IntrotoWine 9 26 06 TG

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Wine 101: Fundamentals of Wine Tasting Tuesday, September 26 www.gsbwineclub.com

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Wine Toasts Wine World Map How Do We Taste Wine Our First Taste Types of Wines / Major Grape Varieties How to Read a Wine Label Wine and Oak Glassware Breathing Bottle Sizes Wine and Food Pairing & Dining Out Good Wine Gone Bad Hosting Your First Tasting & Chicago Wine Tasting Agenda

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I like best the wine drunk at the cost of others – Diogenes the Cynic The best use of bad wine is to drive away poor relations - French proverb The great evil of wine is that it first seizes the feet, it is a crafty wrestler - TITUS MACCIUS (190 BC) In vino veritas [In wine is truth] - Proverb quoted by PLATO Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever - Aristophanes Let’s drink to that, that, that, that and that! Famous Wine Toasts

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Arabic : Shucram Chile : Salud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo Chinese (Mandarin) : Yung sing / Gan bei French : A votre Sante German/Austria : Prost Israel : L'Chaim! (To Life!) Italy : Cin cin / Salute Japan : Kampai Korean : Chukbae / Konbe Spain : Salut US / UK : Cheers Russia : Na zdorovje Wine Toasts From Around the World

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Wine World Map World wine production by country - 2001, hectoliter 000 - World total production: 266.8 Alsace Bordeaux Burgundy (1) Champagne Côte du Rhône Loire Valley… Note: (1) Meursault, Gevrey Chambertin, Côte de Beaune, Pouilly Fuissé, Beaujolais, Chablis… Asti (Piemonte) Barbaresco (Piemonte) Barolo (Piemonte) Brachetto (Piemonte) Chianti (Tuscany) Franciacorta (Lombardy) Navarra Rias Baixas Ribera del Duero Rioja Priorat Mosel Pfalz Ruwer Rheingau Saar Alentejo Bairrada Dao Douro Port ‘Old World’ wines

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How Do We Taste Wine? Step 1. Look Color & clarity can provide clues to origin, grape type and over all quality (e.g. Cabernet should be dark) Action Observe color against a white background Step 2. Smell What do you smell? Any “off” or spoilage aromas? - Musty smell indicates “corked” wine, nail polish remover smell indicates acidity problem Action Swirl the Glass to open the wine Step 3. Taste Pay attention to the specific flavors and feelings on the tongue Action Sip about 1-2 tsps of wine Swirl it around in your mouth (wet entire mouth) Suck a bit of air over the wine

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What You Taste Specific Aromas & Flavors There are hundreds of potential flavors and aromas in wines, such as: Texture or “Body” There are varying degrees of body, from “light” like skim milk to “full” like heavy cream Acidity There are varying degrees acidity / tartness, from very tart (high acidity) to “soft” or “fat” (low acidity) White wines and some lighter-style red wines usually contain a higher degree Sweetness Ranges from “bone-dry” to very sweet. Most wines are relatively dry. Sweetness should not be confused with fruitiness – many wines are fruity and smell sweet but are not sweet on your tongue. Look for sweetness in the after-taste

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How to Determine Quality (vs. what you like) Balance Quality wines are balanced, meaning nothing stands out as too prominent or awkward Acidity – high acidity makes wine taste crisp (i.e. very tart), low acidity makes wine feel fat Sweetness – sugar can help or hurt a wine, acid balances sugar Alcohol – can you taste it? Too much can hurt, look for balance, if your mouth waters after you drink, chances are high alcohol content Tannins – Comes from grape skins and leaves, they make your mouth feel dry (Note: it is not a taste, rather a sensation). Frequently exists in red wines or white wines aged in wood. It acts as a preservative The Finish or Aftertaste In general, the longer the flavors last, the higher the quality of the wine Many great wines last anywhere from one to three minutes

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Major Grape Varieties There are over 10,000 types of grapes, with about 180 of them made into wine!!! To know wines, we must learn about grapes – the ABC’s of wine Popular White Grapes Chardonnay (shar-dohn-nay) Lemon, lime, grapefruit, nectarine, pear, apple, pineapple, guava, melon, banana, smoke, steel, cream, vanilla, butter, butterscotch, toast, chalk, yeast, mint, coconut, mineral. Grown in Burgundy, California, Australia, Italy, South America and more. Sémillon (say-mee-yohn) Peach, pear, melon, fig, cream, honey, cinnamon, lanolin, vanilla, apricot (in sweeter styles), floral, beeswax. Australia, California, Washington, Bordeaux. Chenin Blanc (she-neen-BLAHNK) Red apple, peach, pineapple, guava, chalk, lemon, vanilla, cream, apple blossom, chamomile, melon. France and California. Riesling (REES-ling ) Apricot, peach, nectarine, green apple, honeysuckle, geranium, rose, licorice, petrol, asphalt, smoke, cream, earth, flint, slate. Popular in Germany and the Pacific NW. Sauvignon Blanc (soh-veen-yown-BLAHNK) Grapefruit, lemon, lime, melon, apple, grass, hay, straw, alfalfa, bell pepper, asparagus, green olive, artichoke, stemmy, honey, smoke, apricot, mint, menthol, wet wool, catty, mineral, flint, gooseberry. Bordeaux, California, Australia.

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Major Grape Varieties Many grapes are blended together to make types/styles of wine – Bordeaux, Meritage, Shiraz/Cabernet, general table wines. Varietal laws vary across countries – California 75% law. Popular Red Grapes Cabernet Sauvignon (cab-er-NAY soh-veen-YOHN) Blackberry, black raspberry, black currant (cassis), bell pepper, eucalyptus, mint, black olive, green olive, earth, mushroom, chocolate, cocoa, molasses, smoke, plum, cedar, tobacco, licorice, graphite (pencil box). Bordeaux, California, Australia, South America, South Africa. Merlot (merh-LOH) (Similar to Cabernet Sauvignon, but "softer", rounder when very ripe, focus on herbal and "green" flavors.). Bordeaux and California. Pinot Noir (PEE-noh-NWAHR) Cherry, raspberry, strawberry, prune, plum, pomegranate, coffee, spice, coriander, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, earth, smoke, mushroom, "barnyard", caramel, allspice, violets, lavender, jasmine, cocoa, sausage, citrus. Burgundy, California and Pacific NW. Zinfandel (ZIN-fan-del) Blackberry, raspberry, jam, cherry, port, plum, chocolate, olive, bell pepper, cloves, black pepper, spice. Long a mystery, now confirmed from Croatia. California. America’s great contribution to the wine world. Sangiovese (SAN-gee-oh-VAY-SEE) Cherry, raspberry, red plum, blackberry, cinnamon, dried flowers, vanilla, pepper, truffle, smoke, chamomile, rose petal, tar, coffee, anise. Italy. Syrah/Shiraz (see-RAH) Blackberry, black currant (cassis), black raspberry, black plum, white pepper, black pepper, cinnamon, anise, prune, oak, soy, chocolate, smoke, sausage, toast, violets. France and Australia.

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How to Read a Wine Label California France Italy Germany Spain Wine maker or Winery Appellation – country or region where grapes were grown, usually defined by law Vintage – Year of harvest, not bottling Varietal – not required in countries where laws specify traditional varietals (Bordeaux) Ripeness – usually only seen on German wines Where the wine was bottled Additional information (distributor, classification, i.e. Cru Bourgeois)

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Wine and Oak – Quite the Couple Oak is the other ingredient in wine, such a high proportion of great red and white wines are matured if not fermented in small oak barrels (225 liters) Oak has been used to store wine for centuries because it is both watertight and easy to work with (other method is aging in steel tanks) Oak has natural affinity (tannin) by adding complexity in flavors but also physical properties (clarifying and stabilizing the body, deepening the color and softening the texture) Oak comes either from France, which is considered to be more tannic, or America, which is sweeter with more of a vanilla note For red wines, oak barrels add vanilla and spice, and enhance structure White wines fermented and aged in barrels have a nutty, buttery character, along with the spice and vanilla flavors Some white grape varieties, such as Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc, rarely benefit from oak aging Finally, the older the barrel the less oak flavor it will impart, the heavier toasted the wood the less wood tannin it will impart

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Glassware Glasses that alter or obscure the color of the wine detract from the wine itself, therefore the best glasses are those of clear glass with a bowl large enough for swirling There are a variety of shapes available and personal preference should guide you, however some shapes are better suited for certain wines A smaller glass that closes in a bit at the top helps concentrate the bouquet of a white wine and also helps it keep its chill Larger, balloon-shaped glasses are more appropriate for great red wines which benefit from a greater ability to breath Champagne flutes allow the bubbles to rise from a single point and concentrate the bouquet A glass should only be filled half full to allow for the ability to swirl and enjoy the bouquet

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Breathing It is widely accepted that simply opening a bottle an hour or two before service will not really help the wine, but it will also not likely hurt the wine There are many schools of thought about the need to pour a wine into a glass or a decanter in order to allow the wine to breath Very old wine (more than twenty-five years) should be opened and consumed immediately. The introduction of oxygen often causes the acidity of the wine to overpower. Decanting – primarily allows for the separation of sediment from the wine but also used to allow a wine to breath Generally you should decant Great chateaux of Bordeaux (ten years or older) California Cabernets (eight years or older) Vintage Port (ten years or older)

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Bottle Sizes – A bit of Trivia (Bordeaux/Burgundy) Nb of bottles (0.75 cl) 2 – Magnum 4 – Double Magnum or Jeroboam 6 – Rehoboram 8 – Imperiale or Methusaleh 12 – Salmanazar 16 – Balthazar 20 - Nabuchodonozor

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Wine and Food Pairing Match your wine to the strongest flavor on the plate Balance the weight of the wine to the weight of the food. A full flavored meal needs a full-bodied wine; a simple dish requires a simple wine Fatty, greasy or rich dishes need a dry wine with good acidity to clean the palate Salty dishes need a slightly sweet wine with full fruit flavors, moderate acidity and no tannins Hot, spicy dishes require refreshing acidity, lower alcohol and fruity wines Cream sauces and butter require wines of good fruit and matching body or contrasting acidity to cleanse the palate The dessert wine should be sweeter than the dessert Rare meets need young tannic reds and well-done meats need older or fruity reds with little or no tannins

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Dining Out – How to Order Projecting confidence is 99% of the battle! Don’t hesitate to ask for recommendations based on what you will be eating If everyone is eating different types of food, order by the glass If you wish to speak with the Sommelier (wine steward) ask your server – tip 10- 15% of the bottle price When your server brings the bottle, check label for accuracy before the bottle is opened (watch out for vintage and vineyard discrepancies!) Server will place a small amount of wine in your glass – swirl and smell the bouquet before sipping Taste a small amount of the wine, tell server the wine is “OK” or “fine” If the wine is bad (spoiled) you should send it back

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Even Good Wine Goes Bad Corked Wine – caused by a cork fungus, causes wine to smell moldy, like wet cellar or moldy cardboard Cooked Wine – caused by uneven storage temperatures or a wine passed its prime, one sign is the cork is not flush with bottle, wine lost its fruit smell and taste Sediments and Crystals – not a true fault, sediments can be decanted out, crystals are usually tartrate and pose no real threat as long as they are not mistaken for shards of glass Sulfur Dioxide – common preservative, if used to liberally, can make wine taste like…well, sulfur Do not hesitate to send back / return wines that have gone bad!

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Hosting Your First Wine Tasting Pick a theme for your tasting: Bordeaux Reds vs. California Cabernets Syrah vs. Shiraz Invite friends and tell them the parameters to select their wine - specify type and cost limits Provide glassware, pens and paper for tasting notes, and food paired with your theme to use during the tasting. Also, provide spit cups and water

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Chicago Area Wine Bars 404 Wine Bar - 2852 N. Southport Ave The Tasting Room at Randolph Wine Cellars - 1415 W. Randolph St Bin 36 - 339 N. Dearborn St Bin Wine Café - 1559 N. Milwaukee Ave D.O.C. Wine Bar - 2602 N. Clark St Enoteca Piattini - 934 W. Webster Ave Webster's Wine Bar - 1480 W. Webster Ave. Pops for Champagne - 601 N. State St (re-opening Mid-October) Cru Cafe and Wine Bar - 888 N. Wabash Ave (re-opening October 15)