Wine and Health

Moderate wine consumption and potential health benefits - fact or fantasy? There is a growing body of scientific research that indicates the polyphenols found in red wines may offer significant antioxidant protection. This translates to chemicals found in red wines, have the potential to overcome free radicals that are bound and determined to cause cellular damage, which is a root cause of various forms of cancer and heart disease.

Classic sangria

Sangria recipes are the inspiration for many red wine punch styles. Sangria as a named drink was created in Spain and made popular in the US at the 1964 World's Fair. It normally has red wine, brandy, and fruit. However, it can be made in just about any style you can imagine.

Ingredients:

• 1 orange, sliced
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 apple, sliced
• 2 tablespoonsbrown sugar
• 1 bottle (0,75 L) Pauliteiros or Mirandum red table wine
• 1/4 cup orange liqueur

Wash and slice fruits. Add sugar and orange liqueur and fruits to a pither or punch bowl. Put in Pauliteiros or Mirandum red wine. Stir to mix in fruit. Chill overnight or for at least three hours before serving. When ready to serve add in seltzer water to give the sangria some fizz. Serve with ice cubes if you want.

Enjoy!

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Wine tasting

There are main steps to taste your wine:

Look: Check out the color and clarity. Move the wine around in your glass by tilting it from side to side. Hold it up to the light or in front of a white background. In your red wines notice the variety and intensity of colors presented. Your red wines should not be at all brown or flat looking. In your white wines notice the shades of gold and yellow presented. You may even see a hint of green. 
Smell: Swirl the glass for 10 to 12 seconds then smell the wine, do this a few times to get a sense of the overall impression. If it is a white wine, do you smell apples, pears, peaches, apricots, lime, lemon, grapefruit (these are some of the fruit characteristics of white wines). If it is a red wine, do you smell cherry, black cherry, plum, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry (these are some of the fruit characteristics of red wine).

Taste: Sip a small amount of your wine, but do not swallow it yet. Let it roll around inside your mouth for a few moments so you can detect its flavors. Experienced wine tasters will introduce air into their mouths to bring out still more aromas and flavors. You can do this by tipping your head slightly forward and down, pursing your lips as if to whistle, then breathing in through your mouth while breathing out through your nose. When tasting your wine you are looking for a balance between acid, alcohol and tannin. You want these elements to be in harmony, without one taste overpowering another.

This is a quick and simple wine tasting guide. As you taste more wines, you will discover more of the characteristics of certain types of wine.

Wine cellar

Wine cellars, in their truest form, are underground. The first wine cellars were caves, and those subterranean conditions are the ones we attempt to emulate when we build a wine cellar or wine room for our homes. Most people are aware that their wine cellar needs to be kept cool, but many overlook the importance of humidity. The ideal humidity level for a wine cellar is 50%-70% relative humidity.

A wine cellar is a storage room for wine in bottles or barrels, or more rarely in carboys, amphorae or plastic containers. In an active wine cellar, important factors such as temperature and humidity are maintained by a climate control system. In contrast, passive wine cellars are not climate-controlled, and are usually built underground to reduce temperature swings. An aboveground wine cellar is often called a wine room, while a small wine cellar (less than 500 bottles) is sometimes termed a wine closet.

Store your table wines horizontally. On it’s side so the wine is in contact with the cork. This will keep the cork wet. If the cork dries out it will shrink and let air get to your wine. Air is the greatest enemy to a good wine and will turn it into vinegar. Store it with the label up.

The magic temperature to store wines is between 12-16 ºC. The most important rule when storing wine is to avoid large temperature changes or fluctuations. You’ll notice damage of this nature straight away from the sticky deposit that often forms around the capsule.  At 12-16 ºC the wine will age properly enabling it to fully develop. Higher temperatures will age wine more rapidly and cooler temperatures will slow down the ageing process.

Store your wines in a dark place. Light will prematurely age a bottle of wine. Clear bottles are most susceptible to this problem, but ultraviolet (UV) light will penetrate even dark coloured glass. Ultraviolet light will damage wine by causing the degradation of the otherwise stable organic compounds. Especially the tannins found in wine. These organic compounds contribute to the aroma, flavour and structure of the wine. Without them your wine would be flat and thin.

Remember. A wine cellar is not a wine hospital. When your wine is ruined it’s too late. The best and the only cure is prevention.

Types of wine glasses

Choosing the right types of wine glasses is necessary in order to completely enjoy a certain type of wine.

White Wine

It is not uncommon to find that white wine glasses have a longer stem and smaller base then their red counterparts.

Red Wine

Red wine glasses have a much larger bowl and tend to be wider than white wine glasses. This is because of the serving size and the strong aromas and flavors associated with red wines, more space for the wine to breathe results in a wider bouquet and a more pleasurable experience.

Champagne/Sparkling Wines

Champagne and sparkling wine are served in glasses caalles flutes. The flute is a tall, slender glass designed to concentrate the bubbles of a liquid on the tip of the tongue. The shape conveys the rich scent of Champagne immediately upon sipping.

                                                         
                                                              

Dessert Wines

A dessert wine glass should be smaller to direct the wine to the back of the mouth so the sweetness doesn't overwhelm. Dessert wines generally have a higher alcohol content, making the small glass perfect for a smaller serving.

Temperature of glasses

Wine glasses should be served at roughly the same temperature that the wine itself will have. For white wines, the glass temperature should be between 8 – 10 ºC, light red wines around 14 ºC, and full bodied reds between 16 – 17 ºC. Try to avoid putting the glass in direct sunlight, as this will quickly alter the temperature.

Wine definitions

Acidic/Acidity

One of the tastes of wine. All wines naturally contain acid, but it should always be in harmony with the fruit and other flavors. The presence of acid is necessary for wines to age and gives it a lively, crisp quality. Acid is tasted on the sides of the tongue and mouth.

Aroma

The smell of wine. There are an unlimited number of aromas in wine, and just as many descriptive adjectives for those aromas. True wine appreciation will allow you to decipher and describe those aromas for yourself.

Astringent/Astringency

A mouth puckering sensation caused by the acid and tannin in a wine. Astringency often declines as a wine ages.

Trás-os-Montes region

Trás-os-Montes (“behind the mountains”) located in the north east of Portugal, north of the Douro region, one finds the wine region of Trás-os-Montes, which is divided into four sub-regions: Chaves, Valpaços, Varosa and Planalto Mirandês.  It is an area of mountains and granite soils. The climate is dry and very hot in summer, but temperatures go below 0ºC in winter. The region produces the whole range of wines from somewhat stringent and very alcoholic red to light sparkling or semi-sweet floral whites.

A large number of grape varieties are grown in the Trás-os-Montes region, most of them local Portuguese grapes. Vineyards of mixed plantation were the norm, and most of the time, the vineyard owners didn't know which grape varieties they were growing. A pioneering effort were made in the 1970s which identified  Côdega do Larinho, Fernão Pires, Gouveio, Malvasia Fina, Rabigato, Síria e Viosinho, Bastardo, Marufo, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional e Trincadeira.

The economy of the wider Trás-os-Montes area has long been highly dependent on agriculture, in which viticulture has played a key role. As the population density is low, the space available for vineyard plantings is correspondingly high, making this Portugal's most densely planted wine region.


 

PHOTOS

RIBADOURO presents wines in Brasil (Rio de Janeiro and San Paulo)

AWARDS

The company Cooperativa Agricola Ribadouro has many awarded wines. In last five years our wine received medals in International, National and Regional Contests.

RIBEIRA DO CORSO DOC WINE

These wines are made from the highest quality and selected grapes. Ribeira do Corso DOC offers full bodied white and red wines. In last four years these wines recieved 10 medals in the International, National and Regional Contests.

Ribeira do Corso 2004 DOC, Limited edition



Ribeira do Corso 2004 DOC, red wine 0.75 L

Limited edition



TAKE AN OPPORTUNITE TO BUY ONE OF THE LASTS 100 BOTTLES OF RIBEIRA DO CORSO 2004 DOC RED WINE IN WOODEN BOX

CLASS:
DOC red wine 2004
REGION:

Trás-os-Montes

ALCOHOL CONTENT:
14,5 %
VOLUME:

0,75 L

TASTE:

Red ruby color, aromas of ripe fruit, jam and light chocolate in the mouth, presents strong, intense and fruity flavor
GRAPES SORT:

Wine made from grapes of old vineyards
VINIFICATION:

Fermentation with prior stalks in vats stainless steel at a temperature of 26 ° C and maceration prolonged
ANALYSIS:
Alcohol ....................... 14,50 %
Acidity ......................... 4,45 g/l
Sugar ............................4,00 g/l
Should be served at 18 º - 20 º C

Ribeira do Corso DOC 2004 red wine LIMITED EDITION awards:

 

In 2010 a Silver medal

in National Contest



 

In 2010 a Gold Medal

in Trás-os-Montes Regional Contest

In 2008 a Silver Medal
 in Trás-os-Montes Regional Contest

Ribeira do Corso 2006 RESERVA ''50 years''

Ribeira do Corso 2006 RESERVA
''50 years'' red wine, 0.75 L

CLASS:

DOC red wine 2006, RESERVA

REGION:

Trás-os-Montes

ALCOHOL CONTENT:

14 %

VOLUME:

0,75 L

TASTE:

Red ruby color, aromas of ripe fruit, jam and light chocolate in the mouth, presents strong, intense and fruity flavor

GRAPES SORT:

Wine made from grapes of old vineyards

VINIFICATION:

Fermentation with prior stalks in vats stainless steel at a temperature of 26 ° C and maceration prolonged

ANALYSIS:

Alcohol ....................... 13,95 %
Acidity ......................... 5,70 g/l
Sugar .............................3,88 g/l

Should be served at 18 º - 20 º C


Ribeira do Corso 2006 RESERVA red wine awards:



In 2011 - Silver medal

in Arribes International Contest



 








 

In 2011 - Medal of Merit

 in National Contest

 











In 2008 - Silver Medal
in Trás-os-Montes National Contest



Ribeira do Corso 2006 RESERVA red wine

Ribeira do Corso 2006 RESERVA,
red wine 0.75 L

CLASS:
DOC red wine 2006, RESERVA

REGION:
Trás-os-Montes

ALCOHOL CONTENT:
14 %
VOLUME:

0,75 L

TASTE:

Red ruby color, aromas of ripe fruit, jam and light chocolate in the mouth, presents strong, intense and fruity flavor
GRAPES SORT:

Wine made from grapes of old vineyards
VINIFICATION:

Fermentation with prior stalks in vats stainless steel at a temperature of 26 ° C and maceration prolonged
ANALYSIS:

Alcohol ....................... 13,95 %
Acidity ......................... 5,70 g/l
Sugar .............................3,88 g/l

Should be served at 18 º - 20 º C

 Ribeira do Corso RESERVA 2006 red wine awards:


In 2011 - Silver medal

in Arribes International Contest





 

In 2011 - Medal of Merit

 in National Contest




In 2008 - Silver Medal

in Trás-os-Montes National Contest

 


Ribeira do Corso DOC 2009 white wine

Ribeira do Corso DOC 2009,
white wine

CLASS:

DOC wine 2009

REGION:

Trás-os-Montes
ALCOHOL CONTENT:
13 %

VOLUME:

0,75 L

TASTE:

It is clear wine color with intense fruity citrus taste, full bodied with long aftertaste

GRAPES SORT:

Wine made from grapes of old vineyards

VINIFICATION:

Vinified using the most advanced technological processes, fermentation at low temperature (12 ºC) in stainless steel vats

ANALYSIS:

Alcohol ........................ 13,05 %
Acidity ......................... 5,13 g/l
Sugar ............................2,88 g/l
Should be served at 8 º - 10 º C

In 2011 Ribeiro do Corso DOC 2009
white wine recieved a Silver Medal in
Arribes International Contest 

Lhéngua Mirandesa rose wine

Lhéngua Mirandesa rose, 0.75 L

CLASS:

Regional wine I.G.P

REGION:

Trás-os-Montes

ALCOHOL CONTENT:

12,5 %

VOLUME:

0.75 L

TASTE:

It is a intense pink color of wine, smells fruits, holds a lovely acidity in the mouth, which gives freshness and persistenceGRAPES SORT:

Wine made from grapes of old vineyards

VINIFICATION:

Vinified using the most advanced technological processes, from fermentation at low temperature (12 º C) in stainless steel vats

ANALYSIS:

Alcohol ....................... 12,78 %
Acidity ......................... 5,71 g/l
Sugar ............................1,30 g/l       

Should be served at 8 º - 10 º C