Wednesday, December 9, 2015

4 Wines That Everyone Needs To Try Before They Die

It is not the things you do that you regret; rather, the things you don’t.



All good things must come to an end – including the amazing experience we call life. But have you lived it to the fullest? Traveled to all the places you’ve wanted to? Sipped every premium wine you’ve ever wanted to? No?

It’s time to look back and review all your alcohol-related priorities. In fact, you should make a list of all the wines that you want to drink. To make things easy for you, we’re highlighting the top four wines that you need to try before you die:

1. Classic Napa Cabernet


There was a time when the United States suffered under the harsh prohibition of wine making. Even after revoking this prohibition, the wine industry in the country was slow in recovery, making low quality and cheap wine in large bulks. However, not giving up on this amazing beverage, the Napa Cabernet was included in a blind wine tasting in Paris amongst all the good French wines. That was one of the moments where the Classic Napa Cabernet was credited as one of more ‘worthy’ wines.
The grapes that are used are Cabernet Sauvignon. And over the years, this wine has stood the test of time.

2. Vintage Champagne


There’s something about champagne that can turn an ordinary event to one amazing experience. Served for big occasions, the champagne is synonymous with celebration, joy, and a sense of luxury. And that’s just traditional champagne. Then comes vintage champagne: a more luxurious and extreme form that is the sheer representation of lavishness and magnificence. The kind of vintage champagne that you choose may range from bubbly to sensual creaminess – which is why it is something you need to try.

3. Chianti Classico Red Wine


The word Chianti Classico itself represents wine from the oldest and most renowned wine growing places in Tuscany – Chianti. This small region is known to produce some of the best and most elite wines not only in the region, but in the world all over.

Chianti Classico is a DOCG wine. This means it meets the highest and strictest standards of wine making. It must contain at least 80% Sangiovese, with a mixture of other grapes in the region. The more Sangiovese grapes in the wine, the better its taste and quality. Some of the most premium wine makers in Chianti, such as Montemaggio, offer Chianti Classico with up to 97% Sangiovese grapes concentration and 3% Merlot. See why this made our list?

4. Chianti Classico Riserva


Having the name Riserva on the bottle means that the grapes were selected from vineyards that are suitable for long maturing. Only the best Sangiovese grapes are used for the creation of this wine. The Chianti Classico Riserva that is created by Montemaggio is known for its intense ruby color, spicy aroma, and rich floral notes. The wine is balanced with a pleasant tannic taste, making it ideal for red meats and most strong cheese.

The wine undergoes the fermentation process for about 24-30 months in big oak barrels and then is aged for some time in bottles.

That’s it for our top 4 wines! Indulge in a true wine tasting experience of some of the finest wines in the world. Fan of the infamous Chianti region wines? Here’s your chance at ordering best wine online. Montemaggio Estate offers a wide selection of Italian wine online.

They also offer wine tastings, cooking classes by two experienced chefs, in addition to light lunches. Begin your trip in Tuscany now!

Going on a Wine Tasting Tour?

Experts at Montemaggio have a few tips for you! Montemaggio offers you great Italian Wines and unforgettable wine tasting tours.


Saturday, November 21, 2015

5 Most Popular types of Tuscan Wine

Tuscan wines are one of the most popular drinks in the world. They are mainly produced from black or red grapes. The most popular types of Tuscan wines include.


Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Wine & Cheese Pairing: Match Made In Heaven

The pairing of wine and cheese is an old practice. The complicated culinary choice is somewhat an art that dates back to the days of British wine merchants and European wine makers that takes root in historical traditions and adages. One of the most repeated adages remain, “buy on an apple and sell on cheese.” Translation: if a wine works well with the sugary and acidic taste of apple, then it will blend well with cheese. Yet, the true art of pairing has only grown in sophistication over the years. Allow us to guide you through the enigmatic wine and cheese pairing:

Know Your Cheese


If you know your wines well, the next step is to understand a bit more about the cheese. This is will help you with the pairing. Generally, we can place them into four categories:

·        Bloomy Cheese


Cheese that is creamy with a soft rind is bloomy cheese. Some examples might be brie, robiola and taleggio.

·        Blue Cheese


This is a stronger and richer form of cheese with a pungent taste. Cambozola, blue, stilton and gorgonzola are amongst them.

·        Hard Cheese


This type of cheese can typically be aged. They are sharp and salty and include Gouda, parmesan, gruyere and fontina.

·        Fresh Cheese


Fresh cheese is generally softer and can be used as a spread as well. They are not aged, and include Goat, feta, burrata, mozzarella and ricotta.

How To Pair Cheese & Wine


1.     Go For A Regional Match


Let’s consider the fact that you know your wines, and you know which region they originate from. Pairing wines with the cheese from the same region is perhaps one of the safest and sure-shot methods of pairing. You can’t go wrong. For instance, French cheese with French wine; Italian cheese with Italian wines; if you have some of the best Chianti wines, make sure to choose parmesan; and so on.

2.     Consider Contrasting


Another way to go about your pairing is to contrast the wine and cheese. For instance, harder cheese with lighter wines; a heavy and rich body wine with really light cheese; something sweet with something salty; then some parallel flavor: nutty with sweet nutty. A study shows that some of the best pairings are those where the wine and cheese fall in opposite points in the spectrum of taste. This means that you need to understand the profile of your wine and then match it with a contrasting flavor profile of the cheese. Seems like a lot of trial and error here. Let’s see if we can make it simpler.

Cheater Chart – Cheese That Will Pair With Just About Every Wine


1.     Compte Extra


This cheese falls in between the continuum of hard and soft, with a semi-firm body. The French cheese is made from cow’s milk giving out a strong flavor with a very slight sweet texture. If you’re looking for the safest bet, then this cheese is your choice. However, it should be mentioned that they taste particularly better with lighter red wines and creamy white ones.

2.     Abbay de Belloc


This exclusively manufactured cheese is made from sheep’s milk by Benedictine Monks at the abbey of Notre-Dame de Belloc. The dense textures of the wine is an combination of numerous complex flavor blends that work well just about all white wines and lighter to medium-body reds.

3.     Colombier


Here’s your choice in cheese for those full body and rich Chianti wines! Made from goat’s milk, this cheese consists of rich ingredients that can withstand the robust textures of strong wines.

Are you interested in the best buy in Italian wines? Choose the Montemaggio Estate – known for its production of the best Tuscan wines, amidst all the wine loving regions of the world. Wine enthusiasts can relish in the rich aroma and fine taste of their hard work and efforts by visiting the estate. These Italian wines can also be purchased in the comforts of your home by ordering wine online.