Why? Because ALL mama's need wine. I know the difference between needing and wanting, and yes; mom's need it.
But some women are intimidated by it! They find the one bottle they like, and get it time and again because "it's good" and they know it, and they can avoid sounding dumb to the sommelier at the liquor store.
Don't be intimidated, ladies! Making Mrs. M and I are here to help you expand your alcoholic horizons with some tips on how to develop and refine your palettes. So read up, jot some notes down, and next time you're at a fancy dinner with the boss, you can impress the table with your craft beer and wine knowledge.
How To Develop Your Wine Palette
Yes, you know how to drink wine... But how do you "taste" it? You know, like when people say, "I feel a leathery texture and sense a hint of cherry in this Merlot!"
As someone who has been to an official wine school, I'll be honest with you: most of that is descriptive poetry by someone who has had too much to drink, or has spent too much time in a wine cellar with other social elitists. Seriously.
However, there still are some great ways to taste wine to bring out all the different flavors in the grapes:
"Little bites" of food is a great way to bring out the flavors in a glass of wine |
2) If you're sticking to one wine, try it with a range of "little bites" of food. Dark chocolate, fruit, and salty crackers are all great ways to bring out the different flavor in the same glass of wine. Perhaps the wine seems bitter after the fruit, but sweet after the dark chocolate. Play around and have some fun!
3) I like to have a glass of water to "rinse my palette" if I'm tasting. Otherwise, either the flight of wine blurs together or the salty cracker is still on my tongue when I'm trying to taste the effects of chocolate on the wine. Sipping water throughout a tasting is a must so that you're able to experience all the different flavors.
4) Have fun and taste with friends! I wasn't joking when I said wine descriptions are much like poetry. Your girlfriend might taste a hint of smoke in her Cabernet while you taste fruit. Talk about it and laugh! Remember, there is no wrong way to describe the flavor of wine. So get silly with it.
Which Wines to Choose:
This list is a good start of the general categories for red/white/sweet/dry wines. Likely, you know if you prefer sweet or dry (as in, not sweet) wine. If not, pick out two bottles from both the lists above! I also encourage you to try both red and white, even if you tend to gravitate towards one over the other.
Now that you've checked out how to taste wine, go on over to Making Mrs. M's blog and check out some tips on how to best taste craft beer. You'll be ordering for your whole table the next time you hit up a fancy restaurant!
Your tips are so helpful! Next time I open a bottle, I'm going to try the "little bites of food" technique. Perfect. Pinning for later use!
ReplyDeleteYay! My "little bites of food" always turn into a full out meal because why would I NOT finish that bar of chocolate and cut up some cheese with those crackers? ;)
DeleteNo judgment. ;)
Deletegreat tips - if only i didnt drink so much wine one night and gave myself alcohol poisoning i might be up for trying these lol
ReplyDeleteOh nooooooo! I didn't give myself alcohol poisoning, but in high school/college I drank WAY too much Bacardi Lemon, and now shudder at the mere thought of it...
DeleteWhen I saw Jaelan's post this morning I got super excited to read yours too! Love me some wine. It took me a long time to start appreciating good wine and developing my palette but now I love tasting new ones and finding favourites.
ReplyDeleteMe too! I love finding new faves as the season's change, too. I'm currently hunting for a good red - there's nothing like cooler weather, a glass of red and bleu cheese stuffed olives! Mmmmm
DeleteI'm usually a white wine drinker and stay away from reds, but now that I see there are sweet reds I'm changing my tune!! Thanks for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteGirl, I'm all white all summer because I like a cool beverage in the heat! But yes, there are sweet reds and you should def give them a try :)
DeleteSo there was a time back in college where I spent quality study time at the local wineries... :) It's a decision I don't regret! I'm definitely a dry wine drinker. Generally whites in the heat and reds during the cooler months. A new favorite red: Tempranillo. So good!
ReplyDeleteHey, you and I are on par with our wine drinking! Dry is definitely the way to go. I didn't figure out the "studying with wine" thing until grad school, so you're smarter than I am! ;)
DeleteMy favorite wine bar is walking distance from my condo......my one girlfriend and I definitely take advantage of trying to find that perfect glass.....quite often ;-) Is that the stomped pic? How does it look on the mobile?
ReplyDeleteThat sounds dangerous! I had the same set up at my last apartment in Minneapolis, and it was fantastic.
DeleteYup. I need to stomp everything for it to look good on my mobile. Which I still don't understand because pinterest makes everything look good. Bahhumbug. Looks like I'll be investing in your little secret!
I definitely tend to go for the sweet stuff, both red and white. I even like to treat a really good glass of wine as my dessert, even if it's not a true dessert wine. I've tried to explore more dry reds because that's usually what I don't like, and I want to expand my tastes a little more. I just don't know how to deal with a super high tannin wine.. Lol. Great post!
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ReplyDeleteYes,i agree with you some women are intimidated by it, but i never fear this kind of situation. I like the red wine in grapes flavor!
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