Three Simple Steps to Wine Tasting

Swirl Swirl the wine vigorously in the glass. As the wine coats the sides of the glass, it releases its aroma of bouquet.

Sniff Insert your nose into the glass and inhale by taking quick, full sniffs. The aromas can be quite different depending on how far into the glass your nose goes. At the top of the glass, they are more floral and fruity; deeper in teh glass, they are richer. Try to detect the full range of scents from berry to floral to spicy to woody…and so on.

Taste sip a small amount of wine and move it over your entire tongue so that all your taste buds come in contact with it. Taste for sweetness or dryness. Or is it flat and flabby? Tannins (used in red wines to keep them from spoiling) will feel sort of prickly on your tongue. The ideal touch is a mellow softness – a velvety feeling in your mouth.

Wine Touring 101

Tasting Rooms You may want to start with dry wines, then reds, followed by sweeter wines.

Ask Questions Be sure to ask the tasting room staff any questions regarding their products. They are there not only to pour wines, but also to educate you about them.

Spit Spitting is an acceptible part of tasting room etiquette. The technique is simple: when you have finished tasting your wine, lean forward and spit into the bucket provided.

Experiment Try wines you have never tasted before to widen your range and surprise yourself. Ask the staff which of their wines the vintner is best known for.

Take Notes Be sure to take tasting notes, you will appreciate them at the end of the day or when you get home.

Wine Club & Buying Wine If you find a winery that you really like, join its wine club. The discounts and availability of wines allows you greater access to what you like at a price reduction. Many of the wines you taste at wineries will not be available at your local stores.

Eating Always plan to eat somewhere along the way and have some non-alcoholic drinks available. Wine, like other alcoholic drinks, tends to dehydrate you.

Walking Through Vineyards If you are permitted to walk through the vineyard, you are in for a real treat. Few things compare to holding a wonderful glass of wine in your hand, as you stroll past the very grapes that make that wine possible.

Ordering Wine at a Restaurant

The Bottle’s Arrival When the wine is presented to you, examine the label to make sure it is what you ordered. Specifically, check the producer and vintage.

Cork Presentation After your waiter or sommelier opens the bottle of wine, check to make sure the cork is wet, a sign that the bottle was stored properly.

Smelling and Tasting Once you have approved the cork, your waiter’s next step is to pour a small splash of wine for you. Smell and taste are the best indication that the wine is sound. So gently swirl the wine in the glass to release the aroma, give it a sniff, and then taste it. If the wine does not put offa ny off odors such as vinegar, chances are it is fine. Remember the flavor and aroma of wine will expand and develop as it aerates. It is not appropriate to return a wine simply because you don’t like it as much as you thought you would. Upon approval, the waiter will pour wine for everyone in your party.

Did You Know?

• Wine is fat-free and contains no cholesterol.
• A six ounce glass of wine contains approximately 130 calories.
• California produces approximately 77% of the U.S. wine grape crop.
• Although red wine can only be produced from red grapes, white wine can be produced from nboth red and white grapes.
•  Compared to beer and liquor drinkers, and even non-drinkers, wine drinkers tend to have a healthier lifestyles.

Wine…May Help Diabetes Patients

Red wine …may help type 2 diabetes patients metabolize sugars and starches properly, according to research published in the February 2008 issue of Journal of Food Biochemistry. But the study’s authors warn that more research is necessary before prescribing a bottle…a day.

People living with type 2 diabetes must keep blood sugar levels down to prevent heart disease, high blood pressure, and possible damage to eyes, kidneys, nerves and blood vessels. “Red wine…contain(s) natural antioxidants that may slow the passage of glucose through the small intestine,” said researcher Kalidas Shetty, professor of food biotechnology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Shetty and his team conducted a study to examine the benefits of a diverse diet filled with fresh, healthy foods. Current type 2 diabetes medications that regulate blood sugar have side effects that include intestinal issues. …wine (is) rich in phenols, plant based chemicals that act as antioxidants, which help reduce the damaging oxidative stress on human tissues prevalent in type 2 diabetes.

Shetty warns that prescribing red wie as a type 2 diabetes therapy is still in the distant future, as it is difficult to create a daily dosage recommendaiton for the general population based on one study. – Jacob Gaffney, Wine Spectator Magazine, June 2008

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