DISCOUNTFREE DELIVERY FOR ORDERS OVER £100

Home » Community » Ask our Experts

Faq Banner

Your questions answered   

If you have any question about anything Italian, ask our experts by filling at the bottom of the page

Displaying Faq 11 - 20 of 23 in total
A. A natural wine is a wine made without using chemicals and minimum intervention in the vineyards and cellar during the wine making process. Natural wines differ from organic and biodynamic wines.
For a more detailed response read our blog
A. Once you open a bottle of wine, the wine is exposed to oxygen, therefore, it will begin to oxidate and deteriorate.

Here’s a rough guide:

Sparkling wines charmat method (Prosecco, Spumante) 2/3 days
Sparkling wines classic method (Champagne, Cava, Franciacorta) 3/4 days
White/Rose’ wine up to 5 days
Light bodied wines: up to 5 days
Full bodied wines: up to 5 days
Fortified wines: about a month
A. It depends on the wine. For young wine, it makes little to no difference, it allows the wine to get in touch with the oxygen and release its aroma. For aged wines, it allows a better drinking experience, it allows the wine to breath and soften.
An alternative would be to put the wine in a decanter before drinking it. Swirling the wine, independently of the type and quality, allows the aromas to be released and appreciated.
A. A wine that has an aroma reminiscent of wood or oak is called oaky, the aroma could be the result of a wine aged in barrel or where wooden sticks or pieces are added during the fermentation process. This second process is not allowed in the "old World" wine producing countries but allowed in the New World.
A. Very briefly. Grapes are crushed to release the sugar in their juice. The juice naturally ferments when yeast comes in contact with the sugar in the grape juice. The result is alcohol and carbon dioxide. Red wine is made with dark-skinned grapes and fermented with the grape skins. White wines are made with grapes, or if made with some dark-skinned grapes the grape skins are removed prior to fermentation. Rose’ wines have contact with the skins of dark-skinned grapes just long enough to impart a pink color. The fermented wine is then separated from the grape solids and transferred into a vat or casks where it is clarified, stabilized, and may be taken through optional processes. Finally, the wine is bottled.
A. The vintage is the year on the wine label and refers to the year the grapes were harvested. The characteristics of a particular year are determined by the weather conditions and resulting grapes and affect the quality of the wine. For sparkling wines, such as Champagne or Franciacorta, vintage is only indicated in great years. A vintage wine also means a great wine, a wine made in a great year.
According to the Italian wine legislation, vintage is a requirement on all DOC and DOCG wines, for IGT and Table wine is not, however, it is common practice to have the vintage also on IGT.
For a more detailed response read our blog
A. If a wine is corked, it will give off a distinct aroma. Many people say this aroma smells like wet newspaper, a dank basement or a wet dog.
A. The color of the wine is given by its skins, red grapes can make red or rose wine with a very few exceptions. The wine gets its color from fermenting the juice together with the skins, shorter and at lower temperature fermentation produce rose wines.
A. A glass of dry red or white wine has approximately 110 calories. Sweeter wine with residual sugar as well as alcohol has more calories. The higher the alcohol content, the higher the number of calories.
A. There is growing scientific evidence that regular moderate consumption of wine is good for you. Red wine in particular is said to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. The cholesterol that blocks arteries is low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LPD). This is cleared from the blood by high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HPD). Both are carried in the blood. Moderate alcohol consumption produces a better balance of the two. In addition, alcohol has an anticoagulant effect which makes blood less likely to clot. There is also evidence that wine can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or having a stroke.
Displaying Faq 11 - 20 of 23 in total

Please login or register to ask questions.