TANNIN & BODY

This week, I am doing a short post as I’m headed out to Willamette Valley, Oregon. It’s my first time there, and I’m thrilled about visiting the local wineries and tasting their world-class Pinot Noirs.

I wanted to share some information with you around tannins and the body of a wine.

You might already know that tannins are readily found in red wines, as it is in the pigment of red grape skins. Whenever you experience the tannin in your mouth, you can feel its astringent, drying sensation. Experts agree that tannin is a natural preservative as wine ages, and tannins begin to dissipate over time making the wine softer.

Syrah leaves

The body of a wine is determined by the feeling of the weight it produces in your mouth, and is linked to the level of alcohol. Lighter wines typically have 8 – 9 percent alcohol; medium wines 10 - 12 percent and heavier wines 14 - 17 percent.

Wines like Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Syrah, Nebbiolo, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Bordeaux should be paired with heartier foods, pork, and beef.

Medium wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Chardonnay, Grenache, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Shiraz, and Zinfandel could be paired with fish, poultry, pizza, beef, and lighter cheeses.

Light wines like Gamay, Barbera Dolcetto, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Grigio, and Chenin Blanc could be paired with Asian food and fruit.

The perfect balance of tannin and body contributes to making a great wine, and discovering the essence of a wine is a never ending journey…

Enjoy the ride!

TIP OF THE WEEK

Duve, wine lover and entrepreneur, prefers the Pinar del Rio Sangiovese Malbec from the Escorihuela Winery. An intense red full bodied wine, 50% Malbec and 50% Sangiovese, with notes of berries and cherries; perfect for homemade Italian pasta.

ALBARINIO, THE MYSTIC WINE FROM GALICIA

My great grandfather, Luis Rodriguez was born in Ourense, in the northwestern part of Galicia, Spain, and my mother told me he was very fond of drinking the local white wine from that region, known as Albariño.

City of Ribadabia, Ourense - Galicia

Albariño grapes originated in Galicia, the mystic land of the ancient Celts, and it is a varietal produced in Portugal as well. During the twelfth century, Cluny monks were the first to produce this wine and its name "Alba-Riño" means "the white wine from the Rhine", as it has similarities with the Riesling that originated in the Alsace Region of France.

Finis Terre -Galicia

Albariño’s big production is concentrated at the Rias Baixas, which is located in the southern part of Galicia on the Atlantic Coast. The weather conditions are perfect for this type of varietal as it is cool and rainy, with strong winds from the Atlantic Ocean allowing the vines to dry after it rains. The Albariño grape usually has thick skin which contributes to an intense aroma with scents of almond, peach, flowers, and grass. This wine should be drunk when it is still young so you can enjoy the grape’s tartness.

Experts agree that Albariño, has a similar aroma to Viognier and Gewurztraminer as they share apricot, peach notes, and high acidity. Today, you can also find good Albariño produced in the Santa Ynez Valley and in Clarksburg, California.

During summer, I enjoy the zesty and crisp taste of Albariño, and usually pair it with either grilled halibut, roasted mushrooms, shrimp, raw oysters or steamed clams.

Enjoy the Spanish flavor of Albariño, and dream about Galicia and the mystic land of Spain.

TIP OF THE WEEK

My argentine friend and wine lover Majo Bellettieri loves to drink red wines and her favorite one is the Pulenta Estate, 2008 Malbec La Flor which has profound violet hues, robust cherry, almost mint flavors and other spices. Cheers!

EMPOWER YOUR SENSES!

Today, I want to get you better acquainted with the process of tasting wine, and the easiest way to do this is by following a few guidelines.

First, you should concentrate on the “color” and “appearance” of the wine, and if you are trying a white wine, look at the color. Is it pale yellow or a lemony shade? Experts say dry white wines are almost white to slightly yellow, and the younger the white wine the clearer the color. As they age they transform into a darker shade that resembles a golden yellow color. The color of red wine is important as well, and when red wine is young it tends to look berry red or almost purple, but as it ages the color lightens into a crimson red.

Second, pay attention to the wine’s “aroma”, and this should not be confused with the “bouquet” of a wine. The aroma describes the smell like fruity, spicy, earthy, nutty, etc., and it is the aroma that gives a wine its personality. A great aroma can evoke a place, a piece of land, or it can make you think of a perfume, fruit, or plant. As you may have heard, wines can have notes of flowers, berries, or even earthy tones, and if the acidity of a wine is high you can sense the aroma to be much sharper. The more you taste wines, the more you will be able to discover the type of oak in which it was aged. Generally, French oak is usually spicy, while American oak has more of a vanilla tone. The “bouquet” is the complex scent during the aging process that wine develops over time.

Opus One winery

Third, evaluate the “intensity of flavor”, and you will discover the flavors in a wine that determine its essence. The ways in which grapes are fermented, and kept in the cellar contribute to its flavor. White wines usually taste like tree fruits such as apple, peach, pear, pineapple, melon, or citrus fruits like orange, lime, and grapefruit. Red wines usually present a red berry fruit flavor from cherries, raspberries, strawberries, currants, or they could demonstrate some black fruit flavors such as plums, raisins, or blueberries. Red wines can also have non-fruit flavors of oak, spice, vanilla, pepper, chocolate, mushrooms, or even tobacco.

Last but not least, take a moment to discover “the finish” of a wine, which is the taste that stays on your palate after you have swallowed the wine. The length of a finish might be short and crisp like the one you might have while tasting Riesling, or a more extensive length like a California Chardonnay. The longest finishes tend to be found in red wines like Bordeaux and Burgundy as they are generally more complex and bold.

Next time you taste a new wine, empower your senses!

TIP OF THE WEEK

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