food-and-wine-pairing-a-sensory-experience-robert-harrington
food-and-wine-pairing-a-sensory-experience-robert-harrington
food-and-wine-pairing-a-sensory-experience-robert-harrington
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36<br />
Chapter 2 Taste Basics <strong>and</strong> the Basics of Wine Evaluation<br />
EXERCISE 2.2<br />
TASTING THE MAJOR VARIETALS: BASICS OF WINE EVALUATION AND DIFFERENTIATION IN<br />
WINE COMPONENTS, TEXTURES, AND FLAVORS<br />
While some sixty types of vinifera grapes<br />
exist, the most common <strong>wine</strong> grapes<br />
from vinifera vines are Chardonnay,<br />
Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc,<br />
Sémillon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,<br />
Pinot Noir, <strong>and</strong> Syrah (Shiraz). These varietals<br />
can be further narrowed in the<br />
North American market to what some call<br />
the ‘‘big six.’’ 23 These six varietals make<br />
up the vast majority of quality <strong>wine</strong>s sold<br />
in North America <strong>and</strong> provide a great example<br />
of the spectrum of <strong>wine</strong> styles<br />
from light-bodied <strong>and</strong> fruity to full-bodied<br />
<strong>and</strong> intense. The six <strong>wine</strong>s evaluated in<br />
this exercise are Riesling, Sauvignon<br />
Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot,<br />
<strong>and</strong> Cabernet Sauvignon.<br />
OBJECTIVES<br />
1. To introduce the distinctive characteristics<br />
of the individual grape samples<br />
that constitute 80 percent of the quality<br />
<strong>wine</strong>s sold in the United States,<br />
including three whites (Riesling, Sauvignon<br />
Blanc, <strong>and</strong> Chardonnay) <strong>and</strong><br />
three reds (Pinot Noir, Merlot, <strong>and</strong><br />
Cabernet Sauvignon).<br />
2. To introduce <strong>and</strong> underst<strong>and</strong> the importance<br />
of body. How to identify body<br />
visually <strong>and</strong> by tasting <strong>wine</strong>.<br />
3. To allow students to identify their initial<br />
favorites from this group of <strong>wine</strong><br />
varietals.<br />
Wine selection can be a<br />
daunting task without a clear<br />
underst<strong>and</strong>ing of varietals’<br />
typical characteristics.<br />
4. To instill a deeper knowledge of the<br />
typical elements of the six major varietals.<br />
This knowledge will provide<br />
greater immediate knowledge when<br />
shopping for <strong>wine</strong> <strong>and</strong> selecting <strong>wine</strong><br />
on a <strong>wine</strong> list.<br />
Mise en Place: Things to Do Before<br />
the Exercise Review the sections<br />
of this chapter describing <strong>wine</strong> evaluation<br />
(the six S’s—seeing, swirling, smelling,<br />
sipping, spitting or swallowing, <strong>and</strong><br />
savoring). Assemble the following ingredients<br />
<strong>and</strong> materials. Before evaluating<br />
the <strong>wine</strong>s, wash your h<strong>and</strong>s to remove<br />
any distracting odors. Review the section<br />
on setting up a tasting session. Follow<br />
these general guidelines to ensure the<br />
room is properly prepared for a tasting<br />
session.