How to taste success at the wine shop
By Jennifer Standard
Edited by Nikki Papadopulos
So you're at a wine tasting and someone comments on the "full body" and "great legs." Do you slap them? Thank them for the compliment? Or talk about the wine you're tasting?
Don't worry if you didn't get that the last one is the answer.
"I didn't know anything about wine when I started out," Paula Stephens said at a recent wine tasting at WineStyles in the Shoppes at Woodhill.
Stephens, who has been doing wine tasting for over 10 years, said the more she started going, the more educated she became, and that it eventually turned into a hobby. Stephens and her husband even started making their own wine and have been to tastings in Napa Valley.
Stephens said her best advice to those new to wine tasting is to "have an open mind and allow your palette to develop over time."
"I started out only drinking sweet wines, and now I only drink them for dessert," she said.
On any weekend night, at least six Columbia wine stores host tastings, not including restaurants that will usually let you taste a wine before buying.
Kent Smith, oenologist, or wine expert, said he has seen more people coming in to do tastings at Childress Vineyards in North Carolina even with the poor economy.
"When the economy is good, people drink. When the economy is bad, people drink more," he said.
Kevin Niemann, owner of the Corked Wine Shop in The Village at Sandhill, said wine tasting doesn't have to be intimidating or overly formal.
"It's fun, and that's what it's all about," he said.
Niemann has six S's of wine tasting that can make you appear to be a pro.
• Serve – Pour only about an ounce or two to allow room for swirling the wine.
• See – Examine the wine's color and clarity. The best way is to hold it up to a white background or light. The wine should not be cloudy.
• Swirl – This allows oxygen to get to the wine, which helps to bring out its aromas. This also shows the wine's legs, or tears that form in the inside of the glass when swirling.
• Smell –Stick your nose all the way in the glass and breathe in deeply. Examine what it smells like, for example, fruity or lemon.
• Sip – Swish the wine around in your mouth and think about the flavors. Determine whether the wine is sweet, acidic, light or dry.
• Savor – Enjoy the wine and have fun. Reflect on the experience and what you liked or didn't like about each wine.
Smith said a wine's legs are caused by thick and viscous fusel oils, an alcohol mixture that is a byproduct of fermentation. He said sugar can also give a wine legs.
"It doesn't tell you much about the wine, but it's fun to do at parties," he said.
Smith there are a few things you should not do at a tasting:
• Swirl your wine all over your shirt. To prevent spilling, press down gently on the glass while it's on the table and then swirl.
• Drink too quickly. Drink it slowly and think about what you are tasting.
• Drink, eat, brush your teeth, smoke or chew gum an hour before tasting. It interferes with your palette.
• Wear heavy cologne or perfume. It can interfere with smelling the wine.
Smith also has advice on some things to do:
• Pair wine with food. White wine goes well with white meat or sauce and red wine with red meat or sauce.
• Taste from white to red and dry to sweet. Tasting a heavy red wine first can overpower your palette and make it hard to taste the lighter ones.
• Taste a variety wines so you will have the knowledge to pick out the kind of wine you like.
• Ask the professionals questions and have fun.
Nan Leath, who also attended the tasting at WineStyles, said she started going to tastings because it gives her a chance to try a wine before you buying.
Leath said she also enjoys the social aspect of tasting and has met many people while learning about wines.
"Pretty soon, you won't be buying a wine at a grocery store except to cook with," she said.
