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Wine Tasting - The Sense of Sight
Wine tasting basics begin with knowing how to use your senses to understand, interpret, and enjoy the wine. The ability to recognize what you see, and furthermore describe it in clear terms, is a very important wine tasting skill.
Although some may say the appearance of the wine is the least important aspect with regard to the senses, it is still worth noting. When examining appearance, we are looking for clarity and color. We want the wine to be free of any sediment, leaving it clear and brilliant. Red wines tend to lose their color as they mature, while white wines tend to grow darker with age. A good quality wine generally will be intense in color. The "legs" seen running down the sides of a glass after being swirled, are an indication of flavor density. It is best to use a plain white background, and tilt the glass slightly as you observe clarity and color.
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What the Experts Drink
Joel Helman, Personal Wine Consultant, North Coast Wine Group
The Wall Street Journal's wine page reports that of all things that wine retailers offer, knowing what the staff drinks and why is most important to consumers. It's not price, selection, or even service! So here are a few of the fine wines I love to drink - I hope you'll enjoy them too!
WillaKenzie 2001 Pinot Blanc - beautifully focused fruit that needs no oak is so refreshing. Just what I need with a plate of fried calamari.
Barnett 2001 Chardonnay - another winner from one of the finest California vineyards (Sangiacomo). Full bodied, lavish, with oak tones but not overdone.
Agrapart non-vintage Blanc de Blanc Champagne - sometimes I think I don't like Blanc de Blanc (all chardonnay) but I haven't met a person yet who didn't enjoy this. I could drink it for breakfast, lunch or before dinner - the delicacy and flavor get me every time.
Cline 2000 Live Oak Zinfandel - this is Big Boy Zin, so cook up some pasta with a seriously garlic sauce, grate in some Asiago cheese, and enjoy. 100 year old vines - the real McCoy in Zinfandel.
Del Dotto 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon - okay, it's a splurge, but in winter this full-bodied, intensely flavored and drinkable now Cab will rock your socks!
Loxton 2000 Syrah - Chris Loxton is a near perfectionist in seeking out the finest fruit. It's not masked with a lot of new oak - I get complexity, some raspberry, and a hint of white pepper. With only 475 cases produced, it won't be around for long.
Submitted by Joel Helman, Personal Wine Consultant, North Coast Wine Group
joel@winebyphone.com phone 877-946-3590
