How-To: Select a Wine Glass

In every corner of the wine industry, you will find connoisseurs who insist that the glass you drink from is as important as the wine you've chosen. That the right glass will enhance the taste of the wine. Now, enter any major department or kitchen store, and you'll have dozens to choose from, and ranging in prices from just a couple of dollars on up to hundreds per glass. What's all the fuss about?
I certainly want to know. A lot of it is a marketing ploy: we've come to mystify wine glasses in the same way we're taught to believe that expensive wine is better, and that there are "correct" wine choices. There are certainly people who "get it" and choose their wine glasses accordingly. And if that's important to you, go for it. For the rest of us, understand that you can have an extremely enjoyable experience with your wine, regardless of the glass. Remember, in some parts of the world wine is drunk from small juice glasses. Wine is wine; the glass doesn't make the wine. There are, however, some basics you should know about how to choose wine glasses:

1. Red or white? Red wine is typically served in glasses with wider mouths because it allows the wine to breathe. Same with the very large glasses - you know the ones I'm talking about. It just lets more air in, which brings out any complex, rich flavors. Because white wine is made to be consumed quickly and does not hold up to the aging process very well, it is most often served in the narrower-mouthed and smaller glasses. That's the only reason, and so you can now feel free to throw out this rule when you're at home--you won't likely notice any difference based on the glass. We sure don't.

2. What about stemless wine glasses? Stemless glasses are all the rage right now, and can be extremely fun. They come in many varieties and shapes and in both red and white styles. However, we typically stick to drinking red wine from stemless glasses, only because white wine warms up too quickly in our grasp. (BTW, that's the same reason people hold white wine from the stem - to avoid warming the liquid during consumption.)

3. Do looks matter? Yes! Wine is an experience, something you linger over and savor. At home you should have glasses that you love to hold. I have a favorite amber-glassed goblet for my red wine; Nate prefers our stemless most often

4. How much should I expect to pay? That's up to you. But I encourage you to keep in mind the words of a very wise friend, shared many years ago. Glasses break. We know it. You shouldn't have to worry every time you go to use your favorite glasses. Spend only what won't seem like a lot when the inevitable happens. And focus on the fun!

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US, New York, Finger Lakes, Silver Springs Winery, Don Giovanni Merlot, 2004

+ // Earthy // Oak // Black pepper, Sweet pepper, Cherry // Medium

Photo Courtesy
http://www.silverspringswinery.com/

Did You Know? . . . Beer Flavor Wheel

The World Health Authority released figures in February 2011 indicating that beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage in the United States, counting for 53% of alcohol consumption here. Beer is accessible in a way that wine is not: consider that most non-drinkers can name major beer brands. In recent years, a new crop of micro-brews and craft beers have hit the shelves, and your options have exploded beyond the old household staples. Beer "sommeliers" are now working alongside top chefs, and local breweries have kitchens where you can sample their house brew. 

Sure, you can chug a beer, but beer can also be tasted, discussed, and enjoyed like wine. Consider this Beer Flavor Wheel, courtesy of Abita Beer. Based off the wine flavor wheel, which helps you hone in on the aromas and flavors in your wine, you use the beer wheel to describe the beer your tasting. Hoppy?  Nutty?  Sweet?  For someone like Tina, who never really liked beer, this opens the door to more possibilities, and a greater journey.

QUICK REVIEW: Beers at Max Lager's

Hopsplosion
/ // Hoppy // Hops, Grass // Hops, Grass, Flowers // Medium

Chocolate Bock
+ // Earthy // Chocolate, Oatmeal // Chocolate, Hops // Medium

Grand Cru
+ // Fruity // Strawberry // Hops, Citrus // Medium

Beer at Max Lager's in Atlanta

I am a nerd. Wine is only one of my nerdy pursuits. My other serious hobby took me and a college buddy to Atlanta this past Labor Day to attend Dragon*Con--the world’s largest fantasy and science fiction convention, according to them. Now, normally when I travel, I search out good restaurants; this trip, I would be focused on other things. My friend and I survived on junk food and snacks for the most part, and took a couple of side trips to a nearby pub for dinner and beer when we were losing steam. But on our way to the convention on Sunday, we passed a brick building with a compelling sign, announcing “Beer.” So we made a pact to return there for dinner. When we returned to Max Lager's, we found ourselves in a large restaurant and brewery. I love beer as much as wine and was thrilled to see a three-course “beer pairing menu.” Our choice for dinner was sealed.

The tempting "Beer Dinner"

The first course was Parmesan Cheese Grits, with Cajun Crawfish Dressing, paired with Max Lager’s Hopsplosion. As can be expected of the name, Hopsplosion is a lager, with a blast of hops flavors, and hints of grass and flowers. The grits we rich and creamy, with a certain heat imparted by the dressing. The crisp flavors of the hops cut through the heavy starter, cleansing the palate between each bite, but there wasn’t any real balance between the flavors. By themselves, each was a wonderful start to the meal, but together they didn’t complement each other very much.

Parmesan Cheese Grits

Our main course was a Grilled Pork Tenderloin in Adobo sauce, over a bed of Manchamantla, paired with their Chocolate Bock. The pork was tender and cooked perfectly, with just a hint of smokiness from the grill. The adobo sauce provided a hint of freshness and heat to the dish. The manchamantla smelled wonderful, as only fresh grilled corn can, but seemed a bit overdone, as the kernels were chewy, almost caramelized. It was hard to chew and had a tendency to stick to the teeth. Overall, however, it was a good pairing for the beer. The Chocolate Bock brought a richness to the meal that the other components lacked, adding a sweet flavor, but not overpowering the other flavors like a stout might have. With the green pepper spice of the adobo sauce, the beer added enough chocolate and sweet flavors to the meal to taste almost like a mole sauce in your mouth. The beer was heavy enough to stand up against the meal and impart some additional flavors, but light enough to allow a lingering heat from the sauce. 

Pork Tenderloin in Adobo Sauce

Surprisingly, the best pairing was the dessert course. A Strawberry Bread Pudding, paired with their Grand Cru. In wine terms, that’s the “best of the picking.” The beer was a Belgian style ale, sweet in flavor, with strong hints of berry and citrus. The fresh fruit and creaminess of the pudding and whipped cream played of the heartiness of the ale, and was match note for note: sweet for sweet, fruity for fruity. The pudding was less heavy than I have had elsewhere, which was good, considering the weightiness of the rest of the meal. While the servings of the beer were only half a pint, that was more than enough to accompany each course, and enough beer for a casual meal. 

Max Lager Brews its Own Beer On-Site

HOW-TO: Taste Wine Properly

We've all seen it: the somewhat pompous-looking wine drinker who insists on first swirling his wine, then sticking his entire nose (and half his face) into the glass for a huge sniff before finally sipping and smacking his lips slightly. This is usually followed by a moment of staring off into space. This ritual has become synonymous with wine tasting. Many of us can easily mimic the ritual, especially in front of friends for an quick laugh, but few of us would actually perform the steps in a serious setting. Why?

First, this process seems like just one more way to the skilled wine drinkers from the rest of us, suggesting that we're too amateur to even attempt the "swirl, sniff, taste" ritual. Second, no one ever explained the purpose of this ritual. That's why we're here.

1. SWIRL. To swirl is to allow air into the wine in a process called "oxidation." When you first uncork the bottle, it needs some time to "breathe." Oxidation releases the aromas and enhances the tastes of many wines. Because we normally don't let an open bottle sit too long, the swirling of the glass does the work for us. You can test it yourself. First, open a bottle, pour a glass and sniff, and then then swirl the glass and sniff. See a difference?
A great article on the SWIRL can be found here at bigfatwine.com:
http://bigfatwine.com/big-fat-taste-part-deux/

2. SNIFF. Swirling is more common than the SNIFF, probably because sniffing your wine embarrassing to do in public and looks pretentious (see above). Most of us wonder why people do it. On one level, I think we agree that sniff is integral to taste. When it comes to wine, inhaling the aromas deeply before tasting opens up an entire world of possibility. It gives you a preview of whether the wine has aged well (if you get over-ripe or ripe overtones, you know it's an aged wine), of the types of of fruit you can expect, whether it was aged in oak barrels, whether there is anything "off" about the wine (i.e., bouquet of petrol, yes petrol as in gasoline!), etc.

The only reason you see people covering their entire mouths with their glasses during the sniff is because it creates a seal that prevents outside smells from mingling with the aromas from the wine. That's all.

Can you enjoy wine without the sniff? Of course. The sniff is simply an enhancer, gives you a chance to think about what to expect in the taste. It becomes interesting when the scent and the taste do not completely match up. Give it a try, anybody can do it, and do it well. So what if you think you get hints of citrus and your partner does not? That's part of the fun!

3. TASTE. We're all experts on this step, in some way or another. To allow yourself full enjoyment, the first sip should be enough wine to cover your entire tongue, as the tongue is divided into four main taste bud areas, but has millions of buds. By covering the entire tongue with the wine, you can pick up sweet, acidic, bitter, and salty flavors-and more. Salty is a descriptor traditionally only used when pairing wines (if you find yourself drinking a salty wine, send it back!). Swirl it around in there, if you can sip some air through your lips, it will heighten the flavors. I sometimes create a small chewing motion because I'm afraid I'll spill otherwise. Then, swallow. It's that simple.

Go ahead and incorporate this process into your daily wine drinking. Is it 100% necessary for true wine enjoyment? No. But it does enhance the flavors, so go on, give it a try.

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Italy, Piemonte, Moscato d’Asti, Bricco del Sole NV
+ // Sweet // Honeysuckle, Apricot // Berry, Sweet grape, Apricot // Medium

• A light sparkling wine, and a rosé, as well. The Moscato grape is also known as "Muscat." 
• "NV" means "non vintage"--made from the grapes of many different years' harvests.