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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Got A Wine Question?


In addition to writing about wine, I teach wine appreciation classes and one of my favorite things about teaching is answering students’ questions. During my wine classes, we take a non-intimidating attitude to learning about wine, and focus more on wine discovery. My hope is that these commonly asked questions encourage you to pull many corks in the quest for higher knowledge.

Q: Does the temperature at which wine is served matter?
In a word, Yes. The temperature at which you serve your wine will affect its aroma, taste and presentation. The volatility of wine's flavor compounds are important, so getting it right will improve the drinking experience. Wine should be chilled to 50-55 degrees for white and rose wines, and just below room temperature for red wines, about 65 degrees.

Q: What’s the best way to store opened wine?
I don’t face this problem often but know that if you’re going to drink the rest of the wine within a day or two, simply recork it and store at the temperature at which it’s normally served - see answer above for more on this. Exposure to oxygen makes the aroma and flavor of wine deteriorate, so if you want to keep it longer, pour the leftovers into a smaller bottle – the less air space, the longer the wine will continue to taste good – and store in the fridge.

Q: What does the term terroir mean?
Terroir is the French term for soil, often used as a comprehensive term to describe the characteristics of a vineyard’s soil and microclimate and the resulting flavor profile of the wine made from its grapes. All of these factors contribute to giving the wine its specific personality.

Q: What does Malolactic Fermentation do to a wine?
Secondary fermentation is otherwise known as Malolactic Fermentation – MLF for short. MLF converts tart-tasting malo acid, naturally present in grape must, to softer-tasting lactic acid. MLF tends to create a rounder mouth feel and a creamy texture in wine.

Q: What does the pucker you might feel in your mouth when tasting a red wine come from?
Tannins, chemical compounds in grape skins let loose into the wine by extended skin contact. Additionally, during the aging process oak barrels infuse tannin into the juice. Tannins are a natural preservative and also give wine structure, texture and provide an important flavor dimension in wine. Tannins are good!

Q: Do all wines get better with age?
The short answer is NO. Some wines are meant to be consumer while they are young, and bad wines never get better.

No matter where you stand on the learning curve, even the most expert oenophiles agree: For those who are willing to learn, wine is a teacher for life.