Good taste

Cherries, rocks, and wet dogs in your wine

by Thor Iverson

How to describe the taste of wine? As a tally of measurable components like acidity, tannin, and sugar content? With wine-critic buzz-words like mouth-filling, forward, and angular? With metaphors ("a chunky, geeky kid brother to the reserve bottling")? All are valid to some degree, but the most useful way to describe wine is the most obvious: relating the actual sensations one experiences while tasting and smelling it.

"Excuse me," you're probably asking, "did you say smelling? Is wine a beverage or a nasal spray?" This is a good time to introduce two of the most important words in wine tasting: nose and palate. The nose is the smell of a wine, usually judged by swirling the liquid, sticking your schnozz right into the glass (or directly over it; major cool points are deducted for dunking your nose into the wine itself), and taking a big whiff. Swirling and sniffing may make you feel silly, but your nose is much more sensitive than your tongue, and reveals a lot of things about what went into (and what you'll eventually get out of) the wine. Your mouth is easily distracted by things like tannin, acidity, and alcohol and can miss the subtle nuances that make wine really interesting.

Palate is a little more complicated; it describes the range of sensations once the wine enters your mouth, and includes stages known as the attack (the initial wine-to-tongue contact), the finish (the aftertaste once the wine has been swallowed), and the mid-palate (everything in between).

So what does wine taste like? Well, if you've read the tasting notes in previous columns -- or shelf displays in wine stores, or the back labels on bottles -- you might conclude that wine tastes like a mélange of fruit, vegetables, spices, flowers, rocks, and animal products. Wine connoisseurs sometimes seem to speak in code, but it's really no more than an attempt to isolate individual flavors and smells in the wine, and then to describe the wine as a combination of those characteristics. And all it takes to develop that ability is practice.

Next time you put something in your mouth -- it doesn't matter whether it's caviar or a Big Mac -- pay attention to the way it tastes and smells. Go out of your way to taste fruits and vegetables. Smell a wet rock, or a wet dog (really). When you smell and taste carefully, you accumulate a mental library of aromas and flavors. Now go retaste some of your favorite wines. Try to describe your impressions, in print or out loud. You'll be amazed at the difference in your perception. Soon you'll be announcing to the world: "This Big Mac has a runny nose, a beefy mid-palate, and a finish reminiscent of Worcester."

This week's wine recommendations cover a wide range of tastes and flavors; after trying them, refer back to our tasting notes to see if you agree.

1997 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau ($11.99). The yearly release of this French wine is an international event, and it's one of the easiest and simplest wines to understand. The nose and palate are both boisterous mouthfuls of berries with shades of cantaloupe and a distinct grapey quality. Serve it slightly chilled with just about anything, though it will really shine with duck or venison in a berry sauce.

1994 Trimbach Riesling ($17.99). The polar opposite of Beaujolais Nouveau, this restrained and austere white from Alsace has mild peach and citrus flavors, underpinned by a distinct stony character and some acidity. Try it with poultry or pasta in any sort of creamy sauce.

1991 José Maria da Fonseca Terras Altas (Dão) ($7.99). Portugal makes more than just ports, though this dry red (tasting of blueberries, sour apples, chocolate, black cherries, and cedar) bears a passing resemblance to its sweeter brethren. Match it with spicy meats, vegetables, or sauces.

1994 Rooiberg Cellars Jerepíko ($11.99). A South African dessert wine with a nose of coffee, cloves, and red meat (don't worry, it's a common smell in red wines). On the palate, there's an unmistakable current of prune, chocolate, and squash. Yes, it's a little odd, but give it a try.

1994 Charles Schleret Gewurztraminer Herrenweg ($17.99). An Alsatian white from the highly individualistic gewürztraminer grape (in case you're wondering, it's pronounced "geh-vurz-tra-mee-nair"), with an oily, spicy, roasted-nut and rose-petal taste and a nearly endless finish. The flavors will show best with sausage, spicy pork and poultry dishes, and foie gras.

Thor Iverson can be reached at wine@phx.com.

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