Renaissance Trophy Wife

Shugar Bride requested a post on winetasting for newbies, and here it is!  Since there’s so much to cover, I decided to divide some of the basics I’ve learned into 2 posts: the first on wine tasting and exploring new wines, and the other on ordering/drinking wine in a restaurant or bar.  These posts are by no means comprehensive, and I’m not an expert– but I just really enjoy wine and food, and hopefully this will help you to get started, too.  Off we go!

Sonoma vineyards

Ground rules

Don’t be afraid to ask questions!  And feel free to have an opinion– it’s about what YOU like to drink, after all.

Let’s talk terms

Some basic vocab to get started…  a lot of it is self-explanatory, but some is unique to the wine business.  It does help to know what people mean when they talk about a wine having great legs.

• Acidity – The quality of wine that gives it its crispiness and vitality.
• Appellation system – Mostly encountered in the labeling of European wines, the appellation defines what grapes can be grown in specific areas.
• Aroma – The smell of a wine, especially young wines.  Swirling a wine in the glass aerates the molecules so that you can smell the wine’s aroma better.
• Body – Refers to the weight and texture of a wine, sometimes alcohol content; it may be light-bodied or full-bodied.  For example, skim milk would be light-bodied compared to whole milk.  You can taste similar distinctions with wines.
• Bouquet – A term for the complex aromas of an aged wine. The term is generally not applied to young wines; they have aroma, not bouquet.
• Corked, corky – Smelling of cork, or mustiness, rather than wine; due to a faulty cork that lets air into the bottle that then reacts with the wine.
• Finish – Aftertaste, or final impression the wine leaves; it can have a long finish or a short one (not desirable).
• Legs – The viscous rivulets that run down the side of the glass after swirling or sipping, a mingling of glycerin and alcohol.
• Nose – A tasting term for the aroma or bouquet of a wine; it may have a “good nose” or an “off-nose,” meaning defective odors.
• Sommelier – A trained wine expert who often works in fine restaurants.
• Tannin – A natural component found to varying degrees in the skins, seeds and stems of grapes; most prominent in red wines, where it creates a dry, puckering sensation.
• Terroir – French for soil; refers to the physical and geographical characteristics of a particular vineyard site that give the resultant wine its unique properties.
• Varietal – A wine that uses the name of the dominant grape from which it’s made, like chardonnay, pinot noir, or riesling.  Wines labeled by varietal often come from regions where lots of different types of grapes are grown in close proximity.

For a comprehensive glossary, check out The Wine Doctor’s list.

Reading the label

As a general rule, American wines are labeled by vineyard and varietal (the type of grape used to produce the wine), while European wines are classified by region.  Don’t feel intimidated; you’re not going to know everything on the label, but it’ll just help you get a feel for what to expect.

When you go to taste wines, the tasting will progress from less intense to more intense flavors.  Many restaurants also organize their wine in a progressive wine list: this categorizes wines by primary flavor characteristics, such as intensity and level of sweetness or dryness. Wines close together on the list tend to have similar tastes.

The varietals listed below are just a few that are commonly seen.

Whites:

• Riesling – fairly acidic, often sweet
• Gewürztraminer – very aromatic, especially florals and spice
• Fume Blanc/Sauvignon Blanc
• Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio – highly versatile; wines may be drier or sweeter, more fruity or more vegetal.
• Chenin Blanc – highly acidic; may range from very dry to very sweet
• Viognier – sweet, smooth white that is very fruity
• Chardonnay – buttery and smooth, very popular all-around white

Reds:

• Pinot Noir – lighter tannins and acidity, also often less intense in color; generally fruity and get rounder with age
  
• Sangiovese – has pronounced tannins and acidity and can range from more earthy to fruity
  
• Syrah/Shiraz – full-bodied wines that are spicier when young, and get fruitier as they age
  
• Merlot – rich, jammy wines when done well, but poorly produced bottles may be thin and nondescript
  
• Cabernet Sauvignon – a robust fruity red balanced with a large dose of tannins; stands up well to rich savory dishes like filet mignon
  

Dessert wines:

• Muscat – sweet, grape-smelling wine that tastes honeyed; also commonly used in sparkling wines
• Port – very full-bodied with extraordinary sweetness and depth of flavor

Getting down to business– drinking!

When you’re poured a glass of wine, use all 5 senses to get the best experience.

Swirl it around in the glass and look at the color; stick your nose in to smell the aromas, and then take a taste.  When you’re tasting, take a small sip and let it roll around on your tongue before swallowing.  You’ll also get a sense of the temperature by doing this.  Finally, listen to the (hopefully) contented sighs and pleasantly surprised exclamations of “Yum!” around you.

Side note: Temperature affects the smell and taste of the wines– flashing back to basic chem class, heat makes molecules move faster and disperse farther.  Simple and dry white wines should be consumed at the coolest temperature, whereas complex, heavier wines should be consumed at the warmest temperature (but still cool) of the whites. More expensive, higher quality wines should generally be served at the warmer temperatures, while less expensive wines generally need to be served at lower temperatures.

And really, that’s all there is to it.  Figure out which wine you like best at the tasting, and purchase a bottle to enjoy at home!

If you’re inspired to head out to wine country for a vacation, I’ve provided the inside scoop on local activities and wineries here.

Next up: navigating a restaurant’s wine list– and what exactly do you do with a cork when it’s presented to you?

Share some of your favorites below!