Drink This Now: Lesson 1

I'm taking Geography of Wine this semester. Over the past month, I've tried different wines and different types of cheese with meals. I bought a bottle of wine and some cheese and snacks after I read the first chapter of Drink This Now: Lesson 1.

Step 1. First open the bottle and try immediately. What is its color? What do you smell? What flavors do you taste? Write down some descriptions of your experience, both what you smell and how it tastes. Here are my observations:

Name:  Crane Lake Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon 

Style: Red

Volume: 750 ml

Alcohol:  10%

Region:  Napa Valley

Country: United States

Price: $5

Varietal review: 

When it comes to US wine production, California is King. California wines account for almost 90% of all wines produced in the United States each year, and is home to the most celebrated vineyards and producers in the country. California is probably best known for its world-famous Cabernets and Chardonnays, many of which hail from its two most-acclaimed AVAs, Napa Valley and Sonoma County. Other prominent grapes used in California wines include Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and Zinfandel (which California made popular).

My review: 

Its color is ruby. This red wine tastes dry.  When I tasted it for the first time, I thought it was a little dry for me. It has same as aromas with elements of underripe strawberry. I think it is go well with food.

Step 2. Next wait at least 2 hours for the wine to “open up,” leaving the cork off the wine allows oxygen to get in. Try the wine again. Has the smell changed? How so? What about the taste? Is it fruitier? Is it more appealing to you?

After I left it there for two hours, I felt it was lighter. On the nose black licorice, tabacco, blackberries and pepper. When I drink it again, I feel he is more balanced, very smooth.

Step 3. Now try the wine with cheese. And I mean try it: don’t be shy or proper. Get a big ol’ hunk of that cheese and start chewing on it, and then start sipping the wine while you work it through. Record your reactions. Has anything changed in the taste? Does the wine seem smoother or lighter or fruitier? Repeat with a different type of cheese if available. Again, detect some differences and make yourself write down some different descriptors.

I tasted the cheese first and it was quite salty. Then while I was chewing on the cheese, I took a sip of wine. I feel like the wine makes the cheese taste saltier. And the cheese adds acidity to the wine. I can taste a very distinct berry flavor.

Step 4. Now try the wine with food. Does the spiciness of the meat bring out any different flavors in the wine? Record your reactions again. If you are going for the gusto with a full fledged dinner, try a bite of each individual food with a sip of wine and note any differences of taste on paper. Does the meat with wine create a different taste than the asparagus or potatoes with wine?

I eat it with beef. I felt the beef released more black pepper flavor. There is more blueberry flavor in the red wine.

Step 5. Finally (if possible), save a bit of wine in the bottle. Let it sit exposed (no cork) on the counter for a few more hours. Let it go overnight if you want. Then try it again on its own, without food. What’s it like now? Write it down. Compare this with your first impression of the wine right after you opened it. What has happened?

After overnight, it has bright and fruity with black plum and blackberry aromas and flavors. I think this class is very interesting, it can let me better feel the wine!