A True Wine 101 Conversation: Stephanie

Okay you’re going to laugh at me when I say this.
I used to drink White Zinfandel.  I called it the “pink” wine. 

Wine does NOT make sense to me.
The white wines are pink, the red ones are sometimes purple.

Anyhow, I try not to drink any wine that I can’t pronounce. 
And since I’m such an expert I shoot for the wines with the nice labels….

Since I split with my ex, I decided to BRANCH OUT and so I graduated from pink to almost red–white Merlot.

Then, I went straight to Merlot.

After Merlot I decided to try a Cab,

and Cab it has been ever since……….

Stephanie

That almost reads like a poem.  Yet, I can find something to mark with red in every line.  Let me know how I can help you…poor baby.  And, let me know if I can print it – anonymously or not.
Yours, in wine and out,
Eve

Go for it.

I‘m telling you, at company parties, my boss always says “She wants the pink wine.”

Which….by the way….. STILL blows me away that White Zinfandel is PINK!

Stephanie

I can’t help this: All wine is clear – it’s the skins that give it the color.  They remove skins on white, leave on a little bit for Rosé and longer for Red.  So your White Zin is the dark Zinfandel grape varietal with less skin contact.

And, impress your boss by bringing a French Rosé, more subtle, more floral, less sweet, less fruity.  And, there’s one at Trader Joe’s I like for about $5.
Yours, in wine and out, 

Eve

So my White Zin is from a dark grape.
I don’t like to eat FLOWERS so I don’t know how French Rosé would taste but maybe I’ll give it a try. 
Oh, but you’re going to love this one.

I just learned that the purple wine….needs to breathe.

I thought that whole swirling around the wine in the wine glass was just a “thing” you did.  I did not know the wine was actually BREATHING!

Stephanie
 
All wine benefits from aeration.  A purple wine, I would bet, you mean an older wine.  Older wines do benefit – gets rid of sediment.  Younger wines benefit as the aeration ages it.

Pour your wine in two glasses.  Have the first and THINK about what you smell and taste.  Come back to the second glass in 10 or more minutes and do it again.  That should show you how much a wine can change.


I used to use flower vases and milk bottles for decanters.


Or leave an open bottle on the counter overnight.  Usually opening alone doesn’t aerate it enough, but overnight will.  Some people swear by it, like a great spaghetti sauce the next day.


See how I never run out of topics?


Yours, in wine and out,

Eve

Whoah! I’m going to have to try this!

Okay now I have a question.  how long does a bottle stay good after you open it? I drink Cabernet Sauviwhatever and I never know how long I can leave it out because I don’t drink it all in one or two days.
Just wonderin’ ,
Stephanie

Gee, I just finished uploading our conversation to run as a blog post and the hits just keep coming.

I prefer, but I’m a “professional” to finish a bottle after I start it.  But, if it’s just me, I use this air-sucking thing: http://www.barparts.com/Vacu-Vin-Vacuum-Wine-Savers-P48C29.aspx


Try and finish a bottle in two days, I pick two days in a row that I know I won’t be going out.  It’s only 2 glasses at a time, I have confidence in you, you can do it. Longer than 2 days and it’s only good for cooking.  Even with the sucky-toy-thingamajiggy.

Yours, in wine and out,
Eve

2 thoughts on “A True Wine 101 Conversation: Stephanie

  1. Eve, if your friend is calling a wine 'purple' it's probably a younger wine. Older wines tend to turn amber/orange/brown as they age. I am glad she's moved on from white zin!

    See you Sunday!

    Denise

  2. I know what you mean Denise, but I was betting that based on Stephanie's experience, and her wine choices, that aeration for her "purple" wine (which I presumed she meant was that color when compared to her White Zin!)would benefit, whether it was old or young. Sometimes us newbies see a dark colored wine as purple…until we learn the proper descriptors. Thanks for clarifying!

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