Wine Tasting For Beginners

If you're like me, going into the local wine shop and staring at rows and rows of bottles without the slightest clue what you're about is a little overwhelming. Where do you start?

Well, instead of blowing your budget with the hit and miss approach, you could join a subscription wine club like Cellars Wine Club, where a variety of fine wines are sent to you each month. This is a great way to learn more about different wines from all over the world, and get an idea of your likes and dislikes while increasing your wine knowledge. You could also start building your own wine cellar, and be ready for impromptu get togethers or other special occassions, without breaking the bank.

When tasting wine, the most important thing is to have fun. Wine is meant to be savored and enjoyed. There are so many different types and varieties of wines to choose from in the marketplace today. The best advice is to try and taste as many wines as you can so you can fully appreciate how different grapes and growing regions affect the way the different wines taste. So go ahead and invite some family and friends over to enjoy some wines with you and have your own tasting. Your guests will not forget it!

Tasting wine involves four main components:

Looking at the wine in the glass
Swirling the wine around the glass
Smelling the wine
Tasting the wine

1. Looking at the wine

The first part of doing any wine tasting is to hold your glass up to look at the wine. It helps if you hold it up to a white background such as a napkin or tablecloth.

White wines vary in color from clear to yellow to golden brown. As white wine ages, it becomes darker in color. Red wines vary from red to purple to dark reddish brown. As red wine ages, it will lose color and begin to turn a browner color.

The main factors that affect the color of a wine are the grape variety, the age of the wine and the amount of time, if any, the wine spends in oak barrels.

2. Swirling the wine

To swirl your wine, take the glass by the stem and swirl it around in circles. An easy way to do this is to place your glass on a table and move the glass in a circular motion. Make sure you cover your glass at first so you don't splash your neighbors around you.

So why do you swirl the wine anyway? Simply, to expose the wine to more air so it intensifies the wine's aromas.

Also, when swirling, watch how the wine coats the side of the glass. A wine that has "legs"- streaks of wine that seem to run down the sides -- contains a higher level of alcohol and will have more body.

3. Smelling the wine

After you swirl your wine, you are ready to put your nose to work. Take in the smell of wine immediately after swirling to maximize the aromas.

Compare what you smell with other people at the tasting. Each person may smell something different. Do not worry if you cannot smell an aroma somebody else does. The more wine you smell, the better you will be at picking out certain aromas.

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4. Tasting the wine

Now comes the best part! The overall taste of wine depends on the combination of smells and flavors, so make sure you don't bypass the smelling portion of the tasting.

It is important when tasting wine not to just sip it and swallow it immediately. You taste with your taste buds, so allow the wine to come in contact with all areas of your tongue. Different parts of your tongue are designed to recognize different tastes and flavors:

Sweetness - Tasted by the tip of the tongue. If a wine has any sweetness, you will be able to taste it right away.

Fruity Characteristics - Tasted in the middle of the tongue after the sweetness is detected.

Acidity - Tasted on the sides of the tongue. Acidity is easier to taste in whites than in reds.

Tannins - Tasted in the middle of the tongue. Red wines and white wines aged in wood contain tannins which tend to feel astringent on the palate. It can leave your mouth feeling dry when too much is present.

When tasting wine, you are looking for a balance of the following characteristics:

Body - The weight of the wine in your mouth. The higher the level of alcohol, the fuller the body.

Sweetness - A result of residual sugar left in the wine after fermentation. A dry wine has no discernible sweetness.

Fruitiness - The amount and intensity of fruit flavor.

Acidity - Acid gives the wine a fresh and crisp taste.

Tannins - The bitterness or astringent taste that comes from the grape skins and stems. It adds to the structure and finish of the wine.

It is always helpful to take notes on the wines you taste. Make sure to capture their look, smell and taste. Most of all, just have fun with the whole experience. Wine is made to be savored and enjoyed!

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Most people think there are strict rules when it comes to food and wine. Many people still stick to the old standby: white wine with fish and red wine with meats. With all the types of wines available today, there is no limit to the combinations available.

As a starting point, try to match the wine flavors with the food flavors. Think about the food's flavors the same way you think about the flavors in wine: If a dish contains citrus, then it has a fruity flavor and if it has mushrooms, it has an earthy flavor, and so on. After considering the flavors of the food, try and match the wine with the same flavors. Also, try and match the intensity of the flavors. Remember, only you can tell what you like, so experiment and have fun with it.

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Dungess Crab and Heirloom Tomato Bean Brandade

Brandade is a salt cod puree from Provence. In this all-American take on the dish, an heirloom bean puree is mixed with Dungeness crab and two kinds of cheese.

Yield: Makes 10 servings

INGREDIENTS

* 1 cup dried white heirloom beans (such as marrow beans) or Great Northern beans
* 1 celery stalk, cut in half crosswise, plus 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
* 1 carrot, peeled
* 1 small onion, halved
* 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
* 8 ounces Dungeness crabmeat, picked over
* 1 cup (packed) coarsely grated extra-sharp white cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
* 1/3 cup mayonnaise
* 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
* 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
* 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 4 ounces Crescenza cheese or cream cheese (about 1/2 cup)
* 4 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided
* Toasted baguette slices

Ingredient tip:

Crescenza cheese is a soft-ripened cow's-milk cheese traditionally made in Italy. Look for it at your local cheese store, or order it online from bellwethercheese.com or mozzco.com.

DIRECTIONS

Rinse beans with cold water; place in large saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover beans by 2 inches; let soak overnight. Drain. Return beans to same pan. Add enough cold water to cover beans by 3 to 4 inches.

Add celery stalk, carrot, and onion. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until beans are tender, about 1 hour. Remove from heat. Add 1 teaspoon coarse salt; let beans cool in cooking liquid. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill in cooking liquid. Before using, drain beans, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.

Lightly butter 1-quart baking dish. Combine crab, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce in medium bowl; chill.

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots; sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add chopped celery, garlic, and cayenne; stir 2 minutes. Add beans and 1/4 cup cooking liquid; cook until heated through, mashing beans coarsely, about 2 minutes. Add Crescenza cheese; stir until melted. Fold in crab mixture and 2 tablespoons parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to prepared baking dish. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill crab brandade uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake brandade uncovered until heated through and mixture begins to bubble at edges, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons parsley. Serve warm with toasted baguette slices.

Suggested wines: Chardonnay or Chablis

Shitake Mushrooms with Young Pecorino Cheese

To make this appetizer easy to nibble, serve the cheese and mushrooms with toothpicks.

Yield: Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS
* 7 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided
* 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
* 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
* 1 lemon, peel cut into long thin slivers (yellow part only)
* Coarse kosher salt
* Nonstick vegetable oil spray
* 1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, cut into 1/2-inch-wide slices or left whole if smaller than 1 1/2 inches in diameter
* 1 garlic clove, peeled, flattened
* 6 ounces young pecorino cheese (pecorino fresco) or Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
* 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS
Whisk 5 teaspoons lemon juice and mustard in small bowl. Gradually whisk in 6 tablespoons olive oil. Stir in lemon peel slivers. Season dressing to taste with coarse salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Toss mushrooms, remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons oil in large bowl. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle mushrooms with coarse salt and pepper. Roast 15 minutes. Using spatula, turn mushrooms over and roast until soft and beginning to brown around edges, about 10 minutes longer.

Pour half of dressing over hot mushrooms on sheet. Add garlic and toss to coat. Let cool on sheet.

Combine mushrooms, cheese, parsley, and remaining dressing in medium bowl. Let marinate at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours. Discard garlic clove. Serve mushrooms and cheese with toothpicks, if desired.

Suggested wines:
Verdicchio, Dolcetto, Rosé Côtes-du-Rhône

Ingredients

Assorted vegetables (such as cauliflower and broccoli florets, carrot and celery sticks, bell pepper strips, and jicama sticks)

10 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons purchased pesto
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Directions:

Arrange vegetables on platter; cover and chill. Blend cheese, sour cream, 1/4 cup pesto, lemon juice, and lemon peel in processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowl.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Top dip with dollops of remaining 2 tablespoons pesto. Sprinkle dip with toasted pine nuts. Serve dip alongside platter of assorted vegetables.

Makes 8 servings

Suggested wines:

Chardonnay, White Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé

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