Verities from wine tasting classes.

Depending on how long you’ve been swirling and spilling, there are times when you have to deal with advice offered in a wine tasting class. You can accept it as truth, reject it as myth, or wait until you have confirmation of either.

Of course, I jest in the first sentence above about spilling. But I did, in fact, reject a class moderator’s claim that if you weren’t spilling it on yourself or elsewhere, then you weren’t aggressive enough, and would never unleash those otherworldly, underlying aromas and flavors.  And I also must acknowledge that I have stained fine wooden table tops, baptized exquisite handmade tablecloths and napkins, soiled irreplaceable Persian carpets, as well as adding new, semi-floral designs to my silkenTommy Bahama shirts.  Swirl vigorously folks!

In large-group, multi-wine tasting classes of old, to quickly learn the basics of color, aroma and flavor, we were advised to bring our own, but correctly styled stemware. Not costly fine crystal, mind you, just anything reasonably priced, and tulip-shaped. An economical six-pack from Macy’s worked adequately, particularly in a horizontal tasting of several types simultaneously.  They were not unlike the generic looking INAO tasting glass, the original, “must have” tasting glass recommended by that era’s industry professionals. 

But the Riedel Wine Glass Company in Austria upped the ante, when it found (and created) a need of distinct stemware shapes for each major varietal and/or appellation. Several of the well known wine critics quickly approved of them, as did many of the world class wine producers here and abroad.  As an eager Newbie wanting to be “with it,” I purchased a few for my budding Bordeaux/Cabernet collection and added another style for my California Pinot Noirs. And even though my interest was moving rapidly to other appellations and varietals, I had an attack of common sense, and limited my purchases to those two styles.   

That mindset was fleeting, however, for as a Napa resident, I have augmented my stemware supply with various winery-specific and restaurant-specific glasses as well. And I have discovered, not unsurprisingly, that all are more than reliable for my periodic Instagram postings, as well as other attentive tasting routines.  

Fast forward to now.  With their ongoing stylistic updates, Riedel continues to introduce new designs and new price points.  (Have wines changed that much?)  Meanwhile, numerous wine critics and Master Sommeliers have jumped into the stemware arena, and are marketing their own proprietary brands, which they contend is the latest state of the art (organoleptically speaking) for wine assessment and appreciation. Choose carefully. 

Another relevant wine class topic from years ago, was from a packed CIA tasting in San Francisco which featured the exceptional wines from the Trimbach Family of France’s, storybook Alsace region. We were introduced to their current releases, and for several of them, Mr. Trimbach added, “While this is quite good now, we feel it will be even better in several years.”  Being a slow-mo learner, I did not immediately connect the dots and heed his unspoken advice to buy several bottles; some to enjoy now, and some later when they would evolve into something more complex and interesting.  (Newsletters from importer Kermit Lynch were far more explicit in that regard).

Aficionados of Trimbach’s wines know, for the most part, they are rather exuberant in their youth, typically with high levels of acidity that can challenge inexperienced palates. With time, aka aging, the acidity settles down to a flavorsome and gentle elegance. This is also the case for other world-class whites like Chablis, White Burgundy, and Greece’s Assyrtiko (Santorini).  (Sangiovese enthusiasts know acidity awareness also applies to the various appellations in Italy’s Tuscany region, with the added dimension of tannins!)

And all of this, in closing, leads to the nearly-rhetorical question, “Are older wines better than young ones?”  All wines age; some decline and deteriorate, while others evolve into entirely different, but engaging profiles of aroma, flavor and texture. The real question is, “Which wines improve with aging, and why?”   Stay tuned.