The BIG PICTURE for REDS: Tasting Exercise

OK, last post, I introduced the logic behind the BIG PICTURE tasting. If you didn’t read it, check it out here.

This post gets into the suggested wine options for the Red Wine Big Picture Tasting. Remember, these are the most popular red wines sold in the United States today, so getting a good overview of these will give you a foundation that will facilitate adventures into lesser known wines such as those from Italy or South America.

Top Selling Red Wines for big picture tasting:

• Pinot Noir
• Merlot
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Zinfandel
• Syrah/Shiraz

Step 1: Buy the Wines:

Here is the list of red wines that would be good options for this tasting. I’ve also included a high level summary on the type of taste that is typically found in each wine varietal. Remember that you cannot learn what something tastes like from reading someone else’s words. Even if you have tasted these wines before, there is something to be learned in tasting them side-by-side with the others. It really highlights the differences in the varietals and can tell you a lot about what you like and don’t like, and why. If you buy the cheapest of all these wines below you will spend $84 and if you buy the most expensive you will pay $126. Not bad for an overarching, high level education of red wine styles for up to 12 people.

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is the lightest bodied of the 5 red wines you will be tasting. It typically has considerably less tannin than the other types of wine here and therefore tastes very smooth. It is typically high in acidity and that makes it a very versatile match for many types of food. Flavors can range from fruity to earthy. Pinot Noir grapes grow best in cool climates. Burgundy France is where this grape became famous. The best Pinot Noir wines in the US tend to come from the cooler coastal areas of California such as the Russian River Valley. Oregon is known for its excellent Pinot Noir.

• 2009 Chehalem Pinot Noir "3 Vineyard" (OR) $27
• 2008 or 2009 Benton-Lane Pinot Noir (OR) $26
• 2006 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir "Willamette Valley" (OR) $25
• 2009 La Crema Pinot Noir "Sonoma Coast" (CA) $24
• 2008 Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir “Los Carneros” (CA) $27

Merlot

Wine made from Merlot can taste a little sweet due to lower acidity than the Pinot Noir grape. Merlot wine is typically heavier in body than the Pinot and often quite dark in color. Plum and berry flavors are often detected in Merlot wines. Due to the popularity of Merlot, there are several low quality wines using this grape available on the market. I find it best to stay away from the least expensive bottles of Merlot because they can taste too sweet without the balancing components of acid or tannins.

• 2007 Chateau Ste Michelle Merlot "Canoe Ridge Estate" (WA) $22
• 2007 Sterling Vineyards Merlot Napa Valley (CA) $22
• 2007 Joseph Carr Merlot "Napa Valley" (CA) $19
• 2008 Chateau Ste Michelle Merlot "Indian Wells" (WA) $18
• 2007 Kendall Jackson Merlot "Vintner's Reserve" (CA)$18

Cabernet Sauvignon

The Cabernet Sauvignon grape is very small, making for a high percentage of skins and stems being in contact with the grape juice during the wine making process. Skin and stems are where tannin comes from. Tannin has the effect of drying out your tongue. It is not a ‘taste’ like bitter or sweet, but rather a kind of grabbing feeling on the tongue due to the tannin molecules attaching to receptors on the tongue. Sometimes it feels as if your tongue wants to curl up or if it is drying out. Tannins mellow with time and any exposure to oxygen which is why it is sometimes necessary to let a young cabernet ‘breathe’. Cabernet Sauvignon are typically medium bodied, and rich in color. Good quality Cabernet Sauvignon wines can be quite complex in flavor combining rich dark berry flavors with aromas of earth, spice, cedar and herbs. Cabernet Sauvignon is often the ideal paring partner to red meat because the fat and protein in the meat soften the effects that tannins have on the pallet.

• 2006 Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon (CA) $27
• 2007 Dry Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (CA) $20
• 2007 Beringer “Knights Valley” Cabernet (CA) $22
• 2008 Beringer “Knights Valley” Cabernet (CA) $19
• 2007 Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon "Sonoma County" (CA) $19
• 2007 Chateau Ste Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon "Columbia Valley" (WA) $16

Zinfandel

Wines from this grape can range from bright berry taste with a medium body to heavy bodied, dark and complex with fruit, wood and spice. This is a BIG red wine with bold flavors and often substantial tannins.

• 2007 Four Vines Zinfandel "Maverick" (CA) $25
• 2007 Alexander Valley Vineyards Zinfandel "Redemption Zin" (CA) $20
• 2008 Cline Cellars Zinfandel "Ancient Vines" (CA) $16
• 2008 EOS Zinfandel "Paso Robles" (CA) $18
• 2007 Ravenswood Sonoma County “Old Vines” Zinfandel (CA) $14
• 2008 Bogle Old Vines Zinfandel (CA) $11
• 2008 7 Deadly Zins Zinfandel (CA) $9

Syrah/Shiraz

Syrah/Shiraz has become very popular and less expensive brands can taste like generic red wine. With a quality wine, made in the traditional Syrah style, you should taste a complex combination of spice, vegetables, herbs, fruit and perhaps oak.

• 2008 Two Hands Shiraz "Gnarly Dudes" (Australia) $25
• 2006 Zaca Mesa Syrah (CA) $23
• 2007 Pillar Box Shiraz"Reserve" (Australia) $20
• 2008 Qupe Central Coast Syrah (CA) $17
• 2008 Morgan Syrah (CA) $18

Step 2 - setup your glasses

Number your glasses (you can use a sharpie to mark the foot of the glass--it will wash off, or use a placemat or piece of paper with numbers on it).

The glasses should be numbered as follows:

1. Pinot Noir
2. Merlot
3. Cabernet Sauvignon
4. Zinfandel
5. Syrah/Shiraz

Step 3 - open and pour the wine

Pour about 1.5 ounces of wine per glass. You can purchase measured wine spouts to go in the top of the bottles for a professional pour every time. Otherwise, try to estimate the pour.

Step 4 - taste the wines in numbered order.

Taste the wines in order. You don’t need to drink the entire sample. The basic process for tasting wine is as follows:

1. Look at the wine in your glass. Note the color and clarity. Just note it.
2. Swirl the wine in your glass by “circling” the stem of the glass so the the wine washes up on the insides of the glass.
3. Smell the wine. Place you nose at the edge of the rim, slightly inside the glass. Take 1 or 2 short sniffs. What do you smell? Don’t think too hard about it, but do take your time and let your imagination tell you what you might be smelling.
4. Sip the wine. Take your time. Savoring each sip. Think about what the wine tastes like. Don’t worry about fancy wine tasting notes, or about describing the wine a certain way. This is about imprinting in your memory what each type of wine tastes like at a high level. Do you notice it as a tingling sensation on your tongue? Do you sense any sweetness or bitterness? Does your mouth seem to ‘dry out’ like if you were drinking black tea that was steeped for too long? Does the wine taste fruity? Most importantly, do you like it? Remember, wine tasting is about your enjoyment, there are no right or wrong answers!