ABOUT WINE

Today, I'm going to tell you what kind of glasses drink what kind of alcohol and how to taste wine in 12 step, some of you might already know, but I have seem some of my friend ask me about those question and they don't know what kind of wine they should order with the food when they are on a date :) Let's talk about wine, I don't know if you guys know that wine has a rich history dating back thousands of years, with the earliest known production occurring around 6000 BC in Georgia. It first appeared in the Balkans about 4500 BC and was very common in ancient Greece, Thrace and Rome. Wine has also played an important role in religion throughout history. The Greek god Dionysus and the Roman equivalent, Bacchus, represented wine. The drink is also used in Christian Eucharist ceremonies and the Jewish Kiddush. People drink wine in long time ago. Some of the church still use red wine as "Eucharist", maybe not at US, lol. 

Alcohol glasses type:

How to wine taste in 12 step:

1. Look: Check out the Color and Clarity. Pour a glass of wine into a suitable wine glass. Then take a good look at the wine. Tilt the glass away from you and check out the color of the wine from the rim edges to the middle of the glass (it's helpful to have a white background - either paper, napkin or a white tablecloth) what color is it? Look beyond red, white or blush. If it's a red wine is the color maroon, purple, ruby, garnet, red, brick or even brownish? If it's a white wine is it clear, pale yellow, straw-like, light green, golden, amber or brown in appearance?
2. Still Looking. Move on to the wine's opacity. Is the wine watery or dark, translucent or opaque, dull or brilliant, cloudy or clear? Can you see sediment? Tilt your glass a bit, give it a little swirl - look again, is there sediment, bits of cork or any other floaters? An older red wine will often have more orange tinges on the edges of color than younger red wines. Older white wines are darker, than younger white wines when comparing the same varietal at different ages.
3. Smell: Our sense of smell is critical in properly analyzing a glass of wine. To get a good impression of your wine's aroma, swirl your glass for a solid 10-12 seconds (this helps vaporize some of the wine's alcohol and release more of its natural aromas) and then take a quick whiff to gain a first impression.
4. Still Smelling. Now stick your nose down into the glass and take a deep inhale through your nose. What are your second impressions? Do you smell oak, berry, flowers, vanilla or citrus? A wine's aroma is an excellent indicator of its quality and unique characteristics. Swirl the wine and let the aromas mix and mingle, and sniff again.
5. Taste: Finally, take a taste. Start with a small sip and let it roll around your mouth. There are three stages of taste: the Attack phase, the Evolution phase and the Finish.
6. The Attack Phase, is the initial impression that the wine makes on your palate. The Attack is comprised of four pieces of the wine puzzle: alcohol content, tannin levels, acidity and residual sugar. These four puzzle pieces display initial sensations on the palate. Ideally these components will be well-balanced one piece will not be more prominent than the others. These four pieces do not display a specific flavor per se, they meld together to offer impressions in intensity and complexity, soft or firm, light or heavy, crisp or creamy, sweet or dry, but not necessarily true flavors like fruit or spice.
7. The Evolution Phase is next, also called the mid-palate or middle range phase, this is the wine’s actual taste on the palate. In this phase you are looking to discern the flavor profile of the wine. If it’s a red wine you may start noting fruit – berry, plum, prune or fig; perhaps some spice – pepper, clove, cinnamon, or maybe a woody flavor like oak, cedar, or a detectable smokiness. If you are in the Evolution Phase of a white wine you may taste apple, pear, tropical or citrus fruits, or the taste may be more floral in nature or consist of honey, butter, herbs or a bit of earthiness.
8. The Finish is appropriately labeled as the final phase. The wine's finish is how long the flavor impression lasts after it is swallowed. This is where the wine culminates, where the aftertaste comes into play. Did it last several seconds? Was it light-bodied (like the weight of water), medium-bodied (similar in weight to milk) or full-bodied (like the consistency of cream)? Can you taste the remnant of the wine on the back of your mouth and throat? Do you want another sip or was the wine too bitter at the end? What was your last flavor impression – fruit, butter, oak? Does the taste persist or is it short-lived?
9. After you have taken the time to taste your wine, you might record some of your impressions. Did you like the wine overall? Was it sweet, sour or bitter? How was the wine's acidity? Was it well balanced? Does it taste better with cheese, bread or a heavy meal? Will you buy it again? If so, jot the wine's name, producer and vintage year down for future reference.Anyways,

 There are one more info about wine I want to shere about is what kind of food go with what kind of wine:

• When making a food and wine match, think about the four basic taste components your tongue recognizes: salty, sweet, bitter, and sour. How the food tastes can dictate the perfect wine selection for your meal.
• Generally, wines and foods belonging to the same culture are the most compatible; for example, serve Italian wines with Italian food.
• Red dinner wines are usually dry and rich, sometimes with a tart or astringent quality. They go well with hearty or highly-seasoned foods, such as beef, pork, game, duck, goose, and pasta dishes.
• White dinner wines are lighter in body and flavor and can be dry and tart or sweet and fragrant. Serve these white wines with foods such as chicken, turkey, fish, shellfish, ham, and veal.
• Rosé wines are pale red wines that can be either dry or sweet. These wines complement ham, fried chicken, shellfish, cold beef, picnic foods, and buffet foods.
• Appetizer wines are served as a cocktail or before the meal to sharpen the appetite. Dry sherry and chilled dry (white) vermouth can be served with any type of appetizer. Soft, light-bodied wines that are simple and fruity, such as Chenin Blanc, are usually suitable accompaniments for hors d'oeuvres.
• Dessert wines are heavier and sweeter than dinner wines. Serve dessert wines alone or with items such as fruits, nuts, pies, dessert cheeses, cakes, and cookies.
• Nonalcoholic or dealcoholized white, red, and even sparkling wines are available. They are pressed and fermented like any wine, but have been filtered by a special process to remove virtually all of the alcohol. Pair them with foods according to their type.
• The red with red rule works well with beef because the tannin in red wine scrubs beef's rich flavor off the palate. Reach for a tannic Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, or Zinfandel, especially if the meat boasts a heavy sauce. Rare prime rib tastes almost sweet, so it's perfect with a fruity Beaujolais.
• Pair a sweet smoked ham with a sweet wine -- a Chenin Blanc, Gewürztraminer, or Riesling. If you enjoy rosé wines, now's the time to pop the cork; and for those who believe a wine's first duty is to be red, serve a lightly chilled Beaujolais.
• If your holiday turkey menu features sweet side dishes such as glazed carrots or marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes, choose a white wine with similar sweetness, such as a Chenin Blanc or Gewürztraminer. If your menu items are savory, you can lean toward a Johannisberg Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, or even a light, fruity Chardonnay. If your bird boasts a spicy sausage stuffing, sip a Beaujolais or lightly chilled Pinot Noir.
• A dessert and wine match is most successful when the sugar/acid balance on the plate and in the glass are similar. With rich cheesecake, bring out a syrupy late-harvest wine. Complement chocolate cake by choosing a red wine with chocolate or spice components, such as a Zinfandel or Cabernet Sauvignon. 
• With fruitcake, open a dessert wine such as a Marsala. Super-sweet or tart desserts make most wines taste sour and flat.