Wine Tasting
It's fun, it's easy to do, and you learn something from it, either with a group or just another friend. What do you need or need to know? Less than you think ...
Facts
-
9 - 11° C
is the recommended temperature for young, light wines
-
16 - 18° C
are perfect for ripe, full-bodied red wines
Enjoy with all your senses and have fun
The first thing to consider is the clarity and color of the wine. Both provide information about its condition and maturity. For example, the more mature a white wine is, the more golden it shimmers, right down to a rich dark amber.
It is not only the eye that anticipates enjoyment by swirling the glass. The wine also releases its aroma and bouquet into the air. Capturing this scent and translating it to words requires some practice. After all, most people are not very trained to describe their olfactory sensations in words. What helps is the comparison with familiar aromas. Does the wine conjure images of fruits like apples, berries or peaches? Does it have a hint of spring flowers or fresh green fields? Does it smell slightly of wood or something like vanilla? A wine aroma wheel can help you to express your sensory impressions whilst smelling and tasting.
The taste of a wine unfolds in different parts of the mouth. What helps the wine and the taste buds is air. This explains why some wine lovers slurp the wine or draw a little air through the wine and let the wine roll over the tongue. This is the only way to perceive all taste and aroma nuances.
Theme your wines
In order to not overwhelm the sense of taste during an extensive wine tasting, it is advisable to slowly increase: light before heavy, dry before sweet, young before old. Of course, you can also try only white or only red, only dry or only more mature wines – the choice is yours.
Which wine you put together for a sample is entirely up to you. How about a selection from a particular growing region, for example? Then you can discover a characteristic taste typical for the area.
Or you can compare wines of one grape variety, for example Riesling, from different cultivation areas. With the same vintage and the same quality level (such as Kabinett or Spätlese) you will be able to taste astonishing differences. Other ideas for a wine tasting are a quality level tasting, vintage tasting or a surprise wine tasting, where your guests bring their favorite wines.
Little effort, much delight
There is not much to prepare for a wine tasting. Of course, you need the wines and should ensure the right temperature: cool white wine in the refrigerator to 7 - 8 degrees Celsius; red wine is best offered at around 16 degrees Celsius.
If you want to be precise, you can adhere to the following recommendations:
- Young, light white wines e.g. Riesling Kabinett 9 - 11°C
- Ripe, strong white wines, e.g. Pinot Blanc late harvest 11 - 13°C
- Rosé wines, e.g. Weißherbst 9 - 13°C
- Young, light red wines, e.g. Portuguese or Trollinger 14 - 16°C
- Ripe, full-bodied red wines, e.g. Pinot Noir late harvest 16 - 18°C
- Rich and tannic red wines, e.g. from barriques 18 - 20°C
There are two important points to note about the wine glass. Firstly, the glass should have a tulip-shaped bowl for the bouquet to fully unfold - bowls for white wine are smaller than for red wines. Secondly, the glass should be clear and have a stem that you can hold so that you can judge the color without fingerprints. (see also wine glass)
For the wine tasting itself, bread rolls and fresh water are served. A bite of bread between the tasted wines neutralizes the taste. Afterwards, you can have a hearty snack and enjoy the previously tasted wines fully with food.
Enjoy!
Opening a wine bottle is an anticipation enjoyed throughout a tasting. The amount opened is up to you. A small wine tasting can involve 4 - 5 bottles. As the number increases, for example to 12 - 14 wines, the ability of the taste buds to differentiate sometimes decreases.
Uncorking should be done as gently as possible. It is best to use a corkscrew with large turns as it grips the cork without cork crumbs getting into the wine. This is particularly important with older wines when the cork has become brittle. White wines should be opened just before serving.
Rich red wines should be opened much earlier. In order to perceive the scent and aroma of the wine intensely, the wine glasses should only be filled halfway.
Tasting can be studied
As well as trade and gastronomy, wine enthusiasts are also very interested in wine seminars, therefore the DWI has developed a seminar especially tailored to the needs of private wine lovers. The new wine connoisseur seminar is a real treat for wine lovers wanting detailed knowledge, with practice and theory complementing each other in an extremely entertaining way.
What does it mean when a wine forms "chruch windows" when swirled in a glass?
The so-called church windows provide information about the viscosity and thus concentration of various ingredients of the wine. The higher the viscosity, the more it draws streaks when swirled - the church windows.
Varietals
More recipe ideas
the "Frankfurt Green Sauce" Quiche with herbs
the "Frankfurt Green Sauce"
- 200 Gramm Mehl
- 100 Gramm Butter
- je 1 Bund Kräuter für Frankfurter Grüne Sauce (Petersilie, Kresse, Kerbel, Borretsch, Sauerampfer, Schnittlauch, Pimpernelle)
- 100 - 125 Gramm Schwarzwälder Schinken
- 7 ganze Eier
- 125 ml Sahne
- 100 Gramm Frischkäse
- 1 EL Zitronensaft
- nach Geschmack Salz & Pfeffer
Knead the flour and butter with 4 tbsp water and a teaspoon of salt to form a smooth dough. Line a mould with it and leave to cool for 30 minutes.</p
<p>Hard boil 4 eggs. Wash, drain and finely chop the herbs from the Frankfurt green sauce. Cut the ham into wafer-thin slices and spread on the pastry base. Chop the hard-boiled eggs into small
and spread over the top. Mix the 3 eggs, cream and fresh cheese and season with 1 tbsp lemon juice, salt and pepper, then fold in the herbs. Spread the mixture over the pastry base.
Bake at 180 °C (gas mark 4) on the middle shelf of the oven for about 30 minutes.
- Riesling (trocken)
in a bacon coating Lamb
in a bacon coating
- 4 Stück Lammlachse à 150 g
- 4 Scheiben Bacon
- 0,1 Liter Wein
- 0,3 Liter Gemüsebrühe
- 1 kleine Schalotte
- 20 Gramm Butter
- 4 EL Olivenöl
- je 2 Zweige Thymian, Rosmarin, Salbei
- nach Geschmack Salz & Pfeffer
Season the lamb salmon with pepper and massage 2 tbsp of olive oil into the meat. Finely chop the thyme, rosemary and sage and season the meat in the herbs. Marinate in the fridge for a few hours.
<p
<p>Wrap the meat with the bacon slices and sear on all sides in the remaining olive oil. Continue to cook for approx. 4 minutes on each side over a low heat (the cooking time depends on the thickness of the lamb loin - it is best to do a pressure test). Then wrap in aluminium foil and leave to rest in the oven at 80 °C – so they remain juicy and slightly pink on the inside.
This goes well with Bärlauch risotto.
- Dornfelder (trocken)
a Christmassy dessert Plum roaster with cinnamon ice cream
a Christmassy dessert
- 1 kg Zwetschgen (frisch oder TK)
- 100 Gramm Zucker
- 0.5 TL gemahlener Zimt
- Eine Prise Nelkenpulver
- 50 ml Pflaumenschnaps
- 50 Gramm dunkler Rohrzucker
- 2 EL alter Balsamicoessig
- 200 Gramm Zucker
- 4 Eigelb
- 500 ml Sahne
Plum rings:
Wash, deseed and quarter the plums. Spread the sugar evenly in a non-stick pan and melt slowly over a medium heat. Increase the temperature and immediately add the fruit, schnapps and spices. Stir until the mixture caramelises.
Stir in the muscovado sugar and balsamic vinegar, spread onto a cold plate after approx. 3 minutes.
<p
<p>Cinnamon ice cream:
Combine the sugar and egg yolks and stir the two ingredients over a bain-marie until frothy.
Whip the cream, then carefully mix both mixtures and add three teaspoons of cinnamon. Carefully mix the cinnamon into the mixture again.
Pour the finished mixture into any (cake) tin or small dish, cover with aluminium foil and place in the freezer for at least three hours.
Place the plums on four deep plates or small bowls, cut off 2 – 3 ice lollies each and place on top, serve immediately.
- Gewürztraminer (trocken)
with goat's cheese Courgette and chanterelle salad
with goat's cheese
- 2 ganze Zucchini
- 3 EL Rapsöl
- 1 kleine Schalotte
- 300 Gramm Pfifferlinge
- 1 Msp. gemahlener Piment
- 2 Bund Rucola
- je 1/2 Bund Kerbel u. glatte Petersilie
- je 3 EL Walnuss- u. Rapsöl
- 4 Stück Ziegenkäse-Taler
- 1 Prise Zucker
- nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer
Salad:
Wash the courgettes and slice thinly. Place in a bowl and mix with the oil.
Heat a grill pan and fry the courgettes in batches until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper, place in a bowl.
<p
<p>Peel and finely dice the shallot. Clean the chanterelles, wash if necessary and pat dry. Depending on size, cut in half if necessary.
<p
<p>Sauté the shallot in a pan until translucent. Add the chanterelles and fry vigorously for 3 minutes while stirring. Season with salt, pepper and allspice. Add to the courgettes. Wash the rocket and spin dry.
Dressing:
Wash the herbs, shake dry. Pluck the leaves, blend finely with both types of oil and vinegar in a blender or with a hand blender. Flavour with salt, pepper and sugar. Pour over the courgette and chanterelle mix and mix loosely with the rocket. Arrange on plates, sprinkle with goat's cheese.
- Pinot Blanc (trocken)
