Hi Ladies:
So recently, I had been asked via your emails, to write a blog
about wine for the complete novice. Okay, so here goes.
First things first, sipping wine is an experience to be enjoyed and
savored. So sit back, get a glass of red wine, get comfy in front
of your laptop or desktop, and come on a journey with me.
You will only need a glass of red wine and a thirst for wine
knowledge (pun intended).
Okay, so here is a scenario: You are at a restaurant with some
friends who drink wine. They are wine enthusiasts. You, however,
are new to this whole wine drinking thing, but eager to jump in
with both feet. So, your friend orders some red wine to the table.
The sommelier brings it over and removes the cork and places it in
front of your friend on the table.
Your friend begins to examine the cork and then sniffs it? Okay,
weird but you're still with it and you fake your smile as if
you understand why he did that. Then he nods his acceptance to the
sommelier and the sommelier pours half a glass of wine in your
friend's glass.
Now things get a bit more strange (to you). He lifts up the glass
and starts staring at it in the light, then up against the white
table cloth. he mumbles something about the color being
"nice" and the clarity being "good". You think
he mentioned something about "legs" being long? Then he
puts the glass down on the table and starts swirling the glass
clockwise.
Then he completely dumbfounds you by sticking his nose all the way
into the glass and taking a big sniff in. "All-righty,"
you're thinking, "what was that all about?" Wait, it
gets better. Now, he mentions that he smells a combination of
"tobacco" and maybe a little "oak" mixed with
some "black berries." What?
At this point you are not quite sure if he is experiencing a stroke
and you should be dialing 911 as the only responsible one of the
bunch. The next thing you definitely did not see coming. He takes
some of the wine in his mouth in what starts out as a sip, and then
you hear "slurping." His expression is that of a man who
is imitating a dying fish, with the pucker and the sucking in
noises. Then he did this thing which sounded like a closed mouth
gargle. What's up with that?
You now wonder, "What did I get myself into here?" Now,
after he swallows the wine, he starts commenting about "what a
fruit bomb it is" and he thinks "it had a weak-mid
palette but a strong long-lasting finish."
So, now you understand everything about wine....Okay kidding. That
whole experience actually happened to me the first time I was about
to really experience wine. I felt like I was watching a foreign
film with no subtitles. Everything seemed laborius and lengthy and
a process. I kept thinking, "When are we just going to drink
this stuff?"
So now I will unlock the code and demystify that whole experience
for you.
Sipping wine is an experience you enjoy with all of your senses.
You use your eyes to look at the wine and determine its color and
clarity. That is why he was holding it up to the light and against
the white table cloth. The light gives you a look at the initial
color of the wine. Is it deep purple like a Cabernet Sauvignon or
is it light cranberry, like a Pinot Noir? Furthermore, the white
tablecloth gives you a background to measure that color
against.
Next, that swirling of the glass that you see is to bring air into
the glass, and by doing so you bring out the aromas and scents the
wine has. Think about it, it may have in in a bottle, tightly
corked for a few years, so this airs the wine out. Now about the
nose in the glass and sniffing. Key in on this part. This may be
the most important part of sipping wine.
Realizing that your nasal passages and your mouth and throat are
connected, your nose actually gives you a preview of what you are
going to taste. Your nose is more powerful at percieiving scents
and smells and aromas than your mouth is in perceiving taste. Thats
right, so your nose tells your brain, "Hey send a message to
the mouth that some interesting stuff is going to be on its
way".
Although your nose tires quickly it does recover quickly as well,
so the sniffing should ne done a couple of times before you sip.
That sipping and slurping and closed mouth gargle, that is the way
of taking the wine from your tongue to all parts of your mouth.
You learn in grade school that the tongue has taste receptors and
they distinguish between; sweet, salty, bitter, and so on. With
wine-tasting your whole mouth is involved. Your tongue picks up (if
done right) what your nose detected. You may detect fruit or sweet,
acidity or dryness, a lot of alcohol or very little. The
"finish"as it is referred to is the impression the wine
left on your senses.
So, now you have a glass of red wine. Follow some of these steps.
Know that whatever you smell or taste is completely your own
personal thing. No right or wrong here. Have fun with
it.
As I say to all of my clients and enthusiasts out there--"If
it's time to pour the wine, It's time for Stu The Wine
Guru. Drink Up!" Email me with any other questions at
info@stuthewineguru.com
