ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, December 25, 1996 TAG: 9612260013
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 8 EDITION: HOLIDAY
COLUMN: the wine list
SOURCE: BETH CRITTENDEN
Wine is a romantic, sexy, ever-changing product that often inspires inquiries. New wines, vintage changes, changes in personal tastes and other factors lead wine aficionados as well as beginning wine buffs to pose many questions. Here are some of the most frequently asked:
Q. I am sensitive to sulfites. Are there any wines without them?
A. Sulfite-free wines are hard to come by, and I know of only one available in Southwest Virginia: Amity "Eco-Wine" Pinot Noir. There are several other wines available which are made with low sulfite levels and using organic growing and harvesting methods. A few are domestic, including wines from Badger Mountain Vineyards, Fetzer "Bonterra" wines and Suncrest Winery. Imported wines from smaller vineyards in France also are a good gamble for lower sulfite wines, because they will be more likely to use the traditional, organic methods of winemaking.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows up to 350 parts per billion sulfites to be included in wine. Badger Mountain wines, for example, contain between six and 20 parts per billion. Some wines, especially in larger bottles, contain almost the highest allowable levels, because sulfites act to delay spoilage and the producers know that these wines will likely be opened and used over longer periods of time.
Q: How much wine should I buy for my party?
A: There are about 25 ounces in a .750 ml. bottle of wine, and five ounces is an approximate serving size. So, assuming that you will pour about five glasses of wine per bottle, consider how many wine drinkers you will entertain, multiplied by how many glasses you expect each person to consume, divided by five glasses per bottle. You will never get an exact answer, because you can't determine who is going to drink how much, but this should get you started.
Q: Which wines should I chill?
A: A general rule of thumb is to chill white wines, pink wines and sparkling wines, but not red wines. Specifically, white wines and blush or pink wines are best served at 55,F, which is about refrigerator temperature. If they are too cold, their fruit flavors will be muted and you won't be able to taste much until they warm up a bit. Sparkling wines and champagnes should be served cold at 45,F and kept cold while serving. Red wines should be served and consumed at cellar temperature, which is 62,F-65,F. The red wine bottle should feel a little cool to the touch before serving. If it feels warm, the wine will be warm and will taste like alcohol with no other characteristics. It is OK to chill red wines for 10-15 minutes in the refrigerator or ice bucket if the bottle feels too warm.
Q: How can I tell if my bottle of wine is worth anything?
A: The best way to tell is by consulting an up-to-date version of "Wine Spectator's Ultimate Guide to Buying Wine," (M. Shanken Communications, Inc.) or "Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide," (Simon & Schuster) or by asking a wine specialist. If the winery and the vintage year are good, you will be asked about the storage conditions of the wine since its release, including its storage position and temperature, whether it had been moved, and several other questions. Then an expert would have to examine the bottle for its condition and the appearance of the wine. A wine may be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars, but chances are very slim.
Q: Is this wine ready to drink or should it be aged?
A: Few wines are made to be aged for any length of time before drinking. Most wineries release their wines when they are ready or almost ready to be consumed, because that is how most buyers choose most of their wines. Of the ageable wines, most are red, primarily made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, some Pinot Noir, red Zinfandel and Italian Barolo, which is made from the Nebbiolo grape. Only a few white wines improve with age, most of them going downhill after about three years. Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer and other more delicate white grape varietals are best drunk very young. If in doubt, consult a wine guide, available in many book stores, or ask a local wine retailer for advice.
Q: What makes wine go bad?
A: Many times, a wine is described as "bad" when air has seeped into the bottle, mixing with the wine to oxidize it, which turns it to vinegar. This can happen when a bottle has been open too long, was stored improperly - usually upright for a long time, which would cause the cork to dry out - or had a defective cork. The wine can have a faint or very strong scent of vinegar. Some wines, described as "cooked," have been heated during storage or transportation and have a distinctive burned smell or an aroma of burned sugar. And some wines are simply served way past their prime and taste old, flavorless or dried out.
Q. What does it mean if a bottle of wine is 'corked?'
A. It does not mean that the bottle has a cork in it. Rather, a corked bottle is one that has in it a defective cork. Usually when you run across a "corked" bottle, the wine has a musty, spoiled smell, which I describe as smelling like a wet dog. Usually the taste of the wine is not affected, but the smell is enough to drive you away.
If you have a wine question, drop me a line c/o The Roanoke Times, Features Dept., P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010. Cheers!
WINTER WARMING WINE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND BEYOND:
Veuve Clicquot "Gold Label" Brut Champagne, (FR) - $45
Jordan "J" Brut Sparkling, 1991 (CA) - $30
Chalk Hill Chardonnay, 1994 (CA) - $25
Storybook Mountain Zinfandel, 1992 or 1993, (CA) - $15
Robert Pecota Cabernet Sauvignon, 1994 (CA) - $25
Bonny Doon "Framboise" (CA) - $11
For a winter warmer using wine, try the following recipe just to simmer for your family or to serve when entertaining holiday guests.
Warm Spiced Wine
Combine the following ingredients in a medium pot and heat to boiling; boil five min.
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 Tb. water
12 whole cloves
2 sticks cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Peel of one orange, cut into pieces
Add:
1/4 cup lemon juice
Turn heat to low and let the mixture sit an additional five minutes. Strain and add:
1 (750 ml.) bottle of a spicy red wine, such as Zinfandel, Syrah/Shiraz or Lemberger.
Heat through, but do not boil. Serve hot; garnish with orange slices if desired.
Q. "Which types of wine provide the most health benefits?"
A. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a revised "Dietary Guidelines for Americans," which detailed the healthful effects of drinking moderate amounts of wine, defined and one five-ounce glass per day for women and two five-ounce glasses per day for men. Some people approach a wine retailer asking for the specific bottle to "take with my dinner" as if there is one wine made strictly for medicinal purposes and it is to be taken with dinner each night. There is no one wine. Several studies, including the famous "French Paradox" have shown moderate consumption of wine to decrease the risk of coronary heart disease. Questions about the benefit of wine for specific ailments, however, should be referred to a personal physician.
THE WINE LIST runs once a month in the Extra section. Beth Crittenden is a local wine wholesaler, wine educator, writer and founder of the Roanoke Valley Wine Society, which usually meets for wine-tasting programs on the fourth Thursday of each month. If you have a wine-related question, or would like more information on the society, call 992-3285.
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