“Yes Winston, I agree.  Fantastic notes of vanilla and raspberries.”

“I agree my dear, and is that a hint of tobacco?”

“AH, you are so right my love.”

Ahem… sound familiar? 

If you’ve ventured out to a tasting room by now, than I’m sure you’ve had the pleasure of overhearing a similar conversation, and let me guess… you wondered what the heck those people were smelling.  Perhaps you even plunged your nose into your own glass and took a long deep drag just to come up and say, “I smell wine”.  Or, perhaps you did detect a familiar aroma, but just couldn’t place your finger on it.  Don’t fret.

Recently some friends of mine received a gift of a “wine essence kit” from Wine Enthusiasts.  I ogle this kit myself every time I get my newest Wine Enthusiasts catalog.   So I was really excited when they invited my husband and I to join them in a, well I guess you could call it a “smelling party”.  Together we sat around and sniffed the tiny bottles of over 30 different essences.  Then took guesses at what it was.  Trust me my friend… you are not the only one that simply “smells wine”.  However, I have to say that this exercise went a long way in the start of helping us all identify those smells that waft up from a good glass of wine, and I look forward to trying it all again.

I would definitely recommend the purchase of this kit.  You can find it at Wine Enthusiast’s website of course, and I’ve also discovered that it is available at Amazon.com.  The kit is quite pricey, from an amateur wino’s perspective that is.  So if it’s more than you want to spend, see if some of your amateur wino friends want to go in on it with you.  The kit really isn’t designed to be a “party game”, but as we discovered, it is a lot of fun to experience with friends, and really does help to develop that nose for wine.

Want more learning fun?  Here’s what I suggest…. Pick a wine to try, it can be one you’ve had often, or something new to experience.  Then read the label.  You know by now that most wine’s have a description on the label of it’s qualities, such as cherry, vanilla or currant.  Choose two or three, or even all, of those qualities and purchase those items from the store.   As you enjoy your wine take time to smell those items and then smell the wine.  Taste.  Then taste the items, and taste the wine again.  By comparing the flavors and smells side by side, you’ll begin to identify the different qualities in your wine and in the long run develop your palate… and your nose.

That way on your next wine tasting visit you can confidently turn and say:

“Oh my dear Buffy… I don’t think that is tobacco…. I believe that’s black pepper you smell… Mahrvelous isn’t it.”

Until next time…… Happy Tasting~

At any rate, like a good wife… ok, ok like a good wino…. I dutifully stopped at the store for some wine to go with dinner.  After searching the isle for something new I came across a bottle of 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon from the Two Vines label of Columbia Crest located in Paterson, Washington.  I was curious about the wine for two reasons, 1. somewhere in the back of my mind I remembered a review about the Two Vines product, and 2. I recently read an article discussing wines from Washington and their surprising caliber.  So, always up for research, I picked up the bottle for around $7 on sale and took it home to my waiting wino husband.

Needless to say after he eagerly approached the bottle he was a little less than enthused to discover that I had brought home a $7 wine from Washington, as this was not his idea of a “decent” everyday drinking wine.  I explained to him why I chose that particular wine and being the good sport…. ok the good wino… that he is, he proceeded to open the bottle and decant the wine.

About 30 minutes later we took our first sip and were both pleasantly surprised by the flavor of this wine.  Being that it was a Cabernet it was definitely NOT destined to be a subtle wine, but so many times we have come across a Cab that has disappointed us in it’s ability to stand up and yell out “look at me… I’m WINE”.  Rather, Columbia Crest’s Two Vines Cab was a strong, dare I say, “robust”, speciman.  Neither did it fall flat in taste like so many “bargain” wines do. 

Before writing this post, I read an additional review of this same wine posted earlier this year on another blog site that, ahem… shall remain nameless.  In it, the reviewer states great disappointment with this wine due to it’s high tannic content and lack of “fruit in the mouth”.  Ok… to each wino his own opinion.  However, here is an important note: 

Firstly… if you are going to drink an unknown (even if only unknown to you) “bargain” wine, especially a Cabernet, you might want to start with decanting it.  This will mellow out strong tannic characteristics, but only to a degree, see Cabernet is typically tannic.  Perhaps it is due to it’s thick skin, where so much of a grapes tannins live.  But if you like a dry wine, as my hubby and I do, tannins aren’t necessarily a bad thing.  Just be sure to let your Cab age well, or decant it for a while before drinking.

Secondly, and again… I AM an amateur here, but in my opinion if you are looking for fruit flavors from a wine, Cabernet is not the way to go.  Cabs tend to be characterized with green pepper and tobacco flavors, and yes in some instances they can be full of fruit.  However, the younger they are, the more the tannins will win out over that fruit flavor.

So dear reader it’s really up to you.  Don’t take my word for it, and don’t take so-in-so’s word for it either.  The point is… (now that I’ve finished my cabernet ranting) drink what YOU like, but don’t let a wines region sway you from discounting it altogether.  You might just find a bargain wine, suitable for pairing with Turkey Burgers!

 Until next time….. Happy Tasting!

A Veteran at party planning I was very worried that we would run out of beer before the night was over.  So imagine my surprise when at the end of the evening we packed up almost ALL of the beer for her to take back home!  Which means that the majority of the party goers chose to drink wine.

Although we all know that drinking wine is more popular than ever, I guess I hadn’t really realized how strongly the wine bug is spreading.  Only 1 of the 7 bottles of wine got sent back home when the party was over.  This taught me a valuable party planning lesson… never underestimate the appeal of wine over another type of cocktail! 

See we decided to offer the party guests a choice thinking that because it was a mixed crowd of couples, there would be a demand for something other than wine.  How wrong we were!  Not only could we have served only wine and never heard a single complaint from the bar, we could have saved on our party budget by eliminating the option of beer. 

Of course all that leftover beer won’t go to waste.  It will get consumed in time, but now I’m sure we’ve offended the Galaxy of the Vines with our silly underestimation of the power of the vino and will have much groveling to do to make up for our lack of loyalty.  But as long as that groveling includes drinking wine I don’t mind.

So keep this in mind the next time you are planning a gathering.  With the Wine Bug spreading so feverishly, don’t spend time worrying about stocking your bar with numerous drink options for your guest.  Offer a variety of wines instead and let the good times roll!

 Until next time…. Happy Tasting!

However, the title of the movie got me to wondering, especially because there was only one reference in the movie to the words “bottle shock”, after which this phenom was not explained.

So, like any curious cat, I googled it.

Turns out that bottle shock most commonly occurs right after bottling, when the wine may come into contact with the air during it’s transport, causing the wine to be temporarily muted or flat in flavor.  This is a rare instance these days because so little wine comes in contact with that much oxygen during the bottling process, thanks to the advance of technology.

The line about “bottle shock” in the movie was in actuality more of a reference to a more common occurrence known in wine circles as “travel shock” or “bottle sickness”.  This occurs when a bottle has been shaken or disturbed in transport, and the perfect balance of the wine is disrupted, causing temporary changes in the aroma and taste of the wine.

Notice I said temporary.  Neither Bottle Shock or Travel Shock (sickness) is a permanent effect on your wine.  When stored properly the wine will typically return to it’s proper equilibrium within a few weeks.  Which is good to know if you currently receive wine club shipments through some sort of shipping carrier.  Let those bottles sit for about a month before you open them… just in case.

Until next time…. Happy Tasting!

In it’s country of origin, France, the grape is known primarily as Syrah.  It is also widely know under that name in Europe, Argentina, Chile and most of the United States.  The name Shiraz, however, is usually used in Australia wines.  Did you notice I said “usually”?

Until recently I always believed that the name Shiraz was onlyused in Australia.  However, I am noticing more and more US vineyards labeling as Shiraz over Syrah. (say that ten times fast)  So I ask myself, what gives?  What is the difference?

According to Wikipedia there are many a myth behind the tiny grape that makes a mighty wine.  Some say the grape was first grown in the city Shiraz located in Iran and that the French used the synonym Syrah when it was brought to the Rhone valley.  Another says the grapes were brought from Syracuse by a Roman Emperor.  However, there exists not a single drop of evidence to support either myth.  So what might make a winery choose to use one name over the other.

The wines made from the grapes in France and Europe are what you might call “old school” or “classic” wines if you will, and a label indicating Syrah may mean that the wine has been made in the style in which French winemakers would do.  On the flip side, if the label says Shirazthis might indicate a more “modern” style of wine.  Like one that is produced in Australia.  (it would be good to note here that neither of these names should be confused with a petite sirah, which is an entirely different grape, and post, altogether)

So which is better?  AH…. only your palate can tell you that!  My husband and I are particularly fond of Shiraz grown in Australia.  While that is just our amateur opinion you might like to try it out yourself.  Here are two of our favorites:

Greg Norman Estates Limestone Coast Shiraz

McWilliams Hanwood Estates Shiraz

Either way you say it…. Syrah … or Shiraz….   It all adds up to one good glass of wine.

Until next time…..  Happy Tasting!

Now I’m not saying that it’s time to leave that grocery wine isle behind or to abandon it completely.  You must remember where your wine roots began, and usually it’s within that grocery isle.  Plus, it’s still going to be a great “go to” place to pick up a nice bottle for dinner or a bottle for the hostess as you’re on your way to a friends house.  However, if you are ready for some new and exciting adventures with wine (and I think you are) it’s time to start visiting and tasting at actual vineyards. 

Of course not everyone lives in the heart of
Napa right?  And trust me my fellow winos… no one wants to drive for hours to get home after a good tasting.  So just how is one to discover the wineries that are close to their area? 

Word of mouth is probably the fastest way to learn about wineries in your area.  Watch the paper for local farmer’s markets or special food related events.  Sometimes local vineyards will have a booth at these types of events.  When you are dining at a local restaurant, ask your waiter if they feature or carry any wines from local vineyards.  You’d be surprised how many might actually do so.  This may especially be true if  the restaurant is a smaller, non-chain type establishment.

WineWeb.com, an online database of 35,000 wineries and 200,000 Wines, is another great source for finding wineries in your area.  Among many of the features they offer, you can search for wineries in your area, or an area you are visiting, by using their advanced search by zip code option.  To do so simply click on the “advanced search” link located on their home page under “search wineries”.  Then select the “closest wineries” link under the world map on the next page.  From there you can enter your zip code and choose to see the closest 10, 25 or 50 wineries. This is also great if you will be taking a trip and want to visit a winery while you are in a particular area. 

Once you’ve found a winery with a tasting room that is close to you make it a point to stop in and do some tasting.  You can expect to pay anywhere from $10 to $15 for a flight of 5 to 6 wines, and no you won’t be required to purchase a bottle.  So if you hate what you taste no worries, you won’t be stuck going home with something you don’t love.  Usually if I am visiting a winery and am not going to purchase a bottle right then and there I ask if they have a website or an email address where I can purchase from later.  This usually quiets the awkward “do you want to buy a bottle” silence that follows a less than stellar tasting. However, they may offer you a discount for purchasing in the tasting room so don’t be surprised if they don’t take your first “no thank you” to heart. 

Some wineries also offer monthly or quarterly wine clubs.  We’ll discuss wine clubs in more detail in another article, but even if you absolutely love the wine, don’t be too quick to join the club of the winery you are visiting.  There will be other wineries with other wines to taste and you might find one you like even better.  While there is nothing wrong with belonging to more than one club you definitely want to do your homework before joining.  It’s not uncommon for some wine clubs to require a minimum period of time for commitment to their club.  Not to mention you could end up overextending yourself where your “wine budget” comes in to play.  My husband and I just recently joined the wine club of a local vineyard in our area, however we tasted their wines several times and over a period of a couple of years before we actually made the commitment. 

Once you’ve visited a local winery you’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll start to learn about others in your area or ones that may only be an hour or two away.  If you enjoy the vineyard experience, and I think you will, start planning more trips to visit some of those out of the way places.   My point is to get out there and explore you winos!  The possibilities are endless!

Until next time….. Happy Tasting!

To be completely honest I was unsure of the differences myself, why are some shallow and fat, while others are long and thin?  I pondered this question when one night while dining out, the waitress removed the wine glass alreadyplaced before me and said that she would bring me a “red wine” glass and be right back.  What was the difference I wondered?  Does it really matter what glass you are drinking from?  Would it make my wine taste differently?  I mean, I recently watched a movie that was set in the wine country of France and the characters there were constantly drinking their wine from what looked like good old juice glasses…. hmm… Time to research..

Turns out that certain wine glasses can make you experience different characteristics of your wine!  The width of the mouth of the glasses can be specifically designed to deliver the wine to areas of the mouth that are most favorable to the characteristics of certain varietals.  The other most common reason for the difference in sizes, is that some wines like the ones of the red varietals, need more oxidation, or time to breathe, than others.  Therefore, a wider mouth on the wine glass allows more air to  reach the wine and quickens the oxidation process.  Sparkling wines like champagne are served in long slender glasses as this allows the “sparkling” effect to continue for a longer period of time.

An additional difference in wine glasses is the material from which they are made.  Some are made from cut glass, some from blown glass, and others from what is referred to as “lead crystal”.  The type of glass will not affect the way your wine tastes however.  The difference in the glass more commonly affects the way a wines clarity will come across when in the glass.  In my humble wino opinion, this is a feature that is most popular for serious wine drinkers.  As an amateur wino, I’m not terribly concerned with my wines clarity in the glass.  I’m more concerned with my wine making it from my glass to my mouth. 

Another popular difference in wine glasses is a stemmed glass versus a stemless glass.   In actuality, the stem of a wine glass serves a purpose, it’s there for you to hold on to your wine glass sure, but it’s also the most proper method for drinking wine.  Holding the glass by the stem, and not the bowl, insures that the contact from the warmth of your hand will not interfere with the temperature of your wine and as you probably know by now, temperature will make a difference in taste.  It also prevents from leaving unsightly fingerprints on the bowl of the glass, which can affect the color and clarity of your wine.  In case you missed it…. see the previous paragraph for my opinion on the clarity of wine in a glass. 

Most casual drinkers won’t care much whether they have the proper glass for Merlot or Chardonnay.  I’ll admit that I’ve been know to drink my Pinot Noir from a red dixie cup when at a barbecue or camping, but it’s not a bad idea to have one set of white wine glasses and one set of red wine glasses if you so choose.  It just might not be necessary to pick up every variety of glass out there. 

If you are very serious about matching your wine with your glass, or maybe you will be hosting a special occasion and want to leave a good impression with all your wine drinking friends,  Riedel has a great online tool for picking the right glass at www.wineglassguide.com.  You simply choose your wine varietal from the menu and it will supply you with a variety of wine glasses appropriate to use with your wine, complete with visual aides.

Until next time… I’m off to master the art of drinking wine by holding my glass by the stem…  Happy Tasting!

Now I’m not saying that it’s time to leave that grocery wine isle behind or to abandon it completely.  You must remember where your wine roots began, and usually it’s within that grocery isle.  Plus, it’s still going to be a great “go to” place to pick up a nice bottle for dinner or a bottle for the hostess as you’re on your way to a friends house.  However, if you are ready for some new and exciting adventures with wine (and I think you are) it’s time to start visiting and tasting at actual vineyards. 

Of course not everyone lives in the heart of
Napa right?  And trust me my fellow winos… no one wants to drive for hours to get home after a good tasting.  So just how is one to discover the wineries that are close to their area? 

Word of mouth is probably the fastest way to learn about wineries in your area.  Watch the paper for local farmer’s markets or special food related events.  Sometimes local vineyards will have a booth at these types of events.  When you are dining at a local restaurant, ask your waiter if they feature or carry any wines from local vineyards.  You’d be surprised how many might actually do so.  This may especially be true if  the restaurant is a smaller, non-chain type establishment.

WineWeb.com, an online database of 35,000 wineries and 200,000 Wines, is another great source for finding wineries in your area.  Among many of the features they offer, you can search for wineries in your area, or an area you are visiting, by using their advanced search by zip code option.  To do so simply click on the “advanced search” link located on their home page under “search wineries”.  Then select the “closest wineries” link under the world map on the next page.  From there you can enter your zip code and choose to see the closest 10, 25 or 50 wineries. This is also great if you will be taking a trip and want to visit a winery while you are in a particular area. 

Once you’ve found a winery with a tasting room that is close to you make it a point to stop in and do some tasting.  You can expect to pay anywhere from $10 to $15 for a flight of 5 to 6 wines, and no you won’t be required to purchase a bottle.  So if you hate what you taste no worries, you won’t be stuck going home with something you don’t love.  Usually if I am visiting a winery and am not going to purchase a bottle right then and there I ask if they have a website or an email address where I can purchase from later.  This usually quiets the awkward “do you want to buy a bottle” silence that follows a less than stellar tasting. However, they may offer you a discount for purchasing in the tasting room so don’t be surprised if they don’t take your first “no thank you” to heart. 

Some wineries also offer monthly or quarterly wine clubs.  We’ll discuss wine clubs in more detail in another article, but even if you absolutely love the wine, don’t be too quick to join the club of the winery you are visiting.  There will be other wineries with other wines to taste and you might find one you like even better.  While there is nothing wrong with belonging to more than one club you definitely want to do your homework before joining.  It’s not uncommon for some wine clubs to require a minimum period of time for commitment to their club.  Not to mention you could end up overextending yourself where your “wine budget” comes in to play.  My husband and I just recently joined the wine club of a local vineyard in our area, however we tasted their wines several times and over a period of a couple of years before we actually made the commitment. 

Once you’ve visited a local winery you’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll start to learn about others in your area or ones that may only be an hour or two away.  If you enjoy the vineyard experience, and I think you will, start planning more trips to visit some of those out of the way places.   My point is to get out there and explore you winos!  The possibilities are endless!

Until next time….. Happy Tasting!

Why?     Good question.

When it really comes down to it one of the basic reasons for decanting a wine is presentation.  Decanting is the most common way to separate the sediment often found in some of the more mature wines, from the wine itself.  Sediment occurs more often in red wines and/or older, well aged wines and is basically a break down of certain particles found in wine.  More often than not sediment is the result of wines that haven’t been meticulously filtered over and over again during the wine making process.   Some wine makers do not employ this rigorous filtering process as not doing so allows the wine more opportunity to develop over time in the bottle, thus more sediment. 

When wine is poured into a decanter, the sediment tends to stay in the bottle, leaving what has been poured as a clear presentation of your wine.  Though it is not very palatable, it is harmless.  Some believe that the practice of decanting a wine also helps improve the quality, as well as the taste of the wine, since decanting affords a greater surface exposure of the wine to oxygen. 

“But wait!”, you say, “Oxygen is wine’s enemy”.  This is very true.  Extended exposure to oxygen promotes the growth of certain microbes that grow in the wine, turning it to “vinegar”.  This is why a wine is usually only good for a few days after it’s been opened.  However, some experts believe that a limited amount of exposure to oxygen actually improves the quality and softens flavors and characteristics of some wines.  This is what is known as letting a wine breathe.  It usually isn’t necessary to let a wine “breathe” for more than 30 minutes.  I personally think this is a good practice for younger vintages of wine, because I am a true believer that it does help develop some of those flavors.  It shouldn’t be necessary at all to let older vintages “breathe” since older vintages have already spent a good amount of time developing in the bottle.  Again these are my personal opinions, and it’s really up to the wine drinker to decide what they prefer.

Another great reason for decanting your wine goes back again to presentation.  Decanters dress up your table and really make guest feel special.  You don’t have to spend a great deal of money on a bottle of wine, simply decanting it makes it look and feel expensive. 

There is a large variety of great decanters out there.  They come in various shapes and sizes, and can range in price from as much as $300 to as little as $30.  Here are a few examples: (you can click on the product picture for more information and purchasing information)

Riedel Decanter - Advertiser: Zappos.com   Price: $35.00 

 Luigi Bormioli Decanter - Advertiser: Cooking.com Price: $29.95
Riedel - Decanter - Advertiser:Zappos.com   Price: $331.00 

The price you pay is going to vary depending on the maker and the amount of lead crystal used to create the decanter.  It could also vary depending on whether the decanter was machine made or hand blown.  While it’s not entirely necessary to spend a large amount of money, a nice decanter should definitely be a part of your wine bar inventory. 

Until next time…. happy tasting!

How does one train their palate?  Well essentially every time you taste a flavor, any flavor, say in your morning fruit bowl or the spices you add to your dinner, and commit that flavor to your memory, you are training your palate.   Being able to pick those individual flavors out of a wine is a whole other story.  What that takes is tasting of wine, lots and lots of tasting.  For most of us this will only come with time.  If you really want to get serious about developing your palate you can read the wine’s description on the label.  There you will usually find notes about the wines flavor characteristics, such as pear or blackberry etc.  Before leaving the store, pick up a few of those items and taste them along with your wine.  Take the time to smell them as well because the aroma is also a part of the wines palate. 

As for me, this amateur wino says, if the wine tastes good, drink up, but do take a quick moment on your first sip to really taste the wine and see if you can identify at least one flavor undertone.  If you can’t, no worries, practice makes perfect right?!

Now what about learning to love those hearty reds and their dry characteristics, or even the sweetness of some whites?  Well, developing a wine palate and training your taste buds are really two different things.  Remember when you were a kid and you refused to eat your veggies?  Or how about when you swore you’d never eat onions? or tomatoes?  That was me…. and now I eat both…. GASP!  I’m sure all of you have a similar story.  See as we get older, we typically try new things and thus expand our tastes.  The more we try these new flavors, the more accustomed our taste buds become to them and the more we will accept them as “good” flavors.  It’s the same way with wine.  So essentially the answer again is to taste, and taste again, and then taste again. 

The more you taste different wines, the more accustomed you will become of some of those characteristics that you couldn’t stomach in the beginning.  I remember the first time I had a sip of red wine, I couldn’t imagine anything in the world worse than that. DOUBLE GASP!  But… I was only 19 and had yet to discover the joy of those hearty flavors.  Of course there will always be some flavors that you will never be fond of, and should you find that to be the case with a particular variety of wine, don’t force it!  However, do try the same variety from a different region.  It could be that you aren’t fond of the grapes grown in France, but absolutely love the grapes grown in Australia, as is the case for me.  After that, if you still don’t like a particular variety… move on to something else.   Drinking something you just don’t like does absolutely nothing for your experience.  With so many varieties of grapes available today, you are bound to find one you will love! 

Until next time…. Happy tasting!!