New Tesco Store Able To Sell Alcohol 24 Hours a Day
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We have a new Tesco Super Store opening up in our Town today. According to local news stories, this is going to be a new all singing all dancing store selling just about everything you could ever want. It’s not really very fair on all the little independent traders that have been in the area for years!!
Mind you, it has to be good for people who were looking for employment. With this new store opening an additional 250 jobs have been created, so that means at least there will be less people signing on at the local Job Centre.
However, there is a big debate at the moment because Tesco’s have been permitted to sell alcohol 24 hours a day. The new shop is in an area of our town where crime is already a major problem. I’m not convinced it is such a great idea granting them a 24 hour licence. The scum that already roam the streets at night are just going to be even worse if they can get their hands on alcohol all night.
Don’t get me wrong though I am a lover of alcohol, but is it really necessary to be able to purchase it at 3.00 o’clock in the morning?
I have never felt the desire to still be drinking at this time of the morning and I would think if you are then you have a pretty bad alcohol problem.
The store was due to open at 8 this morning by one of our local Dignatary’s and there will be a bit of a party after the ribbon has been cut.
I wonder if Tesco are providing the wine??
Personally my favourite is a glass of red, but I would imagine they have quite a choice. There will probably be German Wine, Italian Wine and maybe even some Portuguese Wine. I bit they haven’t gone all out though and provided any Champagne!!
Tesco have advertised that they are giving a local children’s hospice charity a 1,000 Pounds towards their new hospice. This sounds like a huge amount, but when you consider that their 2009 pre-tax profits were just over 3 billion, it doesn’t really amount to much!!!
How Many Units of Wine Is Acceptable Per Week?
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The past weekend was yet another one filled with alcohol. Now I reach a point on Saturday afternoon when I feel the need for a drink and it doesn’t matter what drink it is.
This Saturday I had polished off a bottle of Spanish Wine before 4pm. The real problem is that I drink a glass of wine like I would a glass of water. In all honesty I feel it’s getting a bit of a problem and I know in my heart I am going to have to stop it right away.
It used to be when I went shopping on a Friday I would just get one bottle of wine for the weekend. Now I find myself buying a minimum of 3 bottles just to see us through the weekend.
Last week the supermarket had offers on Chilean wine and French wine, so I really went for it and got a couple of each.
My concern is that if it’s in the house I will drink it and to be honest I don’t really care what the drink is. For Christmas we were given a bottle of Sambuca and a bottle of Baileys. Over the past few weeks, these 2 bottles have been finished. I think the problem is that instead of using the shot glasses we use a great big wine glass!
I think the only solution is that I am going to have to stop drinking any alcohol for a while. It’s going to be tough, but I think it is necessary.
I think my partner might have a bit of a grumble about this, but I’m sure he will understand my reasons behind it.
Mind you, I think the ban can probably wait until the weekend, so giving me time to polish off any booze lying around the house. I think I still have a nice bottle of gin stored in the cupboard, so I think perhaps I will go and get a bottle of tonic to drink with this!!
Fine Wine Investing Is Looking Like A Good Idea Right Now
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It’s a pretty strange business, the wine game. It is essentially a luxury product and yet millions of bottles are produced each year.A few people’s personal taste can mean life or death for a wine and they can flow in and out of popularity almost weekly. However, one thing will always remain the same in the wine world, and that is there is potential gold mine of money to be made. Now so more than ever.
Fine wine prices have been rocketing upwards for many years now. As wineries continue to perfect their production methods and develop better storage facilities, the prices people pay for fine wines has crept up.Jamie Richie, Sotherby’s resident fine wine expert stated that “Prices had risen to nearly unsustainable levels last spring”.Having said this, now that we find ourselves in a very weak economy, these fine wine prices are starting to come down to realistic levels. This year in Jan there was a drop in prices of around 1.2% according to the index that tracks 100 of the top collectable wines, known as Liv-Ex 100. This is trend that experts expect to continue for while and can in fact be seen throughout the wine sector, from wine production to the sales of everyday shot glasses.
At a recent auction in Chicago, a bottle of 1978 Montrachet Domaine Romanee-Conti sold for $3,783. $23,929 was the price paid for that same wine only a couple of years previous at Sotherby’s auction. This sudden drop basically means that if you’ve ever had an urge to start collection yourself, either as an investment or just a hobby, the best deals are just around the corner.Many professionals in the area think that the market won’t see and upward rise until at least the end of this year. Tableware and drinking accessories are expected to improve as well.
Here are some key pieces of advice from Joss Fowler, wine investment professional from Berry Bros & Rudd. A Red Bordeaux is a pretty sound bet according to him, mainly because it very rarely ages badly. Also, always go for the best vintage and don’t scrimp on cost, get the best you can possibly. Stick to this adage and you’ll be filling up your wine rack before too long.
Monthly Wine Clubs – 5 Reasons Why You Ought to Be A Wine Club Member
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Need to impress acquaintances at banquet events, however don’t recognize your Chardonnay from your white wine Already a wine types enthusiast? Whether or not you are a beginner wanting to notice out additional concerning wines, are looking for a present for a wine-lover, or are a specialist seeking the most recent specialty wine types from your desired cellar, you’ll relish the advantages of joining a wine club.
Most wine clubs are founded on a membership basis: deliveries of two to 4 types are made every month, or every few months, depending on the association you go in with. Wine types are researched and selected for you, guiding you too in the discovery of new favorites.
California Wine Clubs
Find out additional about producers, wine club memberships and wine.
Membership in a wine club might be the ideal present designed for the wine-lover in your life, giving her or him both a sense of anticipation and also the component of stun. Together with the wine of the month, deliveries generally embody extras like tasting comments plus cooking coupling advice.
For the good judge, there are clubs that give only wines rated highly by a panel of specialists, or that specialize in a explicit kind of wine. Joining a wine club may additionally be the easiest way to access non-public label wines. Usually, a wine grower can offer membership in its own club. The benefits here can embody savings, advance types of extraordinary wine types, and wine-tasting events that will be held at the winery plus you too will also discover additional concerning sparkling wine clubs.
There are wine clubs for each budget and style – whether or not you are wanting for Kansas wines or highly-rated imports, affiliates of wine clubs receive high-quality wines, with no speculation, and usually for a lower value than that of a lesser bottle at the native grocery. At this instant is the point in time for you to go in with a wine club and dig deeper into the interesting world of wine.
Some lover of wine will also acquire delight in learning additional about monthly wine clubs. Become in no doubt that you as well interpret these advice.
Making Wine The Flexible Way In Australasia
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Australia has been blessed with some of the top wine making climates in the world and this is reflected in their well respected wine products. Other surrounding countries such as New Zealand and Fiji are now getting in on the act however and are growing their stakes in the market by experimenting with innovative wine production.
Very recently there was a great deal of contention over the allowing of wine produces to make rosé wine, simply by mixing together the white and red varieties. Classically rosé has been made by removing the white juice mixture from the red grape skins at just the right time so that it doesn’t absorb so much of the colour. However, this method has been somewhat ‘adapted’ by some producers who are feeling the pinch in the recession and many are simply adding a small amount of red wine to white and calling it rosé.
Countries such as France, widely considered the finest wine producing country in the world, were not best pleased with this “mutilation” of rosé wine and did not agree for it to be sold in their country, or even be given as wine gifts. However, some countries, including those surrounding Australia have allowed the wine to be produced, and it is certainly paving dividends for their wine producers. A spokesman from the New Zealand alcohol authority defended his country’s move by stating that people are free to consume whichever wine they wish. All rosé wine produced using the ‘blending method’ is clearly marked as such, and has a lower retail price than the classic wine. The spokesman argued that if people can make milk chocolate in a thousand different ways, why can the same not be done for rosé?
Many of the Australasian countries have even embraced the full blending together of other wines as well. In Fiji for example you can buy Sauvignon Blanc mixed with Chardonnay and Merlot blended with Cabernet Sauvignon. Fiji seem to have similar opinions to the wine makers in New Zealand and have said that they are able to blend their wine just as well as a whisky maker might blend two single malts to make a great blended drink. They state that companies all over the world, and in particular Scotland, produce some very fine blended whiskies that not only often taste superior to single malts, but that are also able to sell at more modest prices. Next they will be telling us which tableware we must use when consuming the wine, stated one official.
The new blended wine has proved to be a real hit internally with the Fijian population, with producers selling around 120,000 bottles in 2008. Many might consider this to be a small about, but relative to the population of Fiji, which is around 850,000, this rate of sale is incredibly high. The blended wine is already drunk in many of the surrounding countries, but there are hopes to extend the export to every country and the Fiji producers are confident it will catch on.
Things You Should Know About Syrah Wine
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Syrah is a grape that is grown in many areas of France. The grape is also grown in many other areas such as Argentina, Chile and California. In these areas this grape is more often referred to as the Shiraz grape. The Shiraz grape is one of the most popular grapes used for wine making in Australia.
Syrah Wine History
As indicated above, Syrah wine is just another name of Shiraz wine. The name of Shiraz wine comes from the Shiraz city that is located in Iran. Some people believe that Shiraz is the place of birth of wine-making. Actually, the making of wine was begun in more than 7000 years ago in Shiraz.
The Syrah grape is frequently mixed with a merlot or cabernet to create a stronger flavored wine. It is because the grapes flavors that are grown under hot climates like California and Chile aren’t sufficiently strong on their own. The grapes which are grown in cooler climates are inclined to hold their own.
The Pair of Syrah wine
Shiraz wine is best paired with meat. Burgers, BBQ ribs, lamb chops and beef stews are a few excellent dishes to make with Syrah wine. The Syrah wine is also very good if paired with venison, veal, beef, pork and duck.
Wine pairing books are a good resource for pairing wines. These books may be found in your local library. You may consider finding the book at the library or buying it at the bookstore.
Where to Buy Syrah Wine
Syrah wine can be purchased from many online retailers by using wine software. If you like to try your wine before you buy it, you might consider going to a wine tasting at a local wine store.
It is usually held on the weekends or in the evening that makes it easy for working adults to participate. Just call your local wine shop to know when the wine tasting is going on. Although they don’t have wine tastings in the near future, they will point you in the correct direction.
Syrah Wine Prices
The price for Syrah wine can fluctuate quite a bit. The average price for a bottle is around .00; however finer wines are priced up to 0.00. The most important thing is to find a bottle of wine that suites your personal taste as well as your budget!
What Does Your Wine Rack Look Like?
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A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to enjoy a bit of a boozy weekend in Dublin. My husband had been asked over by a supplier of the firm he works for. Everything was going to be paid for and all we had to do was literally get on the plane.
We were met at the airport by our host and he swiftly whisked us off to his house so we could unpack. You should have seen my face when I saw the size of his house – it was massive. He had everything you could ever imagine – a swimming pool, sauna, tennis court, gym and even a home cinema.
Waiting for us in his kitchen was some beautiful Australian wine, nicely chilled in a wine cooler and bottle openers all ready to go.
Our host was a real wine buff and has his own wine racks down in his cellar. A lot of his wine is imported from Australia and he was telling us that the cellar temperature has to monitored all the time. He was saying that if the conditions aren’t right, then lots of problems can occur. One example he was telling us about was if the humidity is too high then this will make the corks dry out and this in turn allows air to get into the bottle and oxidise the wine, which would of course be disastrous.
After we had finished our drinks we were off for a night in the Temple Bar area. It was absolutely fantastic and the Irish are so hospitable and friendly. Nothing was too much trouble and they are such lovely people. My husband was in his element drinking his beloved Guinness. Mind you I think the next morning he wished he hadn’t drunk quite so much.
We had a brilliant weekend and it is certainly something I would love to do again. Next time we go though, I think perhaps we should lay off drinking quite so much alcohol!
A Bit About Wine
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What is wine?
For millennia, wine has been made from only two incredients. They are grape juice and yeast. Any fruit juice can be used, as a matter of fact, but grape juice is the most popular.
Historically wine was the drink of choice because of the sometimes poor quality of the drinking water in so many regions. Today, of course, we tend to open a bottle of fine wine at times of celebration or offer it as a welcome gift as part of a wine giftbasket.
How is wine made?
Yeast is the magical ingredient that turns grape juice into wine. Interestingly enough, there is actually wild yeast spores in the air and all that is really needed to make wine is an open container of grape juice and time. The result however, would probably not be the most palatable of beverages.
Yeast is a living organism. In wine making, the yeast feeds off the sugars. That process is called fermentation. The action of fermentation converts the sugars in the juice into alcohol with a biproduct of carbon dioxide. In contemporary times, special types of yeast have been cultured solely for their use in wine making. The particular strain of the yeast, along with other factors, determines the flavor of the wine.
The wine is removed from the original container and placed into another container in order to mature before bottling. The yeast stays in the original container.
There are black grapes and green grapes and grapes of various gradations in between. Regardless of the color of the grape the juice is always clear, or nearly so. If the skins are left in the juice during fermentation, a red wine is the result. A white wine results when the skins are removed.
Even though there are very few ingredients, there are many things which influence the taste of wine. First of all, there are many varieties of grapes. Each grape variety will produce different flavors, aromas, and even textures. In addition, the soil and climate where the grapes are grown drastically affect these variables. Not only that, but the wine maker can control various things by the technique, temperature and yeast used during fermentation. Other variables such as fermenting or storing in oak barrels will also affect the taste.
It is because of all of these variables that a wine drinker can always notice a flavor difference from one wine to the next. This can make for an interesting hobby of never-ending discovery.
What is tannin?
All wines have tannin. That is the component that provides that sort of drying feeling on the tongue. It comes from the stems, seeds and skins, so red wines will have more tannin than will white wines. That accounts for the different tactile feeling between reds and whites.
Clearly, this has been a quick overview of wine, but hopefully it has filled some of the voids in your understanding of this historic drink.
Why You Need To Properly Store Your Wine
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If you’re like me, you like your wine…a lot, and you drink it after work, with a special meal, or for a particular occasion. You probably have a couple bottles on hand with one white in the fridge and a red in the pantry, unless you are a true wine enthusiast and have a full cellar stocked. That’s what I always did but I didn’t know one thing: how to properly store my wine.
There’s a lot of wine rules and standards that a bunch of wine enthusiast follow, but Ii was never one to follow them. I just figured knowing the simple stuff would be enough. At first, I didn’t use a Ravenscroft wine decanter or even gave a second thought to the type of crystal wine glasses I was using. This went for how I stored my wine. I decided to try something different, I stored my wine the right way and it made a huge difference in the taste of the wine.
Temperature: First off, no matter what type of wine you have on hand, it should always be stored in a cool setting-yes! This is why wine enthusiast have wine cellars, for optimal taste! The best temperature for wine storage is approximately 55 degrees F. Too much warmer than this temperature, and you will find a much more acidic taste to your wine-one that you won’t enjoy. Moreover, make sure that the temperature is steady and not subject to fluctuation, as this will dramatically alter the contents of your wine bottle.
Light: Make sure if you want your wine to retain its original full flavor, that you store it in a place where not a lot of light can get at it. Wine that sits in the sunlight for long periods of time will prematurly age your wine in a bad way.
Humidity: It’s not the heat it’s the humidity, keeping humidity level right are another key to optimal wine storage. It should be, on average, more humid than not in order to keep the wine corks from shrinking. A cork that has shrunk even a little bit will let in that much air, and the air will oxidize the wine-tampering with its taste. So, what the right humidity level for storing wine? Between 65-75%. So it only makes sense that basements and cellars are perfect for wine storage.
Sideways: So many wine racks and cellars hold their wine bottles sideways instead of upright, this may seem a strange one to some, but it’s worked for thousands of years? Yes. It is because in order to ensure that the cork is protected from shrinking, it needs to stay moist. That said, the best way to keep the cork moist is to store your wine on it’s side.
Travel: When traveling with your wine, you know, to a party or to a BYOB resaurant be sure to use a wine bottle carrier. This will help keep your wine at the right temperature and keep it protected from bouncing around.
Tips To Make Your Wine Extra Special
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The type of glass you use to drink wine can make a real difference; large wine glasses can really make a cheap bottle of wine taste like an expensive bottle. There are other tips to help improve the taste however it is key to get the glass right before you start doing anything else.
A glass that will enhance flavour should be large and round with a wide rim. It adds a psychological element by making it seem like an occasion, something special is happening while drinking the wine. This design of glass increases the flavour when the wine hits the mouth and also boosts the smell of wine due to wide rim.
To get the most out of your wine you can do other techniques to enhance the flavour, these include decanter the wine, warm the glass and add salty snacks.
Doing such a simple thing as using decanters can make a serious difference to the taste. Remember to decant the bottle of wine two hours before you want to drink it, this is important and also make sure it remains at room temperature.
Making sure your wine glasses are warm is often forgot about. Remember to always have your wine glasses at room temperature. If your glassware is cold you can warm it up by running it under a warm tap for a minute.
You may not think it but salty snacks can make a difference to the flavour of your wine. If you’re not serving wine before the meal salty snacks and picks are great before meal snacks and mouth cleanser before the wine.
You should try and incorporate these tips whenever you serve wine and they are not high resource ideas so can done easily.