←Betty B→ asked:


I don’t drink for religious purposes. But, I’ve noticed that a lot of the chefs on T.V., such as Emirel, use wine when cooking most of the time. I’ve heard that the wine supposedly steams out when cooking with it, but is there an alternative to using it? I would love to start making the recipes I see on T.V. the same way the chefs do.

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ScottB asked:


I want to become a wine drinker but so far do not enjoy the taste of wine. Does anyone have any suggestions or comments on how to become a wine enthusiast?

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golfrewind.com asked:


I drink wine on occasion but honestly, I can’t seem to tell the difference. What makes a good wine good and what makes a bad wine bad?
okay, so if the cheese and crackers are for removing the taste of the wine, then it wouldn’t really be necessary when only drinking one type of wine? i know so little about wine that i figured it was just a snack people liked to eat with wine

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intuition897 asked:


We have a lot of what looks like wild grape vines growing around our property (we just moved here). We’re not too far from the Prince Edward County wine region, so I don’t doubt that the soil here is good for grapes. Has anyone had any experience using wild grapes for wine or preserves? The grapes themselves are very small and they seem to grow in small clusters about 3-4 inches across. I have only seen them unripened as I think the birds tend to eat them.
I don’t think it’s moonseed. It’s definitely a woody stemmed grapevine with clinging tendrils and serrated-edged broad grape leaves.

I have made wine from kits before, but would like to try it from scratch. I was going to plant wine grapes this year, but thought I’d wait and see what these wild vines yielded first. As you say, who knows? It may be some kind of wondergrape. I’m not holding my breath though.

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Wine connoisseurs and those casual wine lovers will put much effort in finding that perfect wine rack. A fine wine rack will always raise the atmosphere in the room. A well chosen wine rack will add to the overall value of one’s home and it will bring out that special flair of luxury. Buying a wine rack is almost certain to raise some questions. Questions like why you should need a wine rack or which material to choose for a rack will come up.

More than one dilemma is going to cross your mind before you actually go into action.

Why should one buy a wine bottle storage rack? Perhaps you are a wine lover that wants to manifest his passion and it just does not feel right to store those fine bottles anywhere else.

As much as the right storage of bottles is important a beautiful wine rack will also become a real eye-catcher when friends come to visit you. A quality wine rack still emits that special aura of exclusivity. Wine bottle rack is still a strong statement of wealth and a healthy life style.

Which material should I choose for my wine rack?

Besides classic materials like wood or metal, a custom made wine rack can satisfy one’s wildest imagination concerning the choice of different materials. Despite the great selection of different materials, metal and wood still dominate the market. Regarding wood, nowadays every serious wine rack producer offers at least 5 different wood sorts to choose from. Metal wine racks offer the choice of all kinds of metal that will match most sophisticated taste of any true wine lover.

Which wine rack will keep its value for a longer time?

The first step should be to decide what kind of a rack you need in terms of different racking types: a wall mounted wine rack, a free standing one, handing rack or a table top wine rack. Afterwards you will be able to estimate the limits of your budget when thinking of purchasing middle- to upper class wine rack. A decision that rarely brings any disappointment is a decision to buy a hardwood wine rack. Short but bulletproof advice.

Does it matter where I put my wine rack?

In a small to mid-size apartment a wine rack would traditionally find its place in the kitchen or in a dining room. People who consider themselves as burning lovers of wine colleting will scarify almost any other piece of furniture just to put their beautiful wine rack in living room. Wine rack is never a problematic piece of furniture and it will go along with furniture in any room. Those true wine lovers will tend to have their wine collection displayed in a room where family and friends spend majority of their time.

Is a new wine rack too expensive for me?

Starting price for a middle size wine rack storing up to 100 bottles will begin at 50 to 60 USD. Quality wood wine rack storing 60-70 bottles will cost you over 200 USD. Wrought iron wine racks are much more expensive than those entry models of hardwood racks. 350 to 400 USD is the price to count with.

It does not matter whether it is a hanging wine rack in the kitchen or a wall mounted wine rack in a dining room, carefully chosen wine rack will fit any furniture and any special taste of its owner. Wine racks are that additional piece of classy furniture that nobody really needs, but everyone passionately wants to own one.



By: Melanie Hudson

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jonesin_am asked:


I’ve heard red wine is good but know nothing about wine. What kind, specifically, should I use? Thank you! I have a bunch of tomatoes from the garden and am canning some sauce!

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A wine cellar needs temperature and humidity control. Good insulation, a vapor barrier and a climate control system are all major components, but a big part of climate control comes in selecting the right wine room door. The wrong choice can force your wine cellar refrigeration system to work more and allow undesirable warm air inside your wine room, nullifying the rest of your cautious wine room construction and design.

 

The correct wine cellar door maintains a seal on the entryway when the door is closed, allowing the wine cellar cooling unit to circulate temperature and humidity-controlled air through the total wine room without battling with air leaking into the room from outside the door. Whether you buy a pre-made standard door, or have one built to your desired specifications, all good wine doors have specific qualities that make them perfect for the climate control demands of your wine storage room.

 

Wine Cellar Door Construction

 

Custom wine cellar contractors recommend using exterior grade wine doors, which are powerful enough to withstand temperature fluctuations and keep outside air from trickling in. An excellent exterior grade wine cellar door should be weatherproofed and acclimatized to the level of temperature and humidity in the environment where it will be used; the humidity factor should not be ignored when picking a door. The recommended humidity for a wine room falls roughly between 50% and 80%, with 70% being the target level. If a wine room door can’t survive 70% humidity without warping or additional issues, it isn’t worth the money you paid for it.

 

Wooden wine doors should have rock-hard construction; by no means use a cavernous door as the entrance for your custom wine cellar. If you use a glass wine cellar door, it should be double-paned to help keep exterior air out. The recommended thickness for wine room doors varies according to who you ask, but the bare minimum you should install for your wine cellar is one and three-quarter inches. If your wine cellar door is accessible to children or if you just want some extra security for your wines consider adding a lock to your door specs.

 

Wine Room Door Materials

 

Wine cellar doors are available in a variety of materials; wood, glass, even wrought iron. Options consist of standard doors, carved wood doors or carved wood and glass. You can also get beveled glass doors or wine cellar iron doors.

 

When purchasing a wine cellar door, the condition of your wine cellar may dictate your purchase to a certain point. Is the wine room already built? Do you need to buy a door to fit your existing entryway? Or do you need a complete set with the door, doorjamb, weather stripping included in a package? Wine cellar doors may come in “door-only” versions or as pre-hung doors. A pre-hung wine room door comes to you installed into a frame which you set up into the entryway. Pre-hung doors speed up the installation process if you are doing the work yourself, but you may need an extra set of hands to help get the door in position and correctly attached.

 

Some wine cellar doors contain optional wrought-iron attachments which are set up on top of your door once it has been installed in the opening, but these don’t have anything to do with climate control issues in your cellar; the wrought iron add-ons are purely decorative. If you add these ornamental designs, it is vital to fasten them securely to the door to eliminate the potential for damage to the lacquer finish of the wood.

 

Wine Cellar Doors vs. Entryways

 

Many wine cellar door manufacturers offer custom-designed and built entryways. What’s the difference between an entryway and a wine room door? With a custom entryway you are having the entire section of door, doorjamb and related construction included in the package. This can allow for the construction of a more stylish look for your cellar and offer some additional custom options for the area. If you order the door only, you can set it up in your existing entryway, which is helpful for situations where you are already happy with the surrounding wine cellar construction.

 

Miscellaneous Concerns

 

Wine cellar doors should come with a threshold, door sweep and perimeter seal. These seals permit the door to be weather-stripped on all three sides to keep out drafts when the door is shut. Weather stripping is a necessity for the entrance to your wine room, or else your wine cooling system works less efficiently and your climate controlled air will move into the area outside the wine cellar.

 

Are you buying a custom wine room door? You will need measurements of your door jamb or entryway and you must decide whether you want handles or locks. Some vendors will not supply locks or pre-drilling. If you want to install a lock in these cases you will have to do the job yourself based on the design specifications of an exact lock.

 

Sometimes the direction your doors open might be an issue. When deciding which way your wine room doors should hinge, think about the placement of your wine racking or accessories around the doors, and how wide you need to open the doors should you need to add in a crate or case of wine bottles. If you need more clearance than the inside of your wine room can provide, make sure your doors can swing open to the outside, and don’t forget a doorstop or additional add-on to prevent the doors from striking the wall.

 

A wine cellar door is a significant part to your wine room. Selected wisely the doors can help your wine cellar work properly and create a great first impression to your visitors.

 



By: Ben Adams

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tpt001 asked:


I am trying to make rice wine with 2 simple ingredients (steamed glutinous rice and yeast. It’s been 2 weeks already and no wine have been made. I can definitely smell it but not a drop of wine visible. The grains seems dry to my perspective. Can it be be cause it is undercooked or that I used the traditional steamer instead of the rice cooker? How can I fix this and allow yeast to produce rice wine?

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1magicmom asked:


This is a sweet wine my Mom used to make for Christmas time. We were allowed only so much, but no one ever wanted to go any where after a good meal and a little wine.

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JBR asked:


I am sucky at opening wine bottles and yet again, had to push the cork into the wine. So there were bits of cork in our wine. Is it dangerous to drink cork? Will I die?

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