I’ll Take Mine Blended, Not Stirred

What on earth is a wine blend? It definitely does not sound like any wine varietal. In fact, it can conjure up the notion of a bad jug wine. Perhaps a wine from your past, tucked neatly in a jug, scarred you for life. Almost certainly a blend!

Actually, blends today are everything that jug was not. Blends come in all colors, often crossing traditional boundaries of reds with reds and whites with whites. As I've written before, I find blends fun, flavorful and fantastic!

A blend wine is just that: A blend of two or more varietals. When varietals are melded together they can form some wonderful aromas and flavors .The combination shares a partnership in the wine; a synergy. For me, blends are appealing because each varietal brings something to the table or in this case, bottle. Varietals all have distinct characteristics; some good and some bad which all vary depending on vintage (the weather and vine growth of that year). I believe that the good bits of any varietal cover the bad bits that any other may have. Blends can be specific to a region or producer. They can be in a large, multi-region, multi-vintage production, too. Since blends come in all shapes and sizes, this will be a two-part post. Let's start with the wonderful world of reds:

Super Tuscan Blends – These were born in the '70s because Italian winemakers took a chance and innovated the strict wine blending laws of the time. Actually, they broke the rules and these new blends were originally viewed as lower class "table wines". Eventually, these blends got their due but are still classed between higher quality DOCG (short for the Italian wine control department) and lower quality table wines. Super Tuscans have at least two of the following varietals:

Cabernet Sauvignon (Cab-er-nay Saw-vin-yawn)

Cabernet Franc (Cab-er-nay Frah-n-k)

Sangiovese (San-gee-o-vey-say)

Syrah (Sir-ah)

Merlot (Mur-low)

Petite Verdot (Peh-teet Ver-doh)

Bordeaux Blends -In France, the only grapes allowed for use in a bottle labeled "Bordeaux" (Bor-doh) are listed below and grown in the Bordeaux region of France. In fact, most Bordeaux region red wines are blends. If the winemaker uses any other grapes, the wine cannot be labeled Bordeaux. However, Bordeaux varietals are grown all over the world and you will find blends of these varietals in most regions where they are grown. They're just not labeled Bordeaux. If the label says Bordeaux, then it's a wine from France!

Meritage (Mer-a-tij NOT Mer-a-tahj)- This is a wine blend that came from other (mainly California) wine regions wanting to put a stamp on their use of Bordeaux varietals as blends. Founded in 1988, in Napa (of course!), the Meritage Alliance requires Meritage wine blends to be at least two of the listed varietals with no varietal being more than 90% of the blend. The word meritage is a blend itself meaning merit and heritage! It's also Trademarked and any winery seeking to use the term must first pay a licensing fee and be approved.

Both blends share the same varietals to use:

Cabernet Sauvignon

Merlot

Malbec (Mahl-bek)

Petite Verdot

Carmenere (Car-min-yehr)

Cabernet Franc

Rhône Blends- Simply put, these wine blends are that of the varietals originating from the French Rhone River Valley. One of the most important varietals from the region is Syrah. Planted in the Rhône region around 600 BC, it is speculated to have originated from the Persian city of Shiraz. I have had the privilege of travelling to the Shiraz region of Iran where I, did indeed, find very old Syrah vineyards! Many Rhône varietals are newer to the California vineyard regions. Rhône blends offer the taster a chance to try some off-beat varietals that are not often made into stand-alone wines. A Rhône blend that has been creating some buzz of late is GSM. Let's see if you can figure out that blend…

Mourvedre (Mow-ved-ra)

Grenache (Grin-ah-sh)

Picardin (Pee-car-din)

Syrah

Counoise (Coon-wa)

Carignane (care-in-yan)

Cinsaut (Sin-so) aka Cinsault but still pronounced the same

So there you have it. An introduction to red blends. Look for them. Try them. Impress your friends with flowery French varietal names. Most of all find your favorite and enjoy it often!

Gateway Wines

These days there are too many wine choices for most wine drinkers. If you're new to wine, the choices are overwhelming. Sure, you can usually choose between red and white, if those are your only two options. But what do you choose past that?

There has always been a strong focus in the wine business to give new wine drinkers a way to inexpensively jump into wine without drowning in decision making. I like to call this sector of wines "gateway" wines. Easy to drink, entry level and cheap! Wines that will keep you're curiosity for wine up without sending you back to the beer cooler for a forty!

These types of wine have been around forever. However, new styles of "gateways" come about every decade or so. They target the nouveau wine taster of the time.

The 70's had Mateus Rosé, a slightly fizzy pink wine. The bottle often ended up as the base for a lamp!

In the 80's the wine cooler appeared. Some will argue this point with me. Is a wine cooler really a wine? Actually, until 1991 is was. Very cheap wine was used until higher taxes were placed on the wine, causing the industry to move to a "malted" beverage style. For the 80's, it was the "gateway". It spawned a whole generation's thinking that notion of wine was fun. White Zinfandel soon followed. That fanciful and fun pink wine could be found on any restaurant menu by the glass.

The 90's brought Chardonnay. This wine was being made in a variety of ways that appealed to many. You were hard pressed to find a big-haired beauty in a bar without a glass of Chardonnay in her hand!

The new millennium really brought change and choices to the new wine drinker. More than ever, world-wide wine choices flooded the marketplace. Fanciful names and labels featuring animals, modes of transportation and even smut saturated wine aisles.

Now, we have the "desserts". There are an assortment of labels featuring delectable delights like cakes, pies, sweet fruits in grocery and big box stores everywhere.

What almost all of them have in common is their "sweetness". What we in the wine business refer to as RS – residual sugar. RS is the sugar that is left, or added, after fermentation stops. The level of RS determines the sweetness of the wine. This is opposed to a "dry" wine which would have lower amounts of RS post-fermentation.

Wines with a higher RS often are more appealing to the common palate. They are easy to drink and inexpensive. They are often made with good quality grapes and many are quite nice. Well-worth a try and well-worth the money, with most being priced under $15.

I call these wines "gateways" because they offer an easy-to-drink option for new wine drinkers. Eventually, your palate starts to evolve and you become more curious about what other wine options are out there. For me, it was White Zinfandel, easy on the eyes and lips, followed by Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet, Syrah and now red blends that feature Rhones. Like a lot of things in life, your tastes develop and change.

Fads come and go. What I wore I high school is NOT what I'd be caught dead in today! It's the same for my wine. Your wine and palate evolution is yours to explore and create. Heck, maybe White Zinfandel is your "Wayfarers" of wine and I'm missing out!

Spit or Swallow?

I was raised to be a good girl and good girls don't spit! What I've learned since my youth is that spitting is an option. In wine tasting, spitting can be a very good option and often a useful tool.

When I jumped into the winery-side of the business over a decade ago, I had never really tasted wine. Having grown up and worked in vineyards before my winery gig, I had not been exposed to a professional wine tasting. My first day on the job, I walked into a room of 20 winemakers; all very seasoned and very professional. I sat next to one of the brand winemakers (the winemaker who oversees a large wine brand) and within 15 minutes, he taught me two very basic, but important wine tasting tips:

1. Don't smell: This very handsome man, the brand winemaker, introduced himself and sat next to me. The next words out of his mouth were, "You perfume is intoxicating!" At first I was flattered. I soon realized my "scent" was an assault to the senses of this roomful of professionals trying to evaluate the vintage they had created. I nearly died of embarrassment. Needless-to-say that was the first and last time I wore perfume to a tasting! For you, wine tasters, use your judgment when tasting. When you go on a wine tasting excursion, consider leaving your signature scent at home. It will allow the wines to clearly show what they've got to offer you as well as the folks around you.

    

2. Spit. Spit often. Spit with purpose: My first professional winetasting started at 9:00 a.m. and lasted until 5:00 p.m. with very few breaks and a working lunch. This went on for two days! Someone announced at the beginning that we would try to keep on a schedule of tasting one wine per minute! Seriously? Actually, we tasted about 110 wines that first day. My new-found winemaker buddy nudged me on the second wine and suggested I spit out each taste. Spit? I could barely consider the suggestion. Not a lady-like move at all. I ignored the winemaker and kept swallowing through each wine…for another 10 tastes. What became o-so-clear was that by 9:30 I had consumed at least one full glass of wine and I still had hours and hours to go. I knew I wouldn't make it. So, I adapted and I spit out each taste. It freed me!

    

Spitting is a very important part of a wine tasting, whether for work or pleasure. Wine is, after all an alcoholic beverage and each taste adds up. Alcohol levels in wine range between 11% and 17 %, depending on wine style. A typical pour size at tasting rooms, events and organized tastings is 1 ounce. If you drink each 1 ounce taste, it doesn't take too long to add up. I've now tasted and spit my way through hundreds of long tasting days and highly recommend it!

 

There's an art to the spit, however. After you've taken in all that the aromas have to offer, take a sip of wine into your mouth. Allow it to sit there a moment, rinsing your palate in the flavors. Swish it around a bit and then spit. I like to spit slowly, letting the wine leave a lasting impression on my palate. Some like to get it out fast. Whatever your preference make sure to aim carefully! Nothing distracts a tasting more than a missed spit. This could take some practice!

 

Don't be afraid to ask for a spittoon when visiting tasting rooms. They all have them but few use them. People who are recreational tasters tend to feel obligated to drink every pour given to them. DO NOT fall prey to this! Aside from the alcohol-absorption reasoning for spitting, your taster will thank you for spitting as well. Remember when you had to eat soap due to a curse word slip as a child? Would you choose to take that bite again? I doubt it. So why would you take a second sip of wine you are sampling that you don't like? Tasting rooms and wine events are designed for you to try everything they have to offer in the cellar. It would be rare that you will love all of them. So spit them out! Save your swallows for your favorites.

 

If you find yourself at a gathering or event where limited wines are served in full glasses there will not be spittoons available. But, I encourage you to use the same guidelines. If you don't like the wine you chose, kindly give the full glass back to the server and ask for something else. Even better, you can ask for a small taste before you get a larger pour. It's not rude. It's your prerogative. Why would you drink (or eat) something that isn't pleasing to your senses?

 

Marathon tasting tidbit: Sip water between tastes. Water-down the alcohol! Also, the crackers and bread offered help clear your palate and line your stomach – A two-fer!

 

This good girl has learned when to spit and when to swallow! My key to success is practice, practice, practice!

 

 

 

 

 

Romancing the Reds

Red wines are sexy. They are integrated into our society as a lifestyle; even a health benefit. I think of red wines as vitamins for the soul. A good red wine offfers multilayered pleasures to the senses. They satisfy and soothe. A great red wine should distract you from a conversation, just for a moment, but a distraction just the same. There are many to choose from and often overwhelms even the seasoned wine drinker. Is there a difference? Will you choose wisely? Remember that red wine get its color from the grape skins that are fermented with the juice. Red grape varietals are never actually red -Often bluish-red or purple, but never red. The skins also contain tannins that add structure to the juice – the “body” and mouth feel. For now, here are a few red wine varietals worth a try: Cabernet Sauvignon (Cab-er-nay Saw-vin-yawn). A great go-to red wine. Descriptors are: Cherry, blackberry, tomato leaf, tobacco, leafy (a freshly cut leaf), plum, prune, olive, dusty. Some “out there” descriptors are bramble (really?), cassis (again, really?) how many times have you tasted a cassis? It’s actually one the most popular European fruits. I say, look for dark fruit flavors. Merlot (Mur-low): Much maligned, Merlot’s had a bum rap. It’s all due to a movie where they only drank Pinot Noir and said, “If anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving. I am NOT drinking any f**king Merlot! That quote nearly killed the Merlot wine business! It’s actually a very nice wine. Descriptors are: Raspberry, violets, plum, mint, strawberry, perfume, sage. Pinot Noir (Pee-no No-are). Merlot’s nemesis! It’s got very distinct flavors and a lighter body/mouth feel (less tannins) than many other reds. Descriptors: Raspberry,cherry, mushroom, earthy, rose petal, violet. Syrah (Sir-ah), or as my friends from Down Under call it, Shiraz. Don’t be confused by this Aussie trickery, it’s the same varietal! Syrah is not for the faint of heart. It can be an overload of the senses at times, but oh so worth it! Descriptors: Pepper (black and white) spices, menthol, deli meats, leather, raspberry, licorice…see what I mean? Grenache (Grin-ah-shh): I love Grenache. It offers wonderful red fruit flavors and a mouth feel that no other red wine can. It’s like talking to the shy kid-quiet at first but opens up with a little time. Descriptors: Plum, raspberry, spice, bubblegum, pepper. Zinfandel: I covered the “white” version in my last post. The red version is almost sinful. It often has a “juicy” characteristic, much like biting into a fresh plum. It is known for “jam” flavors. Descriptors include: every berry in the book, earthy, tar, cola, spice, pepper. Urban Myth: The higher the price, the better the wine. So not true -especially now. Get out and give a red a try! So many reds, so little time!

White Wine Really isn't...but is

Why is it that white wines are never white? Golden, straw or even yellow but never white. It all has to do with the amount of time the crushed grape skins sit with the juice during fermentation. White wine is typically not fermented on skins, so the color of the juice becomes the color of the wine. The grapes aren't white either. Usually, they are some variation of light lime green or golden yellow. It all depends on how much sunlight they've been exposed to. The sunlight also affects the wine flavors!

Wine making dates back to 6000 b.c. Early-on wine was either made with few grape varieties (red and white) and fermented with grape skins or without -Red or white. Ah, the simplicities of a simpler time. Fun fact: White wine was discovered in King Tut's Tomb! If it was good enough for a king it might be worth a try.

For white wines acidity plays a big role. "Crisp" is another way to describe high acidity. This can really affect the taste factor.

There are too many white wine varietals to cover, so I'll apply the KISS model. Let's go with a few of the most popular. Careful to discriminate against wines just because of color! There are some very interesting white wine varietals out now:

Chardonnay (Shar-don-A): Chardonnay basically comes in two forms, Oaked and non-oaked aka naked. Basic descriptors are apple, melon, citrus, various stone fruits, tropical fruits or a combination of these. If oak barrels, staves (long oak planks), chips or dust is used during fermentation and/or aging, the wine will pick up the characteristics of the wood. Winemakers do like their wood and use it often! Oak characteristics smell and taste "toasted", No. 2 pencil, vanilla, butterscotch. Oak also influences the texture and body of the wine on your palate. Non-oaked Chardonnay has become popular because it's more about the vineyard and vintage influencing the wine's characteristics. It's like prom night: Sometimes the girl with the fancy dress has the best time and sometimes the simply dressed girl has the best time. You get to choose your date with Chardonnays. Maybe you ask them both to dance!

Sauvignon Blanc (Saw-vin-yawn Blon-k): People either love Sauv Blanc or hate it. It is very distinct and where it's grown matters. Cool climate Sauv Blanc descriptors are often big and bold: Freshly cut green grass, boxwood aka cat pee (I know, I know-just go with it) grapefruit, lemon or green chilies. New Zealand Sauv Blancs have become wildly popular producing this wine style. Warmer climates produce descriptors such as: Hay, passion fruit, citrus and dry grass. It's all a matter of preference. Either way, Sauv Blanc is crisp (refreshing acidity), multi-layered and interesting. So worth a try. I lean toward the cat pee and jalapenos; it challenges my palate!

Viognier (Vee-on-yay): Fairly new to the scene, this is a very different white wine. It's got appeal for those who want more than the bevy of Chardonnays out there. Descriptors are: Exotic, luscious, musk, spice, apricots, peaches, citrus blossoms and lychees (lychee fruit can be found at any Chinese buffet worth it's salt- try one!)

White Zinfandel: This one is admittedly a ringer but I place it under white wines because it is often misunderstood as a white varietal. Not at all the case. White Zinfandel is the result of fermenting red Zinfandel grapes in a different way - no skins and no barrel aging and it comes out pink! Don't dismiss this one. True, it has more appeal with your grandmother's bridge club but done well it's a great, light-hearted wine. Easy on the senses: Strawberries and watermelon. Great on a warm, spring day.

Remember, newbies, don't be afraid to try something new and find the white wine you like!

Yes, You Have a Palate

Not all Cabernet Sauvignons taste the same. If they did, it would all come in milk cartons. To me, the only reason to drink wine is to experience to complexities of flavors, textures and aromas each delivers. The question is how do you know there are differences? Our palate; something we all have. Like anything else done for enjoyment, training is the key. Here’s your guide for your own personal palate training program: This is the part where I use one of my $3 words and Ipromise not to get technical ever again – Olfaction– our sense of smell. Did you know that our senses of smell and memory areas of our brains are closely related? We’ve all had an experience when we smelled something and it reminded us of another time and place. To me, smelling a freshly cut pine tree is instant Christmas. Our sense of smell can bring up both good and bad experiences that help us to identify a smell. Taste- Better known in the wine and cooking world as your palate. There are four areas on your tongue that help identify different tastes you experience. Sweet, sour, salt and bitter identifier taste buds are also enhanced by supertasters in each region. Your palate will also detect textures – what’s known as mouth feel. Mouth feel is important in wines. Tannins in the wine can produce a multitude of textures or structure in the wine: Chalky, astringent, soft, layered. If all you had to do is taste an overripe banana it wouldn’t be so bad. But when you put that slimy bite in your mouth… It’s all part of the overall impression of a wine that makes you go back for more or pour it down the drain. Visual- The color and clarity of wine is important. Red or white, the clarity and color help our brains to determine if the wine is going to worthwhile or not. There’s a lot of chemistry involved; something I will, for good reason, will not tackle in this forum! It’s supposed to fun after all!! Descriptors – This term is used in the wine world often. It captures the words used to describe the wine’s aromas, tastes, textures and colors. Wine is made from grapes but you rarely taste the “grape” in the wine. Good descriptors -For reds, it’s about cherries, blueberries, licorice, mint and even leather. For whites, it’s peaches, apples, nectarines, honeysuckle and jasmine. Bad descriptors –burnt rubber, diaper pail and barnyard. Keep in mind; this is the tip of the descriptor iceberg. There are thousands. Your palate training will be simple. Be aware of smells and tastes you experience. Good and bad. Now, grab a bottle of wine and pour aglass. What does it look like in the glass? If it’s white, is it clear or cloudy? If it’s red, how deep is the color? Spend some time gently swirling the wine in the glass, smell, swirl, smell. Close your eyes and let the aroma identify itself to you. Now, taste. Let the wine settle on your tongue a moment. Swish it around before you swallow. Again, let the taste identify itself. This is your wine experience, your descriptors. You might be very surprised at the results! The more you take the time to breakdown the aromas and tastes of each wine, the better trained your palate becomes. Plus, it’s fun! Make sure you’ve got a few folks around for two reasons: 1) it’s depressing to drink alone and 2) you can exchange your opinions. Believe it or not, this can help with palate training as well. You might agree with aromas others found that you didn’t- all part of the identification process. There are many other, more sophisticated, ways of palate training and I’m sure I’ll get panned for this simple method. But, hey, you’re not looking to impress party crowds with flowery interpretations of what a wine should be. You’re looking to enjoy the wine you drink. I once tasted with a superb winemaker who described a particular Cabernet as “cow pie with a cherry on top”. I couldn’t wait to taste it! It was hideous! She made good on her claim and it was all part of my palate training. Taste on!

What the Hell is a Varietal?

Var-eye-et-al. You see this a lot. In wine ads, on wine labels and in liquor store aisles. The word varietal simply defines the grape type of the wine. A wine has to be 75% of a singular varietal to be labeled as such. So, a wine labeled Cabernet Sauvignon (Cab-er-nay Saw-vin-yawn) is at least 75% of that grape variety. Often, winemakers will add up to 25% of one or more additional grape varietals to a wine for flavor or color enhancement. I like this concept. It's like a bunch of different grape varieties playing on a basketball team. Each brings a unique skill, different from the others, and often assisting one another to get the score.

Your assignment is to get to the wine aisle, grab a bottle and read the labels. Yes, there are two. The "front" label will list the winery or brand, the wine region and, most importantly, the varietal. Wines that have multiple varietals are listed as blends. For example: "Red Blend". That does not mean lack of quality. Quite the contrary. My current faves are red blends!

Then, turn the bottle around and read the "back" label. This is where the winery tells their "story". The place where you are won over and pick this bottle over the thousands of others shelved right next to this one. There will be a lot of fluff, often winemaker commentary on their craftsmanship and painstaking work on the wine. More often, this is written by a marketeer who's never even been to the vineyard, let alone tasted the wine! Don't let this paragraph woo you. However, I would encourage you to read it. You may find a kinship with the winery or region.

Now, keep reading. Usually, on the very bottom of the back label, there will be the breakdown of grape varietals that make up the wine. For example: A Cabernet Sauvignon wine may show a breakdown as" Cabernet Sauvignon 80%, Merlot 10%, Petite Sirah 10%. Three varietals with a majority varietal being Cabernet Sauvignon. This can also be listed on the front label when there is not a majority varietal in the blend. Sometimes, more often than not, however, if the wine is listed as Cabernet there may not be a breakdown at all. Can you see why this can be confusing? Know that even if a single varietal is listed, there's probably a little something else in there - like adding salt to a make a good dish great!

My next post will be a deeper dive into the world of varietals. Til then, get out there and grab a bottle of wine. Price doesn't matter. Country doesn't matter. Region doesn't matter. Varietal doesn't matter. Cork doesn't matter. Just try something. If you like it, take note. If you hate it, take note.

Wine shouldn't be intimidating. It's just fermented grapes! Lot's of choices. Some good, some bad but all worth a try!