uncorked Demystifying the delights of wine Wine has never been more popular than it is today—and your options for savoring it have never been more varied. With superb vintages from growing regions around the world, the choices can be deliciously daunting. Combine this rich variety with the mysterious traditions and terminology of wine culture, and the whole process can seem a little intimidating. That’s why Prime at The Plaza Suites has created this simple, fun-to-read guide. Wine brings joy to life—and we hope this guide helps you “uncork” the secrets of enjoying every glass to its fullest. Either way, after you smell the wine, sit back and contemplate Before you sip the aroma. Is it fruity, floral, spicy, earthy? Do you detect a hint of Learn how to make the most of what should be a sensual grass, citrus or honey in white wine? Or a touch of berry, leather or experience. cocoa in red wine? • See. Hold your glass by the stem and look closely. Do you see Now it’s time to taste clarity or color? A gold transparent hue or the deep red of rubies? The most important quality of a wine is its balance between Enjoy the visual experience of the wine. sweetness and acidity. To get the full taste of a wine, follow these three steps: • Swirl. Swirling the wine in the glass isn’t just for wine snobs. It helps you observe the body of the wine. After you stop swirling, 1. Take a sip. This is where the wine awakens your senses, and watch the wine dribble down the inside of the glass in a fast your taste buds respond to sensations. sheet or slow drips called “legs.” “Good legs” may indicate a thicker body and a higher alcohol content and/or sweetness 2. Taste. Slosh the wine around in your mouth and draw in some level. More important, swirling the wine releases its aroma or air—even if you do look funny in front of your dinner guests. “nose.” Consider the body and texture of the wine. Is it light or rich? Smooth or harsh? • Smell. Enjoy the nuances of the wine’s aroma. Either take a whiff for an initial impression and then take a second deeper whiff, or 3. Aftertaste. This is the taste that remains in your mouth after put your nose into the glass—don’t be embarrassed—and inhale you’ve swallowed the wine. How long did the taste last? Was it deeply. pleasant? Caress the wine with your tongue, move it around in your mouth. Do you experience . Tannin Okay, here’s that word that wine know-it-alls toss around. What exactly is it? • Dryness? Is there an edge of sweetness or none at all? Technically, tannin is a type of phenol that comes from the grape • Fruitiness? Do you taste blackberries, citrus or peach? In an skin and seeds. The amount, nature and balance of tannin in a wine aged red wine, you might taste berry jam. (especially red wine, which is made with the skins on), can make the difference between a fabulous or terrible wine. At its worst, think • Acidity? Is it crisp and fresh? Unpleasantly tart? Or just plain of tea that has steeped too long (tannin is in tea leaves too). At its dull? best, think of the elegantly structured, long-aging great red wines of Bordeaux. • Tannin? Does the wine feel rough on your tongue? Like it’s coating your teeth? (Too much tannin.) Or is it intriguingly Hint: If you taste too much tannin, eat a piece of cheese. Cheese “chewy?” (A good tannin thing.) softens the taste of tannin—that’s where “wine and cheese” started. • Body? Is it light or heavy? Austere or robust? • Finish? Is the end of the taste bitter or smooth? Does it vanish quickly or linger in your mouth? Like what you tasted? Choose from all the positive words above. If not, use the “F” words: funky, flabby, flat. Overcoming wine list phobia The white wine with fish rule? Taking clients to dinner in a sophisticated restaurant? Don’t feel intimidated when your server hands you the wine list. Break it. The old rule “white wine with fish; red wine with meat” was based on matching the color and body of the wine and food. That was Find out what your guests are ordering and ask your server for back in the days when most white wines were light in body and advice. Or tell it like it is: “I’d like a red wine in the $30 to $40 price most reds were heavy. range that has berry flavors but doesn’t make my tongue feel like sandpaper.” Today, many red wines, including some Pinot Noirs and Merlots, are lighter in body than a barrel-aged California Chardonnay, and pair If you don’t want your guests to know your budget, say something well with salmon. along the lines of “I’d like a red wine that has berry flavors but doesn’t make my tongue feel like sandpaper,” and point to a wine in So, think body, not color, when pairing wine with food. And ask your your price range—with your finger on the price. Your server will get server for advice. Most of all, experiment and go with what tastes the message. good to you. So many wines, so little time What’s on the label? Approximately 150 grape varietals are planted in significant In the U.S. and other “New World” wine regions (i.e., Chile, Argentina, amounts around the world. The wines that are made from them Australia and New Zealand), wines are labeled according to the represent a magical combination of: dominant grape varietal. A California Chardonnay and a Chilean Chardonnay, for example, are both labeled “Chardonnay.” • The vintage. Did the grapes get enough sun that year? Too much? Wines are categorized differently in Europe. The French, Italians and Spanish usually label wines by the region in which they’re made, • The blend. Made with 100 percent of one grape varietal or a rather than by grape varietal. blend of several? A French Chardonnay made in Puligny-Montrachet in Burgundy, • The aging process. In stainless steel or oak? For three months for example, is labeled “Puligny-Montrachet.” An Italian wine made or three years? primarily with Sangiovese grapes in the Chianti region of Tuscany is labeled “Chianti.” In Spain, a wine made primarily with Tempranillo • Terroir. That certain something that is imparted to the wine by grapes in the Rioja region is labeled “Rioja.” the specific site where the grapes are grown—including the micro-climate, the slope of the land, the dirt itself. • The skill of the winemaker. notes of cherry, plum and chocolate. They run the gamut from light Cabernet Sauvignon and straightforward to deep and complex. Pair with grilled veggies, Cabernet Sauvignon goes into wines that are acclaimed for their blue cheese, pâté, duck, salmon, steak. elegance—i.e., France’s great Bordeaux and Napa Valley’s Cult Cabs. Aged in oak and later in the bottle, Cabs are medium- to Syrah full-bodied and exude aromas and flavors that run to dark fruits, Called Shiraz in Australia, Syrah grapes go into the most popular leather, plum and cedar wood. A Cab’s tannins can be rough at first, wine Down Under. In France, Northern Rhone Valley wines are but soften with age. Pair with steak, duck, lamb, squab, rare tuna, made with 100-percent Syrah, while in the Southern Rhone, Syrah Parmigiano cheese. is blended with other varietals to make Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Syrah’s lush aromas and flavors lean toward earth, blackberries, Pinot Noir smoke and leather. California produces superb Syrahs with After Maya sensually described Pinot Noir in the movie “Sideways,” softer, more syrupy characteristics than French Syrahs. Pair with its popularity in the U.S. went through the roof. But the French barbecued beef, curried chicken, lamb, steak, hamburger. always appreciated its magic. The great red wines of Burgundy (i.e., Vosne-Romanée) are 100 percent Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir wine can be Zinfandel lush and complex, low in tannin, with flavor notes of black cherries, Zinfandel is among the oldest-grown grapes in California, where berries, earth and spice, and an aroma of everything from herbs it was first planted to quench the thirst for wine during the Gold and cola to roses. Pair with beef, duck, game hen, salmon, tuna, Rush. Zin grapes do well in warm, sunny regions, producing wines chicken. with deep fruit flavors, exotic spices, smooth tannins and an often- powerful alcohol punch. Pair with Mexican food, chicken, barbecue, Merlot pasta with meat sauce. The Merlot grape is blended with Cab to produce France’s great Bordeaux, or it can stand alone. Less tannic than Cabs, Merlot wines are deep red in color, medium to high in alcohol and feature Tempranillo Tempranillo grapes are usually blended with other red grapes to produce Rioja wines in Spain. Improved winemaking techniques have made 100-percent Tempranillo wine an up-and-comer on U.S. wine lists. Ruby red in color and low in acid and alcohol, the wine boasts flavors of cherries when young. After aging in oak, it takes on an earthier, sweeter flavor. Pair with lamb, beef stew, chili, Mexican food, paella. Sangiovese Italy’s most famous grape, Sangiovese goes into the three top wines of Tuscany: Chianti, Montepulciano and Brunello. Along with Cab, it’s an important grape in the blended “Super Tuscan” wines. Closer to Pinot Noir than to Cab in flavor and structure, wines made with Sangiovese grapes can be rich, complex and earthy.