The Three P’s Of Selecting A Wine

The three “P”s in selecting a wine: Price, Preference and Pairing.

Always keep these in your mind when choosing a wine and you’ll usually come away with a winner.

Price

The price you are willing, or not willing, to pay for a bottle of wine is an important factor in selecting the wine that’s right for you.

It used to be that a “good” bottle of wine cost no less than $30. But today, there are plenty of outstanding wines available for around $15 or less.

So rest assured that you don’t have to pay a fortune to experiment with various wines. A decent wine merchant will be able to give you plenty of suggestions in your price range.
Preference

We all have our own preferences. And they can change in a second. However, with your wine preferences, allow to change in accordance to what you’ll be drinking them with or who you will be sharing them with.

An example; you’re hosting an afternoon get-together. So your preferences may lean towards “safe” reds and whites. For people that aren’t used to heavy-bodied, heartier wines, give ‘em a break. Serve a softer Merlot or Pinot Noir. These are sometimes referred to as “Starter Reds.”

As far as white wine, who doesn’t enjoy a refreshing Gewurztraminer? If you want to experiment with a new varietal, then speak to your local wine merchant about wines. Styles and labels that you have enjoyed in the past. Asking him for specific recommendations should provide good direction for another great find.

If you, yourself, are new to wines and need a few suggestions – try a Riesling, Gewurztraminer. Or even a Muscat dessert wine if sweeter wines suit your fancy.

Do you prefer a drier white wine? Look for a Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc.

As for reds, start with a Gamay, Pinot Noir, or Merlot if you don’t want anything too complex or full-bodied.

However, if you’re looking to turn up the complexity meter, then go with a great California Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah (or Shiraz if its from Australia) or a Zinfandel.

Pairing

If you’re specifically looking for a wine to go with dinner tonight, you should take into account what the key ingredients will be.

Will you serve white or red meat?

Will you be using fresh or dried herbs? And what types of herbs?

Will the dish be spicy or fruit-filled?

These questions play an important role in deciding which wines will go well with specific entrees.

In general, white wines accent a lighter flavored meal very well, while red wines more often compliment heartier meals.

Keep in mind that pairing foods and wines is 99% personal preference and 1% science.

The Health Benefits Of Wine

Is wine really good for you? It’s true, a glass or two can help your heart, prevent cancer and more. In moderation, and of course, as part of a healthy diet, the short answer is yes!

Because of its alcohol content and the non-alcoholic phytochemicals (naturally occurring plant compounds), wine has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and even slow the progression of neurological degenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease.

Of course, the amount of wine you drink matters. A lot. If you drink more than what’s recommended, the health benefits are lost and your health risks rise.

What’s considered safe and effective? Well, for men, no more than two drinks per day. For women, no more than one. “One” drink is defined as a 5-ounce glass of red or white wine.

When it comes to wine and its health benefits, here’s what we know:

It’s been proven that moderate amounts of alcohol can raise your good cholesterol (HDL) and thin your blood. This is thought to be one of the primary cardiovascular benefits from wine (red and white) (as well as hard liquor and beer).

Non-alcoholic phytochemicals in wine, such as flavanoids and resveratrol, act as antioxidants and prevent molecules known as “free radicals” from causing cellular damage in the body. Although some studies that have focused on the health benefits of resveratrol use much greater dosages than you’ll find in an average glass of wine, resveratrol has been shown to prevent blood clotting and plaque formation in arteries by altering lipid profiles and plasma viscosity.

Findings from a recent study suggest that resveratrol can produce potent anti-thrombotic agents that can potentially improve cardiovascular health and lower the risk for coronary heart disease. In animal studies, resveratrol even reduced tumor incidence by affecting one or more stages of cancer development.

Red wine provides much more resveratrol than white wine. That’s because the longer the skin is kept on the grape during the wine making process, the greater the concentration of resveratrol in the wine.

In the case of white wine and its production, the skin is removed before fermentation, giving white wines a lower concentration in resveratrol compared to red wines. Also, wines made in cooler climates have greater amounts of resveratrol too. So, red wines from cool climates have the most resveratrol.

The Difference Between Red And White Wines

You probably have your favorites when it comes to wine. Most likely you’ve tried several varieties of red and white wine. But what is the real difference between reds and whites? The difference goes much deeper than just the color.

Both red and white wines can be either dry or sweet. It depends on how much of the sugar was converted to alcohol during the fermentation process. But, if you taste a glass of red wine and a glass of white wine and you’ll notice that the red wine, overall, will be more robust and complex than the white wine.

You see, there are more layers of flavor in red wine that don’t exist in white. The difference has less to do with the grapes used and more to do with the fermentation process. That is the primary difference.

In the fermentation process, in white wines, after the grapes get pressed, the seeds, skins, and stems are removed from the juice. But, with red wines, the seeds, skins, and stems are all left in the juice during fermentation. This allows tannins to be released into the juice. It’s the tannins that give red wine its comlexity and full bodied flavor.

Tannins are plant compounds that exist in leaves, barks of trees and grapes. You may have tasted tannins in a strong cup of tea. Tannins cause an astringent, bitter taste.

The tannins that are released during fermentation react with proteins and help prevent the wine from oxidizing as it ages. As white wines are not aged as long as red wines, usually, the tannins aren’t needed. But, they are needed to help the red wines age properly.

Tannins also provide another layer of flavor and complexity. As the wine ages, the tannins mellow and blend with the wine, losing most of their astringency.

And now, the next time you choose a wine, you’ll know why it has the color and flavor that it has. Tannins.

That Leftover Wine – What To Do With It?

When you have wine leftover from dinner or a large party, the question is always asked, “what should I do with it?”

When it comes to leftover wine, you’ve basically got two options: keep it or toss it.

But there is a third option. Recycle it.

First of all, you must realize that if you keep that leftover wine, even just for a day or two, it will never be the same. It doesn’t matter what re-corking method or storing technique you use. But, there are some strategies that work better than others.

To avoid oxidation, use refrigeration. Whether it’s red wine or white wine, make sure to store it in the fridge. Never let it sit out on the counter overnight.

To increase the odds of preserving the wine intact, be sure to recork it with the tightest fit possible. Possibly the cork that came in the bottle will still fit. But if not, make sure to use a replacement cork that fits tight to make the best possible seal.

Many of the pretty, hobby-top corks are cute, but they don’t hold a tight seal. “Lever Bottle” or “Vacu Vin” stoppers usually hold well and can be a good replacement cork.

Another strategy to avoid wine degradation is to use a squirt of Private Preserve, an inert, non-toxic gas that displaces the oxygen that creeps into the empty portion of the bottle.

In addition, there’s the “smaller bottle” option. Say you have a half-bottle or less of wine. Pouring it into a smaller, clean wine bottle will significantly decrease the bottle’s capacity for oxygen.

Recycling Wine

There is no reason to let your favorite, and possibly expensive, wine go to waste.

True, an already-opened bottle of wine may not be up to the same performance level the next day, it could be the rock star in a nice Sangria recipe where the fruit, sugar and additional alcohol will give it new life.

Or consider using the leftover wine in a marinade or salad dressing. Cooking with your wine is another way to both save an opened bottle of wine and add richer flavors into sauces, soups and meats. It’s a win-win situation. 

So, tossing that leftover wine, or gulping it down because you don’t want to waste it, remember to consider your options.

How To Taste Wines

Learning how to taste wines is an easy adventure that will increase your appreciation for both wines and winemakers. The look, the smell, the taste – start with your basic senses and expand from there and you’ll be tasting wines like a pro in no time!

Bear in mind that even though you can smell thousands of unique aromas, your taste perception is actually limited to sweet, salty, bitter and sour. It’s the combination of smells and tastes that allows you to discern flavor.

Look

Check out the Color and Clarity. Pour a glass of wine into a wine glass. Take a good look at it. Tilt the glass away from you and notice the color of the wine from the rim to the middle of the glass.

What color is it? Look beyond the obvious red, white or blush.

If it’s a red wine, is the color purple, red, brick, maroon, ruby, garnet, or even brownish?

If it’s a white wine, is it clear, straw like, golden, light green, pale yellow, amber or brown in appearance?
What about the wine’s opacity? Is it dark or watery, opaque or translucent, brilliant or dull, clear or cloudy? Can you see sediment? Tilt the glass a bit, swirl it a bit and look again. Is there sediment, bits of cork or any other floaters? An older red wine will be more translucent than younger red wines.

Smell

Your sense of smell is critical to correctly analyze a glass of wine. To get a good impression of the aroma, gently swirl your glass to help vaporize some of the wine’s alcohol and release more of the natural aromas, and then take a quick sniff to get a first impression.

Now stick your nose down far into the glass and inhale deeply. What’s your next impression? What do you smell? Vanilla? Citrus? Berry? Oak? Flowers?

The aroma is an excellent indicator of the quality and unique characteristics of the wine. Continue to gently swirl the wine and let the aromas mingle, and keep sniffing until you define your impression.

Taste

Finally, taste the wine. Start with a small sip and let it roll around on your tongue. Pay close attention to the alcohol content, tannin levels, acidity and residual sugar. These four pieces to the puzzle cause sensations to your palate. Ideally, these four components will be well-balanced. Each piece will not be more prominent than another.

These four pieces do not display a specific flavor. They meld together to offer impressions in intensity and complexity, soft or firm, light or heavy, crisp or creamy, sweet or dry, but not necessarily true flavors like fruit or spice.

Next, discern the flavor profile of the wine. If it’s a red wine you might notice fruit – berry, plum, prune or fig. Or perhaps some spice – pepper, clove, cinnamon, or maybe a woody flavor like oak, cedar, or even a bit of smokiness.

If it’s a white wine you may taste apple, pear, tropical or citrus fruits. Or the taste may be more floral in nature or consist of honey, butter, herbs or a bit of earthiness.

And now, for the finish. How long did the flavor last after the wine was swallowed? This is where the wine culminates, where the aftertaste comes into play.

Did it last several seconds? Was it light-bodied like water or full-bodied like milk? Can you taste the remnant of the wine on the back of your mouth and throat? Do you want another sip or was the wine too bitter at the end? What was your last flavor impression – fruit, butter, oak? Does the taste persist or is it short-lived?

After you have taken the time to taste your wine, you might record some of your impressions. Did you like the wine overall? Was it sweet, sour or bitter? How was the wine’s acidity? Was it well balanced? Does it taste better with cheese, bread or a heavy meal? Will you buy it again? If so, jot the wine’s name, producer and vintage year down for future reference.

Because, after all, the most important thing is how it tastes to you!

How To And Why Let Wine Breathe?

The whole reason for letting your wine breathe is to maximize its exposure to the surrounding oxygen. By allowing wine to mix with the air, it will warm up a bit. This lets the wine’s aromas open up, that flavor characteristics will improve by softening and mellowing.

Do All Wines Need To Breathe?

No, not all. Red wines typically benefit most from breathing before drinking. However, there are a few select white wines that need to breathe, too.

As a rule of thumb, most wines need to breathe for about 15-20 minutes. But, if a wine is not aged and has high tannin levels, it’ll need more breathing time.

For example, a younger Cabernet Sauvignon will probably require about an hour for proper breathing and flavor softening to occur.

This is not to say you can’t drink it as soon as it’s been uncorked, but it’ll be better if you give it some time to breathe.

Aged or older wines, 8+ years, are a whole other animal. These wines will benefit most from opening and breathing, but they only have a small window of aeration time before the flavor profiles begin to deteriorate.

Some wrongly believe that simply uncorking the bottle and allowing it to sit is all it takes to breathe. This method doesn’t work. Simply put, there isn’t enough room at the opening of the bottle to allow adequate amounts of oxygen to aerate the wine.

So what’s the proper way to allow your wine to breathe? You’ve got two options: Decanter or Wine Glass.

Decanter
Use a decanter, a juice pitcher, or even a flower vase. Any clean, large container with a wide opening at the top will do. The increased opening is the key needed to allowing more air to make contact with your wine.

Wine Glass
Pour your wine into wine glasses and let it breathe. This certainly is a low-maintenance method and will work quite well. You want to be sure to pour your glass of wine at least 15 minutes before you’re ready to drink it, lest temptation get the best of you.

Here’s a tip for letting your wine breathe in the glass. Make sure you pour toward the center of the glass with at least 6 inches of fall from bottle to glass. This allows extra aeration during the actual pour.

Beginner’s Guide To Different Types Of Wine

The most important factor in the taste of a wine would be the grapes used to make the wine.

However, there are also other factors that affect the flavors, such as climate, exposure to sunlight, soil, how the grapes are fermented and handled, whether or not the wine is aged in wood, and the types of yeast used.

Because of all these factors, the same type of wine can be made in several different regions, but due to the variable factors, the wine will taste different. And that’s half the fun! Experiencing the numerous flavors available.

The word “varietal” simply refers to the variety of grape used to make a particular wine. Serious wine-producing countries and states regulate the amount of a particular grape that make up a particular wine. For instance, in California and Washington any wine referred to by the name of the grape (Chardonnay, for example) must be made up of at least 75% of that grape. Most varietals in Oregon must be 90% of the grape. Alsace requires 100%.

Here is a list of wines:

Red Wines       

Barbera
Cabernet Sauvignon
Chianti
Merlot
Nebbiolo
Petite Sirah
Pinot Noir
Sangiovese
Syrah/Shiraz
Tempranillo
Zinfandel

White Wines

Chablis
Chardonnay
Chenin Blanc
Gewurztraminer
Muscat
Pinot Blanc
Pinot Gris
Riesling
Savignon/Fume Blanc
Semillon
Viognier

Dessert/Fortified Wines

Madeira
Port
Sherry
Vermouth

Other Wines

Champagne/Sparkling Wine
Kosher Wine
Rose
White Zinfandel