Wine is one of the most popular drinks in the world, with tens of millions of bottles being sold every year. The popularity of wine led to a large number of different methods of opening a bottle to be developed. Although the demand for these bottle opening devices had dropped recently due to the increase in screw top bottles, there are still a good number of corks out there that need removing and various different ways to do it.

Traditional Corkscrews – These have been around for a long time now and are still as effective as they ever were. Most people have some form of corkscrew in their home as part of their tableware sets, and if you know how to use one you can get a bottle of wine open in no time. You might struggle however if you lack elementary hand strength or finger control though.

Modern device – Advancements in technology have thrown up a number of different devices for making bottle opening a great deal easier. Some of these rely on advanced mechanics, like the winemaster corkscrew, that turn a straight forwards movement into a twisting one. Others are electrically powered and you just pop the device on top of the bottle and it takes care of everything. whilst this is very convenient, its does ruin the fun

Saber - If you are the adventurous kind or a bit of a show off then you can saber a bottle of wine open. During the Napoleonic era, victories were often celebrated with a champagne saberage. This is the process of removing the head of the bottle with a saber and leaving the rest of the bottle in tact. After removing the wire and foil from the head, the cork is soaked in water and then the neck is struck at an angle with the saber, away from the holder and as cleanly as possible. Simple

A soldier in Iraq is looking forward to coming home soon and to being with his fiancee.  He asks, “What is the best wine for a romantic evening?”  He thinks his fiancee is partial to Zinfandel, but isn’t sure.

“I really just want a nice, romantic evening, just the two of us.  After a good dinner and perhaps a little time in a hot tub, I’m looking forward to us simply sitting by the fireplace, sipping wine, and hopefully getting busy, if you know what I mean.”

Yes, we’re pretty sure we know what you mean!  But we’ll leave that part aside, and answer your question about the best wine for the occasion.

If you love is indeed enamored of Zinfandel (the real, red kind), then the answer is easy: buy a zin, of course (”zin” is the hip people’s way to refer to this popular varietal). One additional suggestion, though.  Look for a Zinfandel that is labeled as “old vine.”  Old vine zinfandel is generally considered to be a cut above regular zin in the taste department.  You will pay a bit more for it, usually, but it is worth it.

Another excellent choice would be just about any red wine from Argentina or Chile. Try either a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Malbec.

Or you could go in a different direction altogether and buy some champagne.  Good ol’ bubbly is associated with fun, frivolity, gaiety, and, yes, romance.  Brands? Pommery, Mumm, Veuve Clicqot, Hennessy, Taittinger — the possibilities are wide open. Or, for such a special occasion, you could go all out and get a bottle of Dom Perignon or La Grande Dame champagne.  Be forewarned, these last two will set you back around $140 to $150.  But what an adventure! Tickling her nose, and yours, with a great champagne can be the perfect prelude to getting busy, if you know what we mean.

Champagne is traditionally used on special occasions like while celebrating a milestone or during marriages.  Considered to be a flexible beverage, Champagne can be served with a meal or with dessert.  For many years, this truly refreshing and exotic drink has been used as a way of celebration and just enjoying the times that lie ahead.

Champagne comes from the vineyards of the French region.  If you get a bottle and notice Champagne imprinted on the label, you can rest assured that the bottle was produced in the vineyards of France.  If you don’t get Champagne that was produced in the infamous French regions, you are pretty much just buying the standard sparkling wine.  You should also make sure that the bottle is spelled “Champagne”, with a capital C.  French manufacturers are very protective of this very name, and therefore are the only ones that are authorized to use it.

Champagne is made using three different types of grape- Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay.  Noir and Meunier are types of black grapes, while the well known Chardonnay is a type of white grape.  The label on the bottle will signify what type of Champagne you are buying, so you’ll know what flavor to expect.  There are also types of this wine that are a blend of different grapes, providing quite an exquisite taste to say the least.

Much like sparkling wine, Champagne is very common with celebrations and such.  Although it is actually considered to be a type of sparkling wine, Champagne is much better.  You have to be careful where you buy it though, as a lot of manufacturers like to use cheaper grapes, which don’t taste the same.  If you have ever tasted this wine before - you’ll know first hand what quality tastes like.

A lot of people prefer Champagne because of the bubbles that are known to spew forth once a bottle has been uncorked.The visible bubbles that ooze out of this type of wine are due to release of CO2 form the carbonic acid present.After the liquid is disturbed, A fizz forms and it is short out of the bottle.  This is a natural reaction of the double fermentation process that can only be found with a bottle of Champagne.

The next time you have a celebration and need something to make the celebration a bit more interesting, you should grab a bottle of Champagne.  Few things compliment a celebration like the bursting bubbles of a fine bottle.  You can find quality Champagne at ABC stores or other stores that sell alcoholic beverages.  Even though it may cost you a bit of money - when you pop the top you’ll be glad you bought it.

“Penicillin cures, but wine makes people happy.” - Alexander Fleming (1881-1955), the Scottish bacteriologist credited for discovering penicillin in 1928.

This week, I’ll be introducing you to several different grape varietals, and the general rules of food pairing. This is just the tip of the iceberg, as far as wine choices go, but it’s best to start with the most well-known varieties and learn from there.

When it comes to breaking wine down into categories, you have the two most common divisions - whites and reds. This can further be broken down into sparkling wines or champagnes, rosés or blushes, and dessert wines, such as port. However, for today I will just be exploring popular whites and reds.

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