Class Notes: The Science, Art & Business of Wine (Class #1)

Date:  July 11, 2011

It is back to school for me.  Today is the first class of "The Science, Art & Business of Wine".

As I introduced myself to the rest of the class, I really wanted to learn more about different wine, the making of wine, the tasting of wine.  Yes, there are a lot of readings you can get from here and there, but it is different when you attend this class.

Today, during the 20 minutes break, we have Seafood Friend Rice, Steam Fish & fish stick.  So, the lecturer wanted us to taste it with a Syrah and a white wine.  So, I took the white wine with seafood first, and I start to link the cooking skill with wine.  The steam fish taste like it has some "Chinese Cooking Wine" on it.  Then, when I tried the red wine, i.e. Syrah, it actually "destroyed" the steam fish taste, yes, it is tasteless.  So, this is the first time I really have chances to differentiate the pairing with food and how different wine can spoil the taste bud.  :)

Do you know that the word "Symposium" is related to wine?  Its a greek word.  and it actually means "Stimulate you and me please offer something Intoxicating for U and Me.

Then, we went on tasting three different white wine.

1.  Xanadu Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2009, Magaret River (13% alc) Western Australia

2.  Cape Dreams Chardonnay 2010, South Africa (14% alc)

3.  Trimbach, Gewurztraiminer 2007, Alsace (14% alc)  Eastern France

Normally, you swirl the wine glass.  And then you observe the wine on the wine glass.  Can you see the "Tears".  HaHa, I learned what is "tears".  This is to tell the acidity of the wine.

To judge a wine, also can tell from the color of the wine.

Then you taste 3 different kind of red wine.

1.  Yering Station Pinot Noir 2007, Yarra Valley (13% alc) Victoria, Australia.

2.  Estampa Estate Syrah Canernet Sauvignon 2008, Colchagua Valley.  Chile, (14% alc)

3.  Yering Station Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Yarra Valley (14.5% alc) Victoria, Australia.

Again, we spent the whole 1 1/2 hour drinking the 6 bottles of wine.  And learn it this way is good as we can compare the different wine in terms of their color, nose, taste, touch and finishing.  And you really can tell the different.  We learned things such as tannin, and how it form the basic structure of a wine together with Alcohol, fruits and sugar.

And I am very surprise that I did not fall asleep at all.  Usually when I attend a night class, I will tend to fall asleep.  But for this class, it is just fine.  I was to focus in trying to find the difference, and trying to find words to describes the taste of the wine, etc.  And it is so interesting.

So, 8 more weeks to go and then, exam.  :)  Its going to get very interesting.  :)

Tips of the day!

To describe a wine served by your friend, and not to hurt his/her feelings if the wine is really "BAD", you can say the followings...

1.  WOW!  The wine has very interesting nose.

2.  WOW!  The taste of the wine is very unique.

3.  WOW!  The wine is unassuming.

In the past, I usually can only say "WOW!  The wine is very smooth.", after the first lesson, I think I grab the idea of saying more descriptions...  So, this course is a "Drinking Wine" class as we drank 8 different type of wines today.  :)  The lecturer already said, we going to have 50-60 bottles of different wine during the 10 weeks course.