Smell, touch, feel ...
If you’re a wine drinker, you don’t need an excuse to pop open a bottle
and enjoy a glass. But lately in Ohio, we have more reasons to toast than
ever. Our wines have gone from good to world class, with Ohio wineries
landing prominent spots in magazines such as Wine Spectator. But
despite this recognition from wine masters, drinking wine is not something
you have to be an expert to enjoy. Here are some guidelines for getting
the most out of that next bottle.
Appearance A wine’s color tells you a lot about
it. Is it dark and plummy? Golden? The more wine you drink, the more you’ll
realized the nuances between different varietals, or how the same grape
planted in two different areas of the world will reveal differences in
their colors. But simply observing the color is a key step in learning
more about what you’re drinking.
Smell Why do wine experts swirl their glasses?
Because it helps to bring out the aromas of the wine. The next time you’re
enjoying a glass, give it a few swirls and stick your nose deep down in
your glass (don’t be embarrassed). What do you smell? Flowers? Strawberries?
There are no wrong answers. But discovering those smells and how they
vary from wine to wine is part of what makes wine so interesting.
Taste Now taste the wine. What do you perceive?
Herbs? Black fruits? Common flavor perceptions run the gamut from blueberries
to jalapeno peppers, and paying attention when you drink wine will help
you recognize them. Eventually, you’ll notice how different styles of
wine have different flavor profiles. Scroll down for a list of some of
the most common terms wine drinkers use to describe what’s in their glass.
Storing and serving wine
If you’re a serious collector, storing wine is an involved process. But
if you’re simply keeping a few bottles on hand, the rules are easy. Wine’s
most nefarious enemies are heat and light. Leaving wine in a hot car or
a sunny countertop can have an adverse effect on its taste, and render
a once-delicious bottle undrinkable.
General serving temperatures
Red
Every expert has their opinion, but in general, most red wines taste best
when served at a temperature between 60 to 65 degrees, with lighter and
fruitier wines such as Beaujolais showing better at the lower temperature
and bigger wines, such as cabernet sauvignon, preferring the other end
of the scale. Red wine that is served too cold can taste “tight” and often
tannic. Wine that is served too warm will usually taste flabby and, fittingly,
“hot,” meaning the alcohol stands out. If you don’t have a basement, popping
red wine in the fridge for a few minutes to adjust its temperature is
acceptable. Putting it in the freezer and forgetting about it, however,
is never a good idea.
White
Getting white right is easy. Serve simple, light, young wines such as
domestic riesling colder (between 50 and 55 degrees). More complex whites
such as white Burgundy from France show better at warmer temperatures
(56 to 62 degrees). Just remember not to overchill your wine (a common
mistake with whites) or the flavors will seem tight. Think of it like
a flower — when the temperature is too cold, it closes up; when it’s too
hot it becomes lifeless; but when the conditions are just right, it blooms.
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