Tips

Solace in Wine

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When I started my journey, I had no idea that I would find solace in wine. This magical elixir had me under its spell. After all, I didn’t need a reason to drink it. I just fell in love.

Now, I won’t ramble on with the new phrases in our everyday lexicon or speak of the challenges we’re all facing. Instead, let’s talk about the pleasure that wine brings to our lives and how it can be the proverbial light leading us from dark times.

I’m reminded about a wonderful quote from the movie, “Sideways.” No, not that one. It’s this one instead.

“I like to think about what was going on the year the grapes were growing; how the sun was shining; if it rained. I like to think about all the people who tended and picked the grapes. And if it’s an old wine, how many of them must be dead by now. I like how wine continues to evolve, like if I opened a bottle of wine today it would taste different than if I’d opened it on any other day, because a bottle of wine is actually alive. And it’s constantly evolving and gaining complexity. That is, until it peaks, like your ’61. And then it begins its steady, inevitable decline.”

I enjoy Merlot, BTW.

Living in the Moment

If you think about it, wine is the ultimate way to live in the moment and let yourself ride a wave of unbridled thoughts along a path from the glass to the vineyard.

It’s my happy place.

When you contemplate a wine, research its origins, and read the tech sheet, you gain a deeper understanding. Taking it to the next level with a geography lesson is even better.

You’re transported and can find solace in wine.

How to Live What’s In the Glass

Our journey begins with a place, the AOC, WO, or AVA where the wine was born. The “World Atlas to Wine” is our guidebook.

I can also recommend Oz Clarke’s “World of Wine.” You’ll feel like you’re in the car driving alongside him.

You’ll learn about the land and its people. Terroir becomes evident. Explore the grapes or at least the ones in your glass.

Are they thin-skin picky or thick-skin easy-going?

Do they like it warm or cold?

What makes them shine? Acidity? Unique aromas? Complexity?

These aren’t questions to answer in a moment or even five. Each wine has the potential to be cerebral if given the attention.

Finding Solace in Wine

I’ve poured my glass of Beaujolais Cru, Molin-A-Vent, to be precise. I look at its beautiful color and take it all in to enjoy.

The first aroma I get is cherries, and immediately, I’m transported to summer. I let her rest and get to know life out of the bottle.

Ah, then strawberries come to the surface. I’m reminded of my grandma. She was an immigrant from Hungary, or the Austria-Hungarian Empire at the time. She fled the old country at the start of World War I.

After her third husband passed, she lived with our family. I remember this dish she would make for an occasional dinner. She made what she called were Hungarian pancakes, aka crepes.

She’d make a stack of them. We’d take them and slather a heaping spoonful of Kool Whip on them. Yes, Kool Whip. Then, we’d add fresh strawberries that had macerated in a bit of sugar.

The wine takes me back to my childhood dinner table and Hungarian pancakes with strawberries. And I feel fine.

Associating Memories to Find Solace in Wine

Memories are so powerful, especially if you can associate them with particular scents or sights. My Beaujolais did just that.

For a moment, I was wandering the landscape and feeling the granite soils of Moulin-A-Vent. I was feeling the breeze lift my hair and caress my face. I smiled thinking of my grandma.

It made me love wine even more. I’ll find my solace in wine and let it be my succor. I’ll let it refresh me and revive me. It will be my light.

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How I Write a Wine Tasting Note

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If you like wine but don’t record your experiences, you’re missing out on an opportunity. I get it. Writing a wine tasting note might seem like overkill if you’re just getting started. You may not know what to say. It might feel awkward.

Fear not. I’m going to share my take on what I want to remember about each glass of wine. I’ll say up front that what I record might not agree with what you think is important.

That’s okay.

Variety, after all, is the spice of life.

Getting Your Focus

Probably the best advice I can give you is not to overthink it. Instead, focus on your first impressions. Without even thinking about it, what is the first thing that comes to mind when you take a sniff from the glass?

A good wine will evolve into different tastes as it rolls around in your mouth and goes down your gullet. The warmth will jump start those esters and bring new flavors and aromas to the forefront.

One way to cement the wine into your memory is to associate what you smell and taste with an experience. Smell is the oldest of our senses and the one most closely linked with memories.

If I say “new car smell,” you know exactly what I’m referencing. It can run the gamut from good to bad, too.

There used to be a variety store, dime store, shall we say, in our town. It sold everything from school supplies to notions (!) to goldfish. It had the most unusual and kind-of unpleasant smell. It never varied. I can still smell it to this day.

I can’t say what I’d do if I encountered a wine with an a la’ John’s Variety Store scent.

A Professional Take

Kevin Zraly’s, “Windows on the World,” describes this concept so eloquently. There are two passages in particular that struck home with me.

It’s essential to understand that the restaurant in which he was the sommelier was at the top of the World Trade Center in New York City. Everything changed on September 11, 2001.

The smell of the debris, dust, and a myriad of other odors is one that he will never forget.

I’ll never forget the images.

The second passage was written by contributor, Wendy Dubit, founder of the Senses Bureau and Vergant Media. She writes of describing a Ouligny-Montrachet to her dying father.

It is nothing short of moving.

BTW, every wine lover must get this book. You will refer to it again and again.

What to Include With Your Wine Tasting Note

I’ll start with the basics. At the very least, your wine tasting note has the info you need to find the bottle again if it turns out to be a love match.

Begin with where you bought the wine, along with the price. To make sure you get the right one, also include the vintage.

Tip: When you see those shelf-talkers, make sure what is on the shelf is the same as the advertisement. Wine Spectator Magazine appreciates it if you alert them if they are misused in this way.

Of course, you should also include the varietal and the grape varieties if they’re listed. That’s the best way to learn about different wines, especially if you’re after the coveted Wine Century Club honor.

The next set of point include:

  • Color
  • Aromas
  • Flavors
  • Other Production Notes

Let’s consider each one’s place in your wine tasting note.

Color

Color can give you a ballpark estimation of what is in the glass. For example, a deep yellow color in a white indicates that it is either from a warm climate or that it has some age on it.

It’s worth mentioning the clarity too. Some winemakers are producing wines that are unfiltered. That means you may see that result in your glass.

Aromas

This part of a wine tasting note often confuses people and probably adds to the perception that wine drinking is elitist.

It’s not.

The best advice I can give you is not to rush into it. Take your time with the wine. The volatile compounds often need time to develop. They need to capture the oxygen to float up the glass.

Temperature is also a factor. Warmer temps speed up chemical reactions. You may find that the wine smells different after it’s had some time out of the bottle.

Flavors

The same advice applies to flavors. And again, try to find associations. Concentrate on what comes to mind first without thinking about it. By all means, don’t let anyone intimidate you or make fun of you. It is a thing.

Other Production Notes

Other things you may find helpful are noting the producer, shipper, and importer. Some wines are exclusive to certain ones. If you like the wines from a particular importer, you may find some gems with others in their portfolio.

If there is some production info, write it down too if you really like a bottle. It’s an excellent way to learn your palate.

Final Thoughts About Wine Tasting Notes

I like to think of wine as an adventure. Learning about it has taught me a lot about geography, for one. Learning to pay attention to aromas and tastes has opened up a whole new world for me. It all began with that first wine tasting note.

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Types of Wine to Develop Your Palette

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Recently, I was browsing our local breast cancer consignment shop. As my husband said, leave it to me to find the wine-related items. Of course, anything that helps me explore different types of wine is tops on my list. The book, The Food Lover’s Guide to Wine, caught my eye.

While the book is a bit dated, the info is meaty. It is so jam-packed that it’s a book that you have to savor instead of devour in a few sittings. I always like to review the resource and recommended list for anything I read. This one did not disappoint.

That’s how I found out about the Wine Century Club.

Going Outside of the Box

The best thing about this site is that it encourages you to think outside of the box and explore different types of wine. Varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon are comfortable. They are likely a part of everyone’s wheelhouse.

That’s great!

We all have to start somewhere on our wine journey. However, it’s essential to view it from a marketing perspective.

Popular types of wine have a lot of competition. That means the best ones will come with a like price. That’s part of the reason why going down the beaten path can help your wine journey

Finding the Values

When you have a familiar variety, you have an easy sell. The chances are that potential buyers know it and have a preconceived notion about what they’re getting. That’s a good thing when it comes to wine.

Wine snobbery is a real thing. That’s one reason why some people gravitate toward expensive wines with the idea that it’s better.

It’s not.

But, finding a real gem that you and others will try with a clean slate is a cool experience. Think of it as a blind tasting without having to cover up the label.

As we’ve embarked on our Wine Century Club experience, we realized that we had tried all the international varieties and have gone well beyond those bounds.

Lessons Learned With the Different Types of Wine

The new experiences are priceless. We’ve had the chance to detect graphite, petrol, chalk, chassis, violets, cinnamon, mint, and many other delectable scents.

Also, we’ve traveled figuratively through five continents and 20 countries. We’ve tasted the wine. We’ve made wine. And we’ve picked grapes. We’ve tasted grapes right off the wine.

All I can say now is that I want more!

Final Thoughts About the Types of Wine

The more I learn about wine, the more I realize how much I don’t know—and how much more I want to explore. I’m not content to stick with one variety. I want to discover the bounds of the types of wine and what surprises are still in store. A hundred varieties are just the start.

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Say It Right

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I had a botany professor in grad school who often talked about a colleague that he admired. He said this man made it his goal to know the names—scientific ones for him—of all the plants he encountered and to say it right. He thought it was the best way to get to know them.

If you know Latin, pronunciation isn’t difficult. After all, English is a Latin-based language. When it comes to wine, you might often find yourself treading some rough waters. French, Spanish, Italian, and all the others have their idiosyncrasies. And don’t get me started about dialects.

I have made it my mission to take the same care with pronouncing the names of wines. I want to say it right. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a gesture of respect.

You Say Grenache, and I Say Garnacha

Of course, it’d be a helluva lot easier if everyone used the same terms. You don’t have to delve too far into the wine world to stumble upon that fact.

Take Grenache, for example. That’s how we spell and say it here and in France. Spain prefers Garnacha or Garnatxa. And when in Italy, do as the Italians do and call it Cannonau. Sometimes, those names are quite telling.

Take Gouais Blanc, for instance. Not necessarily a name that rolls off the tongue, it is actually the Casanova of the grape world, partly responsible for over 80 varieties. You don’t usually see it as a varietal. It’s more of a blender, particularly with sparklers. Its name means “white donkey,” fitting for a grape for this purpose. (I like Casanova better, myself.)

Sometimes, wines are named for the variety. Other times, it’s the region, vineyard, or something made up by the vintner. But, there’s always a story.

I personally like the fact that some French wines don’t bother with putting any more info that the name of the Château and perhaps a sketch of one of the larger estates.

Learning How to Get It Right

If you’re not familiar with other languages, you can still pronounce the names like a pro. Google Translate is an excellent way to learn how to say it right. Another helpful source is the Wine & Spirit Education Trust‘s page on pronunciation.

While researching this article, I came across the usual roundup of web pages with their hints for getting it right. They had the common tongue twisters like Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Gewurztraminer. I also found one talking about Shiraz.

I’m one of those people who have a thing about how to pronounce a short a for certain words. Saying cat with that aa sound works for them. However, for me, it’s data with an ah sound.

I’m reminded of the scene in Woody Allen’s movie, “Radio Days” when Mia Farrow’s character is taking diction lessons. So, imagine my surprise to learn that Australians pronounce Shiraz with the second syllable sounding like jazz instead of Shir-ahz. Okay, I give in. It’s Shir-azz.

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Sulfites in Wine: What's the Deal?

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Sulfites in wine is the latest buzz in the beverage world. It became entangled with the so-called natural fallacy movement. It carries the dreadful distinction of being a chemical, requiring—GASP!—a warning label on wines.

But is it a problem?

What Are Sulfites?

It’s essential to begin with a discussion about what sulfites are before we launch headfirst into its safety.

I will admit that my research had me scratching my head about whether sulfur dioxide (SO2) and sulfites were one and the same. A couple of sources helped me get my head around the terminology.

Technically, SO2 is a noxious gas. It has a burnt match smell that many people find offensive. Ironically enough, it is naturally occurring and is even produced by the human body.

You’ll find it in a host of other foods and beverages too like dried fruits, pop, and even French fries. So much for it being a horrible chemical.

You’ll see both SO2 and sulfites in the literature. Going technical again. Sulfites are non-organic salts, meaning that they don’t contain any carbon. Other chemicals can produce sulfites. They are sulfiting agents.

That’s where the familiar uses come into play. These compounds have widespread use in food and beverage products as antimicrobial substances like sodium metabisulphite. They kill germs and help keep them from spoiling.

The distinction between SO2 and sulfites is blurred because the use of these agents is quantified as the former. That’s why you’ll see both terms used.

For the sake of clarity, I will refer to them as sulfites.

Why Do Winemakers Use Sulfites in Wine?

Sulfites serve a lot of vital purposes in the winery. They keep bacteria and non-Saccharomyces yeasts in check. Those are the desirable ones that most winemakers use.

They also can halt malolactic fermentation. They can help prevent the formation of Brettanomyces or the barnyard smell characteristic of some wines.

Its use isn’t new either. The Romans figured out its usefulness back in the day. There really aren’t any adequate substitutes for it either. That’s why organic wines unless labeled certified organic contain this chemical.

To be clear, certified organic wines don’t use sulfites during the winemaking process. However, it’s still there, nevertheless. And, yes, made-from-organic wines use pesticides like sulfites.

That’s not a failing of organic wines to say as much. Instead, it’s c’est la vie. Winemakers admit this fact as well. That’s why the current uproar exists in the EU as they consider its use.

What If a Winemaker Doesn’t Use Sulfites?

The problem that winemakers—and organic farming, in general—have is that bacteria and fungi don’t go away just because you’re producing foodstuffs this way. And sometimes that means you need to take action.

Not using sulfites is just as worrisome. It leaves the wines vulnerable to spoilage. That’s what made its initial discovery so crucial to the evolution of winemaking and, thus, the industry. Otherwise, you’re left with vinegar.

The wines produced without added sulfites have a shorter shelf life.

Why Are Sulfites Called-Out on Labels?

Sulfites in wine are not without their issues. Gray areas, after all, are the rule instead of the black-and-white versions to most things.

These chemicals are a concern for individuals with asthma. The effects, after all, are potentially deadly. That’s why the FDA stepped up to the plate in 1986 to require labeling on foods and then, wines.

However, sulfites don’t cause headaches. They won’t give you warts. You can’t get cancer from ingesting them. Scientists aren’t sure of the exact mechanism, but the usual suspects include histamines, tannins, and congeners.

Congeners are by-products of fermentation. You’ll find them in varying degrees in all alcoholic beverages. The more that’s in the drink, the more the unpleasant effects (read: hangover).

The Sulfite Reality

The fact remains that sulfites are a fact of life. They are a by-product of fermentation. There will always be sulfites in wine.

Imagine my surprise when a so-called wine expert claimed that you could remove all sulfites by decanting wine, shaking them back and forth between containers.

Bullshit.

The only ways to get rid of sulfites are to filter them out or add hydrogen peroxide to your glass so that it can precipitate out of the liquid.

Pass.

IMHO, sulfites aren’t going away. Get over it. Vilifying sulfites in wine is a straw man argument at best. There are so many other everyday products that contain the compound without the uproar. Why the hate?

Again, my advice to you is to raise a glass of conventionally grown wine and praise the wine gods that you have the chance to enjoy this marvelous libation.

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