Climate, terroir, and wine: What matters most in producing a great wine? EARTH only uses professional science journalists and scientists to author our content?  In this era of fake news and click-bait, EARTH offers factual and researched journalism. But EARTH is a non-profit magazine, and at least 10 times more people read EARTH than pay for it. As advertising revenues across the media decline, we need your help to ensure that we can continue bringing you the reliable and well-written coverage of earth science you know and love. Our goal is not only to inform our readers, but to inform decision makers across the economic and political spectrum about the science of our planet. So, we need your help. By becoming a subscriber or making a tax-deductible contribution to support EARTH, you can fund our writers and help make sure the world knows about our planet.Save the date for next ! March 22-26, 2017, marks the next culinary adventure, which will feature the finest cuisine along with world-class wines.

Culinary star talent comes to the forefront at this annual event, which includes demonstrations in winemaking, along with grand tastings. This exclusive experience will bring out the most delectable flavors of . Satiate your palate and indulge in some delicious flavors that you didn’t even know existed. This whirlwind tasting journey will let you try new things while simultaneously dining with some of Napa Valley’s legendary talent. Here are a few things you should know in preparation for Flavor Napa Valley.Flavor Napa Valley ScheduleWhen booking your travel plans during the Flavor Napa Valley festival, be sure to read the event schedule. You can plan your other Napa Valley events around the main events that mark this culinary week. First Taste Napa kicks off the festival on March 22 at 6pm, leading into a week of palate-indulging adventure. The wine tour begins the next morning, at the same time as the golf tournament and reception. These lead to the icons dinner at 6pm. Another wine tour will be available on March 24, along with wine tastings, chef demos, terroir to table events, and Friday dinner.

The following day includes the same morning and afternoon events, leading up to a VIP grand tasting and after party. On the last day of Flavor Napa Valley, there will be brunch at 11am to send you off! Why Go to Flavor Napa Valley?There are many reasons why you should attend Flavor Napa Valley! Along with participating in some delicious culinary dishes and demonstrations, you will have the opportunity to meet the renowned chefs. buy metal wine glassIf you’re interested in wine, cheese, good food, and baking, you simply must attend! best wine for budgetEven if you’re just in it to experience the great tastes, this fun event will provide something for everyone. top 10 wine name in indiaYou will even get the chance to cook by yourself, with chefs nearby for assistance. best selling wine in canada

If you can only attend a few events, don’t worry. There are plenty of opportunities to participate throughout the week and some savory meals in tote. Tickets for Flavor Napa ValleyFlavor Napa Valley tickets are not on sale yet for the 2017 event, but they will be up this fall. Be on the lookout, and go ahead and book your room at ! This week will fill up fast because of this renowned event. best wine in australia 2013During your stay at The Wine Country Inn, you will receive and amenities. best red wine from 2008Enjoy beautiful vineyard and mountain views from your room in the Winery House, Cascade House, or Vineyard House. best wine to gift in indiaIf you’re looking for more privacy and space, you can even rent out one of our Wine Country Cottages with large king beds and a contemporary design. best italian wine guide

Enjoy private porches and the best vineyard views on the property! Plan Your Midweek Escape Today!This marvelous festival is a favorite for Napa Valley locals and visitors alike. If you’re coming into town during Flavor Napa Valley, consider staying at our luxury resort in the heart of Napa Valley. The Wine Country Inn offers gorgeous vineyard and mountain views as well as lavish amenities. dry red wine onlineEnjoy complimentary breakfast, our outdoor pool, massage therapy, and more modern touches that you will love. Browse our Wine Country Cottages and other beautiful accommodations to select your ideal getaway. We hope to see you in March at The Wine Country Inn!5 Basic Wine Characteristics Learn the basic wine characteristics to develop your palate and find favorites. By understanding the 5 characteristics below you’ll have a better chance of getting what you love. In recent history there has been an increasing focus on analyzing and rating wines.

Unfortunately, crowdsourcing wine ratings is like asking children. The best way to learn about your taste is to classify wines by their fundamental traits and then pick what you like the best. To understand the basic characteristics of wine it’s important to learn how to taste wine. Learning to identify wine characteristics helps to identify what you like about a wine. Sweetness: aka “Level of Dryness” Our human perception of sweet starts at the tip of our tongue. Often, the very first impression of a wine is its level of sweetness. To taste sweet, focus your attention on the taste buds on the tip of your tongue. Are your taste buds tingling?–an indicator of sweetness. Believe it or not, many dry wines can have a hint of sweetness to carry a larger impression of Body. If you find a wine you like has residual sugar, you may enjoy a hint (or a lot!) of sweetness in your wine. How to Taste it in Wine Tingling sensation on the tip of your tongue. Slight oily sensation in the middle of your tongue that lingers.

Wine has a higher viscosity; wine tears on side of glass slowly. (also an indicator of high ABV) Dry red wines such as cabernet sauvignon often have up to 0.9 g/L of residual sugar (common with cheap wines). A bone-dry wine can often be confused with a wine with high Tannin Acidity: Wrapping Your Head Around It Acidity in food and drink is tart and zesty (See 40 wine descriptions for more). Tasting acidity is often confused with the taste of higher Alcohol. It is common for wines grown in cooler vintages to have higher acidity. Wines with higher acidity feel lighter weight because they come across as ‘spritzy.’ If you prefer a wine that is more rich and round, you enjoy slightly less acidity. Tingling sensation that focuses on the front and sides of your tongue. Feels like pop rocks. If you rub your tongue to the roof of your mouth it feels gravelly. Your mouth feels wet, like you bit into an apple. You feel like you can gleek. Tannin: The Misunderstood Wine Characteristic

Tannin is often confused with Level of Dryness because tannin dries your mouth. What are wine tannins? Tannin in wine is the presence of phenolic compounds that add bitterness to a wine. Phenolics are found in the skins and seeds of wine grapes and can also be added to a wine with the use of aging in wood (oak). So how does tannin taste? Imagine putting a used black tea bag on your tongue. A wet tea bag is practically pure tannin that is bitter and has a drying sensation. Tannin tastes herbaceous and is often described as astringent. While all of these descriptors sound very negative, tannin adds balance, complexity, structure and makes a wine last longer. How Does a High Tannin Wine Taste? Tastes bitter on the front inside of your mouth and along the side of your tongue. Tannin makes your tongue dry out. After you swallow you feel a lingering bitter/dry feeling in your mouth. Tannin can often be confused with the term “dry” because it dries your mouth out.

Fruit: Identifying Different Flavors Wines are often characterized by their main fruit flavors. Tasting for fruit flavors in a wine can help you better define your preferences. For instance, wines that have strawberry notes lead into a very different set of varietal wines than enjoying wines that taste like blackberries. Additionally, the level of fruitiness that you taste in a wine leads to very different growing regions. Tasting for fruitiness in a wine Red Wine: red fruits such as raspberry or dark fruits like blackberry and blueberry? White Wine: Lemon and Lime or Peach and Yellow Apple? Can you name 3 different fruits easily? Do you find it difficult to pick out a single fruit flavor? Does a wine give you stronger impressions of other flavors such as grass, bell pepper, black pepper, olive or meat? See Wine Varietal Chart Body: Light to Full-Bodied. Are you in the mood for a light, medium or full-bodied wine? Body is the result of many factors – from wine variety, where it’s from, vintage, alcohol level and how it’s made.