What to Look For on a Wine Label - Wine Simplified

Hello,

I really recommend this video with useful and straight forward tips. This video will help you to understand more about wine just by looking at labels. Whether you are a wine expert or just an occasional wine drinker, this video will help you find wine close to your liking.

Enjoy!

Wine Words: DOC or DOCG — Do You Know the Difference?

 DOC or DOCG — Do You   Know the Difference?

DOC and DOCG are letters that you see on bottles of Italian wine. Do you know what these letters stand for? And what is the difference between the two?

DOCG and DOC are both quality classifications.

DOCG stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (Denomination of
Controlled and Guaranteed Origin, DOCG). Under Italian wine law DOCG is the highest
designation of quality among Italian wines.

DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata (Denomination of Controlled
Origin).

The DOC designation for wines was introduced in the early 1960s. It equates more or less to the French AOC/AC system. The regulations for each DOC wine delimit the production area, wine color, permitted grape varieties and max/min proportions, styles of wine, max/min alcohol levels as well as permitted or mandated viticultural, vinification and maturation techniques. There are 330 DOC wines in Italy today.

The DOCG wine designation was created in 1980 to differentiate the top Italian wines, as there was a general feeling that the DOC status was grated too liberally. The regulations for DOCG wines are tighter and more restrictive. For example maximum permitted grape yields are lower. Also each wine must pass an in-depth technical analysis and tasting to receive the official DOCG seal of approval from the Ministry of Agriculture.

DOCG – The First Five

At the beginning just five wines were acknowledged as being sufficiently superior for DOCG status. These were:

• Brunello di Montalcino (Tuscany)
• Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (Tuscany)
• Chianti (Tuscany)
• Barolo (Piedmont)
• Barbaresco (Piedmont)

Today there are 73 wines that have DOCG status in Italy. Quite a significant number and naturally there are some rumblings that some of these were granted too easily or for political reasons.

Are DOC and DOCG always the best indicators of quality?

Unfortunately quality classification systems only tell part of the quality story. They signify that all the boxes have been ticked, and that the rules and regulations have been adhered (though Italy is rife with DOC and DOCG wine scandals – but that is another story for another day).

At the end of the day quality comes down to the individual producer. There are many top quality Italian wines that fall outside the DOC or DOCG system — not because of lower quality, but rather because the producer chooses to make the wine from varieties or proportions of varieties not permitted by the DOC/DOCG rules.

Remember the birth of the Super Tuscans — the celebrated Tignanello, Sassicaia, and Ornellaia wines — which had to be labeled as simple ‘table wine’ initially because they did not adhere to the Chianti DOCG regulations. At the time producers choose to make these wine outside the DOCG 'quality' classification because felt that the DOCG rules were too restrictive, preventing them from making the best wines possible.

So, while DOC and or DOCG classifications may be helpful in understanding Italian wine quality classification, they are not always the definitive guides to real wine quality.

Wine Review: Rockridge Shiraz

Rockridge Shiraz

Grape: Shiraz

Country: South Africa

This wine is not easy to find on the internet, because people (and Google) always confuse it with Rockridge Estate Shiraz Cellar Selection from Australia. I was surprised to see that the Vivino app and web site classified this wine as Australian. It is clearly visible on the label "WINE OF SOUTH AFRICA". So specify that you need Rockridge from South Africa if you want to find this fruity and easy drinking wine. 

In aromas there are rape black berries, plum and a bit of chocolate.

In palate there are lots of black fruits, some black pepper taste and oaky flavours. 

It's complex, full body wine with medium to long finish.

Food pairing: spicy meat dishes, grilled meat, tomato and spicy sauce pasta,  full body cheeses.

I had it with Thai cuisine and grilled seafood.

I couldn't find supplier of this wine in UAE. But I had it in Beachcombers Restaurant in Jumeirah Beach Hotel  https://www.jumeirah.com/en/hotels-resorts/dubai/jumeirah-beach-hotel/restaurants/beachcombers/

Wine Review: Masia J Vino de la Tierra de Castilla Tempranillo

Masia J Vino de la Tierra de Castilla Tempranillo
Grape: 80% Tempranillo, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon

Country: Spain

This juicy, soft, easy drinking wine is blend of Tempranillo and oak aged Cabernet Sauvignon. 

In aroma there are ripe raspberry and red currant, and cinnamon, with rich summer fruits flavors and sweet vanilla finish.

In palate its fruit-driven red with immense spicy.

It's soft, medium-bodied wine with medium-long finish.

Food pairing: pastas with tomato and spicy sauces, red meat, aromatic cheese.

I had it with lamb rack and carrot puree.

Supplier in UAE is A&E. You can buy this wine in some of their stores: 

http://abudhabi.africaneastern.com/p-3644-masia-j-tempranillo.aspx

What is Organic Wine?

What is Organic Wine?

Organic wines are produced with organically grown grapes. In order to have organically grown grapes, a vineyard manager must implement an entirely different set of practices to maintain their vines.

By the way, organic doesn’t imply that the wine doesn’t have additives. There is, in fact, a list of additives, including things like yeast, egg whites, and animal enzymes (like rennet in cheese) that are allowed in organic wines. Being organic doesn’t necessarily mean a wine is vegan.

Organic Wine Dilemma

The dilemma with organic wines (and what sets them apart from other organic foods) is the importance of sulphur-dioxide (SO2) in the winemaking process. Perhaps you’ve seen a lot more European organic (called ‘bio’) wines and this is because Europe has a different definition of organic:

• USA: “a wine made from organically grown grapes without added sulfites”
• EUROPE & CANADA: “a wine made from organically grown grapes that may contain added sulfites”

Organic wines from the US must not add sulfites, which in most scenarios greatly reduces a wine’s shelf life and, in some cases, can substantially change the flavor. Wineries find themselves in a quandary because spending the time to make organically grown grapes is immediately lost because they use SO2 in the bottling line. 

What are Non-Organic Wines?

Non-Organic wines can use chemicals like herbicides and fungicides in the vineyards and other additives (like sulfur or Mega Purple) in a wine. You’ll find most of the bizarre chemicals in non-organic wines are used in the vineyard. It is common to see pesticides and fungicides used in areas that are calm (low wind) and have more moisture in the air to cause fungal infections (perhaps close to a river, pond or lake). You’ll find many fungicides and pesticides being employed to kill invasive species. For instance, in Napa, a foreign bug called the glassy winged sharpshooter is a carrier of Pierce’s Disease. This particular disease basically turns vines into lepers with rotting leaves and eventually kills them.

How To Drink More Green?

Fortunately there is a solution that drinkers of American wines should know about and it’s called ‘Made with Organically Grown Grapes’. Why only America wines? Because i Europe they mark wine with "BIO" on the label. These little words on a US wine bottle are your ticket to drinking more green for two reasons:

• Wines is made with grapes from Certified Organic vineyards
• Wines must contain less than 100 ppm sulfites (good!)

Other Cool Sustainability Programs You Can Trust

A certification of sustainability for California wines that restricts the use of bad chemicals in vineyards. sipcertified.org

A certification program created in the Northwest that focuses on bolstering riparian areas and reducing farm run off into streams and rivers. salmonsafe.net

Demeter offers organic and biodynamic certifications internationally. demeter-usa.org

The USDA National Organic Program. Also look for wines labeled “Made with Organically Grown Grapes”. USDA NOP

Source: http://winefolly.com/update/organic-wine-vs-non-organic-wine/

Wine Review: Fuzion Chenin Blanc - Chardonnay

Fuzion Chenin Blanc - Chardonnay

Grape: 70% Chenin Blanc, 30% Chardonnay

Country: Argentina

Fuzion is a wine that brings together Argentina’s rich culture that is a unique expression of the old and new world, a Fuzion. It's an organic wine.

In aromas it´s a lovely dry wine with floral and citrus notes

In palate it's crispy, with good harmony in the palate and a refreshing finish.

Food pairing: salads with fish or chicken, roasted/grilled chicken, any kind of fish dishes.

I had it with Nicoise Salad (tuna and boiled vegetables).

Supplier in UAE is MMI. You can buy this wine in some of their stores: 

http://mmidubai.com/common/image/Caption/digital-2013-portfolio.pdf

Wine Review: Argento Shiraz

Argento Shiraz

Grape: Shiraz

Country: Argentina

This wine is a great example of combination quality and good price. 

In aromas is lovely purity of black ripe fruits and real spice flavour impact.

In palate there are concentrated flavours of cherry, plum and spices, supported by soft oak ageing. 

It's dense, medium to full bodied,  and medium-long finish wine.

Food pairing: red meat, pasta with rich tomato sauce, any kind of cheeses with dry fruits,

I had it with tenderloin steak with black pepper sauce.

Supplier in UAE is A&E. You can buy this wine in some of their stores: 

http://www.africaneastern.com/p-2976-argento-shiraz.aspx