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Flavorsome torms
Lingo for cork dork
The moral of this lesson is to do your research. Get some friends together for a wine tasting party, or have your own private celebration. You can never become too wise or over-experienced in the world of wine.
You can also find other fun experiences in wine tasting at restaurants. Sarah Spence, St. Louis senior, is a wine fanatic. She started drinking wine at a wine and cheese restaurant in St. Louis. She says it was there that she learned to appreciate the flavor of wine and the differences between varieties.
Have faith in your local wine stores. Don't be afraid to ask questions. The people who work there may not be experts, but they sure know a lot about wine. When visiting The Wine Cellar, 2100 A.W. 25th St., the clerk told me about how they had all visited Holy-Field during the weekend for a tour and educational session on wine. Smith had only been working at Cork and Barrel for a few months, but the things she told me about wine led me to believe she had been there for years.
"I don't spend a lot on wine because you can get some really great wines without spending even $10. I have found that it's definitely not the price that indicates how good the wine is," Spence says.
Acidity-The tangy element in wine that makes it feel bright, crisp, lively
Aroma.The smell of the wine that comes straight from the grapes
Big Very flavorful, mouth-filling
Body-How light or heavy a wine feels in the mouth
Bouque?-Complex aromas developed in an older wine
Brix- Unit of measure of sugar in grapes. The higher the Brix level, the higher the alcoholic potential of wine
Deep Having lots of flavors that seem to last a long time and keep changing in the mouth
Dumb Not expressing much scent of flavor
Fat-A wine with lots of fruity flavor and not so much tannin or acidity Finish-How long a wine's flavor lasts in the mouth
Flavor-The entire impact of a wine on the senses Texture-How a wine feels in the mouth
Table wine-Indicates dry wines of very basic quality
Tannin The structural component in wine that affects color, helps the wine to last long and causes a drying sensation in the mouth Variety The kind of grape; Merlot is a grape variety
Vintage The year In which a wine was harvested
Source: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wine Basics