http://www.onlinewinetour.com News, Tasting reviews, and discussion forums for wine lovers. Sat, 23 Feb 2008 08:00:47 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Bigi, a leading winery in Orvieto, was founded by Luigi Bigi in the late nineteenth century. Along with other types of wine, Bigi has always produced small quantities of “Est! Est!! Est!!!”—a wine that bears an unusual name and has an unusual story—from nearby Montefiascone.  The most interesting thing about this ... http://www.onlinewinetour.com/2008/02/23/est-est-est/ Shallon Winery is unusual and interesting. The winemaker, Paul van der Veldt, uses a variety of unusual ingredients, such as chocolate, blackberry, elderberry, wild black raspberry, peaches, rhubarb, whey, black cherry, blueberry, wild plum, and Hawaiian mango, to create the world’s most fantastic wines. The latest wonder is Chocolate Orange ... http://www.onlinewinetour.com/2008/02/17/the-unusual-shallon-wines/ While considering the matter of storing wine effectively, it is important for wine lovers to remember that not all wines can age gracefully. Some wines are best drunk fresh. Most red wines taste better after a long sojourn in the dark depths of a cellar. On the contrary, few white ... http://www.onlinewinetour.com/2008/02/10/the-efficient-storage-of-wine/ Champagne is widely acclaimed as the wine of celebration. During the early years of its history, the wine had a royal and a religious significance. The Catholic monks, who owned most of the vineyards, considered Champagne to be the only wine worthy of being offered to God. Later, the French ... http://www.onlinewinetour.com/2008/02/04/the-wine-of-celebration/ From times immemorial, red wine has enjoyed the monopoly of being the only category of wine that was ‘good for health’. Although there is a lack of definite proof to support the beliefs, red wine eliminates fat deposits in the arteries and reduces the risk of coronary disorders. Recently, a ... http://www.onlinewinetour.com/2008/01/27/paradoxe-blanc/ A CBSC report on the “French Paradox” brought to the attention of the general public the existence of a link between moderate intake of wine and a decrease in the occurrence of coronary heart disease. It was observed that the French, though fond of cigarettes and fatty foods, rarely suffered ... http://www.onlinewinetour.com/2008/01/20/is-wine-good-for-health/ “Tough” is an adjective commonly attributed to Baga, a red wine grape variety, growing on richly foliated vines in Portugal’s Bairrada region. Ironically, this tough, thick-skinned grape rots easily in the cool moisture of Bairrada. It is even susceptible to a malady called powdery. Yet, the grape has a reputation ... http://www.onlinewinetour.com/2008/01/13/baga-wines/ India has only recently begun sipping the fine taste of wine, and the trend has snowballed into a craze with wine bars and wineries sprouting up all over the country.  One major Indian vino success story is Sula Wines. Sula wines have become a roaring success not only at home, ... http://www.onlinewinetour.com/2008/01/03/the-success-of-sula-wines/ Chardonnay originated in France, and over a span of forty years, became the most popular dry white wine in America. During the 1990s, young urban women considered it to be a fashionable beverage.  The Chardonnay vine is easy to grow. It adapts itself to a variety of climates, and gives a ... http://www.onlinewinetour.com/2007/12/30/chardonnay-wines/ Ginger wine, a fortified wine made of ground ginger and raisins, has English origins. Its recipe has its roots in the year 1740, a year that marks the birth of Stone’s Original Green Ginger Wine.  Stone’s is believed to be one of the oldest registered wine or spirit brands that are ... http://www.onlinewinetour.com/2007/12/22/stone%e2%80%99s-original-green-ginger-wine/