Sorry for the absence

I have been slacking!! I haven’t posted in a while. The reality is that I started this blog slightly earlier than I initially intended. I have been thinking about and planning this blog for a few months (and increasing my wine drinking and variety accordingly), with the intention of it being my new “project” on departure from our beloved pub/restaurant that we ran. However, I went on a “blogging course” a couple of months ago, and therefore got started slightly prematurely. Last week, my husband & I left our business of the last 3 years. The run up to our departure was frantic, particularly as we lived on site so also had to move (with toddler), and consequently my commitment to blogging (although not the actual wine drinking), has fallen by the wayside. I am, however, now a woman of leisure… at least until I find a job I want to do, and as such I now intend to commit to more regular posts.

So, I am starting tonight sharing a bottle of Argentinian (Mendoza) Viognier with the husband. When I say sharing, we both had a glass, and then he moved onto beer, leaving me to finish the bottle. Which makes me very happy, as I am a big fan of Viognier. It is a grape that has rarely failed to please.

As this is one of my favourite varieties of white wine, I thought that I should find out a little more about it. And I started by learning that it is not an easy grape variety to use in wine production. Viognier needs the right climate to produce the correct flavours and quantities (as it can produce a low yield compared to other grape varieties). If the climate is too cool it may not ripen enough, which would lack flavour, but if too warm, the sugar level may rise too much, causing lack of perfume. Viognier has a very “floral” flavour and aroma, with sweet and perfumed qualities. I find Viognier a confusing wine. It’s nose is sweet, and there are definite sweet flavours, but also a dry sensation. I have often found it difficult to describe, particularly when selling it to customers, however I have often recommended it, and those preferring a medium, or a dry, have always commented on what a good recommendation it was. I also learned that Viognier is often used in red wine blends to add perfume and to soften the flavours.

This particular Viognier has been a favourite for a while. Mendoza is the largest Viognier producing area of Argentina, with over 1000 acres of vines. It is typical of South American Viogniers, with the strong nose and taste, a sweet start with a dry finish. A wine I have no doubt that I will come back to.

Red or White

I’ve always preferred white wine to red. But that is starting to change as I explore reds further.

I mentioned the acquired taste for wine. I acquired both a taste and appetite for white wine. Any time, anywhere (not quite, but when having a drink at home, at a friends, or out for a drink or meal), white wine would usually be my wine of choice.

I have always been willing to try reds, and like to try to match wine to the food that we are eating, particularly if in a nice restaurant, or having friends for dinner. And when the dish is one that works best with a red, I will happily drink and enjoy it, but cannot “knock it back” as I can with a white.

Oh dear, I am starting to make myself sound like a bit of an alcoholic here! What I am trying to say is that I can enjoy white as a drink, but until recently have only really had red wine in certain situations.

However, as I sit here, I have a glass of Bordeaux (Medoc), which I am slowly sipping and enjoying.

Apart from the obvious colour difference, what are the key differences between red and white wines? The production processes are different. The main difference being that the skin of the grape is used in making red wine but not in white. In fact, white wine can be made from red grapes. But without their skins, the wine produced is still white.

One of the main features of red wine are the tannins. These are found in the skins, which is why they are in red wines and not white. Tannins are a plant compound, and it is these which cause the drying sensation, and slightly bitter taste in the mouth when drinking red wine. Tannins also act as a preservative, and which is why red wines often improve with age. The tannins in wine are often described to have “softened” with age, altering, usually for the better, the taste of the wine.

These are, in very simple terms, the main reasons why red and white wines are as different as they are. And the detail of this is something that we can explore further with time. However, for now, I am going to sit back and enjoy the bold fruity flavours of tonight’s Calvert Medoc, which caught my eye in the supermarket aisle yesterday.

The Words of Wine

Wine words. There are many words used when describing wine, words used on wine bottles. Industry words, descriptive words. But getting to grips with all of these and how they relate to the wines that we drink can take a bit of practice.

As mentioned in my first post, my wine knowledge is not great. However, I have come to realise that it is all relative. I have been pretty lucky that I grew up with plenty of wine around me. My Father is a lover of wine, and there certainly has been a lot of it over the years. But he will also admit that he is no expert. During my teenage years, and early twenties I did not really have much of an interest (or even liking) in wine, but he encouraged me that it is an acquired taste, and once acquired a whole exciting world of wine is there to be explored. And, as predicted, I did acquire a taste for wine (almost impossible not to in my family).

In my late twenties, I married a chef, and as well as having the opportunity to try some wonderful food at some wonderful restaurants, of course some wonderful wines went hand in hand with this. But my knowledge of these wines meant that I probably did not appreciate them as much as I should have.

For the last 3 years, my husband and I have been running our own pub/restaurant, and running the front of house has meant that I am responsible for selecting the wines for our list. I have relied on the recommendations of our fantastic wine suppliers, and got opinions from my husband and our wine savvy regulars before deciding on which wines to add to the list, probably due to my own lack of confidence in my own palate. However, once a wine is on the list, I make sure that I know it well.

But I have also encountered staff training, and customers with far less knowledge than me, so have decided that while writing a blog designed for those who want to learn about wines (as I do), that I also need to realise that I need to explain some of the basics, that I take for granted that everyone knows… they don’t. And words are a good place to start.

While discussing our wine list with a new member of staff a few months ago (a non-wine drinker herself), she asked me what Chardonnay meant. I had to explain how wines are grouped, named, etc. So that seems like a pretty good place to start with wine terminology. Most wines are referred to by the grape variety that is used to make them. Each grape variety has different qualities and features, and within the grape varieties there can also be huge variations. There are thousands of varieties of grapes used to make wine, but some of the main ones that are seen regularly are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Chenin Blanc, Semillon, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Viognier, Albarino, which are all white wines. While Merlot, Shiraz (also known as Syrah), Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel are common grape varieties used in Red wine.

Some wines, however are known by the region from which they are from. These are wines where a particular region is very well known for it’s quality wine production, and often associated with a particular grape variety. In such cases, the grape variety may not be specified on the bottle, as it is generally understood by those who know, that it will be a particular grape, or blend of grapes. Examples of wines known by their region are wines such as Bordeaux (often known as Claret, usually a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, although a few other grapes are permitted), Burgundy (for red wines usually Pinot Noir, and White wine usually Chardonnay, but also with other sub-regions, known by their own names), Chablis (within the Burgundy area, is also Chardonnay, but usually less oaky than other Burgundy Whites), Beaujolais (also within Burgundy is usually the Gamay grape). These are just a small selection of regional wines from France. Other areas in the world known by area are Chianti (in Italy, usually the Sangiovese grape), Barolo (in Italy’s Piedmont region uses the Nebbiolo grape), Rioja (in Spain can either be red wine, usually a blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha with some smaller proportions of other grapes, or white wine is primarily Malvasia and Garnacha Blanca).

Each wine is produced by a particular Vineyard or Producer, and will often also be given a name. And many wines are complex blends of multiple grape varieties, in which case, these grape varieties may not be specified on the bottle. So bottle names can contain information on the vineyard/producer, the given name of that wine, and the grape variety. But may not include all of this.

There is a lot further that we could go on the Words of Wine, and we will, but for now, this post is already a lot longer than I had intended, so there will be more to follow.

The Beginning of the Journey

I like wine. I love some wine. I enjoy drinking wine, having wine with food, and sharing and discussing wine with family, friends and my husband. But I know very little about wine. I have a terrible memory for which wines I have enjoyed and which I haven’t. I have been told (by my Father, who knows significantly more about wine than me) that I do not have a great palate, which is a great advantage to him, as he can serve the “cheapest plonk” when I am there for dinner and I’ll still be happy. My husband on the other hand has a great palate. On the one hand, he has a huge and very effective nose, and on the other has been a chef in some great restaurants for over 15 years, so has very refined tastebuds. So… my quest is to fine out more. To learn. To explore wine. To see if I can improve and refine my palate. To record my ‘walk through wines’ here in this blog, as a personal record for myself to refer back to, as well as to see if anyone else is interested in walking, and learning with me.