Wine for Two
&
Gabrielle Gingras
Ho, saki, haste, the beaker brings,
Fill up, and pass it round the ring;
Loves seemed at first an easy thing –
But ah! The hard awakening.
… Let wine upon the prayer-mat flow,
And if the taverner bids so;
Won't I on this road to go
Its ways and manners well doth know.
Chromosomes are part of the patterns of the ever-changing forms and shapes found in nature, encouraged by motions of atoms and matter. Zooming out of these chromosomes that are part of a green leaf, a different shape jumps from here to there with the excitement of being a Robyn. It's that time of the year when the leaves are green, the birds are chirping and everything around grandpa and I and our game of chess and sips of wine is dazzling with life. The puffy clouds surround the life giving sun and as we are sitting on old wooden chairs in the garden I am reaching for my knight to make my first move. Suddenly grandpa says, “What good is knowledge in enjoying the experience of drinking wine?” I said, “Does knowledge about wine make the wine taste better grandpa? I mean can it enhance the experience of drinking wine?”
He then posed the following question as an interesting side issue: Are people who know more having a different perceptual experience? “I'm not asking what good knowledge is in making, selling or evaluating wine – I take it that knowledge is good in all those respects,” clarifies grandpa. “Also,” as he takes another sip of his wine, he says, “I'm not asking whether there is any value in being able to blind taste a wine.” Instead, distinguishing these from the pleasure one has drinking the wine. Many of these types of knowledge pertain to taste. Open a wine you've had before and there is expectation: this is the cognitive pleasure of remembering what a wine will taste like.
As grandpa raises his glass into midair to look at its rich color, and brings it close to his nose and takes a deep breath with pleasure, his face lights up with a rosy glow and he takes a sip and says: (1) We are talking about people who have a basic liking for wine. (2) That people have the practical skills of knowing how to taste. (3) And, I know that this is rather shaky assumption, that expectations and external influences play no role in one's experience and judgment. (4) We’re discussing the effect of knowledge on people with normal sensitivity to aromas and flavors.
I thought about this for a moment then I understood what he is saying. Then to clarify his meaning I came to three related questions, posed in order to help frame his arguments. To what extent do differences in preference reflect differences in taste? Do we share a common experience? Is it possible for two people to taste the same wine, experience the same thing and then for one person to like it and the other not?
According to grandpa, it is possible to distinguish three types of pleasure: sensory, cognitive and emotional, with the third, he suggests, not being relevant to wine. He also makes a distinction between four levels of perceiving components of a wine's characteristics.
There is (1) sensing, (2) noticing, (3) recognizing and (4) identifying.
If we compare scenery watching and bird watching with wine tasting, there's a difference. In the first two pursuits, the fun is in recognizing and identifying. With wine, there's a level of pleasure that occurs beyond merely recognizing and identifying flavor components. Then grandpa continues and drew attention to the sorts of terms used to describe experts in particular fields. ‘Discerning’ and ‘discriminating’ have both an aesthetic and cognitive meaning. Both can imply merely expertise, but there's an additional level of meaning that implies good taste.
There's a distinction here between being an expert and a connoisseur: the latter implies some level of good taste in the area of expertise. Then he continued to illustrate his example in a gross way and said imagine someone with a special ability to taste and smell. They work in a medical laboratory, but instead of using analytical devices to test blood and urine samples, they use their elevated sense of taste and smell. But there wouldn't be an aesthetic side to this, and we wouldn't consider them as connoisseurs.
Grandpa seems to be in a trance of some sort and he doesn't seem to think that I am there, it seems that he is talking to someone else, perhaps to the bottle! Anyways he proceeded to compare vision and taste/smell, contrasting the terms we use to describe these different senses. For vision, he said our words are precise: we have lots of specialized descriptors for colors – even for shades of redness. For taste and smell the vocabulary is much less precise, and most of the terms are connected with the ‘cause’ of the smell or taste. With vision it is much easier to make a judgment. Look at the just noticeable differences (JND's) in color perception: one researcher has estimated that there are 10 million JND's in color possible by untrained judges, a remarkable number (based on extrapolation).
When people are presented with tastes and smells it is more difficult for them to discriminate and it takes them longer. We are slow to respond to different stimuli. Grandpa is referring to the work on multidimensional scaling that is used to quantify sensory data in psychophysics. Large data sets have been collected on people's similarity concerning judgment. From this work, the conclusion is that taste has the five well-known dimensions (umami, salty, sweet, bitter and sour). However, estimates of the number of dimensions for olfaction (in which smells can differ) have varied, ranging from 7 to 18, but in any case many more than the three needed for color (hue, saturation, and intensity). This may help explain why differences in smells are harder for us to describe, but it does not mean that we are not capable of discriminating them.
Although I was thinking about all of these questions I wasn't going to interrupt grandpa I just let him continue. And so he posed another question: do experts taste something that other people don't? Putting this another way, what is wrong with the default position that knowledge doesn't seem to make a difference? Could it be that novices can sense and notice, but can't recognize tastes and smells in wine?
Well I have to say that for me wine goes well with food, and for me a glass is a plenty to enjoy my food with and chit chat and in good company. However it seems that for grandpa, wine is something else, it's a friend, a family member and a good listener. I hope that like everything that our senses come close to recognizing as pleasurable as wine, they have the tendency to hold on to them for different moods of cognitive understanding.
Before I leave you to your thoughts, I just want to say that grandpa is a lonely man that I come to visit as much as I can, and once I leave him, he brings his bottle out and you know the rest. So, from my opinion, enjoy life up to a certain extent, but be careful of your sense addiction.
Drinking wine has been part of human consciousness ever since day one of human existence. If we could, I bet that we would have celebrated the first day of existence with a glass of wine. But, we knew that there was no rush. According to archeologist the oldest wine casket comes from Neolithic period (8500.4000 B.C). Which is the area from Iran all the way to Egypt. Perhaps that's when the consciousness of human beings started to reason, and started to reason with poetry and philosophy. And of course they needed a companion, a mentor to follow them in their train of thoughts with added aromas and clearer ideas about how there is no use in questioning life rather enjoying life instead.
However, the Neolithic culture was rich compared to nomads. With a more secure food supply than nomadic groups and with a more stable base of operations, a Neolithic "cuisine" emerged. Using a variety of food processing techniques – fermentation, soaking, heating, spicing – Neolithic peoples are credited with first producing bread, beer, and an array grain entrées we continue to enjoy today. Now being a raw-foodist myself I wonder if I should salute the Neolithic culture or brand them with the responsibility of creating bad health for future generations? However one thing that cannot be denied is their taste for creativity, and their knowledge for oenology.
Different Types of Wine
Ever since the Neolithic times, there have been a lot of different kinds of wine. However, there are five basic types.
Red Wine – Its reddish color comes from leaving the grape skins in during the fermentation process. Generally heavier than white wines, reds also have more tannin, which is a natural substance found in grape skins that contributes to the flavor of the wine.
- White Wine – Almost every white wine is made with white grapes, though it is possible to make white wine using red grapes. This is because when white wine is made, the juice is separated from the skins before the fermentation process. The juice does not absorb the color of the skins. For the same reason, white wine has much less tannin than red.
- Rosé Wine – Rosé wines are made with red grapes, but are only allowed to stay in contact with the grape skins for a short time. This allows it to keep only some of the reddish color (and only some of the tannin).
Rosé wines are sometimes called blush wines. Sometimes they are even called white despite the obvious pink color. White Zinfandel is a rosé wine, not a white.
Fortified Wine – Also called dessert wines or liqueur wines, this type of wine has been "fortified" with extra alcohol. The Alcohol content of these wines will be over 14%.
Fortified wines are not generally served with a meal. These types of wines are often served after retiring from the dinner table. Some examples of fortified wines are Port, Sherry, and Madeira.
Sparkling Wine and Champagne – Sparkling wine is easy to distinguish from table wine because it has bubbles. The process of making sparkling wine can take months, even years.
Sparkling wine is popular worldwide and is produced in all of the major winemaking regions. Perhaps you have heard of the most famous sparkling wine...maybe the most famous of any type of wine...
It's called Champagne!
The Oenology of Organic Wine
The science of wine and winemaking is known as oenology. And, it has been known to men ever since 5000 years ago. However the biochemistry of fermentation was a mystery until the late nineteenth century. Fermentation was thought to be a spontaneous act of Nature, merely set in motion by man. The grapes were crushed to release the juice (must) into a fermentation vessel. When the fermentation was complete, the wine was pressed by some mechanical means to separate the liquid from the stems, skins, pips and pulp. It was then stored to age and clarify until it was drunk. While modern technology and methods may have refined and enhanced it, this is still the basic process today. Even though the process of wine making has gone through dark ages, it has become once again organic just like the way it use to be. By using good soil, no pesticides, a minimum amount of machinery and the use of electronic tractors in the fields has made not only the process of organic oneology for the farmers more wholesome, but it has also made the appreciation of wine drinking more holistic.
Organic Wine Today
The good news is that the steady sales growth of organically produced wine appears to highlight a change in consumer taste and purchasing behaviors. While the top end of the market has always focused on limited production vintages with distinctive characteristics, the middle range has now followed with its rejection of mass-produced wines of average or lower quality. According to surveys conducted by an independent liquor traders union, the majority of consumers now prefer to spend a little extra to obtain something distinctive. This point can even be stretched to those who are vegans or raw foodists. Since, wine is just left there to ferment without any animal by-products, pesticides or any other horrible chemical that changes and reforms the molecules of the grapes. This makes wine accessible to al those who are raw foodists, macrobiotics and vegans.
Some of my Favorite Organic Vineyards from Around the World
New Zealand
Richmond Plains
It is within their philosophy that “Great wines are made in the vineyard,” is fundamental to Richmond Plains’ organic philosophy and principles. The finest grapes come from the healthiest vines; vines that are nourished by a healthy, biologically active soil and a rich biodiversity, not by soluble, synthetic, chemical fertilizers. Wines from such biologically active soils have characters that are unique to those soils, giving to the wines a sense of place or belonging. In French this unique character is referred to as “terroir.”
http://www.organicwines.co.nz/
Australia
Robinvale Organic Wines
Mr. & Mrs. George Caracatsanoudis established Robinvale Organic Wines in 1976. Today sons Steve, Bill and their families continue to produce quality Wines and Non-Alcoholic beverages. The Caracatsanoudis family operate the modern winery along with thirty hectares of Bio-Dynamic vineyards at Robinvale, 470 km North-West of Melbourne on the Murray River.
http://www.organicwines.com.au/
Chile
Cauquenes – Maule – VII Region – Chile
The vineyards on the other side of the mountain range, near the Pacific Ocean, are located in areas with soft hills amidst valleys whose soils are simple and contain clay and sand. The stressed amplitude between day and night temperatures, the copious rainfall during the winter and teh strong winds that produce dryness in the atmosphere, thus avoiding the outburst of diseases make this place suitable for growing the vines and making organic wines.
Vińa Lomas de Cauquenes • Av. Ruperto Pinochet 690 • Telephone: (56-73) 560000
Argentina
Welcome Argentina dot COM
The most important region in the Province of Salta is Cafayate: a valley surrounded by mountain ranges, with an average height of 1,700m over sea level, more than 300 sunny days a year and thermal amplitude that may reach 18° C. The dry weather, the wide thermal amplitude between day and night and the irrigation of the rivers of the area together with the underground water layers make up a micro-climate of special features to grow organic wine. The typical variety of the area is the Torrontés. This is the wine that, as a varietal, enabled Cafayate to transcend, even if the area is also proper for varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah and Chardonnay. It is significant to point out some new undertakings located at higher points in the world: Yacochuya, 2,000m and Colomé, 2,300m. The cool part is that before my wife and I were dating we took a tour around this region in the year 2003. I have to say that it has a lovely rustic feel of romance that it is hard to find any where but around the province of Salta (Cafayate).
http://www.welcomeargentina.com/vino/salta_i.html
France
The Organic Wine Company
Too many people today complain about unpleasant reactions after drinking an innocent looking glass of wine. Not so with wines selected by The Organic Wine Company! They are sad of hearing so many wine lovers turning away from their favorite drink because of adverse effects that have no justification. Everybody should know by now that AUTHENTIC wines made with UNSPOILED grapes do not produce such ill effects. It's not their stomach that is in question but the PRODUCT! But rejoice! They have the solution! These guys are great as far as quality and price is concerned. They also send their wines over seas, so if you really looking for that great evening or that speciall occasion then I suggest it's worth every penny.
http://www.theorganicwinecompany.com/
Wine like your taste in food is a very personal thing. Some people like sweet wines, others like dry wines and even the same wine will taste differently depending on the person. This is great for the wine connaisseur who knows what he or she likes but for beginners it is useful to have a guideline to know where to start and from there one can feel more comfortable exploring what you like. Here are wine suggestions for you to follow that are classified by taste.
Tomato Marinara
- Merlot, Chianty/Sangiovese, Zinfandel
Pesto & Basil
- Shiraz, Chardonnay, Merlot
Tomato & Oregano
- Chardonnay, Merlot, Chianty/Sangiovese
Garlic
- White Zinfandel, Pinot noir, Merlot
Hot & Spicy
- Sauvignon blanc/fumé, Chardonnay, White Zinfandel
Cream Sauce (almond butter, cocoa butter, etc.)
- Chardonnay, Pinot noir
Ginger (ginseng)
- White Zinfandel, Riesling, Chardonnay
Lemon
- Fumé/Sauvignon blanc, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay
Onion
- Merlot, Zinfandel, Carbernet Sauvignon
Mushroom
- Shiraz/Shirah, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon
Most Desserts (except chocolately desserts)
- Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Fumé/Sauvignon blanc
I would like to finish this special report by concluding that there is a beauty within every object, action, taste, smell, sound and feeling. Like everything in life, the more awareness we have, the more we start to enjoy whatever is under the spotlight of our attention. Of course, as you have read from the philosophy of wine it is very hard to suggest or conclude that everyone conceives beauty in the same way. However, I do believe that there is a universal logic to how we define beauty and it is as so on how to define the beauty of wine. But, the question that I would like to raise is how do we define whether a wine is beautiful or disgusting? Is there any logic to our aesthetic appreciation of wine? Is it an instinctive, more-or-less automatic response that follows the tasting act, or is it a more considered, intellectual assessment? I think it's a bit of both. When I have a wine in my mouth, there's an immediate hedonic response ('hmmm, nice', or 'uh, yuk', for example). This is then followed by a procedure where I attend to the wine, I examine it, I think about its various components, I compare it to the templates of previously tasted wines stored somewhere in my memory. This results in a more considered response, which no doubt has its origins in the instinctive ‘gut reaction’ phase of tasting.
Of course, not all people are looking for beauty in their wine. They want just a glass of wine. The wine might, at best, elicit a response of ‘tasty’, or ‘nice’, but that's it. It's like someone leafing through a catalogue of paintings, as opposed to taking the time to stand in front of them in a gallery. To a degree, if we want to find beauty in a wine, we have to look for it. We also have to know what we are looking for – learning and context are very important in wine tasting. Related to this is the subjective element; we each find different wines appealing. This brings me back to a familiar theme: in tasting, our response to the wine is as important as the properties of the wine itself. To conclude, then, I’ll state that I think wines can be beautiful, but it's the combination of our understanding, our perceptive abilities and the characteristics of the wine that can create that beauty. But you could conclude that there is no need to describe wine or even judge wine. Perhaps this way, you find that every individual type of wine has it's own essence and it's own beauty that surprises you spontaneously. Maybe this is because we have eliminated the vial of judgment all together.
