Rosé Champagne

A pink Champagne. The rosé color, which actually ranges from translucent pink to coppery salmon, is obtained either by blending a bit of still red wine into the Champagne blend before the SECONDARY FERMENTATION or by leaving the base wines in contact with the grape skins for a brief period of time to absorb color. Because rosé Champagnes are difficult and risky to make, production is limited and the wines are generally more expensive than golden Champagnes.

The wheat-like grain, spelt, is native to what region?

A. Southern Germany

B. The Midwest of the United States

C. Northern Mexico

D. The mountains of China

Spelt originated in Germany (and Switzerland too), according to the Northern Grain Growers Association. Spelt (aka “dinkle” in Germany), is similar in flavor and texture to wheat, and is typically milled into bread flour. Breads made from this grain are often heavier and denser in texture than breads made with wheat flour. Spelt has been grown for over 6,000 years. However, the grain went out of fashion in the early 20^th century because wheat was easier to thresh. Over the past decade, the demand for spelt has skyrocketed as consumers search for alternatives to wheat.

Garrigue

When a wine pro describes a wine as “earthy,” the characterization can mean several different but related ideas. One of the permutations of earthiness is what the French call garrigue (gare-REEG). Garrigue is the aroma… Continue reading

Get WineSpeed