wine wisdom

Publisher: Tom WollEditor: Claire ThompsonManaging Editor: Jacquline A. MartinEditorial Production: David denBoer, Nighthawk Design

This text is printed on acid free paper.

Copyright 1993 by Dewey Markham, Jr.Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

All rights reserved. Published simultaneously in Canada.

Reproduction or translation of any part of this work beyond that permitted by Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Congress Copyright Act without permission of the copyright owner is unlawful. Requests for permission or further information should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. it is sold with the understanding that the published is not engaged in rendering professional services. If legal, accounting, medical, psychological, or any other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

adapted from a declaration or principles of a joint committee of the american bar association and publishers.

Printed in the United States of America.

Storing Wine 76

Serving Wine 82

Selected Bibliography 89

Pick the Perfect Package 54

Buying Wine in a Store 62

Buying Wine in a Restaurant 68

Wine & Food 74

Wine Glasses 34

The Wine Label 36

Going Vintage 42

Know the Lingo 50

White Wine : Simplified 22

Red Wine : Simplified 26

Pink, Sweet & Bubbly 30

The Taste of White Wine 14

Red Red Wine 18

The Smell of Wine 20

Preface 2

Introduction 4

Why Drink Wine? 10

THE PREGAMETable of

Contents

PEAKING THE SENSES

POP, FIZZ, CLINK!

TALK THE TALK

THE HOW TO’S:

TIME TO CHEERS

contents • i i i

PrefaceFirst things first, why do we drink wine and why are we even talking about this in the first place? How do I learn to like something that I can’t even understand? Here we will uncover some common misconceptions to help you embrace this drink of the gods...

2 • the pregame

wine wisdom

Everyone drinks wine for a different reason. While no opinion can be

wrong, some of them are a little off. Lets take a look at some peoples

opinions.

These are three generally held attributes regarding wine that are

actually valid. And then there’s a few, which sounds something like

this:

A valid as the first three attitudes are, this last one is so far from

being reasonable that its hard to know where to begin to try and set

things straight. But setting things straight is the aim of this book, and

even if you find yourself more closely in line with one of the fist three

attitudes, you’ll still find what’s presented here can help you gain a

better understanding of just what wine appreciation is all about and

how it can help you better enjoy your wine of choice, whatever it may

be.

This book is written with the aim of helping you become a better wine

drinker, to enjoy wine regardless of what you drink and when you drink

Wine is one of the most elegant of human creations. It is unparalleled in enhancing the enjoyment of a fine meal, imparting a spirit or refinement to any occasion, and offering a complexity of character that is unlike that available form any other beverage.

Wine is a good basic everyday drink. A glass with lunch or dinner adds a nice touch, and you don’t have to save it for any special occasion. It provides an enjoyable chance of pace from the beverages that we usually have with food.

Wine is a great party drink. It tastes good, you can get it in jugs or “on tap” in a bag in a box, and it doesn’t have to cost you and arm and a leg to pour a decent glass for a party, a picnic, or any kind of get-together.

Wine is for snobs. It’s too complicated to enjoy, it tastes funny, you have to know a bunch of rules like that type to drink with what food, and if you don’t know the rules you look like a jerk. Besides, it costs too much to get something decent, and I don’t eat fancy or have special occasions to drink it with. Gimme another soda, Harry.

the preface • 3

IntroductionThere’s something about wine that makes perfectly intelligent, capable people doubt their capacity for sound judgement. More often than not, it isn’t acknowledged, and it may not even be given a lot of thought. But all the same, for many people the idea of choos-ing a wine in a store or restaurant is akin to taking the SAT. This book will help move you from a realm of intimidation to that of a well trained sommelier.

4 • the pregame

wine wisdom

Let’s face it. This is not a matter of life of death, and 100 years from

now no one is ever going to know what wine you choose. Still, there

seems to be enough doubt involved in the decision to send the sales

of bottled water soaring as the “smart” alternative to soda pop.

Occasionally, a person will make a tentative effort to see what all the

fuss is about, and will look in a book that explains what makes wine

so special. Sooner or later there’s always a paragraph that reads

something like this: “Wine is one of the most complex foods known to

humankind. Each possesses a unique character, the result of a myriad

of chemical compounds believed to number in the thousands of which

scientists have succeeded in identifying only around 100, and each

compound contributes something indefinable and often unforgettable

to a wine’s complexity of taste and aroma.” Words like this tend to

make on feel that it’s necessary to pass an entrance exam just to step

foot in a wine shop.

And then, to back this up, there is the popular image of the wine

expert who sniffs at a glass and comes out with “A most subtle array

of sensory impressions, with a thick carpet of raspberries and rose

petals in the forefront, which is nicely complemented by a deeper

imprint of cedar and Russian leather, all of which clearly indicate that

the wine is from a good year, but nearing its peak of drinkabilty.” And

so on. And the guy hasn’t even tasted the stuff yet.

Well to begin with, wine is made up of a lot of complex components.

But so is an automobile, yet you don’t feel the need to avoid cars and

buses just because you don’t know what all those gears and pistons

are doing down there beneath the hood.

And then all that rigmarole about raspberry rugs and the rest can

be boiled down to just two simple sentences. “I like this wine” or “I

don’t like this wine”. There’s nothing particularly complicated about

that, now, is there? Chances are good that you’ve already used these

phrases about other things. Just change the last word and see how

familiar is sounds: “I like this music”; “I don’t like this painting”; “I like

this comedian” etc.

“Ah, but its not so simple,” you may say. “With wine were talking about

taste, and that’s a lot more subtle than the question of whether a joke

is funny or if blue is an nice as red. Remember, ‘wine is one of the most

introduction • 5

12 • the pregame

wine wisdom

Cheers!The goal of this book is to increase your knowledge and enjoyment of

this subject by presenting basic information applicable to virtually any

wine you are likely to encounter, regardless of its origin or the type of

grape from which it was made. By focusing on wine making principles

instead of regions of production and on fundamentals of taste instead

of grape varieties, the entire world of wine should become less

mysterious and more pleasurable.

But to understand the universal it often helps to look at the specific,

so throughout the book you find special “Cheers!” Section to contain

recommendations of particular types of wine that will best illustrate

the topic under discussion in the accompanying text. It’s by actual

tasting that you’ll come to understand such points as what is meant by

a sweet or a dry wine, or how different ways of treating grapes during

wine making will affect the finished product. Written explanations may

make sense on their own, but a sip of wine can make their significance

unforgettable.

In these sections we recommend that you taste not just one, but two

or more wines together. While any one of these wines will adequately

illustrate the given point in question, comparing it with others of

contrasting qualities will more than double your understanding. After

all, how would we know what bitter was like if all we ever tasted was

cheers! • 13

white winethe taste of

How is wine made? Why are there so many flavors within one type of wine? There is a lot to consider when it comes to flavor and wine production. This chapter will enlighten you on white wine’s two most basic elements: sweetness and acidity.

14 • peaking the senses

wine wisdom

So far we’ve spoken about the quality of wine in terms of the length

of time its taste lingers in your mouth after swallowing. You could use

this as the sole criterion for judging a wine, forget about going any

further in this book, and still have a fairly reliable yardstick by which

the quality of a wine may be judged. But there are other factors of

a wines taste that should be considered as well. After all, the taste of

Drano will linger in your mouth for a real long time, but I don’t think

you’d consider it the perfect accompaniment with dinner for that

reason. Length of taste is one aspect,

but the character of that taste should

also be considered.

We spoke earlier about all of the

long and elaborate descriptions that

are given when evaluating wines, the

flowery language and the complicated

appraisals. But when we are talking

about white wines, it all comes down

to considering just two basic aspects

of flavor.

In white wines, flavor is a balance

of sweetness and acidity. Both of

these are found in the grapes from

which the wine is made. We all

know that grapes are sweet; that’s

one of the reasons they are so popular

as an eating fruit. The acidity is there

too, although it is not one of the

first things about grapes we may

normally think of. Its the acidity that

gives them that pleasant tartness that we find so refreshing. The way

in which the grapes are handled during wine making determines the

balance of sweetness and acidity that will be evident in the finished

wine. Ideally, that balance between the sugar and acid keeps the wine

from being either too cloyingly sweet or too sharply tart.

The basic aspects of sweetness and acidity in white wines are not

absolutes, but vary in intensity depending on the type of grapes

used, the manner in which they were grown and vinified, and

It’s all well and good if the bulb in your bedside

lamp lasts a long time, but if it is a 600-

watt spotlight instead of a softer, more

soothing light, length becomes somewhat less

important.

the taste of white wine • 1 5

numerous other influences. Although the differences in taste are

subtle and can range over an infinitely demarcated spectrum

of intensity, we can distill in all down to a manageable range of

five levels of sweetness and five levels of acidity. For simplicity’s

sake these could be labeled numerically, like the Richter scale

used for measuring earthquakes, but we must never forget that

there is poetry in wine. So in place of numbers 1 through 5, more

descriptive terms have been assigned to these sensations.

For sweetness, these five levels of intensity, from weakest to

strongest, are identified as hollow, little, watery, unctuous, and

heavy. For acidity, the five levels of intensity (in ascending order)

are hollow, thin, meager, tart, and aggressive.

Now lets lay out these two scales in order to visualize what we

are talking about, arranging the sweetness scale vertically and

the acidity horizontally. The midpoint of each scale represents

a balance between too much and too little sweetness or acidity

in a wine. You will see that on our two scales we’ve drawn a line

out from that point, dividing each scale in half. On the sweetness

scale the area below the division contains the wines that to varying

degrees are deficient in that quality; the area above the line is for

those wines with a surfeit of sweetness.

Similarly on the acidity scale the area to the left of the line will

contain wines insufficiently acidic, while to the right will be found

those wines that are overly so.

Finally, lets combine the two scales. The result gives us the scale

on the next page. The point in the middle where the two lines

intersect represents a wine that is balanced in both sweetness and

acidity; each of the four areas around it will be either weaker or

stronger in these two basic characteristics.

As our combining of the two scales implies, neither sweetness

or acidity exists on its own in a white wine. There is an interplay

between the two that produces a final sensation in the mouth that

is clearly the product of both, yet is different enough to require

its own descriptive term. The effect is to create something akin to

the multiplication table of taste sensations on which you can easily

find the appropriate name to put to the taste of any white wine.

16 • peaking the senses

wine wisdom

From the interplay of the five basic levels of sweetness and acidity, we

get 25 terms that comprise the descriptive vocabulary for the taste of

white wines.

And here you have it, the source of all that talk about lively

Chardonnays and flat Chablis. Depending on the effect that a given

white wine produces in your mouth, you can easily come up with

an appropriate description of that sensation that will be readily

understood by others. Each word is quite rich in its descriptive power,

without going off the deep end into the florid metaphors that you

occasionally fine employed by wine writers. But lets take a closer look

at the choice of words used by their positioning in the scale above.

the taste of white wine • 17

Neil Diamond may have really been onto something when he wrote his hit song about red wine being the only cure to a broken heart. And whether that is true or not, it does provide some health benefits as discussed in this chapter.

1 8 • peaking the senses

wine wisdom

As we’ve seen, the taste of white wines is the product of an interplay

between two aspects of its flavor, sweetness, and acidity. Both of

these are present in red wines too, but what distinguishes the taste of

the latter is the presence of a third component: tannin.

What is tannin? This substance is found in the woody parts of the

grapevine, as well as in the grape’s skin and pips. Most tannin makes

its way into red wine during the pressing of the grapes, when the

juice is allowed to remain in prolonged contact with the skin and the

stalks that held the bunches of grapes together. In white wines this

contact is kept to a minimum, so virtually no tannin at all is extracts by

the juice.

As in white wines, sweetness and acidity

play much the same roles in the taste of

reds, but what about tannin? Here it’s not

so much a question of taste, but rather a

physical sensation in which your mouth

dries out and puckers up, and a certain

raspiness may be felt as the wine passes

along to the back of your throat. Sounds

really pleasant, right? Well, before you

decide to confine your drinking to whine

wines, understand that depending on

the way the tannin balances with the

sweetness and acidity, its contribution

can be not only very attractive, but may

well be the element that makes a wine

the object of adulation.

According, we’ll start with the two basic aspects of sweetness acidity,

but turning it on its side while keeping their relationship unchanging

yields the scale below. Now we add the aspect of tannin, which

contributes a new dimension and gives the taste of red wines a

character all its own to get the scale on the next page. To underscore

the difference between the tastes of red and white wines, were used

a triangle for the shape of the following scale, as opposed to the

square shape that we used for the scale on page 18. Here equilibrium

is found in the center, where the lines of sweetness, acidity, and tannin

meet. A wine whose taste of places it here has its three aspects in

Red red wine you make me

feel so fine, You keep

me rocking all of the

time!

red red wine • 19

absolute balance. Of course, such a state in wine is the exception and

not the rule; invariably, one or two of the three tastes will be more or

less pronounced, and this will move the wines position away from the

center to a certain degree.

The farther from the central point of balance we go along any of the

three lines, the stronger that aspect of the wine’s taste is. Conversely,

if we follow any line toward the center and past the point of

equilibrium, the weaker that aspect of a wine’s taste is. For example, if

the acidity and sweetness in a whines taste are both quite pronounced

but the tannin is rather weak, the position of such a wine might

be found around point 1. Similarly, if the tannin and sweetness are

balanced but the acidity is predominant, the wine might be positioned

around point 2.

The important thing to remember is this: the stronger or weaker that

one or two of the taste aspects of red wine are, the father away from

central equilibrium point it will be found, and the more off-balance

it is said to be. Within certain limits, the “off-balance” character of a

wine us nit particularly unpleasant; indeed, it might even give a certain

interest to a wine. We can draw a boundary around the central point

of equilibrium that will serve to delimit the acceptably off-balance

wines from those that are too strong or weak in one or another aspect

to be considered pleasing.

What we now have is merely a drawing; to make it a figure that we can

use to help zero in on a description of a red wine’s taste, we must add

descriptive terms useful in defining the character of that taste. Again,

there exist certain generally accepted adjectives that describe the

various tastes of red wines, and we can simply plug these in to give us

the next scale.

Here, then, is the graphic representation of the taste of red wines

that we can use to assign a descriptive term to the sensation that a

given red wine produces in the mouth. But what makes this scale so

interesting is that is can be used not only to help define the taste of a

given wine, but also to tract its development.

You see, in addition to its primary effect on the taste of a red wine,

tannin is also a determining factor in its age ability - not just how long

a wine will take to reach its full potential, but how good it will be once

20 • peaking the senses

wine wisdom

it gets there and how long it will stay that way. We spoke about why a

long and happy life is desirable in a wine when we looked at acidity in

white wines, and the same reasons hold true here: the longer it takes

for a wine to pull its taste components into harmony, the finer the

eventual taste will be. While acidity imparts (in both whites and reds) a

certain longevity, it is tannin that really gives wine the ability to go the

distance. This is readily seen when we compare the average lifespan of

white wine with red. As an example, let’s look at Chateau Margaux, one

of the finest of French wine producers; although its renown is based

on its red wine, the chateau makes a white wine too. The white will

tend to reach its peak at around seven to eight years of age, while it is

not at all unusual for the red wine to continue maturing for decades.

In a young red wine tannins can be harsh and off putting, making it

difficult to drink at three years of age can be smooth and inviting at

ten. The effect of time on tannin is not unlike that of a river on the

stones over which it flows - the roughness is worn smooth and sharp

edges are rounded off. This is literally the difference in feeling that the

mouth experiences. That abrasive, raspy character of which we spoke

earlier becomes a full, silky sensation in the mouth that accounts for

much of the greatness that is to be found in red wines. Tannins allow

a red wine to age for a long time - but if we look at it another way, red

wines need a long time to age because of the tannins in them.

We said earlier that this scale can be used not only to describe the

taste of any red wine, but also to help us track its development. It

works like this: as a red wine ages and its tannins mellow, the position

at which the wine is to be found on the chart will shift vertically in a

straight line. The simplest illustration would be a wine who’s acidity

and sweetness are in balance, so as to position it directly on the

Tannin axis.

If we first encounter the wine in its early youth, we may find it

“bitter” or “rough”. With time, however, the tannins will become more

accessible, and the wine will be “tannic”, then “well-built” in character.

Further aging will produce a wine that is “balanced” or “flowing,”

which would be the optimum time for drinking. But if we allow the

wine to continue aging it will descend into decrepitude as the tannins

fade away altogether, becoming first “shapeless” and then finally

“without backbone.” Similarly, a wine that is on the acidic side might

red red wine • 21

red wine : simplifiedFirst things first, red wine is well…red, but why? It’s color can be derived from a vast assortment of grape varietals ranging from grapes that are reddish, deep purple, and even a beautiful blue on the color scale. These grapes give rise to a wine that is color classi-fied with such descriptors as garnet, almost black, dark red, light red, ruby red, opaque purple, deep violet, maroon and the list goes on. It is the grape skins that are responsible for the red wine’s distinct color spectrum. There are right around 50 key red wine vari-etals that consistently manifest themselves in today’s worldwide wine market.

22 • pop, fizz, clink!

wine wisdom

MERLOT

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

(mare-lo)

(ca-burr-nay so-veen-yaw)

Merlot is a darkly blue colored wine grape, that is used as

both a blending grape and for varietal wines. Merlot is one of

the primary grapes in the Bordeaux wine where it is the most

widely planted grape. Merlot is also one of the most popular

red wine varietal in many markets.

Flavor Description: Merlot based wines usually have a

medium body with hints of berry, plum, and currant.

Food Pairing: Merlot is a very versatile wine, however it’s

plum and berry flavors are a delicious compliment to fish,

shellfish bacon & prosciutto.

Cabernet Sauvignon, often referred to ask the “king of red wine

grapes”, has the privilege of being the world’s most sought after

red wine. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes tend to favor warmer

climates and are often ideal for aging, with 5-10 years bring

optimal for the maturation process to peak. Because Cab’s

take a bit longer to reach maturation, allowing their flavors to

mellow, they are an ideal candidate for blending with other

grapes, primarily Merlot. This blending softens the Cabernet,

adding appealing fruit tones without sacrificing its innate

character.

Flavor Description: Cabs range from medium to full bodied

and are characterized by their high tannin content which

serves to provide structure and intrigue while supporting

the rich fruit characteristics. The flavor profile includes plum,

cherry, blackberry, blueberry, warm spice, vanilla, tobacco and

sometimes leather aromas and flavors.

Food Pairing: Cabs pair well with red meats and flavorful, hearty

pastas. They also compliment things with very strong distinct

flavors, such as lamb, strong cheeses, and chocolate.

red wine : simplified • 23

PINOT NOIR(pee-know na-warh)

Pinot Noir is Burgundy’s most famous Noble grape. Known and loved

as “Red Burgundy” in much of the world, Pinot Noir can be among the

most elegant wines coming out of France. Today, Pinot Noir is planted

in regions around the world including: Oregon, California, New Zealand,

Australia, Germany and Italy. It is a fickle grape that demands optimum

growing conditions, opting for warm days consistently supported by

cool evenings.

Flavor Description: It’s flavors are reminiscent of sweet red berries,

plums, tomatoes, cherries and at times a notable earthy or wood-like

flavor, depending on specific growing conditions.

Food Pairing: Pinot Noir is well-suited to pair with poultry, beef, fish, ham,

lamb and pork. It will play well with creamy sauces, spicy seasonings and

may just be one of the world’s most versatile food wines.

ZINFANDEL(zin-fan-dell)

White Zinfandel wine is made from the red Zinfandel grape, but the

grape skins are quickly removed after they are crushed so there is

significantly less contact time with the heavily pigmented red grape

skin, resulting in a pink/rose colored wine, instead of a deep red wine.

Zinfandel, meaning the red wine, is known for its rich, dark color

scheme, medium to high tannin levels and a higher alcohol content.

Flavor Description: The Zinfandel feature flavors include: raspberry,

blackberry, cherry, plums, raisins, spice and blackpepper all wrapped

around various intensities of oak.

Food Pairing: White Zinfandel pairs well with a massive variety of

foods, ranging from Cajun fare to Asian fare, from BBQ chicken to

heavy-duty seafood entrees.

MALBEC(mal-bek)

Originating from the Bordeaux region of France, this grape is

among the “big six” for red wine grapes. However, with the

exception of Cahors, its fame and fortune in France often end there,

as Malbec is generally a grape used for blending, with very little vine

being devoted to its improvement or success. The story in Argentina is

quite the opposite. Malbec has found both fame and glory in the sun-

drenched climate of Argentina. This is Argentina’s signature grape and

it is quickly making a new name for itself with red winel overs.

Flavor Description: Malbec is typically a medium to full-bodied red

wine. Ripe fruit flavors of plums and blackberry give it a jammy

characteristic. The tannins are typically a bit tight and the earthy,

wood-like appeal makes for a fairly rustic, yet versatile wine.

Food Pairing: Malbecs are delicious with red meat but can stand up to

spicy Mexican, Cajun, Indian or Italian fare. Consider giving Malbec

a go with barbecue, chili and sausage.

SHIRAZ(sah-ra or shi-raz)

Made from the Syrah grape, Shiraz is touted as Australia’s spicy,

big-hitting red wine. The Barossa and Hunter Valleys along with

McLaren Vale are Australia’s dominating Shiraz growing regions.

As for the grape, it is a deep-purple color and produces medium

to full-bodied wines.

Flavor Description: Shiraz wines contain flavors & aromas of wild black

fruit (black currant) with overtones of black pepper & roasting meat.

Food Pairing: Rich meats (steak, beef, wild game, stew, etc.)

The red and white table wines we have been discussing comprise about 90 percent of the average wine drinker’s consumption. Now we’ll look at three types of wine that make up the other 10 percent...

30 • pop, fizz, clink!

wine wisdom

rosé winesRose wines are made from red wine grapes, but are

more like white wines in there character. Still, they

are different enough to be neither one nor the other

and are considered a distinct type of wine. Roses are

distinguished primarily by their color, which can range

over a variety of shades of pink. This color is not the

result of blending red and white wines (there is one

significant exception that we will discuss shortly); in

general, rose wines are made by allowing the colorless

juice from red grapes to remain in contact with the

grape skins for a brief period after pressing. As we saw

in our discussion of how red wine is made, the pressed

juice takes on color and tannin from the skins as they

macerate together. But unlike red wines, where the

skins can remain in contact with the juice for periods of

weeks, rose wines are made by draining away the juice

after a day or two of contact. In such a limited time the

juice is able to extract only a small amount of color and

practically no tannin, making it more like a white wine

in character. When speaking of the taste of roses, it is

the white wine vocabulary that is used, although their

aromas will often have more in common with those red

wines. The depth of color in a rose wine depends on the

type of grapes used and how long the skins remained

in contact with the pressed juice; it is not an index of

a wine’s quality.

pink , sweet & bubbly • 3 1

dessert winesA desert wine is one that is potent, sweet, and full

of flavor. It is the wine’s sweetness that makes it

the prefect complement to a dessert. In general,

dessert wines are thicker, richer, and sweeter than

table wines. The grapes are picked late in the

harvest to preserve residual sugars. They come

in small bottles and are served in tiny glasses. An

average pour is 2 ounces. Like dinner wines, white

dessert wines are generally served chilled. Red

dessert wine are served at room temperature or

slightly chilled. Dessert wines are especially good

with fresh bakery sweets and fruits. It is best to

save heavier tastes for winter and lighter tastes for

summer. These wines contain flavors like peach,

almond, oak, and herbs. Adding them to a sweet

cream or paste dessert always creates a wonderful

combination. Examples include fortified wines like

port and sherry, and late harvest wines, which

originated from grapes that have shriveled a bit,

concentrating their sweetness. As a rule of thumb,

a dessert wine should always be sweeter than the

dessert it accompanies.

wine wisdom

sparkling wines“Come quickly, I am tasting stars,” Dom Perignon’s

famous quote after his first taste of Champagne,

and a fairly apt description of what a good

Champagne or sparkling wine experience should

offer. Champagne and other sparkling wines are

truly a category of wine and it are typically derived

from a blend of grapes such as Chardonnay, Pinot

Noir or Pinot Meunier. The Champagne we know

and love comes exclusively from the Champagne

region of France, and claims the honor of being the

most famous of the sparkling wines. Technically, it

is the only sparkling wine that may be referred to

as “Champagne.” Bubbly from all other regions in

the world are simply referred to as “sparkling wine.”

Sparkling wines and Champagnes are categorized

as Extra Brut, Brut (pronounced “broot”), Extra dry,

Sec and Demi-sec depending on their sugar levels.

These classifications can be somewhat confusing,

but keep in mind, that in wine terms “dry” is the

opposite of “sweet.”

The traditionally proper way to drink from a wine glass, especially when drinking white or otherwise chilled wine, is to grasp it by the stem. The most commonly accepted rea-soning for this is to avoid fingerprints on the bowl and to prevent the temperature of the wine from being affected by body heat. Due to the variety of contemporary stem ware, se-lecting the perfect glass for your gathering can be difficult. See the inside of this page for our stem ware secrets...

wine wisdom

34 • talk the talk

Wine glasses vary enormously. However, there are basic differences that are help-ful to know when selecting the perfect stem ware for your gathering. Red wine glasses are characterized by a rounder/wider bowl which increases the rate of oxidation and alters the flavor and aroma of the wine. With white wines, oxidation is less desirable because it alters the nuances of the wine. A smaller mouth opening is preferred to preserve the fresh, clean flavor.

wine glasses • 35

bordeaux glassTall with broad bowl. Intend-

ed for Cabernet Sauvignon

& Shiraz. Full bodied wines

such as these need a glass

that directs the wine toward

the back of the mouth.

sherry glassWide bowl with more

narrow mouth opening.

Designed for sherry and

port wines to keep the

aroma trapped within

the glass while swirling.

burgundy glassBroader than the bordeaux

glass. Bigger bowl to accumu-

late aromas of more delicate

wines, such as a Pinot Noir.

This glass is designed to di-

rect the wine toward the tip of

the tongue.

champagne fluteA narrow wine glass with a

long stem. Tall narrow de-

sign keeps oxygen from

contacting the surface of

the liquid, thus keeping is

sparkling for longer.

white wine glassDesigned for fruity & light wines

such as the Chardonnay and

Riesling. The shape of the glass

is designed to keep the flavors

concentrated within the glass.

sherry glassWide bowl with more

narrow mouth opening.

Designed for sherry and

port wines to keep the

aroma trapped within

the glass while swirling.

Aggressive

Cedar wood

Aroma

Chocolaty

Closed

Austere

Body

Buttery

Cassis

A wine with harsh and pronounced flavors. The opposite of a wine

described as “smooth” or “soft”.

A term most often used of rich red wines such as Cabernet

Sauvignon and Pinot noir that describes the flavors and mouth feel

associated with chocolate--typically dark.

A wine that has gone through malolactic fermentation and has a rich,

creamy mouth feel with flavors reminiscent of butter.

A wine that is dominated by harsh acidity or tannin and is lacking

the fruit needed to balance those components.

A collective term used to describe the woodsy aroma of a wine that

has been treated with oak.

The French term for the flavors associated with black currant. In

wine tasting, the use of cassis over black currant typically denotes a

more concentrated, richer flavor.

The smell of a wine. The term is generally applied to younger wines,

while the term bouquet is reserved for more aged wines.

The sense of alcohol in the wine and the sense of feeling in the

mouth

A wine that is not very aromatic.

50 • talk the talk

wine wisdom

Now, we may have taught you to walk the walk, but can you talk the talk? Check out our guide to the most important words to know when purchasing wine or speaking about it with the sommelier.

know the lingo • 51

Leathery

Legs

Meaty

Midpalate

Musky

Earthy

Finish

Fat

Jammy

A wine with aromas and flavor reminiscent of earth, such as forest

floor or mushrooms. It can also refer to the drying impression felt

on the palate caused by high levels of geosmin that occur naturally

in grapes.

A red wine high in tannins, with a thick and soft taste.

A tasting term for the feel and taste of a wine when held in the

mouth.

The sense and perception of the wine after swallowing.

A wine that is rich in fruit but maybe lacking in tannins.

A wine with a rich, full body that gives the drinker the impression of

being able to “chew” it.

A wine that is full in body and has a sense of viscosity.

The tracks of liquid that cling to the sides of a glass after the

contents have been swirled. Often said to be related to the alcohol

or glycerol content of a wine. Also called tears.

Can be used in both a positive and negative connotation relating to

the earthy musk aroma in the wine. Typically positive in relation to

wines from the Muscat grape family.

DepthA term used to denote a wine with several layers of flavor. An

aspect of complexity.

Polished

Short

Spicy

Undertone

Unoaked

Zesty

Zippy

A wine with well develop aromas and mouthfeel but has a finish

that is little to non-existent due to the fruit quickly disappearing

after swallowing.

Also known as unwooded, refers to wines that have been matured

without contact with wood/oak such as in aging barrels.

A wine with noticeable acidity and usually citrus notes.

A wine that is very smooth to drink, with no roughness in texture

and mouthfeel. It is also well balanced.

The more subtle nuances, aromas and flavors of wine.

A wine with noticeable acidity that is balanced with enough fruit

structure so as to not taste overly acidic.

A wine with aromas and flavors reminiscent of various spices such

as black pepper and cinnamon. While this can be a characteristic

of the grape varietal, many spicy notes are imparted from oak

influences.

Oaky

Palate

NoseA tasting term for the aroma, smell or bouquet of a wine.

A wine with a noticeable perception of the effects of oak. This can

include the sense of vanilla, sweet spices like nutmeg, a creamy

body and a smoky or toasted flavor.

A tasting term for the feel and taste of a wine in the mouth.