WINE TASTING EVENING

 

Forget book clubs! The latest excuse for a fun get-together, disguised as an intellectual activity, is wine tasting.

As New Zealanders expand their knowledge and appreciation of different wines, tasting events and wine clubs are cropping up all over the country.

 

Alpha Domus wine expert, Paul Ham, says they’re a great way to try different wines and learn more about what you’re drinking.

 

“Wine drinking is growing in popularity,” says Paul. “And speaking confidently about the characteristics of a wine, or knowing what to choose from a restaurant list, is no longer restricted to wine buffs.”

 

Good wine shops often hold their own tastings, and may be able to put you in touch with established wine clubs. However, a fun way to start is to hold your own wine tasting evening.

 

“Hosting your own evening is easy - just find a few friends who are interested in joining you for a few glasses of wine. In fact, that’s how lots of wine clubs start.”

 

Paul suggests inviting up to a dozen guests. As the host, you’ll need to provide the wine, but if it all goes well, you may find someone else volunteers to host the next event, especially if you make it look easy.

 

You’ll also need to decide how your tasting will work. Paul recommends selecting about eight different wines – either all New Zealand wines, or internationals as well.

 

Tastings can be run along many lines - a ‘vertical’ tasting which involves different vintages of one varietal (e.g. sauvignon blanc) from one vineyard, a ‘horizontal’ tasting, where the wines are all from the same varietal and vintage, but come from different regions, or same varietal different vintages and the list goes on.

 

“It’s up to you whether you choose a selection of whites or reds or both, but it makes it interesting if you stick to one varietal - for example, all sauvignon blanc or all merlot,” Paul says.

 

Sauvignon blancs from Alpha Domus, for example, have ripe, tropical fruit flavours characteristic of the Hawke’s Bay, whereas a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc will have green pea and capsicum flavours.

 

Paul suggests holding a blind tasting, where bottles are placed in a numbered paper bag. As the host, you will serve the wines and ask multi-choice questions.

 

“For example when asking what varietal it is you could ask is it a sauvignon blanc, chardonnay or reisling,” Paul says. ”Other questions could relate to vintage, country of origin and which region the wine is from.”

 

Try using tasting sheets, available at most good wine shops, to keep track of what you’re sampling.

 

“It’s interesting to look back on these notes as your knowledge grows and your tastes change,” Paul says.

 

All wines should be served at between 16 and 18°C (with the exception of sparkling) as this ensures the aromas and flavours are most detectable.

 

Measure out about 20mls into each glass. Paul recommends using ISO tasting glasses (available at good wine stores) which are shaped to be able to clearly see colour and hold the aromas in.

 

When tasting wines, there are three main areas to assess – colour, aroma and palate. Paul says the best way to gauge colour is to hold your glass up to a white background.

 

“You can tell a lot about a wine’s vintage by its colour. Whites become more golden as they age and reds lose their brightness and take on more bricky tones.”

 

Once you’ve assessed colour, use your nose. “Swirl the wine around the glass, put your nose in and inhale gently, but deeply. Look for oak, berry, floral, vanilla or citrus scents.”

 

When it comes to the actual tasting, take a sip, swirl it around your mouth and think about describing the taste.

 

“It’s important to ascertain whether you actually like the wine you’re tasting, but think also about what it is you’re tasting.

 

“If it’s a red you may taste berries and vanilla, or leather and licorice. If it’s a white perhaps you can detect stone fruits or honey, citrus or gooseberries.”

 

Paul recommends rinsing your glass between wines with a drop or two of the next wine you’re tasting. Don’t use water because this will dilute the wine.

 

“You might like to offer something to cleanse the palate as well,” he says. “Plain water crackers or white bread work well because they don’t detract from the flavours.”

 

Once you’ve found wines you like you need to think about what foods accompany them well. More about that another time.