Wine Lesson #10: What Is Sangiovese Wine? (Part 1/2)

WINE LESSON #10: The Truth About Sangiovese Wine (Part 1/2)
This well-balanced wine is just about perfect for all sorts of home-made Italian food. The classic pairing is wild boar with a matured Brunello/Chianti — or grilled zucchini with extra virgin olive oil, bruschetta, carpaccio and pizza with tomato sauces

SANGIOVESE [SAHN-gee-o-VAY-zee], the diplomat of wine grapes — we’ll get to that in a minute — has done much to bring Italian (red) wine to stardom in the international arena.

Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti (to a lesser extent perhaps), for example, are two of the most sought-after wines in the world. Italians are not the only one besotted with Sangiovese. Wine enthusiasts in the US and all over the world seem to ingratiate themselves with this stuff.

Back in Tuscany, the new classification of Chianti Classico, which has succeeded in restoring lost faith and much needed respect for this classical rendition of Sangiovese blends, has raised the bar for the percentage of Sangiovese in the blend to 90%.

When Baron Ricasoli invented Chianti just before the turn of the 20th century, the assemblage was 70% Sangiovese with the filler made up of equal parts of a red and a white varietal.

Well, times have changed.

Modern-day wine buyers want more purity of grape varietals, preferring to select wines by the name of the grape — Sangiovese in this case — rather than the type of blend or a terroir.

Today, Chianti Classico is one of the cachets of premium Italian wines.

This diplomat of wine grape maintains a middle-of-the-road position on all important oenological issues. Its color is not too dark and not to light. So are its flavors and aromas. They are not too assertive, not to weak and its low tannins always mild and agreeable.

No wonder it always wins many votes among frequent diners even the fastidious lot, ordering a reliable bottle for dinner especially in Italian restaurants.

Insipid is one quality that Sangiovese is not. It has a relative high natural acidity that is always delivered fresh. This results in a wine that is robust and vigorous, almost never flat or dull.

Combine that with a generous amount of fruit flavors on good vintages, we have ourselves a well-balanced wine that is just about perfect for all sorts of home-made Italian food.

The classic pairing, as professed by the Tuscans, is wild boar with a matured Brunello/Chianti. Other pairings that are highly recommended include grilled zucchini with extra virgin olive oil, bruschetta, carpaccio and pizza with tomato sauces.

Back on the farms, viticulturists have learnt from generations of experience that Sangiovese loves hot and dry climates. That pretty much describes the climate of Tuscany, coincidentally.

A quick study of the grape quickly reveals that its skin is rather thin. That means it is susceptible to rot, so humidity that usually exists in high elevation is unwelcome. It also takes a long time to ripen and that means trouble if it was planted in a place prone to late-Autumn rains, like Bordeaux for example.

No such climatic threats await its arrival to California. Today there are many fine Sangiovese wines coming out of California and their prices seem to tell us how confident producers are about their wines.

Part 2: Why it’s difficult to find cheap Sangiovese

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Source: Wine Lesson #10: What Is Sangiovese Wine? (Part 1/2)

Wine Lesson #12: When To Order Viognier Wine (Part 2/2)

WINE LESSON #12: VIOGNIER WHITE WINE IS PERFECT WITH ASIAN FOOD (PART 2/2)
Viognier is always a full-bodied white wine with a finish that lingers on for quite a while, and for these qualities, it is well-suited for stir-fry dishes, spicy Asian-flavoured dishes, and coconut milk in sauces

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HOWEVER, the sweeter the wine, the higher is the level of acidity required to balance the sweetness to prevent cloying. Château Grillet is one of the few that manages to produce a well-balanced sweet wine.

Viognier comes across on the nose with aromas of apricot, violet and apple. On the palate, it hits you with a basket of fruits with undertones of honey. It is always a full-bodied white wine with a finish that lingers on for quite a while.

For these qualities, it is well suited for all sorts of stir-fry dishes and is one of the few wines that can handle coconut milk in sauces.

Other dishes that bring out its virtues include lobsters, roast chicken, fish like trout and sole too. And for something exotic, try crocodile steak (www.YatsGourmet.com).

When it comes to cheese, best choices are goat cheeses. If you prefer cow’s milk, then better stick to aged cheese with washed rind, like a Livarot, an Artisanal Brillat-Savarin or a simple Piave.

If you have trouble finding a bottle of Viognier in your favorite wine shops, feel free to write the wine tutor at wine@Yats-International.com. Whether you are a red or a white wine person, Viognier will appeal to you with equal intensity.

Next lesson: Why do people sometimes get a hangover wine?

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Source: Wine Lesson #12: When To Order Viognier Wine (Part 2/2)

Wine Lesson #12: When To Order Viognier Wine (Part 1/2)

WINE LESSON #12: VIOGNIER WHITE WINE IS PERFECT WITH ASIAN FOOD (PART 1/2)
Viognier is always a full-bodied white wine with a finish that lingers on for quite a while, and for these qualities, it is well-suited for stir-fry dishes, spicy Asian-flavoured dishes, and coconut milk in sauces

VIOGNIER, pronounced vee-oh-NYAY, is a white wine grape not very well known outside the French wine region Rhône, although wine enthusiasts have long fallen in love with the full-bodied voluptuous white wine from Condrieu and Hermitage.

For a bottle of those, many willingly part with US$100 without batting an eyelash. And then there is this very rare wine called Château Grillet, the tiniest appellation comprising of just one property.

Viognier is one of the few white grapes that are frequently added to red wine for a softer and suppler mouth-feel.

It makes man-size white wine with intense fruit flavors, stunning aromas and extraordinarily high levels of alcohol, though often too high for its own good.

Advent of fusion cuisine led to its discovery, which later won the approval of the quaffing public. Its size allows this dry white wine to stand up to spicy Asian-flavoured dishes. Later on the same people would find out that Viognier pairs very well with cheese also and that helped to fuel its ascent to stardom in the New Worlds.

Viognier is almost always an expensive proposition for a number of reasons.

First of all, the yield of the grapes is low. To make matters worse it is highly susceptible to (vine) diseases. As a matter of fact, it was on the road to vanishing completely by the mid-80s. A crop of Viognier is as expensive as premium Cabernet Sauvignon, which is always the most expensive grape to purchase.

This grape flourishes in warmer climates with a long growing season. It doesn’t pack much acidity, though. Its high sugar levels encourage producers to consider it for sweet dessert wines.

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Source: Wine Lesson #12: When To Order Viognier Wine (Part 1/2)

Why Choose A Wedding Photojournalist? (Part 2/2)

WHAT’S A WEDDING PHOTOJOURNALIST? (Part 2/2)
Unlike traditional photographers who focus on posed pictures, staged shots, and formal portraits, the wedding photojournalist focuses on capturing the spontaneous, natural moments of the wedding: capturing the personality of the bride and groom, and the unique story of their wedding

By Larry Brunt

Click here to read Part 1

IF YOU CAN GET A GOOD SENSE OF THE PERSONALITY OF THE COUPLE, AND A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT THEIR
WEDDING DAY WAS LIKE, YOU ARE PROBABLY DEALING WITH ABONA FIDE WEDDING PHOTOJOURNALIST.

On the other hand, many photographers will “spice up” a picture with tricks in Photoshop, like vignette-ing (which is darkening the edges of an image) or color-select (where an image is black and white except for one part, such as the bouquet), or toning (sepia-toning being most common).

A high percentage of obviously processed images is an indication that the photographer doesn’t approach the wedding as a photojournalist.

Finally, interview the photographer. Find out about the photographer’s philosophy in approaching a wedding. Ask the photographer how often he/she speaks to the bride and groom, and what kinds of things are said (a photojournalist, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, says little beyond what is necessary and/or polite).

Find out how the photographer handles things at the reception (the photojournalist will do no orchestration of events at the reception, but let the reception unfold naturally).

But again, above all, look at the pictures.

Because the wedding photojournalist is focused on capturing the couple, each set of wedding pictures will have a completely different look and feel. No two weddings will look alike.

If you can get a good sense of the personality of the bride and groom, and a good idea of what their wedding day was like, then you are probably dealing with a bona fide wedding photojournalist.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Larry Brunt is a wedding photojournalist. His company, Essential Moments Photography, is located in Spokane, WA, and Larry photographs weddings throughout the United States. Visit his website at www.EssentialMomentsPhotos.com or drop by his blog http://www.essentialmomentsphotos.com/blog/.

Source: Why Choose A Wedding Photojournalist? (Part 2/2)

Why Choose A Wedding Photojournalist? (Part 1/2)

WHAT’S A WEDDING PHOTOJOURNALIST? (Part 1/2)
Unlike traditional photographers who focus on posed pictures, staged shots, and formal portraits, the wedding photojournalist focuses on capturing the spontaneous, natural moments of the wedding — capturing the personality of the bride and groom, and the unique story of their wedding

By Larry Brunt

IN SHOTS TAKEN BY A WEDDING PHOTOJOURNALIST, THE SUBJECT WILL LOOK LIKE THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF THE CAMERA

ONE of the big buzzwords in wedding photography is “wedding photojournalism.” Many photographers claim to have a photojournalistic approach. Surprisingly, real wedding photojournalists are hard to find.

But first, what is a wedding photojournalist?

Unlike traditional wedding photography, which focuses on posed pictures, staged shots, and formal portraits, the wedding photojournalist focuses on capturing the spontaneous, natural moments of the wedding: capturing the personality of the bride and groom, and the unique story of their wedding.

The photojournalist will remain as inconspicuous as possible, and the only time he/she will set up a shot is during the portrait session, which tend to be relaxed and brief (and little as 10 to 15 minutes).

It’s an idea that appeals to many, but just because a photographer claims to be a wedding photojournalist doesn’t make it so.

So, how can you tell if your photographer really is a wedding photojournalist?

First, a growing number of newspaper photojournalists are leaving their jobs as the newspaper business declines and getting into wedding photography.

If your photographer has been a photojournalist at a newspaper, the chances are good that he/she uses a photojournalistic approach at the wedding: he/she is used to documenting events without interfering.

Second, the pictures themselves will give you a good idea of the approach of the photographer. When looking at a photographer’s portfolio or website, what percentage of the pictures are “camera-aware” — that is, that the person being photographed is aware of the camera?

A guideline is that about 80% of one’s images should be spontaneous, natural, un-posed pictures with the subjects unaware of the camera. Keep that guideline in mind when you look at websites. In how many pictures is the person looking at the camera? How many pictures look posed?

Third, the aim of wedding photojournalism is to capture what really happened. It documents the day, rather than creates an illusion of the day. Therefore, wedding photojournalists tend to avoid overly processing the images in Photoshop.

When looking at a portfolio, pay attention to how “natural” the images are. Photojournalistic shots tend to be crisp, clear, well-composed, but above all, natural.

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Source: Why Choose A Wedding Photojournalist? (Part 1/2)

The Perfect Brew (Part 2/2)

The Perfect Brew
Backed by its company’s rich roasting experience, the Young bloods at boutique cafe Cuppa Choice shows Singapore how to brew the best coffee

By James P. Ong
Editor, 88DB.com

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Suhaimie Sukiman. operations manager of Cuppa Choice, says they wanted to capture the ambiance of a Parisian cafe.

They will soon feature a live, interactive coffee roasting session on its display window. （PHOTOGRAPH: MARK LIM）

IT’S no surprise that Suhaimie and Consulta, both in their 20s, are former baristas. And they have seen enough to realize that some mainstream coffee chains, while not exactly horrible, actually have low standards when it comes to coffee preparation.

This boutique cafe is their answer to this imbalance. They do not say it, but they try very hard to be purists.

For example, on display now in the store is a very intricate cold brew gadget which they use to make their frappes. “This is our secret ingredient,” Suhaimie proudly tells us. Most methods of brewing coffee involves hot water and a relatively short brewing time. This one is a very slow approach, taking at least 24 hours and uses chunks of melting ice to extract the juice out of the beans.

Suhaimie, who had the unenviable task of preparing for his wedding at the same time he was opening this pilot outlet, says the idea behind Cuppa Choice was to make it like a “Parisian cafe” where people really enjoy their coffee.

Prior to opening this establishment, Cuppa Choice had been hired as consultant by start-up cafes, so it was just logical and a matter of time before they made use of all that exposure and experience and build their own thing.

Something to look forward to in the near future: an interactive coffee roasting experience. Behind the shop window will be a “live” roasting session. That’s something no other cafe can do in Singapore. #

Cuppa Choice cafe (3 Temple Street, Singapore 058556; tel. no. 6316 1007) is open from 10 am to 10pm every day.

Source: The Perfect Brew (Part 2/2)

The Perfect Brew (Part 1/2)

The Perfect Brew
Backed by its company’s rich roasting experience, the young bloods at boutique cafe Cuppa Choice shows Singapore how to brew the best coffee

By James P. Ong
Editor, 88B.com

THE CAFE THAT COFFEE BUILT: After over 20 years of supplying coffee beans to Singapore’s hotels and restaurants, Hui Yee Manufacturing has finally opened its own cafe in Chinatown. （PHOTOGRAPHS: MARK LIM）

THE newly opened Cuppa Choice cafe, with its shiny black-and-white tiles, is the most peppy cafe I’ve been to recently.

Natural light streams in. In the middle of the room: a bar with pillars made of coffee beans, where guests can sit across each other on Philippe Starck stools as they sip their coffee, or stare at the chalk board that covers an entire wall.

Ah, the wall. This is where the staff have painstakingly scribbled the names of all 84 drinks on offer, divided into neat categories: coffee classics, frappes, milkshakes, yoghurt shakes, iced tea signatures, signature espresso-based, iced coffee signatures, fruit juices and refreshments. Name it, they most likely have it.

On their first week of operation, a group came in and, upon being informed there was a total of 84 drinks to choose from, decided to throw down the gauntlet: “Make an 85th drink for us!”

To everyone’s delight, award-winning head barista and Business Development executive Ian Consulta obliged them and whipped up a Wasabi Milkshake — wasabi paste, milk, plenty of ice and homemade vanilla gelato. They finished the drink with relish.

It’s this off-the-cuff attitude that makes Cuppa Choice different from your garden variety franchise-coffee and kopitiam; the barista is given the go-signal to experiment with the ingredients on hand. In other cafes, creativity goes down the drain as baristas have no choice but to adhere strictly to the menu.

Barista Ian Consulta At Cuppa Choice, this concept of the barista as “chef” means there will always be something new on the menu.

For Consulta (pictured left), whose strength is transforming desserts into drinks, this could mean a Cookies-and-Cream Mocha Frappe, Nutty Presso (peanuts and coffee), Rose Dark Mocha (using bandung), or Matcha Azuki (green tea, red bean, and coffee).

But lest we be sidelined into the sweet concoctions, rest assured that the “real coffee” offering here is as substantial and equally exciting.

After all, the folks behind Cuppa Choice wouldn’t put up a board on the street that says “Brewing The Best Coffee” if they couldn’t deliver on the promise.

Cuppa Choice is owned by Hui Yee Coffee Manufacturer, which began over 20 years ago as a small start-up supplying coffee powder to cofee shops around the island. They have since moved into coffee roasting, as well as supplying coffee brewing machines and espresso machines to coffee shops and cafes.

According to Suhaimie Sukiman, Cuppa Choice’s operations manager and trainer, they also offer coffee appreciation workshops and barista training. They also hold events to prop up the barista community in Singapore.

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Source: The Perfect Brew (Part 1/2)

Lesson #13: Why Do People Get Wine Hangover?

LESSON #13: WHY DO PEOPLE GET WINE HANGOVER? IF YOU think alcohol bingeing is the only cause for waking up with a giant headache, think again.

If you sometimes get a headache the morning
after drinking wine — something similar to
hangover — it’s time you know a few more things about wines.

Tannins, the stuff that contains phenolic flavenoids that provide the anti-oxidant benefits to make you live healthily forever and ever, is the same stuff that can cause you to suffer from migraines.

Red wines would taste flabby without tannins. Unlike a hangover, this one doesn’t go away. Instead it accumulates over time as you consume more and more tannins making you even more susceptible to tannin-driven headaches.

To reduce tannin accumulation, drink older wines.

Tannins in wines “resolve” themselves with age inside a bottle, forming sediments that drop to the bottom. You can separate the sediments from the juice by decanting or simply avoiding them when pouring into a glass.

Most red wines start to throw sediments from 5 years old and continue to do for a few more years. Sticking to wines above 8-10 years old and you need worry no more.

Another culprit is the histamines which dilate blood vessels in the brain. Antihistamine drugs won’t do much to protect you but choosing the right kind of wines to drink does.

Red wines usually have a higher histamine level than whites. The ones that have the highest levels are the red wines with low acidity. Acidity in wine is mainly a result of cold weather. Heat produces sugar while cold produces acidity.

Wines from warmer regions like a lot of new-world wines for example tend to be full-bodied, high in alcohol (from high sugar levels), plenty of ripe flavors but often low in acidity. The combination of high alcohol and low acidity can mean trouble to the more sensitive populace.

So what are some of the wines with more acidity? White wine. But for reds, try Italian wines from Piedmont and Tuscany regions, France’s Burgundy, Bordeaux and northern Rhone. Believe it or not, the sweet wines from Sauternes have very high level of acidity!

So there you have it, and once again, please remember to drink less, drink better!

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Source: Lesson #13: Why Do People Get Wine Hangover?

Is Your Snoring A Health Risk? (Part 2/2)

Is Your Snoring A Health Risk? (Part 2/2)
When you stop breathing in your sleep it’s time to see a doctor for sleep apnoea

By Verlaine S. Ramos | Reprinted with permission from Ezyhealth & Beauty magazine

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Sleep apnoea

In some cases, snoring leads to sleep apnoea. In fact, snoring is the most common clinical symptom of sleep apnoea, says Dr Pang.

Sleep apnoea is when you stop breathing during sleep. The sleep apnoea that occurs among snorers is called obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), wherein the throat is blocked while one is sleeping.

“Patients may complain of frequent awakenings with a choking and gasping sensation, nocturia (frequent passing of urine at night), or nightmares,” shares Dr Pang.

People suffering from OSA may also feel very tired and irritable during daytime because of the disturbed sleep. They may even find it difficult to stay awake even when doing important tasks like driving.

Snore less and sleep better

Health and lifestyle modifications are essential to reduce one’s snoring. If you are overweight for your height, it’s necessary to shed off the excess kilos. Most doctors will not consider treatment for snoring unless you are near the correct weight and will firstly advise you to lose weight.

If you drink alcohol, consider the amount you drink and the effect it has on your snoring. Try to avoid it for a while and note if it will reduce your snoring. Similarly, consider giving up on your smoking and see the benefits.

If you still experience snoring or sleep apnoea even after doing these measures, it’s time to pay your doctor (an ENT specialist or a respiratory physician) a visit.

This story cannot be reproduced, whether in part or in whole, without the permission of Ezyhealth.

Source: Is Your Snoring A Health Risk? (Part 2/2)

Is Your Snoring A Health Risk? (Part 1/2)

Is Your Snoring A Health Risk? (Part 1/2)
When you stop breathing in your sleep it’s time to see a doctor for sleep apnoea

By Verlaine S. Ramos | Reprinted with permission from Ezyhealth & Beauty magazine

IT’S three in the morning and you toss and turn as you try to block off the irritating sound coming from your bed partner. Covering your ears with the pillow doesn’t seem to help, as his snoring becomes louder every minute. You just resign to the fact that you’ll wake up sluggish and puffy eyed again due to lack of sleep.

Snoring is a common problem and is deemed a nuisance. Unfortunately, the snorer is often oblivious to the nightly commotion; it’s always the bed partner who is kept awake night after night because of the dreadful noise.

What causes snoring?

According to Dr Kenny Pang, Director of Pacific Sleep Centre and President of the ASEAN Sleep Surgical Society, snoring is due to the excess vibration of the tissues in the mouth and oral cavity, which includes the soft palate, uvula, base of tongue and other soft tissues.

The noise occurs when there is an obstruction of the flow of air through the passage at the back of the mouth (airway) and nose.

Several factors increase the likelihood of a person to snore. These include:

• Being overweight – obese people frequently have a thick and fatty soft palate
• Geting older – snoring gets worse with age
• Gender – men are more likely to snore than women, but some women can also be snorers
• Family history – snoring may run in families, especially when you have similar facial structures (small jaw or shape of the throat)
• Drinking alcohol and smoking – alcohol relaxes the muscles of the throat and this causes the airway to collapse; smoking makes snoring worse
• Blocked nose – correcting the nasal abnormality may reduce the snoring
• Sleeping position – when lying on your back, your tongue tends to fall backwards and block the airway; hence, sleeping on your side reduces snoring
• In children – large tonsils and adenoids can cause severe snoring in kids, which may also require treatment

Click here for next chapter: What is sleep apnoea?

This story cannot be reproduced, whether in part or in whole, without the permission of Ezyhealth.

Source: Is Your Snoring A Health Risk? (Part 1/2)