prodigiousness with wine scarcely begins to tell the story of its people's perennial links to the vine. The nature of the place - the influence of Mediterranean sunshine and mountain air currents on the hillsides of the elongated peninsula and islands - favors what seems to be an almost spontaneous culture of wine. Italy's wine heritage dates back some 4,000 years to when prehistoric peoples pressed wild grapes into juice, which, as if by magic, fermented into wine. The ancient Greeks, expanding into Italy's southern reaches dubbed the colonies Oenotria, the land of wine. Etruscans were subtle and serene practitioners of the art of winemaking in the hills of central Italy, as attested by the art and artifacts left in their spacious tombs. The Romans propagated the cult of Bacchus to all corners of the empire, developing a flourishing trade in wine throughout the Mediterranean lands and beyond. So sophisticated was their knowledge of viticulture and enology that their techniques were not equaled again until the 17th or 18th centuries, when Italians and other Europeans began to regard the making of wine as science rather than mystique. Winemaking in Italy advanced rapidly through the 19th century, as methods of vilification and aging were improved and the use of corks to seal reinforced bottles and flasks permitted orderly shipping of wine worldwide. Such names as Chianti, Barolo and Marsala became known in Europe and beyond. A century ago several Italian wines were already recognized as among the finest of their type: mainly Piedmontese and Tuscan reds from the Nebbiolo and Sangiovese vine varieties, but also white wines, still and sparkling, dry or sweet, merited international respect.

The four major wines produced in Italy:

·      Barbera: Mish-Mash Flavor Somehow Barbera wine tastes both rich and light-bodied. Why is that? Well, one reason is that it has dark staining pigments that dye the wine to near black. However, the taste of Barbera has notes of strawberry and sour cherry: flavors synonymous with light-bodied wines. Light tannin and high acidity make it taste ‘Juicy’. Most of the Barbera you’ll find is from Italy, which leans towards more herbaceous flavors, you can see the differences below.

·      Cabernet Sauvignon: Since Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in a wide range of climates and regions throughout the world it has varied flavors. Fundamentally speaking, Cab is a full-bodied red wine with dark fruit flavors and savory tastes from black pepper to bell pepper. Let’s take a look at two regions that make two very different styles of Cabernet Sauvignon to understand how the flavors differ.

·      Merlot: Red fruits, easy tannins and a soft finish are the characteristics of Merlot wine. But there’s more to Merlot than being smooth. It’s actually a bit of a chameleon, partly because of how Merlot is vivified and mostly because of where it’s grown. Take a look at the range of Merlot wine taste based on region (cool climate vs. warm climate).

·      Syrah: Syrah is responsible for some of the darkest full-bodied red wines in the world. It has dark fruit flavors from sweet blueberry to savory black olive. When you taste Syrah you’ll be greeted with a punch of flavor that tapers off and then has a spicy peppery note in the aftertaste. Because of its front-loaded style, Syrah is often blended with grapes that add more mid-palate, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, to help make the wine taste more complete. Traditionally in France, Syrah is blended with light-bodied Grenache and even richer Mourvedre to create the classic Côtes du Rhône blend.