It seems that every year there are more and more people that I know making homemade wine.  This author is not complaining as I love wine and so far I have enjoyed the homemade wine I have tasted.  It is a rebirth of an old tradition.  Homemade wine has been around since, well since the beginning of wine! (See what I did there).  However, there are things you can get in homemade wine that you don’t seem to be able to get elsewhere.

Specifically, wine made from fruit other than grapes.  You are able to find your occasional Apple Wine or Cherry Wine, depending on the area you are at.  Michigan is know for its Cherry and Apple Wines and Georgia is probably known for its Peach wine.  The point here being that if you know someone making homemade wine they have probably made all sorts like blueberry, raspberry, strawberry rhubarb and apple pie.  Yep apple pie, tastes just like grandma made it!  I have a few sitting in my wine rack and one open on my portable bar  right now!

The interesting thing about those who are producing wine at home is that they usually beg, borrow and steal their wine bottles.  They will typically ask you to save your bottles so they can reuse them.  A new trend to come along though is the selling of this homemade wine.  I personally know someone who’s homemade wine is so good that they sell it to others.  In order to make this seem more professional they use personalized wine labels on their bottles.  These wine labels are customized and can be a lot of fun.  You can put whatever you like on there and you can change each one if you like.

Wine labels are easy and fun to make.  You can have yours customized by a company whose job it is is to make customized labels.  A quick search on the Internet will easily find you many companies willing to do this for you for a price.  You can also design and print your own wine labels.  This might be the best option for those people who like to personalize every bottle depending on who the recipient is or the different flavors of wine you produce.

Making your own labels is easy to do with a good color printer and the right labels to print on.  Another search on the Internet will find you all the materials you need to start making your own customized wine labels.  Pass the word along if you know anyone like I do who loves to make and sell their own wine.

In the past ten or so years, local and small wineries have begun to multiply and it seems that every small town America has their own local vineyard or winery.  This is a great thing and should not be taken for granted.  A favorite past time of this author is to go to every small town winery she can find.  The variety of taste and experience is second to none.  There are of course your not so good wines and then there are the fantastic wines that quickly become your favorite.  Wine regions are fun to explore because you can tour the vineyards and see the wine making process as it is being bottled or mixed.  You have a range of large and small wineries so you are never bored and can pick and choose which to visit as they are very plentiful.  Be sure you have a designated driver or take a tour bus as tasting that many wines, no matter how small the taste, can and will get you a bit tipsy!

Some of the most fun while traveling is trying to find wineries where ever you go.  You can do a simple search online to find out all the information you need to get you to the next place.  I don’t think I have ever been anywhere in the world where there was not a vineyard to visit.  Some of the local wineries will not have their own vineyard, but will instead buy their grapes and experiment with their own concoctions and this is perfectly acceptable.  Some of the best wine I have tasted came from wineries that just make the wine but they did not grow the grapes.   While there are many different places to explore, each with their own customs, there are some general things to expect when visiting a winery.

Each vineyard and/or winery will have its own tasting room.  This is where you can sample all of the wines on offer at that particular winery.  They will normally provide you with a list of their wines to sample and this list will have descriptions of each of the wines.  A general rule of thumb is if you are going to try multiple wines, to start with the driest of the wines and work your way towards the sweetest.  These tasting should be free, but there has been the occasion where I have had to pay for a sample.  This was when sampling Ice Wine which is extremely hard to make and is in limited quantities.  If you have the chance though, I highly recommend trying a sample.  Generally I paid around $5 for a taste but it was well worth it!

The first thing people notice about red wine is well, the color.  It is red.  But did you know that these reds are produced from grapes that are red, purple and even blue?  Red wine is produced from many varietals that give it names like “dark red, light red, almost black, burgundy, deep violet and maroon”.  This descriptor list could go on and on, but overall we love red wine for its flavor and romantic feel.  In the movies people on dates or in any intimate setting are always drinking red wine.  This is in part for its color, the color of love and also for it’s rich flavor that brings to mind romance and love.

Many popular red wines are Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Shiraz and Cabernet Savignon.  The list goes on and on, but the thing to remember is that each wine contains a different varietal of grapes, some just one grape but many with different grapes and hybrids.  Vineyards grow their grapes according to the longitude line they fall on.  Many grapes that are famous in Italy can also be grown in Michigan.  The longitude lines dictate the climate in which a grape can grow and if you fall along the same line as a grape growing industry then you too can become one.

Food pairing with red wine is very versatile but there are some rules you should follow if you are trying to pair a food with red wine.  First of all, red wine should not be paired with mild cheeses, save that for the whites.  However, strong cheeses can be paired with just about any red wine available, some of the best being Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Port and Merlot.  In fact, many cheese manufacturers mix wine and cheese together to make a very scrumptious spread.  Seafood and pasts with cream sauces are never paired well with red wine, but pasta with red sauce should be paired with a red like Zinfandel and Merlot.  Asian food is another no-no for red wine and poultry should only be paired with Beaujolais.  Pork is another finicky red wine companion and goes with Pinot Noir or Beaujolais.  On the other hand, red wine was made for beef and feel free to pair it with almost any red wine except for Port and Beaujolais.  Again it is its robustness of the red wine that makes it so perfect for red meat.  Chocolate is a favorite of red wine and pairs wonderfully with Merlot, Cabernet and Port.  So get your glass and chocolate and curl up in your favorite flannel sheets or comforter for a relaxing evening.

White wine is the ultimate in class and sophistication.  This versatile variety comes in many different styles and flavors and can be paired with just about any food you can imagine.  They can be dry, semi-sweet, sweet and are easy to spot due to their light color.  White wines are produced all over the world, but the most famous is probably from the chardonnay grape originally from France, but this grape is just as at home in New Zealand and California.  Chardonnay is renowned for its smoky oak flavor and is not the favorite white wine of this author, but it is surely the most popular world wide.

A sweeter contender with almost just as many fans would be the Riesling.  Rieslings hails from Germany and has had a rough start in the world of white wine.  There are many low quality sugary substitutes that have tarnished the reputation of this fine white.  Quality Rieslings from the Rhine or Saar valleys have come a long way in regaining the reputation of the Riesling.  Varieties in Australia and America have also done their part to reestablish the reputation of the Riesling grape.

Food pairing is a completely enjoyable way to enjoy your favorite whites.  Cheeses are a fun and simple way to enjoy white wine.  Mild cheeses should be paired with a Gewurztraminer or a White Riesling.  Strong cheeses pair perfectly with Chenin Blanc or Dry Riesling.  Seafood with a cream sauces should be paired with the likes of a Chardonnay while lobster, shrimp and crab would pair great with a Sauvignon Blanc or Dry Riesling.  Asian food pairs great with the sweeter wines such as Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer or a Dry Riesling while poultry goes well with all of it.  You might be surprised, but chocolate of all things goes well with a White Riesling…mmmm.

When considering a white wine it may be important to pair the right wine with the right food, but more importantly it is imperative that you like the wine.  That is the number one reason to choose any wine, according to your own taste.  Color, quality, notes and variety all combine to make some of the most beautiful wines in the world but that all means nothing if you are not able to drink it.  White wine is ultimate in class because it is so versatile and is very drinkable by itself and without food.  It is great for BBQ’s and charity events alike.  The most versatile wine is the white!

Wine is one of the oldest and most respected entities that encompasses such a rich social, cultural, economical and agricultural history.  Wine has been witness to some of the most important occasions in history and has played a role in most of them.  Ancient wine residue has been found in pottery excavated in the area of Georgia and Iran dating back to about 6,000 B.C..  However, domestic grapes were not evident until around 3200 B.C. near Egypt.  It is still unclear exactly when and where wine was first produced, but that doesn’t detract from its rich history.

The earliest known wine residue in Europe was found in Greece.  Wine was very common in ancient Greece and Rome.  They were very successful in developing new technologies such as the wine press and this was the time when barrels were used for the storage of the wine.  New grape varieties and new cultivation techniques were also created and this helped to increase the popularity of this potent grape juice.  Then, in medieval Europe, Christians began using wine in the sacrament and it became a very important part of a religious ceremony.  From this point on, wine became widely accepted and the production and consumption increased.  It was viewed as an acceptable alternative to beer or mead.  At this point, after the 15th century, the production of wine spread throughout other parts of the world.

The Spanish Conquistadors brought over grapes to Latin America in order to provide what is necessary for the Church and their needs.  These grapes were planted at missions and were later known as mission grapes that are still planted today.  When immigrants became coming to the Americas in droves, the French, German and Italians provided the necessary variety of grapes that are used today to make some of the worlds most renowned wines.  Wine in the Americas generally comes from California, Argentina and Chile and ranges in quality from inexpensive box wines to high end hybrids.  Wine in the Americas is produced from the Old World grape varieties, but until 1976 was considered inferior to the wines of Europe.  In 1976 at the Paris Wine Tasting, California wine out ranked french wine in every category and from that moment on was considered a contender for a leader in the industry.  The movie Sideways was based on this story and is highly recommended.

A new contender in the world of wine is Australia.  Australia produces some of the worlds best cheap wine.  The quality for the price is unbeatable and if you are a general consumer, Australian wine is your best choice for best bang for your buck.  Try some today!