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Wine and Food Pairings with Chef Alan Kerr
Celebrate with Niagara College Wines! Chef Alan Kerr of Niagara College is a professional wine reviewer and gives his professional opinion on what to serve with Niagara College Wines: •
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FOOD & WINE |
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How to taste wine the "professional" way! Tasting wine the professional way may appear to be an elaborate ritual, but, in fact, it enhances the experience of the wine immensely. Ninety per cent of wine's flavour actually comes from the aroma. Our olfactory senses are much more sensitive than our taste buds. In order to get the complete benefit of the wine's beauty, follow the four basic steps of wine tasting: sight, smell, taste and swallow. The first step is to use a glass that is appropriate for that particular wine: medium, tapered barrel for whites, wide bowl for reds, tall flutes for sparkling. It's important to hold the glass by the stem to prevent the warmth from your hand transferring to the wine. The next step is to check the wine for clarity and colour (sight). A crisp, clear colour indicates a healthy wine. The colour can tell you the age and the richness of the wine as well. At this point, it is important to swirl. Swirling, or " humoring" your wine introduces air to wine and carries the aromas up and out of the glass, thus releasing its bouquet. Put your nose right into the glass and sniff gently. The smells that come out of the glass will give you a pretty clear indication of whether the wine is flavourful, healthy and fresh. It will give you indications of its fruitiness, spiciness, or region of origin. It will also give you an indication if the wine is "off" or faulty. . The final step is swish and swallow. At this point, you will be able to evaluate the body of the wine, the texture of the wine and the finish. The body lets you know the alcohol content, the texture or mouth feel is the velvetiness, and the finish is the lasting flavour that remains at the back of your throat after you swallow. The longer the finish, the better the quality of wine. Once you've completed all of the steps, concentrate on the flavours that you find in the wine. We often compare these scents to smells that are familiar to us, such as fruits, vegetable, wood, spices or flowers. These help us describe the "bouquet" of the wine. The most important aspect of wine tasting is finding a wine that is pleasing to your palate. No two people have the same taste, so choose a wine that you prefer. Remember - the most important rule in wine appreciation is to enjoy and explore new wines and new tastes. Did You Know?
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