Well, there are a couple of reasons to learn how to “taste” wine. First, using a consistent method to evaluate wine will help you to build a taste memory which can be directly applied (often subconsciously) to future tastings. Second, you’ll strengthen your ability to compare wines objectively, and you’ll also learn to identify exactly what you like or dislike about particular wines. Knowing how to describe what you like or dislike about something can be a powerful tool, especially with wine since its tastes are so varied. This ability will help you to more often discover wines you like and it will also help you to give better advice when your friends come asking you for wine suggestions.

So, how do you “taste” wine?

There are Four S’s to tasting wine: Sight, Smell, Sip, and Savor. Sight refers to our evaluation of the color, intensity, clarity, and things like the presence of bubbles. Smell refers to, you guessed it, anything to do with the nose.  Basically the wine’s aromas and the intensity of the those aromas. Sip refers to using our actual sense of taste (sweet, sour, bitter, salt, umami) and the process of evaluating the texture and weight of the wine. Savor is where we draw our conclusions: is the wine good quality? is it balanced? is it a value?

Over the next few weeks I’ll discuss each of the S’s in more depth. Salut!

But you may be wondering – “Why do I like this wine and my friend doesn’t? I say it’s sweet, she says it’s dry!”  When smelling and tasting a wine everyone perceives it differently. The various components of wine: sugar, acid, tannin, etc., are not sensed until they reach a certain concentration. The level at which each component is sensed is called the threshold of perception.  We perceive wines differently because we all have different thresholds of perception. I may sense sugar at 3 grams per liter and you may not sense it until 6 grams per liter. If a wine has 5 grams per liter of sugar, I may describe it as sweet and you may call it dry.

So, the next time you’re at a party enjoying a glass of wine, and you hear someone say, “This wine sucks,” remember that their thresholds aren’t their fault (but their manners are!), and there’ll be more wine for you!

Why waste time learning about wine?

People ask me about my wine classes all the time, “Why do I need to take a class? Can’t I learn just by drinking wine?” I always begin each of my classes with a short talk about why we bother learning about wine at all, especially the “how to taste” part. To me, wine is a passion – just like an art dealer or art student is passionate about art. They don’t simply look at art and think how great it is. They study it, learn as much as they can, they become experts, and in so doing they stoke their passion until it is burning out of control. This is me with wine. And I assume those that are taking my class feel the same, or at least are on their way and the class is their stepping stone. Otherwise, why pay to learn about wine when you can just buy a few bottles and sit on your back porch to drink? So, we learn because we are passionate. It helps us to understand wine even more when we do taste it. We are the people that will sit around discussing wine “for the fun of it.” We save our “great” bottles to share with others who appreciate wine just as much as us because that’s part of the fun.

Tokaj (the full name is Tokaj-Hegyalja) is a region in northeastern Hungary, along the border with Slovaki. It is most famous for its sweet, botrytized, wines, called Tokaji-Aszú. The first botrytized wines in the world were made in Tokaj, much earlier than the famous Sauternes of Bordeaux. Tokaj was also the first region to have its vineyards classified for quality, at least semi-officially, in 1772.

The climate features dry, hot summers and cold winters. Long autumns with misty mornings and dry afternoons contribute to the growth of beneficial noble rot (botrytis cinerea). The botrytis shrivels the grapes, concentrating the existing flavors and adding its own. In Hungary, botrytis is known as aszú.

There are three main grape varieties in Tokaj: Furmint, Hárslevelû, and Sárga Muskotály. Two others, Zéta and Kövérszõlõ, are also seen to some extent.

These 5 grapes contribute to the three main styles of wines from Tokaj (there are others, but they are seldom encountered), which are described in more detail below.

Dry whites made from Furmint, Hárslevelû, and Sárga Muskotály. These range from light to full-bodied, with varying levels of acidity, and can be oaked or unoaked.

Late-harvest wines made from various grapes. They come in various sweetness levels, with or without botrytis. They are also minimally barrel aged in order to accentuate the fruit.

Aszú wines, which are made by first individually picking botrytis infected grapes and crushing them into a paste. The paste is then added to a newly made wine (or fermenting must) where it macerates for an extended period of time, extracting an array of complex flavors. Finally, the wine is aged for a minimum of three years. Aszús can be labelled 3, 4, 5, or 6 puttonyos, referring to how sweet the wine is (6 is the sweetest). There is also aszú-eszencia and Tokaji-eszencia, both being sweeter and more concentrated than a 6 puttonyos.

For more information please visit www.tokaji.hu.

Though the taste profile is a great idea, Decanter said nothing of how the designations would be regulated. So, I went to the IRF’s website, www.drinkriesling.com, to read a little more about it. The IRF has guidelines based on “the interplay of sugar, acid, and pH.”  A good start. The danger lies in that these guidelines are just that – only guidelines rather than rules. Therefore, a winery could produce a medium-sweet Riesling, but label it medium-dry to help push sales. Not only would this anger some consumers, it would confuse many others. As long as producers are honest, though, this problem is eliminated.

The greater danger is the effect the taste profile could have on the type of Riesling that wineries decide to make. Wouldn’t Riesling producers start making drier style wines so they could then label them as such and sell more? Probably, but as much as I’d like to argue for the romance of wine, there’s nothing wrong with producing wine simply to satisfy consumers’ tastes. Business is business and you have to make money. There’s a good chance I would do the same thing if given the opportunity (I wish it weren’t so, but we’re all human). However, some of the best Rieslings in the world (and my favorites) are actually sweet. They’re usually balanced by incredible acidity, which tempers the sugar and causes them to taste drier. But, in the end, they still come off as sweet. These are the Rieslings I fear would slowly disappear, as producers seek consumer approval with their dry versions. And then I’d have to find a new favorite grape.

IRF “Riesling Taste Profile”

Decanter – New Riesling ‘taste profile’ introduced in US

Wine gets its flavors and tastes from a variety of compounds. These come from many sources and may be the same or similar to compounds found in other foods. For example, diacetyl in wine gives it a buttery taste. This compound is also found in butter.

The most important source for flavor and taste is the grape itself. Each grape imparts its own set of compounds to a wine. Alcoholic fermentation can add to or change these compounds. Other sources are malo-lactic fermentation, which can give white wines a buttery taste, lees stirring or batonnage, which can add a yeasty complexity to wine, and oak, which can add vanilla and spice flavors.

What is tannin?

Tannins come principally from grape skins, seeds, and stems, but can also come from oak barrels. Tannins produce a bitterness and “drying” out of the mouth, or astringency. It is a similar feeling to drinking over-steeped tea. In wines, tannins are found almost exclusively in red wines and can help them to age. Over time, tannins combine with each other and become less astringent. They also may fall out of solution, contributing to a sediment in the wine. Tannins also contribute to the texture of wine and can be described as harsh, soft, round, big, astringent, bitter, rough, silky, etc.

Value will continue to be important. But it’s not that consumers will ask for value wines, they will expect that anything they purchase has value. If a wine isn’t a value, what’s the point of drinking it? All wines (except luxury wines) will be expected to be a value. If it’s $10, it should taste like it’s $15. If it’s $50, it should taste like it’s $70. Look for wineries to promote their uniqueness, or something special about their wine to get it sold. It won’t be good enough in 2010 to just be a value.

Local will continue to grow in popularity. But will consumers finally buy into local wines? Sure, there are some people who love local wines, for a number of reasons, but many simply won’t go there. I spoke to one retailer of local foods recently and they were hesitant to sell local wine because they didn’t feel the options were good enough – they were going to skip on selling wine all together. Local wines in many places can be quite good, so don’t be afraid to venture out and experiment a little. Try to stick to local specialties, rather than popular varieties. For instance, in Virginia, try Viognier or Cabernet Franc, rather than Merlot or Chardonnay.

Wine education will continue to grow as an “in” thing with consumers. People simply want to know more about what they’re drinking and spending so much money on. Restaurants will also begin to embrace education for their staff, as consumes are increasingly expecting their service to include informed recommendations.

Wine as part of the restaurant experience will become more important. More people are drinking wine when dining out and restaurants are taking notice. Ever wonder why your local diner sells wine? Because it sells. You’ll see more wine and food pairings/recommendations, bigger wine lists, and more interesting selections – even at your small corner spots.

Critic reviews will become less important as consumers increasingly have the option to taste before purchasing (Hurray Enomatics!). Restaurants are also increasingly offering flights and sample pours.

Wines from previously unknown (at least to the consuming public) regions and/or grapes will become more popular. Look for more wines from Chile’s and Argentina’s individual regions promoting their providence. Spain will continue to grow – small wineries promoting specific regions, and large grocery brands will both be important. Grapes like Torrontes from Argentina and Monastrell from Spain (known as Mourvedre in France) will continue to grow in popularity.

Organic and environmentally friendly will become more popular as the world attempts to become more “green”, and the term “organic” becomes an everyman’s buzzword.

Who is the gift for? Sounds pretty simple but it’s more than – “my boss,” “my best friend,” “my brother.” You have to consider the giftee’s wine preferences (dry/sweet, red/white, light/big, a particular grape or region) and level of wine knowledge. There are other things to consider, as well. What is their religious affiliation, cultural, and/or ethnic background? Are they Vegan? Would they appreciate organic or environmentally friendly wines? Once you have determined the type of person you are buying for, you have to choose the type of wine to match.

Most people would appreciate a wine from their “home country,” where they grew up, where they took a favorite trip, or something local to where they live now (provided you can find quality examples of wine from any of these places). A knowledgeable wine person may appreciate a unique wine, from a unique grape or region. A wine collector may appreciate a Bordeaux, Burgundy, or Vintage Port. Someone with no wine knowledge may still have a preference. A friend that drinks mostly inexpensive White Zinfandel, probably wouldn’t appreciate an expensive Super Tuscan, but may enjoy a dry rose from Southern France.

Once you narrow down the type of wine you want to purchase, your budget is the next consideration. Vintage Ports, Champagnes, good Bordeaux and Burgundy can all be expensive, but wine from lesser-known regions or unique grapes (especially for the wine adventurer) can be very affordable and quite good.  If you are on a tight budget, you can still find good wine at $10, but spending up to $20 will greatly increase your selection.  Wines for collectors or status seekers (see below) will probably start above $30 and can run well over $100.

Finally, when you have the type of wine in mind and have figured your budget, take that information to your favorite wine retailer to peruse their selection.  Retailers can provide good advice to narrow your selection, and they usually can special order wines for you if they don’t have exactly what you need.

To help with matching wine to a person, here are some categories of giftees and wine ideas:

Wine Expert: a unique or hard-to-find bottle, ask your retailer for ideas (be prepared to provide details about your giftee’s preferences)

Wine Collector: Vintage Port, Bordeaux and/or Burgundy from good vintages, Vintage or Tete-de-Cuvee Champagne, Super Tuscans/Barolos from good vintages, Napa Cabernet Sauvignon from good vintages, check Robert Parker’s website for vintage ratings

Status Seeker: premium Champagne from well-know brands (e.g. Veuve Clicquot, Dom Perignon, Taittinger), premium Napa Cabernet from well-know producers (e.g. Jordan, Cakebread, Caymus, Shafer)

Vegan: check vegans.frommars.org/wine for vegan friendly wines

Wine Novice: wines from common grapes and the regions that do them well (e.g. German Riesling, Oregon Pinot Noir, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc…your retailer can give you more suggestions).

Do-Gooder: wines that support charities, check out www.wineforwheelchairs.com or www.charitywines.com

Religious/Cultural/Ethnic background: wine from someone’s “home country”, Kosher wine for a Jewish friend (think beyond the standard sweet Kosher wines, there are a number of great Kosher wines from Israel)

Sweet Tooth: dessert wines such as Canadian or German Icewine are delicious (Inniskillin makes some of the best and Jackson Triggs are fantastic value – both from Canada)

Besides wine as a gift, there are a number of wine-related items that can be given.  Consider wine board games, well-crafted cork screws, wine refrigerators or storage devices, and glassware (Riedel is the best).