Vintage Eve 7/2017: Vin Decanter, A Book Review for Wine 101ers

April 14, 2020 by evebushman

Vin Decanter is a book for the novice wine consumer. Written and presented in an accessible way to reduce the complexity of the subject…Chris Madden is a teacher with over twenty-five years experience of working in education. Post-graduate studies in educational psychology and primary education, together with international teaching experience in Europe and the Middle East has enabled Chris to transfer his unique learning approach to his passion for wine…(Amazon)

From Chris Madden’s Facebook photos.

My Review

No matter what, novice or aficionado (or like me, somewhere in between) readers will get a lot out of reading Madden’s book, Vin Decanter. These are some of the (wine) drops of wisdom I agreed with or learned:

Focus on identifying fruits first when examining a wine’s aromas and flavors, they are usually the first to be called to mind.

There is a bit from Madden regarding the difference between old world and new world wines. Most importantly is that a wine will taste different depending on where the grapes were grown.

This one I always forget: If the Bordeaux is from the right bank of the Gironde River it will be Merlot dominant, from the left bank its more Cabernet Sauvignon dominant. Bordeaux wine varietals rarely list which grapes have been used in their wines.

In the chapter on “How to Choose Wine” Madden wants us to consider a “Shared Choice” idea where you would consider what types of food or drink other guests like, and use that to select a wine. For example, Madden writes that a stout beer drinker may like the full body of a Shiraz.

A convenient “Summary of Buying Wine Guide” is just a page long and very thorough.

Yes, I agree with Madden, when he suggests to wait a bit if a wine smells a little off, and check again. I’ve often noticed that funky smells can blow off.

OMG, his idea on anchoring your wine glass to a table when swirling – I say this all the time! Why try swirling if you’re not used to doing it? Table it and anchor it! Thanks Madden for showing photos on how to do that.

In chapter six, “Developing Your Palate” Madden suggests, among other things, to eat the fruit you need to learn about. Take it a step further, he prompts, and try it with the wine it mimics.

I will try Madden’s suggestion that if I suspect TCA (trichloroanisole) –sometimes referred to by the broader term “cork taint” – aerate the wine for a bit. I have noticed that “funky” aromas can blow off, but I usually limit that to “barnyard” odors and not wet cardboard.

Try the London-based WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust) for wine education. If you want to study on your own Madden suggests spending time with one grape from one region, a varietal you may already enjoy, to begin to discern differences. Then move to another.

Print on demand ISBN: 9781540368807

Kindle: ASIN: B01MRZN87U

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Vin-Decanter-Your-first-steps/dp/1540368807/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1497651063&sr=1-8

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, 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.

AMORIM, THE GLOBAL LEADER IN CORK PRODUCTION, DELIVERS WORLD’S FIRST NATURAL CORKS WITH NON-DETECTABLE TCA GUARANTEE

June 9, 2016 by evebushman

Napa, California — Amorim (www.amorimcork.com/en/), the world’s leading cork producer, has achieved a major technological breakthrough to become the world’s first cork producer to produce and deliver natural cork stoppers to winemakers with a non-detectable TCA guarantee.*

ndtech_cortina

Known as NDtech, the cutting-edge technology greatly enhances Amorim’s quality control measures by screening individual cork stoppers on the production line to eliminate the risk of corks contaminated with 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA) reaching winemakers.

“Until now, no cork producer has been able to engage independent, scientific validation for a quality control system for natural cork stoppers that screens corks individually,” said Amorim’s research and development director Dr. Miguel Cabral.

“We have been working to achieve this goal for several years. Now we can examine an individual cork using sophisticated gas chromatography in just seconds, making the technology practical on a major industrial scale.”

Two of the world’s leading wine industry research facilities — Germany’s Hochschule Geisenheim and The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) — are currently engaged in the validation of the performance of NDtech.

“The fact that Amorim’s NDtech is the only individual cork screening technology to engage in validation from both Geisenheim and the AWRI underlines the magnitude of this Amorim technological breakthrough,” said Cabral.

Previously, gas chromatography examination took up to 14 minutes, making it impossible to use on production lines. Instead, Amorim applied the technology in laboratory-controlled batch testing as part of its quality control measures for the 4.2 billion corks it produces each year — and at the same time worked to improve the technology so it could be used in production.

The development of the super-fast NDtech follows a five-year, approximately $10 million research and development investment by Amorim and a partnership with a British company specializing in gas chromatography.

With incredibly high precision, NDtech can detect any cork with more than 0.5 nanograms of TCA per liter (parts per trillion). These corks are removed from the production line automatically.

The level of precision necessary to meet this standard on an industrial scale for the individual corks examined is astounding, especially given that the detection threshold of 0.5 nanograms/liter can be the equivalent of one drop of water in 800 Olympic-size swimming pools.

NDtech is complemented by Amorim’s existing preventive, curative and quality control measures, including the patented ROSA Evolution treatment used during production.

As the world’s leading cork producer, Amorim has stood at the forefront of the fight against TCA — a naturally forming chemical compound that is a problem in the packaged food and beverage industries — through the application of rigorous production standards and certified quality control methods.

“Amorim has experienced phenomenal growth in demand for natural cork stoppers over the past five years with annual sales increasing from three billion cork stoppers to more than four billion,” said Amorim’s chairman and CEO António Amorim.

“This is due, in part, to increasing awareness of cork’s environmental and technical advantages and acknowledgement of the added value that a quality natural cork closure brings to bottled wine. Now, with NDtech, we have made the world’s best wine stopper even better.”

NDtech will initially be applied to Amorim’s top-end natural cork stoppers used on some of the world’s most valuable wine brands. U.S. wineries are among the first to utilize natural cork stoppers that have undergone NDtech screening.

“The initial response from U.S. winemakers has been as positive as we had anticipated, especially given the important role that premium wine packaging has in a market as sophisticated as the United States,” said Amorim Cork America’s general manager Pedro Fernandes.

This groundbreaking technology presents U.S. winemakers with an opportunity to harness the unique benefits of sustainable natural cork knowing that Amorim has examined and guarantees each individual stopper.

“The introduction of NDtech after several years of development again highlights Amorim’s tenacious commitment to continually building upon its well-established and industry-leading quality control measures.”

*A non-detectable TCA guarantee means that if any TCA remains in a cork it is below the detection threshold of 0.5 nanograms/litre.

About Amorim

Tracing its roots back to the 19th century, Amorim (www.amorimcork.com/en/) is the largest producer and supplier of cork stoppers worldwide with sales of more than $680 million (€605 million). Amorim sells to over 15,000 active clients in 82 countries, including some of the world’s most renowned wine, Champagne, and spirits producers. With an annual production of more than four billion cork stoppers, it is evident that Amorim is well-equipped to meet the high performance demands of the industry. Additionally, Amorim and its subsidiaries are an integral part of a conservationist effort to guarantee the survival of hundreds of thousands of cork trees throughout the Mediterranean Basin.

Wine 101: Take Our Quiz and Learn

April 3, 2015 by evebushman

In looking at new ways to help wine 101ers learn about wine I remembered that in the weeks I was studying for my WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust) test I asked the other students to my home for some group study meetings. During one of those sessions one woman had found a really cool website that had a multiple choice quiz. As you answered the questions correctly you would get harder and harder questions. It really did help my education.

This isn’t it, but it does have questions that get gradually harder: http://www.wine-pages.com/resources/quizzes.html

Berry Brothers, a store in London has one also. The first 10 questions start easy and can be exchanged for 10 harder ones, and looks closer to what we studied with: http://www.bbr.com/quiz

Then I decided, what the heck, I’ll do my own for you peeps to learn a little with:

Our Beginners Test

1. What is the average alcohol percentage for wine?

a. Under 5%.

b. Over 15%

c. While both domestic and European wines hover between 13% to 15% alcohol content, some wines are a percentage below or above.

2. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes are widely grown in which area of France:

a. Bordeaux

b. Champagne

c. Rhone Valley

3. True or False: Champagne from Champagne, France, is the same as what we call Sparkling wine made anywhere else.

4. The color of red wine comes primarily from what?

a. The entire grape, red or white.

b. The length of the skin contact in the winemaking process.

c. Food coloring.

5. Finish this sentence, “Burgundy and Chablis wines…”

a. “…were common names for red and white blended wines in the United States about five decades ago.

b. “…are still popular wine names in France.”

c. “…are primarily made from Pinot Noir (Burgundy) and Chardonnay (Chablis) grapes.

d. all of the above.

6. True or False: An Australian Shiraz and a United States grown Syrah are the same grape but grown in different countries.

7. What is the most famous wine grape growing region outside of United States’ Napa Valley?

a. Bordeaux

b. Burgundy

c. Australia

d. South Africa

e. Chile

f. New Zealand

g. None of the above

8. Of the wine regions listed above, which region is the most known for making Champagne?

a. Bordeaux

b. Burgundy

c. Australia

d. South Africa

e. Chile

f. New Zealand

g. None of the above

9. Finish this sentence, “If a wine doesn’t taste good it could be due to…”

a. You ordered a wine that you’ve never had before, and you don’t like it.

b. TCA cork taint, where the cork is faulty and the wine has a wet cardboard mildew smell.

c. You now regret the that price you paid.

d. All of the above.

10. When can you send wine back that you’ve already sampled?

a. You don’t like it.

b. Cork taint.

c. You didn’t see the price.

Bonus question

11. How often to you read Eve’s Wine 101?

a. Every damn day.

b. All of the above.

c. What she said ^^.

Answers: 1: c, 2: a, 3: False, 4: b, 5: d, 6: True, 7: a, 8: g, 9: d, 10: b, 11: a, b and c!

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’s Wine 101: Wine Service at Your Home, an Event, Bar, Winery or Restaurant

October 31, 2014 by evebushman

In our years of writing about wine we have also had many occasions to serve wine in both public and private tasting events. Couple that with the countless events, bars, wineries and restaurants we’ve reviewed and I came up with a quick training guide for our consulting clients that I’d like to share with our wine 101ers.

This week’s column is an adaptation of my guide titled, “How To: Lead a Wine Tasting.” Normally this is a handout accompanied with an approximate 90-minute presentation. I also often use it as a check off list when I’m hired to lead a home tasting. For our purposes I used italics for items I felt needed a little further explanation. (So, to answer that question in your head, no, this is not a 90-minute lesson, just a synopsis. Email me if you need anything more: Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com)

Prep

Tell guests to avoid wearing perfume as it conflicts with detecting wine aromas.

Minty gum, mints, cigarettes should be avoided prior to tasting.

Prepare the menu, with or without food pairing.

Select a theme.

Ingredients

Anecdotes. (For home: Just like a comic warming up a crowd, you will also get revved up by telling one of your wine stories. It could have been your first wine experience, your last, anything that is short and funny. Think about it, you’ve probably told a few stories about wine over wine already, pick a couple. As your party progresses you may need a couple more, to keep the evening moving. For all others: You still need a good story, preferably about the winemaker/winery/liquor you are highlighting.)

2-ounce pourer. (For public and private events to control pours and inebriation.)

Napkin for use as a wine bottle drape.

White tablecloth, napkin, or menu – to discern wine color. (Prompt your guest to hold their wine over a white object to focus on color.)

Pour out buckets/spittoons.

Pens and menu for note taking.

WSET Flavor and Aroma chart. (See photo on the left. This is very handy for the server and for the guest to help discern descriptors.)

Information sheet about the winery if applicable.

Ice buckets. (If serving white, sparkling, or any red you need to chill down fast place bottle into bucket first, add in several cups of ice around your bottle, fill with water for the “ice bath.” Will chill your wine in 20 minutes that way. Be mindful of over-chilling as the cold will “shut down” a wine’s aromas. If the room temperature is mild, go ahead and remove after the 20, you can always pop back in if needed.)

Stemware. (Your choice. Most people think bigger is better, however, then your two-ounce pour looks smaller. Choose clear, large-bowled glasses without a design whenever possible. Crystal glassware, such as Reidel, are widely respected. Glass tumblers lower the chances of spillage.)

Wine identifiers. (If you are serving 6 or more people this is a nice touch.)

Decanters. (Always have one handy in case it’s needed to help a young red wine age a little more gracefully before served.)

Directions

Sample each wine to check for TCA before pouring samples to the guests. (TCA is an acronym for a much longer term referring to cork taint. You are looking for a bad taste, sometimes noted as cardboard, or anything you find off-putting in the wine’s flavor. Wine can be damaged by many things, heat and movement included, so though TCA is a commonly used term it may not be the term that applies to any particular wine that happens to have been damaged. And if the smell is funky taste anyway; often a freshly opened bottle smells differently than one that has been opened for a few minutes or more.)

If you can, greet your guests with a small taste, sparkling always gets the mood started.

Do not rush anyone. However, if a guest is very late, begin the tasting without them.

Tell guests about each wine before or as they are tasting.

Share your thoughts on aroma, and then ask for theirs.

Repeat for thoughts on flavor.

If a food pairing, ask for comments on if/how the wine changes with the food.

Have a general conclusion about the wine, liked/disliked, before moving on.

Prompt guests to use spittoon/pour out bucket to avoid inebriation.