Legend has it that Cleopatra once promised Marc Anthony she would "drink the value of a province" in one cup of wine, after which she drank an expensive pearl with a cup of wine. Marilyn Monroe is rumored to have bathed in a bathtub of champagne. The lure of wine is cross-cultural and going strong. Enjoying wine, once surrounded by pomp and circumstance, is now something that many of us do on a daily basis to enjoy food, friends, and family. There is no reason each experience shouldn’t be as exceptional as taking a bath in Champagne. Knowing a few simple tips about tasting wine can enhance your wine experience by leaps and bounds and easily transition you from a wine lover to a wine expert.
STEP 1 - LOOKING
Fill the glass about one-third full, never more than half-full. Pick it up by the stem. This may feel awkward at first, but there are good reasons: Holding the glass by its bowl hides the liquid from view; fingerprints blur its color; the heat of your hand alters the wine's temperature. Wine experts can usually tell right away how much a person knows about wine by looking at the way they hold their glass.
Focus on the hue, intensity and clarity of the wine color. The true color, or hue, of the wine is best judged by tilting the glass and looking at the wine through the rim, to see the variation from the deepest part of the liquid to its edges. Intensity can best be gauged looking straight down through the wine from above. Clarity—whether the wine is brilliant, or cloudy with particles—is most evident when light is shining sideways through the glass.
STEP 2 - SWIRLING
Next comes the swirling. This too can feel unnatural, even dangerous if your glass it too full and your carpet or clothing is new. But besides stirring up the full range of colors, it lets the wine breathe a little and releases some of the aroma for examination. The easiest way to swirl is to rest the base of the glass on a table, hold the stem between thumb and forefinger, and gently rotate the wrist. Right-handers will find a counter-clockwise motion easiest, left-handers the reverse.
Move the glass until the wine is dancing, climbing nearly to the rim. Then stop. As the liquid settles back into the bottom of the glass, a transparent film will appear on the inside of the bowl, known as the wine's "tears" or "legs." You will often hear people pondering about the legs or showing them off, "Hey look at the legs on this wine!", but in truth they're simply an indication of the amount of alcohol in the wine: the more alcohol, the more tears or legs.
STEP 3 - SMELLING
When you stop swirling, and the legs are falling, it's time to take the next step: smelling. Swirling the wine vaporizes it, and the thin sheet of liquid on the sides of the glass evaporates rapidly; the result is an intensification of the aromas. I’m sure you’ve seen wine snobs do this and you have laughed at them, but stick your nose right into the bowl and inhale.
There's no consensus about the proper sniffing technique. Some advocate two or three quick inhalations; others prefer one deep, sharp sniff. I've seen tasters close one nostril, sniff, then close the other and sniff again. It really doesn’t matter how you do it as long as you get a good sniff in. With practice, and keen attention, you'll learn how to maximize your perception of aromas, and then how to decipher them.
The world of smell is vast and bewildering. First of all, our olfactory equipment is incredibly sensitive; we can distinguish aromas in quantities so small that laboratory equipment can scarcely measure them. Second, our analytic capacity is extraordinary; estimates of the number of different smells humans can identify range up to 10,000!
As with color, wine's aromas offer insights into character, origin and history. Because our actual sense of taste is limited to four simple categories (the well-known sweet, sour, bitter and salt), aroma is the most revealing aspect of our examination. But don't simply sniff for clues. Revel in the sensation. Scientists say smells have direct access to the brain, connecting immediately to memory and emotion. Like a lover's perfume, or the scent of cookies from childhood, wine's aromas can evoke a specific place and time with uncanny power.
STEP 4 - TASTING
With the aromas still reverberating through your senses, put the glass to your lips and take some liquid in. How much? You need to have enough volume to work it all around your tasting apparatus, but not so much that you're forced to swallow right away.
Because you don't want to swallow, not just yet. It takes time and effort to force the wine to divulge its secrets. I keep a pleasant wine in my mouth for 10 to 15 seconds, sometimes more.
Roll the wine all around your mouth, bringing it into contact with every part, because each decodes a different aspect of the liquid. Wine provokes sensations, too: The astringency of tannins is most perceptible on the inner cheeks; the heat of the alcohol burns in the back of the throat.
First, as you hold the wine in your mouth, purse your lips and inhale gently through them. This creates a bubbling noise children find immensely amusing. It also accelerates vaporization, intensifying the aromas. Second, chew the wine vigorously, sloshing it around in your mouth, to draw every last nuance of flavor from the wine.
Don't forget the finish. After you swallow, exhale gently and slowly through both your nose and mouth. The retro-nasal passage, which connects the throat and the nose, is another avenue for aromas, which can linger long after the wine is finally swallowed. You'll find that the better the wine, the more complex, profound and long-lasting these residual aromas can be. With great wines, sensitive tasters and minimal distractions, the finish can last a minute or more. It's a moment of meditation and communion that no other beverage can create.
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Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Everything You Wanted to Know About Wine Glasses But Were Afraid to Ask
A Brief History of the Wine Glass
Wine glasses have been used since ancient times.
Pliny (23–79 A.D.) wrote about gold and silver drinking vessels being abandoned in favor of glass, and they were frequently priced as high as the precious metal versions. Bonifacio Veronese’s sixteenth-century ‘Last Supper’ includes modern style wine glasses with a stem and foot.
The oldest surviving European wine glasses with a stem and foot are fifteenth-century enameled goblets (a goblet is a glass holding more than four ounces of liquid).
Near the end of the sixteenth-century in Germany sophisticated engraved decoration was applied to covered wine glasses.
The earliest surviving English wine glasses are diamond-engraved glasses that were produced near the end of the sixteenth-century by Verzelini. Plain straight stems gained popularity around 1740, with air twist stems being introduced about the same time. Ten years later a twist incised on the exterior of the stem became popular.
Quality crystal wine glasses were being produced in France near the end of the eighteenth-century.
Cordial glasses in the eighteenth-century had bowls of the same shapes that were typical for wine glasses, but they were much smaller, holding about one ounce.
Toast masters glasses were made with a thicker bottom and walls so that they would hold less. A toast master had to drain every glass and still be able to remain standing till all toasts were completed.
Wine glasses during the nineteenth-century were often produced in sets — with a dozen each of port and sherry, burgundy and claret, champagne glasses and liqueur glasses.
More recently, in the 1950s, Riedel Crystal and other stemware manufacturers have refined wine glass design to the point of having a unique size and shape for almost every wine variation.
Wine glasses are made for drinking wine, of course, but people are creative and have found other uses ranging from combining several wine glasses to construct a glass harp to using stemware in a similar manner to provide sound education.
Choosing Wine Glasses
There really is no right or wrong glass for wine tasting - or for drinking wine for that matter. However, there are some glasses that are better than others for evaluating wines. First of all, we like to suggest using glasses that you are comfortable using. Aesthetics aside, there are really only two things to remember when considering a wine tasting glass: the size of the glass and the overall shape of the glass.
The more universally used tasting glass is called a chimney shape. Broader on the bottom of the bowl, it tapers upward to a smaller opening. The broader bottom will enable you to hold enough wine and give you plenty of room to swirl the wine, while the smaller opening at the top will help to trap and focus the aromas, allowing you enough of a scent to assess the wine.
Size Doesn't Matter
For the most part, if your glass is of this shape, the actual size of the glass is not important other than it needs to be big enough and have a big enough opening for you to be able to get your nose inside to really smell the wine. Some people swear by large "Burgundy" style glasses that allow as much of the wine to come in contact with the air as possible, therefore releasing as many of the aromas and flavors as possible. Others like the convenience and ease of use of a smaller glass. Other considerations that will enhance your tasting experience include glassware that is clear (no colors) and free of cuts or engravings within the glass.
Many glass manufacturers have designed specific glasses for specific wine types or varietals, taking in to account different aspects of the individual wine type. While this is wonderful, it is not a necessary purchase for a complete wine tasting. The top producer of these specialized wine glasses is an Austrian crystal company named Riedel (pronounced REE-dle). They are exquisite and expensive.
Cleaning Wine Glasses
When it comes time to clean your glassware, try to avoid using soap. Instead use hot water and rinse thoroughly. Soap can become trapped within the glass release soapy odors the next time you use it. Although you may become quite proficient at identifying various brands of dish soap, this ability and the soapy glasses that taught you will not add to the enjoyment of a good glass of wine.
To summarize, it's important that you find good glassware for your wine tasting experiences, but "good" does not necessarily mean "expensive." Find glassware that you are comfortable with and adequately serves its purpose: presenting wine for your evaluation and enjoyment.
Tips For Serving Wine
You've probably heard many conflicting and complicated instructions throughout the years on the proper way to get wine from the store to your glass. It doesn't have to be that hard. Here are the basics of serving wine, which are all you really need.
Many customs have accompanied wine drinking through the years. None of them are meant to be intimidating or stuffy. They are just practices intended to enhance the enjoyment of wine.
On the subject of temperature — you may have heard that red wine should be served at room temperature and that white wine should be slightly chilled before serving. These recommendations originated at a time when "room temperature" was lower than is typical today.
Full-bodied and tannic red wines are best enjoyed at not more than 64°F (18°C) and clarets, Pinot Noirs (including burgundies), and then the modern reds — soft, light, fruity and relatively tannin-free for drinking young, at progressively cooler temperatures — down to about 54°F (12°C).
White wines are ideally served between 43°F (6°C) to 52°F (11°C). Red wine or white wine, err on the cool side as they will warm quickly on the table and in the glass.
_______________________________
Learn Wine Tasting
Wine glasses have been used since ancient times.
Pliny (23–79 A.D.) wrote about gold and silver drinking vessels being abandoned in favor of glass, and they were frequently priced as high as the precious metal versions. Bonifacio Veronese’s sixteenth-century ‘Last Supper’ includes modern style wine glasses with a stem and foot.
The oldest surviving European wine glasses with a stem and foot are fifteenth-century enameled goblets (a goblet is a glass holding more than four ounces of liquid).
Near the end of the sixteenth-century in Germany sophisticated engraved decoration was applied to covered wine glasses.
The earliest surviving English wine glasses are diamond-engraved glasses that were produced near the end of the sixteenth-century by Verzelini. Plain straight stems gained popularity around 1740, with air twist stems being introduced about the same time. Ten years later a twist incised on the exterior of the stem became popular.
Quality crystal wine glasses were being produced in France near the end of the eighteenth-century.
Cordial glasses in the eighteenth-century had bowls of the same shapes that were typical for wine glasses, but they were much smaller, holding about one ounce.
Toast masters glasses were made with a thicker bottom and walls so that they would hold less. A toast master had to drain every glass and still be able to remain standing till all toasts were completed.
Wine glasses during the nineteenth-century were often produced in sets — with a dozen each of port and sherry, burgundy and claret, champagne glasses and liqueur glasses.
More recently, in the 1950s, Riedel Crystal and other stemware manufacturers have refined wine glass design to the point of having a unique size and shape for almost every wine variation.
Wine glasses are made for drinking wine, of course, but people are creative and have found other uses ranging from combining several wine glasses to construct a glass harp to using stemware in a similar manner to provide sound education.
Choosing Wine Glasses
There really is no right or wrong glass for wine tasting - or for drinking wine for that matter. However, there are some glasses that are better than others for evaluating wines. First of all, we like to suggest using glasses that you are comfortable using. Aesthetics aside, there are really only two things to remember when considering a wine tasting glass: the size of the glass and the overall shape of the glass.
The more universally used tasting glass is called a chimney shape. Broader on the bottom of the bowl, it tapers upward to a smaller opening. The broader bottom will enable you to hold enough wine and give you plenty of room to swirl the wine, while the smaller opening at the top will help to trap and focus the aromas, allowing you enough of a scent to assess the wine.
Size Doesn't Matter
For the most part, if your glass is of this shape, the actual size of the glass is not important other than it needs to be big enough and have a big enough opening for you to be able to get your nose inside to really smell the wine. Some people swear by large "Burgundy" style glasses that allow as much of the wine to come in contact with the air as possible, therefore releasing as many of the aromas and flavors as possible. Others like the convenience and ease of use of a smaller glass. Other considerations that will enhance your tasting experience include glassware that is clear (no colors) and free of cuts or engravings within the glass.
Many glass manufacturers have designed specific glasses for specific wine types or varietals, taking in to account different aspects of the individual wine type. While this is wonderful, it is not a necessary purchase for a complete wine tasting. The top producer of these specialized wine glasses is an Austrian crystal company named Riedel (pronounced REE-dle). They are exquisite and expensive.
Cleaning Wine Glasses
When it comes time to clean your glassware, try to avoid using soap. Instead use hot water and rinse thoroughly. Soap can become trapped within the glass release soapy odors the next time you use it. Although you may become quite proficient at identifying various brands of dish soap, this ability and the soapy glasses that taught you will not add to the enjoyment of a good glass of wine.
To summarize, it's important that you find good glassware for your wine tasting experiences, but "good" does not necessarily mean "expensive." Find glassware that you are comfortable with and adequately serves its purpose: presenting wine for your evaluation and enjoyment.
Tips For Serving Wine
You've probably heard many conflicting and complicated instructions throughout the years on the proper way to get wine from the store to your glass. It doesn't have to be that hard. Here are the basics of serving wine, which are all you really need.
Many customs have accompanied wine drinking through the years. None of them are meant to be intimidating or stuffy. They are just practices intended to enhance the enjoyment of wine.
- "White wine with fish and red wine with meat" is more customary than culinary.
- Red wines are served at room temperature, while white wines, roses, and champagnes are served chilled.
- The stronger the food, the stronger the wine. The lighter the food, the lighter the wine.
Wine loves air, which revives its sleeping flavors. It is recommended to open the bottle about an hour before consumption and let the wine "breathe". This ages it a year or so, and allows its flavors to mellow. - A bottle of wine has to be handled carefully, with the minimum movement possible. Remember, wine likes to sleep, only to awaken in your mouth.
- Red wine bottles do not need to be cleaned or dusted before opening. They are opened on a hard surface. White wines, rose, and Champagne bottles are opened in ice buckets.
- Red wines corks are sniffed to make sure the wine has not spoiled, which gives the cork an unpleasant smell. It is not necessary to smell white and rose wine corks since the wine was refrigerated and the cork will not smell.
On the subject of temperature — you may have heard that red wine should be served at room temperature and that white wine should be slightly chilled before serving. These recommendations originated at a time when "room temperature" was lower than is typical today.
Full-bodied and tannic red wines are best enjoyed at not more than 64°F (18°C) and clarets, Pinot Noirs (including burgundies), and then the modern reds — soft, light, fruity and relatively tannin-free for drinking young, at progressively cooler temperatures — down to about 54°F (12°C).
White wines are ideally served between 43°F (6°C) to 52°F (11°C). Red wine or white wine, err on the cool side as they will warm quickly on the table and in the glass.
_______________________________
Learn Wine Tasting
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
To Decant or Not to Decant
The idea of decanting brings images of blue bloods standing around a cocktail table with dozens of beautiful crystal bottles staring back at them. I used to think that people decanted their wine just to look "fancy". This may be true for some, but the real reason that wine began being decanted is because there was no filtration system in place for wine back in the day. The wine that would be poured from the barrel would contain a considerable amount of sediment and a system needed to be put in place to remove this before drinking. Now most of our wines are filtered to a very clear state and we don't have to decant to remove sediment but do it to enhance flavor prior to drinking.
When to decant wine?
1. Decant if your wine has sediment - Wines deposit sediment as a natural part of aging, some more than others. Decanting the wine can help to separate the clear wine from the sediment. Decanting the wine also introduces air into the wine — letting the wine breathe — releasing the aromas and enhancing flavors, particularly useful for red wines that are a little harsh.
2. If your wine has been aging for a long time - Decanting old wines, just prior to serving, helps to ensure that the wines’ clarity and brilliance are not obscured by any deposit that may have developed over time (pour slowly and avoid decanting the last ounce).
3. If your wine if very young - Decant young wines as much as several hours before they are served to give the wine a chance to breath, simulating a stage of development that might normally be acquired after years of aging (pour quickly, even up-ending the bottle – the idea is to expose the wine to air).
4. Just for fun! - I like to decant just to see if mine wine in the decanter tastes different than the wine I poured right out of the bottle. Why not! Decanters are also pretty so if you are having a party why not show them off. Just don’t keep them sitting out for too long.
How to Decant Wine?
How to Decant Aged Wine
For old wines with sediment one needs to be very careful when pouring the wine into a decanter. First, stand the bottle up for several hours to allow the sediment to settle at the bottom. Fine sediment will take longer to settle to the bottom of the bottle.
Use a lit candle or lamp if you can't see where the sediment is in the bottle. Hold the bottle of wine so that the area just below the neck of the wine bottle can be seen through the light while pouring. Ever so slowly begin pouring the aged wine into the decanter. Be patient. Hold the bottle as much as possible perpendicular to the candle. As the last one-third of the wine is poured, carefully watch for sediment. Stop pouring when any sediment appears in the neck of the bottle.
How to Decant Young Red Wine
For young red wines, splash the wine into the decanter. The more it splashes into the decanter, the more it comes in contact with oxygen. Let the wine settle and rest for a short time.
How Long to decant?
If you are decanting your wine in order to let it breathe you will usually want it to sit in the decanter 1/2 hour to 1 hour before drinking. Your goal is for the wine to be giving off aromas. If it's not releasing flavors into the air, it's going to taste still and blah. There is however a point where you can let your wine decant too long. You would not want your wine to sit out at room temperature for 8 hours or more. At this point the wine will be come oxidized and begin to taste more like vinegar and/or sherry. Remember, back in the old says wine was kept at about 50 degrees so being at 70+ for a substantial amount of time would be bad for the wine.
What Kind of Decanter?
Wine decanter design varies from the purely function to extravagantly decorated, but sometimes unusual design and functionality can go hand-in-hand as in the Orbital Decanter that, when removed from its base, will sit elegantly on your table while a gentle orbital movement increases the breathing of your wine with minimal disturbance. But the basic point of the decanter is to let air into the wine and to remove the sediment so whichever type you prefer is the one you should chose. There really is no right or wrong decanter.
Of course, you can always let your wine breathe by just taking the cork out of the bottle, but very little air touches the surface and it will take much longer to achieve the desired effect. Some experts prefer to let wine breathe in the wineglass but I personally find it hard to wait patiently once it's been poured.
_______________________
Learn Wine Tasting
When to decant wine?
1. Decant if your wine has sediment - Wines deposit sediment as a natural part of aging, some more than others. Decanting the wine can help to separate the clear wine from the sediment. Decanting the wine also introduces air into the wine — letting the wine breathe — releasing the aromas and enhancing flavors, particularly useful for red wines that are a little harsh.
2. If your wine has been aging for a long time - Decanting old wines, just prior to serving, helps to ensure that the wines’ clarity and brilliance are not obscured by any deposit that may have developed over time (pour slowly and avoid decanting the last ounce).
3. If your wine if very young - Decant young wines as much as several hours before they are served to give the wine a chance to breath, simulating a stage of development that might normally be acquired after years of aging (pour quickly, even up-ending the bottle – the idea is to expose the wine to air).
4. Just for fun! - I like to decant just to see if mine wine in the decanter tastes different than the wine I poured right out of the bottle. Why not! Decanters are also pretty so if you are having a party why not show them off. Just don’t keep them sitting out for too long.
How to Decant Wine?
How to Decant Aged Wine
For old wines with sediment one needs to be very careful when pouring the wine into a decanter. First, stand the bottle up for several hours to allow the sediment to settle at the bottom. Fine sediment will take longer to settle to the bottom of the bottle.
Use a lit candle or lamp if you can't see where the sediment is in the bottle. Hold the bottle of wine so that the area just below the neck of the wine bottle can be seen through the light while pouring. Ever so slowly begin pouring the aged wine into the decanter. Be patient. Hold the bottle as much as possible perpendicular to the candle. As the last one-third of the wine is poured, carefully watch for sediment. Stop pouring when any sediment appears in the neck of the bottle.
How to Decant Young Red Wine
For young red wines, splash the wine into the decanter. The more it splashes into the decanter, the more it comes in contact with oxygen. Let the wine settle and rest for a short time.
How Long to decant?
If you are decanting your wine in order to let it breathe you will usually want it to sit in the decanter 1/2 hour to 1 hour before drinking. Your goal is for the wine to be giving off aromas. If it's not releasing flavors into the air, it's going to taste still and blah. There is however a point where you can let your wine decant too long. You would not want your wine to sit out at room temperature for 8 hours or more. At this point the wine will be come oxidized and begin to taste more like vinegar and/or sherry. Remember, back in the old says wine was kept at about 50 degrees so being at 70+ for a substantial amount of time would be bad for the wine.
What Kind of Decanter?
Wine decanter design varies from the purely function to extravagantly decorated, but sometimes unusual design and functionality can go hand-in-hand as in the Orbital Decanter that, when removed from its base, will sit elegantly on your table while a gentle orbital movement increases the breathing of your wine with minimal disturbance. But the basic point of the decanter is to let air into the wine and to remove the sediment so whichever type you prefer is the one you should chose. There really is no right or wrong decanter.
Of course, you can always let your wine breathe by just taking the cork out of the bottle, but very little air touches the surface and it will take much longer to achieve the desired effect. Some experts prefer to let wine breathe in the wineglass but I personally find it hard to wait patiently once it's been poured.
_______________________
Learn Wine Tasting
Monday, January 28, 2008
Wine 101 - Understanding Flavors and Aromas
One thing that can be the most intimidating about being around experienced wine drinkers is when they start talking about the flavors and aromas they are experiencing as they swirl, sniff, and drink their wine. When I first started really getting into wine and going to more and more tastings these were the guys I’d try to steer clear of. I was just starting to understand what it meant for the wine to be "oaky" and they were talking about the spice in the nose and the leather and tobacco in the finish. When they’d look at me and ask, are you getting the green pepper, I’d just smile and nod and then look at my friend and roll my eyes. We’ve all be there. But as time goes on and you start tasting lots of different types of wine (and there really is no better way to learn than to do lots of side by side tastings) you will start to pick up more of these flavors and they will help you to begin to identify the style, age, and region of the different types of wine. In my first 101 article – "Quick Terms to Increase Your Tasting Enjoyment" I discuss the meanings of words such as sweetness, acidity, structure, body, alcohol, and fruitiness. Please feel free to refer back to "Quick Terms" if you need a refresher.
Beginning tasters often feel that they "cannot smell anything" or can't think of a way to describe the aroma of wine. I know this was certainly a problem for me for quiet some time. Fortunately, it is very easy to train our noses and brains to connect and quickly link terms with aromas. The fastest way is to make physical standards to illustrate important and major notes in wine aroma. Here are some quick basics for matching flavors/aromas to different varietals:
Syrah or Shiraz - Aromas and flavors of wild black-fruit (such as blackcurrant), with overtones of black pepper spice and roasting meat. The abundance of fruit sensations is often complemented by warm alcohol and gripping tannins. Toffee notes if present come not from the fruit but from the wine having rested in oak barrels. Hearty and spicy are terms you will often hear associated with Syrah.
Merlot – Often considered an introductory wine for beginners because of it’s softer tannins. You know how strong or soft tannins are by the dry, bitter feeling you get on the sides of your tongue. It is sort of like the feeling you get when you drink strong tea. Black cherry and herbal flavors are typical.
Cabernet – Rich currant qualities of Cabernet Sauvignon wine can change to that of pencil box. Bell pepper is also a flavor you will often hear associated with Cabernet. Vanilla notes if present come not from the fruit but from the oak treatment.
Pinot Noir - Very unlike Cabernet Sauvignon. The structure is delicate and fresh. The tannins are very soft; this is related to the low level of polyphenols (tannins from the grape skins). The aromatics are very fruity (cherry, strawberry, plum), often with notes of tea-leaf, damp earth, or worn leather.
Zinfandel - Often has a zesty flavor with berry and pepper.
Chardonnay - Often wider-bodied (and more velvety) than other types of dry whites, with rich citrus (lemon, grapefruit) flavors. Fermenting in new oak barrels adds a buttery tone (vanilla, toast, coconut, toffee). Tasting a USD Californian Chardonnay should give citrus fruit flavors, hints of melon, vanilla, some toasty character and some creaminess. French Burgundies can taste very different, however we will not go into that quiet yet.
Riesling - Riesling wines are much lighter than Chardonnay wines. The aromas generally include fresh apples. The Riesling variety expresses itself very differently depending on the district and the winemaking. Rieslings should taste fresh. If they do, then they might also prove tastier and tastier as they age. An aroma often associated with Riesling is Petrol. You will also hear green apple, apricot, peach, and pear a lot.
Sauvignon Blanc – Also lighter than Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc normally shows a herbal character suggesting bell pepper or freshly mown grass. The dominating flavors range from sour green fruits of apple, pear and gooseberry through to tropical fruits of melon, mango and blackcurrant. Quality unoaked Sauvignon Blancs will display smoky qualities; they require bright aromas and a strong acid finish; they are best grown in cool climates.
Try this quick tip, if you who can’t get out and do lots of tastings. Train your senses by putting tiny samples of green pepper, apple, lemon, melon, toast, raspberry in baby food or other small jars. Label the bottoms of the jars with the different wines the aromas are associated with. Try to play the matching game and make associations between the different wines and the smells that tend to go with them. Soon you will start to associate these different aromas and flavors with the different styles of wine you will begin to feel more confident throwing them out in wine discussions and comparing notes with friends. Also know that wine tasting can be a tricky subject and that flavors and aromas are subjective. What one person thinks smells like raspberry, another may say smells like bell pepper. You will rarely be wrong with your association. Have fun with it! I can’t think of a better topic to practice, so start training now and pour yourself a glass. CHEERS!
______________________________________
Learn wine tasting with this great wine 101 guide
Beginning tasters often feel that they "cannot smell anything" or can't think of a way to describe the aroma of wine. I know this was certainly a problem for me for quiet some time. Fortunately, it is very easy to train our noses and brains to connect and quickly link terms with aromas. The fastest way is to make physical standards to illustrate important and major notes in wine aroma. Here are some quick basics for matching flavors/aromas to different varietals:
Syrah or Shiraz - Aromas and flavors of wild black-fruit (such as blackcurrant), with overtones of black pepper spice and roasting meat. The abundance of fruit sensations is often complemented by warm alcohol and gripping tannins. Toffee notes if present come not from the fruit but from the wine having rested in oak barrels. Hearty and spicy are terms you will often hear associated with Syrah.
Merlot – Often considered an introductory wine for beginners because of it’s softer tannins. You know how strong or soft tannins are by the dry, bitter feeling you get on the sides of your tongue. It is sort of like the feeling you get when you drink strong tea. Black cherry and herbal flavors are typical.
Cabernet – Rich currant qualities of Cabernet Sauvignon wine can change to that of pencil box. Bell pepper is also a flavor you will often hear associated with Cabernet. Vanilla notes if present come not from the fruit but from the oak treatment.
Pinot Noir - Very unlike Cabernet Sauvignon. The structure is delicate and fresh. The tannins are very soft; this is related to the low level of polyphenols (tannins from the grape skins). The aromatics are very fruity (cherry, strawberry, plum), often with notes of tea-leaf, damp earth, or worn leather.
Zinfandel - Often has a zesty flavor with berry and pepper.
Chardonnay - Often wider-bodied (and more velvety) than other types of dry whites, with rich citrus (lemon, grapefruit) flavors. Fermenting in new oak barrels adds a buttery tone (vanilla, toast, coconut, toffee). Tasting a USD Californian Chardonnay should give citrus fruit flavors, hints of melon, vanilla, some toasty character and some creaminess. French Burgundies can taste very different, however we will not go into that quiet yet.
Riesling - Riesling wines are much lighter than Chardonnay wines. The aromas generally include fresh apples. The Riesling variety expresses itself very differently depending on the district and the winemaking. Rieslings should taste fresh. If they do, then they might also prove tastier and tastier as they age. An aroma often associated with Riesling is Petrol. You will also hear green apple, apricot, peach, and pear a lot.
Sauvignon Blanc – Also lighter than Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc normally shows a herbal character suggesting bell pepper or freshly mown grass. The dominating flavors range from sour green fruits of apple, pear and gooseberry through to tropical fruits of melon, mango and blackcurrant. Quality unoaked Sauvignon Blancs will display smoky qualities; they require bright aromas and a strong acid finish; they are best grown in cool climates.
Try this quick tip, if you who can’t get out and do lots of tastings. Train your senses by putting tiny samples of green pepper, apple, lemon, melon, toast, raspberry in baby food or other small jars. Label the bottoms of the jars with the different wines the aromas are associated with. Try to play the matching game and make associations between the different wines and the smells that tend to go with them. Soon you will start to associate these different aromas and flavors with the different styles of wine you will begin to feel more confident throwing them out in wine discussions and comparing notes with friends. Also know that wine tasting can be a tricky subject and that flavors and aromas are subjective. What one person thinks smells like raspberry, another may say smells like bell pepper. You will rarely be wrong with your association. Have fun with it! I can’t think of a better topic to practice, so start training now and pour yourself a glass. CHEERS!
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Learn wine tasting with this great wine 101 guide
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
If Wine Had Personality - Zinfandel
ZINFANDEL
Personality: Thick and jammy, like blackberries simmering.
Origin: Croatia, though virtually all of the top zinfandels are now grown in northern California.
Aroma, flavor, and texture: Like a big boysenberry pie with vanilla ice cream – full bodied, mouth filling, and flannel soft.
Cost: $12 to $30.
Try it with: Meat loaf, barbecued ribs, burgers, bean and vegetable casseroles, or pot roast. Open a bottle with Chipotle Barbecue Burgers with Slaw.
Personality: Thick and jammy, like blackberries simmering.
Origin: Croatia, though virtually all of the top zinfandels are now grown in northern California.
Aroma, flavor, and texture: Like a big boysenberry pie with vanilla ice cream – full bodied, mouth filling, and flannel soft.
Cost: $12 to $30.
Try it with: Meat loaf, barbecued ribs, burgers, bean and vegetable casseroles, or pot roast. Open a bottle with Chipotle Barbecue Burgers with Slaw.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
If Wine Had Personality - Cabernet Sauvignon
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Personality: The preeminent classic red variety, thanks to its complexity, majestic structure, richness, and capacity to age for decades – the Sean Connery of red wines.
Origin: Bordeaux, France, but terrific examples are now produced in virtually every great red wine region of the world.
Aroma, flavor, and texture: Similar to merlot, only bigger, deeper, more intense, and powerful. Watch out, though, for poorly made, cheap cabernet sauvignon, which can be dank and weedy.
Cost: Moderate ($15) to expensive ($75); plan to spend at least $25 for a very good bottle.
Try it with: Grilled steak (cabernet and grilled steak are considered a classic American pairing) and roast beef.
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Learn Wine Tasting
Personality: The preeminent classic red variety, thanks to its complexity, majestic structure, richness, and capacity to age for decades – the Sean Connery of red wines.
Origin: Bordeaux, France, but terrific examples are now produced in virtually every great red wine region of the world.
Aroma, flavor, and texture: Similar to merlot, only bigger, deeper, more intense, and powerful. Watch out, though, for poorly made, cheap cabernet sauvignon, which can be dank and weedy.
Cost: Moderate ($15) to expensive ($75); plan to spend at least $25 for a very good bottle.
Try it with: Grilled steak (cabernet and grilled steak are considered a classic American pairing) and roast beef.
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Learn Wine Tasting
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
How Green Is Your Wine Buying
Organic wines are one of the hottest trends in restaurants today, according to a report last week from the National Restaurant Association. But what is the difference between traditional winemaking practices, and organic practices?
Conventional wine means that the winemakers us an industrialized agricultural system characterized by mechanization, monocultures, and the use of synthetic inputs such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides, with an emphasis on maximizing productivity and profitability.
Organic winemaking is a type of agricultural process that promotes the use of renewable resources and management of biological cycles to enhance biological diversity, without the use of genetically modified organisms, or synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. Organic production is a system that integrates "cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. At its most basic level, organic wine is made from grapes that have been grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides.
When a label says "organic," it means the wine has met certain standards that are set by a government agency. Different nations have their own certification criteria, so what’s organic in one country may not be so in another. Many wineries that are technically organic still choose not to be certified. There are many reasons for this. Some do not want the added costs and bureaucracy of registering. Others may disagree with their government’s standards. It can also be a marketing decision. Whatever the case, they are not allowed to use "organic" on their labels. To make the claim on its label, a wine must be made with at least 70 percent organic grapes, according to the Organic Consumers Association. There’s no official seal for "wines made from organic grapes", so you’ll have to read the label or ask the wine store owner where to find them.
Organic wine can also be broken down further to include biodynamic and sustainable wine making practices.
Biodynamic winemaking follows the teachings of Austrian anthroposophist Rudolph Steiner (1861-1925), and incorporates homeopathic treatments, as well as astronomical and astrological considerations, into the organic process. His is a system of farming and damaging natural resources to produce the highest possible crop quality. The central goal of biodynamic farming is to create and maintain unique, self-sustaining farm ecosystems. This is achieved by building and maintaining soil fertility through composting and crop rotation. Unique to biodynamic farming is the application of biodynamic preparations (organic nutrient teas) that stimulate soil and compost microbial activity and stimulate the life forces of soil and plants. For biodynamic wines, two related, prevalent ideas exist: life follows rhythms and the farm should be self-sustainable. Like organic farming, biodynamic agriculture uses no synthesized herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers. Unlike organic farming, though, biodynamic producers build upon the organic base with their adherence to life’s rhythms and a self-containing eco-system. According to wine maker and biodynamic advocate Nicolas Joly: "Organics permits nature to do its job; biodynamie permits it to do its job more."
Biodynamic growers believe that the Earth and plant life have rhythms in respect to their position to the moon, sun and stars. The earth inhales and exhales. High and low tides are great examples of the earth’s rhythms. Another example is the cycle of sap within vines. During periods of an ascending moon, the earth breathes out, and growth is focused above the soil. Sap flows upward. During a descending moon, the earth inhales, and sap is drawn downward into the soil. Like grape vines, trees react the same way. For this reason, cutting down large trees such as a maple is best avoided during an ascending moon.
Biodynamic producers time vineyard and cellar work to enhance life’s rhythms. For example, producers will rack their wines—term for removing sediment, by moving the wine from one barrel to another, generally using gravity—during a descending moon or inhalation. The theory: the gravitational pull compacts the sediment, rendering an easier racking. Also, many producers believe the increase in gravitational pull holds the aromas in the wine being racked. Thus, the aromas do not escape from the wine!
Sustainable wine refers to an agricultural system that is ecologically sound, economically viable, and socially just – a system capable of maintaining productivity indefinitely. Sustainable agriculture was addressed by Congress in the 1990 Farm Bill. Under that law, "the term sustainable agriculture means an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long term:
Conventional wine means that the winemakers us an industrialized agricultural system characterized by mechanization, monocultures, and the use of synthetic inputs such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides, with an emphasis on maximizing productivity and profitability.
Organic winemaking is a type of agricultural process that promotes the use of renewable resources and management of biological cycles to enhance biological diversity, without the use of genetically modified organisms, or synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. Organic production is a system that integrates "cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. At its most basic level, organic wine is made from grapes that have been grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides.
When a label says "organic," it means the wine has met certain standards that are set by a government agency. Different nations have their own certification criteria, so what’s organic in one country may not be so in another. Many wineries that are technically organic still choose not to be certified. There are many reasons for this. Some do not want the added costs and bureaucracy of registering. Others may disagree with their government’s standards. It can also be a marketing decision. Whatever the case, they are not allowed to use "organic" on their labels. To make the claim on its label, a wine must be made with at least 70 percent organic grapes, according to the Organic Consumers Association. There’s no official seal for "wines made from organic grapes", so you’ll have to read the label or ask the wine store owner where to find them.
Organic wine can also be broken down further to include biodynamic and sustainable wine making practices.
Biodynamic winemaking follows the teachings of Austrian anthroposophist Rudolph Steiner (1861-1925), and incorporates homeopathic treatments, as well as astronomical and astrological considerations, into the organic process. His is a system of farming and damaging natural resources to produce the highest possible crop quality. The central goal of biodynamic farming is to create and maintain unique, self-sustaining farm ecosystems. This is achieved by building and maintaining soil fertility through composting and crop rotation. Unique to biodynamic farming is the application of biodynamic preparations (organic nutrient teas) that stimulate soil and compost microbial activity and stimulate the life forces of soil and plants. For biodynamic wines, two related, prevalent ideas exist: life follows rhythms and the farm should be self-sustainable. Like organic farming, biodynamic agriculture uses no synthesized herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers. Unlike organic farming, though, biodynamic producers build upon the organic base with their adherence to life’s rhythms and a self-containing eco-system. According to wine maker and biodynamic advocate Nicolas Joly: "Organics permits nature to do its job; biodynamie permits it to do its job more."
Biodynamic growers believe that the Earth and plant life have rhythms in respect to their position to the moon, sun and stars. The earth inhales and exhales. High and low tides are great examples of the earth’s rhythms. Another example is the cycle of sap within vines. During periods of an ascending moon, the earth breathes out, and growth is focused above the soil. Sap flows upward. During a descending moon, the earth inhales, and sap is drawn downward into the soil. Like grape vines, trees react the same way. For this reason, cutting down large trees such as a maple is best avoided during an ascending moon.
Biodynamic producers time vineyard and cellar work to enhance life’s rhythms. For example, producers will rack their wines—term for removing sediment, by moving the wine from one barrel to another, generally using gravity—during a descending moon or inhalation. The theory: the gravitational pull compacts the sediment, rendering an easier racking. Also, many producers believe the increase in gravitational pull holds the aromas in the wine being racked. Thus, the aromas do not escape from the wine!
Sustainable wine refers to an agricultural system that is ecologically sound, economically viable, and socially just – a system capable of maintaining productivity indefinitely. Sustainable agriculture was addressed by Congress in the 1990 Farm Bill. Under that law, "the term sustainable agriculture means an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long term:
- Satisfy human food and fiber needs
- Enhance envionmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends
- Make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and o-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls
Sustain the economic viability of farm operation - Enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole."
Wineries that take the ecology of the vineyard into account, and try to minimize chemical treatments an energy use, are considered sustainable. Some jokingly refer to themselves as "organic unless something goes wrong."
So, do biodynamic, organic, and sustainable wines taste better than conventionally made wines? These wines communicate the maker’s passion and their commitment to nature. Biodynamic wine is an expression of the place, soil and microclimate—components of the French-term "terroir." If well made, then biodynamic wines are delicious, unique and hold a sense of place. Monty Waldin in Biodynamic Wines describes the uniqueness source as "farm individuality." This individuality often results in some of the most expressive and interesting wine out there.
Want to try a few of these dynamic wines?
Check out Bonterra Merlot (California) 2005 and Sepp Moser Gruner Veitliner 2006 (Austria).
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