Thinking about all of the holiday gifts that are needed to get can really make even just over a month seem like too short a time to get everything bought and wrapped. It is easy to check any wine lover off the gift list without ever needing to know their wine preferences though. A wine aerator or nice wine bags are good options. These are good gifts because they are not dependent on what type of wine they like but instead are focused on wine enjoyment in general.

                Wine gifts cover a large spectrum of possible gift receivers too. From the old time friend to the grown up child, they are just as much needed gifts as invitations to socialize. A new corkscrew set for an old friend could suggest that getting together to catch up, over a bottle of wine, would be nice.  These types of gifts make an extra special impact when they have a personal touch. So even if the gift receiver already has one of the wine related gift given, it has a little something to make it special. Initial engravings are an excellent example of personalizing a gift. In general, a wine related gift is eagerly accepted.

Wine Gift Guide 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

Going on a vacation to a wine region is not only a great lesson in what goes into making wine, but a great way to taste new wines. Of course though a whole vacation based on that would mean that a good deal of the beauty and entertainment in the wine region would just get passed over. Incorporating other activities into a wine tour is easy because many wine regions also have rich histories or pristine natural beauty to lure visitors away from the grape plants. 

                The Loire Valley of France has a great history of being one of the biggest wine producing regions of France, but most of its tourists are more interested in the castles that are scattered along the Loire river and surrounding valley. Finding a nearby castle when on a vacation to Loire’s winemakers could even inspire the wine enthusiast. Some of the wine cellars in the castles are the stuff of stories. And even if making a wine cellar is not an option, maybe wine accessories as reminders of the style and natural beauty that is the Loire valley. Adding other activities makes for a more well-rounded vacation full of memories of all kinds. 

Wine Vacations and Extras is a post from: Rhino Wino

There is something about cold weather that makes well cooked pork tenderloin even more enjoyable.  But getting a pork loin to its tender and still juicy perfection can seem like more work than a simple weeknight meal is usually worth.  Really though, a succulent pork loin can be just as easy as any other imaginable meal. All that is needed is some crisp white wine, a pork loin, seasonings of choice and a couple of varieties of vegetables. 

                Start by browning the pork in a pan with the seasonings, just enough to keep the juices sealed in when it is cooking. In an oven pan add a little bit of oil and a cup and a half of the white wine. Thinly slice some onions if desired and add them to the pan with the pork. Cover all this foil and put in the oven on a low setting. Every now and then check the pork and pour some of the juice at the bottom the pan on it, adding the vegetables during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking. The wine helps make for a succulent and tender cut every time.  Serve the meal with the remaining white wine showcased with wine accessories; it is after all, the star this meal.

Pork Loin in White Wine is a post from: Rhino Wino

Even the only occasional wine drinkers require a few wine accessories to enjoy a glass of wine. While a growing number of bottles are screwcaps, corks are still widely used; so at the very least a wine glass, corkscrew and stopper are needed.  Rather than think of these tools as a necessary evil, think of how they can enhance the experience of popping open a bottle of wine and relax. 

Wine tools can make a huge difference in how enjoyable wine actually is. A good corkscrew makes opening a bottle less of a battle and more like opening any other bottle or jar in the kitchen. Find a corkscrew with a good handle to give the best grip.  Another good tool to have for a wine fan is a bottle stopper. It is illogical to expect a bottle of wine to not need put in the fridge; even with company there is always part of a bottle left when the night is over. This is where it is a good idea to have a stopper; otherwise any leftover wine at the end of the day is basically trash.  Don’t waste good wine, put a stopper in it.  This keeps the wine fresh longer in the refrigerator.  Appreciating wine tools just got easier.

Essential Tools is a post from: Rhino Wino

Something for those tired of the usual, here is a great unique idea for Independence Day food; fried oyster sliders. Crispy fry good sized oysters and put them on little hot rolls or petite hamburger buns along with sharp tasting condiments like pickled onion or lime juice for contrast. To get the oysters extra crisp, make sure that they are dry before putting on the flour and cornstarch coating. Also dredging them in only egg whites instead of whole eggs keeps the food from absorbing as much of the oil that gives frying its bad name.  These adorable little sandwiches pair quite nicely too with the wine of summer, juicy and fruity rose wine. 

                The oysters go with the rose because the saltiness of the sandwiches perks up the fruits in the rose, just like people who like to put a little salt on their slice of watermelon. Also the myth about oysters not being good in summer is a thing of the past, making this unusual 4^th of July meal a good new tradition. Oysters can now be produced in more controlled conditions, making them good quality all year round. So break out the wine accessories this 4^th instead of the beer bottle opener for a more sophisticated holiday.

Oysters For the 4th is a post from: Rhino Wino

Having some guests over and wanting to serve some wine with a cheese platter is actually a bit of a task.  A typical cheese platter has a combination of cheeses, fruit and crackers on it and all are supposed to pair with the wines being served.  But this is a great undertaking for something that is thought of as an appetizer or mere edible decoration. Make things simpler by picking between three to five cheeses that, rather than pairing with the wine being served, span the spectrum of cheeses.  This means having a slightly soft cheese, a smoky cheese, a hard cheese, and maybe a blue cheese. Fruit is a great way to add some healthier bits to a cheese platter to appeal to people who are watching their diet or do not like cheese as much as others.  These fruits don’t have to be anything in particular as long as they are fresh and delicious.  The crackers served with the cheese are even less of a concern than the fruit because just providing a couple of varieties will please everyone, they won’t eat a cracker that they usually don’t like the taste of.

                Of course this is just a very rough guide to cheese boards and the other wine accessories that are involved in serving guests wine, but it is still the frame work of a good social event. 

Make A Cheese Platter is a post from: Rhino Wino

Wine has always been well loved, it has been around for almost as long as recorded history after all.  The iconic drink though has become unusually popular with the younger generation lately.  This increase in people younger than 30 enjoying expensive or aged wine is partly because of the acceptance of food culture in their age group.  With an enjoyment of fine food naturally comes a want to enjoy fine wine, and the wine industry has flourished because of it. 

                This shift in young culture toward more refined things could do more good than just help the wine industry financially.  This could be used as a building block for stronger relationships between younger and older people, a shared interest that could lead to better understanding of each other.  Wine accessories could make the perfect conversation starter.  Of course it is hardly surprising that young and old people alike enjoy good food and fine wine, who doesn’t?  Through good aged wine bonds could be formed across the generations, or across the globe; even if some of the people enjoying the wine are younger than the wine. Logically more friends are better, especially ones who have experienced different things.

Grape of Youth is a post from: Rhino Wino

Mardi gras, the day before Lent but also a celebration to simply be enjoyed by anyone, is coming and cities like New Orleans are getting ready for the big party.  But going to New Orleans is not the only way to have a great mardi gras celebration.  Because of the link to New Orleans, Cajun chefs and everyday home cooks alike take mardi gras as an invitation to showcase their Creole cooking skills.  Cajun cooking is rich, buttery, spicy and above all packed with flavor which would lead most people to wonder what wine to put in the Bacchus wine decanter to go along with that splendid Cajun dinner. 

                Most dark reds high in tannins will not go well with traditional Creole because they will taste metallic alongside the other heavy flavors. Try a lighter crisp wine to freshen things up between bites of spicy gumbo or catfish.  A dazzling Shiraz would match most gumbo nicely, but stick with a white like sauvignon blanc if taking the edge of spicy food is something wanted.  Of course wine selection is never set in stone because just like different cultures in the same combined to make today’s Cajun, many different factors go into what will taste good to each person.

Mardi Gras and Wine is a post from: Rhino Wino

It is common knowledge that wine has been made and consumed for thousands of years and yet it is still exciting to find more evidence of wine production from long ago. The latest archeological discovery is the oldest complete winery to be found to date.

Located in Southern Armenia the complex consisted of an entire village within a cave system that included a complete winery. The find including a wine press, clay vat, even withered grape vines, and other wine accessories have been dated back to the Copper Age making them well over six thousand years old.

Not only has scientific analysis dated the winery to 4100 BC but it is also confirmed through residue that grapes were being pressed in the vat and not another organic matter. Previously the oldest wine press to have been found in existence was along the West Bank currently occupied by Israel dating back to 1650 BC.  

While there is still much to learn about this discovery such as how the wine was used within the community and who exactly was making it, it is still a exciting find with what we know.

Archeology Finds The Oldest Winery Ever is a post from: Rhino Wino