How To Taste Wines

Learning how to taste wines is a straightforward adventure that will deepen your appreciation for both wines and winemakers. Look, smell, taste - starting with your basic senses and expanding from there you will learn how to taste wines like the pros in no time! Keep in mind that you can smell thousands of unique scents, but your taste perception is limited to salty, sweet, sour and bitter. It is the combination of smell and taste that allows you to discern flavor.

1.  Look: Check out the Color and Clarity. Pour a glass of wine into a suitable wine glass. Then take a good look at the wine. Tilt the glass away from you and check out the color of the wine from the rim edges to the middle of the glass (it's helpful to have a white background - either paper, napkin or a white tablecloth).

What color is it? Look beyond red, white or blush. If it's a red wine is the color maroon, purple, ruby, garnet, red, brick or even brownish? If it's a white wine is it clear, pale yellow, straw-like, light green, golden, amber or brown in appearance?

2.  Still Looking. Move on to the wine's opacity. Is the wine watery or dark, translucent or opaque, dull or brilliant, cloudy or clear? Can you see sediment? Tilt your glass a bit, give it a little swirl - look again, is there sediment, bits of cork or any other floaters? An older red wine will be more translucent than younger red wines.

3.  Smell: Our sense of smell is critical in properly analyzing a glass of wine. To get a good impression of your wine's aroma, gently swirl your glass (this helps vaporize some of the wine's alcohol and release more of its natural aromas) and then take a quick whiff to gain a first impression.

4.  Still Smelling. Now stick your nose down into the glass and take a deep inhale through your nose. What are your second impressions? Do you smell oak, berry, flowers, vanilla or citrus? A wine's aroma is an excellent indicator of its quality and unique characteristics. Gently swirl the wine and let the aromas mix and mingle, and sniff again.

5.  Taste: Finally, take a taste. Start with a small sip and let it roll around your tongue. There are three stages of taste: the Attack phase, the Evolution phase and the Finish.

6.  The Attack Phase, is the initial impression that the wine makes on your palate. The Attack is comprised of four pieces of the wine puzzle: alcohol content, tannin levels, acidity and residual sugar. These four puzzle pieces display initial sensations on the palate. Ideally these components will be well-balanced one piece will not be more prominent than the others. These four pieces do not display a specific flavor per se, they meld together to offer impressions in intensity and complexity, soft or firm, light or heavy, crisp or creamy, sweet or dry, but not necessarily true flavors like fruit or spice.

7.  The Evolution Phase is next, also called the mid-palate or middle range phase, this is the wine’s actual taste on the palate. In this phase you are looking to discern the flavor profile of the wine. If it’s a red wine you may start noting fruit – berry, plum, prune or fig; perhaps some spice – pepper, clove, cinnamon, or maybe a woody flavor like oak, cedar, or a detectable smokiness. If you are in the Evolution Phase of a white wine you may taste apple, pear, tropical or citrus fruits, or the taste may be more floral in nature or consist of honey, butter, herbs or a bit of earthiness.

8.  The Finish is appropriately labeled as the final phase. The wine's finish is how long the flavor impression lasts after it is swallowed. This is where the wine culminates, where the aftertaste comes into play. Did it last several seconds? Was it light-bodied (like water) or full-bodied (like the consistency of milk)? Can you taste the remnant of the wine on the back of your mouth and throat? Do you want another sip or was the wine too bitter at the end? What was your last flavor impression – fruit, butter, oak? Does the taste persist or is it short-lived?

9.  After you have taken the time to taste your wine, you might record some of your impressions. Did you like the wine overall? Was it sweet, sour or bitter? How was the wine's acidity? Was it well balanced? Does it taste better with cheese, bread or a heavy meal? Will you buy it again? If so, jot the wine's name, producer and vintage year down for future reference

Pairing Wines with Foods

A Few Hints to Start Your Matchmaking

Like a good marriage, wine and food were meant for each other. Each enhances and strengthens the experience of the whole. So why is it so daunting to try to pair foods with wines? Rumor has it that there are hefty laundry lists of rules and regulations that require strict adherence in order to obtain the perfect wine and food pairing.

Grab a pen and paper to write down rule #1.

Rule #1 states that there are NO rules when matching your favorite wines with your beloved recipes, sure there are hints and popular, even “famous” matches, but ultimately the best match is what pleases your palate. It is truly personal preference. That said, here are some hints to help you determine what might be palate pleasing for you personally.

Flavor Interactions First let’s consider flavor interactions. You are only able to detect four distinct flavors with your tongue: sweet, sour, salty and bitter; while your nose is able to decipher over 200 different aromas. Between the combination of sensory uptakes from both your tongue and your mouth you are able to experience a vast array of flavor characteristics and nuances. As you begin to pair wines with foods, keep in mind that the flavors of the foods can both contradict and compliment wine selections, and both can be good. For example, a sweet Riesling can make a bag of salty chips taste even more appealing by contrasting the saltiness while yielding some of its intrinsic sweetness, or when paired with a rich dessert like cheesecake the sweetness of the wine would likely mellow in flavor due to the overriding influence of the cheesecake.

Heavy vs. Light Next, consider whether a dish is “heavy” or “light” in nature, the difference between a meal consisting of steak and potatoes or one that tends toward a chicken and vegetable stir-fry. In general, most people seem to prefer heartier foods paired with fuller-bodied red wines and lighter fare to be complimented by more delicate white wines. Again, these are preference generalizations, a place to start and then experiment with your own combinations. Some tend to find it easier to remember red wines with red meats and white wines enhance white meats.

Other Factors to Consider Other factors to take into account when looking at pairing potentials is the foods acidity. Acidic foods, like a Greek salad or lemon-based sauce work well with wines that share an acidic undertone (Pinot Grigio for example). While foods that lean to the sweeter side, like a chicken apple salad, tend to pair well with wines that are just a bit drier than the food they are to compliment (for example an off-dry Riesling).

Whatever match you make with foods and wines, enjoy the adventure, and don’t get too caught up in the rumored regulations. Make a note of pairings you’ve enjoyed for future reference and keep mixing and matching to learn how each component offers influences, be they subtle or strong.

Selecting Wines

The three "P"s of selecting wines are Price, Preference and Pairing. Keep these in mind when visiting your local wine merchant and you will likely come away with a winning wine.

Price

The price you are willing to pay (or not pay) for a bottle of wine is a key determining factor in selecting a wine that is right for you. Gone are the days when you could only buy a "good" bottle of wine for over $30. In today's market there are plenty of great wines available for around $15, some for considerably less. So rest assured that you won't have to drop a bundle of money to experiment with various wines. A decent wine merchant will be able to give you plenty of suggestions in your stated price range.

Preference

Ahh, preferences. We all have them and they often change in a moments notice, but with wine preferences let them be swayed by what you will be drinking them with or who you will be sharing them with. For example, if you are hosting a happy hour get together, your preferences might lean towards "safe" reds and whites. For people that may not be accustomed to heavier-bodied, heartier wines, give them a break - buy a softer Merlot or Pinot Noir (sometimes referred to as "Starter Reds"). For a white, who doesn't enjoy a refreshing Gewurztraminer? If you are seeking to experiment with a new varietal, then talking to your local wine merchant about wines, styles and labels, that you have enjoyed in the past and asking for specific recommendations should provide sufficient direction for another great find. If you are new to wines and are looking for a few suggestions - try a Riesling , Gewurztraminer, or a Muscat dessert wine if sweeter wines suit your fancy. If you prefer a dry white wine then look for a Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc. As for reds, starting with a Gamay, Pinot Noir, or Merlot if you do not want anything too complex or full-bodied. If you are looking to turn up the complexity meter, then go with a great California Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah (or Shiraz if its from Australia) or a Zinfandel.

Pairing

If you are looking for a wine specifically to pair with dinner tonight, then take into account what the key ingredients will be. Will it be white or red meat? Will you be using fresh or dried herbs and what types? Will the dish be spicy or fruit-filled? These questions can play a key role in deciding which wines will pair well with specific entrees. In general, white wines accent lighter flavored meals really well; while, red wines
often compliment heartier meals a bit better. Keep in mind that pairing foods and wines is 99% personal preference and 1% science.

The Wine List – What’s Included

A well-written wine list will include the wine’s producer and country of origin, the vintage, specific varietal tasting notes and offer suggestions for ideal food pairings. Get a feel for everyone’s wine preferences – white or red, sweet or dry and what types of food people will be ordering. If there are votes for both whites and reds, consider a palatable compromise - leaning towards a heavy white, like an oak-filled Chardonnay or a lighter red, a Pinot Noir or even a light-bodied Merlot. Or go crazy and order one of each. Keep in mind that a typical bottle of wine (750 ml) should serve 3 people enjoying in moderation. On a linguistic note, if you are uncertain of a wine’s pronounciation, and don’t want to go out on a limb, refer to the bin number if available or point to the selection and wait for your server to do the honors – it happens all the time.

The Decision Is Made, Now What?

Buckle up, the winning wine is on its way. First things first, the server should show you the unopened wine’s label so that you can verify that the wine that has arrived is in fact the wine you ordered. Check the varietal , vintage and producer. After the wine label checks out the server will open the bottle and present you with the cork. Now what? No need to smell it, like Hollywood advocates – but do take a look at the end to make sure it hasn’t crumbled (an indication that it may have been stored improperly) and see that the cork is not dried out or cracked throughout. Next the server will pour a small sample for you to taste . Begin by observing the wine’s color and clarity. Is it cloudy or brownish in color? Only very old vintages should have this appearance. Now give the wine a good sniff. Do you smell any vinegar (sign of oxidation) or musty cork (sign of faulty cork) smells? Taste the sample, is it in good condition, free of any apparent oxidation or “corked” flavors? If so, tell your server that it is a keeper and he/she will pour the selection for the table. Quick tip - this process from label check to tasting check should only take about 30 seconds.

A great wine can bring a whole new dimension to your dining experience. Ordering the wine should be just as enjoyable as drinking it. Keep these tips in mind the next time you are holding the leather-bound list and you will be well on your way to making an informed decision in selecting and enjoying the winning wine(s) to join your table.