Treat ‘Em Right:
To ensure that the handcrafted wines you receive are at their very best:
-
Let them “rest” for a few days in a cool, dark spot.
-
Chill whites, but take them out of the fridge 10 minutes before serving.
-
Pop reds into the fridge 10 minutes before serving.
Then swirl, sip and savor!
An Easy Way to Identify Aromas and Flavors:
1. Gather items that echo either the tasting notes or the winemaker comments for the aromas and flavors of a wine.
For Example: For Chardonnay, try things like lemon zest and pineapple juice, slices of banana, apple, pear, peach, apricot, and of course, fresh butter. For Cabernet, use blackberries, black cherries, coffee, vanilla, spices, dark chocolate, a cigar, and bell pepper.
2. Smell each group blindfolded.
3. Taste the wine. Which elements show up in the wine?
Horizontal Tasting
In this type of tasting, all the wines are the same varietal, from the same vintage. You can choose wines from different vineyards, different wineries or different regions. We like to select wines from a particular region and compare their differences. For example, you could do a tasting of Paso Robles Zinfandels from 2013. The differences you will see from grapes grown on the east side and west side of Paso Robles are astonishing.
Vertical Tasting
This is where all the wines come from one selected winery, or AVA, and are the same varietal, but different vintages. Here you can see how the terroir (the growing environment) affects the vineyard and the grapes it produces year to year. You will also see how age changes the wine.
Blind Tasting
Usually in a blind tasting, you are tasting wines all from the same varietal, which is revealed beforehand, but you do not know what region the wine is from. You might taste Chardonnays and have to discern if a wine is from the Old World (Europe) or New World (USA, Australia, New Zealand, etc.).
DOUBLE Blind Tasting
This is the ultimate in fun and difficulty. In a double-blind tasting, bottles are usually wrapped in a bag and all are of different varietals and vintages. When we do one of these tastings, we try to figure out the varietal, the vintage (before or after a designated year) and if it is Old World or New World.
Start by choosing your charcuterie (shahr-cute-uh-ree) or prepared meat products.
• Salami and prosciutto are party time favorites, they’ll do great.
Bread is key for a couple of reasons. Firstly, you’ll be drinking wine and will need something substantial for mealtime. Secondly, there are usually beautiful bakeries with handcrafted breads in or around most wine regions—find a local bakery and then don’t be frugal!
Choose:
• French bread
• Italian batârd
• Olive bread
• Walnut bread
Cheese is always a good idea– it is wine’s best friend. Include:
• hard cheese
• soft cheese
• buttery cheese
• smooth cheese
• cheese that will bite you back (‘funky’ is
what they say about these cheeses)
Choose seasonally driven bits and pieces – the more the merrier:
• fruits and melons
• berries and bee honey
• jams and olives
• dried apricots and figs
• pickled peppers and gherkins
• nuts
The Evolution of Your Wine Palate
The more wines you try, at different levels of quality and in different ways, the more your palate will evolve.
• It may start with your nose. Swirl your glass, breathe deep and you may be surprised at the aromas you discover.
• Tasting side-by-side bottlings of a single varietal can really help your palate hone
in on the varietal's attributes.
• You can also enhance your palate by enjoying wine with food.
Entertaining with Wine
• How much wine should you have on hand? One half to three quarters of a bottle per wine-drinking person is a common rule.
• Travel may cause “bottle shock” in a wine and off-flavors might result. Let your wines rest on their sides in a cool, dark place for a few days before uncorking.
• Uncork and taste your wines just before guests arrive. If there is a “corked” or “cooked” bottle, you can replace it ahead of time.
• For festive occasions, greet your guests with Sparkling wine.
• During your meals, use ice buckets. Move red wines in and out of the bucket periodically to maintain a temperature of about 55°, whites can stay put.
• Sweets love sweets. Most desserts pair best with a dessert wine or a Port. As an alternative, you can serve a bowl of walnuts for cracking and good dark chocolate with a big red wine.
Entertaining with Wine
Take a bottle of (unchilled) bubbly as a gift for the host. If they choose to chill and serve it, it will pair well with a wide variety of foods. Or they can save it to enjoy another time.
Training Your Palate
The Swirl
Give yourself the best chance to fully note the wine’s aromas by swirling your glass gently, then deeply inhaling the wine’s nose. Try it again. Did you take in more fragrances on the second swirl?
The Slurp
We all know that oxygen is bad for wine. Yet, when you take your first couple of sips of wine, oxygen is your friend. The slurp technique relies on taking in a bit of air just as the wine hits your tongue. The flavors will pop out on your palate. Let the wine roll around your tongue a while for the complete flavor tour.
Experience Acidity
When reviewers call a wine tart, bright or crisp, they’re referring to acidity. Cold-climate grapes yield wines with greater acidity. White wines tend to have more acidity than reds. To savor acidity, take a bite of a crisp green apple, taste a lemon or sip a glass of lemonade. Acidity causes you to salivate. It’s a mouthwatering sensation that makes you want more. Now try a Sauvignon Blanc and a Pinot Grigio and note the difference in acidity.
Tea & Tannins
Tannins can be smooth or astringent. Sharpen your ability to detect tannins with 3 cups of black tea. Let cup 1 steep for 1 minute, cup 2 for 2 minutes, and cup 3 for 3 minutes. Compare the teas. They will show a gradation of astringency similar to the tannins in wine. Try tasting a Cabernet and a Merlot and see if you can note the difference in the tannins.
Identify Aromas & Flavors
Gather two groups of items that echo wine’s aromas and flavors. Smell each group blindfolded, then taste the wine -- which elements show up in the wine?
Chardonnay: Lemon zest, pineapple juice, banana, apple, pear, peach, apple, apricot
Cabernet Sauvignon: Blackberries, black cherries, coffee, vanilla, spices, dark chocolate, cigar, bell pepper
Recommended Serving Temperatures:
• 60-65 degrees: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Nebbiolo, red Bordeaux blends, Sangiovese, Syrah, Zinfandel
• 55-60 degrees: Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Pinot Noir, Port, Tempranillo
• 55 degrees: Beaujolais, Gamay
• 50-55 degrees: Chardonnay, white Bordeaux blends
• 50 degrees: Riesling, Viognier, Gewürztraminer
• 45 degrees: Chenin Blanc, Pinot Gris/Grigio, Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc
• 43-45 degrees: Ice wine, Sauternes, sparkling wines
Quick Fix
• Pop reds in the fridge for 5-10 minutes before serving.
• Take whites out of the fridge 10 minutes before serving.
Decanting Do and Don't
Decanting mimics swirling wine in a glass to add oxygen.
• Most wines do not require decanting. But if you prefer serving from a pretty decanter, go for it!
• Decanting big, tannic reds (like young Napa Cabernet Sauvignon) will release aromas and help smooth out tannins before serving.
• Decanting aged wines can help keep sediment in the bottle, but delicate fruit aromas in aged wines risk being lost if it “breathes” too long.
Sediment Smarts
• Typically found in red wines aged eight or more years, sediment is harmless and is not a flaw.
• It can be either tiny crystals (tartrates) or bits of leftover grapes and yeast (lees).
• Often the result of an artisan winemaker choosing to bottle wine unfiltered to create deeper color and richer texture. Since no one wants bits floating in their wine, it’s best to rid the wine of the sediment when serving.
Got Time?
Stand the bottle upright for a day or two to collect the sediment at the bottom of the bottle. Then slowly pour the wine into a decanter, leaving the last few sips in the bottle.
Can’t Wait?
Decant the wine through an unbleached coffee filter.