Barrel Tasting... Zinfandel Futures going..... going.....

In March as the saying goes, winter is holding back, and spring is pulling forward..... hahahahahahaha whaaaaaaaaat!!!!  This year seems to be bucking trends everywhere.  They are expecting record breaking cherry blossom bloom in Washington, meanwhile they have been snowboarding in the Napa Valley!  Extreme freezing weather in the upper Northeast, while the south from Texas to Georgia is experiencing record breaking heat for this time of year.  It is going to be an interesting year.  

For California wineries, the snowfall is a novelty, not a cause for alarm, and maybe even a chance for some fun winter sports. At this time of year, snow poses no risk to the valley’s most valuable natural asset: the grapevines.

Vines are dormant right now, in their annual hibernation between the previous fall’s harvest and the budding of the coming spring. If snow or freezing temperatures were to come once buds, flowers or berries have formed on the vines, the fruit would be at risk of frost damage. But for now, during the plants’ dormancy, the snow is just another form of water — which is very welcome after years of drought.  Precipitation in any form is great, to fill up our aquifers.  While increased rainfall and snowpack throughout California is a step in the right direction, we are still years away from recovering from persistent drought conditions but it is still desperately needed relief.

However, very soon things will be sarting to warm up and another vintage will get underway.  March heralds the launch of our season as the first weekend is always focused on the Russian River Wineroad Barrel Tasting Event.  A time to preview some young wines and look to the futures by securing some limited supply wines by preview before bottling.  Our release of 2021 Lodi Zinfandel has been greeted with rave reviews, and of the 66 available cases 47 have been sold as of this writing.  With Barrel tasting this weekend it just might sell out?  Our tableside barrel tasting is a creatively unique opportunity where instead of going to the cellar, the barrel comes to you.  We rotate some collectible and limited offerings year round and each sells out faster than the last.  Add into the mix that we offer custom label options on our futures, and it is achieving cult status among the select few.

So...... if you have not yet secured your supply, get in on the act sooner rather than later.  Sure it takes some committment up front, but the reward is such an incredible pay off the only thing you will be asking yourself is "why did I not order more".  Available by the case only, it can be ordered with confidence on the website, or come by the winery and sample for yourself.  It is one great deal!. 

Feb 28, 2023 at 2:22 PM Permalink

Ektimo Podcast on Wineroad

Sometimes blogs are best kept brief, especially when there is something more substantial buried within.  That being said, check out the "Wineroad Podcast" with Julius as the guest to speak about Ektimo and more.

Feb 3, 2023 at 12:37 PM Permalink

Wine competitions in perspective

Wine Competitions..... we love them, we love getting the medals, we love the pat on the back, but it is important to put competitions, awards and medals in perspective and not all competitions are equal.

So what is a wine competition?  Many of these now exist, from state fairs, to magazine and press sponsored competitions where usually people considered to be "experts" in their field are tasked with tasting through a range of wines and determining which ones meet the criteria for excellence in the particular competition.  Sommeliers, winemakers, wholesalers, retailers and restaurateurs are invited to judge at competition, and each of these has their own perspective on what constitutes excellence for a specific wine.

In reality, these skilled people may be tasked with tasting through an array of 100 wines in a 3 hour period, and at the end of it all express their opinion on these products and choose their favorites?  

Make no mistake, each of these competitions has value.  It serves as an attempt by a group of people to rank wines in a manner that might assist the buyer in determining which wine their palate might align with.  A Gold medal wine must taste better than a Silver medal wine right?  Not so fast.  Does a Gold medal winning wine from the Idaho potato festival get bragging rights over a Silver medal winner from San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition?  Maybe, maybe not.  Is a wine rating 100 points from Robert Parker guaranteed to satisfy more than a wine rating 17 Cheers by Julius?  Perspective makes all the difference.

Now I would not for a moment deny the marketing clout that a Parker rating will bring to a wine, or the leverage gained from a 100 Point score in the Wine Spectator.  But at the end of the day, each and every one of these awards is an expression of opinion.  The consumer is then tasked with deciding how much weight to place on any of these opinions.  It is therefore fundamentally important to determine a formula to apply competition information to your own personal preferences.

If, for instance, you have absolutely loved every single Gold Medal wine award that has been awarded by Wilfred Wong, then chances are the next time he rates a wine highly you will enjoy that one too.  However if Hubert Schwartz reccommends the 1982 Chateau Lafleur, and you are looking for that rich & buttery Rombauer Chardonnay you will likely be disappointed by his reccommendation.

The scale of a competition can also tell you a lot about its awards.  As an example let us take one of the larger competitions, the 2023 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition which just posted it latest array of awards.  These figures you will see are pretty close approximations and do not represent all the details, glean what you will.

You just saw a promotion stating that "The Dude (fictitious example)" wine just won Double Gold Medal at the competition... WOW!

Now this competition had 60 judges, analyzing 5500 wines from 1000 wineries in 190 categories, IMAGINE !!!!  Of these wines there were 800 Bronze Medals, 2396 Silver Medals, 1155 Gold Medals, 518 Double Gold Medals, 199 Best of Class Medals and Seven Sweepstakes awards.  If you were to taste 3 of the gold medal winning wines every day it would take you over a year to try them all !!!  All of a sudden the shade of perspective changes everything.

So what should we take from this.  Competitions are important, awards are noteworthy, medals have value, but ultimately there is no substitute for each of us stepping into the fray and becoming judges ourselves.  That is exactly what you do every time you visit a tasting room or attend a public tasting event.  You become the most important Judge of wine there is.... the one that decides what YOU like.

Jan 26, 2023 at 2:34 PM Permalink

Futures arrive fast..... sometimes

If you are unfamiliar with winery futures programs, here is a brief description of how they work, and how the futures at Ektimo are quite unique.

It the most basic sense, wine futures are a "layaway" program.  The practice to sell wine before it’s bottled, commonly known as en primeur or wine futures is a rapidly growing segment in California wine country, and has a well established history in Bordeaux.  One of the primary motivating factors in such programs is Barrel Tasting, where you get to preview the quality and characteristics of a wine via sampling from the barrel, evaluate the personality of the wine and project what you anticipate the finished product to be like once it has completed its its metamorphosis, and been bottled and aged to perfection.  Unless there is a proven history of consistent outstanding quality, each of these opportunities is a leap of faith, a vote of confidence, and ultimately an opportunity to secure some extremely limited releases before they go mainstream.

Depending on the winery program and the individual wines involved, some of these opportunities require patience and lots of imagination.  For instance when sampling the wines of Bordeaux, or perhaps some of the more robust California Cabernet Sauvignon, the rustic barrel samples may be tight, astringent, tannic and very austere.  It takes a trained palate to recognize the special qualities hidden within such gems, they are often 12 to 24 months away from being bottled, and sometimes years away from their prime.  This being the case, it is a tall order to be asked to invest a substantial sum in advance, being asked to wait 18 months before the wine is bottled and shipped, and then holding that wine for another 2-3 years to reveal the finer qualities of a potentially magnificent wine.  Even the most learned aficionado would be hesitant with such an endeavour unless there is some significant pedigree like Château Lafite-Rothschild, Château Cheval-Blanc, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Opus One, Williams Selyem or Kosta Browne.

At Ektimo Winery, our approach to futures is a little different.  Understanding the desire for instant gratification that is prevalent in the current consumer market, we embrace an approach that delivers rapid fire satisfaction.  I have the enviable task of screening our collection of barreled wines, evaluating the qualities of a select few, selecting first class products to present at barrel tasting, and with a targeted turnaround of less than six months.  What you sample from the Barrel at our unique industry leading tableside barrel tasting is already an approachable gem, resplendent with brilliant appeal, yet with the promise of further greatness on the horizon.

As an added bonus, many of our futures offerings come with the option to customize a label with a name or special message.  Such is the case with our latest offering.

Currently on offer at futures at the winery, we have a special and unique rendition of 2021 Lodi Zinfandel.  Check your preconceived notions of Lodi Zinfandel at the door with this one.  What would typically be regarded as a full bodied, robust, intense, jammy, peppery, spicy Zinfandel is so not all that.  Younger vines, sustainably farmed in the Clements Hills area benefitting from cooler eveningsgives us a delectable, bright perky little number that is a wine for all seasons.

Brilliant "Perfection redcurrant" and "Marasca Cherry" with the faintest wisp of juniper berry and "Pink Pearl Apple", it is juicy and vibrantly fruit forward with a delicate sprinkling of "Vietnamese Black Pepper" and a finish of "Keemun Tea".  Ripe, rambunctious and ready to go, this is a wine to be enjoyed early and often.  A very limited quantity of 70 cases will be bottled, and with a little planning your customized label proudly read "Ektimo 2021 Lodi Zinfandel, bottled for (your name)" or "The Crazy Daisy Collection", or whatever irreverent comments you choose (no insults or profanities).

First offering at the beginning of November, with a bottling scheduled in early December, the future is arriving fast for this one, so no long wait time, no forgotten purchase from the distant past, this wine is the future offering the instant gratification we all crave.  It can be ordered online on this site by just "Clicking Here".  Orders are by the case (or multiple cases) only, and for the vote of confidence it is offered at 50% off retail price. 

So, when it comes to futures, at least at Ektimo, the future is now.  

Nov 26, 2022 at 10:12 AM Permalink

Ektimo Wine For Every Holiday Celebration

Wine..... it can make any and every celebration something special.  It can mamake a meal an experience, it can make a sunset sublime, it truly can be paired with virtually any experience.

I am sure you are all seeing people express their excitement about the holiday season, halloween decorations in September, we've been seeing Christmas movies since July, it seems like everyone is trying to get a head start on the next holiday, maybe it is time to take a deep breath and embrace each special celebration one at a time.  Lets face it, there is no shortage of excuses for a party. 

But seriously, wine party season is here and we hope Ektimo wines will be a part of your celebrations, and lunches, and dinners, and halloween, and veterans day, and thanksgiving, and the day after thanksgiving, national mutt day, and national bouillabaise day, and national ugly sweater day, and winter solstice, and hannukah, and christmas eve, and christmas day, and kwanzaa, and boxing day, and new years eve, and new years day, and whatever occasion calls for a glass of fine wine. 

WOW, that is a lot of celebrating, better stock up on some wine.

So, here is a good place to start a celebration just because...... November 1st is "National Calzone Day" so here is your recipe for a celebration.  Be sure to prepare all your ingredients ahead of time (see the recipe below) so once your guests are ready you simply need to construct and bake the calzones.

Start (and finish) with a bottle of 2017 Ektimo Russian River Zinfandel.  This is a bright and lively version of Zinfandel resplendent with ripe red fruit flavors of cherry, raspberry, redcurrant, cranberry and red apple.  Tannins are smooth, and only the slightest hint of spice to tantalize your taste buds.

Go ahead, pour a glass for your friends once your Calzone prep is done.  Baking time for the Calzones is about 20 minutes so be sure to have a second bottle ready to share once the food is cooked.  Get the Calzones in the oven, set the timer and enjoy visiting with your friends as the aromas of the baking fill the room.  

Shiitake Mushroom, Pancetta and Arugula Calzone Recipe (serves 4)

1. 12 oz Pancetta - cooked until crispy and chopped

2. 12 oz Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms
3. 1 large shallot - minced
4. salt and pepper
5. 5 oz Arugula chopped
6. Fresh Pizza Dough - (store prepared works great, you will want 32oz of raw freshly made pizza dough)
7. 8 tbsp Bertolli’s Riserva Marinara Sauce Plus more for dipping
8. 4 Cups shredded fresh mozzarella cheese
9. 8 slices provolone cheese
10. Light Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
11. 2 eggs - for egg wash - beaten
12. 1 pinch kosher salt
13. 2 tbs grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375

Cook the pancetta on the stovetop over medium heat in a skillet until crispy.  Once cooled, coarsely chop and set aside retaining the rendered fat in the pan.

Add the mushrooms and shallot to the pan. Cook until the mushrooms soften and the shallot is translucent and fragrant. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and place in a fine strainer to drain off excess liquid.

Place a small amount of flour on a cutting board and divide the dough into four equal portions.  Roll each crust slightly to stretch the dough to a full 8" piece. (It will want to return to about 7" and that is ok).  

This is the prep to be done in advance so that when your guests are ready and you are starting on the wine all that remains to be done is construction and baking

Lay out each of the pieces of pizza dough and apply 2tbsp of Bertolli Marinara to each one followed by ¼ of the mozzarella, pulled pieces of 2 slices of provolone, ¼ of the pancetta pieces, ¼ of the mushroom and shallot mix and top with fresh arugula and drizzle with olive oil.

Using a pastry brush or finger tips, wet the edges of the calzone with water so that the dough will stick together well when folded. Gently fold the top half over the bottom half and using a fork, press the edges together well. Once pressed, roll the edges and pinch well.

Brush the top of the calzone with the beaten egg, sprinkle with kosher salt and a pinch of grated parmesan. Using a sharp knife, cut three vent holes in the top of each calzone.  Sprinkle with chopped arugula.

Gently place the calzones onto the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven, center rack on 375. Bake for 20 minutes and check. The calzone is done when the pastry is nicely browned and slightly crisp. Remove from oven, cool for 5 minutes and then serve immediately.

Once this little get together is over, what do you want to celebrate next?  Need some inspiration?  Check out the calendar that will give you an excuse to party every day of the year.... https://www.holidayscalendar.com/months/   

Oct 30, 2022 at 10:51 AM Permalink

And just like that..... harvest 2022 is over

It is easy to forget, but at its most rudimentary level our business is all about farming.  When we wax poetic about the intricate and infinite qualities of wine we must always circle back to the most basic elements.  There is a basic and simple rule when it comes to winemaking, it takes great grapes to make great wine.  It is quite easy to make poor wine out of great grapes, it is a different challenge entirely to make great wine out of poor quality grapes.

The farming aspect is often what makes the winemaking process so fascinating.  We go to great lenghts to find the right location, plant the right grapes, tend them with care every step of the way and when the stars align, magic happens.  Sounds simple right?  Then there is this force called nature that keeps things interesting.

2022 in Sonoma County, despite the ongoing drought conditions, started out well.  A mild winter and temperate spring launched the season smoothly.  The dormant vines emerged from their hibernation right on cue, budding and budbreak came and went without a hitch.  Decent fruit set on the vines promised even if somewhat below average yields which are a good precursor for quality.  Spring changed to summer, and while much of the country baked under the mid day sun, wine country enjoyed a near perfect summer. 

Preparations for harvest were smooth and leisurely, and everything was setting up perfectly.  Then nature paid a visit.  Just as even ripening was spreading across the region we were hit with a heatwave that lasted a week.  All of a sudden, the gently ripening fruit spiked and rushed towards the finish line.  Everything was ready to be picked all at once.  This is where the professionals come into their own and earn their keep.  He who panics is lost.

What has been a celebration of nature suddenly becomes a mathematical equation.  Not only do you have to get accurate readings on the fruit in the vineyards, but you have to prepare the winery like a high speed "tetris" game where the rapid influx of fruit has to be picked, processed and then placed in the right environment for winemaking to happen.  Real estate is at a premium as each wine has to find a container for primary fermentation.  The white wines need to fast track and find a comfortable place as they must yield space to the reds that need longer to do their thing before moving on to barrels to complete and age.

Each lot must be evaluated and processed in a manner that will yield optimal results, as mentioned before it is all too easy to make bad wine out of good grapes.  Each wine needs to be carefully escorted through its genesis to allow great wine to emerge.  This is the time of year where winemaking crews are worth their weight in gold, many of them working 16 hour days with no day off for 7 weeks in a row.  The best are the apex athletes of the business, and their reputations are the stuff of legends.

All this begs the question, and it is a question that we are asked repeatedly every year "so how is this years wine looking?".  The honest answer is that only time will tell.  You see, great wine is not just about great grapes, it is also about great artists.  In a perfect year where everything follows textbook perfection, everyone should be able to make great wine, it will never get any easier, and if you fail at making great wine from the perfect season perhaps it is time to evaluate your skillset and follow a new path.  The great winemaker, the great "Artists" are those supreme talents that take al the obstacles thrown before them in their stride, all the challenges that nature can present, take all the hits throughout the game and at the end of it all still make great wine.

The bottom line is, there are no bad years for wine (well unless you include prohibition).  There are easy years and there are hard years, the great winemakers make great wines EVERY year.  If the great winemakers cannot make a great wine, they do not make a wine period.

So be patient, rather than ask about how a wine might be, wait until you have an opportunity to judge what it has become.  Then, and only then can you get a realistic answer.  In a race, there are no winners until someone crosses the finish line. 

Oct 22, 2022 at 12:15 PM Permalink

Sonoma County Harvest Fair 2022 Results just in

Ektimo Strikes Gold !!

Just in from the Sonoma County Harvest Fair, they like us..... they really really like us  !!!!  The Harvest Fair is like the Sonoma County oscars for wine, and we are proud that our small family operation was so well received.  Our thanks to the judges, and everyone else that loves our wines.  Cheers  !

Gold                       Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Estate 2020 $34.00

Gold                       Pinot Noir Dijon Clone 115 Russian River Valley Estate 2020 $38.00

Double Gold         Pinot Noir Mt. Eden Clone Russian River Valley Estate 2020 $50.00

Gold                       Pinot Noir Wadenswil Clone Russian River Valley Estate 2020 $38.00

Double Gold         Rosé of Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Estate 2021 $28.00

Oct 2, 2022 at 4:31 PM Permalink

The Wine Club

Wine Clubs... most commercial wineries now have one, and they offer a great way to get direct access to your favorite wines.  Each is somewhat unique in structure and how they operate, but all are one of the most important connections between the winery and the consumer.  It opens a portal with access to exclusive limited production wines and special offers.

In its most rudimentary form, a wine club is a subscription service.  By signing up to a wine club, you are striking an agreement to receive wines on a regular basis from your preferred producer, and in return you will enjoy certain priviliges for your loyal support.  One such benefit, is at least 20% off on your wine purchases, and special discount opportunities that are tailored specifically to club members.  You will also receive access to the most limited production wines on a first come first served basis, with special selections sometimes being as little at 25 cases (one barrel) of something truly unique.

At Ektimo winery, there are multiple levels of club membership to choose from, with the same benefits extended to all members.  Entry level is at 2 bottles every three months, processing in February, May, August and November.  There is a choice of either Reds and Whites, or Red wines only.  There is also the choice of picking up the wine in person from the winery and avoiding any shipping charges, or having the wines shipped where the wine packages will be fulfilled by a third party (shipping charged at cost) and delivered to your doorstep where a signature will be required to receive the wines.  If 2 bottles every three months will not satisfy your thirst, you can choose 4 bottles, 6 bottles, 12 bottles or more depending on your preference, you are only limited by your preference.

An alternate level created specifically with particular states in mind, where the extreme heat of summer or the harsh cold of winter may cause delivery problems, we offer a bi-annual club at 6 bottles, 9 bottles or 12 bottles twice a year shipped in the generally most temperate months of April and October.  

One not so common option that we offer at Ektimo, is that as a member you can customize your club packages, and configure them to your specific preference at any time.  So if you find that one particular wine strikes your fancy, as long as you request it, that can be your club allocation.

Prior to processing the wine club, a courtesy email is sent to all members outlining the specific selections at that time.  Wine club allocations are chosen on a variety of factors.  It may be focused on the newest, previously unreleased wines.  It may be recent award winning wines, or sometimes a vintage wine that is in its prime and a limited quantity remains.  The email details the planned packages, and includes an invitation to customize should one choose to do so.

We then assume that if our members send no response, they are happy to be receiving the wines detailed in the message, and those are processed to the corresponding memberships.  Anyone sending a reply with requests for specific wines, those are substituted and become the current club package.

Ultimately, as long as club members are interactive they can tailor the club wines to be precisely what they want.  There are also various other benefits.  Aside from the standard club discounts, we occasionally share some special offers where club members get additional discounts, up to 50% off!!  You get complimentary tastings at the winery for you and your guests when you visit, you get first access to our extremely limited production wines, as well as our most profound gratitude.

Additionally, on select days during the year, we are members of the "Taste 116" association and we present wine club appreciation events where, if you are a member at Ektimo you are also extended club membership privileges at the other association wineries.  A nice little perk  

Oct 1, 2022 at 1:56 PM Permalink

The Role of the Wine Glass

There have been many articles on the subject of wine glassware and its significance to the tasting experience.  As a "professional consumer", and conscientious wine taster I do of course have my opinion.  There are a great many glassware manufacturers all keen and able to pontificate on the merits and superiority of their glassware above all others.  Some design specific shapes and styles for specific varietals, and some will even go so far as to say that they will present you a glass that will make your coca cola taste better!  But does the shape and style of the glass really make a difference?  Of course it does..... appearance is important.  But does it change the "taste" of the wine?  Hardly.

Stylized glassware is not without its merits, designer glassware is pretty, and there is no doubt that the elegant lines and spacious globes are attractive structures unto themselves, and as such present a magnificent frame for a multitude of elixirs.  They feel refined, sparkle in the light, and are downright striking seductive vessels for enhancing the experience.

Additionally, the glassware is engineered in a multitude of shapes and designs that undeniably enhance the diffusion of the wine which makes inhaling the aromatics easier and more concentrated.  Some will even argue that some of the glass designs may occasionally direct the initial impact of the contents of the glass preferentially to specific areas of taste buds.  There are even classes where you will be instructed to taste the same wine from different glasses and experience the "vast tangible difference".  

The fact of the matter is that when a normal person takes a sip of wine, it cascades all over the tongue and palate yielding a multi faceted experience that is a collaboration of all tangible tasting experiences to yield "a flavor".  This is where the curated sale of designer glassware starts to weave its web.

One of the most powerful aspects of the tasting experience is the power of suggestion, and if the tasting experience is liberally sprinkled with subliminal directions of what wonders will be discovered it is almost like being handed a treasure map.  If someone during a sensory experience suggests that you look for a particular sensation, they are urging you down a narrow path where you will be rewarded by being right.  For example, if someone asks you to imagine a strawberry, and if you have ever had a strawberry, your memory pathways draw on the memory of experiencing a strawberry, and at that moment you will have a phantom memory experience of that strawberry.  Tie this to what you have been invited to experience, and it is not too much of a stretch to say that strawberry will become a part of your present sensory experience.  

Starting to get the picture?  If you want to believe that the information you are being supplied with is accurate, it will have a far greater impact on your conclusion than the shape of the vessel.  Here is where the glassware design argument starts to crumble.

Provided that your "vessel" is made of a non reactive substance (glass, ceramic cup, titanium etc.) it will not change the true flavor or bouquet of the wine period.  The shape and size of the glass may affect how the released aromas may become focused or concentrated for easier detection, but the bouquet remains the same.  For instance, take the glass off a (clean) hurricane lamp, place it over a teacup of wine and it will help you concentrate the emanating aroma, but the actual aroma remains the same. If you pour the same wine to the brim in a shot glass, the bouquet does not disappear, it remains the same, it just becomes a little harder to detect.

Sep 17, 2022 at 3:35 PM Permalink

"Tasting" Wine

“Tasting” Wine

What is it about wines that allows them to be so fascinatingly complex?  When it comes to consumable products there are few that receive the attention and analysis that wine does.  From the beginner to the master sommelier, much of the fascination of wine tasting lies in the discovery of unique flavor profiles that are often specific to the person on the receiving end of that glass of fine wine.  Before we meander down the path of complexity, it is important to note how complexity is experienced.

First, we should establish that not all Tasters are created equal.  The average adult has between 2000 and 10,000 taste buds on their tongue.  Most people are able to “train” in order to utilize those taste buds to maximum effect.  Simply by exposing oneself to the broadest array of foods, one can amass a portfolio of flavors to reference when it comes to identifying flavor.  The more flavors you can experience and recall, the greater the descriptive vocabulary you will have to identify and articulate an experience.  It is hard to describe the flavor of rhubarb if you have never tasted rhubarb.

There are a small percentage of the population that are on the low end on the number of taste-buds spectrum.  They are challenged more greatly because not only do they have fewer receptors to capture the sensory experience, but they by the same nature have fewer receptors to detect unpleasant elements.  In general, this category finds most things taste fine, and need to be coaxed into searching for complexity, but with training tasting skills can be honed and refined.

The average person is the ideal consumer.  These are the tasters that can study, and practice, practice, practice in order to fully appreciate all the glorious flavors and sensations that wine has to offer.  Here lie the true aficionados, constantly searching for the next great wine that will create lasting memories for them, and willing to pursue that quest until the end of time.  They are able to identify flaws, yet understand the difference between something being bad and something they do not like.

Then there are the “cursed”, the hyper tasters.  These are the poor souls that have more taste buds than the rest of us, and those taste buds are very sensitive.  Left untrained, these are the most critical of tasters and the bane of winemakers.  To them they can either love something or hate something uncompromisingly.  They may discover the most exquisite flavor of Wiśnia Nadwiślanka (Eastern European cherry) and find it divine, but then the slightest hint of Havana cigar tobacco triggers a negative response they are unable to escape and so they dislike the wine.  As there is simply no such thing as the “perfect wine” they wind up identifying the faults more than they enjoy the glories.

In the simplest of terms there are three primary tasting zones that come into play when tasting wine, sweet which is on the front or tip of the tongue, sour which runs both sides of the tongue, and bitter which is at the base or back of the tongue.  Flavors are experienced all across the tongue, but they tend to be perceived or more focused in these general areas.

The aroma of the wine can often impact the perception of these flavors, as the neural pathways that transmit information to identify smell and taste are deployed simultaneously.  If something smells like rose petals, pineapple and vanilla, our receptors are primed to perceive a degree of sweetness, whereas if something smells like grapefruit, lemongrass and rhubarb they will expect tart.  Once these messages have been sent to the brain, it then computes which flavors it can identify and looks for flavor memories to pair them with. 

The brain being a complex organ, it also has its weaknesses.  The power of suggestion can play tricks on the unwary.  Think about the process, if someone mentions that a wine has hints of a relatively common flavor such as lemon, the only way to process that information is for the brain to search for “lemon” and then try to translate that memory into real time for you to identify.  If you think hard enough about what lemon smells and tastes like, can you smell or taste it?  Just look at the picture and imagine you are biting into the lemon, did your mouth water?  The power of suggestion has planted that seed, and you are predisposed to agree with the information given.  It is not universal, but it is remarkable how often this works.    

Now here is where things get interesting.  We (excluding some exceptions) are not computers focused on algorithms, or machines with a singular purpose.  We are complex organisms that can formulate experiences based on purpose.  Rather than simply finding one flavor and focusing on it, we are able to take these multiple flavor compounds and create a kaleidoscope of flavors so not only do we taste the individual components, but the symphony they create together.  Then we take that flavor creation and convert it into an emotional experience from which we can derive pleasure, and isn’t that what we really want?  Ask yourself this question, is it more important to enjoy the wine or to be able to identify the flavor?

So, what should you take away from this?  In my humble opinion the start and finish of a tasting should be all about the pleasure of the experience, and the ability to dissect and articulate the details of that experience should always be secondary.  If you want to develop your senses to better appreciate wine, then like any athletic endeavor practice, practice, practice.  Amass an encyclopedia of flavor identities and train yourself to be able to recognize them again and again.  Try not to be a wine critic, they are the people that are looking for flaws in wine.  Be a wine lover, able to identify the flaws in a wine while looking for the finer qualities and enjoying them.

In the end, appreciating wine is like appreciating art, it is in the eye (or the palate) of the beholder.  Appreciating wine is knowing what the ideal version of that wine would be and understanding where your current wine falls in that spectrum, but enjoying wine is a far more intricate and complex endeavor that requires an involvement in the situation that goes far beyond the juice in the glass.   

Sep 3, 2022 at 4:17 PM Permalink