What happens to a wine when it’s aged under the sea?

We at Ideal Wine Company were interested to hear recently that vintners in California have produced the first wine in America that has been aged under the sea.

Who’s responsible for this idea?

This unusual news from the world of wine is surprising to say the least, and you’re probably at this point wondering who came up with the idea. 

The credit can go Jim Dyke, who runs Mira Winery in Napa Valley. Jim decided to break from the conventional wisdom of aging wine in a cellar and instead decided to experiment aging forty-eight bottles of his 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon in the ocean.

The wine was stored in custom-built steel cages, secured to wooden boards with their necks sealed with wax. They were then left 60ft below the Charleston Harbour in South Carolina for 12 weeks.

The harbour was selected for its stable temperature of around 13°C – the same temperature at which wine is typically aged on land.

So what were the results?

After the three months were up the wine was tasted by advanced sommelier Patrick Emerson and Mira’s wine-maker of twenty years’ experience, Gustav Gonzalez.

After only a short period of being aged in the ocean, the wine had a singularly different taste to the same wine that was aged in their cellars. The deep sea conditions appeared to have accelerated the aging process.

In the words of Mr Dyke, “Ocean wine tasted older, much more complex, and the tannins were more rounded. 

What happened next?

After shocking result of the first experiment, further tests were conducted, doubling the aging period to six months and using hundred bottles. Of the 147 people who tasted the finished product, a remarkable 140 mistakenly believed they were tasting a completely different wine to what had been aged in a cellar.

Despite laboratory tests showing that the wines had almost exactly the same chemical composition, the precise reasons why the wine that aged underwater tasted so differently is not yet fully understood.

Will it take off?

This news will certainly come as a major shock and the questions on many peoples' lips will be whether or not this takes off. Whilst we at Ideal Wine Company unfortunately don't have the answer to that question it will be interesting to see if and how this develops. 

World’s First Sonic Wine Bar Opens it’s Doors

This month the world’s first sonic wine bar officially opened for business, leading the Ideal Wine Company to ask this week; what does this mean for the wine drinking experience?

Enhancing the Wine Drinking Experience

As a supplier of fine wines for wallet-friendly prices, the Ideal Wine Company has never failed to understand the complexity and versatility of wine.

 As such, wine enthusiasts, entrepreneurs and technological whiz-kids around the world strive at a breakneck pace to introduce new innovations to enhance the wine drinking experience. Such motivation has led to the opening of the world’s first sonic wine bar.

Welcome to the World’s First Sonic Wine Bar

According to Drinks Business, wine writer Jo Burzynska has recently decided to open the world’s first sonic wine bar in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Situated in the magnificent C, the establishment looks to enhance the oral and aural experience of drinking wine by taking a multi-sensory approach. By running a series of theme nights, the 35-seater bar looks to diversify and enrich the wine drinking experience by pairing different types of music with various styles of vintage.

“A Profound Effect on the Perception of What You’re Tasting.”

Drinks Business went on to reveal that the wine writer has recently commented on the science behind the concept of the sonic wine bar. Burzynska noted: “There are strong synergies between sound and taste, with recent scientific studies confirming that what you listen to when you taste as a glass of wine has a profound effect on the perception of what you’re tasting.” 

The wine writer went on to talk about the rising popularity of wine-music matching events, saying: “While wine and music matching events are gaining popularity around the world, as far as we’re aware this is the first bar entirely devoted to this concept.”

Setting Music to Wine for a Unique Experience

In other words, the opening of the world’s first sonic wine bars provides wine enthusiasts with the unique opportunity to explore a growing trend in as much depth as they desire. Setting music to wine has been shown to enhance it’s flavour, meaning the opening of the world’s first sonic wine bar could provide the wine drinkers of the world with a whole new way to appreciate their favourite tipple. 

House of Lord’s Veto Merger over Cheap Champagne

Whilst we love a good glass of bubbly, at the Ideal Wine Company we think the House of Lords went too far recently, when they vetoed a measure because they believed it could lower the quality of their champagne.

The House of Lords is No Ideal Wine Company

As buyers and sellers of luxury drinks for affordable prices, Ideal Wine Company understands the value of quality champagne. Indeed, we have a range of fine champagnes just for you.

Yet if we were ever given the power to oversee policy, we don’t think we’d veto one just to protect the quality of our favourite upscale tipple. The House of Lords, however, is no Ideal Wine Company.

We Want Our Luxury Champagne!

Believe it or not according to the Huffington Post, the House of Lords vetoed a services merger with the House of Commons because they feared that the quality of their champagne would suffer.

The ridiculous revelation was disclosed recently by Sir Malcolm Jack, who served as the clerk of the Commons between 2006 and 2010. Jack informed the Whitehall committee tasked with exploring the administration of Westminster that the Lords believed that if they were forced to merge catering services with the Commons, they’d be left with no choice but to drink cheap sparkling wine.

Catering is an Absolute Classic

When examined later by the committee’s chair Jack Straw, who asked; what about "the champagne? We heard a few things yesterday," retired clerk of the house Sir Robert Rogers had one response:

“No, I am not going into the quality of the champagne. People are very possessive about some services. Catering is an absolute classic." This just emphasised the Lords’ attachment to the £265,770 worth of first class Champagne the Upper Chamber bought between May 2010 and March 2014.

Feel Like a Member of the Aristocracy

In some ways, we agree with the Lords. Quality champagne shouldn’t be thrown under the bus. That’s why here at the Ideal Wine Company, we have a range of luxury champagne’s for reasonable prices that’ll make you feel as though you’re a member of the aristocracy!

Does Oak Have an Influence on a Glass of Wine’s Aroma?

Last week, the Ideal Wine Company heard of the launch of a new experiment that could answer a question we’ve been asking for years; does oak have an influence on a wine’s aroma?

This Vintage is ‘Oaky.’

When we’re describing one of the bottles of fine wine that we offer to you at very reasonable prices, Ideal Wine Company does sometimes resort to the same type of language that most in the wine industry rely on every time they’re confronted with the task of writing a new blurb.

One of the most commonly used words to describe a stellar vintage is ‘oaky.’ Yet can a wine really have accents of oak? Does lying in a barrel actually add to its flavour and aroma? We’ve never really known the answer, but thanks to a man commonly heralded as the ‘nose of Bordeaux,’ that answer may finally be in reach.

An Unnamed Cellar in Bordeaux

According to Decanter, winery consultant and trained perfumer Alexandre Schmitt has kicked off a three year experiment designed to determine whether oak barrels have an effect on the aroma of the wine they’re used to store.

Keeping various wines under the same conditions in an unnamed cellar in Bordeaux, Schmitt, along with barrel maker Charlois, will conduct a serious of tests to determine the effect different oak treatments have on their aroma. Initial tests will be performed on 40 barrels of Merlot 2014; this will progress to 60 barrels for the 2015 vintage, and 80 barrels for the 2016 label.

Choose the Exact Barrels Best Suited to Them

Charlois holds hopes that this experiment will provide them with the knowledge they need to exert more control over the effect oak treatments have on the aroma of wine. Charlois’ Group President, Sylvain Charlois, expanded by explaining:

“The molecules transmitted to wine by oak are known, but how they are affected by how the barrel is made, the width of the grain, the method and level of toasting, or the provenance of the oak is less known. We want to develop a molecular reference so our clients can choose exactly the barrels best suited to them.”

An Answer Three Years in the Making

Honestly, at the Ideal Wine Company we’re pretty curious to see how this experiment turns out. Yes, we know that oak has some influence on the aroma of a fine wine, but we don’t really know what that influence is. Maybe in three years’ time, we will.

What Could Immigration Reform Mean for the US Wine Industry?

Comments made by experts hailing from California wine country have prompted Ideal Wine Company to ask this week; what could immigration reform mean for the US wine industry?

Fixing a Broken Immigration System
If you ask a politician on either side of the partisan divide, they will be the first one to readily admit that the US immigration system is broken. However, each time they try to fix it they find themselves unable to, because advocates from both parties disagree on how the immigration problem should be dealt with.

This inaction has now spurred President Obama to wade into the immigration debate, acting where Congress could or would not. He issued an Executive Order which could save over 5 million immigrants from deportation.

Stopping Skilled Workers at the Mexican Border
The Californian wine industry, easily the biggest in the land, depends on immigrant labour – documented or undocumented – to pick its grapes. That’s why some in the sector are now suggesting that Obama’s executive action could hurt, rather than help the Californian wine industry.

Experts in the region including John Aguirre, President of the California Association of Grape Growers, and Nat DiBuduo, president of Allied Grape Growers, are suggesting that the one of the measure’s components – stepping up law enforcement on the Mexican border – could deprive them of a skilled labour force.

The Onset of Mechanisation
According to Wine Searcher, DiBuduo argued that "agricultural labour is skilled labour, whether you're doing pruning operations or running equipment," further suggesting that "if we don't get more workers, we're going to force more mechanisation. But it takes skilled labour to run the machinery, and some tasks are not adaptable to mechanisation."

Aguirre noted that "we could see a bifurcation in vineyards between very large vineyards that can be mechanically harvested, and very small vineyards that can afford to hire enough workers." He went on to suggest that "the mid-sized vineyards could be pushed out of business."

Immigration Reform Has No Chance of Passing a Republican Congress
What DiBuduo and Aguirre are really suggesting is that the US needs to put comprehensive immigration reform in place if it wants to protect its most lucrative wine industry. With Republicans set to take control of Congress this January, that’s unlikely to happen any time soon.

18,000 Bottles of Wine are Going to be Poured Down the Drain!

The Ideal Wine Company was left more than a little horrified this week when that we learned 18,000 bottles of wine are going to be poured down the drain.

Wine Enthusiasts of the Highest Degree

We may be a supplier of luxury vintages at reasonable prices, but that is not all the Ideal Wine Company is. We are wine enthusiasts of the highest degree, which is why we love what we do.

Therefore, we’re of the opinion that a drop of wine should never be wasted – each drop should be savoured and explored as it dances on the palate. That is why we were left stunned and shocked, when we heard that a judge in the UK has ordered 18,000 bottles of wine to be poured down the drain.

Wine Worth £155,000 to be Disposed Of

According to the Telegraph, District Judge Pam Baldwin ordered 18,000 bottles owned by wine wholesalers, A.G Peters to be disposed. Collectively, the vintages were worth £155,000, and included noted labels such as J.P Chenet, Hardy’s, Blossom Hill and Echo Falls.

The order followed raids of the wholesalers’ warehouses across Lancashire and West Yorkshire, which revealed a large scale effort to the £2 duty charge which the law demands must be paid on every bottle. According to a spokesman for Customs and Excise "the wine will be quite simply be destroyed....poured down the drain."

No Reason to Think the Duty Was Not Being Paid

The wholesalers have fiercely denied that they avoided paying duty tax on their wine intentionally. A.G Peter’s manager director, Stephen Frazer, spoke out on the matter, saying:

"We sell 15,000 cases of wine a week. I need a quick turnaround on stock. I don't want stock on the warehouse floor for more than a fortnight. I don't know where this pallet of wine came from, it should not have been there.

"We cut prices because we market loss leaders....that is how we can compete with the buying power of say Tesco. I did my due diligence checks on my suppliers and had no reason to think duty of the wine we handle had not been paid."

Ideal Wine Company Has Been Left in Mourning

We can’t be sure whether that claim holds an ounce of validity or not. Nevertheless if nothing else, this story has left the Ideal Wine Company in mourning. These bottles may not have been luxury vintages, but wine should never be wasted!

Bordeaux Poised For Recovery?

In light of comments made by the managing director of Liv-ex, on the fortunes of one of France’s most famous fine wines, Ideal Wine Company has been inspired to ask; is Bordeaux poised for a recovery?

A Superior Vintage

The Ideal Wine Company exists to bring you fine vintages from every corner of the globe at a reasonable price. Many of those vintages originate from the French region of Bordeaux.

Bordeaux wines are a cut above the rest. The climate, temperature and terrain of the region fosters the facilitation of superior bottles. Nevertheless, the value of Bordeaux as a fine wine has been in steady decline in recent years; a trend that according to Liv-ex managing director James Miles, is set to change.

How Bordeaux Can Turn Its Fortunes Around

According to Harpers, Miles suggested that now is a good time to enter the Bordeaux market. This is because prices for Bordeaux currently sit at their “lowest ebb since the early 1970’s,” after four years of continually falling values. In other words, it’s ripe for a boom.

Speaking at the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair, the managing director gave his opinion on how Bordeaux can turn its fortunes around. Specifically, he called for a “well-priced 2014 vintage,” adding that it would act as a “vital precursor to any kind of sustained recovery.”

A Reasonably Reliable Boom and Bust Every Ten Years

Miles also expanded on the general boom and bust nature of Bordeaux, which he argued is cyclical.  He suggested that evidence illustrates that Bordeaux experiences a “reasonably reliable boom and bust every ten years or so.”

The managing director went on to point out the nature of the boom and bust trend, saying that “while booms and busts in wine are influenced by external factors – in this case, UK pension reform, the collapse of Lehman, the removal of tax in HK and the huge fiscal stimulus in China in 2009 – they also tend to be self-inflicted and tend to start and finish with successful and disastrous en primeur campaigns, in this case the 2005 and 2010.”

The 2014 En Primeur Campaign Has to Work

In other words, yes Bordeaux is poised for a recovery, but that doesn’t mean it will actually recover. As Miles went on to point out, Bordeaux’s 2014 en primeur campaign needs to be able to work with “prices falling far further than many in Bordeaux currently appreciate.”

China’s Fine Wine Region of the Future

This week the Ideal Wine Company wants to take this opportunity to introduce you to what many are calling China’s fine wine region of the future; Ningxia.

Global Wine Powerhouse

Because Ideal Wine Company is a firm dedicated to providing a range of fine wines from across the world at reasonable prices, we couldn’t have failed to notice the rise of China.

In today’s market, China is a veritable powerhouse. Not only is it the world’s largest growing economy, but is becoming one of its biggest wine consumers – especially where red is concerned. Furthermore, it is making inroads into wine production, which has prompted the rise of a potential new luxury wine hot spot, Ningxia.

The Ability to Foster a Ripe Grape Crop

An article in Drinks Business recently explored the region’s capability as a fine wine powerhouse. It featured the thoughts of Berry Bros & Rudd’s Jasper Morris, who weighed up whether Ningxia has what it takes.

Jasper started out by pointing out the region’s positives, of which there are many. Essentially, it has a “strongly continental climate with hot sunny summers and severely cold winters.” Meanwhile, with an altitude sitting 1,000 metres above sea level, Ningxia enjoys 3,000 hours of sunshine annually.

This last point means that it really is adequately positioned to become a major player in the world of viticulture. It means that harvests can be picked in October, before the first frost. Frosts are known to damage the quality of the grape. Morris elaborated on the point, saying “there seems to be just enough hang time to ripen the grapes but with current viticultural practices, it is a close run thing.”

Killing the Vine

Yet the region isn’t without its issues. Namely, Ningxia same weather patterns. It can reach extreme temperatures on either end of the spectrum. This would mean that vines would need to be buried to survive winter. This process is known to kill a certain percentage of vines every time, meaning new ones must be planted, which can hinder the development of fine wine.

Morris explained why even replanting may be hard in the region, saying “this is labour intensive and probably reduces the life of the vine as a percentage do not survive. It is also very difficult to do in those locations, such as Château Yunmo, where there is a much greater percentage of stones in the otherwise sandy soil – certainly there were many more gaps in the vineyard here.”

The Potential of Ningxia

So Ningxia is hardly going to take the crown from Bordeaux anytime soon, nevertheless, it does have the potential to become a major player in the world’s fine wine industry. Whether it does, and increases the role of China in said industry, remains to be seen. 

Why are the French on top of the world?

This week, it has come to the attention of Ideal Wine Company that France has overtaken Italy to once again become the world’s foremost producer of wine.

What does this mean for the world of wine?

Whilst global wine production was down for many nations on last year, the French have seen a substantial increase output to regain the number one position – the first time since 2011. Their production for the year is thought to equate to 46million hectolitres.

Runners-up, Italy, but saw production drop 15% this year, to 44 million hectolitres, after a less than ideal harvest. Production in other big producers such as Spain, the US, and Chile also went down.

Whilst Australia and Argentina didn’t see much difference, New Zealand, South Africa and Germany also saw considerable increases in production.

What are the reasons for this?

So it seems a lot of countries have produced then. The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (IOV) blamed the global decline from last year on “significant climatic hazards, which are at the root of these developments, particularly in Europe.”

However it appears that these adverse weather conditions didn’t affect French vineyards who saw their production increase by 10% on the previous year.

A turning tide..?

Interestingly though, whilst the French have been producing more wine, it has been reported that they are drinking less of it.

French wine consumption fell by 7% this year as the United States beat them to become the world’s largest consumer of wine, despite only having half the output as their transatlantic counterparts. 

The report also found that ten countries alone were responsible for 80% of the world’s wine production. In order, these countries are: France, Italy Spain United States Argentina Australia China South Africa Chile and Germany

Final thoughts…

We at Ideal Wine Company would like to congratulate the French for their rise back to the summit of the wine world. Ideal Wine Company can’t speak highly enough about the wine making regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy, the two foremost regions where our vintages originate from.

Five Tips for Cooking with Wine

If you’re as much a lover of the kitchen as you are fine wine, you’re in luck. This week the Ideal Wine Company reveals five tips for cooking with wine.

The Versatility of Wine

Through crafting a reputation as a provider of excellent fine wines at prices true wine enthusiasts can actually afford, we have learned of the versatility of our product. You can drink it, invest in it, collect it, turn it into a cocktail etc.

You can also cook with it. Cooking with wine is actually a pretty popular pastime. You can use it to craft mouth-watering dishes such as Coq Au Vin. Even better, when you pair a wine with a dish you’ve used wine with, you end up with an experience which will blow your tastes buds away.

Use These Five Tips to Master the Art of Cooking With Wine

Despite the fact that the way you do it often depends on the dish, there are common tips you can use whenever you cook with wine to get it right. Here are five we would suggest:

1. Don’t Cook With Something You Wouldn’t Drink: Since the heating process burns the alcohol off, it’s the flavours of the wine that you are bringing to the dish. That is why you should only ever cook with wines you would drink. If you don’t, you’ll bring flavours you don’t find appealing to the dish.
2. Match the Wine to the Flavour: Certain wines go with certain foods, and choosing contrasting flavours will only ruin the dish. If you’re cooking fish, for example, for heaven’s sake don’t use a rose.
3. Pour in Slowly: Cooking with wine really is a balancing act.  Get the balance wrong, and you’ll throw the composition of the dish off. That is why whatever you’re making or using, you need to pour the wine in slowly.
4. Taste and Stir: To ensure you are getting the balance right, stir it in gently with a wooden spoon as you pour, then taste to keep track of the balance. There’s no substitute when it comes to cooking with wine, for experience! Tasting is also useful for determining the quality of the wine before you cook it.
5. Watch the Temperature: When wine hits a temperature of 70 degrees, it starts cooking. However if it hits 80 degrees, you can cook it too much, robbing it of some of the flavour you want to infuse into your dish. That is why you should keep a careful eye on temperature whenever you cook with wine.

Now it’s Time to Get Specific

From there, it’s time to get specific. Depending on the type of dish you are cooking, there are different ways to go about things. However these five tips should get you well on your way to crafting a mouth-watering dish by cooking with wine!

The Growing Number of UK Wine Producers

New figures have suggested that the number of UK wine producers is growing, leading the Ideal Wine Company this week to explore the country’s burgeoning wine scene.

The Emerging UK Wine Scene

As a provider of fine wines from around the world at reasonable prices, Ideal Wine Company follows wine trends. We need to, in order to ensure you get the most from our service.

Over the last year or so we have been watching the emerging UK wine scene. Bottles from the British Isles are slowly, but surely, gaining a stellar reputation. This is something that is sure to continue, as the number of producers making wine in the UK grows.

UK Receives 46 New Wine Producers

According to the BBC, new research from accountants UHY Hacker Young has suggested that 46 new producers signed up with the HMRC in the year to 31^st March 2014. This means that 135 wine producers in the UK are now registered with the tax man.

The firm went on to explain the reason for this growth, as well as the fact that the number of micro-breweries has increased by 188% over the last half decade. Essentially, tax changes have helped, but the main reason is consumers. They have developed more of an interest in locally produced food and drink.

Shifting Consumer Trends

The firm’s head, Roy Maugham, went on to talk about the research. Maugham said: "Consumer interest in boutique products continues to grow. Food products such as artisan cheeses and organically reared meats, and drinks such as craft beer and artisan spirits, have been the focus of increased demand.

"Now, we're seeing the same thing in the UK's once-mocked wine industry. English wines have enjoyed a genuine renaissance over the last couple of years and are now being taken seriously on the international stage."

Making a Name for Themselves

At the Ideal Wine Company, we find this trend fascinating. UK wines may not have attained the calibre of their French, Italian or Spanish counterparts, but they certainly are making a name for themselves. It’s only a matter of time until the UK becomes a significant player on the global wine stage. 

Pop Up Luxury Wine Merchant About to Launch in London

This week, Ideal Wine Company looks at the oncoming launch of a pop up luxury wine merchant in London, and what it could mean for the diversification of the fine wine trade.

The Diversification of the Fine Wine Market

One thing that the Ideal Wine Company continues to find fascinating working as a provider of fine wines from around the globe, is the diversification of the wine industry.

New developments are coming every day, and they change the way we think about buying and consuming wine. Take the Coravin device, which we recently blogged about for example. That one small technological advancement has the capability to reimagine the way people store wine.

2,000 Fine Wines to Sample at Your Convenience

Which is why we find the news that a pop up luxury wine merchant is due to open on London’s South Banks so compelling. Called a Vinorium, the stand will feature over 2,000 fine wines to buy and sample. Furthermore, each bottle will come with a QR code, which will enable consumers to research the wine they are trying.

Meanwhile, the transparent Perspex building (constructed from two 20 foot shipping containers), will also feature wine tasting master classes. Hosted by the Vinorium’s founder Stuart McCloskey, these Bordeaux master classes will teach people how to drink wine like an expert for £50 - £150 per ticket.

The Vinorium was Nothing but a Wonderful Dream a Year Ago

McCloskey took the time to comment on the project. According to Harpers, McCloskey said that: “The Vinorium Pop-Up was all but a wonderful dream a year ago, but we have made it into a reality by transforming two 20ft shipping containers into a luxury mobile wine merchant and wine bar.”

He went on to add that “it will have an entirely bespoke interior fit made out of clear Perspex and the wine will be available to drink in or take home. We will be offering a chance for people to try some exquisite and UK exclusive wines during our masterclasses.”

The Opening Up of the Fine Wine Market

Ideal Wine Company finds this fascinating, because it illustrates the opening up of the fine wine market. The pop-up is like selling fine wine online; it’s a new way to ensure that consumers who would never before have the chance, are equipped with the opportunity to experience luxury vintages for themselves. 

Five Unusual Wine Hotspots around the World

We want to broaden your horizons this week here at the Ideal Wine Company, by alerting you to five unusual wine hotspots around the world.

The Wine Making Landscape is not as narrow as Some Would Have You Believe

As a provider of first rates fine wines from around the globe, Ideal Wine Company knows that some places have more of a reputation for viticulture than others. France for example, from where we supply a range of fine wines for reasonable prices, is one of the most renowned wine making hotspots on the planet.

But the viticulture landscape is hardly as narrow as some people would have you believe. Many countries make wine, and sometimes it’s the vintages from places you wouldn’t expect that make for a truly fantastic wine drinking experience.

Try These Five Wine Making Hotspots as you Travel the World

If you ever have the opportunity to tour the wine making centres of the globe, we suggest you head off the beaten track and take the time try vintages from the following five unusual wine making hotspots:

1. Moldova: Believe it or not, the landlocked Eastern European nation of Moldova has a big wine making industry, even having its own national wine day. It’s one of its main exports. It produces mostly red, with the famous Negru de Purcari (a red blend) proving a particular standout   
2. Macedonia: With its extremely fertile plains and classic Southern European climate, Macedonia has a strong tradition of wine making. It’s highly known for reds such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, but you can find some fantastic whites there as well, such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and the more rustic Zilvaka
3.  Kosovo: Kosovo is a wine making region on the rise, with many arguing that it’s wants to be the next Napa Valley. Its whites are fantastic, with its table whites a particular highlight, which is probably why Kosovar table white wine has been so popular in Germany in recent years.
4. Montenegro: Despite the fact that Montenegro is a particularly mountainous country, it has developed a hearty wine making tradition that is fast becoming one of Eastern Europe’s most notable. It’s famous for its indigenous Vranac grape, which when processed makes for a killer dry red.
5. Hungary: Hungary has the perfect climate for wine making and has a history of producing stellar vintages that delight at every turn. We feature one of its finest bottles, the Tokaji, on the Ideal Wine Company product list.

You Learn Something at Each New Unusual Wine Making Hotspot

But don’t stop there. One you’ve done Europe, why not travel further from home and try the unusual wine hotspots of Asia, Africa or the Americas. Each time you will learn something new, which will remind you why you fell in love with wine in the first place. 

How Are Wine Makers Stopping Fraud?

In our efforts to ensure you avoid counterfeit wine, this week the Ideal Wine Company asks how are wine makers stopping fraud?

Counterfeit Wine is the Bane of Any True Wine Enthusiast

As a provider of fine wines from around the world at reasonable prices, Ideal Wine Company understands the risk that counterfeit vintages pose to the true wine enthusiast. That feeling when you crack open a bottle and realise you've been sold a fake is disheartening to say the least.

That is why when we came across an article in the Telegraph this week, detailing how wine makers are fighting fraud, we knew you needed to know about it. It could really help you ensure that you avoid counterfeit bottles.

Introducing Banknote-Style Holographic Labels

According to the publication, vineyards in South Africa are introducing a revolutionary way to tackle counterfeiting. They are adding holographic labels to their bottles, in order to distinguish them as fine wines. The holographic labels work in a similar way to those on banknotes.

Specifically, Cape Town’s famous Winemakers Guild have trialed the method by placing an order for 26,000 silver labels which have a vintage year, 2014, stamped in a hologram, which have then been placed on bottles that are due to go up for auction in October.

Of the measure, the Guild’s general manager, Kate Jonker said that “we wanted to add a little more authenticity,” and that “we just wanted to assure our customers.”

An Extra Security Measure

Once they had placed the order for the holograms bands, they then went on to add extra secret security measures, through a company called Rotolabel.

Accountant executive at Rotolabel, Niel Du Toit said of the measure that “it’s not going to be so easy for anyone just to copy it, it definitely gives them a security base to work from,” adding that “this is definitely the first for wine.” 

Du Toit elaborated by saying: “the foil is very expensive, it’s not a normal thing that the industry is doing, but I think it’s very good. It’s definitely something for the future.”

A Guide to Avoiding Counterfeit Wine

At the Ideal Wine Company, we hail this measure, and believe it will help customers avoid counterfeit wine. However, we also understand that it’s unlikely to go global any time soon, which is why if you want to avoid counterfeit bottles in the here and now, you’re in luck, as we’ve compiled a guide to help you avoid counterfeit wine.

Can Nanoscience Improve the Quality of Wine?

Developments in nanoscience have apparently shown researchers a way to improve the quality of wine, Ideal Wine Company learned this week. Is that really possible?

How to Arrive at the Right Balance of Flavours

Through supplying fine wines at reasonable prices, Ideal Wine Company has learned how much work goes into creating a luxury vintage. Growers often need to control the number of processes involved in developing wine extensively, to arrive at the right balance of flavours.

This is often a tricky thing to do, especially, when trying to develop the appropriate astringency, which is the drying sensation that is supposed to accompany a sip of wine. Well, measuring astringency just became a whole lot easier thanks to the development of a device by nanoscience specialists.

New Device Capable of Measuring Astringency

According to Phys.org, researchers at Aarhus University’s Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO) have created a sensor capable of measuring the astringency of wine in your mouth as you take a sip.

Basically, the sensor in a way is a mini-mouth that is able to take the salivary proteins in your mouth, and use them to figure the nature of the sensation that occurs when you take in a sip of wine. The researchers are then able to figure out how the proteins alter the saliva when they interact with the wine, and can thus use these observations to describe the effect that particular wine is having on the person drinking it.

“If it Doesn’t Work, People Won’t Drink Wine.”

The potential of such a sensor is enormous. It basically gives wine producers the capability to control astringency as they go, something they’ve never been able to do before, to ensure they are able to create a quality bottle of wine.

Joana Guerreiro, a PhD student who contributed to a scientific article on the sensor, explained why this is important. She said that “when you produce wine, you know that the finished product should have a distinct taste with a certain level of astringency. If it doesn't work, people won't drink the wine."

Quality Control Benefits Consumers
And that is why this nanoscience sensor really does have the potential to improve wine. Astringency is vital to quality, and by being able to measure it, producers can make sure that said quality remains consistent, which will in turn benefit consumers. 

A Sip of Wine to Quench Your Thirst?

Astoundingly, Ideal Wine Company has discovered that the world’s longest marathon chose to offer wine to its participants recently, rather than water.

The Beneficial Properties of Wine

Ideal Wine Company is a company that exists to make sure you are able to buy a bottle of fine wine at a price you can actually afford. As such, we believe in the benefits of wine.

Wine – by certain studies – has been shown to hold characteristics that promote goodhealth i.e. anti-oxidants. However, even we never believed that it would ever be a good idea to offer wine to people running in a marathon.

What is the Le Marathon du Medoc?

According to the BBC, organisers of the Le Marathon du Medoc offered runners the chance to feast from a veritable banquet as they were running. Not only did the banquet include some of the country’s most beloved wines, but other French delicacies from ice cream to oysters.

It’s important to understand how bizarre this truly is. The Le Marathon du Medoc is billed as the world’s longest marathon because it is a 26 mile circuit. However, participants are given a pretty generous six-and-a-half hours to complete the marathon.

A Day of Celebrations

Yet what an outsider wouldn’t know, is that this has never been a straight forward run. It’s more a festival, as not only do the runners get a chance to sample luxury wines, but they are tasked to complete the circuit in carnival themed outfits.

Furthermore, it’s not like they are forced to wash down a cold glass of Bordeaux as they whizz by. The marathon is specifically long, because it allows for pit stops at various chateaus to indulge in French delicacies.

This is why French Wine is So Famous

This is why we truly love the French here at the Ideal Wine Company. Yes, to us British this seems like a bizarre and somewhat unhealthy tradition. However wine is so endemic to the French character that to them, it makes sense to have a glass whilst you’re running a marathon. That way of thinking, is why the French are the most famous wine making people in the world. 

The French Don’t Know Much about Wine

This week the Ideal Wine Company wants to share an astounding piece of information we came across recently – the French don’t know much about wine!

French Wine is the Best in the World

We supply you with the finest luxury vintages from around the world. As such, Ideal Wine Company offers a range of French wines. That is because France quite simply makes some of the best wine in the world.

So you would think that the French are a nation of wine buffs, which is why we were shocked recently, when we came across an article in the Guardian that claimed in actual fact that, the average Frenchman knows little about wine.

43% of French Wine Drinkers Know Nothing about Wine

That’s right. According to the news source, a poll recently carried out by wine magazine Terre de Vins (Wine Country) sought to find out how much French wine drinkers know about the country’s most famous export. 

As it turns out, 71% of respondents admitted to not being knowledgeable when it comes to wine, and out of that number, 43% actually said they know nothing at all. Meanwhile, only 3% would categorise themselves as well versed in the subject, whilst 26% said that they “knew enough.”

A Social Divide

The company which carried out the poll, Viavoice, commented on its results. They suggested that the results showed interesting - if obvious conclusions - about social class differences. They alluded to the fact that professionals - businesspeople, doctors etc. are far more likely to know about wine than your average factory worker or artisan.

A spokesperson for the company said that: "this proves that learning about wine is seen as still very elitist in French society and also a feeling – real or supposed – that those households with limited purchasing power cannot afford quality wines."

Ideal Wine Company Exists to Provide Everyone with a Chance to Buy Luxury Wine
This is exactly why the Ideal Wine Company exists; to provide everyone with a chance to buy a bottle of luxury wine, for a reasonable price. Check out our selection today if you want to learn more. 

Ideal Wine Company Guide: How to Spot a Counterfeit Wine

Avoid falling prey to a counterfeit wine scammer and losing your investment, with the Ideal Wine Company guide to spotting a counterfeit wine.

Luxury Wine Scammers They Leave You with Nothing But Swill

At the Ideal Wine Company we have dedicated ourselves to providing you with some of the highest quality luxury wines the global market has to offer for a price that won’t leave you reeling.

As such, we’ve seen this happen countless times. Not everyone comes to a reputable luxury wine provider such as the Ideal Wine Company, and those that don’t, leave themselves unprotected. From here, it’s easy for a luxury wine scammer to lure in an unsuspecting victim with promises of a high quality vintage and leave them with nothing but swill.

Ideal Wine Company’s Top Five Tips for Spotting Counterfeit Wine

You don’t have to take this. Protect your investment and stop a scammer in their tracks with these top five tips for spotting a counterfeit wine:

1. Beware Bordeaux: For some reason scammers love to pass off their low quality swill as Bordeaux, so if it’s a Bordeaux, keep an extra eye out.
2. Presentation is everything: Scammers don’t have the same level of craftsmanship available to them as luxury wine producers, and often, this’ll lead to poor package presentation. If the label’s crooked, for example, you could be dealing with a counterfeit.
3. Glue Residue: An extension of the last tip, if there’s a glue residue around the label, that’s further evidence of poor craftsmanship and is another indicator that you are dealing with a counterfeit.
4. Compare and Contrast: Use the internet, it’s your best friend. Pull up a picture of the luxury wine you’re looking to buy, and compare with the bottle you’re being presented with. You’ll soon see whether you’re being scammed or not. Look at the foil over the cork and contrast as a good baseline.
5. Don’t Trust the Aged: Generally, the older a wine is, the more likely it is to be counterfeit because it’s rarer and harder to find. A good rule of thumb is; if the wine was made before 1980 and priced too low to be true, it probably is.

Don’t fall prey to a counterfeit wine scammer. Use these tips from the Ideal Wine Company to stop them in the tracks and get the most out of your luxury wine investment.

King Richard III, Luxury Wine Enthusiast?

Fascinatingly, Ideal Wine Company has learned that tests have revealed that 15th Century English King Richard III had a penchant for luxury wine. 

What Happened When Scientists Tested the Body of Richard III? 

Recently, CNN reported that scientists at the British Geological Survey carried out tests on the recently recovered skeleton of Richard III. Thought lost until discovered in a Leicester parking lot back in 2012, scientists took to testing the skeleton to measure the body for isotopes.  

What they discovered was astonishing – although probably not that surprising. The final Plantagenet monarch had a penchant for the finer things in life. This included a taste for the sumptuously rich foods of the day, such as swan, heron and even peacock, as well as most notably, luxury wine.  

A Meal Fit for a King 

Angela Lamb, an isotope specialist who led the study commented on its finding to CNN. Lamb said that "obviously, Richard was a nobleman beforehand, and so his diet would be reasonably rich already," and further said that "once he became king we would expect him to be wining and dining more, banqueting more. Food was a real mark of status in the medieval period.” 

Lamb went on to elaborate, saying that: "we have the menu from his coronation banquet and it was very elaborate -- lots of wildfowl, including real 'delicacies' such as peacock and swan, and fish -- carp, pike and so on, which were cultivated in special fishponds." 

The History of Luxury Wine 

This is just absolutely fascinating isn’t it? Looking at that coronation menu, and knowing the monarch had a taste for fine vintages, we’re dying to know which types of wine the Plantagenet king set off his dishes with. Obviously, it wouldn’t be anything we would be likely to recognise in the modern day, but such information could tell us so much about the history of luxury wine.  

Lamb indeed went on to talk a little about the King’s wine habit. The specialist said that given the discrepancy in oxygen isotopes in Richard’s body, it was clear he was drinking something other than water and that "we needed something that would tie in with the luxury food he would have been eating." Lamb went on to conclude that "back then wine was very much the preserve of the upper classes -- it was imported, expensive and only the very wealthy could afford it." 

For Ideal Wine Company, This News is Fascinating 

For wine enthusiasts like Ideal Wine Company, this news is fascinating. Although not unexpected – kings tended to drink the best of the best when it came to wine – it certainly gets us wondering! 

Unique Chemical ‘Fingerprints’ in Fine Wine?

This week the Ideal Wine Company explores the idea that wine holds unique chemical ‘footprint’s’ that can be used to determine its origin and quality.

It can be Hard to Determine Class from Swill

As a provider of first rate luxury vintages at reasonable prices, Ideal Wine Company understands the difficulty that comes with identifying bottles of true quality. Often, it’s hard to know when you are buying class or swill.

That means that it can sometimes be hard to ensure that first rate bottles end up in your collection. However, that could be a thing of the past, as last week, the BBC reported that scientists have found that fine wine holds chemical footprints, These can be used to determine its quality, as well as it’s region of origin.

How Was the Study Carried Out?

According to the news service, researchers from the University of California Davis reported the findings at the recent meeting of the American Chemical Society. Their aim was to fingerprint the terroir in luxury vintages. This is the climate, geology and geography that a certain place infuses into a bottle of wine.

To determine their findings, the team took wines from the same Malbec grape variety from a range of regions in California and Argentina. The idea was to examine compounds in wine, which can only be determined through smell. They then employed the skills of a team of trained experts to evaluate the vintages based on 20 sensory characteristics. These characteristics included texture, taste and aroma.

What Did the Study Find?

What they ultimately discovered was that despite the fact that the two Malbecs were produced by the same wine-maker, the vintages from Argentina and California had unique molecular signatures and flavours. Yet, the team also reported that the delicate aroma attached to each fine vintage was shown to quickly erode when subjected poor storing at the post bottling stage.

This comes at a time when wine enthusiasts across the world are calling out for a more objective test to determine quality in luxury wine. Previous methods have been somewhat subjective; this has led to the development of less reliable processes designed to determine quality in fine vintages.

Quality throughout the Fine Wine Trade
This finding could be monumental. Here at Ideal Wine Company, we’ve often seen how people struggle to determine the true value of a luxury vintage. This test could streamline the process, to ensure quality throughout the fine wine trade.