Eagles Nest embodies the popular Italian saying “Buon Cibo, Buon Vino, Buoni Amici” which translates to “Good Food, Good Wine, Good Friends”. Wine tastings are an important part of the wine lifestyle.
Formal Wine tasting and Casual Wine tastings What’s the difference???
Wine tastings can span the range from formal highly professional events, to a casual lightly structured gathering where deliberate wine lovers get together to compare wines, and share and expand their knowledge.
Warning of a mixed blessing of sorts – as you become more knowledgeable of wines by hosting or attending wine tastings – your trained palate will become less tolerant of faulted or lackluster wines.
What??? This makes no scents (sense)!!! An important note up front since wine is a multi-sensory experience sight, smell and taste – avoid wearing colognes, perfumes or scented deodorants to a tasting event. If you smoke it is recommended you refrain from smoking prior to the tasting to avoid dulling your senses. non-wine scents will dull your senses and interfere with your wine evaluations. It is also recommended you avoid showering with a highly scented soap, body wash, or shampoo.
A. The basic rules in staging all tastings:
1) White wines should be tasted before reds
2) Within each group start with wines that are light in body before going on to fuller bodied wines
3) When tasting wines of the same varietal, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, always start with the youngest wines and end with the most mature (oldest)
B. How much/many wines can you/your guests sample?
1) Professionals: As a benchmark, professionals can sample 30 or more wines at a single sitting because they have undergone a rigid apprenticeship and are trained to examine every wine methodically and analytically
2) Non-Professionals: It is widely accepted that the maximum number of wines that can be tasted and enjoyed at residential tasting is about eight (8)
C. Serving Temperatures & Breathing:
Serving wine at its proper temperature is critical to the enjoyment and assessment of the wine.
1) Young Reds: Young reds should be opened about fifteen (15) or twenty (20) minutes before the tasting
2) More mature reds should be opened about half an hour (30 minutes) before they are poured.
3) Some suggested temperature guidelines:
• Light bodied sweet dessert wines: (e.g. Sauternes) 41-50°F (5-10°C)
• White sparkling wines: (e.g. Ex Champaign)43-50°F (6-10°C)
• Aromatic, light bodied white: (e.g. Riesling, Sauvignon blanc) 46-54°F (8-12°C)
• Red sparkling wines: 50-54°F (10-12°C)
• Medium bodied whites: (e.g. Chablis 50-54°F (10-12°C)
• Full bodied dessert wines: (e.g. Sherry, Madeira) 46-54°F (8-12°C)
• Light bodied red wines: (e.g Beaujolais, rosé) 50-54°F (10-12°C)
• Full bodied white wines: (e.g. Oaked Chardonnay, Rhone whites) 54-61°F (12-16°C)
• Medium bodied red wines: (e.g. Burgundy, Sangiovese) 57-63°F (14-17°C)
• Full bodied red wines: (e.g Cabernet Sauvignon) 59-64°F (15-18°C)
D. The Setup:
Tasting Table:
1) Ideally a bar-height bar facilitating standing guests, in larger venues more likely a banquet table.
2) The tasting table must provide enough space so that guests can feel comfortable to approach the table and access the wines without jostling and also to properly display the wines.
3) Wines should be arranged on the table in the order they are to be tasted. If not apparent, make the direction of tasting evident, either through numbering or signage. Felt-tipped pens are useful to put a number on each bottle and then to mark the corresponding number on the stem base of each glass in order to avoid mix ups.
4) Is the tasting “blind” or not. If blind, the identity of the wine must be protected visually whether through an unmarked decanter or bottle-in-bag. Bagged wines should be marked with a number and felt tipped markers fro marking wine glass bases with the same should be provided
5) If not a blind tasting, printed information about the wine is available, place it adjacent to the respective wine.
E. How many tasting glasses for each guest?
1) Some tasters feel that a single glass is adequate for conducting the tasting (glasses are rinsed with water between each taste).
2) Others feel that a separate glass should be provided for each wine that is being served, in order to allow each person to revisit earlier tasted wines and re-compare the current to past recent wines. It is difficult many to rely on memory alone.
3) Be sure that all of the glasses are perfectly clean, without unsightly water spots of streaks.
4) Provide each guest a glass for water, and an 20 oz opaque (not clear) spit cup for the modest.
5) A clear, tulip shaped wine glass in the form of the ISO9000 standard wine glass is recommended for proper sensory evaluation of wines.
F: To Spit or not to spit that is the question…
1) After they have tasted each wine, most (but not all) professional wine tasters spit the wine out in order not to become intoxicated.
2) There is no need to spit at a home tasting where much of the pleasure comes from actually drinking the wine. Some guests will choose to spit, however, so there should be enough receptacles on the table for this purpose. (clay jugs, low vases and champagne buckets are ideal, and/or provide a 20 oz opaque (not clear) spit cup for the modest.)
3) Becoming inebriated interferes with your ability to critically assess wines (a buzz deadens your palate)
G. Tasting notes & Discussions:
1) It is suggested that all tastings formal or casual, provide for tasting notes give each guest a pad and pencil or a form that can easily be filled out so that they can record their impressions of each wine tasted.
2) The process of making notes unconsciously guides each person to make up their minds and commit themselves before they reach a general conclusion of the wines being sampled
3) Discussing the wines tasted is a socially pleasurable activity. In formal situations should be held until the tasting is complete to eliminate peer pressure, allowing each guest to form his or her own opinion of each of the wines. In a more informal setting, however, free discussions are fine.
H. Sharing wine knowledge:
Generally short lead n comments about the wines to be tasted are desirable but avoid long boring detailed lectures on each wine. Let the guests form their own opinions.
I: How much tasting wine is needed?
Allow- half a bottle of all the wines, combined per person.8 guests – 4 bottles, 12 guests – 6 bottles.
One, to one-and-a-half-ounce pours are standard to allow swirling and proper evaluation of the wines
Remaining tasting wines can be made available for post tasting enjoyment with snacks – never waste a drop!!!
J: Should I serve appetizers with the tasting?
1) It is true food and wine go hand-in-hand – ever hear of food-wine pairings (wink?)
2) It is also true that certain foods can alter the sensory perception of wines in the immediate context, that is to say a the fats in a slice of cheese will masks faults in wine, as a slice of apple accentuates faults. For tasting events, it is best to save foods for post-tasting activity and enjoyment. Serving foods is an excellent move to encourage responsible consumption of alcohol.
3) Some suggest providing neutral palate cleansers such as cubes of un-sugared white bread for guests. I disagree as this would clog the taste buds. Each taste bud or “papillae” is capable of sensing the five tastes Sweet, Bitter, Umami/Savory (e.g. MSG), Salty and Sour.
Remember the objective is to have fun enjoying the wonderful gift of the vine – fine wines!!!
Drink wine responsibly and to your good health!!! Ciao!!!
