Vineyard getting green

Perennial plants such as grapevines die back in the fall and start growth again each spring. New growth emerges only from growing points, also called "buds". When the vines were pruned last winter, a certain number buds were left on each vine. In our region those buds began growth in september.

Energy for the differentiation and growth of the plant material is provided by metabolism of carbohydrates created last fall in the leaves and stored over the winter in the woody parts after the crop was harvested but before the plant went into dormancy.

In March to April when the grapes are ready to harvest the cluster will be about 30cm long and weigh about 400 grams.

What's the deal with glasses?

So what’s with the different glasses?

Believe it or not but the same wine will taste significantly different when served from particular glasses.
How can an inert piece of transparent glass cause a wine to taste different? After all, it is the same wine sensed by the same tongue and only the container is different.

Try this simple test at home or in the winery. Select any red wine and pour some into a large bowl glass and a similar amount into a Champaign flute or small cup. Taste the wine in the small glass first and then the large glass. Be honest and see what you think. Most wine tasters are amazed and become believers in the shape of the glass and the taste of the wine.

Half the sense of taste is smell. With a large bowl glass, it fills with the aromas of the wine. As you drink the wine, you immerse your nose into the glass and inhale the aromas. That enhances the flavor of the wine. In a small glass your nose cannot get anywhere close to the bowl and you miss the wonderful smell of good wine.

Wine Legs

There are many "urban myths" regarding the legs or tears of a wine. Some say it’s a sign of quality, and others say no… who’s correct?

Sorry to disappoint if you’re on the offending side, but those who say no are correct. Wine legs refer to the way wine swirled in a glass runs down the inside surface. Some wines having been swirled, may flow down in a fairly even sheet, while others may pull into more concentrated rivulets; these rivulets are what are referred to as legs, or sometimes tears.

Some people believe the presence and thickness of legs relates to the sweetness, viscosity or quality of wine…and none of these is correct. Legs form because of the alcohol content of the wine and the effects of surface tension, adhesion and evaporation.

The alcohol, because it has a lower surface tension, tends to crawl up the glass; at the same time, it evaporates faster than the water in the wine because of its lower boiling point. As more alcohol evaporates, the water concentration increases; the greater surface tension of the water causes the wine to pull together into a teardrop that then runs down the inside of the glass.

Finally, because a wine’s “body” is affected by the alcohol content, there is some relationship between legs and body, but there are so many other factors involved that legs alone are a poor indicator of quality.

Cheers!

World Wine Web

After much planning and deliberation, we are very proud to launch our new website.
I am often asked "How important is the internet to a winery like yours?" The answer is always a resounding "Crucial!"
One of the most enjoyable things about wine is the story behind the wine. The internet enables us to bring our ongoing story to you. Granted, there is no substitute for telling stories while sharing a good bottle of wine, so we invite you to pour a glass of Millaman, log on and chat with us about wine.

The Condor Project

There are many reasons why we feel a special connection with the Chilean Condor. "Millaman" means "Golden Condor" in the language of the native Chilean Mapuche people, which is why the Condor has always had a central role in our labels. The Condor is also a magnificent species, the largest flying bird in the world, and an important symbol in our Coat of Arms.

But despite all this, Condors in the wild have declined rapidly and are now an endangered species. For this reason, we feel it is our duty to help Condors survive and recover in their wild mountain habitat.
In September 18th (Chilean Independence Day), Millaman will launch the CONDOR PROJECT. Our goal is to save a part of our sales, and use this money as a grant, for the conservation projects in Chile. Soon, we will have a separate section in our web where we will post information about Condors and about our project. But in the meantime, we want to share this new initiative with all of you around the world: every time you enjoy a bottle of Millaman wine, you are supporting the conservation of the Chilean Condor.

Sommeliers of the World, Beware! Your Job may be at Risk!!

There’s a new kid in town, one with a nose so potent he doesn’t even need to taste the wine to tell you what it’s made of. One that is always impeccably dressed, never “tastes” too much and shares too much information at employee Christmas parties, and even has a place in the 2008 Guinness Book of World Records. Yes, you guessed it: it´s none other than Little Bugger, the Sommelier Robot who can identify the characteristics of a wine through an infrared sensor in its hand that it irradiates at the wine at different wavelengths. Created by scientists at the company NEC in Japan and Mie University this “Little Bugger” has the capability to identify types of wines, grape ingredients, and even how sweet or dry a wine is. It will then use the information that it has collected to suggest different food pairings for that wine. And if that weren’t enough, it can do the same with different cheeses and fruits.

RED WINE IMPROVES HEALTH, NOT LIFE SPAN

Researchers have found that resveratrol (a compound found in red wine grapes) will help slow the signs of aging although it will not necessarily prolong your lifespan. Previous studies suggested red wine could help people live longer, but new evidence says that's not the case. Instead, it will improve quality of life by providing heart benefits, stronger bones and help prevent cataracts.

"We found that while quality of life improved with resveratrol, the compound did not significantly affect overall survival or maximum lifespan," Rafael de Cabo of the US National Institute of Ageing said.

In the study, some mice were fed a standard diet, some a high-calorie diet and some got food only every other day. The researchers then began giving some of the mice resveratrol in either low or high doses when they were 12 months old, roughly the same as 35 years old in a person. The mice given resveratrol experienced broad health benefits compared to mice not given the compound, reports Reuters. De Cabo told the publication that Resveratrol "wiped out the negatives effect of the high fat."

However, De Cabo said it would be too early for people to start taking resveratrol supplements to improve health until more research is done.

Music 'can enhance wine taste'

According to BBC news, playing a certain type of music can enhance the way wine tastes, research by psychologists suggests.
The Heriot Watt University study found people rated the change in taste by up to 60% depending on the melody heard.
The researchers said Cabernet sauvignon was most affected by "powerful and heavy" music, and chardonnay by "zingy and refreshing" sounds.
Professor Adrian North said the study could lead retailers to put music recommendations on their wine bottles.
The research involved 250 students at the university who were offered a free glass of wine in exchange for their views.

Brain theory

Four types of music were played - Carmina Burana by Orff ("powerful and heavy"), Waltz of the Flowers from The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky ("subtle and refined"), Just Can't Get Enough by Nouvelle Vague ("zingy and refreshing") and Slow Breakdown by Michael Brook ("mellow and soft").
The white wine was rated 40% more zingy and refreshing when that music was played, but only 26% more mellow and soft when music in that category was heard.
The red was altered 25% by mellow and fresh music, yet 60% by powerful and heavy music.
The results were put down to "cognitive priming theory", where the music sets up the brain to respond to the wine in a certain way.
"Wine manufacturers could recommend that while drinking a certain wine, you should listen to a certain sort of music," Prof North said.
Previously, Professor North conducted supermarket research which suggested people were five times more likely to buy French wine than German wine if accordion music was played in the background.

If an oompah band was played, the German product outsold the French by two to one.