Zen Breath 3-2-1

Note: You are receiving this email because you subscribed to my weekly 3-2-1 newsletter or you subscribed to the Koi Zen Cellars newsletter. Every Friday, I share 3 wine terms, 2 quotes from me, and 1 question for you to ponder. Occasionally, I also send out long-form articles on habits and self-improvement.

"Never blame someone else for the road you are on....

it's your own asphalt...."

~ Author Unknown ~

3 terms, 2 quotes, 1 question

July 9, 2021


Happy Friday! Time to wrap up this week and get ready for the next! Take a deep breath and kick off the weekend on a positive note. Let's consider where we have been, improve it, and move forward next week. Packing the most content into the least words and trying to change the world, one glass at a time.

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3 - Wine Terms - Wine Color Types

There are three basic colors of wines: white, rose and red. The color of the wine is based upon how it was PRODUCED and not the type of grape used.


1. White Wines: Most of the flavor and color of a wine come from the skin of the grape - almost all grapes have a greenish pulp and white wines can actually be made from red skinned grapes. (Read to the bottom of this newsletter to see some examples). To make a white wine, the winemaker will use this set of steps to produce the wine:
  1. Press the grapes to separate the juice from the solids and dispose of the solids
  2. Ferment the juice to produce wine
  3. Clarify & Stabilize, an optional step to improve the wine appearance.
2. Red Wines: For the production of red wines, the juice is fermented with the skins and seeds to extract their flavor, color and tannins. The stems are often removed in premium wines to remove the harsh bitter taste of the stems. To make red wine, the winemaker would follow these steps:
  1. De-Stem the grapes to remove the bitter stems - and optional step
  2. Ferment the juice along with the skins and seeds
  3. Press the must to separate the solids from the wine
  4. Aging, an optional step to improve the quality of the wine prior to release, often aged in oak barrels for the production of Premium wines such as Koi Zen's. (Only about 3% of all wine made worldwide is aged in oak barrels - Koi Zen ages all the red wines for between 18-36 months in oak)
3. Rose: A cross between a white wine and a red wine. Winemakers will carefully monitor the skin contact time with the juice to achieve the desired result. To make Rose, red skinned grapes must be used and the winemaker would follow these steps:
  1. De-Stem , optionally remove the bitter stems
  2. Soak the juice with the skins for a short amount of time (1hr-48hr) and allow the juice to extract some color from the skin. Thin skinned grapes require a longer soak time than thick skinned grapes.
  3. Press the must (combination of skins, seeds and juice) to extract and discard the solids.
  4. Ferment as if it were a white wine
  5. Clarify & Stabilize , an optional step to improve wine appearance.

Geek Zone: - Orange Wine

There is a small movement in the wine industry to produce Orange wine. Orange wine is not produced from oranges, but rather blond skinned grapes that are fermented with the skins and seeds just like a red wine. They are worth trying at least once - just to expand your palate.

2 - Quotes from Me:


1. "When we stop seeing things the way we think they are - we see them as they truly are." ~ The Zen Winemaker

2. "Listen to that little voice in your head - it's often right." ~ The Zen Winemaker

1 - Question to ponder:

Eating Meditation


You may have noticed that most of meditation is about being present in the moment and this can help shed those unwanted pounds.

BC19 (before Covid19) I enjoyed visiting Deer Park Monastery on Sundays. After singing songs, walking mediation, lessons, we would all eat together (over 100 people would attend) The rules for the meal were simple:
  • Take only what you will eat - no leftovers on your plate (embarrassing story regarding this)
  • Do not eat until the last person has been seated.
  • Eat in silence for 20 minutes and optionally chew 20-30 times with each mouthful.
By doing this you become very aware of your surroundings, the food on your plate and what is in our mouth. You eat slower and become more mindful. The stress of the day melts away and your mind become aware and attentive. The flavors and texture become your focus and not your to-do list or the project at work. You eat very slowly allowing your body to absorb the nutrition and give the stomach time to communicate with the brain about being full. You also naturally take smaller portions knowing wasting food is wasteful.

Commit yourself to giving this a try at least once a day for a week and report back on your progress - I think you will find it a very enlightening and enjoyable experience. Try to give up eating on the run or snacking on the couch - both will be good for the spirit and waistline.
Would you rather eat absentmindedly or mindfully?

Remove the barriers to progress and progress is guaranteed.

~~ Notice ~~

Notice the invisible people: clerks, waiters, housekeeping and show appreciation of their hard work.

~~~

White wine from Red skinned Grapes? Not only is is possible but you have probably had it often. One of the most obvious wines would be Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio. which has a bluish silver skin and a blond pulp and it is extremely difficult to find a red Pinot Gris. I wonder why?

Cheers,

Darius Miller - The Zen Winemaker

P.S. Let me know what you think of the 3-2-1 newsletter - or better yet, share with your friends - it would be much appreciated.

Author of a #1 best seller:
'The Zen Winemaker - Follow Your Dreams & Overcome Your Fears'

Creator of:
'The Zen Wine Tasting Journal - Life is too short to drink bad wine, or to wear ugly underwear.'

Become Inspired:
ZenWinemaker.com

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