Wine for Christmas Dinner

Christmas dinner is an annual feast where people usually pull out all the stops. This is the perfect time to uncork a special wine to accompany the meal. If there’s an older bottle, one you purchased while abroad in wine country, one someone gave you or one that has special meaning and you’ve been hanging onto waiting for the right time to open, this is it. Christmas is a time to share with friends and loved ones and a time to make memories. What could be more memorable than a fabulous meal with folks close to you and washing it down with a special vino? So this holiday, don’t hold back. You can sip your usual anytime. Choose a wine that lives up to your meal and make Christmas dinner spectacular.

Champagne Terms

Lots of Champagne will flow this holiday season and there’s some interesting terminology used on labels. Vintage Champagne (year on the bottle) is a blend of many wines from the same year. Non-vintage Champagne (no year on the bottle) is a blend of wines from different years. “Blanc de blanc” implies the use of white grapes only (Chardonnay). “Blanc de noirs” says strictly red grapes were used, either Pinot Noir alone or blended with Pinot Meunier. No designation and it’s a bubbly made using red and white grapes. “Grand Cru” means all the fruit that went into the wine was harvested from vineyards rated at 100% (veritably perfect) while “Premier Cru” says all the fruit came from vineyards rated 90 - 99%.

“House Wine” in Restaurants

Dining out is wonderful and who doesn’t enjoy some vino with their meal? However, the intimidation factor involved for most diners when ordering wine is huge. That’s why many folks simply order the “House Wine”. Here’s a little tip about “House Wine”, my friends. As a rule, it’s usually pretty mediocre in quality, doesn’t specifically work well with any specific dish, but roughly meshes with most things on the menu. Perhaps even more importantly, its price is marked up the most, more than any other wine on a restaurant’s list. You’re further ahead to spend a few dollars more and order a better wine as the mark-up will be lower and you’ll get a superior drink. Don’t just settle for “okay”. Simply ask your server for advice and sip better.

Cat Wine

If you have a cat, you won’t have to sip wine alone anymore. A Japanese company, B & H Lifes, has come up with wine made specifically for your feline friend. It’s called “Nyan Nyan Nouveau”. “Nyan Nyan” means “meow meow” in Japanese. The wine does not contain alcohol, but juice made from Cabernet grapes mixed with catnip. In Japan, it costs about $4 a bottle and only about a thousand bottles have been made. These folks must have had a few too many when they thought of this. I wonder what animal activists make of it. This “cat wine” or “Chateau Puss Puss” could easily start a new trend. What’s next… “Bark-o-Velha” for your dog, “Rabbit Riesling” for your hare or  “Parrot-tage” for one’s pet bird?

Perception of Components

When it comes to perceiving components in wine, like sweetness, acid (sourness), tannin (dry puckering sensation on the gums), consumers are all over the place. Some folks think a particular wine is too dry while others not so much. Many people find a specific vino too acidic (sour) when other tasters find the same wine quite palatable. Many more react extremely to tannin or bitterness in one wine while others find the same wine fine. It all comes down to an individual’s threshold or sensitivity to certain components. We’re all different and only by tasting with others and comparing notes can individual perceptions to components be realized. Once realized, you can compensate for your individual sensitivity to some extent.

Nouveau Wines

This is the time of year when all the “nouveau” wines come out on the market to celebrate the latest harvest. Whether it’s French Beaujolais, Italian Novello or others, these are wines made in a hurry that cut corners in their production. Hype is built up about them weeks before urging the consumer to be the first to taste the new wine from the harvest. It’s a great excuse for restaurants, hotels, bars, clubs and private individuals to host celebrations to herald this event. Artistic labels, that become collector items, are often commissioned for the bottles. It’s really marketing genius. One must however keep in mind that these are not serious wines that will keep or age. They’re theoretically created to be consumed before Christmas.

Versatile Riesling

One of the greatest white grape varieties on planet is Riesling. Why? First of all, it’s relatively easy to grow as compared to other varietals and what you get out of the vineyard basically goes into the bottle. There’s very little manipulation in the winery and it remains pure as it does not see oak. Secondly, it is extremely versatile. It can be made bone dry, dry, medium dry, medium sweet or even extremely sweet. It is very susceptible to noble rot making some amazing dessert-style wines. Riesling Icewine is fabulous and probably the best in the world. Some great sparkling wines are made from it as well. From a taste perspective, it has great acidity that makes it amazingly food-friendly and age-worthy.

World’s Largest Wine Producer

For the last number of years, it’s been a battle between Italy and France as to who produces the most wine on the planet. Sometimes Italy, sometimes France! Last year France reigned supreme, but this year Italy has regained the lead edging out France as top dog. Italy was up 10% from 2014 while France increased only 1 %. There are so many wines produced in Italy that some aren’t even definitively documented and many do not leave the area of production. They simply get consumed right where they are made. Spain took third spot while the U.S. Argentina and Chile followed. Australia, South Africa and New Zealand were next. Overall, global wine production was up 2% from last year and the year isn’t even over yet.

Wine Service Complaint

Ever notice that in many restaurants when you order a bottle of wine, the waiter comes along frequently and tops up your glass to almost full? A wine glass should never be filled to the brim as it inhibits swirling for aeration and encourages spillage. In some cases, it’s just that the waiter doesn’t know any better or feels they are providing good service, but much of the time, I feel there is another reason for it. As they make most of their wages from tips, they know they will only get one tip from your seating. Therefore, I wonder if they hurry you along so you’ll finish your meal quicker and leave, making room for another seating and another potential tip. The more seatings, the more tips! That concept really bugs me.

What Determines Wine Prices

Ever wonder why some wines cost more than others? It comes down to vineyard practices, winemaking techniques and marketing. In the vineyard, certain grapes are harder to grow than others requiring more work. Older vines produce less fruit and hand harvesting is more labour intensive. In winemaking, soft pressing is more expensive than hard, some fermentation vessels are more expensive and longer aging at the winery costs more (even more so if in barrel, especially new). Packaging and type of closure can add dollars to the final price. Beyond this, small production and limited availability will translate to a higher cost. Even gold medals obtained in competition and rave reviews from the media can drive the selling price up.

Ziraldo After Inniskillin

Donald Ziraldo was the co-founder of Inniskillin Wines in Niagara and a pioneer in the Ontario wine industry and the creation of Canadian Icewine. Ever wonder what happened to him after he sold the winery to Constellation Brands? He started his own brand of Icewine and Riesling table wines under his own name and in 2011 took on management of a Port winery (Senhora Do Convento) in Portugal’s Douro Valley along with his wife Victoria. The Ports are fabulous as are the table wines produced by this house. His own brand of Icewine from the old Inniskillin property is pretty fantastic too. He now divides his time between Portugal and Niagara and spends much time on the road promoting all his ventures.

Decanters

Big red wines definitely benefit from aeration and the best way, other than just opening a bottle and letting stand, is to decant them. A decanter can be any vessel that has a substantially larger opening than a wine bottle. Ensure that it is made of glass or glazed ceramic only. Never use metal of any kind as this will leach. A decanter allows maximum air into a wine. It doesn’t have to be one that is fancy or specifically manufactured for wine either. It can be a pitcher or vase of sorts, as long it has more surface area at the opening. Decanters will allow a wine to breath and open up a lot quicker than simply letting an open bottle stand for a while. Generally, it can reduce the amount of aeration time required for most wines by about half. 

Wine Aerators

On the market these days are tools that will quickly aerate your red wine. They are usually small, hand-held devices that fit in the bottle, decanter or glass and mix air into the wine as it flows through or over it. They’re great for young, big reds that usually require a fair bit of breathing time before consumption. This method also softens the tannins somewhat, but is not a substitute for natural aging in the bottle that really does the job properly. I’ve noticed that these units don’t work well for mature wines though. The process speeds up their evolution and they seem to die in the glass. I’ve also found the process seems to make a particular varietal stand out in blended wines like red Bordeaux or Meritage. Interesting!

Crushing Grapes by Foot

Ancient man made wine by crushing grapes by foot and today there still may be some isolated communities or home winemakers who utilize this technique. Today, however, there are no commercial producers who do this, except for one part of the world, the Douro Valley in northern Portugal where world-famous Port is created. Teams of people, directed by a captain, walk bare-footed, back and forth, in a large granite tank called a “lagare” to crush grapes. Some producers use mechanical equipment that simulates foot trodding, while others stick to the old method. It’s labour intensive work, but Port wine made by foot-trodding is often better than those whose fruit has been crushed by mechanical means. 

Wine and the Tongue

The human tongue is an amazing tool, especially when it comes to tasting wine. It can experience 5 components: sweet, sour, bitter, salt and umami (the succulentness of a wine). However, taste buds are varied. The average adult has between 2,000 and 10,000 taste buds. Folks who have more than 10,000 are considered "supertasters" because they experience more. Furthermore, taste buds are constantly changing. At any time we have buds that are developing, existing (the normal life cycle of a taste bud is about 10 – 14 days) and dying off. With this ever-changing landscape going in our mouths, it’s a wonder any of us can taste the exact same thing in the same wine at different times, let alone taste the same thing as someone else.

Washington State Syrah

Washington State on the west coast of the U.S. is a very prolific winegrowing region with over 850 wineries. Only California makes more wine in America. They do a great job with French varietals and Bordeaux-style blends are wonderful. However, if I had to pick one wine or varietal that is their forté, it would have to be Syrah. This varietal does extremely well and is very reminiscent of France’s northern Rhone in style. Definitely an “Old World” version! Earthy, peppery, dark fruited, firm, well-structured and age-worthy samples are delightful. Great with grilled or roasted red meat, game and aged cheese! So if you’re looking to try one wine that epitomizes Washington State, make it a Syrah. It’s a real showstopper.

Central Virginia Wine Country

There are around 275 wineries in Virginia and the central part of the state has some great ones. Here, the Blue Ridge Mountains play a huge part in this region’s terroir, especially in the Monticello and Shenandoah Valley viticultural areas. Here, it’s a bit warmer than further north in the state and it benefits from a longer growing season. Humidity overall is substantial making grape growing challenging resulting in an overall shortage of fruit and slightly higher pricing for the wines. If you’re looking for “New World”, California-type vinos here, you’ll be sadly disappointed. Styles definitely tend to lean to the “Old World” with great expressions of their terroir and understated oak-treatment. It’s well worth a visit.

Wine Labels

Many folks buy wine by what the label looks like, regardless of the contents. Of course labeling laws dictate exactly what information has to be displayed on a wine bottle. Beyond that, it’s all about art. Some labels depict floral, rural or animal subjects while others prefer historical figures, events, venues or acts. Some of my favourite labels are mystical, fantasy and humour-inspired. These add a touch of whimsy to a package and can imply many things about what’s inside. The truth of the matter is wine sales are often affected by label design, so a poor one can negatively affect a product’s movement. Therefore, creating one that is both eye-catching and informative is extremely important.

Wine-by-the-Glass

Most restaurants offer “wine-by-the-glass”. In other words, instead of ordering a bottle you can order a glass of a specific wine. The concept is a great idea, as it allows consumers to sample different wines without having to buy a whole bottle. It’s a great educational tool as well exposing the taster to wines from different countries and regions at a minimal cost. Certain eateries will highlight a specific, different wine each week at a special price. You can tell which restaurants are really wine savy as they generally have a large selection to choose from, while others have but a token few. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it allows the patron to enjoy some wine with dinner without feeling they have to drink a whole bottle.

Corkscrews

Corkscrews come in many shapes and styles. A good one is easy to use and only the point of the screw is sharp so it won’t shred the cork. Short of automatic corkscrews that run on batteries, there are numerous manual options. The “butterfly” has wings that you pull down on to do the job. The “boxwood reverse” utilizes a handle you turn to screw the cork out. A better variation on it is the “screwpull”. The old-fashioned “T-bar” relies on brute strength to extract a cork. Possibly the best and most reliable is the “lever” or “waiter’s helper” which uses leverage to get the sucker out. There’s also the “Ah-so” which has two steel blades, one longer than the other. Inserted down the sides of the cork, it removes it with a twisting pull.

Wine Storage Cabinets

If you live in an apartment or space is an issue and you want to store and age wines at home, wine storage cabinets are the answer. These fridge-like units that run on electricity simulate perfect storage and cellar conditions including temperature, humidity and vibration. They come in different sizes that will store up to hundreds of bottles. I always recommend to folks who are considering buying one of these that whatever size they are looking at, double the size and buy it instead. Almost everyone who invests in one of these gets so into stocking it that in no time they have filled it and wish they had purchased one with a larger capacity. They really are a great alternative to having an actual wine cellar in your home.

The Heartbreak Grape

Pinot Noir is known as “The Heartbreak Grape”. For winemakers, it’s hard on the soil, young vines don’t produce decent wine, clonal selection is extremely important, it’s rarely consistent in character and is overall expensive to produce. It’s equally hard on consumers. When great, it can be a revelation, but far too often it ends up being mediocre and costing a pretty penny. Probably the most consistent in quality regions is Burgundy, France. Other smaller areas within Oregon, New Zealand, California, South Africa, Ontario and British Columbia, to name a few, do a favourable job. Unfortunately, once you’ve been bitten by the Pinot bug, you can spend a lot of time and money searching for good ones

Rodney Dangerfield Syndrome

Just like the late comic’s trip about never getting any respect, certain wines and grape varieties also suffer from this dilemma. Much of it has to do with the use of oak. Oak is a great tool for winemakers as it adds aromatic complexity and texture to a wine. However, too much oak overwhelms the varietal character and the wine tastes like “Chateau Two-by-Four”. Other winemakers oak varietals and wine styles that should never see a barrel. It masks and often detracts from their real character and soul making them something they are not. Sure, they might be interesting, but not true to their inherent make-up. Why not respect wine styles and grape varieties more for what they are and not play Frankenstein with them.

Vin de Glaciere

Icewine is usually made from grapes naturally frozen on the vine into the dead of winter. The berries freeze up like marbles. When pressed, an unctuous nectar is produced from the frozen, concentrated fruit juice, leaving the frozen water behind. This can only be produced in regions with cold enough winters. However, other parts of the world with milder winters create a style of icewine known as “Vin de Glaciere”. In this case, late harvest grapes are put into a freezer to solidify the grapes like marbles and then the pressing takes place. The resulting wine is very rich and sweet, but not as good as real icewine. In fact, real icewine producers frown on this method of production saying it’s a weak imitation.

Bottle Variation

When a case of wine leaves the producers’ facility for sale, it is hoped that every bottle within is the same. However, this is not often so. Some bottles in the case may be great, some good, some average and the odd bottle not up to snuff or even defective. Why you might ask? This is known as “bottle variation”. Perhaps some bottles were bottled on a different bottling line. Others may have been filled from different tanks or barrels or held back and bottled at a different time. Some may have been stored at a different location at the winery. All of these variables can account for why not very bottle in a case, when it comes together, is exactly the same quality. Generally, there is usually less bottle variation with better producers.

Cork Taint

One of the most common wine defects today is “Cork Taint”, technically known as “TCA” or trichloroanisole. A wine that is “corky” from an infected cork smells musty like a damp, dank basement and is the main reason many producers have gone to polymer versions and screw caps. Although cork producers have invested millions of dollars to clean up the cork-producing process with great results, corks, because they are porous, are still prone to absorbing smells and bacteria from extraneous sources long after their production. Storage facilities and shipping containers can easily impart strange aromatics to otherwise healthy corks. Even open bags of unused corks sitting at a winery can pick up “off” smells from its surroundings.

Wine Defects

Most wine that is “bad” is usually defective in some way. Problems can originate from the winery in its production or cellar management, other times from sources beyond the winemakers control or from mishandling after sale. Wine defects actually fall into two categories: flaws and faults. A flaw is something in a wine that makes the wine atypical, a slight variance in character from the norm. In this case, any minor flaw might be considered “complexity” and the wine still enjoyable. A fault, on the other hand, is a major departure from the norm that spoils the wine and renders it undrinkable. A flaw that is extreme could easily fall into this category. Most defects, regardless of intensity, show up on the nose rather than the palate.

Alcohol in Wine

Alcohol in wine is a given as it’s a bi-product of fermentation. It provides backbone and weight to a wine’s structure. Today’s selections tend to be much more alcoholic than in the past. Regardless of the reason why, alcohol in wine is basically experienced in two ways. If higher, it can be perceived on the nose giving a sharp pinch on the nostrils. However, it is most commonly experienced on the palate as a warm or hot feeling while the wine is in the mouth and a hot, sometimes burning sensation in the finish. Regardless of what the alcoholic strength of a wine is, it must be harmonious with all the other components or it will stand out somehow and render the wine sharp, hot and unpleasant. 

Cooking Wine

Many folks like to cook with wine as it adds flavour and complexity to a dish making the taste more interesting. A word of advice though! Avoid buying those items in supermarkets labeled “cooking wine”. I don’t think they’re even made from grapes and possibly possess lots of chemicals to preserve them. Always use the real thing. It doesn’t have to be great quality or expensive. A simple, inexpensive wine will do. Just make sure it’s healthy. A major rule of thumb for cooking wine should be if you don’t like the wine, it’s dirty or defective straight up, please do not use it in cooking. Nothing will ruin the dish faster. I’ve seen many a great dish spoiled by adding wine that was horrible, tasted lousy or was “off”.

Palate Training

Becoming a good wine taster takes time. After learning the correct technique, it takes lots of tasting practice to improve. Like learning to play a musical instrument…the only way to get better is practice. Exercises to improve your sensitivity to the components of sweet, sour and bitter (like tannins in red wine) can help. Get 5 glasses, numbered on the bottom from 1-5 so you can’t see them. Fill with water and, for sweetness, mix in sugar in varying amounts, 1 being the least sweet, 5 the most. Have someone mix them up and by tasting, place them in order of least sweet to most. For sourness, use lemon juice. For bitterness try a tea bag making varying strengths of tea. These simple exercises will definitely help train your palate.