Monday, January 19, 2015

Vine Advisor - A Site for Sharing

Drinking a fine bottle of wine is an enjoyment that is best shared with family, friends and guests. It is more than simply a beverage; it is an enticing treat, a complement to a delicious meal and, if it is a truly extraordinary wine, an almost magical experience. Such an experience deserves to be shared, not just with those who were there to savor the wine with you, but also with those who will enjoy hearing about it and possibly want to try it as well.

Vine Advisor is a site made for just that type of sharing. It is a wine community, where users can register and post reviews about wines they've tried and even share stories about meals and celebrations they've experienced, most likely with wine to accompany them!

wine advisor is also a resource for wine lovers of all levels of expertise. The wine aficionado who has a lot to say about the subtle nuances of a particular wine can describe it in detail and allow others to learn from him as their Wine Advisor. The casual wine drinker who simply knows what he likes can post a more general review describing the wine in his own words and give it a rating out of five stars. Users can post photos of the wine along with their reviews as well.


If you are simply searching for a good wine to try, you can use the search filters to narrow your search by region, varietal, color, sweetness, food pairing, country and winery. So, if you know you don’t care for white wine, set the color filter to red and go from there.  You may discover a fabulous new wine that you might not have tried otherwise.

Planning a trip? There is also a geographic listing of wineries around the world, so stop on Vine Advisor first to plan your tour of the local wineries at your destination. The interactive map allows you to search for wineries in a particular country with a simple click and, once you've visited, you can rate the wines and the wineries too.  For each winery, there is a list of their wines and photos of the bottles. Suggested food pairings are also offered.

The FAQs page on Vine Advisor answers questions about topics such as wine terminology, how to serve wine and even the health benefits of red wine. For instance, did you know that red wine contains antioxidants in red wine can help lower cholesterol, protect your heart and boost your brain.


As more people visit this interactive wine community and post their reviews, stories and experiences, the site becomes ever more interesting and helpful. A true wine community that is waiting to welcome you in.

Friday, December 12, 2014

The Value of Information

In the wine world a trusted wine advisor is a valuable resource. They can help you with food pairings, vintages to watch for, and can help identify characteristics you like in a wine for an afternoon of quaffing. Or the perfect wine that will work for that holiday feast or winter barbeque.


There is so much to learn and know when trying to choose the right wine that any help is often valuable. Perhaps you need something lighter for a before dinner drink or something to serve to a group of guests over the holidays. Being able to choose a blended red for cocktail time is quite different from a lovely, earthy, Tempranillo to go with a rare roast beef. The simple difference here is the age of the wine. Most blends are relatively young wines and have a nice even colour to them and a brightness in the mouth. An old wine like a Tempranillo (aged not less than 5 years in barrels) has a much deeper flavor to it. Let an old wine breath a bit before pouring or even better decant the bottle into a pretty glass flagon for table serving. The much bigger flavors in the older wine will delight your guest and be the perfect complement to a nice meat based meal.

These kinds of tiny tips are what make a wine advisor valuable. Not just the difference in wines, but the way wines are a great addition to any occasion. We like to think that wines are the app of the culinary world and no matter what you are doing, there is a wine for that. Find and advisor you trust, and understand. Don’t be afraid to experiment a little, it takes time to develop a sense for wine and what you like or don’t. It is a matter of taste after all.