==== ==== Wine Appreciation is not reserved for “Those in the Know”. Educating yourself about wines, wine tasting and broad wine appreciation is easier than you may have previously thought. Read this interesting article for more information. http://LiquidPleasures.crunchthejungle.com/FineWine.htm ==== ==== Wine appreciation is only fulfilled when you can take it beyond the wine tasting itself. A full appreciation begins with a knowledge about the grape variety, the growing region and it’s soils and climate, and extends into a knowledge about the cellarmaster and his passion for his wines, including an understanding of the cellaring conditions employed and the aging and storage of the wine to date. The appreciation only ends with the wine tasting itself, influenced by the occasion and the company that you share at the time. Thankfully, wine appreciation cannot be gained by distance-learning. You have to engage with the process, and of course, you need to build up a repertoire through tasting of a wide variety of wines yourself. It is only through your own assessment, that an appreciation gains meaning, and it is only when you compare your views of the wine with others that conflict with your own, that you begin to build resolve in your own assessment. In the movie SideWays, featuring Paul Giamatti, there is a wonderful moment, when his character, Miles, proclaims, rather emotively (to say the least) and referring to the evening ahead, that “If anyone drinks Merlot, I’m leaving. I am NOT drinking any F$%#.... Merlot”. Now, there was strength of opinion. Such opinions are made even better, when met with an equal resolve from an opposing position. Watching such a social interplay can provide wonderful entertainment to an evening.

If you have trouble being able to tell the difference between varietal wines, the best thing that you can do is to attend a wine tasting session. You will then taste and make notes on each wine, which will help you to distinguish these varietal differences better, and in your own way. Note taking is an important aspect of wine tasting, providing a record for you to reflect back on in your own time, to help further your resolve in identifying and verbalising your assessment of the various wines.

You need to note the visual, aromatic (smell), mouthfeel and flavour of the wines, and it helps to do this in a standardised manner, although it is sometimes best and more exciting, if you make notes in your own way, as this adds depth and emotion to your assessment. Nothing is better, than someone who is both knowledgeable and passionate about their wines.

In assessing the wine, consider all of your senses. For appearance, consider the translucence: is the wine dark or light, is it opaque or transparent. How does the colour appeal to you, and does it match your expectation for the wine style in question? In assessing the aroma, ensure that you first swirl the wine in the glass, to allow it to mix in a little oxygen, then breath in deeply, allowing the aromas to bathe your olfactory senses. Try to place the aroma and what it reminds you of – in particular, is it more heavily fruity, or floral. Perhaps there is an aromatic nuance that reminds you of something in particular. Often, it is these subtle nuances that strike a personal cord – they may not be the dominant character of the wine, and they may not even make any sense to anyone else, but the aroma that you identify can be so noticeable to you that it becomes an identifying marker of the wine for you going forward. In order to help you place the aromas, you may sometimes find it useful to look at an aroma wheel. Try and make a separation between the dominant aromas and the nuances that you pick up – nuances are more subtle, but important descriptors to you. For a flavour assessment, it is best that you do not swallow the wine, rather swirling it around in your mouth to saturate your taste buds. Your first assessments are often the most important, so note these down and don’t let these first impressions be forgotten as the flavours develop in your mouth. First impressions count! Much as the first impression counts, the lasting impression is also important. After spitting out (or swallowing the wine – you are forgiven if you must) note how the flavours linger and note the aftertastes that become dominant for you. Understanding region, climate and vintage can be daunting. But, it need not be so. Like any other assessment, it is your own opinion that counts at the end of the day! Undoubtedly though, these aspects do play a role and they can have a very big impact on the taste of the final wine. Consider for example, how a particular region that is known for it’s wines because of it’s cool climate during the growing season, may be impacted by a particularly warm year – causing riper, fuller, and sweeter grapes. The amount of rain may also impact on the expectation of sugar content, and the relationship of this to ripeness and ultimately “tartness” of the wine. A knowledge of the Cellarmaster can also add depth to your overall appreciation of the wine. The Cellarmaster is the one who guides the grape on it’s effervescent journey to maturity in the final wine, and on the way, it is his/her passion that is infused like an elixir into the wine. Most certainly, the knowledge and experience of the Cellarmaster is important, as are the cellaring facilities that he/she has available, but it is their passion that is the separating feature and it is for this reason, I believe, that it is so often the smaller, estate-style wines that shine out above the bulk-product. The science and the art of winemaking, come together with the Cellarmaster, and their passion is reflected in the canvas that they produce. When considering vintage, don’t be fooled. “Vintage” is not the same as “old”. Last year's vintage could be exceptional, but the year before may be compromised by seasonality. Unfortunately, only good vintages age well. There are charts that can tell you which years are considered the best vintages and if you are starting a collection, it helps to use them.

When it comes to the point of consumption, don’t forget the impact of the glassware on your overall appreciation. White wines are mostly served chilled and are expected to be drunk more swiftly than reds and for this reason the glassware is better if slightly smaller than for the reds, which are more complex and generally served at slightly higher temperature. On the contrary, big bowl glasses, would suit a Bordeaux or Burgundy as they have a lot of air room for the wine's aroma to be retained for a longer period. Champagne is so much about visual assessment, hence the tall champagne flute that accentuates the golden colour and the bubble stream.

Lastly, consider the occasion. Wine is such a wonderful accompaniment to social occasion and friendship. Don’t underestimate the influence that the enjoyment of the social engagement can have on your overall appreciation of the wine. Consider how much better and more fulfilling your wine appreciation will be if you are able to contribute, with knowledge and more importantly, with resolve, to the discussion. ==== ==== For more information on Fine Wines and to keep up on the latest news visit http://liquidpleasures.crunchthejungle.com/FineWine.htm ==== ====