It is because of the 1849 Gold Rush that Zinfandel became the popular wine that we know it is today. Before the Gold Rush the most popular grape in California was mission, a hardy but not very flavourful grape planted by the Spanish missionaries. When the miners because to arrive in droves, Zinfandel replaced the wine of choice because it had a much richer texture and flavour and was much easier to cultivate. After the Gold was over and all of the miners had left, the grape continued to be grown because it was so simple to grow given the limited supplies. Without the need for any sort of supporting framework, the grapes were planted and grown in a small shrub fashion. Today, you can still see some of these bushes around, they are about 3 feet tall bushy vines that look as if they were just stuck in the ground.

Well, tomorrow is Thanksgiving, the day to sit with family and friends and give thanks for all that we have in our lives. You have everything ready to go, the turkey is waiting to be roasted, the potatoes are mashed and the cranberry sauce is wobbling in its serving dish. Everything is all set, except for the wine.

The perfect wine to serve with Thanksgiving turkey in my opinion is pinot noir. Because a large turkey dinner is always accompanied by a myriad of flavours, the wine that you drink with this meal needs to be versatile and flexible, such as pinot noir. Being a red wine means it has an earthy and savoury flavour complimenting of autumn dishes. The acidity, however, in a pinot noir allows it to work with so many different flavours and a current vintage with its young fruit flavours is better than an older vintage.

Happy Thanksgiving!

According to my wine calendar, even though gelatine molds are a little bit on the retro side, taking this festive classic and giving it a modern twist is not only easy but quite delicious. How do you take a classic dessert like this and make it more modern? Easy, with a touch of Riesling.

Sprinkle two packets of unflavoured gelatine in half a cup of Riesling and let stand for about 5 minutes. While this is standing, combine one cup of Riesling in a saucepan with 1 1/2 cups of sparkling white grape juice and 1/4 cup of sugar. Bring this mixture to a boil, remove it from the heat and slowly add the gelatine mixture and stir until it is completely dissolved.

Place the pan containing the mixture in a large bowl filled with ice and let it stand for around 20 minutes or until it is almost set. Whisk this mixture gently to form small bubbles and then carefully fold in about half a cup each of fresh raspberries, melon cubes, seedless white grapes and slices of tangerine. Once this has been combined, spoon mixture into a slightly greased decorative mold, cover and chill for another 4 hours in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, dip the mold into a bowl of warm water for a few seconds, place a plate on top of the mold upside down and invert the mold onto the plate.

Slice, serve and enjoy

We at Finest Wine Racks are very excited to announce that we have officially launched the first search assistant tool to be implemented on a wine rack website. This search assistant tool is a very easy to use program which allows you to look for specific characteristics in a wine rack and then it brings back those wine racks only which fit your selections. We have implemented this new tool to make it easier for you our customers to find what exactly you are looking for. Be sure to check it out and give it a try! Hopefully you will find our ground breaking new wine rack search assistant tool as useful as we have!

One of my favourite wine racks we currently carry is the Mission Style Wine Cart. More than just a wine rack, this steel constructed wine cart has a glass top and is on 4 wheels so it can be moved around with the party. The glass top is perfect to use as a bar and because it is on wheels, taking it out by the pool on a hot summer day isn’t a problem.

It’s a durable and beautiful piece that is sure to get lots of use and be a conversation piece. I love the face that it is a portable bar, with space to hold your wine, glasses and accessories on the glass you never have to worry about not being able to have a glass of wine regardless of where the party goes!

Sometimes decanting an older wine off its sediment can be difficult. Especially when the color of the wine makes it hard to actually see the sediment and a flashlight or a candle are not helpful. The best way to know when you stop pouring in situations like this is when you see what sommeliers call the smoke. The smoke is a wispy trail on the surface of the wine, and when you see this is it important to stop pouring. The inch or so that remains of the wine will contain the all of the sediment.

One of the more delicious Rhone-style blends from California, Joseph Phelps Vineyard’s Le Mistral erupts with cherry and blackberry flavours while the aromas are both peppery and spicy which Rhone-style wines are known for. A perfect pairing for this robust and sturdy red is a savoury and yet basic meal such as roast chicken. This wine is priced at around $25.

A unique and beautiful piece, our Red Oak Bar is a perfect wine rack for those looking to have a versatile wine storage system which also is aesthetically pleasing. Measuring only 39 1/4″ (H) x 38 1/2″ (W) x13 1/2″ (D) this bar holds both wine and wine glasses making it perfect for those who don’t have a lot of space but want to have a wine bar in their house. When guests are over, the flat top can be used as a serving platform or bar for people to drink around. And because it is sent flat packed with some minor assembly required it is less expensive than other similar wine bar systems. It’s perfect if you are looking for a stylish wine bar storage system!