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Christmas Gift Giving

/ A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

A bottle of wine may be the go-to gift for any wine-loving friend or difficult relative, but choosing a bottle is not always easy. Here are some suggestions that may be of some help when buying wine as a gift.

Do Your Homework

There are lots of web sites, blogs and educators who can help with recommendations so if you’re feeling lost, do some research before you start shopping. Vintage guides, which are often available at your wine seller, will tell you what is currently available for drinking now or what will make a great addition to someone’s cellar.

Avoid Brand Bias

Selecting famous vintner names may be tempting but you will end up paying a premium. Find something more unique from a region with a similar climate using the same grapes. While wines from France may be supreme, you will typically pay  premium prices for them.  You may get an equally good, but lesser known wine for less cost. For example, a Merlot from Chile will be a great alternative to Bordeaux, while a New Zealand Pinot Noir could be chosen in place of a Burgundy.

Accept Advice

Asking the store clerk for assistance can be most helpful.  They will likely be highly educated and have tasted the full range so can give you the best service and tailor their knowledge to your desires. I have a go-to guy at the store I most often frequent, who I rely on for suggestions and answers to my questions.

Consider Food Pairing

Often people will enjoy a glass of wine alongside a nice meal, so take this into consideration when buying a loved one a bottle of wine for a special occasion. If you know their favourite dish, consider selecting a bottle that will pair nicely with that dish.

Selecting by Appearance

While an appealing label can make an attractive gift, it doesn’t say anything about the wine in the bottle. Be sure to read the fine print as this will reveal the most about what to expect from the wine and the story of its production. Anyone can pay for premium design work but it’s the winemaker who makes a product great.

The Price Point

Don’t be sucked into selecting a wine based on a display setting or sales promotion.  Often these will be items that the merchant is trying to get rid of for various reasons.  Such wines are not necessarily right for you. Don’t be distracted by discount tags and take your time to scour the shelves to find the perfect bottle for the right price.

Who doesn’t like a bargain?  However, a bottle on sale does not necessarily mean that it’s a great deal.  Don’t just automatically go for the best deal; be sure to browse the wine offerings fully to find the right bottle for the right price.

Likewise, the best bottle within your allocated budget might not be the one that reaches the upper limit of your price range. Many factors come into the pricing of wine, including production style, bottling processes, taxes and demand for that type of wine.  As a result, there will be some variation between prices of similar wines. Price does not always correlate with quality, and so, if you select a bottle from a unique region or variety, you may be able to find a wine that is a better value for your money.

Gift Packages

Gift packages may not be a good idea.  They are designed to look appealing but looks can be deceiving.  When buying prepackaged gift sets, it is best if you are familiar with at least the winery, if not the wine itself.  That way you have a better understanding of the quality of the gift you are giving.  Case in point, a few years ago I couldn’t resist buying a Bordeaux set that included 2 bottles of wine and an irresistible wooden case that they were contained in.  As it turned out, it was an expensive box as the wine was mediocre at best.

If the idea of providing a wood box is appealing, I suggest selecting the wine of your choice and purchase a gift container separately.  Your local retailer may have suitable containers for sale.

Too Many Choices

If the number of wine varieties is too many to fathom, making the decision too daunting, rather than being overwhelmed and selecting a bottle at random, maybe take a different approach and choose an accessory for your wine-loving friend, such as a corkscrew or wine stopper.

I wish you great success with your Christmas shopping adventures.  Whatever you decide, it will be the right decision for you.

Sláinte mhaith

Restaurant Wine Service

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There can be great inconsistencies in the quality of wine service provided by restaurants. There are no regulations regarding the quality or reliability of the information provided to patrons wanting to purchase wine to complement their meal.

In some establishments the wait staff is responsible for answering wine related questions and offering suggestions.  Others will have a wine steward who may or may not be knowledgeable about wine and the selections they offer.  In restaurants only offering a house red or house white, it probably doesn’t matter if staff doesn’t have a good understanding about wine.  However, where there is a reasonably sized wine list, a knowledgeable wine server can be of great benefit.

A good restaurant wine server will not automatically try to upsell you on purchasing a more expensive wine. They should respect your desired price point.  Your server should also not lecture you on what you should select.  A good server will leave you feeling knowledgeable and provide you with options.

Generally speaking, your server should be able to assist you with 3 preferences:  colour (red, white, rosé or sparkling), weight (richness), and price.

Some higher end restaurants will have a sommelier on staff.  She or he is a trained and knowledgeable designated wine professional specializing in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food pairing. The role in fine dining today is much more specialized and informed than that of a wine waiter.

A sommelier may be responsible for the development of wine lists, as well as the delivery of wine service and training for the other restaurant staff. Working along with the culinary team, they pair and suggest wines that will best complement each particular food menu item. This entails the need for  knowledge of how food and wine, beer, spirits and other beverages work in harmony. A professional sommelier also works on the floor of the restaurant and is in direct contact with restaurant patrons.

If you get the opportunity to consult with a sommelier it can be a very rewarding and educational experience.

I have had both wonderful and terrible experiences with restaurant wine servers.  However, it is the bad ones I tend to remember.  Oncein a restaurant in Toronto I had selected a wine only to be told by my server that the varietal I selected was unreliable and very inconsistent from one bottle to the next. Instead, he suggested a wine considerably more expensive.  Realizing that what I was being told was a complete fabrication and that he was only interested in upselling me, I was not swayed from my original decision which I did not regret in the least.

A good wine server or sommelier can be a valuable resource in helping you get the most out of your dining experience.  The challenge is being able to identify the bad ones and dismiss them before they convince you to purchase a wine you don’t really want.

​ Sláinte mhaith

Wine Scoring & Ratings

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When searching for new wines to try, scoring/rating systems may provide some insight as to which ones may be worth your while.  However, having said this, it is important to keep in mind that any rating is only the opinion of the reviewer who completed it. 

A score isn’t the be all and end all.  In addition to looking at the number or symbol, it is important to consider the complete tasting notes in order to get a fuller understanding of what the particular wine is about.   Without the tasting notes the rating is of little value as the notes explain what the reviewer considered when completing their assessment.

If you can find the vintners notes those can provide important insight as well.  The vintner’s notes would most likely be located through the winery’s web site.  However, these are not always published.

Ratings can be most useful to you if you can find a critic whose likes and dislikes are similar to your own.   However, keep in mind that all rating systems are very subjective.  There really is no science involved in completing the scorings.  The beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.

Wines that are scored between 85 and 90 often provide the best value as price can be influenced by ratings and popularity.  Demand tends to be greater for the highest rated wines though the quality is very similar to wines rated in the high 80’s.  The difference may only be that the vines on the higher rated wine are older or of a particular heritage.  Neither of which may provide a difference in taste for the average consumer.

The higher rated wines may contain more tannin and acid, making them good candidates for cellaring.  However, if you are just looking for a good wine to drink over the next few months, a wine rated between 85 and 90 will be well worth the investment

You will find that not all wines will be scored.  This is often because they are not able to be reviewed by the critics before being released for sale to the public.  The fact that there is no rating doesn’t mean that the wine is bad or inferior.

Here is a quick review of the common rating systems that you may come across in your wine exploring adventures.

The 100 Point System

This system was made popular by Robert Parker Jr. and has been commonly used since the early 1980’s.  It is used by the majority of critics today. 

This approach automatically assigns each wine reviewed with 50 points.  Up to an additional 5 points are awarded for colour and appearance; a maximum of 15 additional points for aroma; up to 20 more points for flavour and finish; and up to 10 points for overall quality.

The 5-Star Scale

This scale was derived based on the common hotel-rating system.  5 stars represent outstanding quality; 4.5 stars indicate excellent quality, verging on outstanding; 4 stars represents excellent quality; 3.5 stars indicate very good quality; and finally 3 stars indicate good quality.

3-Glass Scale

3 glasses indicates an excellent wine in its category; 2 glasses is a very good to excellent wine in its category; and finally 1 glass indicates good wine in its category.

Remember the most important wine critic you should pay attention to is you.  You know better than anyone what wines you like.

Sláinte mhaith

To Breathe or Not To Breathe

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Decanting oxygenates the wine, making it taste brighter and aromatic.  The amount of decanting time varies depending on the wine.  Generally, 2 to 3 hours is the most you would want to decant a wine for before serving.  However, unlike whisky, wine should not be left in the decanter indefinitely; 12 hours is the max.  You can keep opened wine for about 3 to 5 days but that wine needs to be stored in the re-corked bottle (whether the original cork or a wine stopper) in a cool dark place, such as your fridge.  Generally sweeter wines will keep longer than dry wines.

Unfiltered wines should definitely be decanted as there is a good chance there will be sediment in the bottle.  Most wines are filtered but some are not.  It would be helpful if unfiltered wines stated so somewhere on the label but I have found that you can’t count on that.  If there are vintner notes for the wine, those will note if the wine is unfiltered.

Unfiltered wines should be passed through a strainer when being poured into the decanter to catch the various bits of stem and grape skin.

Young wines don’t require it because they are already full of oxygen and aroma but older wines need to be decanted if you want to experience the aroma.  However, as a rule of thumb, it is recommended that a wine that is 20 years old or more should not be allowed to decant before serving.  In this special situation decanting would cause the wine to lose some of its bouquet and flavour.  That being said, it is a good idea to filter these wines as they are being poured since they will most likely contain sediment that will have accumulated during the extended aging process.

Wine decanters themselves come in a variety of shapes, sizes and price points.  Most, like wine glasses, will be widest in the base.  This allows for the most efficient oxygenation to occur.  Unless you want your decanter to double as a display piece, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on one.  Your local kitchen or home décor store should have a good selection to choose from.

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Does The Glass Make a Difference?

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Wine glasses are specifically shaped and sized for each particular type of wine.  White wine, having a much more subtle aroma and taste than a red wine, has a smaller bowl and mouth.  This is to better capture the aroma for the nose, as well as minimize the exposure to oxygen, so as not to release the more subtle flavour too quickly.

Bordeaux, Burgundy, Cabernet, Champagne, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, White, Zin

In addition to the standard white wine glass, there are also Chardonnay glasses.  These glasses are generally the same height as a standard white wine glass but the bowl and mouth are wider.  This is to allow the wine to be better oxygenated, resulting in a bolder bouquet and flavour for the pleasure of the drinker.

Sparkling wine glasses, or Champagne Flutes as they are often referred to, are much narrower and taller than white wine glasses.  This allows for further enhancement of the bouquet of the wine.  Also, by minimizing the surface area at the top of the glass, the bubbles will be more concentrated and last longer.

Red wine glasses vary in shape and size for the various varietals of grapes.  A Pinot Noir glass is tulip shaped containing a rather wide bowl before narrowing and then flaring wider at the mouth.   The theory is that this shape of glass provides for the optimum balance of sweetness, acidity and alcohol.

Zinfandel and Bordeaux glasses are very similar in shape and size with the Bordeaux glass being slightly taller.  These glasses are designed this way in order to allow the wines to breathe and enhance the flavour of the wine.  Given the strong similarity between the two glasses, personally, I doubt the average wine drinker, including myself,  would ever notice a difference if a Bordeaux was served in a Zin glass or vice versa.

The Cabernet glass is the tallest of all the wine glasses.  It has a slightly larger bowl and mouth than the other glasses mentioned.  The Cabernets, including Cabernet , Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as, Syrah or Shiraz, would benefit from being served in this style of glass.  The shape and size of this glass helps moderate the higher acid content of these wines, as well as allowing for the full bodied aromas to be released.

The most unique red glass is the Burgundy glass, which is shaped like a fish bowl with a wide bowl, basically no neck and a wide mouth.  The idea behind this glass is to enhance the acidity and intensity of Burgundy style wines.

For anyone opting to have a single red and white wine glass, I would recommend the standard white wine glass and the Cabernet glass. 

There are two common styles of wine glasses, stem and stemless.  Personally I prefer a glass with a stem so the heat from my hand is not transferred to the wine inside the glass.

There is a much argued debate over glass versus crystal.  There are those who say that a crystal glass provides much better flavour.  Personally, I would like to see that proven in a blind taste test.  I can see where psychologically if you know you are drinking from a $100 crystal glass versus a much less expensive glass vessel the psychological aspect may provide a more rewarding experience.  However, I am very sceptical and other than feeling the difference in the weight of the 2 glasses in your hand, I am not convinced the type of glass impacts the wine’s flavour as some suggest is the case.  However, after saying all this I do have an assortment of crystal wine stemware in the cupboard.

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What Wine is Best for Me?

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I sometimes hear that although someone prefers red wine over white wine, they have to drink white wine because red wine causes them grief, usually in the way of heartburn or headaches.  Don’t give up hope quite yet; there are some potential remedies that may allow you to enjoy red wine again.

 For anyone suffering from heartburn after drinking red wine, quite often it is the tannin that is the culprit.  Therefore, I suggest trying younger, fresher wines, such as Baco Noir and Pinot Noir and stay away from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah/Shiraz.   The young fresh wines will contain less tannin.

Another good way to determine how much tannin is in a red wine is to look and see how long the wine can be kept for.  In the Vintages section of your local LCBO this is identified by the wine bottle icon found on the description card attached to the display shelf.  The bottle will either be vertical, on a slant, or horizontal.   Wines with higher contents of tannin are ones that can be retained for at least several years.  Those will be the ones with the horizontal or slanted bottle icon.

This being said, the reds with the slanted bottle icon should not be automatically rejected.  Those that have been released within a couple of years of being produced  and recommended for consumption within the next couple of years, will have considerably less tannin than those that can be cellared  for a number of years.  It will require experimentation to determine how much tannin your stomach will comfortably tolerate.

I also suggest avoiding red wines from warmer climates, such as Australia and South America.  These wines tend to be bolder and stronger in flavour than wines from countries such as Canada or France.  Wines from warmer climates tend to have longer growing seasons, thus intensifying the wine which can result in a higher degree of tummy agitation.

If red wine gives you headaches tannin again can be the instigator.  Tannin consists of plant chemicals that contain antioxidants that can generate neurotransmitter serotonin.  This in turn can cause headaches in some people.  Selecting a red wine that contains lower amounts of tannin may be of great benefit.

However, tannin is not the only cause of headaches.  Some individuals lack the ability to breakdown the high level of histamine that is contained within the red grape skins.  The result is a type of allergic reaction that comes in the form of a headache.  The recommended solution for this is to take an antihistamine before consuming your favourite red.

Finally, a local potter once told me that a pottery wine challis that is unglazed inside will neutralize the tannin thus making the wine easier on both the stomach and the head.  It may be worth the investment to see if it works for you.  The worst case would be you have a new fancy wine vessel taking space in your cupboard that can be repurposed.

Sláinte mhaith

Tasting Wine

/ A Layman's Wine Musings / 1 Comment

Of course when you drink a glass of wine you indeed taste it as you drink it.  It isn’t chugged like a beer might be or downed in a single gulp like you would if you were doing shots, or at least I hope not.

There are, however, different types of tasting.  There is tasting, as you would when you sit at the dinner table enjoying a glass a wine with a meal. And there is the other type of tasting, the one you do if you go to a winery or attend an event hosted by a sommelier, vintner, or other wine expert. 

This second type of tasting is more of an event than simply the enjoyment of a glass of wine.  Such wine tasting events take place for a variety of reasons, but the process is generally the same.  Perhaps you are visiting a winery and want to know which, if any, of their wines suit your palate.  In other situations you may be comparing and matching certain wines to various types of food.  That is how I acquired a passion for blue cheese, much to my wife’s chagrin, but that is a story for another day.  Another purpose of formal wine tastings is to learn how the various types of wines (grapes) relate to each other, whether it is dryer, sweeter, robust, etc.

In any event, the process for tasting wines in these situations is the same.  In order to truly judge the character of the wine to determine if it is to your liking, it requires the use of a few of your senses – your eyes, then your nose, and finally your taste buds.

The first thing to do once you are given the glass of wine is to hold it to the light to see how transparent or opaque it is.  Generally speaking, the more transparent a wine, the lighter the taste.  Although I have never tried it, it is said that you can read a book through a glass of Pinot Noir, where the same could not be said for a glass of Shiraz.  But I ask, why risk spilling the wine?

Second, you can determine the relative amount of alcohol in the wine by tilting the wine glass toward its side and then straightening it back up to see if there are “legs”, which are streams of liquid lingering along the side of the glass that was tipped.  The longer the legs, the higher the alcohol content.  The higher the alcohol content in the wine, the stronger the flavour.

The next thing you should do is swirl the wine in the bowl of the glass and sniff it to see whether there is an aroma or bouquet, and if there is, whether it is appealing to you.  Wine reviewers will describe what they smell, whether it be apples, pears, grass, etc. in white wine or hints of leather, turf, cocoa, etc. in red wines.  You may or may not smell any of these things; what is important is determining whether it is an aroma that is pleasing to you.

Finally, it is time to taste the wine.  It is best to close your eyes so as not to be distracted by the sights of what is going on around you.  When you taste the wine, let it linger in your mouth, being sure to completely taste before swallowing or spitting it out into the spittoon that will have been provided specifically for that purpose.  Spitting out the wine during a formal tasting is not being disrespectful.  If you are going to be tasting a number of wines, many people prefer not to ingest that much wine, especially if there are a number of varieties being sampled.

When tasting the wine you may find that there are recognizable flavours similar to what is found in the wine’s aroma, such as green apple or pear in some white wines, or cocoa or coffee, for example, in red wine.  Some wine experts will go so far as to say that red wines may have a hint of leather or an earthiness in their flavour, though having personally not chomped on a piece of leather or dirt, I am not sure how they can come to that particular conclusion.

Wine tastings are something that you can experiment with and conduct them with your friends and fellow wine enthusiasts in the comfort of your own home.  It is a fun way to learn about wines and experiment with wines you haven’t tried before.  There are all kinds of different things you can do and try.

Enjoy!

Sláinte mhaith