On May 23, we had a group of 11 participate in the second Enriching Lifestyles seminar. I gave a short talk on the choices that winemakers make when they may red wines and white wines. And we tasted seven wines. It was a great evening in that I felt the group members learned some things about wine that they never knew before. Even better, the seven wines we tasted were so delicious and so distinct. It was great to introduce a group of novice wine tasters to several wines that stand apart from each other in terms of color, aroma and flavor.
The video below is the slide show and talk that I gave on how red and white wines are made. In the post below this one, you can see a slide show in which I talk about the wines that we tasted.
We experience wine through our senses – especially sight, smell and taste. For both native speakers and non-native speakers, using words to describe sensory experiences is very difficult. We all would like to say more than: “Looks very nice!” “Smells interesting!” or “Tastes delicious!” Wine tasters have developed a common vocabulary to describe the colors, aromas and flavors of wine. In this podcast, you will become familiar with a few of these terms.
Let me emphasize the word FEW! The look, smell and taste of wine is a vast subject. Chemists, wine makers, wine writers, connoisseurs, artists and poets have all struggled to find the right words to describe wine. You don’t have to learn the entire vocabulary, but you can learn to use a few words correctly.
In this podcast, you will become familiar some terms we use to describe color (hue, clarity, opacity, viscosity) and smell: (nose, aroma, bouquet.)
If you have questions about any words or expressions you have encountered in wine magazines or blogs, feel free to post a question. I may answer it in a future post!
2005 William Fevre Chablis Grand Cru "Bougros" (photo by Gerald - aka "Syr Rah")
Chablis can be confusing to people new to wine. Have you been confused by Chablis? Some believe that, as a white wine from Burgundy, it must be terribly expensive. But others, who have seen California jug wine labeled as “Chablis,” think its another cheap white wine style.
Chablis is a white wine from Burgundy – a delicious, dry, zesty Chardonnay with a famous hard mineral character. The best wines of Chablis, the Grands Cru and Premiers Cru, can be expensive. But plenty of Chablis is affordable – and great value if you consider the difficult conditions, small yields and great technique of the Chablisiens (people of Chablis.)
In this podcast, you will learn about the wines of Chablis: vineyards, winemaking, and traditions. As always, I try to make the vocabulary of wine and wine tasting clear to you.
Does it seem that many wines from California, Australia, Chile, Argentina – and even France – often taste alike? True, wines are made from the same grapes (Cabernet, Chardonnay, Syrah), and winemakers in one country may wish to emulate (be inspired by) the wine styles of other countries. But if winemakers remain true to their local terroir, the wines should taste different – even if the same grapes are used. In this podcast, we will discuss how consumer demand and competition are driving many winemakers to make wine that conforms to an “international style.” And we will look at how wines in one particular location do NOT follow that style.
Are you confused by tasting notes written in English? In this podcast I will define and help you understand some of the words and expressions that are often used in tasting notes.
Comments (2) 
Themocracy