Tuesday 24 July 2012

Red or White wine?

Some studies have found no discernible difference between the health benefits of drinking white wine versus red. Besides the chemicals that are unique to wine, alcohol itself can be a powerful and beneficial compound (in moderation, of course); it increases the absorption of other antioxidants, boosts the level of good (LDL) cholesterol, thins the blood to prevent heart clots, and promotes relaxation, which can help avert stress-induced illnesses. Since white and red wines contain similar levels of alcohol, in this respect, they have the same positive effects on the body.
Resveratrol is produced on grape skins to protect against fungal infection, so the way the grape is grown is more indicative of its body-boosting power than the color of the wine is. The amount of antioxidants found in wine varies depending on the grape varietal, the growing region, the climate of the area, the composition of the soil, how the wine was filtered and processed, and whether or not it was stored in oak. A red wine produced by a region hostile to resveratrol production can be less potent than a white wine produced from grapes grown in more favorable regions. The Grenache grape is known for producing some of the greatest amounts of resveratrol of any varietal.
While most studies look at the composition of red wine versus white wine, some researchers have focused on studying the drinkers themselves. Although we tend to think that red wine is what protects the body, it may actually be that red-wine drinkers are already healthier and therefore less likely to develop those chronic diseases in the first place. Studies show that regular drinkers of red wine are less likely to smoke than white-wine drinkers, and more likely to eat a Mediterranean-style diet low in saturated fats.

Monday 16 July 2012

Words to describe a wine

Acidic is a wine with too much acid. Wines contain acids, which vary in concentration.
Ageworthy is a term applied to wines which will benefit from further maturation in the bottle. Typical examples are either young reds with powerful tannins or very sweet young whites. Acidity can also be a factor.
Aggresive would be a wine acidic enough to make your gums tingle or with tannins in excess, so much that it would make the back of your throat feel dry.
Ample would describe a wine that feels full and generous in your mouth.
Aromatic will be applied to a wine with plenty more of perfumed, fruity scents -which normally you can appreciate before actually tasting the wine- than average. Grape varieties source of aromatic wines include Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and the sweet Muscat.
Astringent refers to the rough, rasping feel some wines have, usually caused by tannins, acid or both. The sensation of a dry mouth is strong - tannins produce this, a strong black tea would leave a similar sensation. High tannin content produces dry, puckering effect.
Balanced - same as rounded - said of a wine it means all its elements are in perfect harmony and none stands out. Which elements? We are talking of the relative degree of acidity, alcohol, fruity quality, tannins, sugar, extract, and other characterisics.
Bitter means harsh, unpleasant taste –perceived at the back of the tongue- typically caused by an excess of tannins in the wine. Not a trait to covet, with the exception of some red Italian wines, where some bitterness is a highly sought-after characteristic.
Body refers, talking about wine, to the feeling in the mouth, this weighty feeling is influenced by the alcohol and extracts contained in the wine. Wines are considered light, medium, or full-bodied.
A wine has bouquet if it is complex of aromas, usually from aging.
Buttery is a smell and taste that comes often to wines matured in oak barrels.
Bright could be applied to a wine with vivid color or intense aromas and flavors.
When a wine is described as cedary it has flavors or aromas that remind of the smell of cedar wood.
Character in a wine, as it would be in people, means personality, substance and integrity.
When a wine has strong flavor and plenty of tannin, but not that much that can be named as aggresive, you can call it chewy.
Clean is said of a wine with no faults regarding aroma or flavor.
Complex is a wine with many kinds of aromas and flavors –think of several fruity flavors, and hints of other traits such as vanilla or other spices- and many layers of flavor, as soon as you decipher one flavor, you discover a new sensation. Good wines are usually complex; great wines even more so. Complexity develops typically through aging, this maturing process lets more flavors to come out.
Concentrated implies an intense taste and powerful feeling. That would be a wine with plenty of tannin, sugar, flavor and color.
Corked is spoiled wine, smelling of cork, usually from cracked or seeping cork allowing introduction of air or fungi.
Deep indicates a serious wine in which flavor seems to develope in many levels - doesn't this remind of complexity? - and where different hints of flavor, or aroma, surface at various stages of the tasting. Deep usually goes hand in hand with complex, subtle and rich.
Dry, definitely not sweet, not at all. The wine does not have sugar or any sweetness that can be appreciated. Some dry wines with very ripe, fruity flavors or new oak flavors occasionally look like sweet. Some red wines that have spent too long in barrel or bottle, therefore losing their fruity flavor, are "dried-out." Driest of Champagnes: brut.

Monday 9 July 2012

Ribeira do Corso DOC 2010

 


Ribeira do Corso DOC 2010 red wine
won a Medal of Merit in the National Contest  of 2012

Thursday 5 July 2012

Awards of 2012:

On 25th of June 2012, was held in the Vinhais III Contest Bottled Wines of Trás-os-Montes organized by the Wine Commission Regional Trás-os-Montes. 26 producers were participated in this Contest with 71 DOC wines "Trás-os-Montes" and IG "Transmontano".

Lhéngua Mirandesa IG 2011 white wine produced by Cooperativa Agricola Ribadouro won a Medal of Merit.

Ribeira do Corso DOC 2009  white wine produced by Cooperativa Agricola Ribadouro won a Medal of Merit.



Ribeira do Corso DOC 2010  red wine won a Medal of Merit in the National Contest of 2012

Medal of Merit of the National Contest






Awards of 2011:


Ribeira do Corso DOC 2009 white wine won a Silver Medal in International Arribes Contest
Ribeira do CorsoRESERVA 2006 red wine won a Medal of Merit in National Contest

Silver medal of Arribes International Contest

Medal of Merit of the National Contest

Awards of 2010:

Ribeira do Corso DOC 2004 red wine won a Silver Medal in National Contest
Ribeira do Corso DOC 2004 white wine won a Gold Medal in Regional Trás-os-Montes Contest
Lhéngua Mirandesa IGP 2008 white wine won a Silver Medal in Regional Trás-os-Montes Contest
Silver medal of National Contest

Gold Medal of Trás-os-Montes Regional Contest


Silver medal of Trás-os-Montes regional Contest

Awards of 2008:

Ribeira do Corso DOC 2004 white wine won a Bronze Medal in Trás-os-Montes Regional Contest

Ribeira do Corso RESERVA 2007 white wine won Bronze Medal in Trás-os-Montes Regional Contest
 

Ribeira do Corso DOC 2004 red wine won a Silver Medal in Trás-os-Montes Regional Contest
 

Ribeira do Corso RESERVA 2006 red wine won a Silver Medal in Trás-os-Montes Regional Contest

Lhéngua Mirandesa IGP 2003 red wine won a Silver Medal in Trás-os-Montes Regional Contest



Silver Medal of Trás-os-Montes Regional Contest