The Breeeze Janruary 2020

Nonetheless, here is a cheat sheet showing the extremes
of wines:
-- Clarity: Cloudy/dull vs. brilliant
-- Depth of color: Watery vs. deep
-- Color (Whites) green tinge vs. pale/deep yellow
-- Color (Reds) Purple vs. red brown
-- Viscosity: water vs. oil
These extremes are associated with both good and
mediocre wine, but don’t take them too literally because
major exceptions do exist. For example, a chardonnay aged
in oak (particularly if made “ sur lie”) will take on a golden
hue, while the same varietal aged in steel vats will look
pale in comparison. Both methods, however, can deliver
excellent wine.
To observe any of these attributes, tilt the glass and pay
close attention to the top ½ inch of wine, particularly near
the rim, and finally, if you really want to check the color of
a red wine dip the corner of a paper napkin into the wine.
Finally, the legs (or tears) in wine are attributable to
either high sugar and/or alcohol, and are not necessarily
indicators of quality.
Quality Checks
Although I could argue that the globalization of wine
amounts to making wine generic, it has also brought a
huge benefit called quality control. Wine making today is
a hygienic, honed science and it is very rare to encounter
a “bad” bottle.
But it’s good to double check.
When you have just ordered a
$40 bottle of wine, you may take
these simple steps to ensure that
the wine has not been damaged:
The cork must come out
smoothly, and the wine stains
up the sides of the cork should
not be more than a 1/4-inch
long. (crystals on the bottom
of the cork are ok). If the wine
is less than 10 years old, and
the cork crumbles, send it back.
Don’t bother smelling the cork
because it will offer no further
clues. Instead, have the waiter
pour a small amount, but do
NOT swirl the glass or sip the
wine. Use your nose to detect
something which is quickly
obnoxious, such as vinegar, glue,
mold or a damp basement. The
quicker you smell something
truly odd, the more likely the wine has gone bad. The
moment you swirl the glass to oxidize the wine and release
the fruit (even bad wine has residual fruit and alcohol), your
chances of identifying the obnoxious smell will become
much harder…..an old French sommelier trick. On the
other hand, if you have just ordered a wine by the glass,
your biggest enemy will be oxygen. Unless the bottle was
vacuum sealed, the wine will have become flat with hints
of vinegar.
Practice Makes Perfect
The moral of the story is that as you become more confident
with wine, and particularly with the style or varietal you
prefer, you can use your knowledge to your advantage.
The next time you buy a wine which you know you enjoyed
in the past, take the time to go through the steps above.
Ninety-nine percent of the time the wine will not be
damaged, but the process will teach you the look and smell
of the wine as it comes out of the bottle (remember not to
swirl at first!).
Assuming all systems are a go, swirl with abandon and
then try to commit to memory the “nose” of the wine you
like because I’m convinced our noses are hard-wired to the
brain, and won’t forget what pleases us. The last step is to
knock it down with a good mouthful, but this time, please
don’t continue with abandon!
Cheers.
Fifty Shades of White? Yes there are more than you can imagine -- and it can be
argued there is no such thing as “white” wine! Here are five to illustrate the point: The
deep yellow-gold hue of a moscato. A softer gold from California chardonnay. The
pale flinty color of New Zealand sauvignon blanc. The greenish glow of chenin blanc.
And the stronger green that gives Portuguese “vinho verde” its name. All modestly
priced, found at Kroger and Big Jim’s. Enjoy.
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