Health Benefits Of Drinking Wine

Next time you need to unwind, don’t opt for the liquor cabinet, but rather the wine cellar. Recent studies have proven that moderate wine consumption can provide incredible heath benefits. Most people don’t think of wine as healthy beverage, but you may be surprised by the facts. Not only does wine relax the mind, it also decreases mortality rates and cancer rates.

Antioxidants

Wine is jam-packed with antioxidants that attack cancer cells. One important thing to note is that white wine provides more antioxidants than red wine. This is fascinating because red wine is often portrayed as the 'antioxidant wine'. Keep in mind this is based on 2 glasses per day.

Immune System

Another benefit to wine consumption is that it can give your immune system a boost. Both white and red wine provide this benefit, so you don't have to worry about choosing the 'right wine'. The long-run benefit of drinking wine is that you will be less prone to the cold and/or flu.

Stroke

In general, alcohol acts as a blood thinning agent. Thin blood is known to decrease the risk of blood clots. Since blood clots are the primary cause of strokes, drinking wine in moderation can substantially decrease the likelihood of having a stroke. It should also be noted that this benefit has a greater effect on women than on men.

Cholesterol

Red wine has been proven to help with high cholesterol. It does this by decreasing bad cholesterol and boosting good cholesterol, which is also known as HDL. So go ahead and reach for a glass after a long days work, your body will thank you for it.

Longevity

The antioxidants contained in red grapes that are used to make wine are called resveratrol. Essentially, resveratrol benefits your health by increasing your life span, and it has been proven to counter-act the aging process. So, next time you feel like drinking wine as a guilty pleasure, you don't have to feel guilty about it!

Cheers to your health! And for a fine dining experience with a large selection of wines in New Port Richey, Florida, visit Brix 33.

How To Properly Store Wine

Avoid Light Exposure 

Don’t store wine in the light. Light waves have negative effects on the flavor and smell of wine. Particularly, UV rays are the light rays you should try to avoid. Most other forms of light are okay, but its best to just keep the wine in a dark area.

Try To Keep The Wine Still

You should also keep the wine in a place where it won’t be moved. When wine is moved, the particles are mixed together and it disturbs the aging process.

Protecting The Cork

Keep the bottle on it’s side. This will help prevent the cork from drying out. When the cork drys out, the wine is no longer sealed off properly, and it is exposed to dust, mold, and other outside forces.

Watch The Humidity

On top of this, you must pay attention to the humidity level where you are storing the wine. The ideal humidity level is 70%, this will help keep the cork from drying out.

Store Away From Strong Odors

Store the wine in a place where there are no strong odors nearby. Anything that has a strong smell has the potential to taint the wine’s flavor if it can seep through the cork.

Keep The Temperature Steady

When you are storing the wine, try to keep the temperature steady. If you keep the environment you are storing the wine in stable, the wine itself will age much more gracefully.

Know How Long You Should Age The Wine

Certain wines are meant to be stored for certain lengths of time. You should keep track of the age of the wine and how long it should age before opening it up.

Serve The Wine At The Right Temperature

It is also helpful to know what temperature to serve the wine at, because certain wines are better served at different temperatures.

Ask An Expert At A Fine Wine Bar

One thing to consider is finding a fine wine and bistro near your home that provides the best wine tasting experience possible. If you are in the New Port Richey, FL area, visit Brix33 and enjoy our restaurant. 

Great Wine and Food Pairings

Are you interested in learning more about pairing wines and foods? Well we've got you covered...in this article we will briefly outline some of the common pairings. For your convenience we have included a list of the pairings, as well as an image (courtesy of winefolly.com). If you care to try any of these pairings, come enjoy our fine wines & bistro at Brix 33 in New Port Richey FL!

Great Ways To Pair Food and Wine

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Light Dry White (Light Foods)

Green Veggies

Roasted Veggies

Carbs 

Fish

Sweet White (Sweet/Light Foods)

Soft Cheese

Carbs

Cured & Smoked Meats

Desserts

Rich White (Rich Foods)

Rich Fish

White Meat

Roasted Veggies

 

Sparkling Wine (Light Foods)

Green Veggies

Soft Cheese

Hard Cheese

Carbs

Fish

Light Red (Light Foods)

Roasted Veggies

Hard Cheese

White Meat

Carbs

Medium Red (Light/Bold Foods)

Hard Cheese

Carbs

White Meat

Red Meat

Cured & Smoked Meats

Big Red (Bold Foods)

Hard Cheese

Red Meat

Cured & Smoked Meats

Dessert Wines (Sweet/Light Foods)

Soft Cheese

Carbs

Cured & Smoked Meats

Desserts

Wine in Outer Space | Brix 33 in New Port Richey FL

Most people don't realize just how important wine has been in our culture. Wine has gone where most beverages only dream to go...outer space. Read more about this incredible journey through space and wine. And be sure to visit Brix 33 in New Port Richey FL for our hump-day special. We provide a fine wine tasting special you'll have to check out!

Benjamin Franklin once said "Wine is proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy". This must be the case, as wine has had a strong presence throughout history. In fact, wine was present when mankind first landed on the moon. Yup, it's true....back in 1969 Buzz Aldrin held communion on the moon. This included a little wafer, a prayer, and a sip of wine! Now the phrase 'this wine is out of this world' takes on a whole new meaning.

And how about this: have you ever had moonwine? I said moonwine, not moonshine. Well if you ever get the chance, you should definitely try this meteorite wine. An Englishmen that
had a passion for wine decided to move to Chile and begin infusing an actual space rock in the fermentation process! Apparently the man who owned the meteorite had no problem with allowing it to be soaked in a vat of wine for one year.

9 Great Resources For Wine Fanatics

Provided By: Brix 33 | Restaurant & Fine Wines in New Port Richey FL

1) Wine Spectator - This is a great source of wine knowledge for anyone that wants to learn more about wine. The website offers a lot more than learning resources, so check them out soon!

2) Snooth - If you're looking for information about any type of wine you can imagine, then this is the site for you. Not only do they offer reviews, they also help you find any wine you could possibly want to try.

3) Good Wine Under $20 - In case you couldn't tell by the title of the blog, this website lists good wines that cost less than $20. Great for anyone looking to try new wines without spending a large amount of money.

4) Consumer Reports | Wine Buying Guide - Consumer Reports has provided an all-inclusive wine buying guide for anyone to use. It addresses types of wine, varietal information, food compliments, and much more.

5) World Market Wine Section - If you're looking for an easy way to buy wines from all over the world, visit the World Market wine section. They provide a large assortment of wines you can buy right from your laptop.

6) Wine.net - Wine.net has provided another valuable list of resources worth checking out. Their list includes their most helpful articles for beginning wine connoisseurs.

7) Vinepair - This website not only provides helpful information to learn more about wine, it also provides entertainment that is wine-related. Check out their fun quizzes, apps, and videos now.

8) Wine Business - A great tool for anyone interested in buying wine-grapes or wine in bulk. You can also sell on here, which makes it valuable to vineyards or brewing sites.

9) Wine Searcher - Easily one of the most valuable resources in this list, Wine Searcher provides a simple platform to search for any type of wine you can imagine. They also have other wine-related information worth checking out.

Using This Wine Tasting Workout To Become A Fine Wine Connoisseur

Provided By: Brix 33 | Wine Bar in New Port Richey FL 

If you want to practice using your new-found wine tasting skills, you came to the right place. Use this exercise to gain experience and develop your skills. As a quick recap, lets go over some four common aspects of wine you will be assessing when you taste wine.

Tannin is the compound in wine (and many other foods/beverages) that contributes to the 'dry' taste. When you eat cranberries, do you notice that your mouth has a slight dryness? That is due to tannins.

Acidity is the agent in many foods and beverages that contributes to a pucker. In wine, lemons are commonly used to increase acidity in order to make the wine less bold.

Sweetness refers to the level sugar present. Wine should have a balanced sweetness and should not have a concentrated amount at the bottom of the glass.

Alcohol is ethanol present in wine that has the ability to cause inebriation. It has a very distinguished flavor and has a strong effect on the taste/texture of wines.

So when you are attempting to train your ability to taste each of these components of wine, it will help to keep practicing with the same wine for a while. You will be adding these compounds to the wine so that you can see how it affects the wine. To begin, get used to tasting the wine without any additives. Then you will need to use these items for these compounds:

Tannins: Black Tea Bags (opt for cheaper brands, as they tend to be higher in tannin)

Acidity: Lemon Juice (concentrated is better)

Sweetness: Pure Cane Sugar

Alcohol: Pure Grain Alcohol or Vodka (high alcohol content)

Palate Cleanser: Saltines (other bland crackers will do)

Use these substances in the wine and taste the difference in the wine. As you do this repeatedly you will begin to notice how certain compounds affect wine. Use the crackers between tastings to help clear your palate for the best effect.

And there you have it, this is a sure-fire way to improve your wine tasting skills. By using this method, you will be able to understand the more complex wine-tasting topics in the future. Many other methods exist as well however this is a great starter-exercise. Once you've developed your skills we urge you to visit Brix 33 in New Port Richey FL for our fine wine tasting events every Wednesday.

How To Distinguish What Type Of Wine You Are Drinking

There are thousands of types of wine that exist, so learning how to distinguish between all types of wine can take years. In light of this, we are going to break down the most basic and common types of wine there are. Follow along with this guide and learn more about distinguishing types of wine. For starters, lets focus on red wines and white wines.

The four most common types of red wine are Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. The Cabernet Caugivnon is the most popular wine in the world, and it contains flavors such as black cherry and baking spices. The Pinot Noir is usually very fruity (cherry, cranberry, or other red fruits). Zinfandel is made from a wide variety of fruits and does not stick to one color of fruit. And finally, the Syrah is usually made with blue fruit flavoring and other various seasonings (pepper, tobacco, violet). 

White wine also has four common types, and they are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Riesling. The Chardonnay variety of wine is usually made from light fruits such as citrus, pears, and apples. Sauvignon Blanc contains citrus as well, along with exotic fruits such as melon and kiwi and a touch of herb for flavor. Pinot Gris also uses citrus flavoring however it usually uses lighter forms such as lime juice or zest. Finally, Riesling combines citrus with stone-fruits such as nectarines or peaches. 

It would be time-consuming to go through each variety of wine, which is why we kept each description short. Use this information to give you an idea of which wines use which flavors. You should taste these wines and test your skills as a wine taster. Can you detect the flavorings we mentioned here? And come by Brix 33 in New Port Richey FL for our wine tasting events every Wednesday.

How Picking Conditions Affect Grapes & Wine

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Provided By: Brix 33 | Restaurant in New Port Richey FL

Many people don’t know that growing and picking conditions affect the qualities of the grapes and wine. For example, grapes become ripe much quicker in warmer climates (i.e. closer to the equator). Or that many vineyards test chemical components of the grape when determining if it’s ready. Every single factor that you can think of has some effect on the grape.

Certain wines like sparkling wines require grapes that are picked slightly before they reach ripeness, so as to maintain some acidity. There are some qualities that can only be detected by humans however. This is why some vineyards and wineries still use humans to pick grapes as opposed to machines. A machine cannot detect broken skin on a grape, which could be a big risk.

There are actually a certain variety of grapes that can only be handpicked, and they are required for dessert wines among many other types. These ‘botrytis bunches’ are essentially grapes with fungus growing on them. Similar to the fuzzy grey growth you will see on strawberries, this fungus comes in many varieties. This is where growing conditions are important, because dryer climates grow a form of this known as ‘noble rot’. In this case, more liquid leaves the grape and results in a concentrated grape.

This is why it is important for some vineyards to only have human pickers. Without a human’s intuition diseased grapes may get into wine and make people sick. Many people also believe that picking grapes during the nighttime and daytime have different effects on sugar levels. It has also been said that grapes that are picked during a rain have a ‘watery’ taste. All in all, the growing and picking conditions of grapes have a large effect on the quality of grapes and wine you will receive. Read more on this topic and visit Brix 33 fine wines and bistro in New Port Richey FL.

10 More Cool Facts About Wine

Provided By: Brix 33 Restaurant in New Port Richey FL

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10) One of the most expensive bottle of wine thus far was a bottle of 1875 Chateau Margaux that was owned by Thomas Jefferson. The man that owned it dropped it and was paid $225,000 by the insurance company.

9) Another expensive bottle of wine was an 1869 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, which sold for $230,692 at an auction in Hong Kong.

8) California is in fourth place in terms of wine production in the world, led by France, Italy, and Spain.

7) Women are generally better wine-tasters than men because their sense of smell is better than men.

6) A ton of grapes can make about 720 bottles of wine, so one bottle of wine uses about 2.75 pounds of grapes.

5) One study showed that when French music was played in a wine store, more French wine was sold. When German music was played, more German wine was sold.

4) There is a novel you can read called ‘Wine to Water’ by Doc Hendley. It is about his organization in Africa that aims to bring clean drinking water to villages in need. He himself was a raging alcoholic from North Carolina that one day had a wake-up call and moved to Africa.

3) Some stories suggest that toasting was invented as a way to prevent poisoning. The clinking of glasses would splash each wine in to the other cup.

2) Grape juice mix was sold with a warning label during prohibition times. The warning stated that the buy should not take the liquid and place it in a jug for 20 days because it will become alcohol.

1) One of Edgar Allan Poe’s most famous stories is about a wine-tasting event where one man lures a friend into a trap with wine. This is said to be based on an actual event involving Lieutenant Robert Massie back in 1817.