NEON CACTUS WINES

If you want a wine to go with ham, consider Riesling, or a try a Gewurztraminer or a Pinot Grigio. If you’ll be enjoying roast beef, try Syrah, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon or a Bordeaux-style blend. Lamb will go with a Bordeaux blend, Merlot or a lighter red such as Pinot Noir ~ North American Pinots are also classic wines for salmon.

And turkey? Depending what you serve with it, turkey goes with all kinds of wines. Try an Ehrenfelser or a lightly oaked Chardonnay if you prefer white, or Pinot Noir if red’s your style. Or Syrah. Or a Spanish blend. You get the picture. The only rule is, drink what you like.

More detail about what to serve with a turkey dinner…

Are you wondering which wines to serve with your holiday meal?
At Neon Cactus Wines we’ll help you choose wines that go perfectly with whatever you’re serving ~ wines that you’ll love!

Here are some guidelines to ensure that your wines complement every aspect of your delicious dinner.

Rosé is red wine in a pink summer dress.

Learn the truth and experience excellence in a bottle and a great red wine.
Rosé wines are NOT too sweet. Rosé is NOT white zinfandel.

THE TRUTH
The only difference between red wine and rosé is that the grape skins are removed earlier in the winemaking process, before the wine develops deep colour and strong tannins.
Read on to find out more about Rosés!

DID YOU KNOW SYRAH AND SHIRAZ ARE THE SAME GRAPE?

Syrah (See-rah)
•  classic Rhone red grape allegedly brought from Shiraz, Persia to France by 14th-Century crusader Gaspard de Sterimberg
•  one of the grapes blended in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but used alone in Hermitage, Cote-Rotie and other Rhone reds
•  grown in the cooler climate of France, it makes tannic, ageworthy wines identified by a characteristic floral, black-pepper fragrance

Shiraz (Shee-rahz)
•  Australian synonym for Syrah, now also used in other countries
•  when grown in hot climates the grapes make for a spicy, fruity wine filled with flavours of cherry, raspberry, blackberry and chocolate

The oldest bottle of wine in the world was found in a vineyard at Germany in 1867. It dates from about 325 A.D. The bottle is on display at the  Historical Museum in Speyer, Germany.

The phrase, “Who invented wine?” may sound odd, since we are more likely to say, “Who discovered wine?” However, wine is produced by a chemical process, so it is correct to say that wine was invented.
Just as with grapes, most food could be fermented. The invention of wine may be due first to the discovery of other fermented sources such as rice or various fruits. Through experimenting on different food sources, wine was eventually produced.

No one can be sure who first hit upon wine, but an ancient Persian fable credits the invention to a princess who had lost favour with the King. She was so distraught that she attempted to end her life by eating some grapes that had spoiled. Instead of a successful suicide, however, she got giddy, intoxicated and then passed out. When she awoke, all the troubles of her life seemed to have disappeared. She continued to partake of spoilt grapes and her mood changed so much that she regained the favour of the King.

According to Greek mythology, wine was invented by Dionysus, the god of wine, intoxication, and fertility. It is said that he invented wine on Mount Nyssa and soon began to cultivate grapes around the world.
While the Persians, Greeks, and the rest of us, might not agree on who invented wine, there is no doubt we all are richer for the fact that it was invented by someone.

Here are some common grape varietals and descriptions of the wines they produce:

Sauvignon Blanc (Fume Blanc) ~ is a white wine best known for its grassy, herbal flavours. An excellent choice with fish and shellfish dishes.

Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio) ~ is a rich and lightly perfumed white wine with

The minimal wine glass is clear, has a stem, and holds at least four fluid ounces (120 ml). The usual all-purpose wine glass holds at least twice as much. In recent years, the sizes of wine glasses have increased ~ and so, perhaps, have the sizes of servings ~ but the extra capacity is better devoted to still air space that traps the wine’s bouquet. Except in the case of champagne, the amount of wine poured is half or less of the glass’s capacity.
Here are descriptions of the different wine glasses:

Who would that wine be if it were a person? Here are short personality sketches of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel.

Chardonnay is the world’s greatest star! Her fame has spread to every country, no matter what the culture. Her public persona

A single varietal wine is made from only one grape variety rather than a blend of different grapes, referred to as a blended wine or varietal blend.

Distinguishing characteristics in a wine derived from the grape variety are described as varietal character and include aroma, flavour, and texture or mouthfeel.

Properties of different grape varieties are unique and varied, but the structure of the grape has three major components: the flesh, the skin, and the seeds.

Flavours in wine are derived from the primary fruit character of the grape and the winemaker’s choice of technique.

The grape’s skin colour is what determines the ultimate colour of the wine; without the skin, all grape juice is a grey colour.

Wine varieties are ever-changing and evolving, with new varieties being constantly isolated and catalogued around the world.

The choice of grape variety is the most significant factor in determining the shape, flavour, and character of a wine.

The goal of making high-quality wine is to negotiate the relationship of all the characters ~ aroma, bouquet, flavour, acidity, sweetness, and tannin.

Wine and cheese just naturally go together. 

But do you serve the Asiago with the Pinot Noir? And what wine complements a nice creamy cheese like Havarti?

If you are wondering which wine with which cheese, check out this excellent website:

Cheese Cupid
(Turn on your speakers for music and commentary.)

Here is a wealth of information about matching food with wine from the Wine Lovers Page.

Search your dish and it will help you choose a wine to complement it:  
Food & Wine Matching Guide 

Mmmmmmatch!

Frank and Ernest might have the right idea.
Older wines, when exposed to air, may deteriorate quickly. So if you decide to decant, do so just before serving to ensure that the wine doesn’t lose its flavour by being exposed to the air for too long.
A primary reason for decanting a bottle of wine is to separate the wine from the sediment.
~ Kevin Zraly (paraphrased), Complete Wine Course: A Lively Guide

To help you describe the many and varied tastes and aromas in your glass of wine, here is a wine tasting wheel that provides you with names for the whole aroma/taste spectrum. (To see the full tasting wheel, click on the picture or the “Read More” link.)

The Pinot Noir Grape
a red wine grape that is the basis of the famous wines of Burgundy, France
because of its early ripening, the grape needs a cool growing climate
an extremely unstable grape which mutates and degenerates on the vine
examples of mutations are Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Meunier
thin skin makes the grape more prone to disease than other varieties
difficult to grow and convert into wine

Pinot Noir Wine
wine produced from the temperamental Pinot Noir grape can be
outstanding
a favourite wherever fine wine is consumed, it is typified by a dark ruby, garnet colour
renowned for silky texture, amazing earthy flavours and long, lingering red fruit aftertaste
aromas and flavours of black cherry, vanilla, spice, raspberry, plum, violets, blackberry, strawberry, red current, rose petals, cloves, black licorice, blueberry or nutmeg
A desirable Pinot Noir can be described as elegantly structured and supple, with good balance between tannins and acid.

Neon Cactus Wines carries many Pinot Noirs.
Insert Pinot Noir in the search engine at the top right of this winesite to find some of them. But remember: Of the abundance of wines available in the store, only some are represented on our winesite.

Cold tapas ready to serve. A plate of hot tapas will follow!

Sale May 16 to May 22, 2012