55 Degrees Wine and Design
 If you ever take a trip to Las Vegas, or already live nearby, make sure to visit 55 Degrees Wine and Design, located in the Mandalay Mall at 3930 Las Vegas Blvd Street, Las Vegas, NV 89119-1011.
This fantastic wine bar features over 1400 labels and always has a helpful staff standing nearby to help you during your wine excursion, and you will probably need the assistance since 55 Degrees’ wine collection includes rare wines found all around the world, including places like Lebanon and Slovenia. While you mingle about the futuristic-looking setting, make sure to check out the stainless steel and zebra-wood design along with the wonderful selection of wine accessories that are available.
You can mingle with a cool crowd while sampling different wines on Friday evenings from 3:00pm to 6:00pm, and the bar has a live DJ on weekends. Don’t worry about a menu, they don’t have one! You can bring in any type of food you want and eat it right there at the bar! You can even order take-out and have it delivered to 55 Degrees.
They’re open on Sunday to Thursday from 10:00am until 11:00pm and on Friday and Saturday from 10:00am until 12:00am. Don’t miss this wine extravaganza!
International Food and Wine Festival
Walt Disney World - Epcot Center
September 28th – November 11th
Wine Tasting, culinary demonstrations and some of the worlds finest chef’s makes a visit to the International Food & Wine Festival at Walt Disney World one not to be missed. Every year Epcot Center host the event allowing people from all over the world to explore and discover various world cuisine, spirits, wine and desserts in over 50 different countries around the globe in Epcot Centers World Showcase. Simply purchase an Epcot Center Theme Park Ticket and enjoy sampling the fine cuisine, wine and spirits from all over the world.
Temp yourself at each international marketplace with appetizer portions averaging from $2.00 - $4.00 and pair the flavor with recommended wine, beer or spirit samplings. Although there are over 50 countries represented, some of my personal favorites include; South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, Germany, Italy, France and Australia.
Special Exhibits found along the promenade, showcase native cuisines and offer demonstrations that give insight as well as taste. One of my favorites is the Australian Walkabout, allowing you to discover Down Under. Purchase a walkabout passport and enjoy tastings of four major wine regions. Not only are the wines from the country, but you will also enjoy talking to the fascinating people that live there further educating you about their country. Make sure to also check out the American Wine Adventure featuring Napa Valley and New York Wine Regions, The Andes Mountain Wine Bar and the International Beers of the World Exhibit. I would also suggest the Champagne and Wine Bar (another favorite of mine) were visitors can try different Champagnes or purchase one by the glass. It’s the perfect place to sit down, take a break and do some people watching while enjoying a good glass of Champagne.
The International Food & Wine Festival is not only about food and wine; it includes the, “Eat to the Beat Concert Series!” Give your taste buds a rest and groove to the sounds of your favorite musical acts live on stage. Entertainment includes; The Beach Boys, David Cassidy, Little Richard, The Four Tops, Village People, Expose and many more!
Epcot has also prepared sumptuous premium dining events hosted by some of the finest Chef’s & Wine connoisseurs in the world. Make sure to visit the International food & Wine Festival website to sign up for these spectacular and educational events. Space is limited and reservations are required.
This is not an event to miss!
Call your local travel agent or contact Walt Disney World Direct for more information.
Hotel Reservations: disneyworld.disney.go
International Food & Wine Festival: Click Here
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The Perfect Wine
All wine drinkers want the same thing: the perfect glass of wine. As drinking wine becomes more and more popular, great, innovative products keep appearing on store shelves to make that goal possible.
One problem many of us face is storing wine after the bottle has been opened. We’ve all tried the vacuum caps and other methods of open storage, but rarely maintain the quality, taste or integrity of the wine. Finally, there is a solution to this problem. ReServe (patent pending) is a product that claims to keep the wine’s taste almost exactly as it was before the bottle was opened. The product uses Argon gas cartridges to slow the oxidation process and to create an airtight seal protecting the wine from other contaminants including unwelcome refrigerator odors. ReServe is made up of three pieces: the Argon cartridge, the regulator and the adaptor. The product retails at about $149.95 and refill Argon cartridges may be purchased in packs of three for around $20. Stores carrying ReServe in the U.S. include Williams Sonoma, Macy’s, Dean & Deluca, Chefs, and Sar La Table.
More details may be found at www.wineinnovations.com.
 Another issue plaguing many wine lovers is achieving your wine’s perfect temperature. The first of its kind, Nuvo Vino (patent pending), is an infrared wine thermometer tests the temperature of a glass of wine without actually touching it. The product, a sleek, easy-to-read thermometer, is held approximately one inch above the wine in your glass and reads the temperature. The Nuvo Vino is lightweight, barely larger than a standard ball point pen and guarantees the perfect temperature of your favorite wine. This product retails at $49.95 and is available at www.nuvovino.com. The site also offers an interactive serving temperature guide explaining the appropriate temperatures for nearly any variety of wine you could imagine.
New products for improving your wine-drinking experience are invented and released almost every day. Stay on top of new innovations by visiting your local vineyards and wineries. Get to know some wine specialists, whether they are friends, colleagues or sommeliers. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about wine; you’ll find that people love sharing what they know. Finally, check out wine specialty shops in your area, or join a wine club, you are likely find some great help and ideas.
Rebecca Haydu-Jackson - Journalist
Gungho City.com
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Wine Crash Course
Wine tasting can be considered an art unto itself. When you truly wish to appreciate a good glass of wine, you realize that you cannot merely take a gulp and discern all that goes into making a glass of wine a memorable moment that highlights good taste among good friends.
For those of you who are new to the idea of wine tasting, you might be wondering what exactly entails this mysterious ritual. For you, I give you a crash course in wine tasting.
When you are faced with a wine tasting, remember that you will use your senses of sight, smell, and taste to ascertain the differences between each glass.
First, when you look at a glass of wine, you will want to note its color. The colors can vary far more than you might think. Aged wine’s tend to show more oranges and browns, white’s will actually vary in color from water white to a golden yellow, and red’s can be as light as a pink hue or as dark as brick red.
Next, go ahead and take a sniff. The aroma of the wine varies depending on the grape and how it was fermented. You’ll probably get hints of smells both familiar and good like vanilla, but be forewarned, some aromas can be astringent and a bit hard to swallow.
Now you can tip the glass back and taste the wine. Wines typically will have a bitter, sweet, or acidic taste to them. Before swallowing, let the wine settle on your tongue for a moment to savor the flavors and how it feels in your mouth. Depending on the way the wine was made, you will feel many different sensations along with the flavor, ranging from sweet to fizz to a stringent taste that makes you want to pucker your lips. Usually, the winemaker is trying for a smooth overall balance.
Now by no means is the above meant to be an extensive lesson to wine tasting. There are all sorts of other details that can go into a tasting ranging from types of glasses used, tilting the glass, swirling it to unlock aromas and tastes, the list can be quite extensive. But the above should give you the idea.
In the end, just remember to enjoy yourself, enjoy the atmosphere and the company, and you’ll enjoy the wine even more.
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