Wine Selection Made Simple

Wine. Such a seemingly simple beverage, yet potentially complicated at the same time. But, it doesn't have to be. How does one go about choosing and serving wine? How do you know which wine to serve with what type of food? How do you know if the wine is fresh? These and more questions will be answered with these easy-to-follow guidelines and suggestions. You will be calling yourself 'wine sommelier' in no time.

What is Wine?

Wine, by definition, is fermented grape juice. It can be white, red, or pink (blush). The alcohol content is determined by the amount of time that it is fermented. Red wine is made from the entire grape, including the skin. White is made from the juice only. For blush, or rose wines, the skins are removed after the process of fermentation has begun. This gives the wine a pink tinge.

Purchasing Wine

The price range of wine runs the gamut. Wines such as those $5 jugs in the grocery store to those from established wineries such as Beringer at $50 or so can leave an inexperienced wine taster quite confused. You can enjoy a fine wine at prices ranging from $8 to $18 without breaking your budget. How do you find a decent wine at a reasonable price? A specialty wine store is a good place to start. Ask questions. What does the wineseller recommend? What are his/her favorites? What are good sellers? Pick the brains of the staff at the shop.

I visited a shop called WineStyles today. It opened around the corner from me a couple of months ago. The store was neat, attractive, and appealing. Each brand of wine had one demo bottle right side up and the rest of that brand on their sides. The store was easy to navigate and fun to browse. I asked for a white wine to eat with sushi. The owner recommened a dry white wine - Santa Alicia Reserve sauvignon blanc 2005 from Sonoma, CA. I purchased that, along with another, slightly sweeter, white wine - Cycles Gladiator 2005 Pinot Grigio.

I asked the shop owner about corks. It seems that wines are sold more and more these days
with caps as opposed to corks. I asked, "Doesn't the appearance of a corked wine denote a
more prestigious wine, or does the capping method matter at all?" She replied, "Screw caps are
becoming more prevalent these days due to ease of convenience." She added, "A wine bottle
with a screw cap is becoming more accepted, and does not have any bearing on the quality of
the wine."

Note how the wine is kept in the store you visit. Is there a light-source such as direct sunlight bearing down on the bottles? If so, the wine could literally be 'cooked'. Not good. Are the bottles stored upright or on their sides (which is healthier for the wine)?

Wine specialty shops will periodically have wine-tastings, which can be of great help in determining what your wine tastes are if you are a novice. Take advantage of these. It is a great opportunity to sample different wines without committing to a purchase that you may end up unhappy with.

Other establishments to consider in wine-buying are Walmart, certain grocery-store chains, or warehouse stores, like Sam's or Costco. Laws regarding the sale of wine in these stores vary from state to state.

Wine Storage

Most wine experts recommend storing wine bottles on their sides. This keeps the cork moistened for the purpose of keeping it swollen to prevent air from seeping into the bottle. The optimal temperature should be roughly 55 degrees. However, storing at a temperature of 70 degrees is adequate.

Tasting Techniques - The Five S's

Holding the glass by the stem (otherwise, the heat from your hand my alter the temperature of the wine) try these five stages of wine tasting:

See - Upon pouring the wine into the glass, take a good look at it. Holding the glass at eye level, make note of the wine's clarity and color. Some wine experts suggest holding the glass in bright light with one hand and holding a white piece of paper in the other, letting the color reflect against the paper.

Swirl - Swirl the wine around in the glass to get the wine and air circulating together. This gets the wine breathing, thus bringing out its essence, nuances, and characterstics.

Smell - Put your nose as close to the inside of the bowl of the wine glass and take a long, deep whiff. You will detect various aromas ranging from fruits to pepper, depending on the type of wine you are sampling.

Savor - Take a generous mouthful and swirl it completely in your mouth. Don't be shy - allow the wine to fully coat your mouth and let every corner capture the wine's essence. There are many varying opinions as to what flavors and nuances are detected in selected wines. Although it is made from grapes, it rarely has a typical grape flavor. The fruit and other flavors that you do detect are captured during fermentation.

Some of the more interesting flavors you might note in red wines could be an essence of chocolate or a hint of green pepper. White wines are known for citrus notes, such as lemon or lime, or a creamy flavor of vanilla or honey. You may even notice a hint of oak. As you sample more and more wines, you will learn to differentiate and pinpoint various flavors.

And. Swallow - That's the fun part. Unless you are sampling many different types at one sitting and you are your own designated driver, then fully enjoy the wine by drinking up! This is where the 'length' or 'finish' of the wine is determined. The finish is basically the aftertaste, the amount of time the essence of the wine stays in your mouth. The longer the length, the better. A long, lingering finish (amount of time the flavor stays with you after swallowing) denotes a high-quality wine.

A Bad Wine by any other name . . . is still BAD

'Corked' is the term used to define bad wine. Basically, it means that the wine has taken on the flavor of a defective cork. Once you taste a corked wine, you'll never forget it. The taste is musty and like wet cardboard. If you are served a bottle of wine that is corked, do not hestitate to send it back. It is neither the restaurant's fault, nor yours. Same goes for wine purchase at a wine shop.

Wine and Food Pairing

The general rule of thumb is this: pair bold wines with spicy, bold food and light wines with light, delicate food. But, it can get more complicated. Some consider wine pairing an artform. Food and wine are meant to complement one another, not to overpower. A wine will have one flavor when consumed alone and quite another when enjoyed with food.

Mirroring is the term used to describe the art of pairing food and wine that are similar in character. The wine and the food enhance one another without one overpowering the other.
An example would be to pair a Cabernet sauvignon (red) with a spicy beef dish or a Pinot Grigio (white) with a whitefish in a cream sauce.

Contrasting is matching a wine with a food with opposing flavors. This creates new flavors.
A spicy poultry paired with a chardonnay is a good experiment in contrasting.

Red wines can range from tasting mellow to rich to bold, while whites range from crisp to silky to fruity. And, each 'type' pairs with a different class of food.

I have watched Andrea Immer, the most well-known wine sommelier in the United States, pair food and wine on her shows, Pairing With Andrea and Simply Wine on the Fine Living network. Now, this is a woman who truly knows and enjoys her wine. I opened the bottle of sauvigon blanc to drink with my sushi. I took a bite of sushi, then a swig of wine. The two flavors really did complement one another and made for a delicious, crisp, zingy sensation in my mouth.

Ordering Wine in a Restaurant

If you plan on eating chicken or fish, the basic rule would be to order a glass of chardonnay. If dining on red meat or pasta, merlot or cabernet sauvignon would match well. Some suggest ordering the entree first, then the wine to pair it with. When in doubt, don't hestitate to consult the house sommelier for advice and suggestions.

Wine Temperature

Red wines are normally served at room temperature, while whites, blushes, and champagnes are served chilled.

Wine Glasses

A typical wine glass has a large bowl (bottom) with tapering toward the top of the glass. This permits the aroma and characteristics to keep well within the glass. The overall size of the glass should fit your own needs; if you feel more comfortable with a smaller glass, that is fine. Fill the glass no more than 2/3 full, to allow room for swirling and aroma.

Avoid using soap when cleaning your stemware, as it can leave a residue that may become noticeable the next time you use the glass. Instead, rinse well with hot water.

Drink For Your Health

There are certain health benefits that come from wine drinking, particularly red wine. Red wine was polyphenols and resveratrol, a potent antioxidant. It was been reported to slow down the progression of Alzeimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases, as well as heart disease. According to the Yale-New Haven Hospital (ynhh.org) one 4-ounce glass of red wine daily also reduces LDL (bad cholesterol), raises HDL (good cholesterol), and reduces blood clotting. Cabernet Sauvignon has the highest concentration of flavonoids, according to the researchers at University of California.

Above All, Drink What You Like

The art of wine drinking and pairing as become somewhat of an artform or a science, if you will. There are so many do's and don't's in the wine world that one can get caught up in the elitest attitude of wine tasting and become overwhelmed. The most important thing to remember is this: there are no rules in the world of wine, unless you'd like there to be. Yes, there are ways to match food and wine in order to get the most out of each element. But, keep in mind, when all
else fails, drink what you like, eat what you like, and do them together when the mood strikes!