Eve's Wine 101

How To Start With Wine

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The question I’m asked most often is how did I get into wine and spirits? Well, over 20 years ago when I was a community columnist for my local newspaper and the editor of our weekly entertainment section asked what else I could write about. At that time I had been in a few wine clubs, and a book club, so I offered to do book and wine reviews. Pretty quickly I started receiving unsolicited bottles of wine on my doorstep for review, as well as invitations to wine dinners and wine events.
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No one sent me any free books, and the rest, is history.

Photo: Ed Bushman

What I want to share with readers today is how you can get into wine. I will share two simple ideas that should get anyone, aficionado or beginner, further into exploring and understanding wine.

Sensory Class

How are people able to describe aromas and flavors like fruit and spice in their wine? Why do they say things like, “This reminds me of milk chocolate-covered cherries”? No, there aren’t any cherries added into your glass of red wine, only a memory of a particular fruit. Your memory has to be either fresh, or well worked like most sommeliers through practice/a lot of tastings. So how can you do it? Let me tell you.

A few years back I was a guest at J. Lohr in Paso Robles. Besides a tour and tasting our group of wine writers/sommeliers were offered a sensory experience, led by red winemaker Steve Peck, which was meant to help us describe aromas. Peck had several small glasses of different Torani syrups, the same syrups you see in coffee bars, and the identity of each was written on a card, placed upside down in front of each. We were to sniff each syrup and guess what the flavor was, then reveal the card to see how we did. Immediately following this exercise we swirled and sniffed a few wines, and as you may have guessed, were easily able to call up the recent memories.

I emailed Torani after this eye-opening experience and they sent me about a dozen bottles to do my own classes, which I enjoy doing often. I also add glasses with items from my spice cabinet, honey, coffee, flower petals, earth, tree bark, tobacco, chocolate…you name it and I’ve probably put it in a cup. So you don’t have to have the syrups, you just need to take a trip through your house and garden. And then think about the smells.

Learning About One Variety At A Time

Years ago Eve Wine 101 Staff Writer Rusty Sly introduced “Grape of the Night” in one of his blog posts. He invited wine lovers to meet him at a local wine bar, with a bottle of the one variety of wine that he pre-chose. So say one month Rusty suggested a wine like Grenache and people then brought their favorite bottle of Grenache – which of course meant wines from all over, including Spain where the wine is called Garnacha. Then Rusty would read from his notes, about the history of the particular varietal, where it’s most popular and of course, the flavor profile. Guests would sample each – I know this part well as he roped me into serving most often – and describe the aromas and flavors they found. They were literally educating their palate on one variety at a time, and looking for small nuanced differences in each bottle.

Now, what will you do next to delve further into your wine journey?

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

More to Learn: Japanese Whisky by Brian Ashcraft

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On September 27 I did a review of the book Japanese Drinks on this website; today I have a second book on Japanese Whisky alone for you. Similar in format with lots of glossy photos and understandable text, I was impressed with the work of the Japanese distillers and distilleries, their challenges, the differences between them and their Scottish counterparts and some amazing reviews of many whiskies made by six of the leaders.

Some of the information on whisky was covered in the first book I reviewed so I will limit my review to what was new for me to share with you from this second book:

  • Between 2001 and 2017 Suntory and Nikka whiskies have won over a hundred accolades from prestigious international competitions.
  • Instead of adopting the spelling as “whiskey” like we do in the states, Japan uses “whisky” along with Canada and Scotland.
  • Some distillers started out as sake brewers, some continue to make both (sake is traditionally only made in the winter months). Some copper stills were used for shochu making before they were used for whisky. Many big distilleries have their pot stills made in Japan (and their own cooperages) while smaller ones rely on imports. Most distill the spirit only one time.
  • There are “Japanese twists” to not doing everything the Scottish way in malting, fermentation, distillation, maturation and more. Most malted barley is imported. Most whisky is colored with natural caramel food coloring.
  • Japanese whisky was first exported to the U.S. in 1934, a year after the end of prohibition. It wasn’t very popular, and with the onset of World War II this grew worse. However, during this period it grew in popularity in Japan.
  • Japanese whisky is considered “highly aromatic and floral.”
  • Some Japanese blenders eat the same food for lunch every day to “ensure a consistent” palate. Others avoid fish due to the oils and garlic for its lingering quality.
  • Mizunara, a rare Japanese white oak, is sometimes used for casks. The word “mizu” means water that the oak retains and “nara” means oak. This Japanese oak was originally used as sherry casks were hard to get in Japan during World War II. The oak is known to “expand the range of flowers” and other aromas in the whisky. There are downfalls: the wood is difficult to work with and all will leak at some point.
  • At Suntory Yamazaki Distillery they are experimenting with plum wine casks (the also make plum wine) for the finish on some whiskies. They are also aging some whisky in cedar casks.
  • Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Distillery, started his career in Scotland learning all he could about making whisky. From there he became the first distiller in Japan – at Suntory’s Yamazaki Distillery.
  • Venture Whisky Chichibu Distillery has planted their own Mizunara trees – unfortunately they won’t mature for use for at least 150 years.
  • Currently there are ideas on using local peat, other local woods and Japanese barley. Smaller distilleries are exploring the idea of working together.

Whisky Reviews

The over 100 reviews are by leading Japanese whisky blogger Yuji Kawasaki. I found these most interesting as some of the descriptors were familiar as ones I’ve used before but others, more in the line of calling up a memory, were not familiar as I don’t live in Japan. Some of my favorites include:

It’s Japanese sliding doors, a tatami room with a flower vase in an alcove and a bird fluttering from a branch. In a whisky, it’s rare to see such beauty as this. Hibiki Deep Harmony.

…it’s rose thorns and faint smoke for an experience that’s reminiscent of hazy sunlight in a gloomy sky. Miyagikyo Single Malt (no age statement).

…it’s like a bouquet of flowers was chucked out of the glass and directly in your face. Miyagikyo Single Malt, 15 YO.

There’s Japanese incense as well as a chalky notes that is reminiscent of the lime powder used on baseball fields. The Nikka Whisky 1999, 34 YO.

There’s a warm bushel of flowers and a slightly open wooden gate leading into a house with a dining table. On it there are grapes and pears waiting to be devoured…Ichiro Malt Five of Spades.

It passes through like an arm going into a sleeve until its one with you in a relaxing and natural way. Ichiro’s Malt Two of Clubs

These descriptions made my mouth water, what about you? Get your book here à https://www.tuttlepublishing.com/japan/japanese-whisky

 

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Vintage Eve Circa 4/14: Buying the Right Wine Every Time

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When I received a copy of the book “Buy the Right Wine Every Time” to review, a quick leaf through it and I thought, no problem, it’s just a grouping of writer Tom Stevenson’s wine picks, and immediately discounted it. Why? Because wine books telling you what to buy are dated pretty much as soon as they are published, as the vintage year they reviewed may either be 1. No longer available or 2. Not the vintage year that was just released that people want to know about.

Photo credit: TheBuyer.net

Photo credit: TheBuyer.net

Neither was the case with Stevenson’s book as he, as stated on page V of the forward, only selected “branded” wines to focus on as “A Branded wine should be consistent by definition.” That made me think of a couple of wines that I’ve bought consistently through the years as the winemaker has found a way to nearly duplicate the taste no matter what happened in the fields. I quickly thumbed through the edition and found what I was thinking of: Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc (page 149) for one and an early starter wine for me, Fetzer Sundial Chardonnay (page 103).

I decided to read the book as leafing would not do. Some general observations right off that bat were that I dug are the photographed color labels to help people recognize a wine quickly, color-coded headings like pale green for some whites and red for reds, and the wines were listed alphabetically by winery name.

Then, as you read, you will find that Stevenson has detailed each of his selections with further facts. For every single wine he includes four subheadings: “What is it?” “What does it taste like?” “If you like this then try with confidence…” and “Try something completely different.”

I liked this section as every single wine has a little information – such as what grapes were used, a description of the wine, what growing area and/or how much time in oak,  what it will taste like, and others you would like if you like this wine, etc.

At the end of the book is a short section called, “The 20 most useful wine tips.” Readers are told up front that it’s up to them to use this section – and only if they feel the need or interest in learning more. The 20 facts are basic, logical and understandable.

My own conclusion, while I admit to buying the Kim Crawford this way I don’t buy my wine based on generic branding. However, for the wine 101er, or someone that is limited to grocery stores, or on a tight wine budget – there is nothing wrong with the idea. In fact, I kind of liked not only the simplicity, but the fact that this is not a wine book that will be obsolete any time soon.

More Info 

Plenty of people drink wine, but most people don’t think wine.  Many of us hate pretentious “winespeak”— but would love help finding new wines to try.   BUY THE RIGHT WINE EVERY TIME (Sterling Epicure, March 2014) by celebrated wine critic Tom Stevenson is the guidebook for everyone!

Stevenson provides expert information for non-experts who want to get the most satisfaction for their money. Stevenson reveals the best, most widely available wines found in restaurants and wine shops globally.

He groups wines by cost, rates them by style (so you can see which ones are similar to your favorites), and provides an A-Z of recommended, highly recommended, and to-die-for choices.

Stevenson also includes the 20 most useful wine tips, such as how to store wine, how to allow wine to breathe, how to choose wine glasses, how to order wine in a restaurant, and how to approach food and wine pairing – important advice for all wine drinkers!

Tom Stevenson has been writing about wine for more than 30 years, and is considered the world’s leading authority on Champagne. He has written 23 books, the most important of which have been published internationally by more than 50 publishers and translated into over 25 languages.

When is it Okay To Use Someone Else’s Words: ONLY in the Wine industry

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So I had this friend/co-worker that had a nasty habit of taking my ideas and repeating them as her own in a very weird way: immediately, and right in front of me. She would listen, then physically turn to another person in the group, and spew it out again.

I mentioned it when it happened: twice in group settings, and once while we were alone. She never got it. I don’t hang out with her much anymore, so she’s left to her own original thoughts (which are plenty good).

eve july 2011 youtube shot of notesI got to thinking, there is only one scenario where this works: using descriptors in evaluating wines for consumers. Let me explain.

Wine writers, sommeliers, distributors, wine reps and wineries all have to be able to describe their wines in tantalizing ways to the buying audience. In this example that I used on a Facebook post I got more than one comment saying it made them want to buy the wine. Can you guess why?

Aromas of stewed plums, fig and sautéed mushrooms and rich decadent flavor of solid black fruit in a killer length…

It wasn’t just the descriptor but the adjectives preceding them that separated them from a minimal tasting note that would’ve looked like this:

Plums, fig, mushrooms, black fruit and long length.

The descriptors we use must be understandable to the general wine-drinking public, but tantalizing enough to prompt a sale. So though you may read the same descriptor for the same wine by more than one writer, no one has copied the other, the wine just happens to bring up the same memory of the same aroma and/or flavor. And if it doesn’t? That’s only because our memories are ours alone.

In an effort to be different I reach pretty far, but I still need my evaluation to be appealing. That’s the most important behind accuracy. This was for a vintage Champagne:

The most aromatic yet: grilled cheese, sourdough toast; same flavors come through in the mouth with the addition of pink grapefruit and lime in this ’06 Cuvee.

I was pretty proud of myself with that one. It reminded me of the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) course I took where instructor DiMaggio Washington kept trying to pull more and more in depth descriptors from the class. We might say peach and he’d then he’d quickly ask which kind, bruised, fresh, canned…and if canned in its own juice or in a light syrup. This kind of education really made me think, and I hope my wine writing benefits.

Of course, there are times when too much individual thought can also hurt a wine. In the movie SOMM a group of students sat around a table tasting wines together. They were not only trying to educate their palates on the basic aromas and flavors of some varieties, but were also searching for the right descriptors.

I watched as the students each one-upped the other in looking for just the right words to describe a particular white wine. One fledgling SOMM slowly exhaled something like, “coiled up…green…garden hose” and I think I spewed out whatever I was drinking because he made me laugh so hard. But it wasn’t supposed to be funny.

It wasn’t his intent. He failed. His descriptor didn’t make the wine attractive, was too far-fetched and everyone seemed to look at him like he was from Mars.

So, if it’s possible to tie all this meandering about wine together it’s simple:

Use the descriptors that naturally come to mind while evaluating wine. Don’t be uncomfortable using a word that has been used before, however, if you want to make the wine attractive to others – as attractive as it is to you – romance it with adjectives you think work the best. And those should be unique…original…thoughts.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

A Turn for the Ladies: Women I’ve Known That Have Influenced My Wine

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I covered The 15 Most Influential Wine Men in my Life back in 2011, even needed a part two, but realize now that I never covered the women. I even reran both parts on the men in early 2016. With more male than female winemakers, sommeliers and educators I had an excuse not to write about the women I knew in the wine industry. But, on hindsight I’ve come to realize that there are some wonderful ladies that have influenced me over the years, and it’s high time to pay tribute to them.

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L to R: Claudia Sheridan, Denise Lowe and Eve Bushman

My Wine Ladies (in no particular order)

Jeannie Carpenter, co-owner Compa vineyard, founder Sunset in the Vineyard, Assistance League Santa Clarita: This hard working local volunteer knows a lot about wine, knows everyone in town and has been a supporter of my non-profit events for years. Jeannie replies to our weekly Dear Wine Friend newsletter, often remarking on how much I have learned about wine over the years.

Julie Brosterman, founder Women and Wine: Julie was probably one of the first women in the wine world that I met. I wrote some blog pieces for her wildly popular website, have been invited to her home to cover events and have met many wonderful wine people simply due to her influence.

Claudia Sheridan, fellow student Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 2, social media educator and author at ClaudiaSheridan.com: Claudia has been my “wing man” not only through WSET but also on various wine trips. She knows a lot about wine, people, event organization, and now has literally written the book on social media. She is my biggest female supporter and true wine buddy. I like to tease my young friend when she uses descriptors like “Jolly Rancher candy” to describe a wine we may be tasting, but the fact is, her palate is pretty damn good.

Suzanne Phifer Pavitt, proprietor Phifer Pavitt Wine: Suzanne is filled with Southern-girl charm. She was the first vintner to invite me into her Calistoga home for an overnight stay, and has suffered through many interviews, even one on her Wine Dog. Her DateNight Cabernet Sauvignon is not to be missed, every vintage has been noteworthy.

Lil Lepore, former owner Vino 100: I miss Lil. Back in the day she and partner Shari Frazier, opened a nice wine store and bar in Valencia that not only gave wine to every event in town, but hosted wine tastings, lessons, women only nights and even film showings. Learned, made some wine friends that I still have to this day and tasted a lot in those years thanks to Lil and Shari.

Tanya Green, owner Wine 661: Tanya took over Wine 661 and it suddenly became a place to hang out – especially for women that aren’t looking for a bar atmosphere in my opinion. It’s a top choice for me to meet a pal there for a glass or a bottle, or take my newly minted 21 year-old daughter in for some pink Champagne. The wine racks always hold something new each time I come, and even though it’s small, live bands and dancing are more than welcome there.

Judy Cox, co-owner Mystic Hills Vineyard: I’ve known Judy since she ran the Betty Ferguson Foundation and I was a volunteer about 10 years ago. Fast forward and she, along with husband Joel Cox and other family members, picked up and moved to Paso Robles. Fast forward some more and they decided to plant vines and become vintners. I was lucky enough to work with them when they started out promoting their wines in press releases and events. At “press” time every single wine they produced  has won at least one award.I especially like their Unforgiven Bordeaux blend and Rose.

Denise Lowe, fellow student Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 2, wine educator Goddess of Wine: Loved bantering wine with Denise, she kept me on my toes testing my knowledge and then she moved to Morro Bay where she has since become more involved as the area’s wine educator.

Nina Rosenblatt Sventitsky, Board Member and Secretary General for the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Rioja Specialist: Nina got her hands on me for the American Wine Certification course I recently took and passed. Her wealth of knowledge is immense. I look forward to many more years of education.

Marlee Lauffer, Foundation President at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, wine lover: Marlee is a good pal, and like Jeannie Carpenter, a supporter – and more recently a co-host – of events I have produced and promoted (with the help of many). Marlee’s main function in my wine education has been to promote Pinot Noir – kind of an inside joke – and has introduced me to several wineries that I hadn’t known about.

Kathy Lockhart, founder Wine-y Women Unwind Meet-up and Facebook group: Kathy also supports many of the events I’ve promoted. Along with that, she has created a growing group of female wine lovers – over 300 I believe – that are interested in all kinds of wine-centric activities. I wish I had Kathy’s energy!

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Vintage Eve Oct 2012: One-Bottle Post, 2010 Pulchella Zinfandel, Mainini Vineyard

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Pulchella Winery

2010 Mainini Vineyard Zinfandel

Paso Robles

Alcohol 15.3%

Pulchella glasses in winery, photo credit Rick Lott

Pulchella glasses in winery, photo credit Rick Lott

Disclosure

For a change, and for fun, I pulled out my “WSET* Systematic Approach to Tasting Level 2 to use during the tasting of this wine. I often use the guide in Wine 101 tastings to help beginners, and those not-so-new to wine, with descriptors that sometimes are on the tip of our tongue, literally, that a little prompting helps identify. And all my tastes are with a 1 to 2 ounce pour, which means what I find in the color may be lighter than you would in a 4 to 6 ounce pour.

Appearance

Clear in clarity, deep intensity, and over a white sheet or paper the colour (yes, that’s how they spell in England) is garnet with a ruby edge.

Nose

The condition was clean, the intensity medium to pronounced, and the characteristics included plum, blackberry, black cherry, some fig, black olive, mint, walnut, and milk chocolate.

Palate

Ripe dark fruit, juicy plum, raisin, white pepper, nice tannins, and for the percentage of alcohol I thought it decidedly very nicely balanced between the fruit and tannins.

Conclusion

I’d gone through my 2-once pour by this time and decided I would mull over my conclusion with a nice 4-ounce glass. The WSET gives me one-word answers ranging from poor to outstanding. I do find that tough as I think there is more to a conclusion. I found the wine very good to outstanding. I plan on pairing it with a burger and fries in a few minutes. And, I want to thank Pulchella Winery winemakers Steve Lemley and Nate Hasper for their talents.

*Wine and Spirits Education Trust is a sommelier certification course that originated, and is graded, in England. To learn more or to find local classes, this is their website:

http://www.wsetglobal.com/

http://www.pulchellawinery.com/l

Our allocations are available to our wine Club Members and guests visiting our tasting room exclusively. All releases typically sell out less than one year after release and before their potential. Our winemakers are in the tasting room quite often, personally walking each guest down their dirt road of passion. Our tasting room is located at: 24261 Main Street in the Oldtown Newhall historical district. (91321). We are typically open for tastings Thurs – sat from 5 pm to 10pm and Sunday 12pm – 5pm.
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however hours do vary so please call our tasting room at 661-799-wine for current hours. Closed all major holidays./ hours

Nitpicking: Reducing Two Years of Winemaking into Any ONE Word

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I don’t have many pet peeves in the wine world as I still consider myself a beginner. And I rarely take on an opposing opinion with someone with a wine pedigree much more impressive than my own. But sometimes, argh, those with the long pedigree do and say things that they think they are somehow justified due to their education. And it can just be plain rude.

bordeaux tasting funny

Cutting to the chase: I was at a large tasting, where the first few hours was set aside for media, distributors and a few sommeliers. I was chatting with a winemaker I knew, just about to taste the two wines he brought to share, when a somm (I knew this from the badges we all wore to show our affiliation) took a whiff and a taste and declared what he thought of the wine in one word: bacon.

I waited for more. The winemaker waited for more. I said to the somm that there was more in my glass than his, and it surprised me that that was all he found. I don’t even recall his answer, but to suffice it to say, he got my drift but didn’t have another descriptor at hand. He moved on to another table.

Lingering with the winemaker we discussed how hard it is to spend time sampling each wine offered at a large tasting, and to share our thoughts with the winemaker or winery representative just because there is so much to taste.

However, keeping in mind that a winemaker has spent two years on each variety, tasting repeatedly, and then is giving it away for free to gain feedback as well as sales – then we that attend these tastings are doing a disservice, a rude habit that even I have been guilty of at times just due to the time I have at an event.

Here are some suggestions for laypeople at tasting events:

  • Express any and all positive feedback.
  • Acknowledge the work put into every wine, aka be appreciative of a talent we don’t share.
  • Thank them for the taste.
  • If you don’t have time to fully describe but you do like the wine, let them know that you will want to revisit the wine, and pick up one of their business cards.
  • If you can share what you think of the wine, beyond liking it, do. All descriptors are subjective. There is no right or wrong. Some words, like bacon, are common for Syrahs. But no one word can encapsulate a wine.

    The aromas flavors that you pick up can be influenced by terroir (soil, proximity to salt air, etc.) but are also due to chemical reactions. But mostly, what you get from a wine is due to the talent of the winemaker.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Vintage Eve Circa 12/2011: My Scotch Explorers Club FIRST Sample

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A few weeks ago I teased Beacon readers about the new Scotch tasting club membership that I purchased for my husband, Eddie, for his birthday from ForScotchLovers.com. Well, five wax-sealed sample bottles arrived, along with the proper nosing glass, and we were off!

scotch lovers inside sampler

Our first allocation, as there would be several more in the upcoming year, also included an instruction sheet on how to “play the Whisky game”. So, first we followed this link:

http://www.forscotchlovers.com/distillery_row/whisky_explorers_club/my_whiskey_Iq_game, then I typed in a code to get started, and chose one of the uniquely numbered and labeled bottles below:

WESE 11A9 – Single malt, Scotland (tasted for this report)

WESE 11C6 – Single malt, Scotland

WESE 11Q6 – Grain whisky, Scotland

WESE 11V4 – Blended whisky, Scotland (tasted for this report)

There was also an extra bottle tucked into the center of the box, identified as Master of Malt Tyrconnell 10 year old, port finish, Single malt whisky, Ireland. But we haven’t had that one yet.

Once I removed the seal on one bottle I read these instructions:

Welcome to the The Whisky Explorers “My Whisk(e)y IQ” Home Page. When you’re ready to test your Whisk(e)y IQ, please make sure you have a glass of the whisky you received, and enter the code found on the label on the black bag…

I learned that depending on how well I scored I would be categorized under one of the following: Tasting IQ, People’s Choice IQ, Business IQ, Brand IQ, Bonus Booster IQ, Zen Master IQ

Next I took a short survey so that they know more about me that asked: Gender, age and how often you drink Scotch/Malt Whisky, Bourbon, Irish Whisky, Rye, Rum, Vodka, Gin, Tequila, Wine, Beer, Brandy/Cognac.

Then came simple multiple-choice questions, just like we use to evaluate wine, regarding aroma, body and taste. All of the descriptors were spelled out to guide you, points were given for right answers and points subtracted for wrong ones. Then, finally, we were guessing the retail price and, exactly which Scotch we thought we were drinking!

I added a little bit of water to the tasting glass, as that is the way to bring forward aroma and taste, and happily sipped away. I stared at those descriptors until I thought I had them as right as I could, and then clicked off my choices.

(In case you’re wondering, Eddie had given up at this point and just enjoyed his scotch.)

I was a wee bit concerned as to how I’d do because though I enjoy single malt at least once a week, and have had at least three guided tastings, I am a scotch 101er.

At the end of the quiz, I was asked to give a single comment – that would guarantee me more points so I wrote:

“It’s my first time, I hate blind tastings and games, but the Scotch was soooooo good I was willing to ‘play’ with you guys!”

Come to find out, OMG, we did guess the correct scotch – Eddie claims that he did – it was:

 

Glenfarclas 21 Year Old Highland Single Malt
From Scotland’s Oldest, Continuously Privately Owned Distillery

MANAGING EDITOR IAN BUXTON’S

TASTING NOTES:
Colour: Full Gold
Nose: Sherry, Fruity, Mellow
Palate: Sherried, Toasted Wood, Cooked Fruit
Body: Big, Creamy
Finish: Warming, Full flavoured

SCORING BREAKDOWN FOR THIS WHISKEY

Q1: Color (10 pts)-

Q2: Nose (10 pts)

Q3: Body (10 pts)

Q4: Palate\Taste (10 pts)

Q5: Finish (10 pts)

Q6: People’s Choice (15 pts)

Q7: Business IQ (15 pts)

Q8: Brand IQ (20 pts)

Q9: Bonus Booster (5 pts)

 

TASTING IQ: 7
PEOPLE’S CHOICE IQ: 7
BUSINESS IQ: (we got the price right!) 12
BRAND IQ: (we got the scotch right!) 20
BONUS BOOSTER IQ: 5
ZEN MASTER IQ: 51
 

 

  

 

With the total number of points available being 105…Ed said that even though we got a couple of things right, we still got a D with only 51 points!

I tried the game a second time with the one blended whisky in my box – and I never drink blended whiskey unless in a cocktail – our score was even worse. It turned out to be Suntory’s Hibiki Japanese, 12 year old. I only did well on the business IQ, which is in regards to price, nose, palate and finish.

OMG guess I need to drink MORE.

Wine 101: How to Describe Wine

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What’s with those crazy wine descriptors?  Wine 101ers are often bewildered by a wine that promises to offer “notes of freshly sliced apricots on a warm afternoon” or “deep lingering tannins” that they simply can’t find when they taste the wine.  Or worse yet, it’s all that they can find because the thought was put into their heads.

WSET Taste Chart 2Let me explain.  Wine writers are caught between two worlds.

Those in print are subjected to word count as paper is expensive.  They may describe a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc as having “nut fruit, gravel and lingering acidity” while a wine blogger with infinite space is allowed to call up memories, that help the wine buyer fully visualize what the wine tastes like.  That same Sauvignon Blanc then may be described as, “juicy yellow peach and firm apricot nut fruits (thereby telling you what the elusive nut fruit is), a wet gravel driveway and a lingering acidity that begs the taster to taste again.”

Which wine do you want to buy?  The second, maybe, though it’s the same wine!  That’s how subjective wine tasting can be.  I prefer not to read any back labels or the info sheets sent to me on the wines I’m to review – until after I’ve reviewed them.

Master Sommelier Andrew McNamara, recently interviewed by our guest writer Scott Richardson, said it best:

If I were to give you a wine to taste right now would you describe for my readers what you taste?  Always!  But… and this is a BIG but… wine is such an experiential thing and each person is different.  What I get in a wine might be different than the person next to me.  The general categories will most likely be the same, but there is some subjectivity.

What does this mean to me?  A lot.  I can cut myself some slack if my descriptors don’t exactly match the ones that came on the bottle.  Once I actually circled the one descriptor in a tasting that I did agree with.  (I do have a “cheat sheet” from my WSET course that helps me when I’m stumped.  The WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust) Systematic Approach to Tasting has singular descriptions under categories such as Fruit, Floral, Spice, Vegetal and Other.)

When I taste, at my computer, I may close my eyes when I drink in the aromas, make some notes, and close my eyes again when I taste.  Memories of sliced fruit on my mother’s Formica counter may be one, a chocolate bar that melted in my school backpack, the Oxnard strawberry festival, a jar of cloves, spaghetti sauce bubbling over, the smell from roasting meat in my oven and even the Target parking lot after a rain – it’s like wine tasting nirvana to me.

Even better, writing about the “memories” that a wine’s flavor brings up is far more lingering than tannins.

I try to make the time, as when I have less time and imagination, even I have to suffice with chocolate (milk or dark?), strawberry (fresh?) and wet asphalt (that’s attractive?) and vow to try better next time.

I hope you do too.

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years.  She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a guest judge for the L.A. International Wine Competition.  You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column.  You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Eve Helps Super Tasters: Pass the Scotch Test

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Okay, if you’ve been following some of the results from my Scotch of the month club blind tastings, you know that I can usually guess which Scotch I’m drinking, but have been failing miserably in the descriptors.

So, this time, I went to ForScotchLovers.com and equipped myself with some study notes that I will now, like we wine 101ers do with wine notes, keep handy:

Glossary of Scotch Whisky Tasting Terms

courtesy Joshua McGee of mcgees.org

  • Austere: Seemingly stern, severe, and unadorned in character.
  • Balanced: One flavor or aroma element does not dominate.
  • Big: To be contrasted with “subtle”.  Bold, dominant, hard to ignore flavors and presence in the mouth.
  • Body: Refers to mouthfeel.
  • Cerealy: Evocative of grain associations.
  • Cerebral: Complex and begging careful attention and analysis.  Frequently also implies that such analysis is difficult.
  • Complex: Seeming to possess many layers of flavor, for which time is needed to examine and characterize all of them.
  • Creamy: Possessing the mouthfeel of, say, half & half.
  • Dark flavors: Reminiscent of flavors like molasses or Vegemite.
  • Dignified: This is hard to describe.  It reflects that it does not taste cloying or youthful.  Usually clear, resonant flavors.
  • Drambuie: A trademarked name for a particular liqueur composed of on scotch whisky, honey, and herbs.
  • Dry: Astringent and not sweet.  In extreme cases the spirit can feel as if it contains no moisture.
  • Estery: Aroma contains chemical esters.  These are generally light, fruity, floral scents.
  • Ethanol: The particular alcohol that we are referring to when we say “alcohol”.
  • Finish: The time period in malt tasting after one has swallowed the spirit.
  • Firm: Refers to mouthfeel.  Contrast with “soft”.
  • Grassy: Aldehydic, reminiscent of grass.
  • Harsh: An unpleasantly aggressive or caustic flavor or feeling to the mouth or nose.
  • Heather: Reminiscent of the aroma of heather.
  • Herbal: Reminiscent of kitchen herbs such as thyme, basil, lavender, or chamomile.
  • Hot: Reminiscent of physical warmth, like freshly-brewed coffee.
  • Late Palate: The time period in malt tasting after the spirit has been in the mouth for a while but has not yet been swallowed.
  • Malt, Malty: Refers to the aroma and flavor of malted barley.  “Malt” can also be an abbreviation of “Single Malt Scotch Whisky”.
  • Medicinal: Evocative of memories of liquid medicines.
  • Mouth-coating: Giving the impression that it has coated the inside of your mouth, as with a syrup.
  • Mouthfeel: The tactile feel of the malt in the mouth.  Largely a reflection of the physical qualities, but can also be significantly affected by flavor elements.
  • Nose: Aroma. When used as a verb, means to sample the aroma.
  • Nutty: Evocative of the taste of nuts, or reminiscent of the alkaloid qualities of some nuts.
  • Oaky: Influenced by aging in an oak cask.  Implies a woody, spicy, astringent character.
  • Orange, Orangey: Reminiscent of the citrus fruit of that name.
  • Palate: Two meanings.  Means either the taste components of the malt, or the time period when the spirit is in one’s mouth.
  • Peat, Peaty: Peat is a fuel formed of compacted vegetative layers harvested from the moors. A peat fire has traditionally provided the heat to dry the malted barley used in scotch whisky production.  A significant flavor element in many malts, this heavy, smoky, somewhat vegetative flavor is imparted by the distillery water having run over peat, the peat smoke used in the drying process, or both.
  • Peppery: Reminiscent of black pepper or hot chile peppers.  Contrast with “spicy”.
  • Phenolic: Aroma contains chemical phenols.  These are generally heavy, thick, tar-like scents.
  • Rich: Possessing robust, highly-flavored elements, usually with a thick mouthfeel.
  • Salt, Salty: Whether or not the spirit actually contains NaCl, this term denotes the perception of salinity.
  • Sherried: Influenced by aging in a sherry cask.  Usually implies a sweet, somewhat winey character.
  • Sherry: Reminiscent of the fortified wine of that name.
  • Smoke, Smokey: Evocative of the flavor of smoke.  Sometimes this is peat smoke, but other times the smoke is reminiscent of bonfires, leaf fires, log fireplaces, cigar tobacco, pipe tobacco, or something else.
  • Soft: Refers to mouthfeel.  Like a marshmallow.  Contrast with “firm”.
  • Spicy: Reminiscent of spices such as cinnamon, clove, or nutmeg.  Contrast with “peppery”.
  • Spirity: Denotes the obvious presence of ethanol.
  • Subtle: The elements of interest are not obvious on the palate.  Contrast with “big”.
  • Sweet: Either sweet in itself, or reminiscent of sweetness.  Frequently implies a “wet” feeling in the mouth (contrast with “dry”.)
  • Vegetative: Reminiscent of green plants, especially grasses.
  • Viscous: Refers to mouthfeel.
  • Youthful: Full of vibrant, volatile, light characteristics.  Flavors may not be well integrated, although they may be.  Think of a young wine.
  • Warm: Similar to “hot”, but to a lesser degree.
  • Winey: Reminiscent of wine.