More and more people are concerned about polluting our environment, which is why we recycle. You may already be aware that there are a number of companies in the business of recycling corks, just Google cork recycle and you will get an extensive list but this is not your only choice. Some wineries will take them as well and that gives you another reason for going to a winery, like you really needed that. These are some of the many ways to recycle or re-purpose used corks for yourself.

· Make a cork trivet, kits are available many places or use your wood working skills to make your own frame.

· Cork Bulletin Boards work great and you can get really creative

· Cork table markers or place holders are easy to make and are very unique

· Wine cork wreath (great gift idea)

· Wine cork table tops look really good and express your interest

· Cork Wall or cork chair rail in your wine room

· Cork Knife holder

· Cork Bath Mat or Welcome mat

· Cork Pin cushion

· Cork fishing bobber

· Cork ink stamp

· Design your own cork ornament

· Slice them up and use them to quiet noisy cabinet doors

· Protect your floor from scratches from chairs and tables

· Incorporate corks into your favorite hobby, be creative

· Crumble them up and sprinkle them on your salad…No, stop just kidding

· Char the end of the cork when it cools you can paint black marks on a friends face (wait until they’re sleeping)

· Take 2 bags of corks (1 big and 1 small) in to a car dealer and ask them what car can you buy for this big bag of corks, speak with thick accent (that will be more convincing or confusing) and tell them in your country wine corks are used as currency. Elaborate as much as needed. Make sure you have a friend recording this for YouTube. Tell them the small bag holds corks from premium wines and that’s for the options you want on the car. When the salesperson starts to usher you out the door have a couple of the premium corks in your hand and pass them to him or her with your palm down as if you were giving a tip, then say “Thanks, this for you.”

I guess I have run out of worthwhile ideas as you can tell, so come up with your own and send them to me if you like.

The whole point, here is recycle your corks either by reusing them in some creative way or give them to a business that will re-purpose them. You can also store or display corks in attractive cork cages until you are ready to use them.

I live in St. Charles, MO and I have been making wine in my basement for about 10 years. It’s been a fun experience and I love to give bottles to friends. I was able to get my buddy John to start making wine and he enjoys it as much as me. About 2 years ago we turned a hobby in to an internet business and we started a website http://www.TwistedCorkscrew.com which has been fun and successful. We felt we knew a lot about wine but we learn more everyday. We’ve met great and helpful people along the way and we are having more fun than expected.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Ladendecker

The country is not famous for making wine. Wine enhusiasts will probably have heard of Siam wines. Some time ago I was brave enough to try the tasteless, flat wines made by Siam – I was underwhelmed, to say the least.

I was recently offered a glass of Thai wine in a very luxurious resort on the Andaman coast. Given my previous experience of Thai wine I was filled with dread. Well, I firmly believe that one should try everything once (or twice in this case..), so I decided to brace myself for another glass of Thai wine.

To my relief, I found the wine unexpectedly good. Nice, fruity flavours with a hint of smoke – all in all not a bad glass of wine.

It turns out that this particular wine is produced on the back of one entrepreneur’s vision. His name is Dr. Plya Bhirombhakdi. Dr. Plya is a man with a great appreciation for the finer things in life.

It started in 1989 on a 320 Ha piece of land, with a viticulture-friendly climate. So begins the story of Khao Yai wines!

It must have been hard to find the correct grape variety – one that would grow and produce quality grapes in a tropical climate such as Thailand. There was only one way to find out and that was to plant them all!

They did this by trying more than fifty different grape varieties. Two years of diligent testing and tasting later, it was resolved that shiraz, tempranillo, chenin blanc and colombard were the stars of the show.

Growing the correct varieties only represents half the battle. It’s just as important to find a good winemaker. Dr. PB sent Mr. Prayut Piangbunta, one of his old Brew Masters from his previous beer company, to study Oenology in Weinsberg, Germany.

He returned in 1994 to take his place as chief winemaker in the largest and most technologically advanced winery in South East Asia. By 1998 the first vintage was produced; and today, 12 years later, the PB wines of Khoa Yai continues to impress the non believers like myself.

Learn how to make wine and food pairing fun with Inspector Grape. Watch our extensive wine video library and join the conversation at inspectorgrape.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_S_Foster

The truth is that almost anybody can make a reasonable wine that is sort of drinkable. However it can be frustrating when you taste your wine that it is not quite up to the standard that you expected.

When you go to the local wine store and purchase a bottle for around six or seven pounds, there is a considerable difference between that wine and the one you have just made, in most cases if you are a beginner.

What you must take into consideration that the wine you bought from the wine store is a brand name and produced by professional wine makers. They have spent many years learning their profession perfecting their wine to be the finest quality.

The great thing about wine making there is always something new to learn and that’s the fun of it.

Why do you think that one bottle of wine can be sold for less than a fiver and yet another can be sold for thousands? It’s all about quality and learning the secrets of the trade. Most quality wines that are produced are made using the finest quality ingredients. It’s no good just chucking any old fruit into a container that was discounted at the local market and expect to produce a good quality wine.

The truth is that when you buy fruit from the local supermarket this fruit was picked when it was unripe. What this means to you is you are probably going to have to add sugar when making your wine from this fruit. This is a pretty simple task to check with the use of a hydrometer.

You may be thinking why would you pick fruit that is not ripe? The answer is simple really; if they picked the grapes when they were ripe by the time they reached the supermarket shelves they would be mouldy and not fit to sell.

Another alternative is to buy fruit juice that is ready available in the supermarkets. If you are going to go down this route then be sure to buy juices with NO PRESERVATIVES they will kill the yeast, best advice, read the label very carefully.

Stabilizing is a process where many home wine makers make the most mistakes. This process takes place after the primary and secondary fermentation is complete. At this point the wine is usually clear and you would think this is the time to bottle it, but trust me it is not.

Before you bottle your wine you need to use a substance called Potassium Sorbate this will not kill the yeast however it will reduce the chances of the yeast producing.

If you skip this process you could end up with an explosion and all your efforts could end up on the ceiling.

These are just a few pointers to move off from the beginner stages of making wine to advanced, and make a wine to be proud of.

Want more information on the subject of wine making for beginners? Alan is offering a FREE ebook full of essential guidelines to making wine at home at his web site by subscribing to his email course, plus a web site with access to 56 wine recipes and much more…

http://www.grapegrowingsecrets.net/wine-making-for-beginners.php

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_Benney

This article is to help you avoid the pitfalls that many people fall into the first time around when they start to make wine at home.

Making wine at home is a growing industry, and is it any wonder when we continue to see rising prices throughout the world for a decent bottle of good quality wine.

I can remember visiting Spain a few years ago and it was possible to buy a good bottle of quality wine for as little as a few pounds. Today those prices seem to have increased dramatically even the cheapest wine is at least four pounds a bottle in the UK.

Recent reports say that the price of a good quality bottle of wine has more than doubled over the past couple of years in some parts of the world.

At this time in the UK there is a growing concern of young people who are overindulging in the use of alcohol and becoming a danger to society. The government are now taking action and putting pressure on the Supermarkets to increase their prices even more.

The truth is this is not good for normal people who like the odd bottle of wine at the weekend. It seems that sensible people have to suffer financially for the people who are unable to control their drinking habits.

This is probably the reason why that making wine at home is becoming more attractive to many people. The truth is it really is not that difficult. Wine making for beginners may appear to be a challenge, but the fun in making and sharing it with your family and friends is priceless, if you manage to make a good batch.

There are many questions that people ask in the beginning to how much wine should I make? And this question is quite understandable as you don’t want to be wasting money. But you need to make enough to build up a stock. You don’t want to be drinking it before the wine is at its best.

The suggested amount to make is 5 gallons that would produce around 25 bottles of wine. The fact is that most people who make wine want to get to taste their wine as soon as possible and so a couple of bottles soon disappear.

The longer you leave the wine in the bottles the better it will taste. The biggest mistake that most wine makers make is not to let the wine mature in the bottles.

However if you want to make a wine quickly then you might want to start with a gallon that would only make around 5 bottles. The reality is that five bottles can soon get consumed before it gets a chance to mature.

The next stage is to decide which type of juice you would like to make your wine out of. Do you want a red wine, white wine? The choices are endless; however the most popular choices include grape juice and cranberry juice.

With regard to these juices if they turn out a little dry you can always add more sugar once it has fermented and been stabilized.

If you are looking to make a sweeter wine then many people are very successful with cherry juice.

The next stage is very important and that is to add the juice to the five gallon container but not before you sterilize all the containers and equipment.

There a couple of choices on the subject of sterilizing, you can use a sanitizer or just plain hot water. If you are going to use a sanitizer then be sure to rinse off all the surfaces. Most people use this because it avoids getting scolded with the hot water, but you still need to rinse off all the equipment with hot water after using the sanitizer.

With most wine making kits for beginners, if you read the instructions carefully it will tell you all you need to know with reference to what equipment you need.

I regret it would not be possible to cover all you need to know to make a good quality wine in this article, however I hope this encouraged you get started and save you a ton of money.

The facts are you can make a bottle of wine after the initial investment for around 30 pence a bottle. The great thing is once you achieve a good batch you can get a great deal of pleasure to sharing your efforts with your friends, knowing full well that you have made it yourself.

Want more information on the subject of wine making for beginners? Alan is offering a FREE ebook full of essential guidelines to making wine at home at his web site by subscribing to his email course, plus a web site with access to 56 wine recipes and much more…

http://www.grapegrowingsecrets.net/wine-making-for-beginners.php

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_Benney

When deciding on a grape variety, remember that your location will have everything to do with your grape growing experience.  Did you know that a grape variety that is grown in California will taste much different than that same variety grown in France?  That is because soil and weather conditions contribute to the wines specific personalities.  You can find out which varieties of grapes grow well in your area by talking to local vintners.

There are over five thousand different types of grape varieties including hybrids.  Grape growers who live in areas where the growing season is shorter are limited to the hybrid grape varieties.  Grapevines have been bred to last through cooler climates and to be more resistant to disease.  But, it is the climate condition in your area that will mostly determine the varieties of grapes that you can grow successfully.  Although grape hybrids can grow in cooler conditions, not every grape variety flourishes in every region of the world.

You will still need to know the length of your growing season to determine what variety of grape will work best for you.  The growing season is the average number of frost-free days.  Some of the different grape varieties require longer growing seasons to fully ripen.

Wine grapes are all the same species known as vitis vinifera.  However, within this species, there are hundreds of cultivars that vary in their characteristics. Vitis vinifera grapes are used for the production of wine because they have a tight skin perfect for making wine.  It is the species that yields over ninety-nine percent of the world’s wines.  There are also red grapes and white grapes.  Both types can be used to make wine.  Some red grape varieties include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah.

Some of the white grape varieties include Chardonnay, Riesling, Sylvaner and Chenin Blanc.  Vitis vinifera grapes come from the Mediterranean region, southwestern Asia, Spain, and central Europe.  American grapes originated from the Vitis labrusca, and are found in Canada and the eastern United States.  Wine grapes are smaller in comparison to other types of grapes and usually seeded.  They have thick skins, which is what is why they are so desirable since much of the aroma in wine comes from the skin.  The grape species that are used for wine also tend to be very sweet.  When these grapes are harvested, their juice is about twenty-four percent sugar by weight.

And while seventy-one percent of the world’s grapes are used for making wine, there are many other reasons to grow grapes. Grapes are also used for eating and as a dry fruit.  They can be made into jelly, vinegar, candy, grape seed extract, seed oil, and jam.

For more useful information on this subject go to: http://www.howtogrowgrape.org

Ted Sikkink, is an ex music industry executive and now very much into helping people making better choices using internet marketing and social media

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=T_Sikkink

There are two ways you can go about making wine slushies. One is to find a good recipe, buy all of the ingredients and make it from scratch.

The other way is to buy a dry wine slush mix that you just add your favorite wine (any kind of wine, even champagne) and water to. You just mix it up all together and freeze it. That’s all there is to it.

Let’s explore option number one: Here are some recipes for wine slushies to make from scratch.

WINE SLUSH RECIPE

1 (12 oz.) frozen orange juice

1 (48 oz.) Hawaiian punch

Juice of 2 lemons

1/2 c. sugar

1 bottle wine

Stir and freeze. Use 1/2 of 7-Up and 1/2 slush.

WINE SLUSH RECIPE

2 c. sugar and 1 c. water, boiled, simmered 10 minutes and cooled

1 (12 oz.) orange juice concentrate

1 (12 oz.) lemonade concentrate

2 c. water

1/2 gallon Hearty Burgundy

Mix and freeze. To serve: Make individual glasses. Fill glass half with frozen mixture and half 7-Up.

CELEBRATION WINE SLUSH RECIPE

4 (6 oz.) cans frozen tangerine or orange juice concentrate

2 pt. pineapple sherbet

3 c. water

Orange, lemon, or lime slices or wedges

Dry white wine, champagne, rum, vodka, sparkling water or lemon-lime carbonated beverage, chilled

Thaw concentrate slightly; stir sherbet to soften. Stir concentrate and water into sherbet. Freeze 5 hours. Spoon 2 tablespoons slush into glass; pour in choice of beverage. Garnish with fruit slice. makes 9 1/2 cups slush or about 60 to 75 servings.

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These are all delicious frozen wine drinks, however, they are expensive because of all of the many different ingredients you have to buy. Plus, they require a trip to the store to buy all of the ingredients. Some recipes are also a hassle to make. This doesn’t say much for convenience.

Our next option is the dry wine slush mix. This option eliminates all of the negatives mentioned above. As a manufacturer of a dry wine slush mix myself, I can tell you that people are buying these mixes for a variety of reasons.

First, they are super convenient. All you need is the mix and your favorite wine. You just add wine and water to the mix, and stir it up until the mix is thoroughly dissolved. Stick it in the freezer for 4 to 8 hours, or overnight. Take it out and use a spoon to stir it all up to the proper consistency and serve.

No measuring out sugar, no slicing lemons or limes, no scooping sherbet, no simmering water and sugar on the stove, etc. You just stir up the wine and water with the mix and you’re done. That’s convenience.

Convenience isn’t all that wine slush mixes have to offer. No matter how convenient a product is, if it doesn’t taste good – it’s no good. The fact that millions of bags of wine slush mix are sold and enjoyed every year speaks for itself. If it didn’t taste good, no one would buy it. It obviously tastes good. Very good.

If you have any left over or if some melts, just stick it back in the freezer and it will be just as good next time. This is not always true with some of your “from scratch” recipes. It will stay frozen in your freezer for at least 9 months and taste like you made it last night. Before you make up a batch, it will stay in your cabinet just fine for a full year.

Versatility comes into play here also. The mixes don’t need any certain kind of wine. It takes on the profile of any kind of wine you use, even champagne. However, you may be surprised that many, many people buy it because you can use it for a non-alcoholic slush mix. You can use it with non-alcoholic wine, ginger ale, cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, apple juice, grape juice and sparkling juices. Moms love this for the kids.

Another nice aspect of some of the wine slush mixes is that they also come in pretty, decorated gift bags. These make for wonderful hostess gifts, birthday gifts, Christmas gifts, etc. A bag or two of the wine slush mix with a bottle of wine makes for a perfect gift for any occasion. Some companies even have other wine related items such as wine charms, flattened, decorated wine bottles, wine dip mixes, and so forth that you can add to make an entire custom wine themed gift basket.

Whether you choose option number one or the dry mixes, wine slushies are so delicious and here to stay. Enjoy!

James L. Miller is the owner of Vino Slush, a frozen wine slush mix company. http://www.vinoslush.com

Mr. Miller also owns Cherry Orchard Foods http://www.cherryorchardfoods.com featuring dip mixes, dessert mixes, bread dipping mixes, and cinnamon roasted almonds.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_L._Miller

If you think about it, wine making is chemistry and like any scientific project it sometimes takes a bit of experimentation to obtain successful results. Homemade wine recipes should be looked at as guides. Adjustments may have to be made based on the ingredients used. If anything is off you may have an undrinkable mess on your hands.

At the heart of all home wine recipes is the main flavor ingredient such as grapes, berries and apples or plants like dandelion and clover. Sugar and yeast are vital elements, plus acid, nutrients and water. There are also certain chemicals needed for wine.

Let’s take a look at the fruit, the sugar and the yeast.

One of my favorite blackberry wine recipes calls for 4 lbs. of blackberries. If the berries are exceptionally sweet and flavorful you may need less fruit. If the berries are lackluster you may need to add 1-2 lbs. of additional fruit. Using a larger quantity of fruit will produce a fruitier more flavorful wine and you may decide to modify the recipe even if the fruit is acceptable.

All fruit contains natural sugars and the sugar content is essentially dictated by how long the fruit remains on the vine. The content is expressed in percentages.

Typical supermarket fruit (4-8%) is picked long before it is vine-ripened in order to survive the trip to your grocers without rotting. Frozen fruit (10-13%) has more sugar because it is picked and frozen closer to ripening. Produce picked at a farm or purchased at a farm stand is usually fresh and fully ripened (15-18%) and has the highest sugar content. This is to say that the amount of sugar called for in a recipe may need to be adjusted up or down depending on the starting sugar content of your chosen fruit.

It should be noted that the sugar you add at the beginning of the fermentation process has nothing to do with how sweet the wine will turn out. This sugar is added simply for the wine yeast to turn into alcohol. If wish to have a sweet wine, you will add sugar (along with stabilizers) after the final fermentation.

Yeast is the true work horse of the whole wine making process. Yeast partners with the sugar to begin the fermentation process. Fermentation produces the alcohol. Isn’t that what we’re all here for? The right type of yeast is very important.

Make sure you have yeast that is specifically designed for wine making. No, you cannot use bread yeast. Like sugar, fruit has its own naturally present yeast. Yeast cultivated for wine making comes from the skin, seeds, etc of the spent fruit.

In using a homemade wine recipe you must be careful to consider these points. You will naturally find yourself adjusting ingredients to fit the condition of your fruit and the number of gallons you wish to produce. There are many sources for reliable recipes, but interpreting a recipe and knowing when to make adjustments comes after considerable experience, experimentation and unfortunately, a few dreadful batches of wine.

I’d like to share one of my favorite homemade wine recipes – blackberry. And while you’re there check out the Complete Illustrated Guide to Homemade Wine. This easy to follow book brought my wine making skills to a whole new level. Best of all it contains over 175 delicious recipes for making wine at home.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Debra_Haydel