Wine 101
As I said on the Home Page, wine is constantly changing, which means there is always something new to learn, something new to experience. It is part of what keeps you coming back!
There are some basics, however, that are good to know and will help you better understand and appreciate what is in your glass. This “Wine 101” section is designed to give you a head start and hopefully de-mystify a few things along the way.
Some of these topics may be mentioned in the specific wine recommendations that will be the recurring core of this Blog. However, a little pregame warm-up never hurts, so let’s jump in:
The Basics
Old World vs New World: Wait, what if I’m not good at geography?
o Not to worry, this is actually pretty easy to understand. Old World wines are from regions where winemaking originated. Think France, Italy, Spain, etc. New World wines come from places where winemaking and grapes “migrated”. Think United States, Australia, South Africa, South America, etc.
o Broadly, Old World wines are often characterized as being lighter and less fruity than their New World counter-parts. Old World wines are often higher in acidity as well. More on all this wine characteristics stuff below.
o Winemaking tradition as well as soil & climate (“Terroir”, see below) are major contributors to differences between Old and New World wines.
Varietal: a fancy word for “grape”
o When you hear or see the word varietal, it is referring to a single grape variety, such as Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc. A single-varietal wine will be made wholly, or, depending on the region, mostly with that particular grape variety. In the US, that percentage is usually 75%. Outside the US, that percentage is higher, often 85%. We will revisit this topic down below when talking about Labels.
Dry vs Sweet
o The degree of sweetness found in wine is a function of something called “residual sugar”, which is the unfermented sugars from the grape which remain in the wine after fermentation. Without getting too technical, most still wines we consume are categorized as either “Dry”, “off-Dry” or “Sweet”. Sparkling wines will add a small amount of a concentrated grape “must” or “sugar” toward the end of the winemaking process. You will see terms describing the relative sweetness of sparkling wine (from dry to sweet) like “Extra Brut”, “Brut”, “Extra Dry”, “Dry”, to “Demi-Sec”.
To Blend or not to Blend?
o If a wine does not contain a high enough percentage to be designated single-varietal, then it is simply referred to as a blend. There are more blends out there than you think, and in some wine making regions of the world, blending two or more grape varietals is standard practice. By blending, the winemaker can take advantage of different grape characteristics to create a “unique” finished product.
o Perhaps nowhere else is blending so prominent and established than in the Bordeaux region of France.
Bordeaux – One of the classic wine producing regions of France. Home to some of the world’s great red wines, winemakers in Bordeaux have been making wines which are a blend of two or more grapes for hundreds of years. These blends are usually Cabernet Sauvignon-based, or Merlot-based. On the map above you will see the words “Left Bank” and “Right Bank” in bold. Generally, left bank Bordeaux is Cabernet-dominant, while right bank wines tend to be Merlot-dominant. Other varietals you will find playing supporting roles include Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot.
o Blends can be found in many other great wine producing regions of the world, including the Rhone Valley of France (usually some combination of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, so-called “GSM” blends, but can include other varietals), Tuscany in Italy (referred to as “Super Tuscans”, these wines will usually feature some combination of Sangiovese, the most planted grape in Italy used to make Chianti, with other varietals such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon), Spain, Australia and of course the United States.
o Meritage – Pronounced like “heritage”, this is a name for red and white Bordeaux-style wines which originated in California. I mention it because you may see it on a label, particularly if the wine is from California. It originated in 1988 with a small group of Napa and Sonoma County winemakers who wanted to create a recognizable name for their blended wines. The Meritage Alliance (over 350 members now) licenses the name to wineries that want their blends to carry this designation.
Vintage
o Very simply, vintage means the year in which the grapes were harvested. As we shall see, quite a lot of time can elapse between the harvesting of the grapes, the bottling of the wine, and the ultimate release to the public of that “vintage”.
o Vintage becomes a key reference point when evaluating the general quality of wine produced in a particular region. How good the wines are from that region are a function of many inputs, but one of the biggest contributors year in and year out is the weather!
Sunshine, rain and temperature all play a role in the ultimate quality of the harvest. Too much or too little of any of them and the grapes will not ripen properly. The closer you get to harvest time, the greater the risk of bad weather impacting quality of the grapes, so timing is crucial.
o Vintage matters more in areas that have less predictable climates. Conversely, some regions such as Argentina, Australia, California, and parts of Italy and Spain tend to have more consistent growing conditions, and therefore can potentially produce more consistent quality wines each year.
o For people who are serious about collecting fine wine, vintage REALLY matters. If it was a good vintage, red wines should only get better with age.
o If a wine is made from a blend of multiple harvests (years), then it is considered “non-vintage”. You are most likely to see this with Champagne, which can carry the letters “N.V.” on the label.
Terroir: It’s more than just soil..
o No, I didn’t say “terror”. Terroir is a French term (“tair-WAHR”) which refers to the total environment that influences the grapes: soil; climate and topography or terrain. Ultimately, the taste of the wine can bear a “signature” of its terroir. Let’s explore these just a little further to make sure we understand how they impact the finished product you are enjoying..
Soil– there are countless variations of soil, mineral and rock deposits in vineyards around the world. Basic soil types are clay-based, sand-based, silt-based or loam-based. Each have different characteristics when it comes to how water and heat are retained. Within these, you can find a variety of mineral deposits such as limestone, gravel, slate or granite. Each can influence how the vines grow and can subtly impart different flavors to the wine.
Climate– Without going all Weather Channel on you, let’s just say wine regions are classified as either “cool climate” or “warm climate”. Sugar levels and acidity, which we will discuss below, are directly impacted by climate. Warmer climates = higher sugar levels, and cooler climates generally = lower sugar levels and higher acidity.
Terrain – This is a complex component. Terrain encompasses things like altitude, mountains & valleys, vineyard position relative to sun & wind, proximity to water, etc. Terrain can contribute to certain conditions which can be characterized as a “micro-climate”.
What’s in a Label?
o Deciphering all of the words you find on a wine label can be challenging if not downright intimidating. Not only do you need to understand what the words mean, you often have to read them in a foreign language!
o Without going overboard on all the rules and traditions associated with how wines are labeled, there are a few things to remember which will help you better understand what is in the bottle you are looking at, and where it came from. It may be helpful to break this into our two basic categories- New World and Old World.
New World wines are a little easier to understand (assuming you speak English). The key things to look for here are the following:
Producer– This will be the most prominent part of the label, generally at the top in the largest type. This is who made the wine. Usually (but not always) this is the winery/vineyard. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the Producer made the wine from its own grapes. A winemaker can purchase grapes from one or more independent growers. Up and coming winemakers who don’t have the resources to buy their own land and winery can purchase grapes from independent growers and have the wine made (under their direct supervision) at a third-party facility.
Varietal – The next most prominent word on the label is the grape that was used to make the wine (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, etc.). In the US, if a particular varietal is specified on the front of the label, then at least 75% of the wine must come from that grape.
Viticultural Area – sorry for the wonky term, but this helps you know where the grapes come from that were used to make the wine. Often abbreviated as “AVA” (American Viticultural Area), these are official designations with specific geographic boundaries and features. Let’s use California as an example, as many of you probably drink a lot of California wine (as Jerry Seinfeld’s character used to say “...not that there’s anything wrong with that..”):
To use the AVA name on the label, 85% or more of the grapes used to make that wine must come from that specific geography.
Sometimes, you will just see a broader geographic reference, such as Napa or Sonoma.
More often, you will see the name of a smaller, more distinct AVA. In Northern California, more famous AVAs include names such as Russian River Valley, Howell Mountain, Rutherford, Stags Leap District, Dy Creek Valley, and many more. In the Central Coast, you may see names such as Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Santa Lucia Highlands, to name a few. In the Central Valley, Lodi is a popular AVA.
Vineyard– Sometimes, the winemaker may also list a specific vineyard (so-called “single vineyard designation”), particularly if that plot of land is famous for producing grapes that become top quality wines, year-in and year-out. This does not necessarily mean the Producer owns that vineyard (although he/she certainly can); more importantly, it highlights a unique and special place where the grapes were grown and sourced.
Estate – When you see the words “Estate Bottled” on the label, it means that 100% of the grapes in your wine were grown, processed and bottled at the same location.
Old World wine labels can be tough. Besides the language challenges, the rules and designations found on the label vary by country. Here are some basics that might help you as you stand in front of the (French/Italian/Spanish) section of the wine store and your eyes are glazing over:
Region– Regional labeling is common in many European countries. The region is usually prominently located on the label. In these countries, they expect that you know the kind of grape or grapes that are used to make wine in that region. For example, the Bordeaux region in France makes wines predominantly from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, but you won’t see that on the front of the bottle. Depending on the winemaker, you may get that information in smaller type on the back label. Other examples: France’s Loire Valley uses a lot of Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc; Burgundy is Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (including the famed Chablis region- NOTE: Chablis is not a grape!); Italy’s Chianti (also not a grape!) region of Tuscany makes wine from the Sangiovese varietal; the Barolo region of Piedmont uses the Nebbiolo grape; Spain’s famed Rioja region uses Tempranillo. Easy, right?
Quality– This is another challenge. Remember our California example with the AVA designation? In the Old World, they can have a similar system, but it really goes beyond geography to focus on the grapes that are permitted to be used, how they are planted and the winemaking process itself. You will find this either on the label (front or back), or sometimes in a band around the neck of the bottle. Some examples, by country, in order of classification from higher to lower quality:
France – AOC (“Appelation d’Origine Controlee”, there are over 300 of them in France); IGP or Vin de Pays (essentially everyday French wine); Vin de France
Italy – DOCG (“Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita”, there are over 70 of these); DOC; IGP/IGT.
Spain – DOP (“Denominacion de Origen Protegida”). Within DOP there are 3 sub-classifications you will find (in order): VP; DOCa/DOQ; DO. After that comes IGP.
Aging– In Italy and especially Spain, you will also see words on the label which conform to aging classifications, for example:
Spain – “Reserva” means a red that has 36 months of aging, with at least 12 in the barrel; “Crianza” means a red with 24 months of aging, with 6 months to a year in barrel.
Italy – “Riserva” varies by region, but generally a year or longer.
Oak: Can I get splinters from wine?
o When I say “oak”, I am referring to the wooden barrels used to age wine. They can sometimes be used in the fermentation process as well. The wood of choice is oak, which can come from either America or Europe. Each are somewhat different, and can impart different flavor profiles. Oak is used with both red and white wines (but not 100%- see Color, Smell & Taste below)
o So what does oak do for wine? There are two principal roles oak plays in the process of making wine:
The SLOW penetration of oxygen (see also next two topics- air is so important!). The porous nature of the barrel allows oxygen to enter the wine, but not at levels that would threaten the quality of the wine. In fact, at these levels, it actually improves the wine. The effect is to soften the wine’s tannins, making it smoother, less astringent. This is oak’s textural contribution to wine.
The addition of flavor compounds. Commonly discernable qualities are vanilla, spice, and smoke. When wine comes into contact with oak, particularly new oak, flavor compounds are transferred from the wood to the wine, giving it certain characteristic aromas and flavors. Many of you are familiar with American Chardonnay that often has an oaky, creamy, sometimes buttery or vanilla taste. These qualities are brought forward by the winemaker’s use of oak, particularly new oak.
o The choice of new oak vs used oak will help determine how much flavor contribution will occur in the ageing process. New oak has a more pronounced flavor influence, while older oak may not impart much in the way of flavor, but can still play a role in the permeation of oxygen. Size of the barrel will also be a factor. The typical barrel size is 225 liters, or about 59 gallons.
o Depending on the varietal and the wine maker’s objectives, the wine can age in oak from less than a year for certain whites, to two or more years for certain reds.
o Oak barrels are an expensive component of the wine making process. A new barrel can cost around $1,000, and after 3 to 5 years, their useful life is up and they must be replaced.
“So THAT’S why my wine costs so much…”. Well, yes, that’s one reason..
Cork vs Screw Caps: does screw cap = inferior or cheap? [see also Air]
o Cork has been used to seal wine bottles for hundreds of years. Most cork comes from a certain kind of tree, most commonly grown in Portugal. It takes months to harvest, dry, prepare and shape the material to where it has the proper elasticity. A good cork will allow just the right amount of oxygen to enter the bottle, which will promote the slow, complex chemical changes inside the bottle which allow the wine to age gracefully.
o Some wine producing regions have embraced screw caps and use them extensively- New Zealand is a good example. It by no means implies a lesser quality product, and in fact some of the really good (price/quality value) Sauvignon Blancs come in screw cap bottles from New Zealand.
o Nevertheless, there is something to be said for the ritual of inserting the corkscrew into the cork and (hopefully, see Serving) removing it with one smooth pull that culminates in that satisfying “pop” when it comes out of the bottle. However, given what we just said about the benefit of very gradual oxygen penetration of the cork to help an age-worthy wine achieve its full potential, you would probably not want a big, tannic red built for the long haul to have a screw cap.
o One last comment on corks: I’m sure many of you have experienced synthetic corks: looks like a traditional cork, can even make that sound, but are made of plastic compounds. The principal advantage, which screw caps also provide, is the elimination of the risk of a chemical contamination referred to as TCA. I won’t bore you with the chemistry on this, but it is essentially a taint transferred either from a natural cork or through the cork. It results in your wine smelling like wet dog, moldy newspaper, damp basement, etc. You get it- not something you want to serve or consume.
Air: friend or foe?
o The answer is…YES! As we learned above in Oak, and will talk about later in Tasting, air can play an important role in the ultimate finished product you enjoy. Let’s leave a fuller discussion of the role oxygen plays in the wine making process for another day (or maybe a different blog!).
o After bottling, when wine is subsequently exposed to air, a couple of things happen: oxidation and evaporation. This effect, called aeration, reduces the presence of certain undesirable compounds, such as sulfites, making the wine more approachable, smoother and pleasantly aromatic.
o When you swirl the wine in your glass, you are aerating it (I will discuss this in more detail below in Tasting).
Decanting– this is the act of pouring the wine in your bottle into some other, often fancier, container. I’m sure you have all been in a restaurant where a server (likely the sommelier) is pouring wine from the bottle into an elegant glass or crystal vessel, generally with a broader base and a thinner neck. Sometimes these can have names, like “duck” or swan”, and will resemble them!
o While some air is good, too much can be a bad thing. If the cork in your bottle is flawed, too much air will enter the bottle over time and accelerate the oxidation process. If you hear the term “oxidized”, that means the wine has developed a sherry-like color and matured too soon: white wines will start looking a little brown, and red wines will get brick (careful, certain red varietals can naturally have a bit of a brick hue) or even orange colored. At its worst, the chemical process turns the wine into vinegar.
Color, Smell & Taste
o Color
How does wine get its color? It may come as a surprise, but the juice from grapes is generally clear. Most of the color in wine actually comes from the amount of skin contact during fermentation. The skins are where most of the pigments are found, and they will impart the wine’s color, depending on the specific fermentation process. The skins are also where most of the wine’s tannins (see Taste and Tasting below) come from.
So does that mean dark grapes produce red wine and light grapes produce white wine? For the most part, yes, but it is worth noting that one of the principal grapes used to produce sparkling wine, pinot noir, is a dark grape (pinot meunier is another). And what about Rose? Well, as you might imagine, it is just a question of how long the skins are left in the juice. When the winemaker has achieved the desired color, the juice is filtered off the skins and fermentation is completed like any other white wine.
There are other contributing factors to a wine’s color (and Taste, see below), such as the use of oak barrels to age the wine. Certain white wines such as Chardonnay are often, but not always, aged to one degree or another in oak, while other white wines will be aged in stainless steel tanks.
o Smell
Smell is so important to your overall enjoyment of wine. Unlike the tongue, which has a short list of tastes it can perceive, the nose is capable of identifying hundreds of different scents. Terms you will often hear are “aroma” or “nose”. These refer to the smell of the wine in your glass. To truly appreciate the taste of a wine, follow your nose!
Wine aromas are often grouped into 3 categories: Primary; Secondary and Tertiary. Primary aromas generally come from the grape variety. These tend to be identified as some form of fruit (black, red, tropical, etc) or flower. Sometimes primary aromas can also be described as spice-like or, a little less desirably to some, herbal. Secondary aromas tend to arise from the fermentation process, and are often characterized as earth-related. Tertiary aromas come from aging and can be as varied as chocolate, leather, cigar box or vanilla. The most common influence here is the presence (or lack thereof) of oak.
o Taste
The human mouth has thousands of “taste buds” (principally on the tongue), each containing up to 100 taste receptor cells. These buds can distinguish 5 established, basic tastes: Sweet; Sour (think Acidity, which is the term we will use); Salt; Bitter and “Umami” (think savory or meaty).
Taste buds alone do not fully account for how something tastes to us. Other factors include smell (the most important for wine as we just learned), texture and temperature.
Another taste sensation which comes into play with wine and, more specifically, food pairing (see below) is “hotness”, sometimes referred to as piquancy, but for our purposes, let’s just call it “spicy”.
Alcohol: of course(!), but isn’t it the same for all wine? [see also Label]
o Alcohol content in wine can vary greatly, depending on climate and a variety of other factors. For the most part, the wines you will discover and enjoy have an alcohol content of somewhere between 10% and 15% ABV, or Alcohol By Volume. You can find this percentage right on the Label.
o White wines from cooler climate regions will have a low-to-medium low alcohol content.
o Red wines such as a California Zinfandel, a South African Pinotage or a Portuguese Touriga Nacional (originally used in Port) will be high in alcohol.
Glasses
o Having the proper kind of glass will help you fully appreciate your wine. For purposes of this blog, we won’t get into the weeds on how & where the glass is made (although the Austrians really do make some of the best glasses...), but there are a few helpful things to know.
o As we discuss in more detail below under Tasting, aromas contained in the vapors that come off the surface of the wine produce the majority of flavors that you actually perceive. The shape of the glass affects how these aromas are delivered to your nose, as well as some other important contributors:
The wider the bowl, the more surface area exposed, which increases the alcohol evaporation. A wider opening helps collect the aromas. It also helps make red wine smoother (a taller glass will help offset the impact of tannins and alcohol). You can also drink fuller-bodied white wines such as Chardonnay from this style of glass.
A glass with a slightly smaller bowl will be great for medium-to-full bodied red wines that have a more spicy character, such as Zinfandel, Syrah or Malbec. The spice note tends to get softened just a bit with this style of opening
White wines as a rule are best served in smaller bowl glasses. This helps focus the fruit qualities, delivering more aromas (your nose is closer!) while helping to maintain a cooler temperature.
For sparkling wine, keep it simple and serve in a tall, thin flute. The bubbles look great streaming up the glass!
Serving
o There’s a lot we could get into here about opening a wine bottle: corkscrews, sparkling wine tips & tricks, etiquette, etc. I will leave that for another time and place (maybe a Vlog?), but the one topic I do want to cover here is Temperature. A few things to keep in mind:
Serving your wine at the proper temperature will allow you to fully enjoy what is in the glass. One temperature does not fit all so to speak…
As a reference point, let’s use “cellar temperature”, which is generally considered to be 55-60 degrees fahrenheit.
Sparkling wines should be coldest (ice cold), then moving up the thermometer in order: light-bodied whites, full-bodied whites and roses (some roses are better colder than others, but that can be a matter of personal taste). All of these should be below cellar temperature.
Light-bodied reds are good at cellar temperature, as well as some medium-bodied reds (again, personal taste). I happen to like certain reds cooler than what others may prefer.
Medium to Full-bodied reds should be served at the top end of cellar temperature range, or slightly higher.
As a general rule, people serve their whites too cold and their reds too warm. If the wine is too cold, it will become closed-down and you won’t be able to perceive all the aromas and flavors. If it is too warm, you will taste mostly alcohol and even bitterness.
Tasting: finally…!
o This is the fun part, right? We don’t open a bottle of wine to look at it, we open it to drink what’s inside! Before taking that first sip, there are a few things you should do to fully appreciate what you are about to enjoy:
First of all, and this is something you need to embrace if you don’t do it already, is pour a modest amount of wine into the glass. As we learned earlier, the sense of smell is critical to our overall enjoyment. This is where those other supporting characters come into play: air and glass. If we don’t have enough surface area of wine in the glass, and it doesn’t have enough room to move, we won’t be able to properly taste. This is particularly important when you are taking your first sips. Too often, people will pour too much into the glass. Don’t be that person!!
Next, take the glass and swirl the wine to release its aromas. This is important…swirling is where oxygen is our friend. From a science perspective, when we swirl we are aerating the wine and in the process releasing the multitude of aroma compounds. We are also coating the glass, which enhances what our nose is smelling.
You often hear the term “letting a wine breathe”. Swirling the wine in your glass, or in the case of the whole bottle, decanting, is also allowing oxygen to begin to soften or round-out the tannins that may be present. Red wines can have higher levels of tannins (see below) when they are young. Oxygen helps the wine “open up”.
Swirling is not a snobby thing to do, but I guess it can sometimes look that way. It takes some practice, but over time you will be able to do it precisely and quickly, with the glass in the air or flat on a table. Start honing your skills with the glass on the table. What you want to do is grasp the glass at the bottom where the stem meets the base with two fingers. Most people use the thumb and forefinger; for some reason I prefer laying my hand flat on the base so the stem is between my middle and forefinger (as a right-hander, my ring finger rests on the right edge of the base). Then, all you do is draw tight, little circles on the table (I go counter-clockwise). Remember, it is best if there is just a small amount of wine in the glass. The trick is small…tight…circles.
Now, take a look at what is in the glass. Best when done against a white backdrop like a tablecloth. What do you see? Notice the color. Is it deeper or lighter? Deeper colored white wines probably have been aged in oak; lighter whites more likely in stainless steel. Deeper reds are probably younger and may have more intense tannins. Red wines will become paler as they age.
This is the moment when you will undoubtedly notice the tears or “legs” of wine running down the inside of the glass. I won’t bore you with the technical term for this effect, but it is essentially alcohol evaporation. Legs don’t indicate whether a wine is good or not. They do indicate the relative alcohol content. Higher alcohol wines such as Zinfandels will have pronounced, “denser” legs. Low alcohol wines, particularly whites, will have fewer, leaner, less defined legs.
After you swirl, put your nose into the glass and take a big sniff, or as Media Guru and wine expert Gary Vaynerchuk (aka Gary Vee) says, a “Sniffy Sniff”. Check out his family’s great wine retailing site The Wine Library. Think about what you are smelling. Remember the different kinds of aromas we talked about earlier? Having the right kind of glass should not be underestimated. If you missed it earlier, see Glasses above. A proper wine glass should be of a size and shape that allows for a good swirl, has plenty of room for your nose and naturally concentrates the aromas.
Now…the moment we’ve been waiting for. Take a healthy sip and try to let it cover your palate before swallowing. This is where we bring all the components together to understand and appreciate what we are drinking. At this point, there is a lot going on in your mouth. To help you organize all the inputs, there are a few key terms you should learn and keep in mind every time you taste:
Body – This is a way to describe the overall intensity of the wine, from light to rich, or “light-bodied” to “full-bodied”. Body can also be described as “texture”. Does the wine fill or coat your mouth with flavor, or is it more subtle? What you perceive the wine’s body to be will be influenced by the following components:
o Acidity– wines with higher acidity taste lighter-bodied, those with lower acidity taste fuller-bodied. High acidity wines like Sauvignon Blanc will often have a zesty, bright feeling in the mouth. If the wine’s acidity level is too low, the wine can seem flat or dull (“flabby” is a term you may hear).
o Alcohol– the higher the alcohol, the more full-bodied it will seem. That warming sensation in your throat is the alcohol.
o Sweetness– sweetness will increase the body in wine. Sweetness comes from what is called residual sugar. These are the unfermented grape sugars left over after the fermentation process has been completed. Still wines (i.e. not sparkling) can range from dry all the way to sweet.
o Tannin– increases the body in wine. Red wines taste more full-bodied because they have tannins; white wines lack tannins so they taste lighter-bodied. Science alert: Tannins are polyphenols and have antioxidant properties. Tannin comes from the skins and seeds of grapes. It also comes from oak aging. Tannins will give you that astringent or drying sensation in your mouth.
·Finish – this refers to the taste or flavors that you perceive at the end. In essence, this is the wine’s aftertaste. Are they similar to what you noticed at the beginning, or has it changed?
Length – length simply is a measure of the amount of time you continue to sense the taste and aroma of the wine after swallowing. Does it stay with you, or does it quickly and cleanly dissipate?
Value: what does QPR mean??
Simply stated, QPR stands for Quality Price Ratio. Nothing too scientific, just a concept that tries to highlight relative value in a wine. As you become more experienced, with more of those “data points” on your palate, you will be able to draw comparisons about price vs quality. The objective is to find wines that “drink better than their price”.
Said another way, if the $15 bottle you were pouring demonstrated qualities you would typically expect to find in wines $20 or more, you’d say that $15 bottle had a high QPR. In non-wine terms, the wine was punching above its weight..
Food & Wine: where to begin??
o This is such a big topic, I am more or less going to punt on this one. It deserves more time and space than I can give it here, and frankly goes a little beyond my objectives for this simple blog.
o However...because food and wine are natural partners, and most of the time you will be enjoying wine with food, a few pointers are in order. If you want to do a deeper dive on food & wine in a very user-friendly way, I recommend you look up Madeline Puckette and her amazing wine education site Wine Folly. Madeline has become my #1 wine teacher and resource. She combines an incredible depth of all things wine with one-of-a-kind graphics to make everything easy to understand. She’s also very funny.
o So, with a big shout-out to Madeline, here are some food & wine basics she teaches that should help you take your wine experience to the next level:
Think about wine as an ingredient. There are two fundamental pairing methodologies for food & wine: Congruent and Contrasting. The objective of either one is to create “balance”.
Congruent pairing is more often associated with “Western” flavors: think Barbeque with Zinfandel, Thanksgiving dinner with Pinot Noir, etc.
Contrasting pairing can be associated with more “Eastern” cuisines: think Asian food and an off-dry Riesling, or Curry flavored dishes and Gruner Veltliner (Austria’s #1 varietal, also makes a great pairing with oysters).
Some other great-to-remember Madeline tips:
The wine should be more acidic than the food
The wine should have the same “intensity” as the food
Fats and oils balance high-tannin wines (think steak with Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo from Spain, an Italian Barolo or a Portugese red made with Touriga Nacional)
Generally, whites, roses and sparkling wines create contrasting pairings; red wines generally create congruent pairings.
The Bottom Line, this is “learn as you go”. Have fun and, over time, you will find yourself making some good choices and taking your Wine Experience to a whole new level.
Cheers!