Fun with Finals

I admit it: I was a little anxious. Yesterday was my exam for the WSET Level 1 Foundation course. I’d studied and paid attention in class, yet occasionally had the feeling in the pit of my stomach that I used to get before I wrote an exam. And it’d been a while since I’d studied for anything. While the course was only three weeks, there was a lot of great information shared not only in the study guide  but in class as well. The wealth of knowledge of instructors Paul Giudici and American Wine School Founder, Marianne Frantz, made the class so interesting and fun; their love and enjoyment of wine was infectious. We studied about the seven noble varieties, styles of wine and how other factors like oak, tannin and acidity affects the wine. We also e xplored the appropriate temperatures for serving wines (including varying temps for white and sweet and sparkling. Not all reds should be served at room temperature). We looked at the importance of correct glassware and why to keep it clean: Dust and detergent residue can adversely affect the taste.

The final night’s class on food and wine pairing  ~ the one  I missed, was in addition to my study notes that, thankfully, I had with me. I learned that: Sweeter and savory dishes can amplify your perception of bitterness, acidity and alcohol burn in your wine. Foods that are higher in acidity and salt can enhance your perception of  the wine’s body, sweetness and fruitiness. Until this class, when I’d choose wine with a dish, I typically thought only of the standard, safe-and-sure pairing principles: White wine with lighter meats and fish; reds with beef and certain pasta dishes.  I’ve since learned that it goes much further than that, in order to get the best taste experience. It’s good to consider the salt-to-acid ratio, not just in the food but also in your wine. For instance, if you’re having a dinner that’s packing some major Chili heat, you’d want to pair it with a lower alcohol white or low-tannin | low-alcohol red. Since Chili heat increases the perception of bitterness, acid and alcohol burn, pairing with a high alcohol wine would be like trying to put out a fire with gasoline. Yowza!

Once I turned the test paper over and read the questions, my nerves fell away. And to celebrate after the exam, I cracked open an ’02 Tempranillo. It was lovely and creamy; deep purple in color and tasted  of rich, ripe raspberry.

I really enjoyed my time at the American Wine School and I hope my schedule will allow me to take the other levels in the WSET Foundation series. If you’re looking for a great, fun way to improve your wine knowledge, I recommend checking out the AWS | WSET Foundation series classes.

Cheers!

©TheWineStudent, 2013

Back to the Books!

books and wine: homework can be fun!

Summer, what summer? It’s been crazy busy and now that my daughter is safely into her new school routine ~ I still can’t believe she’s actually in high school ~ I thought I would do a little reading to help me come back to earth, so to speak. ‘The Geography of Wine” by Brian J. Sommers was a great exploration of various world wine regions and what makes them unique from a geographer’s perspective. What I liked about his approach was he took a subject that had the potential of being very dry (wait ~ was that a pun? you know my policy on puns ~ bottoms up!) and boring but made it very accessible and interesting.

If you’ve ever been curious about terroir and the role geography plays in the concept, this book summons all aspects. In a way that’s easily read for the lay person, Sommers deftly explores the biogeography of the grape, how urbanization affects wine geography, and economics ~ including the politics of wine with respect to its’ unique growing regions. In the last chapter, he discusses his own love of wine and how in each glass,  not only do you taste the grape but you taste a great deal about the culture of where it’s grown, nurtured and loved.

I’ll write more about terroir in another post but in the meantime, I’d like to recommend this book as a great reference for discovering that what goes into your glass is so much more than just fermented grapes.

Cheers!

Bookish

A New Favorite!

One of the things I love about being a student of wine is the research. And I’m not talking about the drinking part, although that is definitely a plus. It’s the discovery of books, old and new, on the subject. And there are many out there. ‘The Food Lover’s Guide to Wine” by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg was published in 2011 and boldly goes where many have gone before. But it does it in a way that’s accessible and fun.

What I like most about this book is that it is well laid out and is written in a relaxed, conversational tone. There’s no heavy use of wine jargon (which can be confusing and off-putting if you’re not an expert in the field). And if they do use it, they make sure to explain what it means. The contributing sommeliers who offer their advice, do so to help the reader get more enjoyment out of their experience with wine. It’s an approach that’s appealing and very easy to savor.

Cheers!