Top Wine Consuming Nations

This Top wine Consuming Nations post appeared as Wine Lovers Continue to Toast World-wide post in Remedy Liquor. Foodies across the globe would any day love to taste something fresh and invigorating but their love for wine has not deteriorated even after so many years. Not that the recent wine consumption figures have picked up considerably but it certainly provides enough encouragement for wine entities to stay in the business. While in 2012, the consumption was 244 million hectoliters collectively, the figures have remained nearly steady all these years. Apparently, quite a few European nations, which are known as the major producers of wine, have cut down on the harvest lately. To be in sync with wine demand, only makes sense and at the same time, It also brings down the immobile stock and assures fresh inventory though an old bottle of wine is enjoyed the most. Let’s take a look at the recent wine consumption figures by...

Sparkling Wine at Gloria Ferrer

I’m going to the Wine Bloggers Conference this August in Lodi, California and, as a citizen blogger, I have to write 3 pieces for the Conference. So, I looked at the WBC site for inspiration to write something that fits the principles of my blog: keep wine simple. I can’t describe how happy I was when I discover that one of the Conference’s sponsors is Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards. Gloria Ferrrer produces not only still wines but also sparkling wines… And this is why I want to talk about them. First, because it provides me a topic that fits well with the wine beginners: the sparkling wine. And second, because Gloria Ferrer winery has its origin in my birth place: Barcelona, or, as I refer to it when I’m attacked by homesickness, the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The Ferrer winery is the first sparkling wine house in Carneros, where they found the maritime influences and the rolling hills perfect for the traditional method used to produce sparkling wine. New World wine with traditional Old World methods.                           So, let’s talk about why every wine beginner should begin by drinking sparkling wine. Sparkling wine can be easy to drink, crispy and refreshing and also a deep, silky, savory and luxuriant vice. The traditional method to produce this sublime wine provides a wide range of flavors, aromas and mouth sensations that will let you increase your knowledge and perception of wine. Because of its refreshing first impression and the sweet to bone-dry range, sparkling wine can appeal to every palate. Many regions produce...

Living la vida LoCA: A little history about the Lodi Appellation

This is my first piece about the Wine Bloggers Conference 2016 in Lodi. I’ve thought sharing a little piece of history about the winemaking tradition in Lodi Appellation with you. All of it based on what you can find on the Lodi Wine Comission site. Early explorers found a region full of wildlife and lush vegetation. Grapes grew wild in the region, but it was circa 1850 when Cpt. Charles Weber decided to plant vines around his home. Only 2 years later, George West, who came to mine gold, purchased cuttings from Weber and established the first major vineyard in the region. While West was growing grapes, the farmers in the region were dedicated to grain and watermelons, but, by the 1880’s the market for grains and watermelons went flat. Farmers began to show interest in the vines, embracing  especially the Tokay variety, with a nice flame color very successful in the climate and soils of Lodi. Tokay was good for eating, to be fermented into wine, distilled into brandy, or fortified into port and sherry-styled wines. Prohibition in 1919 made growers to shift from making wine to shipping fresh grapes to the East, and since home winemaking was allowed, the demand for fresh grapes increased. By the end of Prohibition, Lodi wines were produced again: dessert-style wines like sherry, port and sparkling wines. During the 40’s and 50’s Lodi prospered with Tokay and Zinfandel. However, in the 60’s consumer tastes began to change to table wines so Lodi growers began focusing on producing quality varietal like Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel. This transition ended and the Lodi Appellation was approved in 1986. Lodi has over 80 wineries and approximately...

1 year of blogging

This is to celebrate my first year of blogging. I wouldsay it’s been hard, but honestly, I love it. It changed my life quite a bit. I quitted my previous job in a big corporation to work from home being my only boss. It changed from being a team leader to talk to my cat while planning my day. From 1 hour commute a day to walk from my bed to the living room for working, from online grocery shopping to have time to cook every day. It changed from having a regular income to think every month how much I can rise. Summary of the year:  Positive: the appearance of my site and also from the position I’m trying to get to bring you easy pills of info to better understand the world of wine. I’m glad to assist this year to meet other wine bloggers to de Lodi Wine Bloggers Conference. I hope to learn a lot. Negative: I have to improve my routine study and production.This is my goal for this second year of blogging: be more regular in my production, earn some money. Create a consistent routine. I have to thank a lot too: to my husband Mike who patiently listens my complains and has always a correct word to say to encourage me, who stands my video recording for hours, who plays the aroma game to help me, who works harder to support me. To my mother-in-law Jane who reads everything I write and corrcts it for you easy understand, this is a job that takes big time. To my friends in Barcelona and Chicago who consistently...

Wine Meridian Interview

Thanks to Wine Meridian and Alessia Venturi for this post. I’m very glad! 🙂 You can download the original post written in italian here or read it now: My Experience as a Wine Blogger for “wine apprentices” Interview with Silvia Vins, wine blogger by profession, specializing in “wine beginners” You have to work hard and invest in training yourself to turn a passion into a profession. This is a true of many professions, but especially in the world of wine. One who has chosen to take this path is the Spanish born, Silvia Ortega Franco, aka Silvia Vins (“Vins” means “wine” in Catalan).  She is the creator of the blog, in English, silviavins.com. In her blog, she specializes in “wine beginners”, and aims to reach out to people who want to learn about the world of wine through an introductory point of view, starting from the fundamentals. As the Catalan wine blogger continues her training and blogs about what she has learned, she forms her reader base. From Spain, she moved to the United States, and there she began her professional wine blogging… How did the professional venture into the world of wine? My passion for wine, which was so much a part of my family and culture since my childhood, sparked a professional interest during a trip to the US. It was there that I  realized that the American wine market is very different from the European Old Wine world. Before opening my blog, I started oenology studies as a hobby, and then continued my training about wine in greater depth. How did your blog evolve? What is the main activity? At first, the...