Wine Tasting 101: Expand your knowledge with Animate Wine Collective
We were recently joined by Sarah Mansourian de Ayala and Lauren Gonzales of Animate Wine Collective for an evening dedicated to developing our palates and identifying specific characteristics that we enjoy in wine. We learned how to properly read wine labels, we were taught some of the differences between new and old world wines, and we even discussed how to order off of a restaurant menu with confidence.
We kicked off summer in style with a delightful Wine Tasting 101 event in early June. Twenty attendees joined us for the evening which was led by Sarah Mansourian and Lauren Gonzales.
Lauren and Sarah are wine industry veterans and the founders of Animate Wine Collective, a Seattle-based company dedicated to making wine education fun and engaging. Their goal is to bring wine to life by telling its story within a historical, geographical and culinary context.
Our evening began with a glass of Raventos Blanc de Blanc 2021 as guests mingled and made new connections. Lauren and Sarah’s mission is to help everyone discover their own wine preferences, breaking down any preconceived notions. Did you know that there are over ten thousand grape varieties worldwide, each offering a unique taste profile waiting to be explored!?
Following our welcoming glass of bubbly, guests collected their personal charcuterie boxes and settled into their seats. Sarah and Lauren began by demystifying the process of the classic "see, swirl, sniff, sip, savor" steps. Armed with this newfound knowledge, it was time to put theory into practice! Our first pairing included: Coulon Le Petite Renard Blanc and La Villaudière Sancerre Blanc. Guests sipped, swirled, and savored the distinct personalities of each wine.
The Sancerre boasted a vibrant tropical character, bursting with aromatic notes. Its counterpart was more subdued, offering hints of peach and mineral touches. Lively discussions could be heard at each table as guests compared their observations and the wines' unique characteristics.
See, Swirl, Sniff, Sip, Savor: The Art of Wine Tasting
Wine tasting is a sensory journey, a way to appreciate the full complexity of a wine. Here's a breakdown of the key steps:
SEE: The color of the wine can tell you a lot about its age, grape variety, and body. Lighter colored whites tend to be younger and have a lighter body, while deeper golds or amber hues might indicate an older or sweeter wine. Reds range from a light ruby for Pinot Noir to a deep, inky purple for Syrah, often reflecting their body and richness.
SWIRL: When you gently swirl the wine in your glass you are aerating the wine, releasing its aromatic compounds. Swirling also helps the aromas rise to the surface, preparing you for the next step.
SNIFF: When you smell your wine you'll pick up on the primary aromas, which come directly from the grape variety itself. Think of notes like red berries, citrus, or black pepper.
SIP: When you first sip your wine, you are allowing the flavors to reach your taste receptors. Here, you'll confirm the aromas you picked up while sniffing, but you'll also experience the wine's texture, body, acidity, sweetness, and tannins (the drying sensation on your gums).
SAVOR: The aftertaste, is also known as the finish. A good finish should be pleasant and linger for a while, leaving you wanting another sip. Look for lingering notes of fruit, spice, or chocolate - these can be just as important as the initial taste.
Remember, there's no right or wrong way to taste wine. The most important thing is to relax, have fun, and enjoy the journey of discovery!
Struggling to find the words to describe what you are smelling or tasting? Take a look at this handy aroma wheel courtesy of Brasswood Cellars in Napa Valley.
We next transitioned from crisp whites to bolder reds. Guests sampled three distinct red wines: a 2021 Bergstrom Cumberland Reserve Pinot Noir (think fresh fruit and lively acidity), a full-bodied 2019 Aramis Vineyards The Bastion Shiraz (showcasing rich dark fruit flavors), and finally we sipped a 2014 vintage of the same Shiraz. This side-by-side tasting revealed the fascinating impact of aging. The 2014 Shiraz displayed a more complex, nuanced profile, its fruit notes evolving significantly. This experience solidified the remarkable aging potential of certain red wines.
“Higher alcohol and sugar content is what give a wine it’s “legs” but it’s a misconception that the presence of legs means higher quality!”
Have you ever wondered about the difference between an Old World and New World wine? Old World refers to wines produced in countries with a long history of winemaking, primarily in Europe. This includes regions like France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Portugal, etc. New World represents wines from countries that adopted European winemaking practices later. These regions include the Americas (North & South America), Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, etc.
Next in our discussion guests learned how to decipher a wine label. Wine labels offer a wealth of information. Most share a core set of facts: the producer (who made it), the region (where the grapes were grown), and the grape variety (the star of the show, like Sauvignon Blanc). The vintage year specifies the harvest date, revealing the impact of that specific season (was there a drought that year or fires?). Net contents (usually milliliters in Old World wines) tell you the bottle size, while alcohol content (ABV) indicates its strength. Finally, the sulfite declaration simply informs you if this preservative is present. By understanding these key elements, you will have the tools to decode any wine label.
The evening culminated with a discussion about cork vs screw top (see below), and tips for ordering wine in a restaurant (see below also). Guests then had a little time to revisit their favorite wines. Those that fell in love with a particular taste from the evening had the option to purchase bottles on-site from Sarah and Lauren. We had a blast with the ladies from Animate Wine Collective and can’t wait to raise a glass at our second installment of Wine Tasting 101 happening later this July. Cin Cin!
“For those in the know, ‘the palate confirms the nose’ is a playful way of saying the taste echoes the aroma. ”
Cork vs. Screw Top: The great closure debate
Wine bottles come in two main closure options: cork and screw top. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Screw Top Pros: More sustainable option, virtually eliminates "cork taint" (an unpleasant flavor caused by faulty corks), provides a more controlled environment for the wine. Cons: Doesn't allow for the same gradual air exposure as cork, which can be beneficial for some aging wines.
Cork Pros: Allows for micro-oxidation, which can be helpful for long-term aging of certain wines. Cons: Less sustainable option, carries a risk of "cork taint," may lead to less consistent wine preservation.
Ultimately, the best closure depends on the type of wine and your intended purpose. Screw tops are ideal for wines meant to be enjoyed young, while corks may be preferred for aging specific wines.
Each attendee went home with a couple of wine discs. These are portable, re-usable and and help prevent drips on grandma’s white table cloth! Phew! We’ve linked the product below if you want to pick up a few for your own home.
Navigating the wine list in a restaurant:
Ordering wine by the glass can be tempting, but keep in mind restaurants often price it at the full wholesale bottle cost. For better value, consider a bottle from the wine list. While restaurants typically mark up all wines, the markup tends to be higher on cheaper bottles. So, counterintuitively, the higher-priced selections on the list may offer better value. Don't be shy! Sommeliers are there to guide you. Tell them what you're having for dinner and any flavor preferences you have. You can even point to a wine in your ideal price range and request something in that same range. They'll be happy to recommend a perfect pairing. **Hot Tip: call your restaurant ahead of time to see if they have a corkage fee. This is sure to be the best value and you are guaranteed to love the wine since you brought it from home.
Buying wine locally:
If you're buying wine at a store, consider going beyond big box chains. Stores like Whole Foods and Met Market often have regional buyers who source wines from smaller, interesting producers. This can be a great way to discover unique wines you won't find everywhere.
Common wine terms:
In case you need a Wine 100 to your Wine 101 class we’ve included a list of commonly used wine terms and what they mean.
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Dry refers to a wine that has little to no residual sugar. It does not taste sweet at all, although some may have fruity aromas which your nose may interpret as sweet.
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Sweet wines have noticeable residual sugar left over after fermentation. They can range from slightly sweet to very sweet.
Very sweet wines might include wines like ice wine, port or Muscato d’Asti.
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Body refers to the weight and texture of a wine in the mouth. It can be light, medium, or full-bodied. Thinking about the difference in viscosity between honey and maple syrup might help you visualize this concept.
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Tannins are natural compounds found in grape skins, seeds, and stems. They contribute to the astringent, drying sensation in red wines (they give you that puckering sensation). As a wine ages, the tannins soften.
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Acidity is the tart or crisp character of a wine. It plays an important role in balancing sweetness and creating a refreshing taste. Did you know wines with high acid content will actually encourage saliva production?
When we taste something acidic, our body reacts by stimulating the salivary glands to produce more saliva. This helps to neutralize the acidity and cleanse the palate, allowing us to perceive the full range of flavors in the wine. How fascinating!
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The finish is the taste that lingers in your mouth after you swallow the wine. It can be short, medium, or long. It can also be pleasant or unpleasant, and therefore plays an important role in wine seletion.
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Aroma refers to the smell of the wine. Swirling the wine in the glass helps to release the aromas.
When you swirl the wine, you create more surface area for the wine to come into contact with the air. This allows the volatile aromatic compounds in the wine to escape more readily.
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Bouquet is a more complex term used to describe the aroma of a mature wine.
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Vintage refers to the year that the grapes were harvested.
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NV is an abbreviation for non-vintage (you may see this on a wine label). Sparkling wine for example would be labeled this way if it was a blend of multiple years.
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Varietal refers to a wine made from a single grape variety, such as Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon.
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A blend is a wine made from two or more grape varieties.
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Appellation is a legally defined wine region with specific production regulations. Examples include Bordeaux in France and Napa Valley in California.
Our top picks for exploring the world one glass at a time:
Now that you know how to properly swirl, sniff, sip and savor your way through any wine varietal it’s time to elevate your experience with the proper tools. Below we’ve listed some of our favorites that we use at home, whether entertaining guests or wine-ing down on a Friday evening. Salut!
Vinturi Red Wine Aerator: In a pinch and don't have time to decant your bottle? Pour through the Vinturi and filter any potential sediment while you aerate a glass at a time! We use this religiously!
Coravin Wine Preservation System: Sometimes you want to pour just a single glass and not the whole bottle. Thanks to Coravin's technology, you preserve the integrity of the bottle while only poking a tiny hole in the cork that will then reseal, leaving whatever remainder (if any?) of a great bottle seemingly untouched!
Graf Lantz Felt Wine Markers: Despite our best efforts, we've all ended up in situations where you're entertaining a group and lose track of your glass. There are tons of wine markers on the market but most are humorous, while these are some of the classiest on the market.
Wine Disc: We love this portable, re-usable and super easy to use drop-stopping wine pourer. Simply roll it up and pop it into your wine bottle - voila! No more drips!
Animate Wine Collective: Craving a curated wine experience? Lauren and Sarah at Animate Wine Collective are passionate wine experts with years of industry experience. Whether you're a sparkling wine enthusiast or a complete beginner, they'll craft a personalized experience for your next private or corporate gathering that will suit your taste and goals.
Until we gather again!
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