“Red, red wine goes to my head…”

…and heart, circulatory and lymphatic systems and evidently to my hands! We’ve been talking about phenols, and polyphenols. Let’s continue with another branch of the phenolic group: anthocyanins (and their sugarless counterparts the anthocyanidins). Anthocyanins are highly pigmented, water-soluble phenols. They contribute the red, purple and blue colors in fruits and vegetables. The colors that […]

Have you heard of wine phenolics and polyphenols?

We’re going to wrap up this month of barrel talk with a little bit about these compounds and what contributions a barrel can give to a red wine. . First of all…what is a phenolic compound? A phenolic compound by definition is an aromatic organic compound that has a phenol ring in its structure. There […]

Wine, all the way to the top!

We do this periodically to prevent the wine from spoiling. A barrel is not an airtight container such as a stainless-steel drum. A barrel will allow evaporation of wine through the wood itself and the tiny spaces between boards of the staves and the heads. This evaporative process drives the phenomenon called microoxygenation (or microx) […]

Did you know that barrels come in a variety of sizes?

Here’s a bit of information that we found from one source Let’s start with the smallest called a Firkin. This little guy holds a mere 41L (11 gallons) and is traditionally used for dispensing cask ale. A few sizes up is where the wine barrel called a Barrique or a Burgundy comes in, American oak […]

Do you know how oak barrels affect the taste of wine?

Storing wine in oak barrels offers several contributions such as: micro oxygenation, malolactic fermentation and addition of flavors. A few things that affect flavors that are contributed to wine are: The type of oak used (mainly French or American oak); the time that the wine is stored in the barrel; and the toast inside of […]

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Irish Lamb Stew

Need something to warm your bones on a chilly February evening? This recipe is simple and leaves room for improvisation. Add your favorite stew ingredients, taste, season, taste again and serve. With a prep time of 30 minutes this gives you about an hour and forty five minutes to kick back with a glass or […]

Spanish Summer Sangria

Hot July days and cold beverages make great companions and we can’t think of a better to way to quench our thirst than with sangria. Not just any sangria, a sangria with our own estate grown Tempranillo as the star of the show. Sangria is a simple and delicious way to serve a large gathering […]

Shredded Beef Carnitas with a side of Tempranillo

What do we love most about these Carnitas? One, they pair so well with our Tempranillo and two, this is a simple recipe that cooks for 8 hours on low in the slow cooker, which makes it the perfect weeknight meal. When you walk in the door the aroma will reel you in to the […]

Ruby Rosé Granita

Summer is on its way and this sensuous delight should be on the menu. As happens every spring, “Rosé season” has been officially announced. Whatever that means. Our rosé available throughout the entire year, although it is often labeled purely a spring or early summer sipper. The wine and the recipe below are delicious any time of year […]