Starter Guide to. Wine Tasting

Transcription

1 Starter Guide to Wine Tasting

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 1 Introduction PAGE 2 The Dance PAGE 3 Reds PAGE 4 Whites PAGE 5 Other Wines PAGE 6 Quick Etiquette Tips 2

3 All wine novices have a shared experience: You re at a restaurant. You order something off the menu, like a wine you re pretty sure you ll enjoy. The server brings it out, pours a small amount, and waits. You pick up the glass, twirl it, smell, and sip, then nod. The server smiles, fills your glass, and leaves. You ve fooled them all because, deep down, you have no idea what you were supposed to be noticing. With this primer on wine tasting, you ll be sipping and sniffing like a pro in no time. Or at least, you can say more about why you like the next wine you try than, It tastes good. 1

4 THE DANCE Here s your step-by-step guide for what to do when presented with a tasting glass: 1. LOOK: Take a moment to notice the wine s color, thickness, and viscosity. With practice, you ll start to notice patterns. For example, high-alcohol wines with richer flavors produce wine legs visible drips against the glass when swirled. 2. SMELL: Take 2-3 quick sniffs from above the glass, then consider. Look for fruity, earthy, and flowery aromas. If it smells musty, vinegary, burnt, or like nail polish, you have likely picked up on imperfections in the batch, which, though unlikely to make you sick, probably won t taste good. 3. TASTE: Take a sip, and breathe in with it as if it were a hot beverage. This aerates the wine and improves the flavor. Let the wine hit different parts of your tongue, and note any nuances. 2

5 REDS Red wines are made with red or black grapes, and get their color and tannin content from the fruit s skin. PINOT NOIR Flavors: Subtle, fruit tones often include strawberry or cherry. Aged cheese, berries, sausage. MERLOT Flavors: Often tastes like plums and chocolate. Red-sauce pasta dishes, mushrooms, hamburgers. MALBEC Flavors: Rich, often hints of blueberries or blackberries. Cured beef, lamb, dishes prepared with plums. CABERNET SAUVIGNON Flavors: Notes of cherry and raspberry, often bitter. Gamey meats, sausage, cheese. SHIRAZ Flavors: Generally full-bodied, acidic, fruity. Steak, duck, dishes with heavy, or nonsweet sauces. 3

6 WHITES White wines are made with white grapes and offer a lighter alternative to their red counterparts. These pair well with chicken, turkey, and fish. SAUVIGNON BLANC Flavors: Herbs, sour apples, mango, often smokey. Shellfish, chicken dishes, very versatile. PINOT GRIGIO Flavors: Perfumy, crisp, acidic. Delicate and light fishes such as tilapia or flounder, sushi. MOSCATO Flavors: Fruity, with notes of peach, grapefruit and nectarine. Chicken, fish, desserts, but is best alone. CHARDONNAY Flavors: Buttery, citrusy, can carry a hint of vanilla and toffee. White sauce pastas, fish cakes, mild curries. RIESLING Flavors: Sweet apples, citrus notes. Can be dry depending on the region. Pork, salmon, some spicy foods. 4

7 OTHER WINES Of course, reds and whites aren t the only wines you might enjoy. Blends, sparkling wines, and dessert wines are just a few of the other beverages worth knowing about. Wine Serving Tips: Serve white, rosé, and sparkling wines chilled. Serve red at room temperature. CHAMPAGNE Flavors: Warm, rich, citrusy, can be dry. Asparagus, clams, lemon. ROSÉ Flavors: Varies, but generally fruity with a hint of mineral flavor. Lobster, quiche, grilled meats. PORT Flavors: Very sweet, can taste of caramel, chocolate, cinnamon and berries. Charcuterie, blue cheese, duck confit. Let young red wines (less than 8 years old) breathe for 1-2 hours to aerate. Mature wines need less time 30 minutes at most. 5

8 QUICK ETIQUETTE TIPS To spit or not to spit? Wine tasting experts will often spit after they sip to avoid getting tipsy during an event. This is not a requirement for tasting, though eating a full meal beforehand is a wise way to avoid overindulging. Don t wear cologne, or heavily-scented perfume, as extraneous smells can disturb the tasting process for you and those around you. Always hold wine glasses by the stem to avoid changing the temperature of the wine with your body heat. Pay attention to any expert advice at your tasting they know what they re talking about, and will help you notice nuances. Give these tips a try, and tell us which wines you fall in love with by 6

9 (888) OUR-CHEF ( ) pamperedchef.com SOURCES tasting-wine.com/wine-tasting-2/wine-tasting-etiquette winemag.com/2015/08/25/how-to-taste-wine winefolly.com/tutorial/wine-legs winetasting.com/wine-tasting southwest-wine-guide.com/wine-tasting-etiquette.html foodandwine.com/articles/wine-101-merlot matchingfoodandwine.com/news/pairings/which-foods-match-best-with-merlot winegeeks.com/articles/18 winery-sage.com/blog/wine-pairings/best-ideas-for-pairing-shiraz-wine-with-food winery-sage.com/data/winelistpage.php?id=8&-syrah hellovino.com/food/wine/pairing/syrah-shiraz winefolly.com/review/different-types-of-wine/ winemag.com/2015/01/20/wine-for-beginners/ matchingfoodandwine.com/news/pairings/the-best-food-to-match-with-chardonnay