Wine and Aging

I often get asked whether people become better tasters with age. With age, there is general physical deterioration of sensitivity and perception. As we get older our sensitivity to components like sweetness, bitterness and saltiness decreases. With the exception of saltiness, these others are key components in wine, so they become harder to detect. There is a gradual reduction in colour vision which makes it harder to decipher wines tint or hue. Even our sense of smell gets worse. But wait, there is some hope. As one ages, hopefully one logs up more tasting experience so what is lost through aging can be somewhat balanced by experience. I’ll drink to that!

Winery-Hopping

There’s nothing quite like a day trip to wine country and tasting their product. The Wine Doctor’s golden rules for making the most out of this outing are as follows. Plan ahead. Choose 3 or 4 wineries that are relatively close together, a few smaller ones and a few larger ones. Make sure one of them has a restaurant on site so you can dine there without having to look around for somewhere to eat. Bring some bottled water with you. Avoid wearing strong smells. Wear dark clothes in case you spill something on yourself. Experiment with different wine styles and varieties. Ask questions. Take lots of breaks and nibble often. Most importantly, don’t swallow and know when to call it quits. Enjoy yourself.

Drinking Better for Less Money

Knowing what to look for is the key. The more focus on a wine label, the better the quality. Look for wines from a specific region like Napa Valley or Bordeaux. Also look for the words Chateau or Domaine on the label. This means all the grapes come from one property. Wines with specific grape varieties on the label, like cabernet sauvignon or chardonnay, guarantee a certain taste profile so you know exactly what you’re getting. Vintage-dated wines, especially those from better years, can add to the quality and even certain countries like Chile, Argentina, Portugal and Hungary are good bets for quality/value offerings. Cheers!

Cooking with Wine

I love cooking with wine. Sometimes I even add it to food. Seriously, if you want a wine to match a dish perfectly, add some of the same wine to the dish that you are going to serve with it later on. However, make sure you add it during the preparation and not 5 minutes before the dish is done. You want the flavours to mesh and the alcohol to burn off, thus reducing the calories. Add a little bit, let it blend in and taste it. You can always add more if not enough, but there’s no turning back if you add too much. If you watch chefs in a kitchen they keep adding small amounts of seasoning until the hit is just right. Give it a try and I’ll be over at 8 for dinner.