SOMM Laguna

I think one of the biggest challenges for people is trying to describe the kind of wine they like. Wine professionals tend to have a vocabulary that they are familiar with, so it’s easier for them to describe what they are looking for.

So if you want to describe the type of wine that you’d like, you can start by focusing on 3 of the 5 core tastes – Sweet, Sour, Bitter, Salty, and Umami (Japanese word for Savory). 1) Sweet – residual sugar that is left in the wine after fermentation, 2) Sour – acidity, it can make you pucker and your mouth salivates, 3) Bitter – tannins, they are mostly found in red wines and the sensation is that of drying out your cheeks, gums and tongue.

Imagine it’s a beautiful sunny afternoon and you and your friends are sitting at a patio bar. The waiter comes over and asks what you’d like. As it’s warm, maybe something white & refreshing (think lemonade) so ask the waiter to recommend something with some acidity. Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Riesling (Dry), Albariño, Assyrtiko (Santorini) are all acidic to varying degrees.

If you like red wines but prefer something lighter, ask the waiter for something less tannic (less bitter) and a little lower in alcohol. Malbecs (Argentina), Pinot Noir, Gamay (Beaujolais), Tempranillo (Rioja) or even a Sangiovese (Chianti or Brunello) are nice alternatives.

If you want the ‘big’ wine with lots of tannins (more bitterness) and lots of alcohol, you can’t go wrong with a quality California Cabernet. If you want to move the needle just a little, ask the waiter for high tannic wine with mid to upper levels of alcohol and see what they have.

And finally, don’t be afraid to ask for a Off Dry (a little bit sweet) wine, especially if you are eating spice foods. Most Rieslings have less than 12% alcohol, above average acidity and some residual sugar so it’s a great match with Indian or Thai food.

Featured Image by: Pixabay PEXELS