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Archive for the ‘Vineyards’ Category

Wine, when it was only French, was a luxurious drink of the rich and the classy.  Wine, in its democratized forms, is now a luxury made available at every supermarket and has come a far way from its tradition of being produced in France and Germany.

Lately wine drinkers have the choice of selecting their bottle of wine produced in the vine yards of California, Chile, Australia and India, to name a few. Wine had always had a high brand image as a drink meant only for the aristocrats unlike beer, whiskey and brandy which is more associated the common man’s pub drink. Read the rest of this entry »

It was the Phoenicians who introduced Sherry to the Iberian Peninsula, and the Romans were only too happy to carry on the tradition. Even the Moors, who generally abstained from alcohol, used it for medicinal purposes, but when Francis Drake attacked Cadiz in 1587 and returned to England with 3000 barrels, the tipple became an instant favourite with Queen Elizabeth 1 and the English Court, beginning a British love affair with the drink.

In the 17th and 18th centuries the demand for Sherry grew, and many British entrepreneurs based their businesses in the area around Jerez in Andalucia, creating such brands as Garvey and Gordon. In fact the name ‘Sherry’ comes from the English mispronunciation of the word ‘Jerez’; the Northern Europeans finding it difficult to get to grips with the guttural ‘j’ of the Spanish language. Read the rest of this entry »

Australian wines are some of the best in the world and Western Australian wineries provide premium wine to rival the top drops in the country. Blessed with a mild climate and ideal soil conditions, South Western Australia is the ideal place for visiting wineries and enjoying its spectacular scenery. Here are 5 of its top wine regions.

1. Swan Valley.

The Swan Valley is the closest wine region to Perth and is easily reached by road or taking a cruise on the Swan River. Captain Cook Cruises operates daily trips along the scenic upper reaches of the river to Sandalford and Waters Edge wineries.

The Swan Valley is the oldest wine growing region in Western Australia. The warm, dry climate is perfect for Shiraz, Cabernet and Verdelho. You can enjoy award winning wines at larger wineries such as Sandalford and Houghton, as well as many boutique wineries. Read the rest of this entry »

If you wanted to have an expensive bottle of wine…do you know how much it would cost you? Some might answer $50 or $100. Others might answer even higher – they would be right! Some bottles of wine are so expensive they are simply collected for their value. Others are quite valuable and wine connoisseurs drink and enjoy these wines for the experience of drinking something that not everyone has the exposure to. But these wines can cost dearly….often thousands of dollars. Some are worth more than your car…or even your home.

A 1787 Chateau Lafite, a Bordeaux was sold at Christie’s auction house in the 1980′s for (pounds) 105,00 ($160,00). The Guinness Book of World Records lists it as the world’s most expensive bottle of wine. Read the rest of this entry »