GoGoKitty’s Wine Secrets

The Alsace wine road travels between Marlenheim near Strasbourg and Thann near Mulhouse and is a extremely popular and attractive way to discover this this important French region whilst learning and enjoying the food and wine produced here.  The route covers a beautiful area between the eastern edge of the Vosges Mountains and the River Rhine.  Driving through distinctive and unspoilt villages, this is one of France’s smaller wine producing regions but it has some glorious scenery and of course produces some very delicious wines.  The route is well signposted and at each place of particular interest there are marked footpaths which take you through the vineyards to discover the cellars and diverse landscapes of each winery.  Hire a bicycle or travel on foot into the countryside with a picnic, or stop stop for lunch at one of the inns or wineries followed later by a tasting session, these are days to slow down and truly enjoy the slow pace of life and the beautiful French countryside.

Passing through 27 important villages gives you the opportunity to stop on your journey to try over 50 of the local wines classified as ‘grand cru’ from the Riesling, Pinot Gris, Sylvaner, Muscat and Gewürztraminer grape varieties.  As well as the attraction of wine and vineyards the route passes by picture perfect villages with historic black and white houses,flowered balconies and medieval castles. A typical example of these traditional communities is the epicentre of the wine making region, the village of Eguisheim. 

Eguisheim dates back to the Middle Ages which is evident from the winding narrow streets, its black and white buildings and what remains of the once fortified castle.  As far back as the 4^th century the area became well known for its wine which was found on the tables of royalty in both England and Holland.  Eguisheim is also popular because every type of Alsatian grape is grown here so if your time is limited or you would rather not travel the whole route, it is possible to experience all the regions wines in one location.

Eguisheim Hotels

If you are staying here, the hotels in eguisheim come in a great many shapes and sizes in a mixture of French and German styles.  Two hotels which are considered to be excellent value for money for visitors on the wine route are the Hostellerie Des Comtes Eguisheim and the Hotel Saint Hubert Eguisheim. 

Hostellerie Des Comtes Eguisheim is proud of its intimate atmosphere and gastronomical delights.  The 14 non smoking rooms are clean and bright and feature TV, phone, hairdryer and Internet access for visitors who like to keep in touch.

Hotel Saint Hubert Eguisheim is a modern hotel situated amongst the vineyards with dramatic views of the Black Forest.  With just 15 en suite guest rooms  the hotel offers is guest’s personal service and facilities such as TV, telephone and mini bar heated indoor swimming pool and sauna.

The Alsace wine route is a very picturesque way of discovering the beauties of the border region with Germany, and a entirely different experience to the other wine producing areas of France.

A huge tract of land that once occupied by  the Roman Empire during the  reign  of Julius Caesar and then conquered by the then powerful German Empire  at the end of the  Franco-Prussian War, Alsace, France has come a long way from being a disputed territorial dominion that has spawned major  skirmishes between feuding Germanic tribes and Frank ethnic groups, between Germany and Allied France.

Though Alsace is a territory of France, many people their still interact in German.  Today, Alsace has evolved from a battleground to a famed vacation destination. Situated  close to the Rhine River  , hopeless romantics and newlywed couples are just some of the few  who go  to the Alsace and experience the serenity and the romantic element that river creates. Apart from romantic cruises by the river  , Alsace is also home to the wine-making cradle of France , Eguisheim.

Eguisheim itself is deeply engrossed  in history, With houses, roads, and bridges that still hold their Middle Age elements, it is so hard to  not to wish spending a relaxing holiday here. With a long list of very warm and accommodating Eguisheim hotels, you are certainly  going to have the time of your life  in Eguisheim.

If you so opt  to spend a couple of holidays in the  city of Alsace, be sure to look up online tour guides and make a quick check on a hotel price comparison site if you want to get the best out for your stay. There are quite a few  of hotels in Eguisheim, all of which provides you more than just a warm, comfortable bed at night.

Eguisheim has long been considered as the main city of the European wine route . That said, it is near impossible not to check out the winemaking structures  of the city and visit the vineyards that embrace the whole area.  Notable  winemaking families come from this part of Alsace and some of their winemaking establishments remain intact. Definitely worth a visit.

For trivia buffs and religious individuals, they will be more than glad to know that Pope Leo IX was born in this serene town.

Once you get your load  of Eguisheim wine, you can also roam about the city and marvel at its centuries-old houses and walkways. If you can’t get enough of that, you can go and see for yourself castle ruins and fortresses that are scattered throughout Egusheim’s hill terrain.

One particular site, the Three Castles if Haut-Eguisheim, provides visitors a glance  of how Medieval knights and nobles watched  out to the horizon for welcomed allies and hated   enemies  . With a panoramic view from a grassy hilltop, one can see why Eguisheim flourished from its foundation up to this day.

Alsace offers tourists more than just a venue where they spend their holidays , but a haven where they take a break from it all and just enjoy life as simple as it gets.

If you, or somebody you know has a great love of wine, then the Avanti 40-Bottle Wine Cooler would make a perfect gift for either of you. Practical, easy to use features such as a dual-function, one-touch digital control and an electronic display are included on this cooler. Not only can you do you have the option of temperature control for a myriad of various wines, but you can also set up two different temperatures, in different zones, for a lot of different wines. The Avanti 40-bottle wine cooler also provides a convenient auto-defrost feature.

Other features of this Avanti wine cooler include an interior LED soft light, slide out shelves for different sized bottles, and a double-pane, tempered glass door that is reversible. Bottles are prevented from slipping out when the door is opened due to the raised wooden shelf fronts. The handle is removable and the unit is trimmed with stainless steel. Your wine will always remain at a constant temperature, thanks to the interior fan, and the security lock will prevent children, or anyone else without permission, from helping themselves to your wine. You will not be bothered by annoying vibrations with the Avanti 40-bottle wine cooler, as the thermoelectric cooler maintains an interior temperature of between 44 and 64 degrees with little vibration. Customer reviews have been mostly positive, and many like the dual temperature controls.

This unit, for all its features is quite compact, measuring just 33.25″x19.5″, and is just under 25″ deep, ideal for small spaces. You will find that the Avanti 40 bottle wine cooler can be found for under the $529 list price, and there is a one year limited warranty with this cooler. Avanti is a premiere brand name well-known for it’s high quality products and this is no exception.

The Avanti 40-bottle wine cooler provides convenience, and you can use it just about anywhere. You will find that the user friendly features make this unit much easier to operate than some of it’s more expensive competitors. Not many other brands offer a warranty, so this can be a good deal for the right person, looking for a nice way to keep their wine at just the right temperature all the time.

Many people love to sample different types of wine, but sometimes, you just can not find one you really enjoy. Homemade fruit wine making is the one way to experiment with different fruits and juices to make a wine you like. Using a guide like the ultimate fruit winemaker’s guide will help you with your winemaking efforts

All you need to do is to follow simple wine making instructions, especially during the fermentation phase. Grapes are naturally complementary to the wine making process and require very little adjustment during fermentation.

You might want a citrus wine favor. If so, you can use oranges, apples, grapefruit or gooseberry. If you want something a little less citrus flavored, you might try bananas, cherry, pear, peach, strawberry or grapes. There are people who use dandelions and rhubarb as well as watermelon and ginger root to make wine.

Home wine making possibilities are endless when you think about it. You can use any type of fruit that would make a good wine. If you wan to experiment with just about anything, you can do this as well. You do not have to stick with what other people do, you can make your own blend.

The second essential factor is to determine the available sugar in the juice and to make the required adjustments to the sugar level. A winemaking hydrometer is very useful to perform this job. It provides you all the required information regarding the sugar level in the juice including the current level of sugar, the potential of preparing alcohol and the required amount of sugar. There are actually a wide variety of sugars available in the market. You may become a little unsure which will be the best sugar for your wine.

Enjoy your wine as a professional wine taster. When the wine is ready to be opened, try a little taste before taking a few drinks. You want to savor the taste before making a judgment as to how it tastes. Your home wine making skills might have created a extraordinary bottle of wine. You might want to share some with friends to hear their opinions about the taste. A good wine maker always shares to find reviews. Once the reviews are in, you will know whether you have a great wine or maybe a best seller as well.

Wine glasses and Martini Glasses are available in a wide selection of styles because the way in which wine is served can influence its perception, and the vessel in which wine is contained is often a final thing.  For example, the very shape of a wine glass is vital as it concentrates the flavor and aroma ( often referred to as bouquet among fans ), emphasizing unique characteristics of certain types of grape ( such wines, made of one specific kind of the fruit, are referred to as varietals ).  Indeed, wine lore has it that the shape of the glass actually directs the wine itself towards the best, most delicate part of a drinker’s mouth for tasting! 

The opening of the wine glass isn’t frequently broader than the widest rim of the bowl, the part in which the drink is contained.  Most bowls are held up by stems, which are attached to bases called the foot.  Various functions are ascribed to stems,eg keeping hands and fingers from obscuring the wine and keeping the glass from being smeared with fingerprints.  Contrary to popular belief, the stem was not made to help stop body heat from heating the wine, which misconception is belied by the trend in stemless wine glasses, even unique martini glasses

These wine tumblers, as they’re called, have been growing in popularity, but most wine glasses can be split into generally recognized classes suspect only to the strictest of connoisseurs and purists : red wine glasses, white wine glasses, champagne flutes, and sherry glasses.  Red wine glasses have a tendency to have rounder wider bowls, related to extend the rate of oxidization, which exposure to air is said to benefit red wines the best .  White wine glasses alter the most in shape and size, but are designed to prevent oxidization; champagne flutes will have the narrowest mouths because of this.  A sherry glass is intended for serving liqueurs and so on.