You might wonder why there are so many different shapes and sizes of glasses on the market today. To the uninitiated the variety may seem a little unnecessary, surely they can’t change the flavor of the liquid they hold can they? Well actually they can, and here is a breakdown of some of the most common glass types and how they affect the drink.

Whisky Glasses. There is a very good reason why people consume whisky from large-diameter glasses rather than the tall thin variety. Whisky is often served in small amounts as it is frequently enjoyed straight, rather than being added to a mixer. The result of this means that if whisky was served over ice in a narrow and tall glass, the area of the drink in contact with the ice would be quite small as the ice would be stacked up the glass. As ice is necessary to chill the whisky and release its deeper flavors, it’s best to serve the drink in a wide shallow glass where the ice can move around and have more contact area with the liquid, thus chilling the whisky more.

Champagne Flutes.This type of wine is served in long thin glasses and again there is a good reason for it. The bubbles in champagne contain quite a overpowering aroma that is forcefully released into the glass as the bubbles burst when the reach the surface. If the glass had a wide rim then your nose would be situated within the glass when drinking and the powerful gasses would effect flavour by numbing the sinuses.

Red and White Wine Glassware. Red wine glasses are often large and bowl shaped. This allows the drink to be swirled around quite aggressively, liberating lots of hidden flavors that would otherwise not be released.  Also a wide glass means your whole nose can easily fit within it, which is important for soaking up all the rich aromas. Most people drink white wine out of a glass with smaller proportions and not so much of a bowl-shape. This is because you want to keep the flavors quite compacted in the glass and absorb more of the aroma of white wine through the mouth rather than the nose.

Coming up with gift ideas can be a very frustrating thing that people must do from time to time. Many people are not able to think of what a person may want to receive as a gift, or you may be shopping for a person that has everything already. This can be one of the worst situations to be in when it comes to gift giving. A gourmet wine and cheese gift basket can relieve a person of this worry and be a very nice gift that most people would love to get.

Once you have decided that a wine gift basket is the perfect thing to mark the occasion that you need a gift for, you can then go about the task of planning it out. You need to put the wine in something. Seeing as most people drink wine chilled, an ice bucket makes a perfect choice for a container.

Try putting a corkscrew in the bucket as well. Many people are in need of this item when they want to open up a bottle of wine. I know in my own experience that it can never be found at the time that a person needs it. So, with this in mind it could be the perfect item to go with the wine.

Also a good option as a companion to the wine that you are giving is cheese. There are many different kinds to choose from and you can select one that will amplify the taste of the wine selection that you have made for the recipient.

While looking around the specialty shop, take a look at the variety of crackers that are also available. They could be the perfect little extra that you can add to the basket. It is always a nice snack when you pair cheese and crackers with one another.

If the gift is for a couple that is getting married, or celebrating an anniversary, they might like a pretty set of wine glasses that can mark the occasion for them. They will remember the thoughtfulness of the gift they received every time that they have a glass of wine from them.

You can do anything you want when it comes to wine gift baskets, all that it really takes is a bit of an imagination. Just let yourself go and brainstorm a bit. You will be surprised at the things that will come to mind. Keep in mind the occasion of the gift basket and the person or people that it is for and it will surely turn out to be a very well received gift.

What did the grape say when it was rolled over by a beer keg?

Not a word - all it did was “wine”!

What we drink says a lot about who we are – if you believe the marketing companies who target the mass markets with multi-million dollar commercials and campaigns. But how much can this information be trusted?

Enjoying both beers and wines is not a mutually exclusive pastime – I personally drink both and conform with neither stereotypical image of either drinker – I’m not a young stud hanging out with great looking babes in a bar while ice-cold longnecks are guzzled by the truck load nor a wrinkly, liberal-looking, spectacle-wearing foodie with leather patches on my elbows.

The global cultural significance of wine and beer is due mostly to their extremely long histories. Who actually invented beer and wine is lost in time, but both originated from the Middle East and probably have been made since Neolithic times (around 5000 B.C.) – certainly the ancient Egyptians and various empires based to the East of the Mediterranean Sea have documented wines and beers as well as irrefutable archaeological evidence.

Certainly in those ancient times, there was no such thing as an NFL or Nascar event while cheese & wine parties were not exactly on the social menu. The division of potential consumers using marketing, and by extension, social stereotypes for beer and wine markets has created a false picture of who actually drinks them. Since wine producers in California started making headway in international markets bck in the 80’sWine was the alcoholic drink of the masses in Europe and not the upper crust – beer was drunk as water, simply because it was safe to drink due to the alcohol content and in fact, beer was not brewed for the purpose of getting drunk, at least, not in the beginning but to purify water.

Mass production of beer really started in the 20^th Century – in previous centuries other forms of alcohol dominated demand for getting smashed – and wine was one of the dominant beverages. With the coming of mass production also came mass marketing and in the case of beer, blue collar workers became the targeted demographic hoping they would want an ice-cold beverage after a hard day’s work. Girls, cars, smiling friends and being Mr. Popular in the bar were all part of the marketing mix thrown at potential beer drinkers being sold on fizzy, yellow brews. The self-owned breweries that have a good brew have been left out of the mainstream beer industry but appreciated by beer aficionados.

Marketing perception is rarely an accurate reflection of reality, if you consider that wine was discovered probably at an earlier date than beer from the archaeological evidence, wine would appear to have been the caveman’s first choice of fermented brew. If a caveman preferred wine to beer, this hardly matches the marketing perception that beer drinkers do not have taste nor being a hard-working macho-man precludes you from enjoying wine. Wine is also more potent than beer for those who wish to see who can get drunk the quickest.

On the other hand, wine experts and followers will probably point to the labor and skill which goes into creating a fine wine – the reality is that brewing beer also requires just as much artistry and imagination as producing a good bottle of plonk. The plethora of small breweries and family-owned brewers that have maintained their tradition for generations gives testimony to the great diversity of skill, taste, and ingenuity when it comes to making the best alcohol possible.

The bottom line – downing a beer or slurping a wine is not predetermined by social status or marketing categorization – it all comes down to one thing no matter who you are or what you do – your own taste.

By Mark Trumper, the guiding force of MaverickLabel.com, the Internet’s leading provider of labels, custom stickers and custom wine labels. From asset tags, to shipping labels to custom wine labels, MaverickLabel.com can provide all of your label needs. Call 1-800-537-8816.

Many people choose a wine rackfor decorative reasons without truly considering why a wine rack is necessary.  Wine racks are necessary to keep the wine in the best condition possible before drinking it, so that the cork does not dry out, the sediment is not disturbed, and the wine does not take on the other aromas that might be in the home or storage area.  There are many different styles of wine racks that can be used in a home to store wine, as well as wine glass racks that allow the wine glasses to be beautifully displayed and easily attainable to the homeowner.  Some of the wine racks are made from wood and are stackable while others are made from different types of metal and can be a single piece or stackable.  The choice in wine rack depends on how much wine the person stores at one time and if he is a serious collector of wine.

Storage On A Wine Rack

There are certain things to be considered when choosing a wine rack, such as the material that it is built from.A certain amount of air gets into the wine bottles from the surroundings which should not have bad smell.  That means that if a wooden wine rack is obtained, it should be made from a wood that does not have much of an odor in itself.  Woods such as cedar are not good for wine racks because they have a distinct odor that will contaminate the wine if it is in a rack for a long period of time in a place next to the cedar.  The metal wine racks are a better choice as far as odor goes because they do not give off that odor which can cause problems with the flavor of the wine.

Another consideration when buying a wine rack is whether it will be easy to expand on the wine rack as the wine bottle collection grows so that it looks like one expansive wine rack or if each piece is bought as a stand alone unit.  For people who only want a small collection, a stand alone unit is fine, but for those who want to have a wine cellar, have a stackable unit that interlocks with others is the best situation.  The wine bottles should sit at a forty-five degree angle in the wine rack so that the wine is touching the cork at all times.Due to two causes it becomes important.  The first is that it does not allow the air to get into the bottle, thus keeping it sealed and as free as possible from contaminates.  Another reason is that the cork is less likely to dry out, even if the humidity is not at sixty to seventy percent in the storage room at all times.

A couple of years ago while passing through the Yarra Valley, my husband and I stumbled upon a winery that has now become one of the gems to the Yarra Valley wine region. Elmswood Estate winery is found in the Seville region, about 45 minutes east of Melbourne and is definitely worth a visit, not only for its fine wines, tasty food and friendly staff, but the spectacular views of the Warburton Ranges.

Driving down the driveway that leads to the cellar door, there’s no indication of what lies beyond the vines and the building that houses the cellar door and offices, but once you arrive at the car park, the view becomes prominent. There is a glassed in pavilion that allows customers to have a glass of wine or enjoy some lunch all year round, while also allowing the view to take centre stage. However, there are also tables and chairs as well as wooden bench seats available outside for al fresco dining during the warmer weather.

Elmswood Estate offers many different varieties of boutique wines, while regularly keeping up with consumer demand in introducing more wine to their range. Their well known and very popular wines include a sparkling Methode Champenoise, Oaked and Un-Oaked Chardonnay, Cabernet Rose, Cabernet Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and introduced in the past couple of years varieties such as  Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Sparkling Pinot and Liquor Chardonnay and Cabernet styles. Every winery has its speciality wine, but for a great combination, you can’t go past the Oaked Chardonnay paired with a cheese platter.

As dining in the Yarra Valley has become increasingly popular, Elmswood has remained a destination for enjoying tasty food for lunch on weekends. There’s a substantial menu which provides many options for all sorts of people, without the hefty price tag. If you want to graze with a cheese platter while enjoying a glass or two of Elmswoods finest, or decide that something more substantial is in order, such as the popular duck and pinot pie, or a steak sandwich, you won’t be disappointed with the range of meals and the price.

With the stunning views and wines at Elmswood, it has become one of the premiere wineries for weddings and functions. With all it has to offer, it is a very popular venue for weddings and requires bookings more than twelve months in advance, often longer. The staff at Elmswood Estate offer assistance with every detail of your ceremony and reception for that special day, as well as providing help with entertainment and transport services.

All in all, Elmswood Estate Winery is a one stop winery, providing everything you could possibly want on a day out to the Yarra Valley.  Breathtaking views, delicious food, friendly staff and of course, quality wines,  what more could you want at a winery?