Collecting wine can be a very fun and exciting hobby – especially when you try to find the wine. If you are looking to collect wine, you may end up spending a bit more money than you thought. Wine collecting is a great hobby, although it can be very expensive. If you are just starting out, the tips below may come in very handy to help you get started

The first thing to do, is find a place to store your wine. You can store your wine at home, although you’ll need to have a location with the proper amount of space and cooling temperature (between 50 and 65 degrees F). You’ll also need to determine what brands and types of wine you are planning to collect. There are several options to choose from, including red and white wine. You’ll also need to find some places with good quality and refinery to buy your wine from. Read more »

For many of us wine is something of a mystery and when we are buying wine it comes down to a simple choice between red and white and what our local supermarket has available in its “special offer” bin. But wine really isn’t such a mystery at all and, in this area at least, a little knowledge can get you a very long way.

The starting point is to understand the different types of wine available and here we can divide wines into five main groups.

Red Wine. Read more »

Perhaps you have selected an occasion to open that special bottle of wine that you have been saving, or maybe you are hosting a dinner party.  Knowing how to properly open, serve, and enjoy your wine will make the experience that much more memorable, as well as allow you to experience the wine that much more fully.  Wine service has a few basic elements of importance, including temperature of the wine, opening the bottle, allowing the wine to breathe, choosing glasses, and pouring.

The temperature of the wine when it is served is imperative.  White wines should be served chilled, which can be accomplished in your refrigerator.  Place your whites in the refrigerator one to two hours before serving, allowing their temperatures to drop to about fifty-five degrees Fahrenheit.  White wines are served chilled due to their high acidity levels, which are moderated when cooled. Read more »

Italian_Wine

Fine wine often brings to mind images of French rolling hills and elegant dinners; however, Italy’s twenty regions bring to the pallet an array of fine wines for your dining pleasure.
Italian wine making enjoys tradition rich in both modern and rustic methods, although much of the country’s wineries now employ scientific and technological tools to create quality wines. The country’s wines are made primarily from two types of grapes, Nebbiolo and Sangiovese. The Nebbiolo grapes are used in the northwester part of the country, creating the red wines Barolo and Barbaresco. The Sangiovese grapes create one of the better-known Italian wines, Chianti, and are native to the central Tuscany and Umbria regions.  Read more »

“No light, no sun, no mirth, no fun, November” Rompole of the Bailey

It is November but that doesn’t mean that we can’t celebrate the short days, the long nights, and the plummeting temperatures and at Metropolitan, that is just what we did. On Thursday, November 18, 2010, Metropolitan held the Fourth Annual Beaujolais Nouveau Release Party. For those of you who don’t know, The Beaujolais Nouveau Release is actually a worldwide festivity and celebrated annually on the third Thursday of November.

Beaujolais Nouveau is a red wine and it is made from Gamay grapes in the Beaujolais Region of France. It is quite astonishing that the process of harvesting and fermentation allows this “Young Wine” to be ready in about 6 to 9 weeks.  This particular wine began as a local festivity that was celebrated by bistros, cafes, and bars in Beaujolais and Lyons, France. Fall after fall, the Beaujolais Nouveau would arrive and eventually the word of this “Wine made Fast” reached Paris. After the French government stepped in, they put stipulations on the wine and after several date changes everyone agreed that the wine can’t be drunk until the release date- the third Thursday in November. Read more »

Don’t cry for me Argentina.

The truth is it’s right here in Rockville. Jackie’s is not just your ordinary tapas bar. This classy yet casual restaurant has a distinct Latin-American feel with a warm and inviting atmosphere. Come and sample the variety of cold and hot tapas along with their perfect wine pairings. Here it’s all about small tastes with big smiles.

If you feel like dancing a tango while you’re here, that’s no accident. Jackie’s owner’s Argentinean roots are evident in the delectable food and wide variety of Malbecs imported from their motherland. Read more »