How to start a Wine Collection

Establishing a wine collection can prove very rewarding. Wine is truly unique, with numerous styles and vintages available, making it a natural fit for collecting, as there’s always something new to acquire. In order to help you get started, Ideal Wine Company explains how to start a wine collection.

Learn the lingo

Wine-making is complex and over time, the industry has developed its own language. It is advisable to familiarise yourself with key wine-making terms, such as vintage, terroir and chateau, so you can read wine tasting notes accurately, allowing you to source quality bottles. Visit the Glossary Page on Ideal Wine Company’s official site to learn more about essential wine terminology.

Determine your tastes

There’s no substitute for experience. We would suggest that you taste any wine before you buy it, to determine whether it’s a quality product worthy of your collection. It is also key that you determine what kind of wine you like, before starting a collection, because ultimately, wine is your passion. Otherwise you may buy into wine trends and lose your passion for collecting your favourite tipple.

Read this article in full with Ideal Wine Company.

When Are Wine Grapes Harvested?

You might want to schedule your holidays to coincide with wine grape harvesting time. During this period, you get to learn more about the wine-production process, deepening your knowledge of fine wines. To help you plan your next holiday, Ideal Wine Company asks: when are wine grapes harvested?

Rich wine cultures

Wine has been made for thousands of years. Over time, a variety of distinct wine-making cultures developed across the planet, providing you with plenty of options for wine holidays. With so many destinations to choose from, which wine region should you visit on your next getaway?

Read the full article with Ideal Wine Company.

Know your brandy: Cognac Vs Armagnac

If you’re looking for a luxury brandy, you should look no further than Cognac or Armagnac. But which one? To help you select the right fine brandy, Ideal Wine Company takes the Cognac vs Armagnac question and explores the similarities and differences between these two popular, reputable products.

Exploring similarities

Cognac and Armagnac are French white wine brandies, which are both made from famously undrinkable wine and distilled. Both Cognac and Armagnac have appellation d’origine contrôlée status. Therefore only drinks which are made via specific production processes can be called Cognacs or Armagnacs. This is where the similarities end.

Grapes and distillation

Vinepair notes that while both Cognac and Armagnac are made from “thin” wine, they use different grapes. Traditionally, Cognacs are solely produced from the Ugni Blanc grape. Armagnacs are made from a wider selection of grapes, specifically Baco Blanc, Colombard, Ugni Blanc and Folle Blanche. As you can see from the map (left) Cignac is near the West Coast of France, whereas the Armagnac region is South of Bordeaux.

You can read this article in full with the Ideal Wine Company.

Frosé cocktail trend boosts UK Rosé wine sales

The Frosé cocktail has become this summer’s biggest drinks trend. Rosé wine sales hit new heights throughout summer 2016, powered by the popularisation of these cocktails, new reports confirm.

Summer wine

Light and refreshing, Rosé is the wine of the summer. Boasting rich, fruity flavours, Rosé is perfect for a hot summer’s day while if you’re celebrating a special occasion, you can indulge in some summer luxury by splashing out on Rosé Champagne. Top Rosé Champagnes such as the Dom Perignon Rosé 1996, which you can buy from the Ideal Wine Company, can turn any summer party into a real occasion!

In summer 2016, New York-based bar Primi took Rosé to the next level by creating the Frosé. Arriving in London via the Beaufort House bar these concoctions, which often include pureed strawberries and vermouth, have become really popular. The rise of these cocktails is partially responsible for August’s strong UK wine sales, as Brits whipped up Frosés to deal with summer 2016’s record heat.

You can read this article in full with the Ideal Wine Company.

What’s The Difference Between Sparkling Wine And Champagne?

Is Champagne a sparkling wine? What’s the difference between the two? Ideal Wine Company investigates.

Types of sparkling wine

The term ‘sparkling wine’ refers to all products which are made via secondary fermentation – the process by which wines are carbonised. But wine-makers worldwide have developed various methods for producing sparkling wine, with some regions becoming famous for these signature products.

Gradually, bodies in various sparkling wine regions established rules to govern how their signature products can be made. Therefore, Champagne is a type of sparkling wine, which is made via specific rules. Other popular types of sparkling wine include Prosecco, Cava and Cremant. Below we explain the key characteristics which define these types of sparkling wine.

Champagne

Produced in the French region of the same name, Champagne is perhaps the most famous of all sparkling wines. Champagnes can only be made from three different types of grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir. Furthermore, these sparkling wines get their bubbles via the traditional secondary fermentation process, where the carbonisation takes place inside the bottle.

You can read this article in full with Ideal Wine Company.

UK Wine Sales Reach New Heights in August

August was a ridiculously hot month, with the UK experiencing several heatwaves. Combined with the Rio 2016 Olympics between 5th to 21st August, these blistering temperatures sparked a serious rise in British wine sales, according to new figures.

Celebrating victories

Industry publication Decanter writes that this data was released by Nielsen, an information measurement firm, along with several wine retailers. Apparently, people around the country decided to break out sparkling wine to celebrate Team GB’s record success in Rio, imbibing luxurious products such as Champagne while enjoying the fabulous summer sun, which is rare for the UK.

Embracing sparkling wines

Increasingly, UK wine lovers are coming to embrace sparkling wines such as Champagne, Prosecco, Cava and Cremant. A report compiled by UHY Hacker Young, an accountancy group shows that throughout the past five years, British consumption of sparkling wine increased by a staggering 80%.

You can read the article in full with Ideal Wine Company.

Caring For Your Teeth As A Wine Lover

Red wine is perfect for winding down in the evening after a stressful day, or cracking open a bottle to share with friends or family.

But it also has a tendency to stain your teeth, as well as the carpet. Removing red wine stains, especially from your teeth, can be an absolute nightmare. To help you protect your oral health, Ideal Wine Company explains how to care for your teeth as a wine lover.

Eroding tooth enamel

A University of Adelaide study indicates that 10 one-minute episodes of wine tasting can erode tooth enamel.

Dr Sarbin Ranjitkar, who worked on the study, said: “With professional wine tasters and winemakers tasting anywhere from 20 to 150 wines per day, and wine judges tasting up to 200 wines per day during wine shows, this represents a significant risk to their oral health.”

Read the article in full with Ideal Wine Company. 

What dictates the price of a Champagne?

Champagne is typically on the higher end of the alcohol pricing structure. But there are various factors which determine Champagne prices. Ideal Wine Company looks into the prices of Champagne.

Production method

One of the major differences between Champagne and Prosecco is the production method behind each drink. Both products are made via secondary fermentation, but Champagne utilises a more traditional method. This yields complex, high quality products which command high prices on the market, meaning that Champagnes are often more expensive than Prosecco.

Read the article in full with Ideal Wine Company.