Wine Truths Will Set Your Palate Free

By Madeleine Ahlquist
Worcester Magazine

Wine truths should not be secrets.

As you enjoy the pursuit of wine knowledge, a few simple truths can enhance your experience.

Geography counts. Many factors influence the taste of wine in your glass, beginning with the area where the grape originated. The soil, the slope of the area where the grape is planted, the position of the sun on the vine, the elevation and every aspect of climate influence the taste of wine. Rainfall, wind velocity, frequency of fog, average hours of sunshine and temperature fluctuation - what the French call "terroir" - all have an impact.

It takes time. A grape variety normally takes 120 days to ripen. In an especially hot year, the grape may ripen after 110 days; in a cooler year, it may ripen after 130 days. Historically, perfectly ripe grapes with long "hang times" prove to produce superior wines. It's important that the grapes do not over-ripen, but long ripening times may also produce a wine that ages well.

Cleanse your palate. The way a wine tastes to you may be greatly influenced by what you have just tasted, so before tasting a wine clear your palate of the M&Ms or Doritos you may have been snacking on. At any rate, the first sip is not always the most reliable for judging wine.

Taste with your nose. At least 80% of wine tasting is smell. Swirling the wine in the glass not only aerates the wine and wakes it up a bit, it also helps you smell the wine better, enhancing how it tastes.

To get the full impact of the wine's flavor, hold the wine in your mouth for a few seconds. Light, medium and full-bodied wines feel, respectively, like skim milk, whole milk and heavy cream in the mouth. A full-bodied wine, however, is no guarantee of full flavor.

The world's best wines all have long finishes, meaning the taste lingers in your mouth. The taste of some great wines can last anywhere from one to three minutes with all of the flavors in balance.

Although most wines are red or white, wines can vary in color significantly, from also colorless white to a very deep, inky red. White wines get darker as they age, while red wines get lighter as they age.

Knowing some of the simple truths about wine will increase your interest and reward your palate.

Madeleine Ahlquist is co-owner of One Eleven Chop House and The Sole Proprietor in Worcester, both of which are frequent winners of Wine Spectator's "Award of Excellence." Comments? E-mail editorial@worcestermag.com.