2: Sleep very littleWhen your body is rested and in its prime it processes toxins much more efficiently. Deprive your body of its rejuvenation and hit it with a couple bottles of red wine. You will be wishing you were dead asleep.
3: Eat nothingThe quicker you can get that alcohol into your system, with no buffering and obstacles, the worse you will feel. If you hit the daiquiri’s with nothing in your stomach, it might be hard to keep them there. Be sure to especially stay away from high protein and fat foods that are slower to digest and can bring your alcohol assimilation to its knees. It’s essential that you go to bed hungry if you want the worst your drinks can give you. Side note: Stay away from multi-vitamins, especially early in the night. It’s B-vitamin depletion, in particular, that will make you want to crawl into an early grave.
4: Drink the dark stuff Especially red wine, but all dark alcohols (bourbon, dark rum, etc) have especially high concentrations of congeners (or high level alcohols…that is: alcohols with more than 2 carbon atoms). These drinks will hit you much worse in the morning than their chardonnay, vodka, or gin counterparts.

5: Mix it upAs much as your body hates processing congeners, it really gets thrown for a loop if you give it a few to work on. Try mixing scotch, Bordeaux, port, and a dark rum kicker for the ultimate bad belly. You can speed it up with carbonation, so start off with a beer, mountain dew, or some other non-hydrating fizzy liquid. Beer before liquor, never a quicker…hangover.
6: Dance the night away on a sugar highOr do any sort of vigorous physical activity. Get your heart racing and your metabolism up as you pound dark fizzy drink after dark fizzy drink. Your body, craving the water you refuse to give it, will soak up all the poison in one final attempt to keep you from feeling awful. As the beat drops, your body will gobble up its last B-vitamin. Want to make sure? Have a pixie stick. The sugar ups your metabolism to consume even more vitamin B. Don’t give in! Tell the DJ to turn it up.
7: Drink the dog hairSeriously. Keep it going. The more alcohol you give it, the worse it will be. You may prolong it until you are more rested or hydrated if you’re careless, but adding more alcohol to an already compromised body is a great way to kick it when it’s down.

Where in the world would you rather be than tailgating with friends before a sporting event. Tailgating, to those not familiar with it, is a pre-game ritual that typically revolves around barbeque, a little loud music, flying frisbees and very enthusiastic sports fans.

Most of you have insisted on beer in the past at a tailgate. That’s how the knee jerks, anyway. But I have made it my mission — as a tailgating fan, and a lover of wine — to bring together the disparate fans of sports and wine. Because a good red will bring out the flavor in the condiments. Because Riesling matches a bratwurst pretty damn well, and brings out its seasoning. Sure, your buddies will look at you funny at first, wondering why you’re holding a stemmed glass in the middle of a parking lot. But this is where you become an ambassador for taste.

So it’s time to go that extra yard—and I don’t mean on the field. Makeshift picnics in stadium parking lots have grown into a national pastime, a bunch of friends grilling hot dogs and burgers. Then there is the “fat cats” pulling into the parking lot with their huge RV’s and gas grills and grilling up Delmonico steaks, shish-ka-bobs, chicken breast, salmon steaks, clams, corn, you name it, they have it. They also uncorked a lot of wine. Wine is the new must have when tailgating. While you may not be ready to invest in an SUV in team colors featuring a side-mounted grill, you can still stock up on wine and food perfect for a pre-coin toss party with class.

When I first started tailgating, I noticed a lot of beer. However, I am seeing just as many bottles of red and white wine in the parking lot and, why not? You enjoy your time with your friends and what a better way to celabrate win or loose then with a bottle of wine. We all recognize the combination of “wine and cheese” and now we have another wonderful pair, “wine and tailgating”! And this is your Vino 101 for Tailgating!

Make it Flavorful! Whether it is full-bodied or light, the wine should be well concentrated. Wimpy wines will disappear alongside the strong-flavored and smoky dishes. Wonderfully tasting grilled foods allow complex wines to shine, but can easily overshadow a less powerful one. Definitely go for the rich and complex, with a long finish, to go with a powerful BBQ ribs dish.

Make it Fruity! Fruity and even off-dry wines can taste very dry and succulent when paired with savory smoky dishes like grilled meats and hotdogs. Just be sure that the wine you are serving is sweeter than the entry, condiments, or any added flavoring. Sweet food will make a dry wine taste sour and unappealing.

Make it Red! White wines are great with many grilled foods, but when in doubt, always reach for red. A good rule of thumb is the darker the food then the darker the wine, the richer the food then the richer the wine and when in doubt drink Beaujolais. Chances are the red or black fruit character of these wines will give some punch to a smoky dish, and even the modest tannins of a red can work wonderfully in counteracting the mild bitterness that comes from charring food on the grill.

For an early afternoon game, opt for brunch munches, like bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon. Egg dishes should include Spanish omelets, but stay away from quiche. As the temperature rises and drops, hearty foods such as stew, chili, grilled burgers and hot dogs are crowd-pleasers. And for the main ingredient—ahem, ahem, the wine—here are some ways to score:

Sparkling:

Champagne: Save a bottle or two for the victory party, Champagne toast served with egg dishes, bagels, or chicken salad.

Brut Classic: Celebrate with an American sparkler! In classic Champagne style. Wonderful with sushi, baked eggs or turkey subs.

White:

Chardonnay: Chardonnay is a great match for fried chicken or pasta salad.

White Wine Blend: It pairs really well with cold Asian noodles, turkey sandwiches, or any spicy food.

Falanghina : This Southern Italian white goes with much more than pizza and pasta. It’s a natural with seafood, so enjoy it with sushi or salad Niçois

Sauvignon Blanc: Its brightness is a nice complement to dumplings, turkey chili or grilled fish.

Red:

Shiraz: Shiraz is many people’s go-to barbecue wine. This wine works well with chili, ribs, burgers or grilled Portobello mushrooms.

Cabernet Sauvignon: A bit of a splurge for a tailgate party, this red will more than hold up to anything fresh off the grill, from a juicy burger to a flame-kissed skirt steak.

Tempraillo: This lusty wine is a natural alongside kebabs—either beef, pork or shrimp—as well as burgers, ribs or stew.

Pinot Noir: When you’re battling the traffic after the game, you’re going to wish you were on a racetrack, not in a parking lot! It is an ideal accompaniment to turkey drumsticks, fried chicken or sliced hanger steak.

And don’t forget the Red Solo Cups!

Spending your hard-earned dollars on extravagant dinner parties and rare wines is well and good, but sometimes it’s necessary for the soul, and the bank account, to take a step back and reconnect with Mother Nature. A camping trip with good friends can be more memorable and rewarding than, say, heading to an all-inclusive Caribbean resort. A camping trip is more work, but the satisfaction you get from having planned a successful getaway is much more powerful this way, because it’s all on you. Packing the right adult beverages is just as crucial to the success of your trip as the camping gear shoved into the back of your car. Beer, an obvious choice, is refreshing and simple to travel with, but don’t write off wine as an option. A hearty red to accompany a grilled steak, or a crisp white to cool you down after a long sunny day in the wilderness will be a great complement to your trip. The question becomes not whether or not to bring wine but how to pack it. Here are a few tips and tricks on how to make your time in the outdoors as wine-friendly as possible.

Bag wine: Seriously ….Up until recently, bag wine was considered totally unacceptable to anyone who knew anything. It’s anything but sexy and goes against every bit of wine tradition and etiquette. You’re serving wine from what is essentially a giant Capri Sun container, I’ll be honest with you: There are very few scenarios in which I would recommend drinking bag wine over bottled wine but when packing for a camping trip, bag wine is clearly the safer and easier way to go. Especially if you’re planning on drinking a lot of wine. Because of its environmentally friendly packaging and lower price point compared to bottles, bag wine is gaining in popularity. Also, you don’t have to worry about your wine going bad after opening it. The air-sealed container prevents oxidation, allowing you to enjoy the same wine for several days — more than enough time to get you through your entire camping trip. If you really want all of the perks of bag white wine, let it float in a nearby lake or river for 10-15 minutes. This is an effective and natural way to cool down your white wine after it’s been in the heat for a little too long.

Wine in bottles: Also an excellent choice If you can’t stomach the idea of hauling a few bags on your next camping trip, stick with what you know. After all, there won’t be the option to purchase something new in the middle of the woods. Before your trip, remember to purchase a wine that clearly states “contains sulfites” on the bottle. Sulfites act as a natural preservative and will keep your wine fresh and more resistant to damage than a wine that has a lower amount of sulfites. Let’s just say that this is not the time to experiment with natural and organic wine.

An easy fix is to pack a cooler. This is a fantastic way to keep your wine away from external influences like the sun’s rays and heat that may cause significant damage, especially once the bottle has been opened. Never another warm beer in the woods… Can you believe it? Wine may have a reputation for being best suited to formal settings, but just like you, wine can relax when the time is right. People have been drinking wine for centuries, and they haven’t all been sitting up straight at a table with a white tablecloth. Sometimes, enjoying the fruits of this earth in the rawest of environments brings everything back down to basics. I highly recommend it.

VINO 101 The Art Of Seduction

Who among us can deny that wine can play a supporting role in romance, sex, and yes, seduction? Wine tastes good on your lips, but it tastes better on the lips of your partner. Wine relaxes you and helps stimulates your senses. The experience of drinking the wine, examining its color, caressing the glass, swirling the liquid and sipping it slowly is known to be a highly sexual one……

Please Read Page 20 For The Full Article

http://hismagazineonline.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=159:september-october-magazine&Itemid=170

When dining out: convey the illusion of preparedness

If you’re a planner, pick out the wine before you get there and ask for it to be delivered when you are seated as soon as you arrive. If you come in last minute, you can still accomplish this gesture discreetly by loitering in the bathroom with the wine list. What matters is that when you and your guests are seated you have the first bottle of the night already on it’s way. It saves valuable time, your wine will be appreciated, and you will look like a boss.

When buying a gift: labels matters

Fortunately for us, people are fickle. The look of something is still an indication of quality and importance. There are many great wines that come in small packages, but those are not the ones you should buy as a gift. Save those for yourself and share them with your close pals. Gifts are meant to be appreciated in the moment that you hand them over. With every wine gift I look for “Oh Wow! This looks fancy!” not “Thanks. What is this?” (aka Can you tell me why I should care?) You still have to select a good wine, but remember presentation and some superficial traits matter.

When buying wine in bulk for a party: use the 75% rule

I don’t care if it’s 100° F outside, 75% of American wine drinkers at parties ask for red wine. Do your wine buying budget a favor and think realistically about your attendees: are you buying wine for the Lil’ Ol’ Lady Buttery Chardonnay Club or are you sourcing wine for your best buddy’s wedding? And remember not all red wines are created equal, so think about the environment, menu, and time of day. Is the event outdoors? Lean more towards lighter red wines for outdoor parties like pinot noir and merlot. Is it in the middle of winter? Bold wines will warm up your soul.

When handed the wine list: do as the Romans do

I’m sitting in a restaurant gawking at a 25 page wine list. Catherine is leaning over me, a ticking clock reminding me that a wine buying decision needs to be made. I’m usually very creative with my wine choices, but sitting there in a French restaurant staring at a wine list that is about 85% French wines it’s obvious, I need to order something from France. I did. And it was goddamn perfect. So take it from me: If you’re in a French restaurant, get something from France. If you’re having Italian food, try a red wine from d’Abruzzo or from Montefalco. Where ever you go, try the wine that fits the place.

If you go to Cheesecake Factory, I have no recommendations, because they do “everything.”

nuf said

Alright, maybe not oak-y, but there’s definitely some overlap in the terminology. And there may be a scientific reason why. According to one theory, an area of the brain involved in judgment and music overlaps with an area that processes aromas, which greatly influence our taste-buds. This could explain how music can influence the taste of wine. A university study found that drinkers rated the change in taste by up to 60 percent depending what they heard and what they were drinking. Does anyone think there’s any truth to this? Can music enhance the taste of wine?

So just for fun: Depending on the grape, here are some music recommendations from me.

Grab a glass and try it out:

Cabernet Sauvignon: All Along The Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix and Honky Tonk Woman by the Rolling Stones

Chardonnay: What’s Love Got To Do With It by Tina Turner and Atomic by Blondie

Syrah: Orinoco Flow by Enya and Chariots Of Fire by Vangelis

Merlot: Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay by Otis Redding and Easy by Lionel Ritchie

Pinot Noir: Anything by Adele

Sauvingnon Blanc: Walking On Sunshine by Katrina And The Waves and Good Vibrations by The Beach Boys

Zinfandel: You Shook Me by Led Zeppelin and Closer by Nine Inch Nails

Tempranillo: Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag by James Brown and Feeling Good by Michael Buble

Petite Sirah: Breath by Faith Hill and Drops Of Jupiter by Train

Champagne: Don’t Worry Be Happy by Bob Marley and Love You Like A Love Song by Selena Gomez

Wines for Ribs and Other Grilled Meats:

Rich, fruity, rounded red Zinfandel. You need a wine that’s sturdy enough and has enough structure to stand up to these really assertive foods. Merlot, so spicy and fruit-forward and rich, is also good with ribs and other grilled meats. I think a Cabernet is also a slam-dunk for a rib or a chop. But everyone knows it’s a slam dunk. So I’m trying to get people to go for the old-time Zinfandel. Barbecue requires full-fruited wines that stands up to the charred flavors of grilled foods. And, since we’re dealing with warm weather, the wines need bright acidity to keep guests feeling refreshed after each sip. Classic grilling reds include Malbec, Shiraz, Syrah, and Zinfandel-a brawny bunch. All of these wines are saturated with dark fruit flavors that marry beautifully with smoky, caramelized meat juices caught in grill marks.

Wines for Burgers, Brats, or Franks:

They’re great with a Zinfandel and can stand up to a Cab. A Malbec would also work. That said, sparkling wine or Champagne is my favorite thing with grilled sausages, brats, that kind of thing. Most of the time people drink beer with brats. In the Midwest, they even grill brats, then put them in beer! But sparking wine would be a little more sophisticated. Or a lighter red would be great, if it has a lot of flavor to it, like a Zin. Bold new world wines such as Californian Cabernet, Argentinean Malbec, and Aussie Shiraz work with flavor-blasted fare such as burgers, brats or franks. Another great option for this casual, often outdoor fare is something crisp and quenching like Chianti or Pinot Noir, notorious for a nice seam of palate-cleansing acidity.

Wines for Grilled Vegetables:

Chardonnay is fantastic. I call Chardonnay the “white wine for red wine drinkers.” not too oaky, balanced, can stand up to grilled food, particularly grilled veggies. I also like a Sauvignon Blanc – crisp, tropical, a nice white wine. If serving grilled vegetables as an accompaniment, match the wine to the meat, fish or poultry part of the meal. But if the vegetables are served solo, pair them with a dry but fruity rosé. The hint of red fruit will match the grill marks without overpowering the more delicate flavors of the veggies.

Everyone seems to have an opinion on the way a wine bottle is sealed, perhaps because they have heard something from a friend, or have made their own conclusions from using varying wine closures. There are two basic categories of wine closure: cork from the cork oak tree (Quercus suber) and ‘Stelvin’ screwcaps or synthetic corks made from all manner of different materials (I call them plorks). They each have advantages and disadvantages and I’m going to tell you what those are…

Cork advantages:

Cork is traditional.

Sustainable.

Good for the environment.

It is also important to the aging of a wine inside a bottle; through ‘breathing’ tiny amounts of oxygen can pass through the porous cork over time, and are important to the aging process of quality wine.

If you’re vain, the bottle looks more expensive at dinner parties….

Cork disadvantages:

‘Cork taint’. The occasional faulty bottle because of chemical compound 2,4,6-trichloroanisole found in cork bark. Statistically 1 in 12 bottles sealed with a cork can be affected by cork taint, although this varies depending on where the producer sources their cork. Some producers avoid cork taint altogether by sourcing quality cork.

Cork can often be in short supply as cork forests are shrinking due to human industrialisation. This results in cork shortage (i.e. reliable source of cork closures and can be expensive as a result, driving up cost of the bottle slightly).

Screwcaps and Synthetic cork advantages:

Easy to open…bottles sealed with a screwcap do not require a bottle opener (although synthetic corks do).

Keeps the wine safe from cork taint/corked wine, as no cork is involved in either screwcap or synthetic cork.

These two types of closure keep the wine PERFECTLY SAFE. There is no difference in quality between how well a screwcap/synthetic cork seals a bottle against a real cork when it comes to short term storage.

Screwcaps and Synthetic cork disadvantages:

A screw cap or a synthetic cork is unable to let the wine ‘breath’ like a cork does, because they completely seal a bottle, therefore no one knows how well a quality wine will age when sealed with a screw cap. This only applies to high quality wines as not all wines are made to be aged. On a ready-to-drink wine this doesn’t make a difference.

If you’re vain, the bottle looks cheaper at dinner parties….

At the end of the day:

Both corks and synthetic corks have advantages and disadvantages and neither is better nor worse. Some people simply prefer the aesthetics of one or the other; I prefer a great bottle of wine, therefore, I do not care how it is sealed. In this day and age, a screwcap does not mean you are drinking a bottle of Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill……

So, where do you stand on the cork versus screw cap debate? Perhaps, like several of the recent dinner guests around my kitchen table, you really don’t care, as long as the wines taste good and the wine keeps flowing!

Wine is the most intriguing drink created. Wine is part of religious ceremonies. Jesus turned water into wine and even drank wine with his disciples as part of everyday life. Wine is sipped not shot, savored not slammed. Wine is discussed, debated, sought after and collected. Wine is one of the most enjoyable beverages on our planet.

But…

Wine is also one of the most daunting and mysterious pleasures. “Drink it this way”, “don’t drink it that way”, “serve it like this”, “not like that”, “don’t store it here”, “store it there”… well, sometimes rules are made to be broken. Wine is all about personal enjoyment… and for many, wine is confusing.

As someone who drinks a lot of wine, I’d like to offer three suggestions to help with your understanding of this mysterious nectar:

1. Drink more – okay, I realize this may have a controversial insinuation. I’m not encouraging abuse, I’m encouraging “practicing.” The best way to learn anything is keep at it. Go wine tasting, host wine parties, order wine with dinner. The more you try, the better your palate will get and you will notice the “subtle hints of cranberry and tobacco” that you used to read in wine tasting notes.

2. Drink new – I am an advocate for trying something new. Life is too short to drink the same wine every day. Explore, experiment, enjoy; with over 7,626 wineries in the U.S.A., you can try something new every day for over 20 years before moving on to France and Italy. Get out of your rut and expand your tastes.

3. Drink personal – You may have heard this before but, “drink what you like.” If you like a wine, that is your personal preference. Just because someone grades a wine 94 points doesn’t mean you will like it and it doesn’t always justify a higher price. While I am an advocate of wine reviews and scores, I think they are only a guide. If you drink more and drink new, you’ll discover your likes and dislikes.

Enjoy life with friends, drink happy!

How many times have you tasted a wine or anything else that transported you to a particular moment in your life and you felt that same emotion? Yes, it happens. That connection between a sensory and an emotional experience is very strong.

Friends and acquaintances often recount to me just how good a wine tastes in a little café or bistro somewhere in Europe. So much of that experience has to do with emotion. The person was in an exotic foreign land, more than likely on vacation with someone whose company they enjoy or even love. The emotions felt at that moment helped to make the wine taste even better than its humble price and presentation.

A great wine to you could be a very special gift for a special occasion, birth, anniversary or holiday. It could have been given to you by a special person in your life. The wine may not be very good, not expensive or not something you would purchase yourself, but the emotional connection to the wine is there.

It is practically impossible to estimate just how much emotion plays into our day-to-day decisions, much less in wine. It can change daily. But just for fun, next time you look at that beautiful glass of wine think : where are you, who are you with, how was your day and see how emotions effect how you “feel” about the wine you are tasting. One thing I know for sure: I love wine and I hope that you do, too.