Wine Cellar: A clear choice

The right wine glasses can really boost the wine-tasting experience and make you appreciate the beauty of wine.

By OFER ZEMACH
pouring wine glass 88 (photo credit: )
pouring wine glass 88
(photo credit: )
A wineglass shape is based on more than simple good looks. Each is designed to capture and enhance the aromas and flavors of individual wines, ensuring maximum enjoyment. The right wine glasses can really boost the wine-tasting experience and make you appreciate the beauty of wine. Different styles of wines call for different types of wine glasses, and as easy as drinking sounds, you really should equip yourself with the right tools. Choose wine glasses that are made of good, thin, clear glass, not decorative or colored. Part of the enjoyment of wine is appreciating the color, which can also impart a lot of information about the wine. Anything but a clear glass takes away from appreciating the wine in the glass. The glass must have a stem, not just for aesthetic reasons, but mainly so that the wine glass may be held without covering the bowl in greasy fingerprints. For red wine, you'll want a glass with a large bowl and a relatively short stem, while for white wine, you'll want a glass with a smaller bowl but taller stem. The whole theory here is that white wine is served chilled and thus should be kept away from the heat of your hand. The small capacity helps to keep the cool temperature for a longer time. Red wine, on the other hand, is best served just a few degrees below room temperature (18º to 20º), so that it will release its heady vapors when it is warmed by the body heat in your hand. The wider bowl also lets in more air, which releases bold aromas and flavors. However, if you plan serving several types of wine during the Seder meal, but don't want to shell out the cash for several types of glassware, buy the generic tulip-shaped wine glasses. A few tips • When pouring wines, keep the wine level to the lower one-third the glass. This leaves lots of air and swirl room, both of which enhance the enjoyment of your wines. • You may want to open any bottles of older red wine a little while before you intend to drink them. Pour off about half a glass and then let it sit, to allow the wine to breathe. By doing so, you give a much greater surface area to both the wine in the bottle and, of course, in the glass, which allows it to mix with oxygen and to soften any stale air that may have collected in the bottle. • Hand wash your glasses with warm water, as soap can built up inside the glass and affect the wine's flavor. And here's a selection of affordable kosher wines from the local industry, worth adding to the holiday table: Dalton Winery is offering a limited edition of two varietal red wines in its Canaan series for NIS 45 each: Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The term "variety" is used to describe a type of grape from which the wine is made. The grapes for wines in the series were sourced mainly from Meron vineyard, with additional fruit from Alma and Kerem Ben Zimra. The Canaan Cabernet 2008 is dark red in color with fruity aromas of cherry and a hint of vanilla. Canaan Merlot 2008 has plum and cassis flavors with dried fruit and herbs aromas. Teperberg 1870, the country's fourth largest winery has released two new wines. Teperberg, Silver Sangiovese 2007: An Italian-style, medium-bodied red wine made from grapes grown on a mountain slope in Mevo Horon on the Ayalon River. Sangiovese are black grapes that are widely grown in central Italy and are used as the main ingredient in Chianti wines. The wine was aged for six months in American and French oak barrels which contributed a touch of oak to its fruity aromas. Like all Sangioveses, it cries out for food, so give it a go with anything Italian, such as pasta, antipasto or veal. NIS 45 Teperberg, Malbec 2007: Another less known red variety in our region, the Malbec grape originated in the southwest of France where it is still grown, but has become Argentina's signature grape. It has dark red color and a fruity plum flavor. This wine in Teperberg's Terra series will go best with red meats such as roast beef and steak. NIS 65. Binyamina wineries is adding a rosé and a white wine from the 2008 harvest to its Yogev series for NIS 40 each. Yogev, Cabernet Sauvignon - Zinfandel: A clear pink colored wine with fresh aromas of tropical fruit, strawberries and a touch of spice. Yogev, Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay: Made as a blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc from Kerem Ben-Zimra, 15% Chardonnay from Kfar Tavor and the rest Chardonnay from Neveh Ilan. High in acids, this is a young wine that impresses with its power and finesse. The Golan Heights Wineries presents four new wines for the holiday: Golan, Cabernet Sauvignon 2007: This young wine made entirely of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes has fruity aromas and produces a soft, velvety mouth feel. NIS 45. Gamla, Chardonnay 2007: A delightful fresh, lively, inexpensive all-purpose holiday white. The bright fruit flavors make it appealing as an aperitif, and its crisp minerality makes it food-friendly too. NIS 40. Gamla, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006: A fine medium-bodied Cabernet with rich, fruit-forward flavors of blackberry, cherry and smooth tannins. Will be a delight with a juicy steak or lamb chops. NIS 78 Yarden, Syrah 2004: made of 100% Syrah grapes sourced from three different vineyards in the Golan Heights - Ortal, Yonatan and Tel Fares. Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, it is rather deep and dense. In the mouth, it's creamy and lush, but well-structured, ending with a dose of dusty tannins and an extra blast of fruit. NIS 95. ofer@jpost.com