There is also a bit of a panic when a new wine is needed that night, and it has to be good. But panic not, rather than look for a good wine online and hope some local shop has it, or look at the shop blindly and hope the workers know wine; try using the internet to its fullest to make for a more hassle free wine shopping experience. Many large stores will have a website nowadays with the current wines on selection available to peruse or even reserve. Any wine of interest can be than be researched, see what other people thought of it. Write down the exact name of the wine, maybe a backup option just in case, and those wine carriers to take care of one thing that could easily be just a small part of a very hectic afternoon spent in preparation.

                While not a fool proof way to get the best wine every time, it is the most trustworthy way to get a good bottle of wine or two the day they are needed. Perfect for impromptu visits from family or friends or when nothing in house suits the meal for that night.

The Right Wine In A Hurry is a post from: Rhino Wino

Having guests and entertaining are broad terms; they really do not say to be able to give to advice on. A more specific definition, especially of the guests needs to be given for any advice, because it is really the guests that dictate the wine selection and etiquette of the evening. Hosting a dinner party for parents or in-laws for example is almost bound to be a little more formal than a simple cheese and wine thing with some friends. The difference between these two events is like night and day when the wine selection is concerned. 

                A simple gathering of friends can involve an adventurous new wine; a risk may not be as good of an idea with guests to impress.  This is not to say that a conservative, tried and true wine is the only way to serve parents, but maybe have one on hand just in case.  Friends on the other hand are likely to enjoy anything from the two bottle wine bags because they are having a good time. But of course it is a matter of knowing the guests and some idea of what they would want in either a fun evening or a formal dinner.

Entertaining Differances is a post from: Rhino Wino

Normally there is only two options when picking a wine, white or red. But an ancient technique used to make a white wine for the red wine lover’s palate is making a comeback. While technically a white, orange wine is becoming more and more popular as the common person’s taste for wine becomes more developed.

                Finding orange wine can be a real challenge though, if found it is a good idea to fill those six bottle wine carriers.  Orange wine is a great choice for parties or those that like both white and red wine because of having tannin structure similar to a red but with flavors more like a white. This bridging of the two typical wine varieties is achieved by leaving in the skins of the grapes just a little longer than typical and by oxidizing the wine a little for good measure.  Normally oxidizing wine is thought of as a bad thing, but when done in a controlled environment it can make a white wine with a tannic character and beautiful coppery color. Don’t expect to find a bottle of orange wine for cheap, but also expect the wine to live up to its price as making orange wine is a very painstaking process that is not undertaken by winemakers lightly.

Orange Wine is a post from: Rhino Wino

Frozen wine may seem like a tragedy but it is really a fast and easy way to keep wine fresh in a pinch. A partial bottle of wine can simply be stopped or recorked and put in the freezer and saved for another time.  Interestingly enough freezing wine does not damage its delicate tastes or smell. Time would harm a wine more than freezing.  The only possible chance of damaging a wine in the freezer comes from long term freezing or the bottle getting popped open or cracking from the expanding water. Even wine that may have been altered by long term freezing can still be cooked with, if drinking it doesn’t seem appealing anymore.

                Fill three bottle wine totes with care still though. Freezing cannot replace a good wine cellar for aging wine. In fact open bottles are the only ones that can be frozen. Due to water expanding as it freezes an unopened bottle could easily crack or shatter in the freezer.  Of course it is still a great way to save a partial bottle. For best results, let the wine thaw slowly over a day or so, otherwise some dissipation may occur.

On Freezing Wine is a post from: Rhino Wino

Sometimes the spices of a dish are the real stars, and pairing the wine with the spice in that case would be a tragedy to the enjoyment of the wine and the dish. Paprika for example can be a dominating flavor in a dish like chickpea stew or a traditional Hungarian fish and paprika soup that is red with the spice. 

                Paprika is a common Hungarian spice and a great addition to any dish that needs warm pepper smokiness without too much spice.  Dishes where paprika is the dominant flavor, pairing it with chardonnay is a simple and great choice. An oaked chardonnay compliments the smoky perfection of good paprika.

                Trying to fill six bottle wine carriers based on favorite spices can be done. A spice can determine the whole tone of a meal, just as easily as meat can.  Think about the tone of the spice and wither it would be best for a wine to compliment or contrast the spice. The snappy, green woodiness of thyme would be a good note to have complimented in a wine, whereas the kick of chilies may want to be mellowed by a more refreshing wine. Use pairing with herbs and spices as an easy way to find the right wine when more common ways don’t quite hit the mark.

Paprika in Pairing is a post from: Rhino Wino

While normally called Sangria, a wine punch is more than just the Spanish classic drink of fruit and red wine. Breaking this thought can create some tantalizing wine punches that are suitable for occasions all year round. Instead of sticking to the traditional ingredients, add things based more on whim and season to create succulent wine punch that goes with anything. Wines punch really only needs to contain wine, added flavors from fruit and fruit juice, and hard liquor. That leaves the specifics up to personal preference.

                Good wine punch has a more complex flavor than the wine originally used in it, and while good wine is essential to a good punch, and using an extraordinary wine is not a guarantee for success.  Instead go for seasonal flavors, like in fall use apple and darker fruits like cherry to make a distinction from the summer favorite. Versions of wine punch can even be made with two bottle wine carriers full of white wine; it doesn’t have to be a red wine and fruit concoction. Experimenting with different flavors like cranberry or raspberry juice and fruits like apricot or pineapple  that are usually not included in sangria could make for a wine punch more suited to the season of occasion.  

Wine Punch, Not Just Sangria is a post from: Rhino Wino

                Mulling is the method of adding spices to a drink by heating it slightly and infusing it with other flavors. While cider, mead and many other beverages than wine can be mulled, they all bring to mind warmth and comfort. Mulled wine is very popular in colder climates because of this warming characteristic. But mulled wine isn’t just one drink; there are as many varieties of mulled wine as there are varieties of wine. 

                In fact picking the right spices to go into mulled wine takes some thought. Different wines will make distinctive mulled wines if made with spices that suit the wine.  For example a strong red benefits from the perk of citrus, in particular orange. But each wine will have unique tastes that could benefit from the addition of unconventional spices like rosemary or anise or even sugar. Two bottle wine totes seem to be more filled with more warmth already than the refreshing roses of the summer. But even more warmth and holiday feeling can be found in a good mulled wine. But always remember that it is better to steep the spices in the wine for a long time than heat the wine too much.

The Pleasure Of Homemade Mulled Wine is a post from: Rhino Wino

A lot of children are resistant to trying new foods, they seem to know for a fact that just the look or smell of the food means it is going to taste bad. On a lesser scale even an adult can pull this mental trick on themselves, even when they don’t try to, because the mood one is in can affect the way they perceive tastes. While no one, hopefully, goes into a wine tasting or sits down with a glass planning for it to taste bad; but a foul mood can make even a beautiful wine taste unbalanced.

                To avoid this mental trick take a few minutes to de-stress before taking out the wine accessories, maybe even consciously try to be put in a more positive mindset. This will make for a more enjoyable wine tasting experience or a more delightful glass of an old favorite. Even a short cool down time at a wine tasting before any wine gets taken out, may improve perceptions overall. As an added benefit, happier guests at a tasting or party will talk more and make for a generally more jovial time.

Wine and Mood Relationship is a post from: Rhino Wino

While it may not seem like a big deal to the average person with only a half class of one bottle left and a want for a glass of wine. Pouring the remainder of that bottle in with a little of the new bottle though can actually be seen as an insult to winemakers and even devout wine drinkers. This is not to say that it is a bad habit, just be aware that not everyone will want to drink mixed wine and that the mixing may not always turn out good. 

                A wine is already a delicate balance of so many compounds that mixing it with another wine is really a roll of the dice.  If two flavors or compounds clash with each other or if the two wines have high levels of one flavor, the result will take on a very unpleasant unbalance.  There is a place for wine cocktails, a good mix can be perfect for parties, but make sure to let guests know that it is not all of the same wine. It would be a disappointment to a guest to ask what the wine was and have to look through three bottle wine carriers. 

To Mix or Not, On Combining Wines is a post from: Rhino Wino

When knowledgeable wine drinkers talk about “a good year” they may still be talking about this year despite California’s meager grape harvest.  This is because even though yields are at the lowest in years, the weather has been delightfully mild. While a gauntlet of bad luck gave the grapes a hard start, what did survive got a mild growing season that promises low, stable sugar levels. Heat and cold spikes make the plants push sugar into their fruit, a lack of excessive sugars gives winemakers the green light to let the flavors develop.

                This season’s wine is going to be a considered a really sought after. Years like this may make it hard to find wine made from thin skinned grapes like Viognier may be in short supply but the wine that is for sale is expected to be quickly taken home in six bottle wine bags.  This may be a good year to invest in a bottle to age for a few years. The anticipated quality of this year’s wine will mean a slightly higher price on everything, but a chance too for some extraordinarily deep and developed flavors in the wine.  

Small Harvest for California This Year is a post from: Rhino Wino