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Sniffing out a good wine

Date Posted: Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Author: Christen Pears

I’ve always been a bit suspicious about wine tasting. I think it’s something to do with the snobbish overtones. Does all that swirling around the glass and swishing around the mouth make a difference? Can any wine really taste like ‘wheelbarrows full of ugly fruit’ as one well-known UK wine critic famously put it?When it comes to wine, I know what I like and tend to stick to it but I was recently given the opportunity to learn more and found myself sitting opposite Christophe Dumas, sommelier at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess, having a crash course in wine tasting.

Born in Paris, Christophe came to Bermuda seven years ago at the suggestion of his cousin who was managing Harbourfront on Front Street. He worked there as a sommelier until two years ago when he moved to the Fairmont Hamilton Princess. As a Frenchman, I suspect he has more of an affinity with wine than most of us but he says it was only while working at Chewton Glen hotel in Bournemouth in the UK that he first became seriously interested in the subject. It was there he met celebrated sommelier Mark Walter, who taught him the basics and over the next few years wine became his passion.

Although he clearly knows his stuff, Christophe is far removed from the stereotypical wine buff image. Young, enthusiastic and good fun, he’s keen to pass on his love of wine to neophytes like me.

“A lot of people drink the same wines all the time. They get used to one thing but wine tasting is a great way to try something new and develop the palate,” he explains. 

The first thing I learn is that wine tasting is actually something of a misnomer as the process encompasses far more than taste. Sight and smell are just as important when it comes to appreciating wine.

Serving the wine

Before any tasting can begin it’s important to have the wine at the right temperature, Christophe explains. Ideally, white wine should be served at between 48 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit while red wine should be served slightly below room temperature. Christophe actually likes to chill some young wines by putting the bottle in ice just before serving because this reduces the taste of tannins, which can produce a bitter taste. Red wine should also be allowed to breathe before serving. This exposes the liquid to the air, releasing its aromas and flavours. The length of time for breathing will depend on the wine and sadly there’s no hard and fast rule. I learn, as with so much in the wine world, it’s a matter of trial and error and personal taste.

Selection of glass is important, too, as it can affect the taster’s perception of the wine, particularly the bouquet. Red wines, for example, should be served in glasses with a wider bowl, which allows more air to circulate.

Tasting

Once I’ve grasped the basics of serving, it’s time to get started on the tasting but before any drinking can take place I have to look at the colour. This is assessed by holding the glass against a white background such as a tablecloth. Colour varies hugely and after a while, the experienced taster will be able to tell what variety of grape was used and whether or not the wine was aged in wood.

The next step involved swirling the glass is then swirled. This serves a dual purpose – it exposes the wine to more air and releases the aroma. It also creates something called legs. As the wine is swirled, it coats the inside of the glass. The legs dribble down the side of the glass, giving an indication of sugar and alcohol content. If the wine has a lot of legs, for example, it has a high alcohol content, while sweet wines take longer for the legs to run.

The taster then sniffs the wine to find out how it smells. This is referred to as the bouquet, nose or aroma. Technically I think they’re all different but at my level ‘smell’ will probably suffice. Our sense of taste depends heavily on our sense of smell - just think how difficult it is to taste food when you have a head cold - so Christophe tells me to stick my nose deep into the glass and inhale. I follow instructions and am almost knocked out by the powerful smell which, on second sniff, turns out to be more complex than I’d first thought. It’s woody but fruity at the same time and I stop myself short of proclaiming its likeness to the aforementioned wheelbarrow full of ugly fruit.

The next (and much-anticipated) step is to taste the wine. The tastebuds on each area of the tongue react to different flavours so it’s important to swirl the wine around the mouth to experience the full flavour. Christophe instructs me to draw air in too. This makes the Chardonnay I’m drinking taste like nothing I’ve sampled before. It’s like an intense taste explosion inside my mouth. It seems that wine tasting is putting me in touch with my senses.

There is no spitting out the wine here so I swallow another sip to assess the finish. This relates to how the wine feels in the mouth. Is it smooth, light or heavy? Does the taste linger?

“The palate develops as we grow older. The wines we enjoyed five years ago may not be on our list now. It’s important to try new wines. Even if you don’t like them it’s all good experience,” explains Christophe. I couldn’t agree more and after an afternoon of tasting, I weave my way home, armed with my new knowledge a determination to be more adventurous in my choice of wine.

What’s hot in wine

There are between 70 and 80 wines on the list at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess. The selection is influenced largely by the menu, which is inspired by the flavours of the Mediterranean, but there are always new trends to look out for.

A few years ago, for example, Chardonnay was universally popular while today more people are drinking Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. French wines used to dominate many cellars but in recent years New World varieties have begun to hold their own and Christophe tips Spain as the next hot spot.

“Spanish wine has been fairly quiet for the last few years but there are lots of exciting things happening. I think we can expect a revival.”

He also predicts that organic wine will become hugely popular. Well-known names such as Chateauneuf du Pape have always been organic but they haven’t promoted themselves as such because it’s only recently become such an issue. There’s a fast-growing list of vineyards using organic methods. 

“This is going to be something to look out for. People are getting more and more into organic foods because it’s healthy and there are no pesticides. It’s the same with organic wine,” says Christophe.

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