Grapevine: Enhancing Your Enjoyment of Wine
During the eight plus years of penning this weekly column and the twenty plus years of conducting corporate and private wine tasting events, I have been approached on numerous occasions with various questions.
In the what’s-your-opinion category, I’ve been asked, “What’s your favorite wine?” “Which wine pairs well with mango salsa grilled salmon?” These questions invariably involve suggestions from my personal tastes and preferences, which I am more than happy to address. Simply email me at the below address.
In the inquiring-minds-want-to-know category, the questions are focused on science-based matters. Here are a few of the most frequently asked, with the answers I offer each time asked.
- Does the size and shape of a glass really matter?
My response: Always. Wine is a living, breathing organism. Its life and maturity are muted once the wine is bottled and sealed with a cork or screwcap. The introduction of oxygen into a bottle or glass of wine allows it to continue its life cycle. Oxygen allows the aromas of a wine to burst forth and present the qualities muted while in a bottle. Each type of wine has specific characteristics. A wine glass especially designed to enhance the aromas of a grape varietal will enable a wine drinker to better appreciate its best qualities.
White wine aromas tend to be less powerful and more subtle than those of red wine. Hence, a carefully engineered wine glass designed for white wine has rather straight and narrow walls. This quickly focuses aromas, forcing them to the rim of the glass quickly, capturing the essence of the wine in the olfactory senses of the nose.
In contrast, a wine glass designed for red wines is taller and has a wide bowl shape that tapers towards the top. This shape provides for better aeration of the wine; a wide surface area of a poured red wine allows for greater penetration and mixing with oxygen. By allowing the wine to breathe and open up, the powerful aromas of a red wine waft to the narrow rim of the glass, concentrating the aromas to the olfactory senses.
- Is aeration important?
My response: See the response in number one. Our sense of smell is the most important component of wine appreciation. While our sense of taste has five components, there are tens of thousands of smell receptors residing in our olfactory receptors. It is the sense of smell that defines our impression of a wine.
While the best way to appreciate wine aromas is to sniff from the proper glass, the best way to release trapped aromas into a glass is to agitate the wine. There are several ways to accomplish this; my preference is to place a poured glass of wine on a firm surface and vigorously swirl it in a rapid clockwise motion. This forces oxygen into the liquid, quickly releasing its bouquet of aromas. And then there is the molecular gastronomy approach. This method recommends pouring the entire contents of a bottle into a food blender, press the high speed button for 30-60 seconds and voila, a fully aerated bottle.
- Is there an ideal portion size when pouring wine into a glass?
My response: Yes. Fill one-third of a glass. This translates to approximately a five-ounce pour (which is also the amount of a typical restaurant/wine bar pour). The science behind this is rather intuitive. As noted above, the introduction of oxygen into a poured glass of wine releases the quiescent bouquet and aromas of the wine. A glass filled less than a third contains too little wine to interact adequately with oxygen. A glass filled to the rim leaves little room for oxygen to influence aromas and can be rather precarious when attempting to vigorously swirl a glass.
Enjoying a glass of wine is a pleasurable experience. Understanding how to enhance your enjoyment can be just as pleasurable – and rewarding.
Nick Antonaccio is a 40-year Pleasantville resident. For over 20 years he has conducted numerous wine tastings and lectures. He also offers personalized wine tastings and wine travel services. Nick’s credo: continuous experimenting results in instinctive behavior. You can reach him at nantonaccio@theexaminernews.com or on Twitter @sharingwine
