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Being a good winemaker means having a mission and not not settling for anything less than the best. The competition is fierce and the business is not for those without knowledge, experience and an innate sense of the faith underlying that underlies the whole process.

Winemakers do this without pretension, instead loving the art and the business of making marvelous wine.

"Wine is made in the vineyard," California's Sterling Albert says of his local winery, searching for a way to clarify what is instinctual for him; an almost maternal nurturing of the vine that requires a scientific basic, as well as a passion for the organics involved in the process.

"It's soothing," he adds. "Nurturing plants is a lot of hard work."

Using grapes grown in various wine countries, and selected to a standard that he acknowledges is "strict." The destroy result is an almost pure organic compost, although the need often arises to protect the crops with fungicides where necessary.

Nothing goes to slay. Unselected grapes are sold off. These are not defective; they impartial do not meet the standard needed. It is all about the flavor profiles vintners wants for their wines.

Complex process

Winemakers will not compromise on their standards; competition is fierce and compromise means producing a substandard product. The same logic applies to the choice of equipment used whether it be high-end stainless steel fermenters and pressers from Germany or other products designed for functionality and not aesthetics.

Albert custom-designs his wine tanks to include a storage side and a fermentation side which allow for different cooling temperatures. "I get much better control over the process," he explains.

Likewise the barrels are placed within a temperature-controlled giant locker. Space is at a premium so everything is packed tight.

In 2002 Albert received safe reviews from customers and restaurants from 2-year-old grapes – a rarity in the business. Generally, 2-year-old grapes are not profitable enough. "Wines need to have a pleasing aftertaste that lingers," he says. "And it needs to be food friendly, as well."

Gaining a skill

In Albert's case, his family are contractors. His father, Sterling also, wasn't keen on his son putting everything he owned into the winery. He has since changed his mind, along with Albert's sister, a painting contractor, while his brother Steve, now a partner in the winery, is a respected acquire contractor in his own right.

I derive energy from the vines," Albert says. "My favorite allotment is the actual growing of the grapes."

Albert does, however, discount the romanticism of owning a vineyard that pervades American culture. "Join a wine club," he said. "It's as close as a sane person wants to come to owning a winery."

In 2004, Albert won a silver medal for his cabernet sauvignon and a bronze medal for his merlot at the San Francisco International Wine Competition. With a total of six silver medals and three bronze medals in the 2007 wine competitions, his winery was featured in Wine Enthusiast magazine.

"I make wine that I like to drink," he says, confessing to being too critical to enjoy other wines.

A lot of wine

Albert makes 6,000-7,000 cases yearly and focuses on the quality rather than the quality. With 27 acres of grapes under his direct control, as well as 11 acres in nearby Alexander Valley, he is happy with his estate-grown fruit.

"There is an old winemaker joke," he says, referring to the complexity of all facets of the business. "The difference between God and winemakers – God doesn't think He's a winemaker."

Buying wine online has become incredibly popular and really affordable in recent years. I know what you're thinking here it's very easy to go to the local wine shop pick up a bottle or two and regain on with your life. Truth though there are many advantages to buying wine online or other liquors! One of the many advantages to buying wine online that you really have access to huge variety of wines from not only your country but other countries as well such as France, Italy, Russia, and Japan. You also have access to comparison and tools which will allow you to compare several different bottles of wine. You can also compare ingredients, years, makes, and prices as well! In online wine shops you will also be able to find products much more easily. For example in a regular wine shop you would never acquire a red wine next to a white wine, it unbiased doesn't happen. Whereas on an online wine shop you can repeatedly find all sorts of wines and not really have to "journey" that far (with your fingers). You could easily find a Riesling that you really like and then do some quick searching for the perfect red wine as well. Personally I think these online wine shops are awesome especially if you know nothing about wine. You can divvy down the comparisons. For example, you know you love red wine, but you don't know what brand is good, who got good reviews, what is bitter/sweet to the palate or what wine years are good. Well these sites simply help you out with this shrimp problem. Simply go to the recommendations page or go to the search engine located on the website. They will ask you some quick questions and then poof out comes the wine of choice. Lets take a look at one of my popular wine sites online shall we:

Wine.com Best Selling Wines

This site has all kinds of great factors and all kinds of amazing products such as wines, baskets, accessories, glassware, gift services, certificates, chocolates, sweets and so much more. Now lets assume a more in depth look at each one of these categories just so you can get a good thought of what your up against and what you can be looking forward to!

Wine Collections

Red Wine

White Wine

Rosé Wine

Champagne & Sparkling

Dessert, Sherry & Port

Wine Gift Sets

Monthly Wine Clubs

Riedel Glassware

Wine Accessories

Gift baskets (wine) and Gift Baskets (non-wine)

Gift Towers

Gourmet Food Baskets

Wine Baskets

Chocolate & Sweets Baskets

Accessories:

DVDs

Books

Wine Corkscrew Tool Ki

Vinturi Wine Aerator

Champagne Bucket

Wine Barrel Stave Three Tealight Candle Holder

Clef du Vin

Glassware

Vinum

Ouverture

Sommelier

Wine Series

O Series

Decanters

Other points:

Monthly wine clubs

Collectible Wines

Gift Sets

Sparkling Wine

Champagne

and more!

Really everything you could possibly want at these stores is attainable. Obviously since its a wine store they don't have things like liquors available or other spirits. But if your a wine connoisseur or you want to buy a gift for someone, these websites really are one in a million. Last year I got my mom a 3 month cheese membership for Artisanal Cheese and a 3 month win membership at Wine.com and she absolutely loved it! This is unbiased one of these nice yet affordable gifts you can get for your husband/wife, girlfriend/boyfriend, friend or even a business associate if you so please. Some people mediate wine giving an intimate experience. However, the substantial thing about wine is that it can be enjoyed by anyone, anytime. Intimate or not.

For me the highlight of every dinner is dessert. No matter if enjoyable or sweet, dessert is welcomed by most. Often dessert is paired with coffee, however, if you would like to change from the expected to the slightly extravagant, try the following dessert and wine pairings.

Stilton and Port

Historically referred to as "The King of Cheeses" Stilton is a blue-mould cheese with a rich and mellow flavor and a piquant aftertaste. It has narrow, blue-green veins and a wrinkled rind which needs to be cut off before consumption. Stilton is milder than Roquefort or Gorgonzola, and is an interesting choice for a dessert cheese, served with a Port Wine and water biscuits. There are two types of Stilton: Blue and White Stilton. Stilton is eaten a lot around Christmas time and can be an profitable choice in lieu of dessert after a Christmas Dinner.

Port wine (also known as Vinho do Porto, Porto, and often simply Port) is a Portuguese fortified wine from the Douro Valley in the northern provinces of Portugal. It is fortified by adding brandy during fermentation. Typically it is a sweet red wine, but also comes in dry, semi-dry and white varieties. For the pairing with Stilton Cheese I like an Australian Penfolds Club Port, which at $12 is an acceptable choice.

Cheesecake and Champagne

Cheesecake is difficult to pair with wine. Keep in mind the sweeter the cheesecake the sweeter the wine has to be. Otherwise the wine might end up tasting bitter or sour. A sparkling wine or champagne would be a honorable choice to accompany a cheesecake. Depending on the sweetness of the cake, chose Brut or possibly a demi-sec. Personally I love Veuve Cliquot. Not the most economic bottle of champagne, however, it's pleasant to sip, even once the cheesecake is gone! Effect definite the bottle is chilled enough.

Chocolate Truffles and Mas Amiel

A lesser known fortified wine, similar to Port. If decadence is your game, then this should be your choice. Made from Grenache, is is beautifully rounded, with undertones of figs and dates and a smoky touch of tobacco. Bottles are aged 20 years before released, which would explain the price of around $50 for a bottle of 1980 Millésime Maury. Also keep in mind that one does not drink fortified wine by the bottle, so there will be plenty left for the next date night or party. Maybe you could rescue the budget by making your own chocolate truffles with this scrumptious recipe, courtesy of Alton Brown from the Food Channel

Ingredients

10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped ravishing
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 cup brandy
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder, finely chopped nuts, and/or toasted coconut, for coating truffles
8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

Directions

Region the 10 ounces of chocolate and butter in a medium size glass mixing bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and rush, and repeat this process 1 more time. Set aside. Heat the heavy cream and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the melted chocolate mixture; let stand for 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, stir gently, starting in the middle of bowl and working in concentric circles until all chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth and creamy. Gently stir in the brandy. Pour the mixture into an 8 by 8-inch glass baking dish and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Using a melon baller, scoop chocolate onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Place the cocoa powder, nuts, and/or toasted coconut each in its own pie pan and set aside. In the meantime, place the 8 ounces of chocolate into a medium mixing bowl which is sitting on top of a heating pad lined bowl, with the heating pad set to medium. Depending on the heating pad, you may need to adjust the heat up or down. Stirring the chocolate occasionally, test the temperature of the chocolate and continue heating until it reaches 90 to 92 degrees F; do not allow the chocolate to go above 94 degrees F. If you do, the coating will not have a nice snap to it when you bite into the chocolate. Once you have reached the optimal temperature, adjust the heat to gain it.

Remove the truffles from the refrigerator and shape into balls by rolling between the palms of your hands. Use powder-free vinyl or latex gloves, if desired. Dip an ice cream scoop into the chocolate and turn upside down to remove excess chocolate. Place truffles 1 at time into the scoop and roll around until coated. Then place the truffle into the dish with either the cocoa powder, nuts or coconut. Move the truffle around to coat; leave truffle in the coating for 10 to 15 seconds before removing. In the meantime, continue placing the chocolate-coated truffles in the cocoa or other secondary coating. After 10 to 15 seconds, grasp the truffle to a parchment lined sheet pan. Repeat until all truffles are coated. Allow to set in a frigid dry place for at least 1 hour; or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Truffles are best when served at room temperature.

Crème Brulee and Sauternes

Crème Brulee, literally 'burnt cream', is an egg custard made with heavy cream. It's name derived from the crust of molten sugar on the top, which is usually achieved by blow torch. Crème Brulee is one of my all-time favorites and comes in many varied flavors. I retract it plain and a Sauternes compliments the dessert wonderfully.

Sauternes is a French dessert wine, made from Semillon in the Bordeaux region of France. Sauternes is a sweet, smooth and creamy wine with a deep honey color. Sauternes is difficult to make, so vintage is extremely important, since production is still extremely hit and miss. I am very partial to Chateau Gravas Sauternes 2001, which at $20 will not break the bank.

Mango-Banana Sorbet with Icewine

Icewine is made from grapes that have been frozen whilst composed on the vines. The water in the grapes freezes and therefore allows for a more concentrated must to be pressed from the frozen grapes. Icewines are extremely sweet and the labor intensive and tricky harvest makes an Icewine relatively expensive. They are usually sold in smaller bottles than normal wine. The most expensive Icewines are either German or Canadian, however, there are more affordable options coming out of other wine producing countries.

A Jackson-Triggs 2007 Vidal Ice Wine with it's undertones of apple and mango works fabulously with the sorbet. It is produce in the Niagara dwelling of Canada and at $20 per bottle a great choice for smaller budgets.

As with all wines there are simple rules you can follow if you would like to earn your own way around which dessert to pair with which wine. Thenibble.com has collated a list of 21 common desserts and ingredients and the wines that compliment them best.

If you follow the above guidelines and maybe do some research which wine would best accompany your favorite dessert, I assure you that you will end with rave reviews and satisfied guests. Who knows, the coffee pot might stay cold for the foreseeable future.

According to a brief CNN Health update, the aforementioned beverages are providing individuals with the antioxidants required to prevent disease and other illnesses. Antioxidants, for those interested, are capable of reducing oxidation of the body's molecules. Reduced oxidation will provide a decrease in the amount of cells damaged via the chemical reaction. To retreat to the respective subject, though, researchers have studies that predict these beverages are significantly reducing the ill affects of specific diseases, etc.

First and foremost, we have the leaves of Camellia sinensis, or more appropriately termed, green tea. Initially originating in China, the popular Asian beverage has been introduced to numerous countries around the world. Evidence produced via research suggests that illnesses such as heart disease and cancers can be limited if an abundance of green tea is consumed daily. According to CNN, Japanese studies fervent 500 women diagnosed with stages I & II breast cancer who were asked to increase their daily dosage of the tea. Results indicated that those who incorporated the new routine, before and after surgery, were less likely to experience reoccurring similarities. Additional research provides insight on the risk reduction of stomach, prostrate, and pancreatic cancers as well. It also succeeds body fat percentages and promotes a more lean appearance. However, the significant amount of consumption involves roughly 5-6 glasses daily to produce beneficial results.

Red wine, on the other hand, incorporates two forms of antioxidants known as flavonoids and nonflavonoids. The polyphenols included in such provide protection along the blood vessels lining your heart. These antioxidants are also known to reduce bad cholesterol and prevent blood clots from forming. Supposedly, the benefits are located in the skin of the grapes, which after grinding process is transported into the final liquid. Contrasting that of green tea, however, red wine contains alcohol. Though the beverage induces many beneficial ingredients, it must also be limited, as alcohol may increase the risk of specific cancers.

It is understandable that research must be accurately conducted over the course of time; however, I also find it comical that "recent" studies are now proving good ingredients to prevent certain illnesses. These ingredients must have remained in existence since the beginning of time. Regardless, 2010 sales on the titled products will succeed those of 2009.

CNN (2010). 5 eating better foods to slip into your diet in 2010. Retrieved Jan 05, 2010 from http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/01/04/tips.eating.better/index.html

Hugging trees and sipping wine are just two of the things visitors to San Francisco can do with Extranomical Tours. Last month was the first time I visited San Francisco. With only 36 hours to see the city and visit the California wine country, I booked area on Extranomical's "Wine Country & Muir Woods Tour" to maximize my time. Was the tour worth it?

Sipping Wine. Extranomical Tours arranged three winery tours of varying sizes in Sonoma Valley. California's stale wine country is Napa Valley, but I just didn't have the desire to visit Napa. Sonoma Valley produces great wines and it seemed more my style, more relaxed. My favorite quote from the Extranomical guide was, "The people in Sonoma judge people in Napa are snobs and the people in Napa assume the people in Sonoma are hillbillies."

The smallest Sonoma winery visited was Homewood Winery where we had the privilege of meeting the winemaker, David Homewood. Homewood Winery produces 3,000 cases of wine annually. The atmosphere was casual, intimate and personable. The "Flying Wizzbanger" is the winery's signature wine, mixing various flavors of wine for a absorbing, zippy result. Each year, the Flying Wizzbanger has a different flavor. My favorite of the seven wines tasted was the 2005 Zinfandel Port. A smooth, rich, subtly sweet port, sampled with a piece of dark chocolate. (www.homewoodwinery.com)

Cline Cellars was a medium sized Sonoma winery we visited. More than 5,000 stunning rose bushes with vibrant flowers blanket the vineyard. I learned how roses and vineyards go hand and hand. They're environmental indicators for the grapevines. If the rose bushes are not healthy, that indicates something is wrong in the surrounding environment and the farmer can react accordingly to protect the grapes. Five wines were tasted and my favorite was the 2006 Pinot Grigio/Chardonnay, a blend of 86% Pinot Grigio and 14% Chardonnay.

Other cool things about Cline Cellars are that the winery runs on solar power and the California Missions Museum is on plot. The Missions Museum holds a collection of 21 models of California's missions displayed during the 1939 World's Fair. (www.clinecellars.com)

Viansa Winery and Italian Marketplace was the largest Sonoma winery Extranomical Tours took the group. The Italian-style architecture sits atop a mountain with vineyards and olive trees blanketing the landscape. The name Viansa is a combination of the names of Vicki and Sam Sebastiani, who branched away from Sonoma's Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery in 1989.

Viansa produces 60,000 cases of wine annually and relies on its wine club for distribution. Of the four tastings, my favorite was the 2006 Imbianco, a light, fruity wine. The winery also produces cold pressed olive oil. The grounds of the winery are fabulously scenic. The Italian Marketplace offers wine tastings and samples of gourmet treats such as fig balsamic vinegar and virgin olive oil. (www.viansa.com)

The tour included about an hour in Sonoma for lunch and wandering around. I stopped by the Cheese Factory for free samples of cheese and thought the lines for the grill and deli counter were too long. I ended up having a nice lunch at LaCasa Restaurant and Bar (yummy salsa, it's got a kick!). I also had time to stop by the Sonoma Valley visitor's center, wander through some of the shops and see Mission Sonoma, founded in 1823.

Hugging Trees. The tour includes a visit to Muir Woods National Monument (but the $3 admission is not included). There's enough time to slack walk the paved trail, admire the sequoia redwoods and inhale the earthy-pine scent.

Other Cool Things About Extranomical Tours. The Wine Country & Muir Woods Tour includes a stop in Sausalito. Tour participants can hop on a ferry taking them back to San Francisco (ferry fee not included in the tour price). I opted to stay on the tour, in which we stopped for the obligatory photo opportunity overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge.

The Extranomical Tours guide gave excellent commentary throughout the trip. He also took the time to learn everyone's names and where we were from. The wineries were a nice mix and informative. Different wineries are visited on each tour. Following the nine-hour tour, the guide dropped us off wherever we wanted and I was dropped off at Fisherman's Wharf.

The Downside. I booked my trip for a Sunday and was staying across the Bay in Oakland. Extranomical Tours instructed me to meet the guide between 8:15 and 8:40 at San Francisco's Parc 55 Hotel. I asked the Extranomical Tours sales person whether the Bay Area Fleet Transit (BART, the light rail system) would speed early on a Sunday and was told it began running at 6 a.m. On Sundays, BART begins service at 8 a.m., which would have been too late for me. I ended up taking a cab (which added to the cost of the trip).

Is Extranomical Tours Worthwhile? Absolutely! The tour was well worth the $69 (plus tip for the guide, lunch and $3 admission into Muir Woods). Here's why:

The price fit my budget.
Someone else did the driving so I could REALLY be pleased California's wine country.
Wine tastings were included in the tour fee.
I'm not a fan of traveling with large groups. Extranomical Tours transports participants in a 15-passenger, white van. There were 11 participants during my tear, making the ride comfortable and intimate
Being a solo traveler, participating in a runt tour allows me interaction with other people

Beforehand, I was concerned about the tour's quality and checked out reviews on TripAdvisor.com. Reviews were mixed with most being negative.

Not sure if I had lucked out, but I had a very definite experience and highly recommend Extranomical Tours as a great way to taste California's wine country and see some really big trees! It's ideal for independent travelers, couples and friends looking to explore beyond San Francisco.

Pennsylvania Wine Guide

Pennsylvania has many, many wineries and vineyards for the public to visit throughout the state. Pennsylvania also offers wine trails for consumers to visit several different wineries and vineyards at one time. Listed below are some of the titanic wineries and vineyards that Pennsylvania has to offer.

Allegheny Cellars Winery

The winery is located in the mountains of the Allegheny National Forest in Warren County. Located directly off Route 6, one mile east of the traffic light in Sheffield, PA. Allegheny Cellars Winery has a tasting room and gift shop where visitors are encouraged to sample from a wide selection of wine. Allegheny Cellars Winery has a gift shop on site. We offer a variety of wines from dry to sweet with novel selections being added. For more informaiton about Allegheny Cellars Winery, go online to www.alleghenycellars.com.

Crossing Vineyards and Winery, Inc.

1853 Wrightstown Road

Washington Crossing, PA

Crossing Vineyards is located on a two-hundred year old Bucks County estate, less than a mile from the place where George Washington crossed the Delaware in 1776. Crossing Vineyards and Winery produces wines of the finest quality. Crossing Vineyards and Winery offers tours of the facility and has a tasting room. For more information about Crossing Vineyards and Winery, go online to www.crossingvineyards.com.

Sand Castle Winery

755 River Road

Erwinna, Pennsylvania

In 1974 a hillside property in Bucks County overlooking the Delaware River Sand Castle Winery was born. Sand Castle wines are all estate grown and bottled. There are twelve different wines in four varieties: Johannisberg Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir. Sand Castle Winery is passionate about wine education. They offer the following world-class wine education courses to those who are keen in learning more about wine, from grape harvesting and fermentation to tastings and food pairings. Reservations are required for the Barrel and VIP tours. Please make reservations for tours on-line or call us ahead at 800.722.9463. For more infomration about Sand Castle Winery, go online to www.sandcastlewinery.com

Tamanend Winery

759 Flory Mill Road

Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17601

Tamanend Winery specializes in classically styled premium wines in their bottled wine group. Tamanend Winery also has premium sweeter styled wines of value in the Bag-in-Box group of wines. The Tasting Room is initiate Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 12 Noon to 5 pm.

Tamanend Winery is located directly accross from the Mercedes Benz Dealership between Manheim Pike (Rt 72) and Roherstown Rd (RT 741).

Tamanend Winery has objective joined the Uncork York Wine Trail. Find information about that wine high-tail at uncorkyork.com. For more information about Tamanend Winery, go online to www.tamanendwinery.com.

Walnut Hill Winery

638 Turner Dr

Blairsville, PA 15717-8204

Walnut Hill Winery has award-winning Reds, Whites, Blushes and offer you the availability of personalized wine labels and special-order wine baskets. For more information about Walnut Hill Winery, go online to www.walnuthillwinery.com.

For a complete list of wineries and vineyards throughout the state of Pennsylvania, go online to www.pennsylvaniawine.com.

A wine and cheese party is an ideal get together for friends and family that can be lots of fun yet relatively simple affairs to plan and host that need not involve great expense. A versatile social event, they can be as elegant or as casual as you resolve to make them. A wine and cheese party works equally well as a festive holiday gathering or as a pleasant get together with friends or family on any occasion.

Planning

If you are considering hosting a wine and cheese party the planning begins with deciding on what kind of party you wish to host. Whether you are considering a formal or informal affair will dictate your choices with regards to dinnerware and stemware. Next compile a guest list. A group of eight to ten guests is a good number for this type of event which will keep it manageable with regard to size and expense but large enough to ensure plenty of enjoyable conversation. Prepare and mail out themed invitations at least a week in advance. Have sufficient glassware on hand or plan to rinse glasses between wine varieties so that your guests can have a clean glass for each different wine to be sampled.

Shopping

With regard to wines, choose a variety of whites and reds to maximize the number of pairings with cheese varieties. Three or four different varieties of wine and cheeses should be more than adequate. Wines can be purchased at anytime but acquire off on purchasing the cheeses until the day before your party to ensure freshness. Also consider picking up some fresh crusty bread from your favorite bakery, some good quality crackers, walnuts and even some gloomy chocolate. All of these represent effective choices for cleansing the palate between tastings of several different wines.

Wines

These days you can find many excellent wines for under $15 per bottle and some for even a lot less. It isn't necessary to be a wine connoisseur to choose great wines. Simply visit a local wine dealer who will have a knowledgeable person available to help you with your selections. You can also check out reviews at sites like Wine.com for recommendations. Some accepted white wine varieties include Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Chardonnay. Some choices for red wines are Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.

Cheeses

There are hundreds of varieties of cheese styles and flavors. There is no real right and wrong when it comes to pairing cheese and wine so feel free to experiment and explore to find the combinations you like best. That being said, you can visit Oregon Wines.com for suggestions by wine varieties or cheese types that can help you come by started in selecting cheeses that pair well with clear wines.

Serving Wine and Cheese

Cheese should be served at close to room temperature to maximize flavor so remove the cheese from the refrigerator about 30 to 60 minutes before serving. You can really use fair about any type of plate to serve cheese, but traditionally a wooden or stone cheese boards are used to maximize presentation. Hold the cheeses separate so that the flavors don't comingle and provide a separate knife for cutting each variety of cheese.

The complexity of wine with respect to aroma and flavor are very temperature dependent and that is why wine should be served at appropriate temperature. Never serve any wine straight from the refrigerator as the temperature will be too cold. Red wines are best served at 60 to 65° F. Full bodied white wines like Chardonnay should be served at a temperature in the range of 50 to 60° F while lighter, fruitier varieties like Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc are best served at cooler temperatures as low as 45° F. Ice buckets are a good means of regulating wine temperature and bottles can either be placed in an ice bucket to chill or removed to warm. Having a sense for what temperature wine is at to originate with will help you settle when it is at the optimum temperature for serving. A wine cellar generally keeps wine at a constant 55° F. Refrigerated wine temperatures will be between 35 – 40° F and the temperature of an ice bucket filled with ice and water will be near 32° F.

Sources:

"Oregon Wine and Cheese Pairing". Oregon Wines.com. July 22, 2009.

"Wine Basics". Wine.com. July 22, 2009.

"Wine Temperature Chart". Wine Intro.com. July 22, 2009.

• Trying new grape varietals
• Learning new wine/food pairings
• choosing best values

A glass of wine (like the turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, pumpkin pie, football and family) is essential to a perfect Thanksgiving Dinner. The kids have their soda / fruit juice, but it's only right for adults to enjoy that tasty meal with a nice glass of wine. However a horrible glass of cheap wine could just as easily ruin the dinner as would dropping the turkey.

So it's very important to select a nice bottle of wine, but one doesn't need to spend a lot of money on a good bottle of wine. An acceptable brand of wine could go for around $7 – $20 a bottle at either Whole Foods, BevMo!, or a supermarket.

A suitable bottle of Francis Coppola Diamond Claret could go for $20 – $25 (tax not included) at most stores and it's always an excellent wine. This elegant wine offers both a euphoric taste along with an intoxicating odor that is just addicting at the dinner table. It also makes a mountainous gift for any one visiting relatives on Thanksgiving.

Francis Coppola actually offers a verity of good quality wine at local stores. They offer a good selection of both red and white wine. It makes a perfect gift for family and friends who are also fans of The Godfather.

Another sterling selection one could chose is a bottle of 377 Wine Cellars Cabernet that goes for $10 – $15 (tax not included). This 2007 vintage from California has an excellent taste and a pleasurable odor. Its perfect for the dinner table too as the bottle just looks hypnotic.

Also one could never go wrong with a gracious bottle of any Shiraz Wine that has a price of $13 – $22 (tax not included). Shiraz Wine is very popular among many consumers (even non-wine drinkers) and it has a taste that many are familiar with.

But not every one will enjoy a glass of red wine, so it helps to buy maybe one or two bottles of white wine. 3 Blind Moose Chardonnay or 75 Wine Company Sauvignon Blanc '07. They may not have the same flavor as red wine but they are still very enjoyable at the dinner table.

Finally one could be prepared for the holidays. Try buying a verity (like 5 bottles) of $10 – $15 wine and save it for a year. That wine would have aged and both the flavor would have improved and the price would have risen. It makes a great gift and it's perfect for the dinner table.

Going for a superb bottle of wine is just as important as the turkey dinner, so it really helps to come by a good bottle. It's also important to find a bottle without having to consume so much money and not enjoy the wine.