Wine Tasting - The Sense of Smell
There are a few very important things to note when we "nose" a wine. It is suggested to first smell the wine before swirling, noticing the delicate aromas. Next, swirl the wine and smell again after it is at rest. Depending on the bouquet, you may then notice a profound difference in the odors emerging. Aroma is a smell that originates from the actual grape, with very clear cut characteristics. Aroma is most prevalent in young wines. The bouquet of a wine refers to smells generated as a result of aging; smells found particularly in mature wines that were aged in a bottle. The bouquet generally has much softer and complex characteristics than aromas. Identifying what you smell is usually the most challenging part in wine tasting. Although there are many smell categories used to describe characteristics of wine, none have been exclusively agreed upon.
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Red Wine Marinated Lamb Chops
with Blue Lake Beans & Pomegranate
**Recipe courtesy of Tastings Restaurant & Wine Bar, Healdsburg,
CA
2 racks of lamb
1 T. Olive Oil
1 C. Red Wine
1/2 C. chicken stock
1 T. chopped Rosemary
1 T. chopped Parsley
4 T. chopped Garlic
1 T. chopped Shallots
1 T. Juniper Berries
1 T. Chopped Thyme
56 Blue Lake Beans
1 Pomegranate – seeds removed (40 seeds reserved for garnish)
For Lamb: Clean racks of lamb into 16 chops. French the bones and marinate for 2 hours with red wine, rosemary, parsley, 3T.garlic, shallots and juniper berries. Season chops on side with salt and pepper. Place on a hot grill 2 minutes per side.
For Beans: Clean beans and blanch in salted water for 1-2 minutes until al dente. In large sauté pan, add 1T.garlic, beans, thyme, and 1T.olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until hot.
For Sauce: Pour marinade and 1/2 C. chicken stock with pomegranate seeds into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and reduce until sauce coats backside of spoon. Strain through a fine strainer
