Power of Words

Terry post:

This past weekend my wife I and visited another Maryland winery and purchased several more bottles. It was an interesting visit for a number of reasons: beautiful hillside location, sunny day, mild temperature, good wine and the words carefully selected by the woman hosting the tasting.

The woman presented each bottle in a practiced manner first pointing out the label, providing the source of the grapes and then a description of the varietal characteristics. It was the description of the varietal characteristics which I found most telling.

I didn't take notes at the time, and as I drove away I wished that I had. Working from memory, her description of their Chardonnay was something like this: "...it is a beautiful straw color...you'll taste pronounced fruit in this year's vintage with substantial hints of apple and lemon...it is a medium bodied wine and you'll notice the aggressive acidity at the finish..."

It was like this with each wine: as though she'd prepared a detailed listing of the grapes varietal characteristics and recited them for each potential wine buyer.

Of course, as the tasters sipped the wines she'd nod knowingly and re-affirm the characteristics, "Taste the fruit?", as we worked our collective way thorough the pour. Her actions reflected her earlier description and made the tasters co-conspirators in her vineyard propaganda.

When I disagreed with her description of their Shiraz offering as, "...huge and powerful..." she dismissed my comment with the wave of her hand.

The power of recently heard words is significant and their carefully crafted use in the tasting room was impressive to behold. I have never been so smitten during a wine tasting.

Bottom line: I am not certain that I made the purchases because I liked the wine or because I liked the words that she used to describe the wine. Time will tell.

~ Terry

Writing on Wine

Terry post:

I realize that I may be the only person with a test engineering background writing about wine. Over the past 25+ years I have worked as an engineer and program manager responsible for testing combat systems which are integrated onto Navy guided missile cruisers and destroyers. My experience in that field is important as it provides background to a question which I am often asked, "How do you taste wine?"


In testing combat systems and evaluating wine you have to begin with requirements.


In the case of weapon systems the requirements are quantitative with binary answers being either "yes" or "no". Weapon systems do, or do not meet requirements.


In tasting/testing wine the requirements are qualitative with the benchmark established by the individual taster with input and assistance from others. I, for instance, lean heavily on my experience as Wine Director at Restaurant 213 where I tasted some fantastic wines and from other food and wine authors such as M.F.K. Fisher* and Robert Parker. The evaluation of wine tends NOT to be binary: that is, the answer is somewhere along a value-oriented continuum.


I have my own capabilities and limitations which I am mindful of when tasting. In my case:

1. I see wine as an accompaniment to food and will almost always comment on a particular wine's ability to pair with food.
2. I am mindful of the taste-holes. I have never, ever experienced violets when drinking a red wine - yet many of my wine writing friends mention it regularly in the reds they sample. I have never sensed tangerine in a white wine. Never.
3. I am mindful of over-sensitive taste spots. In white wines I am quick to pick up vanilla, burnt toast, baked bread, flowers. In red wines I am quick to pick up cherries, raspberries and camphor.

I take notes as I drink but my notes are more like impressions than a listing of sensory experiences.

Quite simply, the first thing I ask myself is, "Do I like it?" That is an easy binary response and then based on that initial response I sip, chew and drink my way through the bottle. I jot down impressions as I drink the wine and I'll start my first draft on the computer the next day.


The second thing I ask myself is, "Would I buy it again?" A "yes" to both of these questions will always yield a favorable write up.


~ Terry



* If you don't know her - it is worth your time to research this writer - foodie (in that order).

Wine School

Brad Post:

During the past year I have chronicled my experiences in wine making, first as an amateur and now as a assistant winemaker at a local winery. From my experience in the cellar I have learned a good deal about the process, and in particular how to identify wine faults or problems that we (winemakers) can strive to correct. I feel relatively confident in my ability to detect a fair range of wine faults and to distinguish amongst the wide array of Midwestern grown wine grapes - helpful as a wine judge.

My perpetual problem, in life and education, is the more I learn the less I feel I really know about the subject. So I immerse myself in a subject (part of my obsessive/compulsive self, I guess) to feel more confident in my abilities. This too for wine. I lack the necessary vernacular when it comes to describing wines. Surely I can identify a Zinfandel from a Cabernet but I'll have a more difficult time detecting the lychee (what the hell is lychee anyway) or the asparagus in my glass of wine.

In my typical response to a life-challenge, I hit the books, or should I say: hit the books and the wine! As part of my enology certificate program at DMACC, I have enrolled in VIN 150 - Introduction to wine: "This course presents introductory information on wine appreciation, focusing on sensory analysis, production, classification, and culture of wine."

Throughout the course of the semester my class and I (via blended format: meaning, we'll do 90% of the course via online, recorded lecture followed by a two-day tasting workshop) will learn about the world of wine and get serious about appreciation and sensory analysis. Follow along as I stumble through the course and offer your insights and suggestions to help my wine education improve.

Paul, the course instructor, asked us to find 3 bottles of Chardonnay and to just taste the wine. Try to describe the color, aroma, and tastes. He gave these basic instructions intentionally in an attempt to challenge us. Later he'll provide specific guidance to help us along.

Here are my first tastings notes on Chardonnay

After reading another students comments about blind tasting, I thought I'd follow suit and try my Chardonnay tasting semi-blind (i.e., I bought the wines but someone else poured them blind for me).
 

Prior to this tasting, I must admit, I hadn't tasted a Chardonnay for several years. My past experience with this varietal was as an over-oaked and buttery snoozefest. Every Chardonnay I'd drank tasted the same and I eventually stopped drinking it. Bonus for me that I took this class and was greeted with a variety of yumminess.

1) Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuisse 2007 (white Burgundy) - 14.99 Hy-Vee.

1a) Color: gold-green, maybe a light straw color. All three wines were very similar in color/hue.
1b) Aroma: bright and lively fruity aroma, maybe green-apple or peach.
1c) Taste: Initial sensations were very fruity, thin, tart on the tip of my tongue.1d) After-Taste: Slight lingering finish, nice, some burning in the back of my throat, a zing at the end.

*Dramatically different from another students bad experience (she detected sulfur compounds).

2) Tisdale Chardonnay, NV (California) - $3.99 (Fareway).
2a. Gold-green, a smidge darker than the others (richer color) - might be slightly oxidized.
2b. Aroma: completely different than #1 (above). Notes of butterscotch and vanilla. Lacks fruity characteristics of #1.
2c. Taste: smooth, round.
2d. After-Taste: no lingering aftertaste. Flat and lifeless.

Thoughts: for the money ($3.99) it really was alright.

3. McWilliams Chardonnay (2008) - Hanwood Estates - South Eastern Australia: $7.99 at Fareway. (Oaked).
3a. Color: gold-green, light straw
3b. Aroma: green apple, fruity - similar to #1
3c. Taste: good acidity in mid palate; fruity and something else
3d. After-Taste: nice long finish...looooonnnng.

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Post Tasting Notes: All three wines were okay. Number 2 wine (Tisdale) was my least favorite; and the Pouilly Fuisse and McWilliams were both very nice. I think my very favorite was the McWilliams. With only a light touch of oakiness, I was surprised to find such fruit in this wine. Chardonnay is back on my list of wines to drink.