Eastern European wines are more widely enjoyed than ever these days! But with this infusion of amazing indigenous grape varietals comes a certain amount of confusion. What the heck does furmint taste like? If I'm a Pinot Noir lover, which Armenian grape will I like best? Great questions! Consider this post your entry point into lesser-known wines from Eastern Europe.
Enjoy the journey!
HUNGARY
Winemaking has been a part of Hungary's history dating back to the Romans. The country boasts 22 different wine regions and is most famous for the Tokaj region's aszú—a sweet and golden-hued wine made from the furmint grape—which was hugely popular among European royalty for centuries. Seasons of war, plague, and Communist rule have sent Hungary's wine industry on a rollercoaster of changes, but today, many Hungarian winemakers are once again turning toward small, low-intervention, family-run operations that value quality over quantity.
Hungarian wines can seem a bit tricky to navigate because...
Photo: Kelsey Curtis via Unsplash
When it comes to healthy living, wine--and alcohol in general--often doesn't fit into the picture. Whether you're counting calories or just trying to keep your alcohol consumption light, an abstract wine label can leave you wondering what the heck you're actually consuming and what it might mean for your health. Luckily, you really only need to know one thing: Alcohol content matters! When you see that little percentage on a wine label, pay attention.
Alcohol content signals a few things. First of all, it's the primary way to decide whether or not a wine is high in calories. Because alcohol is produced with sugars (in wine's case, natural grape sugars), we know that wines with a larger alcohol content (15% +) may contain left over sugar (called residual sugar) because the yeast used in the fermentation process has been exhausted. Remember, yeast eats sugar--kind of like Ms. Pac-man--during the fermentation process, and the bioproduct is alcohol. Wines that contain this left over...
Photo: Superkitina
The holiday season can get a little hairy when you're worried about what to get alllll of those fine folks you love on your list! Let me help you cut through the clamor of consumerism--here are a few of my favorite things from 2019. Hopefully they inspire you to treat your favorite people (and wine lovers!) this Christmas and beyond!
AGATE CHEESE BOARD | Anthropologie
This pretty, sparkling serving board makes a stunning backdrop to one of my personal favorite appetizers--cheese! And you know what plays well with cheese? Um, wine!
2020 PLANNER | Wit & Delight
I love a good notebook, and this sleek little planner has the bonus of helpful productivity and planning tools. Plus, Wit & Delight is a favorite blog and design house local to Minneapolis!
A BOTTLE OF HAUS APERTIF | Haus
Haus makes delicious European-style apertifs made from only the best ingredients, like California wine grapes and other natural goodies. This is the liqeur that's been missing from your bar! It's also a...
