Past Event Details

Learning to Taste Wine Like a Professional

Michael Reiss, Editor, Food and Wine Access

When my partner announced to me, "We are going to Napa to learn to taste wine professionally."

Little did I know that this would be one of the most challenging intellectual and emotional tasks of my life.

We were off to Napa Valley's famed Culinary Institute of America, CIA, at St. Helena, California. This was a five-day "Mastering Wine" course at the Rudd Center for Wine Studies.

The historic and famous Greystone Mansion is the home of the CIA Napa.

Photo by Michael Reiss

O.K. it was the first day of class, and I said, "This is going to be a cinch." And then I looked at the rows of carefully organized wine glasses, sixteen in all, laid out in front of each student's place. This was "state of the art" wine education in a classroom set up amphitheater-style, like a law school, business school, medical school with semi-circular rows looking down on the professor's staging area below. Each seat had glasses, a sink, a light, and a waste cup.

Award-winning teacher and author of the best-selling book The Wine Bible, Professor Karen MacNeil, conducts a class as part of the "Professional Wine Studies Course" at the CIA.

Photo by Michael Reiss

"Good morning, students." (It was 9 A.M.) "This is going to be one of the most edifying and challenging things you have ever done."

Gasp, I was beginning to modify my initial cavalier stance.

After some time listening to prolific wine-writer, Karen McNeill, (author of the best-selling Wine Bible and other books), I was mesmerized by her grasp of the breadth and complexity of the subject matter at hand and wondered how I would ever make sense of it all. Before getting thoroughly intimidated, Karen suggested, "Let's start tasting these wines."
"Good grief, what am I suppose to know about these wines?" I said to myself.

She advises us to carefully look, smell, take a sip, taste, and then gently spit in the receptacle cup. "What have we got in the glass?"

At first glance I observe, "Well, they're all red." But then, remembering some of the lecture, I take a more careful look. Some are dark ruby, some lighter in hue, one is a brownish color, and another is a deep purple.

"Ah ha, this is the beginning of the differentiation process. Maybe I can learn a thing or two after all."
As the course unfolds into deeper and more complex layers of observation and understanding, I realized why at the beginning of the course my description of the wine is so straightforward and obvious. "A very pleasant red wine, could be Pinot Noir, perhaps Grenache, good balance and short finish."

By the end of the course, my wine description is sharper, more focused, more accurate, and follows a definite analytical approach as follows:

Sight: The appearance is deep dark ruby color with medium-legged viscosity.

Nose: The nose exudes aromas of dark red and juicy blackberry fruit with peppery notes.

Palate: The mouth feel is full-bodied, spicy, with overtones of pepper, raisin and date flavors. The wine has medium acidity with medium-high alcohol with lower tannins.

Conclusion: This is probably a new world wine. It comes from a warmer-growing region, perhaps California. It might be a California Zin, due to its bright fruit and spice character.

Comments: The wine shows no traces of green pepper or other vegetal qualities, so that rules out Cab. There is not enough stone-minerals or leather, so this rules out Syrah from the Northern Rhone, although there is some case for an Australian Shiraz, due to its profile of higher alcohol, medium acidity, and bright fruit. This is good quality for its style and is balanced, with a medium long finish of lingering spicy berry flavor.

Whoo! I did not think it was in me to produce this kind of analysis… a far cry from "A very pleasant wine…" of my early attempts at description.

This method or approach to wine tasting--- with a goal to "get at" what is in my glass-- is not unlike a lawyer applying principles of the law to a specific fact situation, in this case, the wine in the glass, to figure out its "meaning."

This method is something akin to what a doctor does to get the right diagnosis: look at all the presenting symptoms --ambiguous as they often are---and arrive at a probable diagnosis.

Yet, there is I've learned, something else. It's an artistic quality… an almost "magical" brushstroke that certain wines impart. It's more about the "feel" of the wine, something amazingly complex, pure, balanced; beautiful, maybe subtle; maybe bold that makes the wine "sing on the palette." And you just "know," in the same way one might experience a work of art, that THIS wine is something special.

The knowledge gained from this program, the "Professional Wine Studies Course" at the CIA, is invaluable and students make a "quantum leap" in their understanding and appreciation of wine.

Photo by Michael Reiss

As the course progresses we learn to apply a series of analytical "tools" to help figure out what the wine is.

We learn how to really LOOK at the wine. In other words color is a marker of what the wine is. Light ruby is probably not a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel. (Although this is not certain, as light color in one instance could indicate a young wine of many varietals.)

The light color could indicate a Pinot Noir, Grenache, Tempranillo, or other varietals.
But color is only part of the puzzle. Other information is necessary to determine what the wine is.

We learn to get the aroma or "NOSE" of the wine. We learn that our powerful noses can differential literally thousands of subtle nuances-from cinnamon to apple, to pineapple, to oak, to earthy and herbal.

On the other hand our TASTE has only five options: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.

And it is only through exhaustive LOOKING, and SMELLING, and TASTING and then repeating that process again and again that we can assemble a repertoire of "tasting notes" in our brains to accelerate the differentiation process.

We learn that certain wines have certain classic profiles.
For example, a Sauvignon Blanc usually has these characteristics:

Wines made in this style tend to be lean, tart, and racy, displaying flavor of mouthwatering citrus, grass, green herbs, gooseberry and mineral. Oak aging is again common and adds richness, texture and complexity to the finished wine. (Tim Gaiser, 2009)

And then again, a particular Sauvignon Blanc may NOT fit into that profile. And this ambiguity is what makes wine tasting so endlessly fascinating and challenging.

Old World Sauvignon Blanc may be like this, while New World Sauvignon Blanc may veer just enough from the classic description to trick even an experienced nose.

By the end of the course I was humbled but cautiously optimistic of my newly acquired skills of discernment. In one round, I could identify 6 out of 10 wines correctly. I learned that even seasoned professionals don't always get it right.

Did it increase my pleasure and enjoyment of the wine? Perhaps.

Yet, most wine drinkers have no formal training. They relate to wine instinctively. They "know" whether or not they like the wine, even if they can't explain why.

"Couldn't understand a single word he said, but he sure had some mighty fine wine.... and I helped him drink his wine." -- 3 Dog Night
It is possible to enjoy and savor the pure pleasure of drinking wine-without discussion, classification, or evaluation!

But what on earth would wine geeks, collectors, wine writers, vintners, wine sellers and wine aficionados do, if they could not discuss and debate the merits and flaws of wines in their glasses? Perhaps the sixth sense is the intellectual, allowing us to not only taste but also thoughtfully describe the unique and ephemeral elixir in our glass. That is worth the price of admission for this budding pro.

The on-site tasting are a key learning experience for students who are a part of the "Professional Wine Studies Course" at the CIA.

Photo by Michael Reiss









	Learning to Taste Wine Like a Professional Michael Reiss, Editor, Food and Wine Access When my partner announced to me, "We are going to Napa to learn to taste wine professionally." I said, "Oh great, piece of cake or…. glass of wine." Little did I know that this would be one of the most challenging intellectual and emotional tasks of my life. We were off to Napa Valley's famed Culinary Institute of America, CIA, at St. Helena, California. This was a five-day "Mastering Wine" course at the Rudd Center for Wine Studies. The historic and famous Greystone Mansion is the home of the CIA Napa. Photo by Michael Reiss A Rudd Awakening O.K. it was the first day of class, and I said, "This is going to be a cinch." And then I looked at the rows of carefully organized wine glasses, sixteen in all, laid out in front of each student's place. This was "state of the art" wine education in a classroom set up amphitheater-style, like a law school, business school, medical school with semi-circular rows looking down on the professor's staging area below. Each seat had glasses, a sink, a light, and a waste cup. Award-winning teacher and author of the best-selling book The Wine Bible, Professor Karen MacNeil, conducts a class as part of the "Professional Wine Studies Course" at the CIA. Photo by Michael Reiss "Good morning, students." (It was 9 A.M.) "This is going to be one of the most edifying and challenging things you have ever done." Gasp, I was beginning to modify my initial cavalier stance. After some time listening to prolific wine-writer, Karen McNeill, (author of the best-selling Wine Bible and other books), I was mesmerized by her grasp of the breadth and complexity of the subject matter at hand and wondered how I would ever make sense of it all. Before getting thoroughly intimidated, Karen suggested, "Let's start tasting these wines." "Good grief, what am I suppose to know about these wines?" I said to myself. She advises us to carefully look, smell, take a sip, taste, and then gently spit in the receptacle cup. "What have we got in the glass?" At first glance I observe, "Well, they're all red." But then, remembering some of the lecture, I take a more careful look. Some are dark ruby, some lighter in hue, one is a brownish color, and another is a deep purple. "Ah ha, this is the beginning of the differentiation process. Maybe I can learn a thing or two after all." As the course unfolds into deeper and more complex layers of observation and understanding, I realized why at the beginning of the course my description of the wine is so straightforward and obvious. "A very pleasant red wine, could be Pinot Noir, perhaps Grenache, good balance and short finish." By the end of the course, my wine description is sharper, more focused, more accurate, and follows a definite analytical approach as follows: Sight: The appearance is deep dark ruby color with medium-legged viscosity. Nose: The nose exudes aromas of dark red and juicy blackberry fruit with peppery notes. Palate: The mouth feel is full-bodied, spicy, with overtones of pepper, raisin and date flavors. The wine has medium acidity with medium-high alcohol with lower tannins. Conclusion: This is probably a new world wine. It comes from a warmer-growing region, perhaps California. It might be a California Zin, due to its bright fruit and spice character. Comments: The wine shows no traces of green pepper or other vegetal qualities, so that rules out Cab. There is not enough stone-minerals or leather, so this rules out Syrah from the Northern Rhone, although there is some case for an Australian Shiraz, due to its profile of higher alcohol, medium acidity, and bright fruit. This is good quality for its style and is balanced, with a medium long finish of lingering spicy berry flavor. Whoo! I did not think it was in me to produce this kind of analysis… a far cry from "A very pleasant wine…" of my early attempts at description. This method or approach to wine tasting--- with a goal to "get at" what is in my glass-- is not unlike a lawyer applying principles of the law to a specific fact situation, in this case, the wine in the glass, to figure out its "meaning." This method is something akin to what a doctor does to get the right diagnosis: look at all the presenting symptoms --ambiguous as they often are---and arrive at a probable diagnosis. Whatever it is, it is methodical and thoughtful in its analytical approach. Yet, there is I've learned, something else. It's an artistic quality… an almost "magical" brushstroke that certain wines impart. It's more about the "feel" of the wine, something amazingly complex, pure, balanced; beautiful, maybe subtle; maybe bold that makes the wine "sing on the palette." And you just "know," in the same way one might experience a work of art, that THIS wine is something special. The knowledge gained from this program, the "Professional Wine Studies Course" at the CIA, is invaluable and students make a "quantum leap" in their understanding and appreciation of wine. Photo by Michael Reiss Not a Simple Sip As the course progresses we learn to apply a series of analytical "tools" to help figure out what the wine is. We learn how to really LOOK at the wine. In other words color is a marker of what the wine is. Light ruby is probably not a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel. (Although this is not certain, as light color in one instance could indicate a young wine of many varietals.) The light color could indicate a Pinot Noir, Grenache, Tempranillo, or other varietals. But color is only part of the puzzle. Other information is necessary to determine what the wine is. We learn to get the aroma or "NOSE" of the wine. We learn that our powerful noses can differential literally thousands of subtle nuances-from cinnamon to apple, to pineapple, to oak, to earthy and herbal. On the other hand our TASTE has only five options: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. And it is only through exhaustive LOOKING, and SMELLING, and TASTING and then repeating that process again and again that we can assemble a repertoire of "tasting notes" in our brains to accelerate the differentiation process. We learn that certain wines have certain classic profiles. For example, a Sauvignon Blanc usually has these characteristics: Wines made in this style tend to be lean, tart, and racy, displaying flavor of mouthwatering citrus, grass, green herbs, gooseberry and mineral. Oak aging is again common and adds richness, texture and complexity to the finished wine. (Tim Gaiser, 2009) And then again, a particular Sauvignon Blanc may NOT fit into that profile. And this ambiguity is what makes wine tasting so endlessly fascinating and challenging. Old World Sauvignon Blanc may be like this, while New World Sauvignon Blanc may veer just enough from the classic description to trick even an experienced nose. The Final Test By the end of the course I was humbled but cautiously optimistic of my newly acquired skills of discernment. In one round, I could identify 6 out of 10 wines correctly. I learned that even seasoned professionals don't always get it right. Did it increase my pleasure and enjoyment of the wine? Perhaps. Yet, most wine drinkers have no formal training. They relate to wine instinctively. They "know" whether or not they like the wine, even if they can't explain why. "Couldn't understand a single word he said, but he sure had some mighty fine wine.... and I helped him drink his wine." -- 3 Dog Night It is possible to enjoy and savor the pure pleasure of drinking wine-without discussion, classification, or evaluation! But what on earth would wine geeks, collectors, wine writers, vintners, wine sellers and wine aficionados do, if they could not discuss and debate the merits and flaws of wines in their glasses? Perhaps the sixth sense is the intellectual, allowing us to not only taste but also thoughtfully describe the unique and ephemeral elixir in our glass. That is worth the price of admission for this budding pro. The on-site tasting are a key learning experience for students who are a part of the "Professional Wine Studies Course" at the CIA. Photo by Michael Reiss The CIA Professional Wine Studies CIA Greystone Continuing Education 800-888-7850 http://www.ciaprochef.com/winestudies/index.html
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