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Wine Essentials

A sexy kitchen is certainly not complete unless a certain magnificent liquid resides there either in storage or in hand! This sexy substance is of course the glorious fermented grape juice better known as wine. Whether you are serving it to your guests while entertaining, using it to create luscious dishes, or simply enjoying its' company, whatever the occasion, this libation reigns the kingdom of fine indulgence and has been doing so for centuries.

The conception of wine has been dated as far back as 8000-4000BC in Mesopotamia. Having thousands of years to further perfect the wine making process, this sexy beverage is a palate pleaser like no other providing a continuous adventure for pleasure seekers in this arena where no bottle is quite like the other. Each and every wine has its' tale to tell, so indulge and listen carefully, for this libation is quite capable of taking you to places you have most likely never been before!

Wine is an enormous subject that is constantly evolving which can often lead to intimidation. Where do you begin? The important thing is that you do! The enormity of wine is not justification for not trying any, but it is reason to be shy about it. There is a lot of fantastic wine literature and websites that offer in depth information on this subject however thesexykitchen.com wanted to design a page with intention to get down to the basics and get you on your way to a life happily filled with wine!

Creation

Wine is created through the fermentation process of crushed grapes. Grapes are pressed to release their juices which are combined with yeast to initiate the fermentation process. This process converts sugar into alcohol and concludes once the alcohol reaches such a level as to kill the remaining yeast. This yeast is naturally occurring in the skin of grapes but is rarely used in today's wine making process as isolated yeast strains now exist that can not only act as a fermentation catalyst but contribute a unique style to the wine as well.

What is in a name?

Every wine is derived from either a single grape or from several. These grapes are also referred to as varietals. Each varietal has a unique name which in turn represents certain characteristics. A wine characteristic refers to anything that reflects a resemblance to a scent, taste, or flavor and also includes mouth feel such as the weight of the wine when on the palate. Let's use the chardonnay grape as an example. Chardonnay classically presents characteristics of citrus, pear, and pineapple to fig, honey, vanilla and butter. This wine can also be characterized as being full and rich, or simple and crisp. This variance in characteristics is what makes wine so mind-blowing and mind-boggling! A combination of the grape used and the process will allow wine to become either a dry white wine, or a dry red wine, or to become off-dry or sweeter as well.

There are several factors that contribute to the final result of a wine. Geographic location of where the vines are planted, the weather of that region, the vines themselves, soil conditions and of course the actual wine making process. With all of these factors considered it is understandable why someone who may enjoy one chardonnay, may not enjoy the next. All the more reason to not give up and keep on trying!!

All varietals exude certain characteristics which can aid in determining one wine from another. This differentiation also contributes to your own approval and disapproval of certain wines. Some are light bodied and fruity, others are full bodied and earthy, whatever your style, there is bound to be a grape varietal that will satisfy.

Our chart below is an excellent tool to use when purchasing and/or tasting wine. The left column represents several popular wine varietals while the right column displays typical characteristics of that particular varietal.

Red vs. White

So what's the deal with color? We all know wine to be red, white, and rose, or blush as some call it, but the juice is really all the same! Have you ever looked at the flesh of a red grape before? It is the same as a green grape, therefore if wine exists in a variety of hues then the color must come from... of course, the skin! Often white wine is made from red grapes, in fact, most great champagne would not exist without, so don't be fooled, pink grapes do not exist! Yes, red and white grapes appear the same in juice form but when their skin is added to the wine making picture a whole other story begins!

The many gorgeous hues of red evident in red wine is a result of allowing red grapes to ferment with their skins, however color is not the only thing affected by the skin of a grape. I am sure you have tasted a wine, a red wine in particular that makes your mouth pucker; an astringent sensation on the palate if you will. What you experienced is known as "tannin".

Tannin is a natural substance found in the skins, stems, and seeds of grapes. You can experience this sensation in young whites however it is more commonly found in red wines. Allowing the juice to ferment with skins will in turn generate a higher level of tannin to exist in the resulting wine.

It is no secret that many people have a preference for either white or red wine. A very tannic wine is often a reason for dislike especially if you are new to wine. There are several varieties associated with being quite tannic, Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, Syrah, Petite Syrah, Zinfandel, are to name a few however in the game of wine you will not know until you try!

Every wine will possess its own unique color. A wine's color can reveal its story, and to experienced blind tasters, provide necessary clues in pinpointing a correct assumption. Each grape variety generally exudes a certain range of hues however age and wood barrel aging will also have an affect on color. So evidently there is much more to color than just red and white.

Tasting

This is where the fun comes in. Smelling, sipping, tasting, and drinking! There is a lot of finesse and etiquette involved when tasting wine but it is no reason to run away! The etiquette in wine tasting exists because taste is entirely affected by smell. Wine has so much to offer our taste buds, so in order to get the whole experience a short ritual must first occur.

1. Color - Take a look. View the wine, examine its color. Each varietal will show similar variances of color so this will be your first clue in determining the right grape. For a sommelier or avid wine junkie, this step can paint a larger picture about the varietal, region, and age of the wine in question while even prepare the participant for what to expect. As an amateur however take a mental picture, admire the beauty the wine beholds and prepare to taste!

2. Swirl - I am quite sure you have seen diners swirling their glasses of wine at least somewhere once. This step is integral to the art of smelling as swirling acts as a catalyst in releasing the wine's bouquet. A bouquet refers to the overall smell of the wine, and is also known as "the nose". After a bottle is opened and poured it requires oxygen in order to develop into the treasure it was meant to be. Swirling encourages aeration, allowing more oxygen to get into the wine and release the bouquet. So get swirling!

3. Smell - This step is critical in tasting wine as our sense of taste is good, however our sense of smell is much better, in fact on average a person can smell over 2000 various scents! What we smell also affects what we taste so it is important to take the time to smell the wine before you taste. You will begin to notice many different scents that may be hard to differentiate at first. Try opening a few different bottles of white varietals or red varietals and smell each. Notice the differences between them. Does it smell like a particular fruit or spice? Does is smell burnt or like tar? Maybe it smells woody or nutty? By practicing you will be better able to determine different characteristics in the wine and of course be able to determine the varietal right away.

The last and equally important part about smelling wine is to identify whether the wine is "off" or in other words bad. Wine, like most everything, is not perfect all of the time. A nose that reflects the dank smell of a moldy cellar is a sure sign of a "corked wine". This is the most common fault found in wine caused by a contaminant called TCA which is found mostly in corks but can also reside in wood barrels, walls, and beams. Unfortunately this ugly little impurity can cause a lot of damage. So use your senses to detect corked wine, and take your damaged bottle back to where you bought it for a refund!

4. Taste - This is not a cue for drinking! This simply means to take a sip and hold it on the palate for at least a few moments. We have thousands of taste buds all over the mouth so it makes sense to allow the wine to find almost all of them! Move the wine all around the mouth so that it reaches your cheeks and throat. Notice how your taste buds react to the substance. While tasting the wine, consider the following to help determine characteristics.

Sour/Tart: This is determined at the edges of the tongue and back of throat usually signaling acidity.

Sweet: You will experience this taste immediately if there is any residual sugar in the wine as sweetness is determined on the tip of the tongue.

Bitter: This taste is determined at the back of the tongue.

Weight: Felt in the middle of the tongue and around the gums. Light or full?

Tannin: Very astringent sensation felt throughout the mouth especially the gums and teeth. It often coats the taste buds making fruit difficult to detect.

The Finish

Whether you decide to swallow or spit out your taster, be sure to take a little time to review your entire experience with this wine. Really process the journey in order to secure its' story into your mental records. Ask yourself a few questions and take some tasting notes if you like: What did this wine show you? Did you enjoy it? What did you like/dislike about it? Was it well balanced? A well balanced wine is not too much of any one taste, flavor, or sensation; it's just right!

It is also wise to pay attention to how long its' presence lasts in your mouth. This is known as the length of the wine. A great wine can last for several minutes!

Like any sport or hobby, practice makes perfect; the more you taste the more knowledge you'll gain on this quenching subject.

The Proper Servicing

Proper service of wine starts as soon as you bring it home. How you handle it, store it, open, and pour it is all part of service protocol. Wine is only a result of a long and delicate journey that can take many years to perfect. So the next time your swinging and swaying your bottle of wine around like some toy, consider its journey, carry it carefully and of course give it a comfortable place to rest.

Storage

Wine should be stored on its' side in a cool place ideally at 55 degrees F. Storing wine in a place at a higher temperature will cause the wine to age at an increased rate.

Service Temperature

The temperature for which wine should be served at is also down to a science as certain characteristics can only be detected at certain temperatures. It is all too common to have white wine served at a temperature that is far too cool. Over chilling wine causes the wine to be "tight" or too cold to properly experience it so do yourself a favor and follow these general guidelines and try to experience each wine the way it was meant to be experienced!

The Opening

I suppose it might be hard to taste if you can't open the bottle! It's easy, but first you need the proper utensil. Don't be fooled with all of these wine opening contraptions today that try to simplify an already simple procedure. Purchase what is called a 2-stage corkscrew; an indispensable tool for all waiters. Simply remove the foil on the bottle by using the knife of your corkscrew. Cut around the bottom of the lip of the bottle for clean and easy removal of the foil. Aim the point of the screw at the center of the cork and press down and start turning. Continue turning until only the last half of the final twist remains visible. At this point hook the 1st stage of the tool onto the lip of the bottle and use the handle as a lever to slowly lift the cork from the bottle. Once the handle is almost vertically extended, use the 2nd stage of the tool to fully remove the cork.

"Bruising" - Yanking the cork out of the bottle creates that all familiar POP! If proper etiquette is important to you, this "POP" is actually an undesirable resonance referred to as bruising the wine. In order to prevent this from occurring, gently lift the cork out of the bottle while bending the cork to the side. This allows the air to escape up the side of the bottle neck helping to reduce the possibility of a POP!

If you happen to break the cork, do not panic! It happens easily, especially with older wines. Merely remove the broken portion of the cork from your corkscrew and start again. Except this time place the screw up against the inside of the bottle neck and insert the screw pushing against the side of the bottle and slowly into the broken cork. Hold the neck of the bottle firmly and when the corkscrew has penetrated the cork by a few turns, slowly pull the cork out!

Glassware

There are a million options available when considering glassware for wine, however in order for wine to truly shine; clear glass or crystal is the only way to go. It is important to see the wine you are about to enjoy, so don't disguise it with a colored material.

The leading glassware manufacturers today have gotten this subject down to a science, successfully creating palate specific glassware to encourage the optimal tasting experience. Each wine varietal is best experienced when taken from a glass which allows the wine to breathe properly. Although swirling and decanting also aid in aeration, the glass used can also contribute to proper aeration as well. Reidel is the leader in this industry creating fabulously sexy glassware with only varietals in mind. This company creates a different glass for almost every libation!

The necessary glassware required for any home is a simple white wine glass which typically has a smaller circumference than a red wine glass which is quite a bit larger. A set of champagne flutes is highly recommended as well.

Your red or white glassware should accommodate approximately 10 - 12oz. of wine, however a wine glass should never be filled higher than half way. The idea is to allow enough room for the wine to move when swirling. Your wine will not breathe well if the glass is filled higher than half way.

Food Pairing

The magical connection between wine and food is truly amazing and can often qualify as a divine experience! In order to achieve a great match with one of your favorite dishes at home there are a few easy things to consider when choosing the wine.

Firstly, purchase a varietal and style of wine that you enjoy first and foremost. Do not purchase a bottle of wine that is out of your comfort zone simply because you "heard" that it would be the perfect match.

It is more important that you enjoy the wine than have the perfect match. However, if you are having guests over that would enjoy this wine it is very recommended that you buy it and try it with the dish. You will most likely be amazed at how the two work together and having experienced this combination you will learn what the wine is trying to convey. You might just end up loving a wine that you otherwise once disliked!

Secondly, you need to consider the entire dish you are planning to serve and choose a wine that will best enhance this dish. There are two simple rules to follow to help hasten the decision process.

1. Intensity - It is important to first choose a wine that matches the intensity of the dish. Therefore if you are serving a dish of a delicate nature with simple and soft flavors than choose a wine that is also delicate in nature. If the dish you are serving is spicy, than choose a wine that exhibits spice; If the dish is rich and bold, than a wine capable of these characteristics works best.

2. Echo/Contrast - If you really want to take matching to a higher level than attempt to echo or contrast flavors in your dish with the chosen wine. Echoing suggests finding a particular flavor or spice in the dish and paring it with a wine that also shares common characteristics.

Contrasting suggests doing the opposite, therefore if the dish is fairly sweet than choose a dry wine. A classic contrasting match is sweet port with a great salty cheese.

The most important thing you need to do is get out there and start trying new wines. It can be very difficult when in a liquor or wine store to know what to look for and find the perfect wine; a lot of choice from a mediocre selection.

First of all, find your local private wine store. Generally these stores specialize in finding wines that are not carried in larger retail stores and are often much better quality. The employees at these shops are also very experienced with wine often participating in tastings everyday and can therefore easily recommend some fantastic bottles within your price range. The best part of their job is to talk wine and find you the perfect bottle so use them!! Asking the staff questions and getting suggestions will prevent you from going through the often lengthy trial and error stage saving you time and money.

Another fantastic way to learn is by hosting wine parties. Start by choosing like varietals and have your guests each buy a different bottle. This allows for everyone to taste, and determine the different characteristics of each, a sure way to learn. When your party is more experienced start a fund amongst your group and make collective purchases of higher-end wine; a cost effective way to try some fantastic bottles.

Sharing stories and experiences with wine is also another fantastic way to acquire new information and interesting facts on the subject of wine. Wine blogs are a great casual source of real information complimented by a touch of personality. We highly recommend visiting one of our favorites at The Wine Detective Another Wine related site to check out is All the Best Wines Cheers!

Remember, get out there, ask questions, get tasting, and have fun!

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