This is why I am a believer in the “Fruit First” theory, as the fruit character of a wine is typically the most prominent and enjoyable. But how do you know which fruits to look for in which wines?

To help organize these various fruity characteristics, The WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) Systematic Approach to Tasting utilizes seven different fruit clusters: four for white wines and three for red.

You May Also Like: 3 Reasons Why You Should Get WSET-Certified Through Wine Enthusiast Academy

Rather than focusing on picking out a specific fruit—say, apple versus pear or peach versus nectarine—this system begins with noting what cluster (or fruit group) can be detected first.

“WSET’s Systematic Approach to Tasting uses clusters because it can be a helpful way for a taster to develop their ability,” says David Rudman, executive director for WSET Americas & WSET Asia Pacific. “While a novice taster might not readily identify ‘lime’ as an aroma in wine, they might be able to identify ‘citrus fruit.’ It is good practice to proceed from general descriptors to more specific ones.”

These clusters also keep the language to describe wines on a level playing field, so that everyone is basically speaking the same language when discussing the particular fruit character of a wine.

White Wines

Green fruit: This cluster includes flavors and aromas of apple, pear, gooseberry and grape. Examples include Chardonnay wines, for their apple and pear notes, and Muscat, which have a grape character.

Citrus fruit: Wines with citrus fruit will exude flavors and aromas of lemon, lime, grapefruit and orange peel. Common wines with noted citrus fruits are Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño and Pinot Grigio.

Stone fruit: Think about wines like Viognier and Riesling for their beautiful expressions of peach, apricot and nectarine fruit character.

Tropical fruit: Wines with tropical fruits can display mango, banana, lychee and passionfruit aromas. Some notable examples here are Gewürztraminer (lychee), Sémillon, Marsanne and some Chardonnay based on climate and malolactic fermentation (which can lead to banana aromas).

Red Wines

Red fruit: Red grapes that possess red fruit characteristics, such as cherry, raspberry and strawberry, include Pinot Noir, Grenache, Gamay and Sangiovese.

Black fruit: Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Merlot, Malbec and Syrah inherently display blackberry, black cherry, blueberry and blackcurrant notes, depending on the style of wine.

Dried fruit: Red wines that show off aromas and flavors of raisins, dates and prunes can be described as showing dried fruit character. This often happens as wine ages in the bottle, which encourages further development of the fruit over time.

Using these cluster descriptors can help lead you down a path to identifying more nuanced fruit aromas and flavors in a wine, which also helps to fine-tune your palate the more you do it. Say you smell black cherry in a particular California Cabernet. You may want to dig in to try and find other black fruits such as black currant and blackberry. More often than not, they will be present in the glass.

That said, not all bottles fit neatly into one of the seven categories above. Some wines may have flavors and aromas that are a combination of two or more categories, and others may boast some notes from a specific cluster but not all the flavors. For example, a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc will most likely have citrus fruit aromas, like grapefruit and lime zest; however, you’d be hard-pressed to find orange peel on these wines.

You May Also Like: How Red Wine Is Made

Of course, fruit is far from the only primary characteristic that can be identified in wine. Spice, floral, vegetal, herbaceous and terroir-driven components are also important elements to consider. Then, of course, you can find secondary characteristics that come from the winemaking process and aging, and tertiary aromas and flavors that develop as the wine ages in the bottle.

But it all starts with the fruit—and learning to identify those aromas and flavors are the best entry point for beginning the study of wine.

The post How to Describe Wine Using Fruit Clusters appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

So, should you quickly toss back tequila shots or savor the spirit, sipping it slowly neat or in a cocktail? The professionals are clear on this: It takes several years for an agave plant to grow to maturity, and many more months or years to turn that agave into good tequila. Why shoot when you can savor? That said, we know throwing back a shot is part of celebrations for many people. We won’t say “never” to tequila shots, but maybe think about sipping the next round.

How to Drink Tequila Shots 

If you simply must take a shot—no judgment—do it this way: Assemble some table salt and a lemon or lime wedge and fill a shot glass with tequila, about 1.5 ounces’ worth. Moisten a patch of your hand, between your thumb and wrist, then add the salt so that it adheres. When you’re ready to drink, lick the salt and drink down the shot in one gulp. Immediately bite into the citrus wedge.  

You might also like: The Best Tequilas for Every Kind of Drinker

Types of Tequila and How to Drink Them 

The vast majority of the time, experts will strongly advise that you either slowly sip your tequila neat or mix it into a balanced drink. The right path will often come down to the age of the tequila. Here are some guideposts: 

Blanco or plata tequila (meaning “white” or “silver”) is aged little or not at all. The crisp, bright flavor is favored for shooting (if that’s your thing), or mixing into cocktails. 

Reposado (meaning “rested), is aged for at least two months in oak, yielding a mellower but still lively tequila, often showing honey and jalapeño flavors. This age range works well to sip or mix; often it yields superior cocktails. 

Añejo (“aged”) tequila rests for at least one year in oak barrels, which creates complex notes of vanilla, dried fruit and spice. Similarly, extra añejo (“extra aged”) tequila spends at least three years in oak, and often is aimed at the luxury market. Slow down and savor these sipping tequilas. 

“It is our strong belief that everyone should sip tequila on its own as an introduction to the spirit,” says Jenny Camarena, third-generation distiller from El Tesoro Tequila. If possible, start with a well-made blanco, she advises.  

When you find one you enjoy, move on to barrel-aged expressions, she says. “You will soon see that aging tequila only enhances a well-made blanco and should never be used to mask imperfections.” A final word of advice: “Enjoy tequila with friends, never alone!” 

You might also like: A Step-by-Step, Beginner’s Guide to Tequila

For Sipping Tequila 

What’s the Best Temperature? This is subjective, but many people prefer tequila slightly chilled. For example, most tequila cocktails are shaken or stirred with ice, and served over still more ice for maximum refreshment. 

For longer-aged tequilas, consider serving them similarly to whiskey: with a splash of cold water or over a cube of ice. Adding that slight chill helps tamp down the fiery nature of higher-proof and cask-strength spirits. 

That said, “the optimal serving temperature of tequila can vary based on type and personal preference,” says José Alonso Beckmann, founder and CEO of Celosa Rosé Tequila. “High-quality tequilas are best served neat at room temperature, as chilling can dull some of the subtler flavors and aromas. However, for a more refreshing experience, especially in cocktails or with younger tequilas, serving over ice or slightly chilled is also enjoyable.” 

While El Tesoro’s Camarena’s suggests storing unopened bottles “in a cool climate with no exposure to light or elements,” once poured, she suggests tasting tequila at room temperature, “to get a true appreciation of the flavor and all the nuances of this beautiful spirit.” 

While blanco tequilas may be enjoyable chilled or mixed into cocktails, she says, “if you find you enjoy the flavors of barrel-aged expressions of tequila, you can enjoy reposado, añejo or extra añejo in a rocks glass with ice.” She adds that “there are plenty of delicious, stirred cocktails with aged tequila to enjoy as well.” 

You may also like: Is That Tequila Additive-Free? Odds Are Not

What’s the Best Serving Glass? Our experts offered a range of options. In general, they agreed that a flute-like glass offered the best way to sample tequila neat. Specifically, they pointed to glassware with a rounded middle and narrow rim, which concentrates the aromas. These often are referred to as “tequiliero glasses” and sometimes “copitas.”  

“The flutes will preserve the unique and delicate aromas found in agave, which is so important to the overall experience and learning to appreciate the nuances of the flavors when you taste,” says Camarena.  

From there, you can experiment with different vessels. Perhaps the most extreme example: Camarena points to a friend and distiller who collects “cuernos,” which are the horns that naturally fall from cattle roaming the fields. “He sterilizes them and engraves special designs onto them, and they are used to serve tequila with friends and to keep as souvenirs.” 

For Mixing Tequila 

Tequila pairs excellently with a wide array of ingredients. Citrus is the classic, whether that means lime in a margarita, orange in a Tequila Sunrise or grapefruit in a Paloma; often those tart, refreshing juices are balanced with sweetness ranging from orange liqueur to simple syrup (see also: grapefruit soda).  

Many tequilas include zesty flavors that play well with tomato juice and other savory ingredients, yielding drinks like the Bloody Maria (a Bloody Mary with a tequila base) or the michelada. Spicy flavors also tend to surface in many tequilas, and many drinks reflect that back, showing up as spicy salt rims or chile pepper-spiked cocktails. 

That said, tequila also works well lengthened with sparkling water (see: the Ranch Water, with Topo Chico, or tequila-sodas). And barrel-aged tequilas in particular pair nicely with bitter flavors, not unlike other barrel-aged spirits like whiskey or rum. Enter drinks like the Rosita, a tequila-based Negroni variation, or the tequila Old Fashioned. 

The post Shoot, Sip or Mix? The Right Way to Drink Tequila appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Why to Spit at a Wine Tasting

The main reason to spit during wine tastings is longevity. No matter how high your tolerance is for alcohol, if you consume everything that’s poured in a tasting room, class or festival, you’ll inevitably feel the combined effects. Before long, you’re engaging strangers in conversations about Radiohead instead of analyzing the aromas and flavors in your glass.

“When you have a big day planned, the wine starts to add up,” says Bradley Ward, the hospitality manager and estate ambassador at Napa’s Eleven Eleven winery. “I recommend spitting whenever you’re visiting three or more wineries,” or sooner if a tasting room attendant offers especially generous pours. The goal is to still be fresh and coherent by the end of the day.

“I always say, find the wine you like best, and then make that your last glass and drink it,” says Marianne Frantz, president and founder of the Chicago-based American Wine School. She also suggests traveling to tastings with your own plastic or Solo cup if you’re shy about reaching for a spittoon, and emptying it into a communal vessel as needed. After all, tasting rooms provide these communal spittoons precisely so that guests can spit.

You May Also Like: 6 Tips to Get the Most Out of a Wine Tasting Room Visit

How to Spit Like a Pro

Follow these steps, and you’ll be

1. Position yourself right in front of the spitoon when you need to use it. (Move away from it when you’re done so others can reach it.)
   
2. Take measured sips of wine, says Dan Stoch, the general manager of New Frontier Wine Co. in Napa. Try a few tablespoons at a time, rather than hearty gulps. Not only does this let you spit more gracefully, it also enables you to swish the taste around in your mouth so it hits all corners of your flavor receptors.
   
3. Hold long hair or loose clothing away from your face. With your tongue lowered and lips pursed, expel the wine in a slow, steady stream.
   
4. “Try angling your face directly down as opposed to spitting forward into a spittoon,” Ward says. “This will prevent you from miscalculating the distance you’re spitting and helps with cleanliness.”
   
5. If you dribble a little, that’s okay, too. Just ask the server or tasting room attendant for a napkin. Rest assured, it won’t be the first or last one they distribute that day.

Confidence is Key

In Ward’s 10-plus years in hospitality, he’s found that tasting room guests are less likely to be shy about spitting incorrectly than worried they’re missing out by doing so. “I hear a lot of jokes about wasting wine,” he says.

While that makes sense if the goal were intoxication, spitting actually improves your ability to assess wine like a professional.

“Most of what we get from wine aromatics we get from the nose,” says Frantz. “When you put wine on your palate, it warms the wine and throws those aromas retronasally, so that you can smell them even better. We don’t have taste receptors in the backs of our throats, so, once you’ve swished the wine back to your molars, you’ve hit all the spots in your mouth where there are receptors.”

An exception is if you’re aiming to analyze alcohol content, which you feel at the top of your esophagus, or the length or character of the finish.

However you choose to taste and spit your wine, don’t overthink it. “Spit with confidence, even if you aren’t,” says Frantz. “Own it. Everybody’s had a little bit of dribble at one point in their lives. Just don’t wear white to a tasting.”

The post How to Spit Wine Like a Pro appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Once we understand our ability to taste and hone in on our sense of smell, it can create a platform to take tasting to a new level.

How to Know if You’re a Super-Taster

When it comes to how we taste, around 45-50% of people fall into the category of “average” taster—someone who senses the flavors of bitter, sweet, salty, sour and umami but isn’t overwhelmed or underwhelmed by them, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. But 25–30% of the population are non-tasters, those who taste very little extreme flavors, and the remaining 25–30% are what is deemed as a super-taster, those who are extremely sensitive to strong flavors. This is especially true when it comes to tasting bitterness in foods and drinks.

Your sense of taste is something that is passed down through genetics. When it comes to super-tasters, their taste receptor gene (TAS2R38), which increases bitterness perception, is extra sensitive, explains Beverly Tepper, Ph.D. a professor of sensory science at Rutgers University. Additionally, super-tasters can be genetically predisposed to have more taste buds than average and non-tasters. These taste buds provide additional receptors for pain and irritation, which is why super-tasters tend to dislike spicy and astringent food and drinks.

One of the easiest ways to determine taster status is with a PROP test—a strip of paper containing a compound that, when placed on the tongue, can taste bland (non-taster), bitter (medium-taster or average) or extremely bitter (super-taster). You can easily find these strips online for a safe, at-home test.

Beyond her expertise in sensory science, Tepper happens to also be a vineyard owner and a super-taster. For a wine lover, being a super-taster can make tasting a radically unique experience.

Tepper uses her super-taster status to help her partner, Mark Pausch, create wines on their eight-acre vineyard in Allentown, New Jersey. “He’s the viticulturist and the winemaker,” she says. “He depends on me for the sensory part.”

This is because Pausch happens to be a non-taster. “He’s not sensitive to bitter or astringency,” Tepper says. “I can taste something that we’ve made and say, ‘Oh, this is pretty bitter,’ or ‘this is pretty astringent.’ So we kind of move to the middle when we’re trying to finish our wines.”

Well before they started making wine together, the pair recognized differences in their food and drink preferences. A PROP test confirmed their taster status. “He likes bitter things like Guinness beer and broccoli rabe, and hot condiments like wasabi,” she says. “I can pass on any of those items.”

The Connection Between Taste and Smell

Tepper admits that flavor isn’t all about taste. “When I talk to my classes about what is flavor, I say it’s about 90% aroma, about 5% basic tastes and about 5% trigeminal sensations.” Trigeminal sensations refer to the feelings foods give you, like a cooling sensation from menthol or the feeling associated with red wine’s astringency.

We smell wine via our noses in a process called orthonasal olfaction. What is less well-known is that we also experience wine aroma from inside our mouths, which is referred to as retronasal olfaction.

“When we take something into our mouths, and we’re manipulating it and swallowing it, those aroma compounds are making their way up through our nasal passages to the olfactory or smell area,” says Tepper, who last year created the grape and wine science certificate program for Rutgers, a four-week program that touches on sensory perception.

That’s why some experts believe your ability to smell may be more important than taste. “Having a more accurate sense of our olfaction will help you improve your ability to discern the nuances of wine,” says Isabelle Lesschaeve, Ph.D., an Atlanta-based wine sensory expert and founder of InnoVinum Academy, an online platform for wine drinkers to improve their tasting skills through sensory education.

We smell through our noses, but we also smell via our mouths. Some wine aromas get released when they activate with saliva, while others are only released after you swallow. These are different aromas from the ones you smell via your nose. Understanding how to differentiate these aromas can help you improve your sense of smell, she says.

How a Super-Taster Tastes Wine

Because of the sensitivity to tannins, someone who is a super-taster may have specific wines they gravitate toward. “If you’re a super-taster, you may experience a red wine as being more sour, bitter and astringent,” says Tepper.

She suggests super-tasters may prefer a Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah allowed to age, which breaks down the tannins and decreases astringency and bitterness. They may also like young, light and fruity reds, such as Dolcetto and Beaujolais, because of their low tannin qualities. Or, white wines with sweeter or fruitier flavors such as Riesling and Gewürztraminer can be good choices because of their low levels or lack of tannin. 

In comparison, non-tasters may prefer high-tannin wines, like a young Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah or Barolo, as they taste much of the flavor, but not all of the bitterness.

That said, the likes and dislikes of a super-taster and non-taster aren’t black and white. Other factors influence preferences, such as age, culture and familiarity with specific wine styles. “I like to think of our taste genetics as the foundation or scaffolding on which preferences are built,” says Tepper. “They are malleable, within limits and beverages that perhaps a super-taster rejected when they were young may not reflect how he or she responds now. Just being willing to try a wine several times may be enough for some people to develop a preference.”

How to Improve Your Wine Tasting Through Senses

Because taste and smell play a large part in wine tasting, it’s important to make the most of both. You can practice capturing wine aroma in the mouth by pinching the nose while sipping some wine. You’ll perceive flavors (bitter, sweet, salty, acidic and umami), but no aroma until you release your nose and inhale. “The volatile compounds will reach the olfactory receptors, and that’s how you perceive the mouth aroma,” says Lesschaeve. “It’s an ‘aha’ moment.” She notes that with practice, you can develop the skills to describe aromas and flavors better.

Lesschaeve teaches students how to describe wine aromas using the Wine Aroma Wheel. Created by Ann Noble, Ph.D., who handed the business to Lesschaeve in 2019, the wheel is a handheld circular disc printed with common wine aroma terms. It starts with a category, then narrows it down to two subcategories. For example, a fruity aroma may contain citrus aromas that can be described more specifically as pineapple.

She recommends practicing by smelling what you have access to, such as the spices in your cabinet. “Be mindful in your day-to-day about what you smell, and try to identify the aromas around you. By repeated exposure and memorization, then when you have a glass of wine, those words will come to you.”

Though taste is a relatively small portion of wine tasting, knowing your taster status can also help you understand why you’re drawn to certain wines. From there, you can experiment with others outside your comfort zone. By working on your sense of smell, you can actually improve your overall ability to taste whether you’re a super-taster, average taster or non-taster.

The post A Ph.D. in Sensory Science Explains How to Improve Your Tasting Abilities appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

But at some point, you’ll ask a most important question: is this wine any good?

Once you get past describing the wine’s color, what aromas are present on the nose, and what sort of flavors and structural components are detected on the palate, it is time to gauge the wine’s quality. Mind you, that is a different question than ‘do I like this wine’. You may love Two Buck Chuck for various reasons, but when going through this four-step quality checklist, you will understand the difference between determining if you like a wine or if it’s a good wine.

Balance

This word gets thrown around quite often in the world of wine, and is arguably the most important element necessary for a quality wine. But the trick to detecting and judging balance is to understand what balances with what: Fruit with tannin; alcohol with sugar; acid with fruit. If all those things work together, meaning one component isn’t at odds with or overpowering another, . then you can put a checkmark in the proverbial Balance box.

Length

Length describes how long a wine’s flavor or other components stay on your tongue. When assessing length, ask yourself whether the flavors of the wine linger in your mouth for several seconds or if they quickly dissipate after imbibing. Are those flavors enjoyable or are they somewhat harsh, astringent or bitter? A wine’s length and finish can be enchanting, practically begging for you for another sip (or maybe a second glass!). So, when a wine has a long, intriguing and satisfying finish, you can check off Length as being present.

Intensity and Expressiveness

Intensity is detectable on both the nose and the palate. When a wine’s aromas jump out of the glass, or when the flavors practically taste three dimensional, those are signs of an intense wine. If a wine has identifiable characteristics that are clearly tied to a particular grape variety, region or terroir, it can be said to be expressive of that particular grape or region. In other words, when you sip a Premier Cru Chablis and detect green fruits and minerality coming through, then the Intensity and Expressiveness box can get checked off.

Complexity

Some wines can be considered simple if they only display one or two characteristics. For example, an entry-level Pinot Grigio wine may have high acid, citrus fruits and maybe a hint of floral notes, and would be considered a simple wine. However, that does not indicate that it isn’t well made or enjoyable; it’s just the inherent style of some Pinot Grigio. But to be considered complex, a wine should have various aromas and flavors that are primary (fruit, spice, floral notes from the grape), secondary (flavors and aromas that come from oak maturation or fermentation techniques like lees stirring), and tertiary (flavor components that come from bottle age, e.g. earth and mushrooms). Plus, there should be notable acidity and/or tannins on the wine that give the structural composition some interesting personality. So, when a wine has all of these glorious aromas and flavors in combination with possibly mouthwatering acidity, gripping tannins and is full bodied on the palate, well, my friend, you have a complex wine on your hands.

Conclusion

Now that you have determined if a wine possesses these four important qualities, you can determine overall quality. If none of the boxes get a check mark, that could be a sign of a poorly made wine, as all wines should be able to display at least one quality characteristic. If just one of the boxes gets a check, think of that wine as acceptable, but maybe nothing too special. If you can taste a wine with two given checkmarks, you probably have a good wine. And when a wine receives a check mark in every box on this list, then you are fortunate enough to be sipping on an outstanding wine… and life is good!

The post A 4-Step Checklist to Assess the Quality of Wine appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

An ancient grape, Albariño originated along the Iberian Peninsula. Today, it grows throughout the Vinho Verde region in Portugal, where it’s used in varietal wines and the easy-drinking blends with which it shares a name.

Albariño also thrives across the Spanish border in Rías Baixas, a noncontiguous wine region in Galicia. Rías Baixas has a long history of Albariño production, though internationally available varieties are a recent phenomenon.

Due to the area’s relative isolation, “it was not until the 1980s that these singular wines began to find a ready (and rapturous) market outside of Galicia,” wrote Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson in The World Atlas of Wine.

As access to Albariño evolves, so do the techniques used to produce it. Albariño was once mostly enjoyed young to capitalize on its freshness. Recently, some winemakers have experimented with oak-fermented and aged Albariño.

Explore the diversity of Albariño by tasting six bottles of varying origin, age and elevation. This can be a studious or informal affair, accompanied either by a notepad and careful contemplation or just casual conversation. Either way, these flights demonstrate the ways that climatic conditions and human decisions influence the wine in your glass.

Don’t fret over particular bottles. If you can’t locate or figure out the right type of wine for each tasting, experts at your local wine shop can help fill the lineup for your self-guided Albariño tasting.

Spanish Albariño vs. California Albariño

Albariño accounts for 96% of grapes spread across the nearly 10,000 vineyard acres of Rías Baixas, where it’s grown in humid, coastal conditions from granite and schist soils.

A similar climate exists on California’s San Luis Obispo (SLO) Coast, where many wineries are located within five miles of the Pacific Ocean. Over the last decade, the area has become an Albariño hub. California wine growers cultivated 657 acres of the grape in 2021, up from 18 acres in 2014. Approximately 20% of those plantings were in the SLO Coast.

Taste an Albariño from Rías Baixas alongside one from the SLO Coast. Examine how climate affects wine grapes and discover the ways that producers from regions with centuries-old winemaking traditions approach their craft differently than those newer to the game.

Spanish Albariño vs. California Albariño

Wine 1: A varietal Albariño from Rías Baixas, Spain.

Wine 2: A varietal Albariño from San Luis Obispo Coast, California.

Stainless Steel vs. Oak-Aged Albariño

When you taste an oak-aged Albariño alongside one made in stainless steel, the differences in flavor, body and structure are remarkable. These pours show how the same grape can create very different wines.

It’s not always easy to know how a wine was made by looking at a bottle. The majority of available Albariños are made in stainless steel. Granbazán, Paco & Lola and Jorge Ordóñez & Co. are among the Rías Baixas producers that bottle oak-aged Albariño, as do Anselmo Mendes and Quinta de Soalheiro in Portugal.

Stainless Steel vs. Oak-Aged Albariño

Wine 1: A varietal Albariño from anywhere in the world that was made in stainless steel casks.

Wine 2: A varietal Albariño from anywhere in the world that was aged in oak.

Low-Elevation vs. High-Elevation Albariño

Among the many ways that elevation affects wine grapes are sugar content and acidity. Higher altitudes mean lower temperatures, which helps grapes retain acidity. To sample Albariño grown at different altitudes is a great way to explore how elevation influences the ways that grapes develop, and how winemakers tackle those effects in their vineyards and wineries.

“In Europe, elevations above 1,650 feet are considered high,” wrote Anne Krebiehl MW in Wine Enthusiast. Vineyards in Rias Baixas, whose name translates to “low estuaries,” are well below that. Plantings in the subregion Val do Salinas grow at just 330 feet above sea level.

In Portugal, winemakers create both high- and low-elevation Alvarinhos in Monção e Melgaço, a Vinho Verde subregion. Quinta de Soalheiro, for instance, uses primarily low-lying valley grapes, but also has a label, Granit, that features mountain-grown fruit. Certain California producers also bottle high-elevation Albariño.

Low-Elevation vs. High-Elevation Albariño

Wine 1: A varietal Albariño grown at low elevation.

Wine 2: A varietal Albariño grown at high elevation.

The post A Six-Bottle Masterclass to Albariño (Alvarinho) appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Known for its naturally high acidity, Sangiovese is a chameleon. It can yield light-bodied, early drinking wines offering bright red berry and floral sensations. Under the right conditions, however, Sangiovese can yield firmly structured, world-class, long-lived wines boasting dark cherry, spice and earthy notes that with age show more complex notes of tobacco, flint and leather. It can also make savory rosatos and crisp sparklers.

First mentioned in historical documents in 1590, most experts believe Sangiovese originated in Tuscany. The grape, whose name supposedly derives from the Latin sanguis and Jovis meaning “the blood of Jove,” is stubborn, temperamental and difficult to tame in both the vineyard and the cellar.

Like Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir, Sangiovese is extremely site-sensitive and needs very specific growing conditions in order to excel. It boasts a dizzying diversity known as intravarietal variability, meaning it exhibits marked differences from clone to clone and even plant to plant. For this reason, what we now know are Sangiovese vines were once considered to be different grape varieties. It’s still often called Prugnolo Gentile in Montepulciano and Sangiovese Grosso in Montalcino.

To understand multifaceted Sangiovese, taste through these three categories: Chianti Classico versus Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany versus Romagna and young versus old.

Your local wine retailer should be able to help you with selections.

Chianti Classico vs. Brunello di Montalcino

Sangiovese plays the starring role in Tuscany’s flagship denominations. Although an increasing number of Chianti Classico producers use 100% Sangiovese, under the production code the mandatory minimum is only 80%. Brunello di Montalcino, on the other hand, must be made with 100% Sangiovese.

Chianti Classico comes in three versions. Aged for 12 months before release, Annata versions are immediately accessible. Riserva and Gran Selezione have minimum aging periods of 24 and 30 months, respectively. They are often oak-driven and have more structure and aging potential than Annata.

Spanning eight municipalities between Florence and Siena, Chianti Classico was the original Chianti growing area but is now an independent appellation. Generally considered to have a continental climate, numerous microclimates and growing conditions exist throughout the large appellation. To highlight these differences, in 2021 the local consorzio delimited 11 Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive (Additional Geographical Units) for Gran Selezione.

Located 25 miles south of Siena and 25 miles from the Tyrrhenian Sea, Montalcino has a more Mediterranean climate, with warmer summer temperatures and drier weather. The large township has several distinct microclimates and an array of diverse soils, while vineyard altitudes range from 320 to 2,165 feet above sea level.

Brunello must be aged at least five years after the harvest year before release, while Brunello Riserva is aged six years. Both must spend a minimum of two years in oak. Although some producers age in new French oak, most now use larger, more neutral casks.

When compared to Chianti Classico, Brunello generally has more tannic structure and shows greater longevity.

Chianti Classico vs. Brunello di Montalcino

Wine 1: Chianti Classico Riserva

Wine 2: Brunello di Montalcino

Romagna vs. Tuscany

Straddling northern and central Italy, the Emilia-Romagna region is most associated with Lambrusco, but Romagna, the southeastern portion of the region, is a historic Sangiovese stronghold.

Documents from 1671 attest to the grape’s presence in the area, while a publication dated 1773 praised the wines made solely from Sangiovese.

Tuscan reds are almost synonymous with Sangiovese, and the region’s numerous wines made with the star grape are named after specific growing zones and townships (think Chianti, Scansano, Montepulciano, Montalcino, etc.). With the exception of Brunello di Montalcino, which must be made exclusively with Sangiovese, all other Sangiovese-based wines from Tuscany can be blends of other grapes.

The Sangiovese di Romagna denomination, on the other hand, highlights the important connection between the grape and the entire region. It must be made with at least 85% Sangiovese or Sanzves, as the locals say. Wines bearing the names of 12 recently delimited subzones, however, must be a minimum of 95% Sangiovese, although as in Tuscany, many Romagna producers now use 100% Sangiovese.

Thanks to a myriad of microclimates and soils that exist in both regions, as well as the winemaking styles adopted by individual producers, it’s difficult to generalize, but overall Tuscan Sangiovese has more pronounced acidity and is more tannic than its northern neighbor. Sangiovese di Romagna, on the other hand, has chewy fruit, less acidity and rounder tannins than their Tuscan counterparts.

Romagna vs. Tuscany

Wine 1: Sangiovese di Romagna

Wine 2: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

Young vs. Old

Sangiovese can produce vibrant wines made to be enjoyed young, like Chianti, Rosso di Montalcino and Rosso di Montepulciano. Made with younger vines and vinified entirely in steel or aged for short periods in neutral casks, they charm with violet aromas, savory herbal notes and juicy red berry flavors. Thanks to bright, tangy acidity, they are incredibly food friendly.

Aged Sangiovese is more complex. Much more expensive than their younger siblings, these wines are released later. Think Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, for example. Wines destined for lengthy cellaring undergo years of aging in wood. How long depends on the denomination and producer choice.

In the past, these long-lived wines were extremely austere in their youth and needed many years to fully integrate Sangiovese’s nervous acidity and tannic backbone. These days, due to climate change but also better vineyard management, most cellar-worthy Sangioveses are ready five to 10 years after their release or sooner, but the best will still evolve beautifully for decades, depending on the vintage.

Well-made Sangiovese at the 15–25-year mark show truffle, leather and pipe tobacco aromas. Flavors include dried cherry, spice and flinty mineral, while tannins and acidity have mellowed with age, leaving a smooth texture.

If possible, open aged Sangiovese a few hours before serving to let them slowly open. But don’t decant. This is like opening a novel at page 50: You’ll lose the intro and never get the plot line.

Young vs. Old

Wine 1: Find a newly released Chianti or Chianti Colli Senesi.

Wine 2: Seek out a Brunello di Montalcino Riserva or Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva aged at least five years past its release date.

The post A Six-Bottle Master Class to Sangiovese appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

With travel restrictions, mask mandates and capacity limitations lifting, more people are ready to swap out their Zoom sweatpants for IRL events. And, according to the 2022 US Wine Industry Trends report, consumers are eager for elevated hospitality experiences and on-premise wine education.

There’s an array of benefits to seeking out local tastings, too. These events not only support small local wine shops and tasting rooms, but also helps consumers understand who and what they’re drinking and opens the door for them to be a part of their wine community.

We asked a wine pro and a local wine shop for tips on how wine lovers can find free in-store tastings—and why they believe these experiences help build community.

Ask Google

Passionate retailers almost always offer free wine tastings. Unsure how to find them? Your first step is to search the web for local independent wine shops or ask friends where they go to try out new wines.

“One of the most satisfying aspects of hosting an in-store demo was witnessing the moment a customer stepped out of their comfort zone and found their new favorite bottle,” says Regine Rousseau, CEO of Shall We Wine. “Wine quests can be expensive, so knowing where to find free samples is as valuable as knowing which region has the best budget-friendly wines.”

The more frequently you visit your local shop, the more the staff will get to know you and your tastes, which almost always leads to better bottle recommendations.

“If a customer asked me a question about a particular wine and I wasn’t sure of the answer or haven’t tried it myself, I’d crack open a bottle and share a glass with them,” says Lily Peachin, founder of Dandelion Wine Shop in Brooklyn, New York. “This not only helps put the customer at ease, but we’d learn together. After that, they almost always bought the bottle at the end.”

Rousseau notes that event sites like Eventbrite and Meetup or joining a wine club are other great ways to find free tastings and share impressions of bottles.

Get On the List

Live in or near a wine region? Subscribe to your region’s newsletter and email list. This gives you an all-access pass to all the wineries and restaurants in the area that are offering tastings.

“Signing up for your local wine shop or winery’s email list or newsletter will keep you abreast of any special events or promotions being offered, including their free weekly or monthly in-store tastings, new producers and new product launches,” says Peachin.

Tap Into Social Media

Platforms like Instagram, YouTube and TikTok have changed the way wine is offered to the world. You’ll find an abundance of wine shops, wine producers, wine writers, wine bars, wine geeks and wine influencers on social platforms who not only know all the hot new wine trends but will also share scoops about their favorite shops and tasting experiences.

Rousseau notes that “following your favorite wine influencer or winery on social is beneficial, especially if they live in your area because they will also post about free virtual or IRL tasting events.”

If there’s a particular type of wine you crave, like Barolo or Hungarian wine, follow the importer or distributor that specializes in that wine on their social channels, suggests Peachin. “Importers and distributors repost or highlight the shops they work with and often post about events they’re involved with, which means you can also visit new shops.”

Community Builder

Nothing says “friendly” like opening a bottle of wine to share, and so retailers that host free, on-site tasting events can become hubs for connecting with like-minded wine lovers.

“Over time, our community gained our trust and was more likely to buy wine from us since they had the opportunity to try so many other wines from our shop,” says Peachin. “This knowledge allows customers to comfortably walk in and buy a bottle of wine on their own having tried it or learned about it first at one of our weekly tastings.”

Prior to the pandemic, Rousseau’s team at Shall We Wine led wine tastings at stores and festivals every weekend, and their community grew from there.
“Spotting familiar faces and seeing repeat customers not only led me to believe that they trusted my knowledge in wine, but I was also able to witness them share their tasting experiences with each other,” says Rousseau.

The post How to Find (Free!) Wine Tastings Everywhere You Go appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Some of the latter group might have been influenced by what’s called the Sideways effect. In a scene from the Academy Award-winning 2004 film starring Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church and a host of other Hollywood stars, Giamatti’s character expresses his disdain for Merlot. This declaration actually caused a slight dip in Merlot sales and consumption after the film’s release. 

According to a 2009 Journal of Wine Economics report, “The Sideways Effect: A Test for Changes in the Demand for Merlot and Pinot Noir Wines,” the impact was nuanced. “The negative effects of the movie on Merlot were confined mostly to the lower priced segment, under $10 per bottle, while at the higher price points, the movie may have had a positive impact or at least slowed the rate of decline.”

As of 2020, Merlot accounts for almost 36,000 acres planted in over a dozen California counties. While the grape crush tonnage in California has also significantly decreased over the last decade, that doesn’t mean that quality Merlot isn’t being produced.

Born in the wine capital of the world, Merlot is one of the six classic Bordeaux grape varieties. It’s often confused with its half-sibling Cabernet Sauvignon in blind tastings. Medium in body and rich in flavors of cherry, plum and chocolate, Merlot has velvety texture, berry jamminess and woodsy vibes in the aroma and on the palate. These characteristics make it easy to mistake as bodacious Cabernet Sauvignon, but Merlot’s deep purple hue sets it apart. 

Merlot grapes also have thinner skins than Cab, and excel in clay soils. It can grow in both warm and cool regions, but climate can majorly impact the style of the finished wine. Harvesting the grapes early can create Merlot with fresh red-fruit flavors and high acidity. However, if a winemaker chooses to harvest their grapes late, the wine will be intense in color, with rich blueberry and plum flavors and soft yet structured tannins. 

Just like any grape variety grown around the world, Merlot has the ability to uniquely express itself based on where it is grown and how it is harvested. Here are six different styles of Merlot you should explore the next time you are walking the aisles of your favorite wine shop. 

Bordeaux vs. Languedoc

In Bordeaux, specifically on the Right Bank, Merlot is the dominant planted variety because it can successfully grow on the clay soils of Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, whereas Cabernet Sauvignon would have difficulty ripening there. In Saint-Émilion, Merlot can produce elegant wines that have soft tannins but are rich, full-bodied and velvety in texture. The flavor profile typically consists of red fruit like strawberry and cherry. Over time, it can produce tertiary flavors of cedar and tobacco. In Pomerol, Merlot also exudes richness and soft tannic structure, but with flavors of blackberry. 

In France’s southeastern region of Languedoc, Merlot is a major grape used for international stylings of the variety, meaning they are not necessarily overtly indicative of terroir or sense of place. It can be found labeled under the appellation Pays d’Oc. 

Bordeaux vs. Languedoc

Wine 1: Find a wine from either Saint-Émilion, Pomerol or any of their satellite regions in Bordeaux.

Wine 2: Look for the term Pays d’Oc on the label of a Merlot from Languedoc.

West Coast vs. East Coast 

In California, Merlot is widely planted and makes approachable wines with ripe black-fruit flavors and soft tannins. San Joaquin Valley has the largest plantings of Merlot in California, and many of the wines from this area are affordably priced. In cooler sites like Monterey, Sonoma County and Napa Valley, quality Merlot expresses itself with flavors of black cherry, blackberry and plum. These wines tend to have higher alcohol content, supple tannins and a luscious, round mouthfeel to create a beautiful structure. 

In New York, Merlot is largely produced on Long Island and has quite the range. Amid sandy soils and a moderate climate, Merlot expresses itself as balanced with pleasant acidity, ripe red-fruit flavors like raspberry and pomegranate, and warm spiciness on the finish. About 460 miles south, in Virginia, Merlot is considered light and lean with cherry and vanilla flavors. 

West Coast vs. East Coast

Wine 1: Taste a Merlot from Californian regions like Monterey, Sonoma County or Napa Valley.

Wine 2: Look for a Long Island or Virginia bottling.

Chile vs. Argentina

Chile’s warm Mediterranean climate, along with its dry and sunny growing season, might seem to pose problems for Merlot, but it is actually the second-most planted grape after Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s full-bodied and low in alcohol, but has bold and spicy flavors of cherry, raspberry, blackberry and black currant. Like Chile’s Carmenère, Merlot from here can have a green herbal vibe to it as well. 

In Argentina, Merlot ripens and doesn’t carry as much acidity and tannin on the palate as it does in other parts of the world. While bold Cabernet Sauvignons and Malbecs dominate Argentina’s red wine scene, Merlot here is delicate and often used as a blending grape. However, when made into varietal wines, those bottlings tend to be lighter in body and ripe red cherry and red currant. 

Chile vs. Argentina

Wine 1: Seek out a bottle from Chile.

Wine 2: Bypass blended red wines from Argentina to find a varietal Merlot bottling.

The post A Six-Bottle Master Class to Merlot appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Regardless of style and technique, there’s a tremendous amount of value and purpose to the wine swirl. Most of it has to do with oxygen and aeration, but there are other reasons why the swirl is a key component in the 5 Ss of wine tasting.

It Opens the Wine

As soon as wine is exposed to oxygen, its aroma compounds become more detectable as they attach themselves to evaporating alcohol as it lifts from the glass. Oxygen also can help to soften harsh tannins on bigger wines, allowing them to become smoother and silkier.

Just about every wine will benefit from swirling to some extent, though younger, bolder wines may require more. But be cautious about overswirling an older vintage wine—oxygen can turn from friend to foe, and it’s easy to overoxidize a delicate, aged wine with too much swirling.

It Removes Off-Putting Odors

Oxygen will also help “blow off” a wine’s unwanted aromas. Sulfites, which may be added during the winemaking process or occur naturally as a biproduct of fermentation, can create an odor of burnt match or rotten eggs upon initially opening a bottle. With several seconds of swirling, those malodors often dissipate, leaving behind the aromas intended by the winemaker.

A Better Visual

By swirling wine higher up in the bowl, you can better analyze its color and viscosity. A given wine may seem medium ruby in color when resting at the bottom of the glass. But give it a few laps around the track, and its hue may appear lighter than originally detected.

Moreover, swirling leaves behind legs, also called tears, on the glass. They can indicate a wine’s viscosity and signify higher alcohol levels. The more legs that streak down the glass, the more you may want to watch how much you consume in one sitting.

How to Swirl Wine Correctly

There can be a fine line between executing an impressive swirl and potentially ruining everyone’s clothes with flying wine. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when perfecting your swirl.

Start small and keep the base of the glass on the table. Imagine there’s a small bead or pebble floating atop your wine, touching the side of the glass. See if you can envision moving that bead around the edge of the glass, without it off the table. Once the flow looks good, try to keep that same rolling motion as you raise the glass a few inches off the table.

Avoid the overswirl. Several seconds, or even a minute of swirling, does wonders for most wines (though again, be careful of those older vintages). But a glass of wine doesn’t need to be swirled constantly. After the initial swirl to kickstart oxygenation, the wine will continue to breathe and develop in the glass by itself. Also, all it takes is one overpowering flick of the wrist to send a nice Bordeaux sloshing out of the glass, left only to be enjoyed as a permanent stain on your favorite rug.

Use a big-bowled glass. When it comes to wine glasses and swirling, size matters. Wider bowls create a lower center of gravity and better momentum for the liquid inside, allowing for a more stable experience. Start with one of these and save yourself the hassle of learning to swirl in a tiny tumbler—a recipe for disaster and nearly guaranteed to cause a spill.

The post Does Swirling Wine Do Anything? appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.