Wine Infographic: Wine 101 Cheat Sheet

Next in the wine cheat sheet series:  Wine 101.  Everything you need for a basic understanding of wine.

To see the Cheat Sheet in full size…
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You may also be interested in:
Acid 101
Tannin 101
U.S. Wine Cheat Sheet

Wine Infographic: New and Improved Australian Wine Cheat Sheet

I'm redoing some of my older wine cheat sheets with a better look and more information. Here's the new and improved Australian Wine Cheat Sheet!

To see the Cheat Sheet in full size…
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You may also be interested in:
Chilean Wine Cheat Sheet
Syrah/Shiraz Cheat Sheet
South African Wine Cheat Sheet
New Zealand Wine Cheat Sheet

Wine Infographic: Bordeaux Wine Cheat Sheet

Next in the wine cheat sheet series:  Bordeaux!

I'll be the wine educator on a river cruise through Bordeaux in 2017. Want to come along? We have spaces available!

If you're interested in learning about Bordeaux, you may also want to check out the French Wine Cheat Sheet and the Botrytis (Noble Rot) Cheat Sheet.

The full collection of wine cheat sheets is here.

To see the Cheat Sheet in full size…
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Wine Infographic: French Wine Cheat Sheet - new and improved!

The original French Wine Cheat Sheet was one of the first wine cheat sheets I ever made, more than 3 years ago. I've gotten better at it since then! Here's the new and improved version.

This kicks off a greater focus on French wine in my personal tasting and studying, in preparation for being the wine educator on a river cruise through Bordeaux next year. Want to come along? Find more info here:  Tour Bordeaux with a French Wine Scholar.

The full collection of wine cheat sheets is here.

To see the Cheat Sheet in full size…
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An Organic Bargain from Chile

I've written a couple of times before (here and here) about Emiliana in Chile.  Emiliana produces organic grapes which are farmed sustainably, and some of their wines are biodynamic.  (More on biodynamic wine here.)  I liked the wines I had tasted so far, but I had never tried Emiliana's Sauvignon Blanc.  So when I saw it in Fresh Market today for $10, I had to try it.

Emiliana's Natura Sauvignon Blanc comes from the Casablanca Valley in the Aconcagua Region in northern Chile (check the Chilean Wine Cheat Sheet to see where that is).  Its aromas are fresh and crisp, with lime, grapefruit, and grassy notes.  Like most Sauvignon Blanc, it has a bit of vegetal character (like asparagus or canned mushrooms).  The flavor is dry but fruity, crisp and tart, with tropical fruit and citrus notes.  Overall it's well balanced and has a nice finish.

I drank it with a spinach and mushroom crustless quiche, and it was perfect.  

You really can't do better than this for a $10 Sauvignon Blanc.  This one is going into my regular rotation.

A Sweet Wine Goes Dry: Furmint from Hungary

Tokaji Aszu is a famous dessert wine from Hungary, made from white grapes affected by the fungus botrytis (known as "noble rot").  For a quick primer on botrytis, here's the Botrytis Cheat Sheet:

(To see the Wine Cheat Sheet in full size…

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Six different grapes may be used to make the sweet Tokaji Aszu, but Furmint is the most important, accounting for 60% of the plantings.

Now you can try this grape on its own in a dry wine.  In 2003 the Royal Tokaji company, which makes the sweet Tokaji Aszu, began producing a dry white wine made with 100% Furmint.

The 2011 dry Furmint has aromas of minerals and lemon, vegetal aromas, and a bit of something spicy and earthy.  On the palate it's dry, with high acid, and flavors which generally match the aromas.  There's also a hint of honey.  It has medium body, noticeable oak influence, and 14% alcohol.

This dry Furmint reminds me of a cross between a Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc (or Fume Blanc).  It's a good wine, if slightly hot on the finish.  Chill it well.  I found it at Costco for $11, which makes it a great bargain both as a wine to enjoy and as an unusual experience with a largely unknown grape in an even more unknown style.


You may also be interested in:
An eclectic list of good white wines under $15
What Is a Wine Cheat Sheet?
Full Collection of More than 20 Wine Cheat Sheets

Wine Infographic: Loire Valley Cheat Sheet

Next in the Wine Cheat Sheet series:  Loire Valley!

See the full collection of wine cheat sheets here.

To see the Cheat Sheet in full size…
…in Internet Explorer, right click on it and select “open in new tab.”
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You may also be interested in:
An eclectic list of good white wines under $15
Sauvignon Blanc Cheat Sheet
Returning to Messina Hof for my 1st harvest and grape stomp!

Wine Infographic: South African Wine Cheat Sheet

Next in the wine cheat sheet series:  South Africa!

See the full collection of wine cheat sheets here.

To see the Cheat Sheet in full size…
…in Internet Explorer, right click on it and select “open in new tab.”
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You may also be interested in:

Cabernet Sauvignon Cheat Sheet

Make your own aroma standards - the reds

Oxidation:  Friend or Foe?

Is your wine over the hill?

Wine Infographic: Botrytis (Noble Rot) Cheat Sheet

Botrytis cinerea, often called Noble Rot, is a fungus that is essential to some of the most famous, expensive, and delicious dessert wines in the world.  Any of these wines would be great with your pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving!

Here's your cheat sheet for what botrytis is, how it happens, and where to find the wines it has shaped.  (See the full collection of Wine Cheat Sheets here.)

To see the Cheat Sheet in full size…
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Wikipedia commons has some great pictures of botrytis at work:

Wine Infographic: New Zealand Wine Cheat Sheet

Next up in the series:  New Zealand!  You're probably familiar with New Zealand's famous Sauvignon Blancs, but they make other wines too, many of which are light, fresh, and great for warm weather.

See the full collection of wine cheat sheets here.

To see the Cheat Sheet in full size…
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You might also be interested in:
Improve Your Tasting Skills: Sauvignon Blanc and Gooseberries

Improve Your Tasting Skills: Sauvignon Blanc and Gooseberries

Students of wine always want to improve their recognition of wine aromas and flavors.  A great way to do this is to smell and taste wine while you smell and taste the fruit that the wine smells like. With some wines, this is an easy task, because the fruits are readily available – lemons, limes, apples, peaches, strawberries, etc. Sauvignon Blanc is trickier.

The aroma of Sauvignon Blanc is often compared to gooseberries, especially if the wine comes from a New World wine region like New Zealand.  Gooseberries aren’t common in the United States, so most of us have no idea how they taste or smell.  But I have tracked them down!  Here are some local places where you can get your hands on gooseberries.

• Spec’s downtown location sells: 

Maintal Gooseberry Fruit Spread from Germany ($4 for 12oz)
Tiptree Gooseberry Preserves from England ($7 for 12oz)
Vavel Gooseberry Jam from Poland ($3 for 16oz)

 

• Oregon brand gooseberries in syrup can sometimes be found in grocery stores, in the canned fruit aisle or with the pie filling.

• IKEA sells gooseberry preserves.  I'm not sure if our local Houston store still stocks them, but you can order them online.  







• Gooseberries have a secret identity!  They are sometimes called golden berries and marketed as a "super food" in health food stores.  Golden berries are usually sold dried. You can buy them at Whole Foods Market (in the super food section in the health foods and supplements aisles in the center of the store, next to the wheatgrass).  Amazon sells them too, at a slightly higher price.  In Clear Lake, the new Fresh Market on Bay Area sells dark chocolate covered golden berries in the candy/bulk section.

• Speaking of golden berries, I've noticed in the last few days that one of the varieties of Evolution Harvest fruit and nut mix sold at Starbucks includes them (along with cashews, cranberries, and almonds).    

I've tried the Vavel gooseberry jam, the plain dried golden berries, and the Starbucks mix.  The jam tastes sweet and mild.  The dried berries have a strong, tart flavor more reminiscent of actual Sauvignon Blanc wine, so this would be my top recommendation.  The golden berries in the Starbucks mix are less tart.

Pick up some gooseberries (or golden berries) and improve your tasting skills.  Plus, it turns out they're probably good for you too!

Do you know of any other ways to get gooseberries?  I'd love to try them fresh! 

Tasting Emiliana's Organic and Biodynamic Wine from Chile

I recently tasted 3 wines from Emiliana, the first producer of a certified biodynamic wine in Chile.  (A few weeks ago I wrote about the Top 3 Things to Know about Biodynamic Wines, so check that out if you’re unfamiliar.)  I paired the wines with several different foods:  goat cheese, oil-cured green olives (these are milder and less acidic than the typical marinated varieties), smoked turkey, rosemary-lavender bread (this is a southern French flatbread topped with herbs and olive oil), and Mario Batali’s eggplant caponata*.  Grab your Chilean Wine Cheat Sheet and let’s taste!

Wine:  Novas Gran Reserva
Grape:  100% Sauvignon Blanc
Growing Method:  Made with organically grown grapes
Region:  DO San Antonio Valley
Nose:  Herbal, grassy, mineral, and citrus aromas with a hint of asparagus.
Palate:  Very mineral and herbal, high acid, hint of asparagus, med alcohol, med-to-long finish
Pairings:  The goat cheese was an excellent match, since the grassy flavors of the cheese and the wine complemented each other, and the acidity of the wine cut through the creaminess of the cheese.  The olives, turkey, and herb bread were good matches as well, which isn’t surprising since Sauvignon Blanc is such a versatile wine.  It was not quite as good with the caponata.
Price:  Average price is $13, but I haven’t yet found a seller in the Houston area.

I liked this wine, and it scores points for value and versatility.  If you’re into Sauvignon Blancs, you’ll want to know that it’s more of an old-world style, and less fruit-forward than a typical New Zealand example.

Wine:  Natura Cabernet Sauvignon

Grape:  85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 6% Syrah

Growing Method:  Made with organically grown grapes and sustainably farmed

Region:  DO Central Valley 

Nose:  Rich, ripe black fruits, a hint of sweet spice, tobacco, vanilla

Palate:  Medium acid, fruity up front, strong tannin, a bit lean.  Opens up as it breathes.

Pairings:  The goat cheese, olives, and caponata were the star pairings here. The tartness of the goat cheese and the caponata matched the acidity in the wine and all 3 became smoother and richer as a result.  Cheese also famously smoothes out tannin, so that was a bonus.  The salty olives brought out the fruit flavors in the wine.  The bread worked well, and though the turkey was nearly overpowered, the fact that it was smoked highlighted the smokiness in the wine and allowed the turkey to hold its own in this match-up. 

Price:  Average price $10, but I haven’t yet found a seller in the Houston area.

This Natura Cabernet blend is also a good value.  Like the Sauvignon Blanc, this wine falls somewhere between old and new world styles – it’s fruity, yet not as rich and juicy as a California Cabernet.  Decant it or let it breathe in your glass for 15 minutes or so, and it really opens up.  

Wine:  Coyam 2010

Grape:  38% Syrah, 27% Carmenere, 21% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Mourvedre, 1% Malbec

Growing Method:  Biodynamic

Region:  DO Colchagua Valley.  

Nose:  I wanted to smell this forever.  Red and black fruits, cinnamon and chocolate, tobacco and leather, vanilla.

Palate:  The flavors on the palate echoed the aromas on the nose, but weren’t quite as rich or complex.  I suspect this is a big wine that needs time.  It really opened up as it breathed, and became as rich and wonderful as the nose had led me to believe it could be.  Decant this one, or hold it for 5 (or even 10?) years.  

Pairings:  The goat cheese won again, rounding out the tannins of the wine.  The bread and caponata shone here too. The currants, cinnamon, and chocolate in Batali’s recipe brought out the fruitiness and spice in the wine, for an unexpectedly amazing combination.

Price:  This one we can get in Houston!  Spec’s carries it, but not at every location.  It’s $30, so get a bottle for a special occasion and make that caponata to go with it!  And consider cellaring it for a few years, because it will only get better.

As far as I can tell, organic and biodynamic wines are not significantly different from other wines, in the sense that there is not a tell-tale organic or biodynamic taste or a certain quality that indicates the grapes were grown that way.  However, these wines fit with my general experience of organic wines, which is that the grapes have been treated well, so the wines demonstrate an attention to quality at whatever price point they may be. 

Even though we can only get 1 of these wines at the moment, keep Emiliana on your radar.  I suspect Houston will get more from them in the future, and I’ll be happy when we do!

*Note on the caponata recipe:  I like my eggplant very well cooked, so I let my caponata simmer on the stove about 30 minutes longer than the recipe suggested.  As it cooked, I added extra liquid as needed to keep everything from burning – first white wine, then some tomato sauce, then water until everything was as cooked as I wanted it to be. 

See the full collection of the wine cheat sheets here!

Wine Infographic: Chilean Wine Cheat Sheet

The next edition in the Cheat Sheet series - Chilean Wine!  See the full collection here

To see the Cheat Sheet in full size…
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Can you get decent wine on an airplane (in economy)?

Ordering a glass of wine in an economy seat on an airplane can be risky if you care about what you drink.  While First Class and Business Class passengers often have a good list to choose from, the main cabin is usually offered “red or white” and you have to take your chances.

On a recent United Airlines flight from Houston to San Diego, I took my chances and was pleasantly surprised.  When I chose “white” I expected an over-oaked, overly-alcoholic Chardonnay fruit bomb.  But actually got a French IGT-level Sauvignon Blanc.  Les Deux Pins Sauvignon Blanc (2012) from the Pays d'Oc region was crisp with a good balance between fruity flavors and minerality.  It had floral and citrus notes (lemon with a bit of orange peel), and a hint of the usual vegetal aromas, but less herbal/grassy impression than the typical New Zealand style.  I'm sure it was chosen for this middle-of-the-road character to please the widest possible audience, which makes sense, and I think the wine achieves this goal.  It's expensive at $8 per glass, but we are talking airplane prices, so maybe not terribly outrageous.

On the flight home I picked “red” with reasonable success.  This time there were 2 different French Cabernet Sauvignons available, both from Pays d'Oc (the same region as the Sauvignon Blanc), and both from 2012. I wasn’t familiar with either of the producers, so I picked at random and got Jean Belmont Cabernet Sauvignon.  It was fairly light and tart for a Cab, though it had typically dark fruit aromas, and moderate acid and tannin.  Again, I assume it was intended to strike a compromise among different red wine tastes, and I think it succeeded.  I poured half the little bottle at a time into my glass plastic cup, and the wine improved as it breathed.  The Cab was also $8.

Though neither of these wines was spectacular, they were perfectly fine and much better than I anticipated. United’s website tells me that Doug Frost, Master Sommelier and Master of Wine, selects United's wines. The list of wines available for First and BusinessFirst passengers is available here, but for Economy I believe the “red or white” selections are unspecified and may change periodically.  I can’t guarantee you’ll have these same choices on your flight, but this has given me hope that an economy class “house” wine can be a pleasant experience!

P.S.  Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson selects wines for Delta’s Business Elite class, but I’m not sure whether she selects the wines for the cheap seats.

P.P.S.  It annoys me that United no longer offers ANY free snacks.  Not even a small bag of pretzels on a 3+ hour flight leaving at lunchtime.  I’m happy to report that Delta has not yet sunk to this level of savagery, and still gives out cookies or pretzels.

Lillet (because you need good aperitifs in your life)

I've been meaning to try Lillet for ages.  I finally did, and I'm mad at myself for not doing it sooner.  Lillet (or Lillet Blanc) is a French aperitif wine (meaning it's traditionally drunk before a meal) from Bordeaux, France.  It's blended from 85% Bordeaux wine and 15% sweet liqueur made with orange peels.  The wine portion is made from the traditional white Bordeaux grapes - Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Muscadelle.  (There's also a Lillet Rouge made from red grapes and a Lillet Rose, but the white or blanc is the traditional version.)

Lillet is not as sweet as dessert wine.  You won't find the sweetness overpowering or cloying, because it has plenty of acid for balance.  It tastes much like a white Bordeaux, with the citrusy, grassy, herbal notes of the Sauvignon Blanc, the honeyed-peach qualities of Semillon, and the grapey-ness of Muscadelle.  Then imagine adding more orange flavors, more sweetness, and more alcohol (up to 17% abv).  A standard 750 ml bottle is $20, so Lillet is not cheap.  But as you drink a few ounces over ice in the traditional French way, you will find it money well spent.  In America Lillet is more commonly used as a cocktail or dessert ingredient.  Here are more ways to drink (or eat) Lillet.

COCKTAILS:
I tested nearly all the Lillet cocktail recipes I could find and wrote down my impressions.  My favorites were the ones that played off the flavors already present in the Lillet - citrus, peach/apricot, and herbs - and the one with the lavender syrup, because I'm a lavender freak.  These cocktails should be shaken and/or served over ice.

Vesper - James Bond ordered this drink in Casino Royale.  If you like martinis, you'll like this.

• 3 oz gin
• 1 oz vodka
• 1/2 oz Lillet

Incognito - I like this.  It has the flavors of apricot and Lillet, made stronger by the brandy.  Sweet but not overly so.

• 1 oz brandy
• 2 oz Lillet
• 1/3 oz (2 tsp) apricot brandy
• dash of bitters

Twentieth Century - Gin, Lillet, and citrus combine beautifully, but I don’t like the chocolate here.  That’s a personal preference - chocolate + herbal + citrus isn't my thing.  If you like orange flavored chocolates, you’ll like this more than I do.  Sweet, but not like candy, quite tart.

• 1 2/3 oz gin
• 2/3 oz Lillet
• 2/3 oz white creme de cacao
• 1/3 oz fresh lemon juice

Hoopla - Good, lots of citrus and not too sweet.

• 1 oz brandy
• 2/3 oz (4 tsp) Cointreau
• 2/3 oz Lillet
• 2/3 oz fresh lemon juice

Corpse Reviver #2 - I haven't tried this one yet, but I'm sure I would like it.  As I mentioned above, gin + citrus + Lillet is a great combination.  The licorice flavor of the absinthe would complement the herbal notes in the Lillet.

• 3/4 ounce gin
• 3/4 ounce lemon juice
• 3/4 ounce Cointreau (or triple sec)
• 3/4 ounce Lillet
• 1 dash absinthe

Old Etonian - Very nice, but strong, and you'd better like gin.  I went a tad heavy on the crème de noyaux because I like it.

• 1.5 oz. gin
• 1.5 oz. Lillet
• 2 dashes orange bitters
• 2 dashes crème de noyaux

The Wheesky - Tastes mostly like whisky, but the Lillet adds a nice fruitiness and a touch of sweetness.  You need to be a whiskey fan for this one.

• 1 part Lillet 
• 2 parts Irish whiskey
• dash or 2 of lemon juice

Gin-Lillet-Lemonade - The names describes this well.  Like strong lemonade with gin and Lillet.  I'm tempted to play with the proportions and try a version with slightly less gin and lemon.

• 1.5 oz gin
• 0.5 oz Lillet 
• 0.5 oz lemon juice 
• 0.5 oz simple syrup
• 2-3 drops of citrus bitters

Lavender Lemonade with Lillet (from Design Sponge) - The night I tried to make this I happened to be out of both vodka and my first-choice substitute, which would have been gin.  I was really annoyed too, because I had made lavender syrup specially for this.  Not to be deterred, I tried a version with whiskey, which was delicious.  All the flavors balanced into sweet, flowery, citrus, whiskey yumminess.  I still want to try it with vodka some time.  I'm certain it would be delicious.

• 1.5 oz vodka 
• 1.5 oz Lillet Blanc
• 1 oz lavender syrup **
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 2 oz chilled soda water

** There's a recipe for lavender syrup at the link above.  If you love the flavor of lavender like I do, consider doubling the amount of lavender in the recipe.

DESSERTS:

Lillet Buttermilk Shake (from 101cookbooks.com)

• 2 cups / 1 pint vanilla ice cream (or creme fraiche ice cream)
• 1/3 cup / 80 ml Lillet
• 1/3 cup / 80 ml buttermilk

Martha Stewart's Peach-Raspberry Clafouti
Recipe at the link above.

Wine Infographic: Sauvignon Blanc Cheat Sheet

Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most popular wine grapes in the world.  It's one of the "Noble 6" or "Big 6" grapes, which are used to make about 80% of the wines in the world.  (More about those here.)  It's also considered an "International Variety," which means that it is grown all around the world, and it displays it's own natural characteristics as well as the terroir of wherever it's growing.  Another fun fact:  it is one of the parent grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon. (Cabernet Franc is the other parent.)

Here is your official Sauvignon Blanc Cheat Sheet!  This covers the typical wine style, aromas/flavors, and primary growing regions around the world.  (It's grown in other places of course, but these are the big ones.)    Use this to get to know a new grape, or to find new regions to taste from!  (click to see a bigger version)

To see the full collection of wine cheat sheets, click here.

To see the Cheat Sheet in full size…
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Wine Infographic: French Wine Cheat Sheet

Update:  I've created a new and improved French Wine Cheat Sheet.  Find it here.
-----------------------
For the Introduction to French Wine class that I taught last week, I developed a one-page cheat sheet for the major regions, grape varieties, and appellations.  I've found this information extremely useful when buying French wine, so hopefully it will help you branch out and try something new!  (See the full collection of wine cheat sheets here.)

To see the Cheat Sheet in full size…
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The Big 6 and Where They're Hiding

Remember how I said the #1 factor that makes wines taste different from each other is which grape was used to make them?  And remember how I said that the majority of wines in the world are made from only 6 grapes?  Well here they are again, along with some notes on how they’re likely to taste:

With only 6 grapes to think about (for now), it’s pretty easy to determine which ones you like and which you don’t.  You may have already tasted most of these at some time or another.  Whether you want to taste them all to see which you like, or whether you know what you like already, you have to know where to find your preferred grapes – that is, in which bottles!