Bless, O Lord, this new fruit of the vine, which thou hast graciously been pleased to permit to come to maturity, through calm seasons and gentle rains and favorable weather; and let it be unto joy for those of us who shall partake of this offspring of the vine; and may we offer it as a gift to thee unto the purification of our sins, through the sacred and holy Body and Blood of thy Christ, with whom thou art blessed together with thine all-holy and good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.[1]

The Evening Service of Vespers begins with Psalm 103 (104), that great Psalm recalling the goodness of Creation:

Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, Thou art very great...

…He sends springs into the valleys…that he may bring forth food out of the earth: And wine that makes glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengthens man’s heart…

O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! In wisdom hast Thou made them all:

Wine, oil, bread: these elements presented by mankind to God in the Church express our interaction with the creation. God makes grapes, but we care for them and we make wine. God makes olives, but we extract the oil. God makes wheat; we make bread. We offer these things to God with the expectation that he will transform them and give them back to us as the means by which we enter into and sustain a living communion with Him, our fellow man and the whole cosmos. In this great dialogue and movement of gratitude and love, it is possible for our hearts to be truly strengthened and made glad and for our faces to shine with the radiance of His Glory.

Father Alexander Schmemann begins his book, For the Life of the World, with these words:

"Man is what he eats." Man must eat in order to live; he must take the world into his body and transform it into himself, into flesh and blood. He is indeed that which he eats, and the whole world is presented as one all-embracing banquet table for man. And this image of the banquet remains, throughout the whole Bible, the central image of life. It is the image of life at its creation and also the image of life at its end and fulfillment: "...that you eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom."[2]

In her book, Great Wine Made Simple, Andrea Immer states, "despite extensive ongoing research, relatively little is known about how fermentation's chemical reactions result in complex scents in wine, and thus very little is in the winemaker's control."[3] How true, and how even more amazing that our loving God, Who created not only the mystery of complex scents resulting from fermentation, but also transforms wine into His Life-giving Blood (which is very little in the priest's control), would present this gift of salvation to us in the Eucharist[4] of the Church.

Wine is medicine. Wine is an expression of love. Wine is communion. Wine is a mystery. Wine drinking, in moderation of course, can be a celebration of joy. Aren't many doctors now saying that a glass of red wine at dinner is good for the heart? I wonder where they got such an idea?[5]

In these pages, I would like to offer a few fundamentals for understanding and enjoying the mystery of wine. But how can we understand the mystery? Let us "taste and see."

Body Styles of Wine

Among most wines that we commonly purchase, there are three basic body styles: light-bodied, medium-bodied and full-bodied. Several factors may give us clues about the body style of a particular wine before we even taste it: variety of grape, color of the wine and alcohol content. Often we don't even need a clue since the wine label itself may tell us if the wine is light, medium, or full-bodied.

A light-bodied premium white wine, like a Riesling, will have a pale yellow-green color, and an alcohol content of about 12-13%. A light-bodied premium red, like a Pinot Noir, will have a dark pink color, and an alcohol content of about 12.5-13.5%.

A medium-bodied premium white wine, like a Sauvignon Blanc, will have a straw yellow color, and an alcohol content of 13-14%. A medium-bodied premium red wine, like a merlot, will have a ruby red color, and about the same alcohol range.

A full-bodied premium white wine, like a Chardonnay, will have a yellow-gold color, and an alcohol content of about 13.5-14.5%. A full-bodied red, like a cabernet sauvignon, will have an inky, dark purple color, and the higher alcohol range as found in the full-bodied white.

Learning How to Taste

About wine tasting Andrea says, "It isn't just about what you feel on your tongue. Wine stirs all of your senses: seeing, smelling, touching, tasting--and even hearing--as you clink glasses for the toast."[6] So let's go through this sensory experience step by step. First, we need to discuss:

Wine Glasses

"The choice of glassware will influence the sight, aroma and taste of a wine."[7] Clear glass and thin-rimmed bowls are signs of quality glassware for wine. Generally speaking, the stem of the glass should be about as long as the bowl is tall.

"A large bowl and a narrow opening work together to magnify the wine's bouquet. They give plenty of space for the aromas to expand, but only a narrow escape."[8] White wine glasses tend to be on the smaller end of the spectrum with narrower openings and the red wine glasses are usually larger with wider openings.[9]

Seeing

For purposes of examining and tasting wine, fill a glass no more than one-third full. We don't hold the glass by the bowl, because (now think carefully...) that's right, you can't see the wine! Also fingerprints can blur the color of the wine, and heat from your hand can raise the wine's temperature.

Color gives us clues to several things: First the hue, best judged by tilting the glass and looking at the wine through the rim, may help us judge whether the wine is light, medium, or full-bodied. Second, the intensity, which may help us to recognize the variety of grape, is gauged by looking straight down through the wine from above. This is the way God looks at wine. As Thomas Matthews puts it, "No other liquid... reflects light with such joy and finesse."[10]

Finally, the clarity, whether the wine is brilliant or cloudy with particles, is most evident when light is shining sideways through the glass. Whether you are looking at a white or red wine, if it appears to be turning brown, there is a good chance the wine has oxidized, just like the flesh of an apple turns brown when it is cut and exposed to air. Oxidation in wine is usually caused by poor storage or a faulty cork seal that allowed air into the bottle, resulting in the loss of flavor and scent. Sometimes it turns to vinegar and tastes downright bad.

Swirling and Smelling

Swirling the wine in your glass causes the alcohol to vaporize, carrying the scent of the wine to your nose. Obviously, the aroma and bouquet of the wine should be pleasant. After taking in a big whiff, you may be tempted to say, "Smells go-o-o-d!" Let me suggest saying, "Excellent bouquet!" If there's too much of an air of sophistication in that, then just say "Wow" or "Amazing." That will get you by.

It's interesting to think about the role of the nose in recognizing flavors. For instance, most people can smell the difference between bowls of vanilla and chocolate ice cream without seeing or tasting them. Since flavor is discerned by scent, we need to swirl in order to appreciate the true flavor of the wine.

In addition, swirling gives yet another clue as to the body style of the wine. Perhaps you've heard someone refer to "legs" when swirling a glass of wine. Legs are neither good nor bad, they simply reveal the fullness of the body and perhaps the amount of alcohol in the wine: generally speaking, the more alcohol, the more legs. So, a light-bodied wine, white or red, should have thin, fast-streaming legs (if any) running down the side of the glass after you swirl. A medium-bodied wine--a little thicker, a little slower and a full-bodied wine--thick, slow legs.

Tasting

Beyond the ability to distinguish tastes such as sweet, salty, sour and bitter, the tongue can also sense body and texture. By body, I mean the feeling of weight, richness and thickness of wine in the mouth, whereas texture might be likened to the sensation of bubbles in a sparkling wine. It's important to roll the wine around in your mouth, bringing it into contact with every part of your tongue. Learning to understand body is perhaps the most fundamental concept in the appreciation of wine. Comparison usually helps in learning new things, so let's try to understand "body" in terms of milk. Andrea gives the following description:

Skim milk--Watery, runny, feels kind of skimpy on your tongue and the taste goes away fast--is light-bodied.

Whole milk--Thicker, richer, coats your mouth a bit, and the flavor lingers longer- - is medium bodied.

Heavy cream--Dense, thick, really clings to the inside of your mouth, and the flavor hangs on--is full-bodied.[11]

Dry, Sweet, Bitter, Crisp, Oakey, Tannic

"Dry" (a descriptive term often seen on wine labels) usually means there is a slightly higher alcohol content in the wine, since it is the grape's sugar that turns to alcohol in the fermentation process. When the fermentation process runs its normal course, most, if not all the sugar in the grape juice turns to alcohol, resulting in a "dry" taste. The heat of the alcohol is felt in the back of the throat.

"Residual sugar" means not all the sugar turned to alcohol during fermentation. Maybe the winemaker purposely stopped the fermentation process early in order to retain a bit of sweetness in the wine. Whichever the case, the sweetness is usually sensed on the top front area of the tongue.

"Off-dry" means "slightly sweet." So, why don't they just say slightly sweet? Because most wine snobs like only dry wine. They would drink something off dry, but never slightly sweet. It's kind of like the guy who would never buy a used car, but might consider a pre-owned vehicle.

"Bitterness," which is not a good thing, is more commonly found in reds and is sensed on the back of the tongue.

"Crisp," a word used to describe high acidity, that tart and tangy mouthwatering feeling, is felt on the sides of the tongue. Whites tend to be more "crisp" (acidic) than reds and Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc usually are more "crisp" than the softer, plumper and smoother taste of Chardonnay. Acid, here, is not a bad word. It's kind of like comparing a Granny Smith to a Fuji or Gala apple. My wife, a native of Washington State , loves the "crisp" taste of a Granny Smith.

"Oakey" is sometimes used to describe people like myself who are from Oklahoma (or is that "Okie"?), but in this case, "oakey" is the descriptive term for darker, more aromatic, richer tasting and fuller feeling wines that have been fermented and/or aged in oak barrels. This "oakey" taste is often described as toasty, smoky, sweet like vanilla (referring to a sweet-smelling scent, not sugar), or some combination of the three. Oak obviously adds complexity to the wine.

"Tannic" is that dried-out, leathery astringency of a red wine that make your cheeks pucker. If you've ever bitten into a persimmon, gotten a taste of banana peel, or chewed on the laces of your baseball glove, you know what I'm talking about.

In a wine context, tannin is a natural component of the skins, stems and seeds of wine grapes. That is why it is notable in red wines, not white--the juice, while soaking with the grape skins to get the red color, also soaks up the tannin.[12]

Low to medium tannin levels can feel silky and smooth, but high tannin levels, which often come from wine produced with "not fully ripened" grapes, can be harsh. Typically, Pinot Noir grapes, with their thinner grape skins, have lower tannin levels than the thicker-skinned Cabernet Sauvignon. As a general rule, we could say the darker the color of a red wine, the more tannin. Fortunately, the aging process can soften this effect over time and the tannin acts as a preservative during the wine's "time in a bottle."

Aerating and Decanting

Another way to soften high tannin levels, especially in young wines, is to aerate them. Aerating involves pouring wine from a bottle into another container to let it “breathe.” By doing so, the wine mixes with air and “opens up,” giving it a better bouquet and smoother palate. A carafe works well for this purpose; you don’t have to use a decanter.

Decanting is the process of separating wine from sediment in older red wines aged at least 10 years. When decanting an older wine, first stand the wine upright for 24-48 hours, so all the sediment (color and tannin molecules) sinks to the bottom of the bottle. Pour the wine into a decanter very carefully, leaving the last inch in the bottle.

Storage

Since most wine is consumed within 24 to 48 hours of purchase, a small wine rack away from any direct heat source or sunlight will suffice for storage. If you plan to collect fine wines that benefit from additional aging, your basic requirements are darkness and steady temperature. Darkness is necessary because ultraviolet light can contribute to quicker wine spoilage. The steady temperature should be below 70F. Now you know the purpose of a wine cellar.

If you don’t have a wine cellar, a basement can be a good spot (if it's not too damp), vacant space under a staircase, or on the floor in a downstairs closet. Avoid any place where the temperature could spike, causing the contents to expand, compromising the cork seal and resulting in a spoiled wine due to oxidation. Store your wines on their sides, either in cases or racked.

Serving Temperatures

Chill sparkling wines and light-bodied whites before serving, but don't use the refrigerator to store wine. Don't go too cold either, over chilling wines mutes their flavor. Fuller-bodied whites, such as Chardonnay, can be served slightly warmer.

You have probably heard that red wines should be served at room temperature, and you are right. However, the term "room temperature" refers to rooms in Europe way back when, and they were around 60F, not the 70-75 we find in most American homes. The slightly colder temperature slows the evaporation of alcohol, thus improving the aroma and flavor, and making the wine smoother. So, if you can figure out a way to bring a red down to about 62-65F before serving, try it. Careful though, the cooler the red gets, the more rough and bitter-tasting the tannins. Lighter reds like Pinot Noir can be served slightly cooler than full-bodied reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.

Here are some suggested serving temperatures for several popular white and red wines:

Champagne : 44-45F

Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc: 50-55F

Chardonnay: 55-60F

Pinot Noir: 58-60F

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot: 62-65F

More Tasting Words

Grassy--an aroma similar to fresh herbs, green vegetables or freshly cut grass usually found in Sauvignon Blanc.

Buttery--an aroma usually found in Chardonnay when malo-lactic fermentation creates a trace component called diacetyl, the same flavoring used in "butter"-flavored oil and movie theater popcorn.

Spicy--a sweet aroma similar to cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg or anise found in Gewurztraminer. Spicy can also describe the savory aroma of black pepper or cumin found in Syrah ( Shiraz ). You may also pick up some spicy sweet and black currant aromas in a Syrah.

Floral--an intoxicating perfume-like aroma similar to flower blossoms found in Muscat (Muscato).

Fruity--Well, since most wine is made from grapes, I hope it's fruity! But what do people mean when they describe a wine as "fruity?" Probably they are referring to the more “fruit-forward” style of American-made wines as opposed to the more “earthy” characteristics of their French counterparts.

Maybe “fruity” is a reference to characteristics that remind us of fruits other than, or in addition to a particular varietal grape, and it is common to describe their flavor in those terms. From a perspective of fruit types, one might describe a particular white wine's character as having hints or overtones of citrus, (like grapefruit, lemon or orange), apple, pear, pineapple, apricot, mango, etc. and a particular red's character in terms of cherry, plum, currant and various berry flavors.

The Finish

After you swallow, exhale gently and slowly through both your nose and mouth. The retronasal passage, which connects the throat and the nose, is another avenue for aromas, which can linger long after the wine is finally swallowed. You'll find that the better the wine, the more complex, profound and long lasting these residual aromas can be. "With great wines, sensitive tasters and minimal distractions, the finish can last a minute or more. It's a moment of meditation and communion that no other beverage can create."[13]