July Issue 105
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START A WINE JOURNAL
Have you ever thought about starting your
own wine journal? What a great new hobby! I wish I would have done this years
ago. Just get yourself a fancy little notebook, (they are everywhere; there are
lots to choose from at the dollar store) and start recording. How many times
have you found yourself drinking a really nice wine and you say, “I have to
remember the name of that one,” so you write it down on a scrap piece of paper,
never to be seen again? Now, you will have a book that you record every single
bottle of wine you ever drink.
The only way to really learn to
appreciate wine is by drinking it.
Find a good, patient wine merchant (there are many of them out
there) and buy a case of wine. Set yourself a price limit — say, $100 — and
tell the merchant you want a mixed case of wine from all over the world that
will not exceed that limit. Put the wines in a dark place with a moderate,
constant temperature, like the bottom of your closet, and drink up. Take notes
of the ones you like and dislike, especially the ones you might want to try
again. When those are gone, buy another mixed case of wines that are new to
you. Now is a great time to be discovering wine, because there are so many
reasonably priced, tasty wines available from all over the world. Enjoy the
journey!
Take your interest in wine to the
next level and have some fun with this.
Note your thoughts on the flavour of the wine and possible food
pairings. Reminisce about the day you drank the wine and record where you
consumed it, who you enjoyed it with and the circumstances of that day. How did
it look? What was its aroma? Why you did or did not enjoy it. Share your favourite
wines from the journal with family and friends. No
matter what the experts tell us, wine tastes are personal, and the details
you’ll want to record are too.
If you
really want to go pro on this Wine Journal idea, buy a larger fancier book;
this way you can peel the labels off the bottles and glue or tape them into
your journal. The best way to do this in my own experience is to fill your kitchen sink with hot
water, and throw the wine bottle in. Relax. Come back in an hour or so and see
if the paper label is loose. Warm water should really help it to separate from
the bottle without too much of a fuss.
This all sounds like great fun, but it can
be a little daunting if you just want to pick out a bottle or two at a time –
have you ever walked up and down the aisles looking at hundreds of bottles of
wine and thought to yourself, where do you start? Well, here is a beginners
list just to guide you through your first couple of bottles.
Beginners
list to get you started.
Types of white wine
grapes
Riesling: Riesling wines are much lighter than Chardonnay wines. The aromas
generally include fresh apples. The riesling variety expresses itself very
differently depending on the district and the winemaking. Rieslings should
taste fresh.
Gewürztraminer: The typical taste is a fruity flavour with aromas of rose petal, peach, lychee, and
allspice. A Gewürztraminer often appears not as refreshing as other kinds of
dry whites.
Chardonnay:
Often wider-bodied (and more velvety) than other
types of dry whites, with rich citrus (lemon, grapefruit) flavours. Fermenting
in new oak barrels adds a buttery tone (vanilla, toast, coconut, toffee). A Californian
Chardonnay should give citrus fruit flavours, hints of melon, vanilla, some
toasty character and some creaminess.
Sauvignon
Blanc: Is generally lighter than Chardonnay —
Sauvignon Blanc normally shows a herbal character suggesting bell pepper or
freshly mown grass. The dominating flavours range from sour green fruits of
apple, pear and gooseberry through to tropical fruits of melon, mango and
blackcurrant. Quality unoaked Sauvignon Blancs will display smokey qualities;
they require bright aromas and a strong acid finish; they are best grown in
cool climates.
Moscato: Is often sweet and always fruity,
with a characteristic grape fruity and musky aroma. Moscato wines are easily
recognizable to anyone who has tasted a Muscat table grape. (Ask Denise and Aleesha about Moscato
– they’ve drank enough Moscato to keep a single liquor store in business!)
Pinot
grigio: A crisp,
dry wine with good acid “bite” is typically made in Italy and Germany. Oregon
or Alsace Pinot Gris shows aromatic,
fruity flavours. Pairing with food is more difficult because Alsatian
winemakers leave the grapes on the vine much longer. The perfume in Alsatian
Pinot Gris makes it especially well-suited for Thai or spicy Chinese cuisine.
Types
of red wine grapes
Shiraz:
Aromas and flavours of wild black-fruit (such as
blackcurrant), with overtones of black pepper spice and roasting meat. The
abundance of fruit sensations is often complemented by warm alcohol and
gripping tannins. The Shiraz variety gives hearty, spicy reds. While Shiraz is used
to produce many average wines, it can produce some of the world’s finest,
deepest, and darkest reds with intense flavours and excellent longevity.
Merlot:
The black-cherry and herbal flavours are typical.
The texture is round but a middle palate gap is common.
Cabernet
sauvignon: Is full-bodied,
but firm and gripping when
young. With age, rich currant
qualities deepen. Bell pepper
notes remain.
Pinot
noir: Very unlike Cabernet Sauvignon. The structure
is delicate and fresh. The tannins are very soft; this is related to the low
level of polyphenols. The aromatics are very fruity (cherry, strawberry, plum),
often with notes of tea-leaf, damp earth, or worn leather.
Malbec: Malbec’s characteristics vary greatly depending on where it is
grown and how it is transformed. Generally, it produces an easy-drinking style,
well coloured wine that tastes of plums, berries, and spice. It is often blended with other varieties such as cabernet franc,
cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and petit verdot to make Bordeaux style wines.
So let’s raise a glass to
some of the finer things in life: wine, books, and you. Cheers!
Personally, I can’t wait to get
started. Happy book-making!
Kathryn Hartwell
References: frenchscout.com, wsj.com, tryvino.com
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