wine

Wine has long been paired with fruit, meat and other fine foods. But pairing with chocolate has a relatively recent, and controversial, history. There are those who insist that the twain should never meet. Nevertheless, there are wines and chocolates that make perfect partners.

Cornell University offers an advanced course titled 'Understanding Wine and Beer'. Topics covered range from the history of viticulture to the microbiology of fermentation to the neurobiology of taste, along with the expected lectures on chemistry, color and tasting methods. Clearly, the two most popular alcoholic drinks have arrived.

White wines come from white grapes, right? This is mostly true, but not always. In grape world, the pulp is white whichever the color of the skin. The trick to make white wine is to separate the must -sweet fresly pressed grape juice- from the skins and stems as soon as possible because those are the responsible part for color and tannin. It is possible to make white wine from not so white grapes.

Consider a wine tour in Tuscany as a cocktail of first-rate wine tasting, dramatic views, and a peep of Tuscan rural life, not yet corrupted by tourism.

South African wines are not fully Old World, not entirely Old World, but something in between.

Wine starts with the grapes; red wines get their character from the grapes used to make them. The nature of the grapes defines how the wine will be.

For those more interested in finding a delectable drink to savor than being clever, the following might be useful.

A wine cellar can be as small as a kitchen cabinet or as big as the maze of secret passages underground a castle. It does not matter as long as conditions are right for storage and maturation of wine.

One of the great things about pasta is its versatility. Not only is it nutritious and tasty, but it goes with any wine you happen to favor. Still, you'll want to select a wine that goes with the whole dish.

If you are looking for another great California experience, Sonoma is producing wines second to none of its neighboring counties. The advantage for Sonoma comes in the way of a great variety of soils and micro-climates. Add different elevations to the equation and you will get an extensive list of and wines and wineries, ranging from teeny wine boutiques to vast spreads of vines and large wine-making facilities.