Classic Wines

Shiraz is one of Australia’s most well known wines.  The grapes are grown throughout Australia’s regions and has grown world wide in popularity.  Shiraz is familiar to the rest of world as Syrah, only with an Aussie twist to it.

Join us today as Randy Torban explains more about the differences and similarities of Shiraz and Syrah.

Brian Freedman continues his investigation of good cellaring techniques. In this episode, Brian discusses the time element in storing wine. The tricky thing about storing wine for periods of time is that every bottle behaves differently. Depending on the level of tannins and their dominance in the wine itself, every bottle should get different treatment. As if that weren't enough, personal taste plays a role in cellaring time, depending on how tannic you prefer your wine. Time management can seem a little overwhelming, but is actually one of the most fun aspects of wine collecting. Used in today's episode is the Domaine Jamet 2001 Cote-Rotie.

They may be adorable, but what kind of quality will these wines bring? As one of the rising stars of the wine world, Australia has become a key player in the realm of Shiraz. Utilizing large production techniques and attractive labels, Australia hopes to continue dominating their niche of the market. But the big question has always been - does the wine inside stack up when it comes to quality? Today, host Brian Freedman tries two very obtainable Australian Shiraz. Wines sampled in this episode of Classic Wines TV include the Boolaroo 2005 Shiraz and The Little Penguin 2006 Shiraz.

French wines are close to the hearts of wine lovers everywhere. There is such a rich history involved in the french wine making regions that they don't even bother to list on the label the grapes used to make the wine. The reason is that the same grapes have been planted in the same regions for many many years.

Australian wines have taken off in recent years, and from wine beginners to experts, they are beloved by people all over the world. But what is it about these wines that's so appealing? And what sets them apart from the wines produced in other parts of the world? Join us as we explore the Australian wine phenomenon at The Wine School of Philadelphia with Sommelier Instructor Maria Valetta

The varietal fingerprints of a wine can include descriptions as diverse as roses, barnyard, pepper, game and blackberries. Every single wine grape has a distinctive personality no matter where it is grown. Regardless of what the wine maker does to the wine there will the same underlying characteristic, or fingerprint, with each and every bottle of pinot noir, syrah or whichever wine you are tasting.

You don't always have to use a decanter to get more oxygen into your wines. Today, Brian reviews the Vino2 oversized crystal stemware made by Taste of Purple. The right glass really can make the difference in enjoying a wine, in this case the 2003 Luna Vineyards "Canto." So before making your next stemware purchase, take some time to review the difference in quality, materials, size and shape to find the perfect glass for that perfect bottle of wine.

This week "The Classic Wines Minute" explains the importance of decanting your wine. We review three wines, a white 2005 Chardonnay, a red Chateau Haut-Ballet 2001 Bordeaux and the Mollydooker "The Boxer" 2006 Shiraz, a red wine from south Australia. Helping us decant our wine is a product called the Soiree decanter, an in bottle decanter.