Winemaking and wine drinking have been recorded in history as far as the Neolithic Period, 8500 – 4000 B.C. It’s almost as though wine has been passed on in our genes, making us, time and time again, turn to the delicious fermented juice for fun and comfort. From the ancient Egyptians, to the Romans and the Greeks, who passed on their almost mystical traditions surrounding wine to us in their paintings, pottery, poems and legends, this magical drink has been enjoyed by peoples in all corners of the world, and is being enjoyed by many more now.
Wine comes in all price and flavor ranges and wine tasting is one of the most distinguished arts that take connoisseurs years of practice and patience to master. For those of us who aren’t as serious about wine tasting, however, it is still possible to throw a wonderful and fabulous wine tasting party that will entertain seasoned wine tasters and novices alike. There are a few points that are helpful to remember before undertaking such a party, and will make it easy for you to choose which types of wine to buy and which distinct flavors to present to your friends on the big day.
Wine Varieties:
There are many varieties of wine, and most of them are linked to the grape varietals from which the particular wine is made. It is important to know a little about different types of wines and grapes before choosing which types of wine to purchase and debut at your wine tasting party. Wine is divided into red and white, although there are some wines which combine the two.
Popular Red Varieties:
* Cabernet Sauvignon – one of the main grape varieties which, along with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and others is used to create the wonderfully flavorful French Bordeaux region blended red wines. Wine produced from this grape tends to be dry with wonderful aging potential. The flavors of this wine can range from light and fruity to full and rich.
* Merlot – this is another popular grape which is widely grown in the Bordeaux region of France and many other places worldwide. It produces dry red wines renowned for their rich fruit flavors and smooth texture.
* Pinot Noir – this grape is used to produce wonderful dry red wines and is common in the Burgundy region of France. Wines made from this grape tend to be flavorful and carry hints of cherry, mint and raspberry.
* Syrah (Shiraz) – these grapes are commonly grown in the Rhone Valley region of France and many regions of Australia and North and South America. Wines made from this grape are usually dry, spicy and complex, although it can also be used to produce simple table reds.
Popular White Varieties:
* Chardonnay – the best-known white-wine grape producer, common in Burgundy and Chablis regions of France. This grape produces dry white wine with a rich, complex flavor. It can range from light and crisp apple flavor to full and deep earthy flavor. Many sparkling wines are also produced from this type of grape.
* Riesling – this grape produces wines of many names, such as White Riesling, Rheinriesling and Riesling Renano. These grapes produce a flowery, fruity, light dry wine with high acidity. They can also be made into a sweeter type of wine and even various dessert and ice-wine wines.
* Sauvignon Blanc – a classic white-wine grape common in the Bordeaux and eastern Loire regions of France. Wines produced from this grape tend to have earthy, grassy, herby flavors or crisp citrus flavors, depending on whether the grapes were grown in temperate or warm regions.
Type of Wine Tasting:
Before hosting a wine tasting party, it is important to consider what type of a wine party you would like to hold. One option is to choose a single varietal of grape, for example Pinot Noir, and purchase a few bottles from different grape-growing regions with varying climates - Burgundy, Oregon, California and New Zealand. This will allow you to explore the different ways in which various climates, soils and growing conditions influence the aroma, flavors and textures of wines made from the same type of grape. A good idea here is to keep all bottles within a similar price range, to insure quality. If you need assistance choosing a good wine from each region, always ask a store owner or wine connoisseur for help.
Another type of a wine tasting party would discern between different varietals of red wines or different varietals of white wines, trying to discern differences between various types of grapes. A good idea here is to keep the reds and whites to a similar region, such as South American reds or German whites.
Serving Wine:
A very important point to know for a wine tasting party is how to serve wine. This knowledge will help you and your guests enhance the enjoyment of the wine you taste. Red wines are served at room temperature, while white wines, roses, and champagnes are served chilled. Wine loves air, which revives and enhances its flavors, so it is best to open the bottle about an hour before drinking the contents to let the wine "breathe."
What to Buy:
Here are some things you will need to remember to buy for your party to make a real impression:
* bottles of wine
* wine glasses – it doesn’t really matter what type of a wine glass you choose, large or small; pick what you are comfortable with and what will allow you and your guests to smell and absorb the aromas and flavors of the wines that you choose; you will need one glass per guest per type of wine in order to fully enjoy the experience (so if you have three participants and four bottles of wine, you will need 3 * 4 * 4 glasses)
* water glasses to cleanse the palate
* crackers and cheese
* tasting sheets and pens
* appetizers
Tasting:
Once the guests have gathered and you have everything set up, the wine bottles uncorked and the wine glasses marked, pour the wine and enjoy! Here are some tips to enjoying your wine tasting evening. Begin by looking at the color of the wines and comparing the intensity and the depth between them. Swirl the wine in your glass in order to unlock the aroma and flavor and take in the scent before tasting. That will give you a fuller picture about the wine - where the grapes were grown and what climate they might have experienced before being crushed, fermented and bottled. When tasting, take note of how the wine starts when it hits your palate, how it intensifies and finishes. Alternate between different wine samples – sometimes going back to a wine you tried already can shine some light on the differences in flavor and intensity. In order to make the tasting even more exciting, you can provide a blind wine tasting by covering the wines in brown paper bags and numbering them so that the participants don’t know which wine is which in the tasting sequence and have to guess based on the wine’s intensity or flavor. Finally, wine tasting is an excellent way to share experiences and taste sensations, so discussing your experiences can be very exciting and stimulating and prove to show how different people approach and taste different wines.
Additional Information:
Check out additional information on these wonderful comprehensive "all you ever wanted to know about wine" sites:
www.vino.com
www.wineloverspage.com
www.tasting-wine.com
www.mywinesdirect.com
www.winemessenger.com
www.wine.com
