Being quarantined because of Coronavirus does not mean giving up social events, even if they must necessarily occur by video call! And is there anything more social than having lunch or dinner with friends and family?

That’s why we have prepared a short guide of great wines for your online dates, both for these weeks at home and for the future, when we can reunite again with our loved ones. Check back the tips we gave you in #stayathome and make the most of it, turn on your computer, get dressed properly, prepare your favourite dishes and enjoy your meal!

The best food and wine pairings

You can start your virtual dinner with some excellent cheese, pâtés and cold cuts. An excellent wine to start with is the Miraval Rosé 2018, a balanced and fresh French rosé.

As for the white wine, we have two suggestions: Sula Chenin Blanc 2019 and Bodegas Navajas Blanco Crianza 2015. Both have excellent value for money and match perfectly with any starter. They are also great for grilled fish and seafood.

If you prefer red wine, Ramón Bilbao Crianza 2016 is always a great choice, balanced, fruity and at a good price! Tenuta Guado al Tasso Antinori Il Bruciato 2018 moves in the same price range and will hardly disappoint you. These wines go well with meat, mushrooms and soups.

We are sure that if you follow our advice, your video meals will be a success. And now that you have realized that you can face confinement without losing sight of your friends and lead a normal social life, don’t you feel like toasting? Sparkling wine, prosecco, champagne… Which one do you prefer?

Juvé & Camps Reserva de la Familia is one of our favourite Spanish cava. Esteemed internationally, its fine, rich and creamy bubbles will leave a very pleasant taste in your mouth after a hearty meal. Another option is Gramona Impérial Brut Gran Reserva 2013, a great classic.

If you go for champagne, we think Mumm Cordon Rouge is the best choice. Its coupage is composed of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, and expresses great complexity, depth and elegance.

More ideas to organize your online meals

Our advice on how to organize a lunch or dinner by video call ends here. If you need any other ideas to find your favourite wines, come visit our site and discover what we have prepared for these days of quarantine.

And remember: drink in moderation and #StayatHome!

Untouched by Light is a new sparkling wine produced by the Slovenian winery Radgonske Gorice. The name of the wine is unusual; however, it is inspired by the production process. It is the first sparkling wine which is developed in absolute darkness; from harvest to bottling in opaque black glass bottles. Until now, no one has ever produced a wine like this.

The idea of creating this sparkling wine in the dark arises from an old study from 1989. It was done by the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture (you can read it here). The study concluded that light rays could damage the aroma and the taste of the wines. This happens because ultraviolet rays break down the riboflavin of the wine and cause photo-oxidation, the formation of methanethiol, methyl sulphide and hydrogen sulphide.

Therefore, the Radgonske Gorice winery came up with a solution on how to make a wine that never sees the light of day. To achieve this the harvest is done on moonless nights with the help of night vision goggles. The subsequent handling, bottle rotation, packaging, etc. are also carried out in the dark. The winery uses the Traditional method (Champenoise) to carry out the second fermentation in the bottle. At the end of the process, the wine is rebottled in black bottles before a final maturation of three years.

The winery will only produce 2000 bottles of Untouched by Light made with Chardonnay grapes which will be ready in 2020. The wine is presented in a black aluminium bag to further ensure the “untouched by light” guarantee. However, for now, we are still left to wonder whether this is a marketing ploy or if this peculiar elaboration will really shine at the tasting.

If this wine has caught your interest, you can reserve your Untouched by Light on the official website.

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Where is it written that eating pizza or hot dogs cannot be combined with a good wine? Wine does not always have to be accompanied by fancy cuisine as it can successfully be paired with an infinite variety of dishes.

Limitations are not our philosophy. Even the experts say it, like Nicolás Boise, chief sommelier of Mugaritz restaurant, who was quoted in the Spanish Newspaper El País recommending that junk food and wine can be a perfect combination.

But what wines pair well with fast food? It depends on the ingredients in each dish. If you are eating a sausage the choice of wine will depend on the type of sausage, the sauces and the other ingredients in that particular dish.

The basic hot dog (with mustard and ketchup and nothing else) goes well with white wines of the Gewürtzraminer type. If the hot dog also has crispy onions both rosés and sparkling wines will pair very well.

Nowadays it’s pizza and wine! Beer is not the only drink that goes well with pizza; if you prefer having a glass of wine instead we recommend rosé as the best option. Young red wines are also a good pairing. If the pizza has anchovies (something that is currently scarce), it is better to choose a white wine to counteract the flavour, and if you opt for a barbeque pizza you might find that going for a consistent and full-bodied red wine, like a Merlot, is an excellent choice.

Chocolate desserts marry perfectly with many kinds of wines. We already feel quite uncomfortable about the milkshakes found in many fast food establishments, and if we had wine with our dinner we would also like to finish with wine. In fact, you will find that there are some wine and chocolate combinations that maximise the flavours. For these types of desserts, we recommend red wines.

For certain spicy dishes, like kebab, the best combination is made with an intense and stronger wine. And red wines are also preferred when pairing with hamburgers. For some quick tapas, the white and sparkling wines are excellent choices, while taking into account the type of tapas and whether the dish has meat or fish.

Miraval Rosé 2017

Miraval Rosé 2017

By Ott Rosé 2016

By Ott Rosé 2016

If you are interested in starting a wine collection, there are many different wines to choose from. Some of the wines cost a fortune, but there are still some very good options if you want to start collecting wine. Some things that you may want to do to start collecting wine on a budget include:

Plan Your Budget and Your Storage

First, you will want to plan your wine collection. To start, set a budget for how much you want to spend on your wine collection, which can be monthly or annually. Storage of wine is also important, and there are many different options today, which include storing your wine in a cellar, buying a wine cooler or investing in a custom-built wine cabinet to keep your wines at the perfect temperature.

Choose Wines That You Are Familiar With

One mistake that beginning wine collectors make is that they get too carried away with their wine choices. If you are just starting your collection, it is best to start off slow and with wines that you are familiar with or have some knowledge of. Keep it simple and choose wines that are well-known. You will have a chance to be more daring with your wine choices as your collection begins to grow.

Be Daring, But Taste Wines Before Collecting Them

Investing in wine for your collection can be fun, and you may want to be more daring. As a rule of thumb, you will want to taste wines before you buy them. As you establish your wine collection, more wines will become familiar to you and the process of tasting and buying wine will be easier.

Find Deals on Wines That Are Overstocked

There are many choices of wines that range in price from a few pounds to thousands. If you have a set budget, you will get the most value from more affordable wines. There are also many wines that are on sale and need to be sold to make room for new stock. Start your wine collection with discounts and deals on wines that are on sale.

Choose Wines to Start Your Collection and Store Them Safe in The Cellar

When you have a plan and are ready to start your collection, you will be ready to start choosing your first wines. Start with a variety of wines that you have tasted and are familiar with. If you want to be daring and add something special to your collection, you can choose wines like, Brunello di Montalcino, which is becoming a popular choice amongst collectors.

Getting a wine collection started may not be as difficult as you think. With a little knowledge and a small budget, you can start storing wines away in a cellar or specially designed wine cabinet.

Bruno Colin Chassagne-Montrachet 1Er Cru Morgeot Blanc 2015

Bruno Colin Chassagne-Montrachet 1Er Cru Morgeot Blanc 2015: a white wine from Chassagne-Montrachet made of 2015 grapes. Uvinum users reviewed this white wine with 4 of 5 points. 

Domaine Hubert Lamy Chassagne-Montrachet 1Er Cru Les Chaumées 2015

Domaine Hubert Lamy Chassagne-Montrachet 1Er Cru Les Chaumées 2015: a white wine from Chassagne-Montrachet with 2015 grapes. At Uvinum, this white wine scores an average rate of 4 of 5 points. 

Each year, the holiday season witnesses the come back of sparkling wines in our lives as we celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve with friends and family. Along with Champagne and Prosecco, Cava is an all time favourite and its popularity never decreases. Yet, after numerous celebrations, one might need some novelty as we toast with our loved ones. This is why we discovered these interesting ideas to pimp up your Cava and add some dash to your usual drink.

The Bubbly Mary

The lightest offspring of the Bloody Mary Family is an interesting cocktail to add some elegance and refinement to your Friday usual. What’s more, the bubbles transform an old-fashioned cocktail into a modern drink! 

Ingredients

• 1 lemon slice
• 1 lime slice
• 2 oz Cava
• 4 oz Tomato juice
• 2 dashes of Tabasco sauce
• 2 dashes of Worcester sauce
• 1 pinch of Ground black pepper
• 1 pinch smoked paprika 
• 1 pinch celery salt

Preparation 

Squeeze the lemon and lime slices in the shaker, add the tomato juice and the paprika, celery salt and pepper, as well as the Tabasco and Worcester sauce in the shake the mix. Pour in a glass and add the Cava which you will gently mix with the preparation to preserve the sparkling properties. 

The Apple Pumpkin Spice Sangria 

Over the last decade, pumpkin has been invading your autumnal coffee with regularity. Now, you can extend the trend to the heart of winter thanks to this exciting recipe!

Ingredient

• 4 apples
• 2 oranges
• 2 pears
• 1 cup cranberries
• 1 tbsp pumpkin purée
• 2 tsp salt
• 6 cinnamon sticks
• 3 cups apple cider
• 4 cups apple moonshine
• 1 bottle of Cava

Preparation

Cut the apples, oranges, pears and place them in a punch bowl. After, add the cranberries, the pumpkin purée and all the spices along with the cider and moonshine. Pour the Cava and let sit overnight for the ingredients to release their aromas. 

The Pomegranate Twist

This easy cocktail will revolutionise your boring New Year’s appetiser into an innovative drink. Sometimes, simplicity is the answer and the association pomegranate juice really does create a novel beverage.

Ingredients

• 1 sugar cube
• 30ml pomegranate juice
• 90ml Cava 
• Pomegranate Arils

Preparation

Mix the cold Cava with the pomegranate juice. To strengthen the sweetness, do not hesitate to add a sugar cube. Finally, to give your drink a more sophisticated look, simply add some frozen pomegranate Arils which will keep the liquid cold and release a more intense aroma as it melts.   

Freixenet Excelencia Brut

Freixenet Excelencia Brut is a sparkling wine made by Freixenet from the region of Cava.

Codorniu Cuvée Gran Cremant Brut

Codorniu Cuvée Gran Cremant Brut is a sparkling wine made by Codorníu from the region of Cava based on viura, xarel·lo and macabeo.

Dom Pierre Perignon was born in the region of Saint-Menehould, France, in 1638. He is credited with the creation of today’s famous sparkling wines and also of using the cork to cover the bottles. Dom Pierre had severe eye problems, which made his other senses sharpened.

At the age of 29 he was transferred from a convent of monks to the abbey of Hautvilliers, in Champagne, where he was in charge of taking care of the basements of the cellar. One day in 1670 he heard that one of the bottles exploded. With his curiosity, he went to the scene and, while he was on all fours and touched the ground, he managed to taste the liquid of these bottles, which at first he found strange. Motivated by his thirst for knowledge and research, he prepared to open and taste the other bottles, exclaiming at the same time, according to the legend: “I am drinking stars!”

Of course, those stars were nothing other than the air bubbles that had formed due to the fermentation of the sugars and yeasts that were reactivated that day. He knew that the bottles of that crop were not completely resistant and he began to wonder what would happen if they were. And if the bubbles would remain for a longer time using suitable bottles.

Dom Perignon wasted no time and prepared to make stronger bottles. For this, the monk found a serious problem: the cap. The ones used before were made with wax, but he knew that they would not be good enough to achieve a good result and, thus, remembering to have once seen corks of used corks in travelers’ canteens, decided to opt for that way, adding the Peculiar crown of wires that until today we can see.

Such was his research to create the “drink of the stars” that also was in charge of selecting the specific strains to elaborate his product and to have a result of very good quality, which, to date, continues to reproduce strict standards. Dom Pierre Perignon is, therefore one of the most influential people, important and remembered in the vast world of wine.

Dom Pérignon Vintage 2006

Dom Pérignon Vintage 2006

Dom Perignon Vintage Rosé 2002

Dom Perignon Vintage Rosé 2002

Whether it is Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, English sparkling or any other sparkling wines, it is no secret that the world loves them for its effervescence and magic. That is why today we will bust 5 myths behind these delicious drinks:

1. They must open with a strong “pop”

Although doing it with a strong sound makes more spectacular, as we have been accustomed to from the movies, it is not always the best way. It is best to do it with a twist with the help of your hand and thumb of one hand and holding it from the bottom with the other at a 45 degree angle. A soft “Tsss” (like soda) should be heared, not a “pop”.

2. Use a spoon to keep it gaseous

This simply does not work, it is not possible. It was believed that by using a silver spoon, placing it inside the bottle for the handle to hang inside, would keep the air colder and, therefore, make the bubbles disappear more slowly. But it’s not like that.

3. The sparkling ones cause you the worst hangover

It is very common to hear this myth, but the reality is that, like any other alcoholic beverage, the sparkling ones can give you a bad hangover, everything depends on the amount consumed. And, at the same time, we mention that the bubbles will not make you get drunk faster.

4. Champagne should be served only as an aperitif

Traditionally, sparkling wines are seen as a celebration drink and served as appetizers at weddings and events of that style, however, they will combine very well with a wide variety of foods. You can prepare a rich dinner and enjoy a good champagne to go with it.

5. All sparkling wine is Champagne

This is not correct at all. And it is a very common mistake that people get confused by. Champagne is sparkling wine made using the champenoise method and is generally very high quality, thanks to its tradition and history. However, in many cases it is used as a synonym for sparkling. That term is not entirely correct, since each type of sparkling wine has its own signs of identity. Cheers!

Moet & Chandon Ice Rosé Impérial

Moet & Chandon Ice Rosé Impérial

Dom Pérignon Edition Luminous 2006

Dom Pérignon Edition Luminous 2006

The drink business is slightly more complex than the other industries, because to innovate something, it has to be planned starting years in advance, when the fruits are planted. For champagne, it is no different, since your marketing campaigns have to be foreseen from up to 3 years before. Generally, these plans go in the direction of product packaging and specific techniques to reach younger audiences, maintaining the premium style of the beverage itself. Lynn Murray, marketing director at Hatch Mansfield, explains in an article in The Drink Business, He assures that among the challenges one has to achieve a good enough exterior to attract and catch the young but also following and respecting the great variety of laws of appeal that exist for these types of drinks.

Oliver Legrand, director of marketing and communications at Nicolas Feuillatte, has a different vision because although he agrees that the best thing that can be done is the innovation of the packaging, we must think of adding a plus value that denotes excellence and prestige. A few years ago they launched a set of 3 drinks in which, instead of just creating a luxurious gift package, hired the best chefs and created a complete menu to match their new creations, providing a unique experience for diners and people who bought the product.

Terence Kenny, director of exports for Champagne Pannier, adds: “Innovation can come in different forms, whether it be creating low-dose stewed drinks for seafood, pink candies for tea afternoons and desserts or red forts to accompany meats, in Pannier We have all these to offer and it is our main advantage. “Innovation, in short, can be presented as a well-diversified product portfolio so that consumers have options when purchasing the champagne of their choice”.

And what is the reason for this debate? The increase in the audience and young population has been key to initiate a search for Champagne innovation. Moët & Chandon Moët Ice Impérial was launched in 2011 under a different concept: serving the champagne with ice. And although it was not the first drink of its kind to be served in this way, it established a trend that has become very popular among the new generations, causing producers to find new ways to innovate and attract young consumers

Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial

Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial

Moet & Chandon Ice Rosé Impérial

Moet & Chandon Ice Rosé Impérial

United Kingdom is growing in terms of wineries and wines they offer. It is truly impressive that in five years there has been created about 200 new wineries and their wines are increasingly important. With this, wine tourism also grows and some of the routes that we include here are places that help us get to know the UK better.

Kent is an English non-metropolitan county, situated south-east of London. Its great landscape is being transformed into vineyards since the area is recieving a great international projection. So now, in addition to the industry, the vine is another reason to visit the area.

Among Kent’s wines we find The famous Rose Brut, which was served at the wedding of William of England and Kate Middleton in 2011, hence Kent is becoming more and more popular.

In this area, we also find Chapel Down, which is now predicted to be one of the largest producers of English wine. They highlight their wineries that offer high quality, and especially in sparkling wines. To get there we can go from London by car or by train to the station of Appledore, located 10 km from the wineries. Guided visits to the Chapel Down winery are open all year round.

While Sussex is the south-east of England, it encompasses rolling hills and expansive countryside, and views of the English Channel. For wine tourism, you can visit Nyetimber, west of Sussex, where is the largest wine cellar in the United Kingdom. Three grape varieties of the champagne region, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, stand out for the production of their wines.

To get there we can go by car from London or take the train to Pulborough, which is about 2 km away. This winery is open on weekends if you want to visit and taste their wines. Among the Nyetimber’s wines that stand out we find the Classic Cuvee.

Nyetimber Classic Cuvee

Nyetimber Classic Cuvee

Chapel Down Rose Brut

Chapel Down Rose Brut

It is well known that climate change is a global phenomenon that affects every one of us, including our agricultural processes and therefore our precious wine. The industry has already suffered many consequences because of this environmental problem and will continue to do in the future. However, for our luck, many people, including scientists and farmers, are thinking in new ways to change the wine market, specifically of our beloved champagne, and have joined forces to achieve a significant result.

As published by the Vinetur, the National Institute of Agronomic Research (INRA) in collaboration with the French Institute of Vine and Wine of Montpellier, will develop a program that is scheduled for the next 15 years with the sole objective to create 4 to 5 new grape varieties that will be capable to adapt to the climate challenges that will come in the future.

“We work on the long term, and the fundamentals of the grape varieties of our denomination could definitely change”, said Thibaut Le Mailloux of Champagne Committee, composed of the winegrowers and production houses of the region. “Research must absolutely start now because in 25 years it will be too late.”

In 2015, the first breeds fertilized with grapes were ended. Last June, the second crossing experiment concluded. This hybridization process should result in 4,000 seeds that are intended to be cultivated within the next 6 years in various experimental plots in the region. It is estimated that by 2030, and after several tests, analysis and tastings, the French catalog will be able to annex from four to five new breeds and then inscribe them in the DO Champagne.

Scientists have a duty to monitor all these processes to preserve the typical characteristics of these wines. The primary objective is to preserve the style of a good champagne and all the tradition that this means.

Pol Roger Brut Réserve

Pol Roger Brut Réserve

Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial

Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial