The World Of The Grape.

by Jon Fiume
July 15, 2005

If you like wine like I like wine you should enjoy this column. If you are new to wine you too should enjoy reading about this diverse, fun world of grapes that offers something for everyone. No matter what, being an enophile or lover of wine is an exploration that never seems to end. Expect to see in each column some information shared about a particular wine that you may want to seek out yourself. In addition, I hope to share wine tidbits of things you never knew about and hopefully expand your world of the grape.

When I was first introduced to wine it was as a child witnessing my Italian father making homemade wine. Later I world explore it in our bar serving only the finest from the big gallon jug or was it out of a box? It was not until I entered my professional career that I found myself needing to have at least some working knowledge and or taste in order to function during business dinners and social events. The white zinfandel that I was accustomed to consuming with my mother just did not seem appropriate in a suit! Since then wine has taken off in this country and has become more out front in presenting itself as a primary choice of alcoholic beverage. In fact, consumption has grown 63% since 1992. It appears that wherever you turn there are wine clubs, individual wine making stores, and wine ratings everywhere. A "sort of" wine movie is released and the next thing you know merlot is out and pinot noir is in. Wine has even found itself in the middle of world politics as distributor warehouses were backed up in the U.S. with French wine over the lack of support from France on the invasion of Iraq.

So, where do you begin with this red and white stuff? Like many things in life, jump in with both feet and explore. Do not get overwhelmed by all of the details such as the year, vintage, varietal, food pairing, etc... or even the price at this point. Talk with your friends. Ask them what they like. Hit your grocery store aisle and begin reading the shelf talkers. Better yet if you are fortunate enough to have a wine shop or gourmet store ask questions of their wine person. Another great idea is to take advantage of some of the lower priced wines today that you may find at a Trader Joes® or other similar venue. Many of the choices are inexpensively priced as I am sure many of us have heard of the infamous Two Buck Chuck. By selecting a varied case you can have fun exploring without feeling as though you just made a huge investment. Consider having wine parties or tastings. Have everyone bring a bottle to try or declare a theme for the evening such as merlot night or wines from Tuscany night. Whatever the plan, consider challenging yourself to try wines made from different grapes. The summertime is a great time for a Riesling or a Viognier, not just a Chardonnay. Get on the bandwagon and try a Pinot Noir that everyone is humming about. Or be the holdout and continue to explore some Merlots. Either way you should not be disappointed.

Now the big question, how do you taste it? In a future article I will go more in depth but for the person trying to appreciate wine a little more I simply suggest that you be with the wine. That is after pouring a glass take note of the type of wine you just poured, read the label including the little descriptor paragraph on the back. Next if you poured a red wine, smell the wine. Do not worry about what you are looking for at this point, but just get your nose accustomed to smelling wine. Most wine tasters will tell you to really place your nose in the glass. I agree so do not pour too much on that first glass! Mentally describe what you smell. Is it a lot of fruit? Tar? Coffee? Oak? Or even grapey? Depending on the quality of the wine you opened you may even find that the aroma will change after it has had some time to breathe, or after you swirl it around the glass. This is the reason why red wine glasses have fuller bowls. In addition it is difficult for a wine to breathe from the bottle due to the narrow neck of the bottle.

Next, try it! Take that first sip not a gulp and allow the wine to swirl around your mouth for at least 10 seconds coming in contact with all of your taste buds. This is the next point where you are engaging your senses. What do you taste? A lot of tannins? Again fruits? How is the finish? Long and smooth or quick? These are the things that you want to begin thinking about. Becoming more wine savvy is training your brain and nose to use their power in a different way.

Lastly, take physical note of what you liked or did not like. So often I hear people say they had a really good wine but can never remember what it was that they consumed besides the color! Taking note will also reinforce what you experienced as well as build upon your future wine experiences.

Salute!

Featured selection:
S. Quirico, 2003, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, $13.99.
An Italian white wine from a little tuscan village of the same name south of Sienna, Italy. It is famous for being Italy's first wine to receive government's stamp of quality, D.O.C.G. when it began its wine classification system. The taste is crisp and light, not oakey like a Chardonnay, hints of fruit including pear, balanced acidity, and a fresh smooth finish. An Italian white alternative that is fun to share!