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any wine, and other After voting on the
characteristics? reds, unveil the wines,
Vote for the fa- praise those who
vorite of the three, made correct deduc-
the different vari- tions, and continue
etals, and the foreign the discussion.
wine. Ask volunteers Your impressions
to guess what they can change during
are tasting and de- the tasting as the
scribe what they liked about their top wine. wines open up with exposure to the air and
The colors can be a quick indicator of the how they often improve when enjoyed with
varietal and winemaking. A Chablis can be food. Re-taste the white wines. Is the nose
light green-gold in color, and a Sonoma more pleasant and the finish more lush on
Chardonnay can be deeper gold from oak any of them? Has your ranking gone up or
aging and riper fruit from a warmer cli- down? That’s typical, including among the
mate. On the nose, your tasters may find experts.
new-mown hay, boxwood, honeysuckle, For handouts, have a list of the wines,
vanilla, stone fruit (peach, pear), citrus, the prices, and the sources. For added edu-
grapefruit, rose petals, slate, wet stone, cation, you can provide background on the
tropical fruit notes, melons, or other aro- wineries, individual varietals, or the wine
mas characteristic of the varietal. Unbag districts or appellations, such as Chablis or
the whites, have a final round of discussion St. Julien. With the power of the Internet,
about the aromas, flavors, and overall im- you can find abundant, credible informa-
pressions, and move to the reds. tion to share with a few quick searches.
The blind-tasting party can be a fun
Different Colors and Aromas happy hour at the office, in wine classes,
and at home. As with anything, getting bet-
On judging the reds, a Pinot Noir color ter at analyzing a glass of wine, figuring
tends toward light to mid-ruby; Cabernet out your preferences, and appreciating the
can be deep garnet and Shiraz dark purple. differences we can enjoy from around the
Acidity levels are higher in wines from world requires practice, practice, practice.
cooler climates. The weight of the wine, or Keep tasting wines, find those you like
depth, offers other clues. What aromas best, and repeat. Don't obsess over others'
jump out of the glasses? Red fruit, black scores; they all have different palates and
fruit, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, sensitivities.
cassis, red currants, black pepper, mint, This gets to the bottom line of enjoying
cocoa, brambles, jam, prunes, or other wine: if you like it, it's good, even if you
smells from nature? On the palate, the big- don’t have the technical vocabulary to de-
ger, fruitier wines come from warmer cli- scribe it, no matter what anyone else might
mates. The alcohol levels provide another think or score. Build confidence in your
indicator of origin. Ask your tasters for abilities and rankings. Now, let’s practice
thoughts on the lightest wine to the biggest some more!
and which wines are from the same grape.
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