Screw-cap bottle makes wine fine

New Zealand is known for its exceptional-quality sauvignon blanc, but what it may be best remembered for 30 years from now is transforming the way the wine world seals its product. New Zealand’s winemakers have been at the forefront of helping their peers say goodbye to cork taint by replacing the natural-fiber closures with screw caps. The process began about 40 years ago in neighboring Australia, when Peter Wall, production director of Yalumba contacted French manufacturer, Le Bouchon Mecanique (literally translated as The Mechanical Stopper) in a quest to eliminate cork taint in his...

read more

Columnist savors suggestions, feedback

March marks Uncorked’s seventh anniversary — reinforcing the feeling that time certainly flies when you’re having fun. During the past year we’ve explored everything from flying corks to popcorn pairings. My goal in writing this column is (and always has been) to offer honest recommendations of wines available in Arkansas, and possibly more importantly, to make the subject of wine in general approachable to everyone. Whether you’re just beginning to explore the world of wine or you’re a dedicated oenophile, my hope is this column offers something for everyone interested in...

read more

Buyers becoming sweet on muscat grape

For years dry wines have been viewed as the “it” wines. But it seems Americans are sweetening their palates. Muscat is edging in as one of the most sought-after wines in the world. According to A.C. Nielsen data this sweet trend resulted in a 156.3 percent increase in sweet white wine volume in 2010. That’s a lot of consumers going to the sweet side. The muscat grape, unlike many other wine grapes, is also enjoyed as a table grape. It has a distinctive flavor. If you’ve enjoyed it as a table grape, you’ll most likely instantly recognize the flavor as a wine. The grape color ranges...

read more

Nose can detect most wine defects

Judging the quality of a wine is essential to its enjoyment, and understanding quality starts with a simple question: Does the wine smell clean? Whether you are a beginner or expert, your nose will quickly guide you. Twenty years ago, poor quality, unclean wines were more commonplace, but with today’s technology only a minuscule amount of bottles are faulty because of an error in the wine-making process. A modern wine that is in good condition will not have even a slight smell of musty basements, mold, rotten eggs or vinegar. If you do detect one of these aromas, the culprit, most likely,...

read more

Fine wine, cheese elicit conviviality

A few years ago, I realized that entertaining friends in our home did not have to be a stressful ordeal of extensive menu planning and seating charts. I found our best get-togethers were around the coffee table in the living room, talking for hours and drinking wine from mismatched glasses. For something to enjoy with the wine, look no further than the time-honored traditional cheese platter. It’s easy, elegant and effortless because the secret is all in keeping it simple. If you want to add a few treats beyond bread and crackers, consider olives, prosciutto di Parma, Serrano ham,...

read more

Popping a cork with the hot corn

I never thought I would write a column on corn and wine pairings, let alone my baffling and surprising moment of matching wine with popcorn. My interest was sparked while reading Andrea Immer’s book, Great Tastes Made Simple. Immer declares corn is one of the most fundamental wine foods and she has yet to find a wine that it doesn’t flatter. Corn is one of America’s largest crops, grown from sea to shining sea and found in many varieties of food, from popped to polenta. And corn, according to Immer, has an ideal partner in one of America’s favorite wines, chardonnay. After she...

read more