Is Wine An Investment?

With markets crashing and rallying what seems like every few seconds, investors are looking to more stable opportunities to diversify and strengthen their portfolio. Saying that we want to ask could wine be a lucrative investment?

At the Ideal Wine Company we recognise that wine, especially luxury wine, means different things to different people. For some its stress relief, for others it’s a collector’s passion, for yet others it’s almost a lifestyle.

However we’ve also recognised that wine can be an opportunity for many who are looking for a stable long term investment. In fact increasingly wine aficionados across the world are discovering that wine ages well in the financial market.

It would be easy to see why. The one rule that holds steady across wines of every genre concerns age. The older a wine is, the longer it has had to age, the better it tastes. This is why wines produced an age ago often fetch higher prices than those bottled last year. 

It also proves they’ve stood the test of time. Wines come and go; this is such a large, such a diverse industry that it has to have something truly unique to appreciate in value as it ages. Those wines that do increase in value often do so because they have been proved superior over the course of their long life.

So, wine that is older generally fetches higher prices, does this translate into investment? It could, depending on how you play it.

Any collector could build up their basement with bottles of top quality wine and allow them to gather dust. Then they can watch when they become collector’s items and sell them on, making a steady profit. This is actually quite a common practice in the wine world; showing that it works as a small scale investment.

However, truly outstanding wines attract large investors. Most people who engage in wine investment are bit players, like those outlined above. However it is becoming increasingly possible to make a large profit in the wine trade.

Take the Bordeaux 1982 vintage for example. Experts agree that this was the wine that changed everything. On the back of the quality alone, this wine saw prices shoot up on the market as demand for the Bordeaux skyrocketed.

Therefore it became rarer and these days a case can go for handsome number. Take a case of 1982 Chateau Latour for example. In 1982 this would have sold for $400. Today it would sell for around $33,000; a handsome profit for any investor.

So wine can be an investment; however it has to be of truly stellar quality. Start building up your wine ‘investment portfolio’ today from the Ideal Wine Company list of luxury wines. 

Tips for mixing up White Wine

At the Ideal Wine Company we recognise that not everybody likes to drink their white wine straight up, some people have different tastes. So we thought we spend some time this we giving you some tips and tricks you can use to put a different spin on white wine.

White wine naturally is the most versatile type of wine there is. You can get white wines that differ dramatically in the fruit they’re flavoured with, how dry they are, how sweet they are etc. and this means that there really is a type of white wine for everybody out there.

However different types of white wine suit different people, some people don’t want to drink white wine straight up. Some people like variety, to stray from the norm. So how can you do this?

You could always make a white wine spritzer by adding soda or lemonade to roughly half a glass of white wine. The best thing about a spritzer is that not only does it add extra fizz to your drink; it can make the wine less dry or sweet, depending on whether you use soda or lemonade, so that it suits your tastes.

Or why not try ice wine. Wine on the rocks is a surprisingly popular drink in the hot months of the summer. Despite the fact that people don’t think of white wine as an ‘on the rocks’ type drink most bars offer it and the water means that the alcohol content gets watered down a little and the drink won’t go to your head.

Or why not try adding a champagne liqueur. A champagne liqueur is a type of flavoured liqueur that you add to champagne to give it a little kick. However because champagne is so similar to white wine you can use it with white wine as well. It tastes wonderful and you can get different flavours depending on what you want out of your glass of wine.

Or why not try adding juice. It may seem an unusual choice and you may need to experiment with measures but juice can really work with white wine. Why not try orange or lemon juice for an interesting drink. Try it out and see what you think.

White wine is an amazing drink but sometimes we all want a little change and we experiment. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your glass of white wine, you might be surprised with what you get. 

What Wine Will You Be Getting For Your Valentine?

The official day of love is almost upon us and no Valentine’s Day date is complete without a bottle or luxury wine to get you both in the mood. That is why this week the Ideal Wine Company has decided to ask what wine will you be getting for your Valentine?

Each type of wine has its own merits and its own drawbacks. Rather than go through every wine on our extensive luxury wine list, we thought we’d go through types. Which type of wine is the best to use to set and atmosphere and get your partner in the mood?

Champagne

An absolute classic, champagne is the ultimate luxury wine to get you and your partner in the mood. A light yet bubble laced drink, Champagne just tastes of romance and the price tag makes you feel like it’s a special occasion. However the price tag can mean that it’s not for everyone.

We have a whole host of luxury champagnes on the Ideal Wine Company list, if you want something that will really make the evening perfect why not try our Dom Perignon 2000 which you can get for as little as £140 a  bottle.

Red Wine

Red wine’s heavier texture makes it a perfect one for sitting with your partner by the fire and battling away the winter chill. Red wine sits nicely on your tongue and gives you that little extra flavor you need to set the night off perfectly.

We have many red wines available or you, however considering the nature of Valentine’s Day you might want to go for a lighter Bordeaux.  Why not try our Chateau Latour 1983 which you can purchase for £429.

White Wine

White wine is the most versatile type of wine there is; you can get all types that cater to all flavours. If you’re not sure what type of wine your partner will most appreciate then white wine really is the way to go.

For Valentine’s we’d suggest a nice dry white. Dry white is one that most people like and it goes well with a lot of lighter pasta based dishes, perfectly complimenting your Valentine’s meal. We’d suggest from our list the Harlan Estate 1998 which you can buy for £429.

The Highlights of Cooking With Wine

At the Ideal Wine Company we recognise that wine is such a versatile product. That is why this week we wanted to move away from drinking wine and talk about cooking with wine. Saying this, what are the highlights of cooking with wine?

Whether you realise it or not, many of the top dishes you sample when you get the time to sojourn to a posh restaurant feature wine in some way or another.

The most common method is to cook with wine. Often wine will be stirred into the sauce, however it is possible to cook with wine by frying it. There are many methods that modern chefs use to capitalise on the versatile benefits of wine.

When you cook with wine often the heat will burn of the alcoholic content and you’ll be left with the flavour, the body of the drink etc. This is why cooking with a luxury wine can add that extra touch to make a meal extra special.

Saying this there are many complex diverse dishes you can cook with wine, however we certainly do have our favourites. Here are our top three.

Burgundy Pork Sirloin

It’s as delicious as it sounds. It’s a classic pork sirloin dish with rich gravy and onion and celery accents, which capitalises on the rich qualities of burgundy style red wines to add a touch of flavor to give the sirloin that extra little kick.

It’s quite an easy one to prepare; about two cups of red wine should do it. You add the wine after you’ve put the pork and other ingredients into an oven dish. You pour the wine all over the sirloin and it soaks in as it works its magic.

Chicken and Red Wine Sauce

This is an absolutely classic dish that people all over the modern world love. Simple but effective, chicken in red wine sauce is simply brazed chicken breasts seasoned with exotic spices such as paprika drenched with red wine. Easy as that.

You can use any type of red wine, although considering how chicken tastes you might want to go with a lighter red wine. All you have to do is prepare the chicken in a skillet then drench it in red wine, let it fry off and voila; a red wine sauce!

Rosemary Chicken with Orange Maple Glaze

This one is for the more adventurous chefs among you and is not to everybody’s taste, however we love it. This is a dish that sees Chicken breasts rubbed with rosemary then glazed with a refreshingly light sauce of orange juice, white wine and maple syrup.

It’s delicious and all you need is half a cup of dry white wine. It’s fairly complex to make and you should consult a recipe before you do, but it’s a delicious dish when you get it right that’ll forever change the way you think about cooking with wine. 

How Can You Make Sure you’re Drinking Wine Responsibly?

Wine is one of the most versatile and popular drinks on the planet. Saying this how can you make sure that you get the chance to enjoy your wine responsibly?

Wine is a drink with a decent alcoholic content, indeed this is one of the reasons many people enjoy wine. However, you drink too much and you can be left with a nasty hangover.

Hangovers can act as a deterrent. If you get one too many hangovers or a hangover strong enough, you might swear off wine and this would be a mistake. It would mean you would miss out on all the complex flavours and experiences that wine can bring.

So it makes sense to make sure that everybody drinks their wine responsibly; this means that they get the chance to appreciate it and enjoy it’s palette of many flavours. But when wine goes down so well, it’s hard to remember that it can leave us with a nasty hangover. So how can we make sure we drink wine responsibly?

The first way may seem obvious but it’s one that we at the Ideal Wine Company really can’t stress enough. Take your time. It isn’t a race and you can only really appreciate a wine if you let it dance on your tongue. You need time to really take in the unique combination of flavours and slowing down means you’re less likely to go over your limits.

Another solid piece of advice is to never mix. Mixing types or even brands of wine can have an adverse reaction on your body and make any potential hangover worse. Plus if you mix you get the wines tastes mixing on your tongue and that means you might not get the full impact of the flavour.

It’s also a great idea to pour a small glass of water and keep it by your side whilst you’re drinking. This not only allows you to keep a clearer head, but it also allows you to refresh your palate, so when you take your next sip you get the chance to enjoy the full impact of the grape all over again.

Lastly you need to line your stomach. There’s nothing worse than drinking when you’ve had nothing to eat. The alcohol goes to your head quicker giving you less chance to actually enjoy your wine. Plus there are so many dishes out there that compliment specific types of wine it’d be a crime not to pair them up.

Wine is a drink that we all want to not just enjoy, but appreciate. As long as you use your common sense and drink responsibly, you’ll get the chance to fully embrace the rich complexity of flavours presented in the bottle before you. 

What do You Need to Know to Become a Wine Buff?

Wine is a drink that is appreciated all over the world. As such many people out there aspire to become a wine buff, but they don’t know where to start.

At the Ideal Wine Company we’ve established a reputation in the luxury wine trade. We’ve built this reputation by knowing what makes a good luxury wine. We understand that in order to choose the wine that’s right for you, there are some basics you need to know. That’s why we thought we’d share this knowledge with you.

So what do you need to know to become a wine buff? There are a few basics that you need to get comfortable with first, things you might have overlooked before, but that are essentials in sourcing out true quality luxury wines.

Start with the bottle. It may seem redundant, but a bottle will tell you all you need to know about the wine in question. They’ll tell you about the quality, vintage, alcohol content and brand of the wine in question.

Bottles first list the producer, then the variety of wine, then the region it was produced in and grape variety used, then the vintage year and finally the alcohol content. The alcohol content is what many look at, but you should be looking at the vintage year, grape variety and producer to determine the quality of the wine.

Next you need to know about serving temperatures.  Most people know the basics, that white wine is chilled and that red is served at room temperature However to become a wine buff you need to know the specifics.

Red wine should be served at room temperature, around 20 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius. Rose wine has to be served slightly chilled; the best temperatures for this are between 7 degrees Celsius and 13 degrees Celsius. White wine should be served chilled at around 5 degrees Celsius.

You also need to know about how to serve wine, which glass.  The rules for this vary depending on the wine, but a good rule of thumb is to use larger rimmed glasses for red, as they allow the wine to breathe and slimmer glasses for white. Also always use a flute for champagne.

You also need to know about tasting. To be a good taster first hold the glass by the stem and swill gently, this allows the wine to react with the air and improves the quality. Then lightly sip, swill it around your mouth letting it fall by the sides of your tongue, then spit.

This is only the beginning; wine is a complex field and there’s a lot you need to know to truly become a wine buff. However these hard rules will help you on your way. 

Oregon: An Example of Extreme Weather Patterns on Viticulture?

With a cold snap sweeping the Northern US at the moment Oregon is experiencing temperatures it hasn’t seen in years. What the Ideal Wine Company wants to ask is, will this extreme weather stifle a growing wine industry in the Beaver State?

When we think of American wine making a hundred images flit into our head. A new world of adventurous sun soaked vines lying in the heart of California wine country. This image means that we tend to ignore other wine making ventures in the countries developing industry.

However Oregon itself has a fledgling wine industry, all originally made possible in the Beaver state due to changing weather patterns.

Wines have actually been produced in the region since its pre-statehood days back in 1840 when it was a territory. However its industry only gained significance in the 1960’s, today boasting an international reputation for the excellence of the wines they produce. These typically include Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, amongst others.

However, as we’ve discussed in an earlier post, changing weather patterns are altering the face of the international wine making industry. Rising rain and heat levels could one day move the industry north of its traditional areas. This has been most prevalent in Europe.

However Oregon hasn’t escaped the wine changing weather. Naturally the cold snap the US is experiencing right now is a part of it. These are winds that have come down from the arctic itself. Such cold temperatures are likely to do some damage to the Oregon wine making industry.

However the Beaver State has already undergone a weather pattern change. In late September of last year, the regions vineyards experienced heavy rainfall. This occurred at the height of the wine grape harvest season.

This caused fear amongst industry experts. It seems that this fear is founded as a report on the final product labeled Oregon wine for that year “definitely not for the faint of heart.” This is a disappointment for what has been an increasingly successful industry over the years.

So what does this mean? Right now, it simply means some re-branding most likely as companies scrabble to sell products with bad reviews. However it could be indicative of a greater shift in the Beaver state that may see it decrease its wine production.

It’s clear that these weather patterns are having an effect on everyone and everything, wine is certainly no different: only time will tell where the Oregon viticulture industry will go from here.