"If your doctor warns that you have to watch your drinking, find a bar with a mirror."
~~ John Mooney

Excerpt from Vintage Humor for Wine Lovers by Malcolm Kushner

Question:
Can I use my basement to store wines? It is pretty cool.
Answer:
Your basement could be very good for wine storage. The recommended temperature is in the range of 55-65 degrees F., and the recommended humidity is in the range of 60-75%. What really does damage to wine are bright, fluorescent lights; mold & odors; vibration, and extremes of temperature-if the temperature goes below 40 degrees F. you could cause tartrate crystals to precipitate out of your wines, and above 75 degrees F. you would age (i.e. oxidize) your wines more quickly.

Excerpt from Wine Faqs: Real Questions-Real Answers by Anita L. Laraia- www.anitalaraia.com

"If you want to become a rich, pretentious snot – and who doesn't? – you should learn about wine."
~~ Dave Barry

Excerpt from Vintage Humor for Wine Lovers by Malcolm Kushner

Question:
Could you tell me how long I can keep opened wines?
Answer:
In general you can store red wines with the cork re-inserted in a cool place for several days before it loses its freshness (turns a little vinegary after that). But the best way to store red wines is with a vacuvin. It is a white plastic pump with a gray rubber stopper that cost about $14 in wine stores. You insert the gray stopper in the half full wine bottle and use the plastic pump to take out the air and create a vacuum, thus preserving the wine longer (air oxidizes wine). With this vacuvin, you can keep reds for a week or two and whites can be kept cold in the refrigerator for about as long. If you use the regular cork in white wines that are stored in the refrigerator, they will pick up off odors from the foods in there--so it's better to use the vacuvin. If you cannot find vacuvin, then buy a simple bottle stopper with those porcelain/rubber rings and metal push down closure--every wine or cooking store sells them for less than $1. The only types of wines that cannot be kept fresh with a vacuvin are Champagnes and Sparkling wines because of their bubbles. Once you have enjoyed some of the Champagne or Sparkling wine, you will have to use a metal closure that screws down over the bottle to keep the wine fizzy. They are better than the other type with metal wings that snap down over the bottle. Both can be found in most wine stores.

Excerpt from Wine Faqs: Real Questions-Real Answers by Anita L. Laraia- www.anitalaraia.com

"If you resolve to give up smoking, drinking and loving, you don't actually live longer; it just seems longer."
~~ Clement Freud

Excerpt from Vintage Humor for Wine Lovers by Malcolm Kushner

Question:
What are those "streaks" in my wine?
Answer:
The "streaks" in your wine are called the "legs". They fall like tears on the inside of your wine glass after you have finished swirling. The legs are a visual measure of the viscosity or thickness of the wine, and they are related to the glycerol content of the wine, which is related to the alcohol content, and sugar content or ripeness of the grapes used to make the wine. Wines that are more viscous, with more slowly forming and thicker legs, are said to be heavier in "body". Light bodied wines have virtually no legs and look like water when you swirl them in your glass. So in wine terms, "legs" are an eyeball measure of the "body" of the wine, whether heavy or full-bodied, medium-bodied, or light-bodied. It's a judgment call, that usually only professional tasters are interested in when they rate a wine on a numerical scale. But now you can act like a wine judge and know what you see when you swirl and wait for the legs!

Excerpt from Wine Faqs: Real Questions-Real Answers by Anita L. Laraia- www.anitalaraia.com

"If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt."
~~ Dean Martin

Excerpt from Vintage Humor for Wine Lovers by Malcolm Kushner

Question:
A number of red wines have a certain quality I don't like. They make my tongue dry and bitter.
Answer:
The sensations you describe on your tongue are both from the "tannin" in wines. Tannin is the same tannic acid found in a cup of strong tea. It is a natural preservative in wine and most of it comes from black grape skins-- so red wines, especially when young have the most tannin. Tannin gives an astringent taste and also a dry sensation on the tongue-so it is both a taste and a tactile sensation. Wines that are aged in oak barrels also pick up wood tannin--and this is usually the only source of tannin in white wines. To summarize, if you don't like the taste of tannin in wines, then choose either light white wines that are not oaky, such as Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio which are called "soft" wines, or light red wines with little tannin such as Gamay Beaujolais, Dolcetto, Lambrusco and Pinot Noir. Also, medium-bodied dry, red wines with soft tannins such as Merlot, Sangiovese or Shiraz are very popular exactly because they are smoother, less astringent wines. Avoid the blockbuster reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon, which have the most tannin. But that's the good thing about tannin--it allows the best red wines to live for many years in the bottle. It also has been shown to help keep your arteries clear. Many Europeans learn to like the taste of tannin by mixing half red wine and half non-sparkling mineral water. And those that can afford it buy much older red wine collector's items because their tannins have precipitated out as sediment and the wines will taste much smoother than when they were young.

Excerpt from Wine Faqs: Real Questions-Real Answers by Anita L. Laraia- www.anitalaraia.com

"If you drink like a fish, don't drive. Swim."
~~ Joe E. Lewis

Excerpt from Vintage Humor for Wine Lovers by Malcolm Kushner

Question:
I'm 26 and don't have much experience with wine aside from a few winery tours. I have a friend from Germany who'll be visiting me next week, and she'll be staying for about a week. With theatre tickets and such, I'm on a tight budget, so I'd like to get a couple bottles of wine, but I'd rather not spend more than $20 apiece. Can you suggest a red and a white that don't taste like a run-of-the-mill bottle and that I would be able to find at a regular wine/liquor store? I'm in D.C., so I should be able to find most brands.
Answer:
I'm sure you will have a great time with your friend. Since she is from Germany, I can tell you right away--don't serve her German wine since that's what she can gets everyday at home! Germany doesn't produce much red wine--only 10%--so definitely get a couple good red wines to serve her. My suggestion is to go with reds that are not too tannic or astringent, such as the ever-popular MERLOT. My favorite brands from California in the $20 price range include: Lambert Bridge, Markham, St. Supery, and DeLoach. There are many others that your local fine wine stores in D.C. can recommend. Merlot is served at room temperature. Then I would choose a good dry, white wine just in case she likes white wines a lot. Why not a good Chardonnay from California such as Kunde "Kinneybrook" or Guenoc or Chalk Hill? Chill the Chardonnay 2 hrs. in the refrigerator or 30 mins. In ice and water. And always have an extra bottle on hand in case one is bad, or you run out!

Excerpt from Wine Faqs: Real Questions-Real Answers by Anita L. Laraia- www.anitalaraia.com

"If white wine goes with fish, do white grapes go with sushi?"
~~ Stephen Wright

Excerpt from Vintage Humor for Wine Lovers by Malcolm Kushner

Question:
I first drank Sangria in a little Italian restaurant in New York City two years ago, and I immediately fell in love with it, but the restaurant could not, of course, give me the recipe. So, I have been searching for a recipe for a really great Sangria, but have only come across a very generic one out of someone's home cookbook. I know that its main component is wine with a bit of fruit and juice but I haven't a clue as to what the proportions should be! Do you know of any recipes for either Red or White Sangria? If not, could you give me any suggestions of where to look?
Answer:
Love your e-mail nom de plume! Sangria is made like my grandmother from Italy cooked--no recipe, just a bit of this and a bit of that. It's up to individual interpretation in other words. There is a wine still on the market called YAGO Sangria, available in red and white versions. Very inexpensive, in large size bottles too and ready to be served over ice or chilled. My own recipe for Sangria is take a punchbowl or big pitcher, add thin crosswise slices of say two large oranges, pour in one bottle of dry red wine--any will do but originally it was a Spanish red--add a half-pint of brandy--E&J Gallo California will do--but brand is optional, stir, add about 16 oz. of orange juice (necessary if you add the brandy), sugar to taste, give it a good stir and if you want flavors to meld put plastic wrap over the top and put in the refrigerator for a couple hours or overnight, finally add ice cubes just before you're ready to serve. In fact, you can even add the red wine to the orange slices the night before your party, let them soak together overnight in the fridge, and then before your party add all the other ingredients including the ice cubes. P.S. Some recipes add sparkling mineral water--but that can dilute it too much. It should be refreshing without being watery.

Excerpt from Wine Faqs: Real Questions-Real Answers by Anita L. Laraia- www.anitalaraia.com