Varietal Basics: Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris

This is a tricky variety: the grapes may be blue, pink, brown, or white; the white wines produced from them may be light or full in body; and it is called Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, tokay d’Alsace, Grauburgunder, or Malvoisie depending on where it is grown and how it is processed.

Although both wine styles are made from the same variety of grape, Pinot Grigio tends to be light bodied, light in color, highly aromatic, and crisp. Pinot Gris tends to be fuller in body and lower in acidity, as well as highly flavorful. In my experience, the the character of Pinot Grigio resides in the aroma, while that of Pinot Gris resides in the mouth taste. Both are marked by notes of fruit. Pinot Grigio is the most commonly produced white in Italy. Pinot Gris is made in France, Germany, Oregon, California, New Zealand, and elsewhere. (The pinot grigio/pinot gris grape is called tokay d’Alsace in Alsace, where it is produced in the full-bodied pinot gris style. The terms Malvoisie and Grauburgunder are rarely seen on bottles, so you probably won’t need to remember them.)

Because Pinot Grigio tends to be crisp and acidic, it is not well-suited to pairing with tomato-based dishes or other foods carrying their own acidity (citrus fruits, etc.). It works nicely with many cheeses, pasta, and seafood.

Pinot Gris may be produced with some residual sugar, making it appropriate for serving as a dessert wine. When very full in body, it pairs nicely with pork dishes and can even stand up to grilled red meat.
It can complement rich, buttery foods, including cream sauces, very nicely.

The “Pinot Gri*” family can be a great way for a Chardonnay-drinker to branch out. It’s also a lot of fun to conduct a tasting including both Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris wines to learn to pick out the differences in flavor and aroma. This kind of tasting really highlights the vintner’s art — both styles come from the same grape, but they can provide very different experiences.

Region Basics: McLaren Vale

McLaren Vale is a located about just south of Adelaide in South Australia. The climate makes the region particularly well-suited for wine grapes: it is characterized by low humidity, heavy winter rainfall, a long growing season, and hot dry summer days balanced by cool evening breezes. The combination of warm days and cool evenings/morning helps to ensure consistent ripening plus crisp acidity. Because the region rarely experiences frost or other deviations, most vintages are consistent. (However, the 2003 vintage was limited in yield because of a cool spring in 2001 and a drought in 2003. Although much of the wine quality was very high, volume was down.)

When I was living in Adelaide, the short drive to McLaren Vale was one of my favorites. The area is gorgeous: if you’ve never seen vineyards stretching out over rolling hills, it’s hard to imagine the sheer lushness of the image. The beautiful undulating hills provide a range of terroirs (types of soil).

I visited many wineries and found that, not only was the wine of consistent high quality, but the staff of the various establishments were extraordinarily friendly and accommodating. (Of course, my entire year in Australia was enriched by friendly overtures.) A few of the wineries (like d’Arenberg) have fine restaurants on-site; others (such as Coriole) offer amazing, inexpensive selections of cheese and olives. Most have picnic areas and guests are welcome to bring lunches to enjoy with a newly-discovered wine.

McLaren Vale is best-known for its Shiraz production; Cabernet Savignon, Grenache, Merlot, Semillon, Verdhelo, and Viognier are also widely grown.

Varietal Basics: Viognier

Although Viognier (Vee-on-yay) is a less well-known varietal than, say, Chardonnay or Cabernet Savignon, it is growing in popularity and can be a wonderful varietal for a new wine drinker to try.

The Viognier grape tends to develop high sugar and low acidity. The skill of the winemaker definitely impacts the finished wine made from these grapes, and even though Viognier grapes are as sweet as Gewürztraminer, for example, the wine is typically finished with processing flavors and aromas such as malolactic butter or oak for balance. Because of the high sugar content of the grape, the wine can demonstrate a burning alcohol taste, which vintners sometimes soften by intentionally maintaining some residual sugar. (This means that the makers may leave some unconverted sugar in the wine, which makes it sweeter, less alcholic, and less “stinging.” The “burning” sensation discussed in a previous post is sometimes caused by high acidity, but other times by a sharp alcohol edge; leaving residual sugar in the wine [intentionally] can minimize this taste.)

Viognier flavors and aromas may include apricot, honysuckle, butterscotch, fresh hay/straw/mown grass, peach, pear, and anise. The color ranges from a very pale yellow to honey-colored. It tends to be light to very light in body.

Until recently, the grape was grown infrequently, and Viognier tended to be expensive. Consumers were more likely to see Viognier in a blend rather than as a drinkable wine in its own right. It is a temperamental vine and its sensitivity to humidity and mold can result in mediocre vintages. However, the popularity of this varietal is booming, and it is now possible to find an array of Viognier wines under $20.00. Rumor has it that 2000 and 2004 were good years for California Viognier, 2002 for Australian; but because the grape is so temperamental (and depends so highly upon the skill of the winemaker), it’s my opinion that vintage alone is not a reliable guide when choosing Viognier. It’s entirely possible that several vineyards were troubled by mildew (leading to early harvest and underdeveloped flavor), while others got lucky.

I recommend sampling a Viognier first, or reading a review of a particular winemaker’s vintage by a wine writer you trust, in order to make a selection.

Flaws in Wine

In a previous post, I mentioned the concept of wine flaws (also known as faults or defects). A flawed wine is one exhibiting chemical problems, generally related to poor storage, incomplete fermentation, or unwelcome bacteria/yeasts. (Please note that, just because a wine tastes sour or unpleasant to you, does not necessarily mean that it is flawed! It may simply not be the right wine for you!) Some common terms describing flaws include:

Corked. “Corked” wines are the most common flawed wines. When you order wine in a restaurant, you may be presented with the cork to examine, so that you can identify cork taint before accepting the wine. A corked wine may smell or taste cardboardy or moldy. The cork itself may have a rotten odor or appearance. This is a legitimate flaw, and you would be justified in sending back a corked wine. Although some traditionalists are a little snobby about artificial or plastic corks, new cork technologies definitely improve the viability of wines, because they shortcut the possibility of corking.

Cooked. “Cooked” or heat damaged wines have been improperly stored or transported. Wines stored above 55 degrees Fahrenheit will experience accelerated aging. If the temperature gets really high, the wine can expand and push the cork partially out of the bottle. You can sometimes recognize cooked wines by a streak of wine color up the length of the cork, a partially protuding cork, or leakage. Red wines may turn brown.

Misplaced fermentation. Residual sugar related to misplaced fermentation (or re-fermentation) makes non-sparkling wines fizzy. You may not see bubbles in the glass but rather feel the “fizziness” on your palate. A wine with residual sugar may also taste inappropriately sweet. Essentially, wines suffering from this flaw did not complete the fermentation process as desired and scheduled. They can be rather nasty.

Lightstruck. White wines, in particular sparkling wines, can become flawed if exposed to excess light (specifically UV rays). Lightstruck wines may resemble corked wines in terms of a cardboard-like taste and smell.

Volatile acidity. Characterized by vinegary or nail polish remover-type aromas, high volatile acidity results from bacteria or failed yeast reactions. “Fixed acidity,” on the other hand, is a wine characteristic typically tasted rather than smelled, and is an appropriate component of the wine.

Brett. “Brett” refers to Brettanomyces bacteria. Wine contaminated with this bacteria may taste or smell like mouse pee, bandaids, sweat, cigarette smoke, or wet dog, in addition to other unpleasant items. Because it can exhibit so many different aromas, Brett can be hard to identify; the situation is further complicated by the fact that some Brett characters, like cloves and spice, can be enjoyable and even desirable!

“This Wine Tastes Like. . . Burning.”

I’ll begin by sharing some personal information: when I met my husband, he did not drink or enjoy drinking. In the beginning, I was concerned that my passion for wine and his lack of interest was symbolic of our overall lack of compatibility. Then I figured out that I would always have a designated driver at my beck and call. . . .

He does now enjoy a glass of wine occasionally, and following his growing interest in wine, as well as the development of his tastes in wine, has been a re-education for me. I had forgotten that for most people, the early stages of wine drinking simply are not that pleasant. Most new drinkers don’t taste the hints of blackberry jam, coffee, or honeysuckle that wine enthusiasts search for and pick out.

What do they taste? Burning, and sourness.

Some people take to wine more quickly than others. If you are a freshly-minted oenophile, still battling to pick up on “passionfruit” or “oak” while suffering through the taste of “burning,” here are some words of encouragement and ideas:

Get to know your tongue. Your palate (or tastebuds) experiences different flavors more strongly in certain areas. Although the original idea of the “tongue map” (tip of the tongue distinguishes sourness, sides pick up on bitterness, etc.) has been discounted, some areas are more sensitive than others. Also, remember that your taste buds are located not only on your tongue, but elsewhere in your mouth and upper throat. The sensitivity of taste buds varies from person to person. In my case, I prefer to taste wine on the flat, middle part of my tongue (I may swish when tasting, but when drinking “for real” I tend to cloister my wine). Perhaps because it is closely connected to smell receptors, I find it overwhelming to wash wine over the back of my tongue. I taste and swallow wine in a different way than I taste and swallow water and soda. I guide it to different parts of my tongue and mouth. You might try experimenting as you drink: what happens if you receive it on the tip of your tongue? Or roll it along the sides of your mouth? If all of this sounds crazy and unreasonable, try to remember the process of learning to blow a bubble with chewing gum. You had to train yourself to hold your tongue, lips, cheeks, etc., in a new position to successfully blow a bubble. Rolling your wine over different areas of your mouth may give you a completely different tasting experience.

Include food with your tasting experience. Often the right cheese, fruit, chocolate, steak, or simple cracker can really change the way your palate perceives a wine. As my husband said, “It isn’t like drinking Coke. Whatever you’re eating, a Coke tastes like a Coke. But wine flavors are really affected by the foods you eat.”

Recognize that the bottle you’re drinking might be tainted. Wine that isn’t stored properly can become corked, exhibit bottle sickness, or turn vinegary. The problem might be the individual bottle you’re sampling, rather than a particular variety or even a particular vintage.

Think about flavors you enjoy. If you drink black coffee, love cilantro, and find young/tart fruit enjoyable, then starting with light red wines can be appropriate. However, if you tend to drink soda and fruit juices, prefer cocoa to coffee, have been scarred by a wasabi experience, and would rather eat a fluffy, mild cake than snack on olives. . . . It could make more sense to start with semi-sweet and/or light-bodied white wines. As you learn more about your tastes and how to manage your palate experiences, it could be that other kinds of wines will be more appealing to you.

Don’t force yourself to drink wine you don’t enjoy! Wine isn’t “medicine” which will help you grow up strong and cool. I’ve spoken with a number of people who think that they “should” enjoy wine, particularly “sophisticated” or expensive wine. As the corny chef aprons say, “Life’s too short to drink bad wine.” However, remember that “bad” doesn’t mean “cheap” or “low-brow” or “sweet.” “Bad” means “does not taste good.”

Start reading labels. If you discover that you prefer sweeter wines, look for terms like “seckt,” “semi-sweet,” “sweet,” “vanilla,” “rich fruit,” etc. On the other hand, terms like “oak,” “tobacco,” “smoky,” “tannin,” “dry” and “brut” may signal more woody (and frankly, “sour”) flavors. White wines like Vouvray, Viognier, and Semillon may be good choices. Reds such as Grenache and Merlot may also be enjoyable to you. Lots of new wine drinkers enjoy Blanc de Noir varieties. These wines are made from red wine grapes, but the skins (which impart color and tannins) have only limited contact with the juiced grapes. They typically have a pink or rose tint. White Zinfandel is an example of a Blanc de Noir, and there are a number of award-winning White Zins at very reasonable prices.

Most importantly, don’t feel that you should enjoy a wine because it’s highly rated, or because a wine-snob friend recommended it to you. Attending tastings can be a great way to try wide varieties of wine without committing yourself to purchasing an entire bottle. Experiment and have fun!

The Basics of Wine Tasting Methodology

Several terms are used to characterize tasting methodologies.

A wine flight or tasting flight is simply a series of samples assembled for comparative purposes. Wineries and wine boutiques generally offer flights consisting of three, five, or seven wines. The wines are often served in special small glasses.

When conducting a tasting, it is good practice to start with the effervescent and lighter wines first and work through to the heavier, more full-bodied wines. This prevents the stronger-tasting wines from clouding one’s palate. Drinking or swishing with water between wines can also help; eating bland crackers (such as water crackers) can also help to cleanse the palate. Ideally, a tasting is conducted in a well-lit room, with a piece of white paper serving as a kind of “placemat” for the tasting glasses. This allows the tasters to note variations in color, and also to analyze the wines’ legs.

Most informal tastings are simply wine flights, sampled in sequence, while making notes about the characteristics of each sample. Vertical tastings compare wines of different vintages, but representing the same variety and winery. Horizontal tastings, on the other hand, compare the same vintage across several wineries, generally constraining to one variety (and often to a single region). This means that a vertical tasting is useful in analyzing the changes in a wine from year to year; a horizontal tasting characterizes the differences in winemaking approach between various wineries.

Blind tastings are conducted for most competitions. In the case of a blind tasting, the participants do not see the wine’s label and are not told anything about it (such as winery, region, vintage, etc.) before sampling it. A blind tasting can be excellent for evaluating the quality of a wine, but is not particularly useful as an educational experience for the participants.

Perhaps the simplest and most enjoyable type of tasting is the “cellar door” experience: the opportunity to try a flight of a few wines from a particular winemaker on-site at the winery. The wines may each be very different from each other, and each is evaluated on its own merits. The opportunity to speak with individuals involved in the making and marketing of the wines can be a lot of fun. Learning about the development of a particular blend, the history of a vineyard, and the events marking a particular vintage can add a lot of pleasure to the wine drinking experience.

Of course, not all of us have the opportunity to savor wines on their own doorstep. An alternative is an informal tasting with friends, conducted by a knowledgeable guide. These “pleasure tastings” can be conducted at private parties or prior to a nice dinner.

Vinography Aroma Card

Alder at the Vinography wine blog has created a wallet-sized “aroma card” to help tasters “learn to describe wine in ways that are meaningful and memorable [to them].” I think that my husband will be pleased that Vinography has validated “Jolly Rancher” as a “meaningful” aroma.

Please Share. . .

If you are aware of any terrific wine websites or other resources, or have a tasting recommendation, please share with us!

A Brief Introduction

Welcome! My name is Shannon Cates, and I’ll be using this blog to discuss the basics of wine tasting and selection, to review wines I’ve tasted recently, and to gather interesting links related to fine wine and food. I’m hoping that this will be a space where I can connect with others who enjoy wine (and beer).

I’ve never been a home winemaker — as an apartment/condo dweller I’ve never had the option of growing my own vines, and working with prepackaged juice never seemed particularly sophisicated — but I did brew my own beer for a number of years. I spent almost a year in the South Australian wine country, visiting many wineries and learning about the Barossa and McLaren Vale. In addition, I’ve spent time learning about wine and beer in Denmark, Germany, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Spain, Italy, England, and Ireland. When in Germany, I was lucky enough to stay with the family who owns the Spezial Brewery in Bamberg.

Of course, I don’t spend all of my time drinking. After a fourteen-year career in international education (helping U.S. college students study in other countries), I am now a full-time technical consultant. My company, Satisfying Solutions, specializes in web and database development.