You may be familiar with the term BYO or BYOB – it stands for Bring Your Own Beverage. It started in the 70’s in the US and Australia, where it is still very popular and accepted.

Down Under, many dining outlets actually do not have liquor licenses, but they allow customers to bring their own, and some will even advertise it on a sign board.  In the US, BYO laws really depend on the state, with some like Colorado simply forbidding it.

Meanwhile, the restaurants that do have a license and accept BYO will charge you a corkage fee if you do bring a bottle. This to cover to cost of glass rental, service, and yes – making up for the money they would have earned if you bought an actual bottle there.

 In Europe, it is fairly uncommon, even if it is allowed. To be sure that the restaurant accepts BYO, it is better to call ahead to inquire. I have to tell you that you won’t receive the most friendliest welcome if you just show up at a restaurant in France with a bottle.

 In Malaysia, it is fairly acceptable in a lot of places. Many restaurants that don’t want to stock up wines actually do not charge corkage fees, but you often end up with small, cheap wine glasses. Others will charge a corkage fee, but the staff will take care of the service and give you much nicer glasses (normally!).

So here are a few tips when you want to bring your bottle to a restaurant:

 • Plan ahead!
Call beforehand to check if they accept BYO and ask if there is a corkage fee so you're not surprised when you get there (I have seen corkage charges anywhere between RM25 and RM100 in KL)

• Bring something nice!
I agree that some restaurants abuse the mark-up on their wines a bit, and serve some wines which aren’t the nicest at a fierce price – but if you bring your own wines at that price range plus corkage, you will have a better experience!

For example, if a restaurant charges say, RM50 a bottle for corkage you can bring a lovely bottle of Monte Da Peceguina or one of our new Chinons and you'll only end spending RM150 or less on a really good bottle as opposed to their cheapest wine for the same price.

• Get to know the team!
If you are familiar with the team (owner/manager/waiters), it will be easier for you to bring your bottle in the future. Have them try your wines if you have a special bottle, and you will definitely make a friend!

The term, 'Claret' is derived from the French word ‘Clair’, which translates to ‘clear’. So we are talking about a light colored, pale wine. 500 years ago, when the British started to settle in Bordeaux for the wine trade, the wines were of a much lighter color, when wines were not extracted as much and as dark in color as wine nowadays.

The term ‘Claret’ was first used in the 15th Century, and is now still used to describe a ‘light and fruity, easy to drink’ red wine. However, the original term of ‘Clairet’ is also used in Bordeaux, but for Rose wines made from the traditional red grapes.

Now, the term ‘Claret’ is sometimes used worldwide; it is used to describe a light and fresh red wine, made from the classic Bordeaux grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenère). These would be fairly cheap, while on the other side of the spectrum, premium reds made from these same blends can be called ‘Meritage’

To get technical with the terms, it would actually be incorrect to use the term 'Halal' and 'Wine'together. This is because, technically speaking, wine must be made from fermented fruit juices, whereas, for the drink to be considered Halal, the fermentation process is forbidden.

Halal Wines are actually superior grape juices. They are made from high quality wine grapes - wines cannot be made from just any grape varietal. Only 30 - 40% of all grape types are suitable for wine-making and used in the production of superior grape juices. This juices are not fermented, allowing them to be certified Halal.

Not all non-alcoholic wines are certified Halal, however. These Non-Alcoholic wines are made using wines which go through the regular fermentation process. The alcohol is then removed using a reverse osmosis process. This is where the liquid is chilled down to a very low temperature and passed through filters. However, only 99.5% of the alcohol content can be removed using this method. Therefore, non-alcoholic wines made this way cannot be certified Halal.

Why drink non-alcoholic wines you ask? Well, you will still benefit from the good effects of wine, like anti-oxidants and resveratrol, which help prevent heart disease and lower cholesterol but without the bad side-effects of alcohol.

Check out our current halal wine promo where you can buy 3 bottles and get another 3 absolutely FREE! Try them and taste the difference compared to your regular grape juice.

Last week we took at look at understanding what is meant by a wine's body. You can try the milk experiment I mentioned inPart 1 to understand the concept better!

This week, let's take a look at the factors that influence the body of a wine

The wine ‘body’ represents the level of richness and intensity of the wine. Many factors can influence the body:

Grapes Varietal
Some grapes have naturally more concentration than others, like Shiraz compare to Pinot Noir

Provenance
The climate has a strong influence on the concentration of the wine. Grapes growing in warmer regions will get more sun, so containing more sugar, which in turn leads to a higher alcohol content and richer tannins. Red wines from Australia or Spain, for example, will definitely be fuller than wines coming from Germany

Winemaking methods
The winemaking methods will also influence the concentration of the wine, during the fermentation process and ageing methods. During fermentation, the longer the contact with the skin, the more tannins are extracted. Wines aged in oak barrels will be more concentrated than the ones aged in stainless steel.

Body is usually qualified as light, medium, or full. Light bodied wines will usually have a lighter color and fairly low alcohol level (12-13%), while full bodied wines will have a much darker, deeper color, and alcohol level of over 13,5% to 15%+. Light bodied red wines (Pinot Noir, Gamay), as they have lower tannins contents, are better enjoyed slightly chilled, around 15-16 degrees. Richer wines will be best enjoyed around 17-20 degrees.