Where You Drink a Wine Affects How it Tastes

Have you ever noticed that wines can taste really good at a restaurant, wine bar or especially at a winery? It's the whole experience, not just the aromas and flavors, that affect our sense of taste.

As I've discovered, a $15 bottle of wine, when served in a high-end restaurant (where they charge you $45 for that $15 bottle), will taste especially good. Somehow, the lavish surroundings, the great service and the wonderful company at the table just makes the whole wine experience so much better.

And, at a winery it can be even more powerful. You are typically in a beautiful setting surrounded by vineyards and being served by someone who is very knowledgeable about the wine or maybe even the winemaker. This experience can significantly heighten the taste of the wine.

This fact is well understood by the publications that do wine ratings. So much so, that they don't allow their tasters to review or rate wines at wineries or restaurants.  They ensure their tasters are in a neutral setting in order to allow them to focus only on the wine (which, by the way, they are tasting 'blind' with no knowledge of who produced the wine or what it costs).

So, keep in mind that the amazing bottle of wine you recently had at that fancy restaurant was probably made even better by all the other glamour around you. And, that's exactly what the wine experience is all about. Cheers!

Getting to Know a Wine Thief

If you've never had the opportunity to taste wine directly from a barrel, you are probably not familiar with a wine thief. No, it's not someone out to steal wine. But it is a device that could be used for such a purpose.

A wine thief is typically a glass or plastic tool used by wine makers to remove a small amount of wine from a barrel for testing or tasting. 

It works by simply dipping the device into the wine and then holding a finger or thumb over the opening at the top to trap some of the wine in the tube.  The technical term is pipetting. But it works by creating a partial vacuum above the wine-holding chamber to allow the wine to be drawn out.  When you remove your finger, and hence the vacuum, it releases the wine either into a glass or testing vessel.

A quite simple device that makes drawing wine out of wine barrel extremely easy.

So, next time you are visiting a winery and get a chance to get into the barrel room, ask to see a wine thief. Or, better yet, ask to see it demonstrated.  You just might get a taste of wine directly from the barrel which can be quite a treat.

Cheers!

 

Wine Q&A: Wine Tasting at a Winery

For some, going to a winery for a wine tasting is a bit intimidating. There are so many questions and concerns that keep people away, especially those who are new to wine and just learning. But going to a winery for a wine tasting is actually a perfect way to learn about wines.

Q: Isn't it intimidating to go to a winery if you really aren't a wine expert?

A: Far from it!  Going to a winery is a great place to learn about wine if you are just beginning. Your wine server is there to help you experience their wines and to educate you, if you are interested. You'll get an opportunity to taste a variety of wines from rosé to whites, reds and sometimes even a dessert wine. They'll help you to find the wine that's for you.

Q: Does it cost a lot to go wine tasting?

A: Wine tasting costs are varied. Sometimes you can find coupons for free wine tastings, or two-for-one tastings on-line, at your local hotel, or through other wineries. Without coupons, costs can be as little as $5 or up to $20. And, typically if you purchase wine, the tasting is free.

Q: How many wines do I get to taste?

A: Typically, a tasting at a winery will include 5 or 6 wines. But, if you show interest, or identify a particular style of wine that you like, they'll often pour others.  And, depending on the circumstances, they may also provide you with tastes of other wines not on the standard list, including some of their wines intended just for wine club members.

Q: So, how much do they pour of each wine?

A: A typical pour is approximately 1 ounce. That is sufficient to be able to have a couple of sips of each wine.

Q: I've heard they provide spit buckets for use during tasting. Do I have to spit?

A: No. The bucket on the bar is there if you choose to spit out the wine instead of swallowing it. It's also there to pour out the remaining wine in your glass if you are through tasting any particular wine.  And, don't feel bad about pouring wine in the bucket.  They won't care.

Q: Is there a lot of pressure to buy their wines after a tasting?

A: Not at all. The servers at wineries are not commissioned salespeople and do not provide any pressure. They are simply there to help you experience and learn about their wines.

Q: Am I expected to tip the server?

A: Not normally. But if you have someone that's gone above and beyond to give you a great experience at a winery, you can certainly show your appreciation by tipping.

So, go out and do a wine tasting. You'll find it to be a very friendly atmosphere and it can be a lot of fun. Cheers!

Beyond the 5 S's of Wine Tasting

Drinking wine is a pleasurable experience that is quite simple. And, as winemaker Charles Smith puts it "It's just wine. Drink it." But for many people, wine tasting can be a very intimidating experience. But it shouldn't be.

In the past, I've written about how to visit wineries and how to have a great experience tasting wines. And whether it be at a winery, a restaurant, wine bar, or at home, there are simple things that you can do to enhance the simple enjoyment of a glass of wine.

The Five S's of wine have been written about many times by others but here's a quick review:

  1. See - Look at the wine in your glass and note the color and clarity. White wines can range from nearly clear to pale yellow, straw color, or golden. Red wines can be maroon, purple, ruby, garnet, or deep red. Both white and red wines can take on a brown hue with age.  All wines should be free of sediment.

  2. Swirl - By swirling the wine within the glass you give it an opportunity to gain further contact with air and release its aromas.  A wine right out of a bottle may need a little exposure to air. This exposure will quickly take away any sharp odors and can help soften or mellow the wine.

  3. Sniff - Stick your nose into the wine glass and take a sniff. You can get a very quick idea of what the wine will taste like and you may even detect some of the fruit aromas. Try sniffing with each individual nostril. You may find a real difference. And, by the way, there is no need to sniff the cork from the bottle. A wine server may present it to you, but you only need to take a brief look at it to ensure it doesn't show any obvious signs of leakage.

  4. Sip - Take a small sip, drawing in some air as you sip, and let it stay in your mouth for a while. You can even swish it around a bit in your mouth. This will give you an opportunity to really get all the flavors that the wine has to offer.

  5. Swallow - By allowing the wine to go through the back of your mouth and down your throat you will finally get the complete wine experience from your mouth and nasal passages.

But, in addition to these classic five S's, there are a few other things that can enhance your enjoyment of wine.  The glass itself is important. It should be clean and clear with a bowl large enough to hold a nice pour of wine (around 5 ounces) and still have plenty of room left. A wine glass should only be filled about one-third of the way. The remaining 'empty' space in the glass is left to capture the wine's aromas.

The wine also needs to be at the right temperature. Reds should not be served room temperature and whites should not come straight out of the kitchen refrigerator. A red should be served at cellar temperature, 58-62 degree F, and a white should be 45-50 degrees F.  These optimal temperatures allow you to best enjoy the wine's full flavors. I recently had a friend tell me he didn't like Chardonnay until a recent visit to a winery. What he learned was that his only experience with Chardonnay was drinking it at refrigerator temperature. When the winery served their Chardonnay at 48-50 F, it was an entirely different and better experience, allowing him to actually taste all the flavors in the wine.

Decanting a red wine can also make a big difference. It doesn't need to be a fancy decanter, just one that can hold an entire bottle of wine and give the wine lots of surface area exposed to air.  Filling a decanter up to the neck does little for the wine so find a vessel that has a broad bottom such that you are only filling it about halfway. Once you've poured the wine into the decanter, pour yourself a sip right away and note the wine's character.  Give it thirty minutes in the decanter and try it again. It should smooth out and soften. You can continue decanting for an hour our two, but beyond that the wine can become over oxidized and start to become a bit stale.

Once again you may be asking yourself "Why bother?"  Well, if you follow these simple steps you'll find that you will quickly start to understand the differences in wines and better determine your real wine preferences.

But, above all else, keep it simple, take wine tasting slowly, and enjoy! Cheers!

 

 

 

Wine Tasting Etiquette - Things to Avoid

Last time we addressed all the things you should do when visiting a winery and tasting their wines.  Along with all the things that you should do, there are also some things that you really shouldn't do while wine tasting.  Avoiding these will ensure that you have an enjoyable experience at the winery.

What you should avoid when wine tasting:

  • Don't put on cologne, aftershave or perfumes. You, and those around you, are going to want to smell the aromas of the wines, not strong personal scents.

  • For the same reason as avoiding wearing strong scents, don't introduce anything else into the tasting room that has a strong smell. So, don't walk in with a freshly brewed cup of coffee. Leave it in the car or outside.

  • Avoid chewing gum or breath mints.  These will really affect your ability to taste the subtle flavors of the wines.

  • When you arrive at the winery, it may be very tempting to take a walk in the vineyards, pick a grape, or poke around some of the other buildings at the winery.  Check with your host in the tasting room to see if tours of the winery are available.

  • Since wine tasting is an adult activity, leave the kids at home.

  • While winery dogs are very common, leave your pets at home.

  • Don't assume your tasting room host is going to be an all-knowing wine expert.  You may get lucky and have the winemaker as your host, or you may get a college kid earning some extra spending money. 

  • It's a winery tasting room, not a bar.  Conduct yourself with some sophistication. Avoid being loud and trying to turn the activity into a party.

  • Don't try to haggle over prices of the tasting or a wine purchase. Save it for the car dealership.

  • Never reach for the wine bottle and pour your own taste. Let your server do all the pouring.

  • If you are on a tour bus that is serving alcohol, avoid it.  If you arrive at a tasting room and appear to be intoxicated, you will not be served. It's against the law to serve someone who is intoxicated.  And, please don't walk into a tasting room with a beer, glass of wine or a cocktail.

  • If you choose to have lunch at a winery's picnic grounds, you may only drink wine purchased at that winery. No outside wines may be consumed on their property.

Following this simple list of things to avoid and those posted last time in "Wine Tasting Etiquette - Things to Do" will ensure that your visit is pleasurable for you, those working at the winery, and your fellow wine tasters.  There's no better way to learn about the world of wines than to get out into wine country and visit the wonderful wineries they have to offer. Cheers!