Going to a wine country and only kind of know wine? Want to sound cool when you are traveling to these areas?
Not to worry, here is a crash course to wine tasting so that you can sound smart and possibly enjoy your experience more. This is only basic Wine Tasting 101, much more to add for in depth study of wine.
Wine Jargon
Varietal – the grape
Single Vineyard – the grape is coming from one vineyard
Vintage – year wine was made
Premier/Grand Crus – class for French wines
Reserve – limited quantity, “special wine”
Second label – wines that are ready to drink now instead of putting down for 15 years
Old World – wine that comes from grapes used in old vintages
New World – modern wines/blends
Red leaf – vine diseases resulting in removal
Breathe – red wines often need time to oxidize and open up for smoother flavors.
Tannins – makes wine taste dry. Wines with high tannins need time to breathe.
Fruit Forward – Fruity and jam-y flavors
Fruit bombs – full fruit flavors
“Wine” in different languages
Vin – French
Vino – Italian/Spanish
Vinho – Portuguese
Wein – German
Wyn – Afrikaans
Wines to put down for a while
Bordeaux, Brunellos, Borolo, some Cabernet Sauvignon, some Riojas, Cabernet Franc
White Wine:
Common White Wines: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chennin Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Moscato, Riesling, bubblies
General flavors: acidic, metallic, buttery, sweet, dry
Notes: The more malolactic the wine, the butterier it will taste. Buttery wines are mostly found with New World Chardonnays. Head on over to Napa Valley to try some tasty buttery wines.
Wine Glass: White wine tends to come in more narrow glasses because they do not need to breathe.
Helpful hint for newbies: you do not need to swirl white wine before drinking it!
Red Wine:
Common Red Wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Bordeaux, Chianti, Tempernillo, Rioja, Barbera, Syrah, Zinfandel, Malbec
Red varietals with high tannin (AKA, extra swirl before trying to oxidize): Cab Sav, Cab Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Carmenere
General flavors and smells: fruity, dirty, earthy, spicy, liquorish, jam-y, syrupy, sweet, farm house, smoky, nutty
Notes: red wines vary from heavy to light. The darker the wine, the more likely it will need time to open up and breathe before drinking, the lighter the wine, the faster you can drink it. Lighter wine naturally means that it will be slightly sweeter, while darker wines will have much more intense flavors.
Easy drinking wines: Pinot Noir, Malbec, Barbera, Tempernillo
Heavy wines: Cab Sav, Cab Franc, Zinfandel, Syrah
Wine Glass: Red wines tend to come in much larger wine glasses. Often you will see red wines being served in large bowl-like glasses to allow for bolder wine flavors and aromas.
Helpful hint for newbies: These wines will need some swirling before drinking. Swirl, smell, swirl, smell, take a small sip, swirl, smell, swirl, take a larger sip. Make sure to eat a little cracker or anything provided between the different wine types to clear your pallet.