The Cyprus Wine Blog - Monolithos Wine Dimensions: December 2010

The holiday season is approaching fast. This is the season to be jolly, the time for celebrating, exchanging gifts and spending time with the ones you love. This is also the time of year that everyone begins to think about holiday party planning.

Food and wine form two of the most important aspects of any party, be it Christmas or New Year. For people who love to cook, the holiday season presents an opportunity to experiment with extravagant gourmet dishes. Christmas dinners are also a great time to try new wines with old favourite recipes. However, finding the right Christmas or New Year’s wine among the several hundreds standing on the supermarket shelves is not an easy task. The diversity of choices among wine varieties, brands, labels, and prices seem almost infinite. There are just too many choices. This wonderful time of the year shouldn’t be so complex and complicated. The following paragraphs are aiming at saving you a lot of valuable time, potential frustration, energy and possible worry by lending a helpful hand in selecting a wine, whether you are looking to pair wines with a festive meal, share new wines with friends and family at holiday parties or need the best value for money wine gift.

So what is the solution to too many choices? The answer in a nutshell is: discover your own preference for wine taste. Many people know when they like a wine. But the difficult part is to understand why. What do you like about it, and how do you describe what it is that you like about that wine? Is it light or full bodied? Is it tannic or not? Is it fruity or sweet? All these questions can be answered by tasting wines, and then tasting more wine! It is a good idea to learn with comparative tasting. Take for example the Merlot grape. Tasting Merlot wines from different regions side-by-side, you may find the one that you like most. When you taste a wine of the same variety in this fashion, you can easily begin to learn the differences between a full bodied and a light bodied wine, a low tannin and a high tannin wine, etc.

When inviting friends for dinner, you want to offer something nice, something sophisticated that does not cost a lot because you are on a budget just like the rest of us, and you wish to serve what everyone likes. You just want everyone to enjoy themselves. So what do you do? There are no hard and fast rules about which wine should be drunk with which food, but there are some tried and tested guidelines that those who serve with a meal wine can follow when deciding which bottle will best complement which dish.

As a general rule, white wine is usually served with the more delicate dishes, such as fish, and heavy red wines with heavier foods such as beef, red meat and composite dishes. The best way to find out what works is to experiment, and whatever you like is fine. For red meat, grilled dishes, stews and casseroles, serve a red table wine at room temperature (18ºC). Dessert, fruit, nuts, and cheese go well with a sweet dessert wine. To round up the meal, brandy or sparkling wines are served with coffee. Drier wines are drunk before the sweeter ones and white before red when there is more than one kind served with the meal. Rosé wine is halfway between white and red and can be regarded as a multi-purpose wine. Rosé is often served with light food, such as spaghetti, lasagne, pizza, finger food, snacks etc. Sparkling wine can be enjoyed at any stage of the meal – apart from traditionally being served on festive occasions. It goes especially well with dessert, however.

Christmas dinners are a great time to try new wines with favourite recipes. If you are looking for wine options to complement your holiday meal, then look no further. Here is a good selection of Monolithos winery versatile whites and reds that are sure to enhance your Christmas gathering. Wine varietals recommended for their appearance, quality, adaptability and price.

Turkey Dinner Wine Pairings

The traditional holiday favourite needs a light and lively wine to accent its simple deliciousness. If you want to serve red, try the Monolithos range of red wines comprising Cabernet, Merlot, Shiraz and the indigenous Mavro varietals as well the blend red wine Ayios Stephanos. The Merlot is a smooth wine that generally lacks tannins and therefore perfectly accents turkey’s qualities, satisfying everyone. For white wine lovers, we recommend Ayios Stephanos white. Its balanced acidity and the touch of herbs found in its palette, offer the required complexity for your turkey dinner.

Ham Dinner Wine Pairings

For a nice red, we suggest serving a Monolithos Dry Red (Mavro): it is a young and fruity (and inexpensive!) complement to the ham dish. You can also augment the sweetness that usually accompanies ham (pineapples and other fruits) with white wine: Monolithos Dry White is typically fruity with crisp acidity, and will be a good balance to the sweet and salty ham dinner.

Roast Beef Wine Pairings

Normally Monolithos Cabernet Sauvignon is beef’s partner-in-crime at mealtime, but some prefer Shiraz . It is more tannic and the traces of liquorice and pepper bring out the intense beef taste.

Seafood, white meat and light entrees

As a general rule, for seafood, white meat and light entrees, a white or rosé table wine chilled slightly works nicely. We strongly recommend the Monolithos slightly sparkling wines Santa Monica white and rosé.

Vegetarian Wine Pairings

Contrary to popular belief, some vegetarian meals can be quite complex and heavy, so pair yours with a delicious Ayios Stephanos Red for flavour galore. It’s a medium-bodied and very food-friendly wine with yummy spices, so it will go well with a vegetarian dish without overwhelming it.

Dessert Wine Pairings

Dessert wines are always popular for whatever type of food you’re serving. In fact, they’re typically so sweet that they can even stand alone at dessert time. So head to your local wine shop and ask for a great recommendation for a silky Muscat , Commandaria or Port wine. The Santa Monica rosé is also an agreeable option.

You should always enjoy your favourite wine with your favourite food, but the key is to select wine based on the “weight” and “texture” of the meal. In general, heavier meals and sauces require a bigger wine to match their weight, and lighter meals and sauces will require lighter and more subtle wines. Weight-wise, meals from heavy to light will be red meat with heavy sauces, game meats (and turkey), things with lots of butter or gravy Lighter sauces chicken or meat lightly sautéed to sea food in lighter sauces to lobster or shrimp in light sauces. To match wines in the same order (from heavy weight to light) you can select from the international Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Shiraz wines, to Cypriot Mavro and Xynisreri wines.

Some useful tips about serving wine

There are several recommendations about the temperature for serving wine. Rosé and white wines are cooled down to 8ºC, but never served icy cold. Serving a wine too cold hides much of its taste. Red table wine should be served at room temperature – around 14-18ºC. Sparkling wine is cooled in an ice bucket and served from it (5ºC). Port and white dessert wines are served at room temperature (18-20ºC) although sherry and dessert wine can be cooled in summer. Red wine should be opened for a while before it is to be enjoyed. This allows the wine to “breathe”, or mix with the air to bring out its flavour.

Sparkling wines, when served in slender, flute-shaped glasses, will bring out their best. Before you can pour it, though, you have to get the bottle open. Despite what you see in the movies, the proper way to open sparkling wine does not involve firing the cork across the room with a loud pop. Rather, in a controlled fashion, let the pressure of the bottle gently release the cork with an ever-so-slight hiss.

The ideal glass for red or white wine should have a medium stem to prevent the temperature of the hand from warming the wine. The glass should be tulip-shaped to concentrate the aroma or “bouquet” of the wine at the rim of the glass. The bowl of the glass should be clear and transparent to show off the colour of the wine. Champagne and any other sparkling wine is served in tall glasses called flutes.

Wine glasses should be filled 2/3 full to allow room for the wine to breathe. If you’re serving wine, don’t refill the glasses of your guests until they are completely empty. If a bottle is not emptied on the first round, place it on a side table and fill the guests’ glasses again later. Alternatively, it may be left at the host’s right hand.

Unfinished bottles of wine will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Are you tired of those circular wine stains on your table cloth? Well, now there is a way to enjoy your wines worry-free! Simply wrap a basic hair band (all-cloth, no sequins, etc) around the neck of the bottle (or the decanter) and even with the most unsteady hand you can save your labels and table cloths.

How to choose a wine that is right for you or as a gift:

When someone has invited you to a dinner party, whether for social or business reasons, it is customary and thoughtful to bring a small host or hostess gift as a token of your appreciation. Wine is a popular gift for many reasons because among others it is easy to give, it comes pre-packaged, and it can usually fit into almost any budget, it is not perishable (subject to storage conditions), it has universal appeal and there is such a wide range to satisfy any taste and match most occasions. However, there are several things to consider when selecting wine as a gift. Selection criteria like whom you are buying for, the nature of the occasion or celebration, purpose of the gift, budget and of course the recipient’s palette or preferences. By putting a little forethought into your purchase of a gift bottle of wine, you can show your host or hostess how much you appreciate the thoughtful gesture of being invited into his or her home. Choose a gift bottle of wine with care, and your selection will reflect that you are a gracious, considerate and sophisticated guest.

When selecting a wine, pay attention to the structure of a wine, rather than just the flavour. An appreciation of the balance of tannins, acidity, alcohol, flavour and other components can help you to understand its adaptability and suitability for the purpose it is suppose to serve. The most important factor that could help you to select a wine is your understanding of different components that influence the quality of the wine. These characteristics are explained briefly explained below:

1. Colour: The two basic types of wines are “white wines” and “red wines”. The main difference between reds and whites is that the juice used to make red wine includes the skins, stems and seeds of red or black grapes. White wines can be made from almost any colour grape, but only the clear juice of the grapes is used. The general rule of thumb is that red wines tend to be heavier while white wines are usually lighter and crispier. Rosé wines are somewhere between white and red. When the wine is prepared in a way that produces carbon dioxide, it is termed as a “sparkling wine”.

2. Tannins: Tannins are a vital ingredient in red wines. The tannins in a wine are derived from the pips, skins and stalks. They are vitally important if a wine is intended to age, as they are a natural preservative. The tannins give structure and backbone to a wine. They can be sensed by a furring of the mouth, or puckering of the gums, a sensation very similar to what happens on drinking stewed tea. Tannins are of more importance in the ageing of red wines rather than white. The tannins act as a preservative, and as they fade over many years, the simple, primary fruit flavours have time to develop into the more complex flavours that are found in fine, aged wines. This can only be learnt after you’ve tasted a few wines, but recommendations work the best here. Merlot is normally less tannic than Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz wines.

3. Acidity: Just like most fruits, wine also requires acidity. Acids of various types are present in wine, and are essential to the wine’s longevity and also to its taste. Acidity can be detected by the sharpness of the wine in the mouth, particularly around the edges of the tongue near the front. A higher acidity makes the wine more tart and sour tasting, whereas a low acidity results in a flat tasting wine that is more susceptible to spoilage. Too little, and it will seem dull, flabby or perhaps cloying, particularly if it is a sweet wine. Too much, and the wine will be sharp, harsh and undrinkable. However, when acidity is present in the right quantities, it is this element that makes all of the other flavours in the wine stand out, including the undertones of fruit, spices and herbs.

4. Alcohol: Alcohol is the product of fermentation. The amount of sugar in the grapes determines what the final alcohol level will be. In cool climates where the vines struggle to ripen their grapes, sugar levels will be minimal, and consequently such wines often only reach 8-10% strength. In very warm climes, however, the final alcohol level reaches14% or more.

5. Body: You have probably heard of full-bodied wines, which is a direct measure of its alcohol content. On every wine label you’ll notice a percentage of alcohol by volume, which indicates its body. The variations in the “body” of wine are like varying levels of fat-content in milk. Light-bodied is analogous to skimmed milk and full-bodied wine analogous to full-cream milk, and the variations in the “body” of wine are like varying levels of fat-content in milk.

What makes it even easier, is that a wine’s body is directly proportional to its alcohol content.

Less than10% indicates light body

11% - 12.5% indicates medium body

12.5% and over indicates full body

6. Sweetness: The level of sugar in the wine determines how sweet it tastes. This is quite subjective, however, and even wines that taste very dry have some degree of residual sugar. Most dry wines have less than 2g/L of sugar, although levels of up to 25g/L may be present in wines which still taste dry due to the presence of acidity and tannin alongside the sugar. The greater the amount of residual sugar, the sweeter the wine, moving through demi-sec ( Champagne ) and off dry wines (not quite dry, yet not quite sweet) to the dessert wines of the world (Sauternes, Tokay, Commandaria, Port etc). Some of these have incredibly high concentrations of sugar, as much as 250g/L.

7. Oak: Many wines are matured in oak barrels, and some are even fermented in oak. Oak from different sources (most comes from either the forests of France or USA ) will impart different characteristics on the wine, but in general, oak maturation gives aromas of butter, toffee, caramel, vanilla, spice and butterscotch. French oak may give more buttery aromas, whereas American oak gives stronger vanilla and spice aromas, however there are many more variables in the equation than this simple statement suggests. It all depends on how much oak is used, how much of it is new as opposed to re-used, how long the wine stays in contact with the wood, whether the wine is merely aged in oak or whether the fermentation takes place in it, how the oak has been treated, and so on. The term “oaky” describes the aroma or taste quality imparted to a wine by the oak barrels in which it was aged.

8. Length (also Aftertaste, Short Palate, and Long Palate): The time duration the total flavour lasts in the back of the throat after swallowing wine. It is counted in seconds and ten seconds is considered good, 15 is great, 20 is superb.

9. Other considerations:

Cost: Remember that expensive wine isn’t always necessarily better. There are many excellent wines at the lower end of the price scale. If you’re in a shop or restaurant, tell the staff what your price range is and ask them to recommend something. It is important to purchase wine from liquor outlets that take proper care of their wine, like buying directly from the winery. Extreme heat or cold, direct sunlight, and dramatic temperature fluctuations are not good for wine.
Occasion: Think about where you’re drinking the wine, and who you’re with. For instance, at a summer picnic, a light white or sparkling wine might work best, but at a big hearty family dinner, you might prefer a heavier red, or have a choice of both red and white. Also think about how many people you’re buying for – you don’t want to run out.

Food: Remember that different wines match particular types of food. As a general rule, white wines go better with lighter foods and white meat, while reds go with heavier foods and red meat, although there are many exceptions to this.

The weather: Also consider the weather when choosing wine. As a general rule, whites suit warmer weather, because they tend to be light and refreshing, whereas reds often suit cold weather better.

Vintage of the Wine: Vintage simply refers to the year the wine was made. Because weather cooperates better in some years than in others, certain years will produce better wines than others. The amount of rain that falls close to harvest time typically determines the amount of sugar in the grapes, and thus will affect the taste. But remember, older wine does not necessarily mean better wine, especially if the older bottles were from a bad vintage. Contrary to popular belief, age isn’t everything when it comes to choosing a wine. While some bottles improve with age, not all do. In fact, most of the commercially available wines you buy may even worsen if you cellar them for too long.

Preference: Think about the sort of wines that you like to drink. Are they light and fruity? Are they rich and heavy? Ask for recommendations from friends or from the staff at the shop or restaurant where you’re buying the wine. Consider whether you want the safer option of a wine you know and like, or want to try something new.

Local or imported: Wine is one of the few commodities that can improve with age but it can also rapidly deteriorate if kept in inadequate conditions. The three factors that have the most direct impact on a wine’s condition are light, humidity and temperature. Poor storage and high temperature exposure during transportation can shorten considerably the life cycle of wine. Furthermore, the wine should also be stored away from strong direct light and on their side or horizontally. When buying wines, be sure to avoid bottles that have any wine residue near the foil covering the cork, as the wine may have been stored improperly. Wine should be stored in a cool, dark place on its side to prevent the cork from drying out. For a bottle of wine to reach your dinner table, grapes need to get grown and turned into wine, which needs to find its way into a bottle, which needs to be transported and sold to a distributor, which needs to get sold to a retailer, who needs to sell it to you. At every point in the chain, if the wine is poorly treated, it can so easily be spoiled. Consequently, locally produced and distributed wines have a potential advantage over imported wines. It is even better if the wine is directly purchased from the winery.

Finally, when you go wine gift shopping, keep an open mind. There are so many ways to go. If you do not know the person’s taste in wine, it is better to get either a sparkling wine, or dessert wine, than to try and guess what kind of white or red wine the person likes. If you are looking for something that does not need to be chilled to serve upon arrival to an event, consider a red wine. If you are looking to be safe, choose a local variety white of the most recent vintage or a Merlot as a red, as most wine drinkers like smooth wines and are not too particular about a certain taste or style.

For a more elaborate gift, there is a wine gift basket for every occasion and all family, friends, and clients alike. A lot of these gift baskets are already prepared in local wine stores. Some of them are good, and some of them are terrible. Before you grab a basket and run, make sure you’re getting your money’s worth. Many items are thrown into the basket that people eventually throw out.

A wine basket can be easily made at home and include your favourite wine. For a decorative touch, place the wine bottle in a wine bottle bag before placing it in the gift basket. These bags can be made of netting, foil, or paper. Choose the right colour bag and ribbon to enhance the overall beauty of your completed gift basket. Not only that, you can add some cheese, crackers, nuts, chocolates, or anything else that strikes your fancy, and you have a wonderful gift basket.

Decide whether you want a white red or rose, sparkling, dessert or fortified wine. This will narrow down your choices and give you some direction. As a minimum, decide whether you prefer a dry or sweet wine.

While there are many guides involved to help you choose the right wine, the most important guide of all is your own taste buds. Sip many and enjoy.

The bottom line is it that life is so much better when you are around people you love and who love you.

Wine News and Information

Groundbreaking research conducted by Victorian scientists is shedding light on one of the largest and most important group of compounds responsible for wine quality, the tannins in grapes. The research aimed to add value to Victoria ’s wine industry by determining what factors affect tannins in the grapes, and how these contribute to producing a higher quality wine. Historically, grape quality was assessed based on the sugar level in the fruit or the colour of the grape. However, discrepancies were found when using colour as the indicator of wine quality because colour is not an infallible indicator of the flavour, aroma and mouthfeel of the wine. By measuring tannin levels in wine grapes, scientists can learn more about the environmental, viticulture and grape parietal factors that ultimately impact a wine’s quality. “The complex chemistry of tannin in wine and grapes is not well understood,” Dr Downey said. “Our research has given a more comprehensive picture of the tannin content and composition of grapes as well as tannin variability. Using a new technology, we have isolated tannin polymers and their individual subunits from grapes. We were then able to look at the range of tannin levels and how these levels might change between wine regions, seasons, different grape varieties and various management practices, and over the next couple of seasons, we will determine if we can increase tannin levels in different parts of the vineyard to a similar level at harvest, thereby contributing to consistent grape and wine quality.”

Monolithos Monthly News

The Pericleous family turned a hobby into a business in 1999 by establishing Monolithos Winery. Four years later, the family purchased a vineyard on a hillside near the village of Pachna (30 kilometres North West of Limassol) with the ambition of building a modern winery. As anyone who has gone through it knows, establishing a vineyard and winery is a complex and lengthy process. It involves legislation for access compliance, energy and water usage, building permission, environmental considerations and, of course, plenty of money! We had to wait seven years until we were able to overcome bureaucracy and obtain an approved permit to build a winery. Construction is scheduled to start early next year (2011). We hope to have the facility opened in time for next year’s harvest and therefore we are racing against the clock to get all of the work done by that time. Ideas for the new facility have been incubating for years. The winery is the culmination of a dream that took root nearly a decade ago when the family began wine production on a commercial basis. We look forward to the New Year.

A vineyard friendly winter climate would be as follows: Low enough temperatures that will on the one hand inhibit vine growth and rest it, and on the other hand, kill diseases but not the plant. Furthermore, sufficient rain to store reserves of moisture in the soil is necessary. Over the winter season, the main job will be pruning the vineyards. This will probably start in January and be completed during February.

Currently, all last year’s wines are available for tasting and purchasing. If at any time you are passing near the village of Pachna and wish to visit the winery or purchase any of our products, Martin Wood will be pleased to meet and assist you at his “Fig Tree Villa” in Pachna, so do not hesitate to phone him at 25-816212 or 99-165995. We thank you for your continued support. Take care and remember the old Spanish proverb:

“With wine and hope, anything is possible.”

The year 2010 is ending soon and we are starting a new one with the hope of better things ahead. From all of us here at Monolithos Winery.