Sasha's back with some tips for tasting wine -- from Puerto Rico, no less! For a good example of the type of wine Sasha is tasting, go here. To read more about the aroma wheel she mentions, go here.
And don't forget to check out Sasha's website, Spin the Bottle. From now until January 22, you can submit a haiku tribute to Zinfandel for a chance to win tickets to the ZAP Zinfandel Grand Tasting in San Francisco on January 30.
4 Comments on Tasting Wine with Sasha:
Good question! For red and white both I prefer a slimmer style. I think balloons are a little unwieldy. You want the opening to be narrow enough to collect the aromas but wide enough to stick your nose in. Personally I use the Riedel Vinum Cabernet for reds, and the Riedel Chardonnay for whites. If you have the money and space for it, I guess you could try some of their other variety-specific glasses (eg, glasses designed just for Syrah or for Sauvignon Blanc) but don't know that they make much of a difference. I would steer clear though of colored/beveled/etched glasses. Keep it simple to let the wine itself shine through.
Ok, the beach backdrop is just not fair! Question, when tasting wine does it matter what kind of shape the wine glass is? Do you need a balloon-style for red and a slimmer style to taste white properly?
Don't worry, I will definitely throw some CA and other US wines into the mix! Stay tuned.
Wow...tickets to ZAP! What a great prize! Why don't you write about California wines once in a while? South America, New Zealand and Australia produce great wines at great prices BUT there are great wines the gamut of prices from California (as well as other parts of the US).
Please Sign up (or log in) to add a comment!