Italian Wine Classification Guide

When wine is poured in the Vinturi, it mixes just the right amount of
air with your wine at the precise moments. See-through aerators
help your wine to breathe instantly. The Vinturi Red Wine Aerator results in a better bouquet, enhanced flavor, and a smoother finish. The aerator comes with a no-drip base and a travel pouch. Acrylic. Aerators and bases are dishwasher safe. The travel pouch is machine washable.

Learning to Enjoy Wine

Essentials of Tasting and Enjoying Wine

There’s a difference between Tasting and Drinking wine.
• To taste wine is to distinguish flavors on your pallet. Distinguishing the four elements of taste: Sweet, Sour, Salty and Bitter.
• To drink wine is to take into the mouth and swallow.

Five Basic steps in Tasting Wine

Color:
White Wine:
The color ranges between pale yellow green to brown. Older whites color tends toward brown. Brown color is a caution sign that the wine could be oxidized (bad). Varietals are different colors. I.E.: chardonnay is usually a color of yellow gold or a Pinot Grigio being a straw color.

Red Wine:
The color ranges between a purple to brown. Purple being a sign of very young and fresh wine to rusty red brown or brick color tends to indicate a very mature wine. A brown only color usually indicates a very old, bad wine oxidized and not palatable.

Swirl:
WHY Swirl? It allows oxygen into the wine and releases bought and aroma. Also, try the Vinturi or an Eisch decanter.

Smell:
Smell the wine at least 3 times. Each time you will get more information. Most people do not spend enough time concentrating on smell. Focus, on the smell. Ask yourself, what is the aroma telling me. White wines concentrate the varietal and smelling will enable you to differentiate each of the varitels.

Red wines are a little more difficult due to the variety of blends. If possible concentrate at first on the Sangiovese, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. Attempt to memorize each of the smells, being unconcerned about terminology. While focusing on the smell you will be able to discern defective wine such as:
Vinegar – Acetic
Sherry – Oxidation
Wet/Moldy – Defective cork
Sulfur – To much Sulfur Dioxide
Note: It is said that 90% of taste is attributed to the smell.

Taste:
Now is the time to use your taste buds, both sides of your tongue underneath, tip and back of your tongue. To taste wine (to evaluate) take in some wine and swirl in your mouth to cover all of your taste buds. (Taste for a minimum of 3 to 6 seconds) Evaluate:

• Sweetness – From the tip of your tongue.
• Acidity – On the sides of the tongue and the back of your throat.
• Bitterness – On the back of your tongue
• Fruit – Characteristics, the weight of the wine (body) in the middle of the tongue.
• Tannin – The sensation starts in the middle of the tongue. Tannin dries the palate. Excessive tannin can coat your pallet blocking the fruit. Tannin exists primarily in red wine and in some white wines that are aged in wood.
• After Taste – Is the overall taste and balance of the various components of the wine on your pallet. How long does the taste last, a few seconds or up to 3 minutes? Usually the taste of great wines last up to or more than 3 minutes.
Savor:
As you taste, reflect on the taste and savor it. Now is the time to focus on a few specifics:
• What has this wine said to me?
• Body of the wine, is it light, medium or full bodied?
• Red wine, are the tannins mild, strong, astringent or is it balanced?
• White wine, is the acidity and or mineral, light, medium too much or is it balanced?
• Which component is the strongest: sweet, fruit, acid or tannin?
• Length of the taste—number of seconds or minutes?
• Is this a style or a wine that I enjoy and will purchase again?

You are the only one to judge the wines you like. Always remember the label, price, presentation, ambiance and friends can influence your perception of taste.