I am often asked “What is your favorite wine?”. I can’t answer that question. There is a lot to consider, food, season, mood, cost…and on and on. Beer, however, I do have one favorite it is IPA. I like the bitterness and feel it does with most foods, it transcends season and mood and cost, well, that fluctuates but, oh well, sometimes I will spend the extra dollar.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/02/20/515799364/the-haze-craze-beer-lovers-newfound-obsession-with-murky-ipas

Taste profiles:  caramel, walnut oil, peach, hazelnut, orange peel, and burnt sugar.

A dessert wine that pairs well with dark chocolate, nuts (almonds), and berries.

Generally about 17-20% alcohol content.

Tingly sensation on the center of the tongue is due to sugar and alcohol.

Popular cooking wine, great with mushrooms.  Preferable to cook with madeira wines sold in a wine store.

Madeira has a long shelf life, temperature does not change the product.  If wine is stored correctly, wine will last up to 1 year.

The most popular style of Madeira sold in the United States is called “rainwater.”  Must be aged three years before released.

The Wine Spectator is an impressive resource of wine information: http://www.winespectator.com/glossary

So what do you think about this? How do you plan your own tasting notes?

Wine Folly Tasting Notes

http://winefolly.com/review/write-excellent-wine-tasting-notes/

Are you comfortable with the tasting grid yet? Here is another interpretation of a tasting note document: Wine Folly Tasting Grid

Here is a great resource to learn to pronounce the terms you are learning.

https://www.winescholarguild.org/france/membership/demo/pronunciation-exercises.html?utm_source=newsletter_1354&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=4-reasons-why-educators-should-become-a-wsg-member-educator-2

How to pronounce wine words: http://www.palmbaywines.com/wine_tips_pronunciation.asp

/ˈabsəˌl(y)o͞otlē/ /ˈyo͞osfəl/

In our last class, my team and other fellow classmates had the opportunity to taste wines from Washington State and Oregon and a few from California. A notable reference to the crisp and citrus sauvignon blanc from Napa Valley the Joel Gott.