Marnie Old - Wine Secrets: Lessons in Connoisseurship from Top Winemakers, Sommeliers, Chefs and More: Advice from Winemakers, Sommeliers, and Connoisseurs

WINE
SECRETS

ADVICE FROM WINEMAKERS,
SOMMELIERS, AND CONNOISSEURS

BY MARNIE OLD

Copyright 2009 by Quirk Productions, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Number: 2009922638

eISBN: 978-1-59474-481-5

Designed by Bryn Ashburn and Jenny Kraemer
Illustrations by Jesse Ewing
Edited by Sarah OBrien
Production management by Melissa Jacobson

Distributed in North America by Chronicle Books
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Quirk Books
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Ed Sbragia, Winemaker

Gina Gallo, Winemaker

Michael Mondavi, Vintner

Laura Maniec, Master Sommelier

Jean-Luc Le D, Sommelier and Wine Retailer

Tom Stevenson, Wine Author

Randall Grahm, Winemaker

Richard Betts, Master Sommelier and Winemaker

Ann Noble, Wine Educator

Jean Trimbach, Vintner

Michael Weiss, Wine Educator

David Ramey, Winemaker

Zelma Long, Winemaker

Traci Dutton, Sommelier and Wine Educator

Madeline Triffon, Master Sommelier

Robert Kacher, Wine Importer

Olivia Boru, Sommelier

Jancis Robinson, Master of Wine and Wine Author

Melissa Monosoff, Sommelier

Ron Edwards, Master Sommelier

Kevin Zraly, Wine Educator and Author

Evan Goldstein, Master Sommelier

Terry Theise, Wine Importer

Fred Dexheimer, Master Sommelier

Doug Frost, Master of Wine and Master Sommelier

Natalie MacLean, Wine Author

Guy Stout, Master Sommelier

Donald Ziraldo, Vintner and Wine Author

Mark Oldman, Wine Author

Fred Dame, Master Sommelier

Larry Stone, Master Sommelier

Randy Caparoso, Sommelier

Christie Dufault, Sommelier

Piero Selvaggio, Restaurateur

Ronn Wiegand, Master of Wine and Master Sommelier

Mark Squires, Wine Writer

Tara Q. Thomas, Wine Author

Jacques Ppin, Chef

Charles Curtis, Master of Wine

Michael Martini, Winemaker

THIS BOOK IS A COLLECTION OF PEARLS OF WINE WISDOM FROM FORTY LEADING FIGURES IN THE WINE WORLD. THESE SIMPLE TIPS ARENT RECOMMENDATIONS OR traditional lessons about styles or regions. Rather, theyre useful insights and practical hints designed with the everyday wine drinker in mind. Inside, youll find everything from basic concepts that help untangle wines complexity to specific advice on which features are important in an all-purpose wineglass.

As wine professionals, the experts cited on these pages have all built their lives around one of lifes purest pleasures. Like works of art, the best wines can transport us with a single sip to another place and time. The extraordinary properties of wine have been recognized for centuries. Even the simplest ones are refreshing, delicious, and nutritious and can melt away the anxieties of the day.

Yet, theres no question that wine can also be a source of frustration. Compared to virtually every other food or beverage, wine seems fraught with hazards. Impenetrable labels, pairing rules, serving temperaturesnewcomers are confronted with an overwhelming number of choices and service rituals that can stand in the way of appreciating whats in the bottle.

An entire industry has sprung up to support wine as an elite beverage, building a world in which what you know about wine is a reflection of your social status. But, thats not what wine is really about. Socrates had it right: The more you know, the more you know you dont know. And, with wine, thats okay. The minutia that gets all the attentionvintages, winemaking techniques, soil types, individual wine reviewsisnt what most wine drinkers need to know. Whats important is to learn just enough about wine to help you take more pleasure from drinking ithow to describe what you like, how its flavors shift with food, and so on.

Those who know the most about wine tend to have the fewest pretensions. Sommeliers and winemakers dont put wine on a pedestal; we invite it into our lives. We know that wine isnt a liquid asset to be hoarded and traded; its a liquid pleasure to be shared and enjoyed. People who know wine in their bones rarely stand on ceremony, and their expertise brings a measure of common sense to bear that dispels snobbery.

In my work as a sommelier and a wine educator, I meet a lot of people who are worried about picking the wrong wine or serving it incorrectly. If we allow wine to induce stress, weve really got ourselves turned around. The idea is to be drinking wine to relieve stress. Thats why I wrote this book. I wanted to share with wine drinkers everywhere the kinds of ideas that help instill the confidence and calm that experts feel and banish the fearfulness and stress experienced by beginners.

WINE IS TRULY SPECIAL, CAPABLE OF GIVING GREAT PLEASURE. IT IS HEALTHFUL AND DELICIOUS, RELAXING AND NUTRITIOUS. WHATS NOT TO LIKE? YET, WINE can be equally frustrating. No other agricultural product is as impenetrably labeled; centuries of elite status have left us subject to arcane hierarchies and confusing legal terminology. Attempting to navigate the sea of wine options can leave the novice feeling powerless, perhaps even paralyzed with self-doubt. Little wonder that most people prefer to buy wines based on third-party endorsements or recommendations rather than choosing for themselves.

Knowledge is power. Upon discovering wines joys, our first instinct is to learn as much as we can, to master wine through sheer memorization. But wine is far too complex for this strategy to be successful. Most wine books and classes focus so tightly on technical datasuch as appellations and grape varietals, soil types and vinification techniquesthat beginners end up missing the forest for the trees.

As a wine educator, I usually recommend the opposite approach. Rather than learn what sets each style apart, lets begin with what they all share. Wine is much easier to understand once youve been introduced to a few key concepts. In this section, youll find a short list of useful generalizations; these big picture ideas will help illustrate how the wine world works.

ED SBRAGIA

Winemaker

ED SBRAGIA is one of Californias most respected winemakers. He holds the title of winemaster emeritus at Napa Valleys Beringer Vineyards in honor of his 32-year tenure at Californias oldest continuously operating winery. His wines have garnered countless awards, and he was instrumental in developing Beringers legendary Private Reserve program. Although Sbragia continues to consult for Beringer, he has recently focused on his own familys vineyard land in Sonoma Countys Dry Creek valley. In 2004 he launched Sbragia Family Vineyards, where he and his son Adam make wine together.

WINE IS MADE