A number of virtual wine tastings will occur online over the next few weeks and there’s lots of opportunities to discover new and exciting wines: #CabernetDay & #TempranilloDay (both Sept 1st), and #Grenache Day (Sept 25th).
Those of us who have been tasting and tweeting for a while know how these events work, but if you’re new to virtual wine tastings or have never been brave enough to talk about wine online, here’s a few tips to get you started and answers to some of the most common questions I receive:
Q: What do I talk about?
A; There’s no rules on what you need to discuss – it could be about how the wine tastes, the region it’s sourced from, if there’s a food that the wine is going well with, or just ask the winemakers a question directly if you have questions. Some people take photos of where they are and get some photos into the stream of activity to provide a visual reference for others to see the action or if there’s a line up of wines to sample, you can simply talk up your favorite selections.
If you follow the stream of activity closely enough, you’ll often pick up links to videos or online content that winemakers are sending out – you might watch these and come back with comments or let people know your thoughts after tasting the wine. It’s all about participating in the discussion.
Think of the event as a big dining table where you don’t know everyone, but you’re coming together for an event and find common interests to chat about.
Make sure you include the relevant hashtag with your comments so that people can follow the thread of your conversations.
Q; I don’t know much about wine, can I still participate?
A: Absolutely – the whole purpose of these events is to help people discover more about wine and have some fun along the way. Those people participating are often very passionate about wine, so if you don’t know something or understand, ask them to explain – that’s the value of sharing on this online forum.
Q: I am not on twitter, can I still get involved?
Most of the action will occur via twitter, but you can still get involved with facebook posts, posting videos or checking in to venues participating if you are using something like facebook places or four square.
If you’re at home and have access to internet, you can watch the activity by putting in the hashtag on sites like www.twitterfall.com, www.kurrently.com or searching for the hashtag on programs like Hootsuite, Tweetdeck or Seesmic.
While there’s no set rules for these online tastings, one of the core objectives is to help people discover more about wine – new varietals, different regions and styles, and brands you may not have come across before.
Hope to see you online tasting and tweeting. Let's hear about your favorite new wine discoveries!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Back to School - Wine Tasting Basics
Nearly every Saturday during our weekly wine tasting, customers will ask us to explain the proper technique for tasting wine. While wine tasting rating systems range from a simple - "I love it!" or "I hate it!" to more complicated 100 point scales, if your overall goals include getting acquainted with a variety of wine regions and the ability to select a bottle that you'll enjoy from a wine list, then my first suggestion is to take some notes the next time you go wine tasting. With glass in hand, here's a place to start:
Step 1: See
Look at a wine's appearance. This is a good starting point to differentiate it from others. Describe the color - straw, garnet, ruby, etc. The browning rim around a wine may indicate that it has been aged.
Wines that are not fined or filtered will not always appear crystal clear. Don't worry, this is not a flaw and may actually lend to the body, flavor and ageability of a wine.
Step 2: Smell
Swirl the glass to release the aromas. Describe the aromas i.e. fruity, spicy, earthy, herbal, toasty oak. Check out an aroma wheel for help with more descriptors. Start with a general category like fruity. Which kind? If it's berry, then what type? Strawberry.
Tasting sheets can be helpful, but they'll be in need of updating. Some notes were written at the time the wine was bottled or at a particular point in its development. Given that wine changes over time, the tasting notes may not describe what your perceive. If the wine has aged well, it may have developed more complex aromas and other nuances that weren't noted initially.
Wine Terms:
Aromas are what the grapes have contributed. Bouquet is what the winemaker has contributed i.e. by barrel aging it adds a vanilla, toasted oak character.
Step 3: Flavor
Taste the wine. Describe its flavor. Fruity? Floral? Vegetable? Nutty? Caramel? Finding the words to match the exact flavors is difficult and takes a fair amount of training. More on "developing your palate" below.
Does it achieve overall balance? A wine that is overly flat or acidic does not achieve balance.
After you've tasted the wine, you can ask What flavors linger? Is there a finish (after taste)? What you're looking for are the lingering flavors and subtle nuances that develop on the finish as the wine warms and spreads more completely across the palate.
Step 4: Body
Body of the wine is light, medium, or full-bodied. Watch the wine's "legs" as you swirl it in the glass. Do the "legs" run down the glass quickly? Does it match what is varietally correct? A Chardonnay that is thin does not represent the varietal.
Step 5: Summarize
In its final analysis, how would you rate the overall quality of the wine? Tally the components you've observed in your tasting sequence. Does it make the grade? It's a Thumbs up or Thumbs Down.
Developing your palate:
If you are just getting started, choose wines that are polarized comparisons. Side by side tastings done blindly work well. Select wines from various regions, varietals, and vintages. Complex aromas really stand out in older vintages. Take notes using the 5 step process.
Want to be an expert taster? Buy a flavor kit to add comparative analysis when tasting wines. Do blind tastings using the same varietals. Also, visit a vineyard and sample wine grapes straight from the vine during harvest season. Make a note of varietal characteristics and flavors. How well are those flavors expressed in the finished wine?
"House palate" refers to people who have developed a taste for a certain type of wine and may not find others pleasing.
If you are happy with what you drink, then drink what you like. If you would like to avoid house palate, then move out of your wine comfort zone using the 5 step process detailed above
Try Something New: Winemaking techniques and vineyard practices vary widely. If you think you don't like a particular varietal, give it a shot. Opportunities to taste wine has expanded exponentially over the years. Visit a local vineyard or find the local wine stores show interest in helping you develop your palate and wine tasting skills. You may find a delicious exception to add to your wine collection. Most of all, explore, discover and enjoy!
It's Back-to-School time so Start Wine-ing!
Step 1: See
Look at a wine's appearance. This is a good starting point to differentiate it from others. Describe the color - straw, garnet, ruby, etc. The browning rim around a wine may indicate that it has been aged.
Wines that are not fined or filtered will not always appear crystal clear. Don't worry, this is not a flaw and may actually lend to the body, flavor and ageability of a wine.
Step 2: Smell
Swirl the glass to release the aromas. Describe the aromas i.e. fruity, spicy, earthy, herbal, toasty oak. Check out an aroma wheel for help with more descriptors. Start with a general category like fruity. Which kind? If it's berry, then what type? Strawberry.
Tasting sheets can be helpful, but they'll be in need of updating. Some notes were written at the time the wine was bottled or at a particular point in its development. Given that wine changes over time, the tasting notes may not describe what your perceive. If the wine has aged well, it may have developed more complex aromas and other nuances that weren't noted initially.
Wine Terms:
Aromas are what the grapes have contributed. Bouquet is what the winemaker has contributed i.e. by barrel aging it adds a vanilla, toasted oak character.
Step 3: Flavor
Taste the wine. Describe its flavor. Fruity? Floral? Vegetable? Nutty? Caramel? Finding the words to match the exact flavors is difficult and takes a fair amount of training. More on "developing your palate" below.
Does it achieve overall balance? A wine that is overly flat or acidic does not achieve balance.
After you've tasted the wine, you can ask What flavors linger? Is there a finish (after taste)? What you're looking for are the lingering flavors and subtle nuances that develop on the finish as the wine warms and spreads more completely across the palate.
Step 4: Body
Body of the wine is light, medium, or full-bodied. Watch the wine's "legs" as you swirl it in the glass. Do the "legs" run down the glass quickly? Does it match what is varietally correct? A Chardonnay that is thin does not represent the varietal.
Step 5: Summarize
In its final analysis, how would you rate the overall quality of the wine? Tally the components you've observed in your tasting sequence. Does it make the grade? It's a Thumbs up or Thumbs Down.
Developing your palate:
If you are just getting started, choose wines that are polarized comparisons. Side by side tastings done blindly work well. Select wines from various regions, varietals, and vintages. Complex aromas really stand out in older vintages. Take notes using the 5 step process.
Want to be an expert taster? Buy a flavor kit to add comparative analysis when tasting wines. Do blind tastings using the same varietals. Also, visit a vineyard and sample wine grapes straight from the vine during harvest season. Make a note of varietal characteristics and flavors. How well are those flavors expressed in the finished wine?
"House palate" refers to people who have developed a taste for a certain type of wine and may not find others pleasing.
If you are happy with what you drink, then drink what you like. If you would like to avoid house palate, then move out of your wine comfort zone using the 5 step process detailed above
Try Something New: Winemaking techniques and vineyard practices vary widely. If you think you don't like a particular varietal, give it a shot. Opportunities to taste wine has expanded exponentially over the years. Visit a local vineyard or find the local wine stores show interest in helping you develop your palate and wine tasting skills. You may find a delicious exception to add to your wine collection. Most of all, explore, discover and enjoy!
It's Back-to-School time so Start Wine-ing!
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