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Welcome to
World
from around the
Presented by the NJ Multicultural inclusion network
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Thursday, November 8, 2018, from 4 pm-6:30 pm Parsippany Office/Garden State Room
How to taste wine: The six Ss*
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Wines
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Of course you can just relax and sip your wine. But if you want to taste like a pro, here's a guide on how to really appreciate your wine.
1. See
Grasp the glass by the stem, tilt it over a white surface, and observe the color. For a red, hold the fingers of your other hand underneath the glass; if you can see your fingers, the wine was made from a thin-skinned grape like Pinot Noir. Opaque wines may be more concentrated and tannic (tannins are the element that make your tongue feel “grippy”). Color can also indicate age.
2. Swirl
Swirling releases the aromatic compounds in the wine produced by the vinification process, and appreciating them is part of the experience of enjoying wine. The easiest way to do it without spilling is to place your glass on the table, still holding it by the stem. Make circles using the base of the glass so the wine swirls around and releases it aromas.
3. Sniff
Smell the wine from your chin level, and then with your nose in the glass. Close your eyes—what do you smell? Try to identify fruit smells such as plum, apple, berries, cherry (these all come from the grapes); spicy smells (vanilla, tobacco, leather, coconut, black pepper), or other elements such as an earthy mushroom smell or smokiness from a heavily toasted barrel.
4. Sip
Take a tablespoon of the wine in your mouth, but before you swallow, hold it in for a few minutes and roll it around to taste it with different parts of your mouth. Evaluate if it’s sweet, bitter, sour, or "hot" from the alcohol level. Wine experts will purse their lips and inhale to add more oxygen to the mix and break apart the aromatic compounds even more.
5. Savor
Before you take the next sip, enjoy this one. How long is the “finish,” meaning how long does the flavor linger in your mouth? Do the wine's elements—fruit, acidity, alcohol, tannin, and weight—feel balanced to you? How "heavy" is it (think of the difference between skim milk, whole milk and cream)? Remember—the best wine is the one YOU enjoy the most.
6. Spit! You may get tipsy before you realize it if tasting a lot of wine. We've provided spit cups and slop buckets. Please drink responsibly!
The Cheeses
We have chosen a selection of cheeses to try with the wines. An asterisk indicates a classic pairing that you should definitely try. Brie: Several hundred years ago, Brie was one of the tributes which had to be paid to the French kings—now it's a must for any cheese selection. This cow's milk cheese is slightly pale in color with a grayish tinge under a rind. In order to enjoy the taste fully, Brie should be served at room temperature. Try with Krsma Sauvignon Blanc. Taleggio: A semisoft, washed-rind, smear-ripened Italian cheese with a thin crust and a strong aroma, its flavor is comparatively mild with an unusual fruity tang. Try with Zuccardi Malbec.
Manchego: Produced in the La Mancha region of Spain, the home of Don Quixote, authentic Manchego is only made from unpasteurized sheep's milk. The traditional use of grass molds leaves a distinctive, characteristic zigzag pattern on the cheese. Try with *Rioja—be sure not to miss this classic pairing!
The Naked Goat: A Spanish raw goat's milk cheese aged for six months It's tangy yet sweet...creamy yet firm... sheepy yet contains only goat's milk. Try with *Rioja or *Sauvignon Blanc.
Point Reyes Blue: Produced on a family farm, California’s classic style blue cheese is rindless and all-natural. Milky white in color with blue-green veins throughout, the ultra-creamy texture contains mediumstrong blue mold flavor. Try with Viognier or Riesling.
Appenzeller: This cheese was mentioned in documents over 700 years ago. The Swiss herbal meadows provide an optimum basis for the natural, robust raw milk from which Appenzeller cheese is made. Try with *Riesling.
Beemster: This aged Gouda is from Northern Holland, renowned for its rich milk and fertile grazing land. Upon maturing, the cheese develops a caramel color and a strong aroma with a sweet finish. Try with *Riesling, *Shiraz or Pinotage.
* These tips are from The One-Minute Wine Master by Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan, MW. It's a great beginner book if you want to learn more about wine appreciation.
The Wines
With three white wines and four red wines from all over the world, you have a wide range of flavors and styles to sample.
Riesling (REEZ-ling) Germany: Heinz Eifel 2016
Viognier (vee-OWN-yay) Israel: Psâgot 2017
Israel's hot climate works for the Viognier grape, which loves intense sunshine and heat. Look for aromas of ripe fruit, pineapple, peach, apricot, honeycomb, and spice notes such as cloves and allspice. Medium acidity and weight.
Notes: __________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Germany has long been famous for its Riesling wine. Light in weight, crisp acidity, and a long luscious finish, it is highly aromatic, with notes of peach and apricot. This a Spätlese (SHPATE-lay-zuh) or "late harvest" wine, meaning it is on the sweet side.
Notes: _____________________________ _________________________________ _________________________________
Rioja (ree-OH-ha) Spain: Marqués de Murrieta Reserva 2012
Sauvignon Blanc
(SO-veen-yohn blonk)
India: Krsma 2016
India's climate is challenging to wine growers, but at 590 meters above sea level, the Hampi Hills are cooler and receive minimal rainfall. Straw-colored with tropical fruit on the nose, crisp and well-balanced with defined acidity, cut grass and a prolonged lingering finish.
Notes: _________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ Pinotage (pee-no-TAZH) South Africa: Spier 2016
A blend consisting mainly of Spain's famous Tempranillo grapes, the nose delivers berry and cherry aromas, with ample oak. The palate is a bonanza of berry flavors framed by briary spice and toasty oak, with a spicy, ripe finish.
Notes: ____________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ Malbec (MALL-beck) Argentina: Zuccardi Q 2015
Pinotage was born and bred in South Africa by crossing the grapes Pinot Noir and the more robust Cinsault. On the nose, look for black cherry, leather and a touch of oak. Light to medium body on the palate with notes of dark berries and a bit of vanilla and firm tannins.
Malbec is a French grape that has taken well to South America and become very popular. This one has aromas of red and black fruit with some spiciness and wild herbs. The palate is mediumbodied, with very nice balance, fine-grained tannins and very good length. It finishes dry with a hit of austerity.
Notes: _________________________
Notes: ___________________________
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Shiraz (sheer-AZZ) Australia: Hope Estate 2011
The French grape Syrah became Shiraz when it emigrated to Australia. Shiraz is known for a concentrated "jammy" smell and taste. Look for blueberry preserves and black cherry compote on the nose, with spices, vanilla, aniseed and dark chocolate and a whiff of eucalyptus. Full-bodied and rich on the palate, it tastes of black fruit and spice flavors framed by velvety tannins and bright acidity.
Notes: _______________________ ___________________________ ___________________________