How to taste, drink and buy.

Author: Sophia Zimmerman Published on November 11, 2021

Contrary to commonly held university ideas, the art of wine is not just a large bottle of barefoot Moscato or Francia’s public bag being passed on the annual Fratalina wine blender.

There is also a space in which wine surpasses the solidification of the normally assumed relationship with the upper class. If you want to take your wine consumption more seriously, the following guide will introduce the vast wine world and its boom in the Twin Cities.

Wine basics "Wine is like bottling history," said Drew Horton, an oenologist at the University of Minnesota's Grape Breeding and Oenology Program. Horton is not wrong-when you look at it from the right perspective, each bottle of wine tells its production story and its origin through its label, body and overall characteristics.

In the simplest description, wine is fermented grape juice made from wine grapes. According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, wine has existed for centuries, and its earliest known origin can be traced back to nearly 8,000 years ago. According to Sarina Garibović, co-founder of ženska glava, the twin city women's sommelier service, different characteristics of wine (sweetness, acidity, body, etc.) appear after the fermentation process.

Garibović said that when distinguishing wine types, the key is to determine the grape variety used. White wine is made from white and black grapes that are fermented without skins. The orange wine that has become more and more popular in the past few years is basically a white wine made from intact skins. Red wine uses black grapes fermented with skins, which is the reason for the high tannin content of this variety. Tannins are a texture in wine, derived from grape skins; their presence in wine depends on the thickness of the skin.

"When you drank black tea and took the last bite-that was tannins," Garibović explained. The dryness in the mouth comes from tannins, and being able to measure dryness is a way to better understand the wine you drink.

"I encourage everyone who is just starting to drink wine blindly," Horton said. "Wine can stimulate all senses."

He suggested to find a few friends and choose a wine you want to try. Let everyone buy a variant of the above wine, and once you are together, find a way to hide the bottle. Pour a glass each, close your eyes and take a sip. From there, discuss wine and ask any questions that come to mind. Think about it: is it sweet or bitter? Dry or refreshing? What else do you taste? Once you have completed the entire oral analysis, you can reveal through wine and name your description. Horton says that exercises like this are the key to understanding wine best.

If you are curious, the type of glass you drink is only slightly important. According to Garibovich, the blackjack should satisfy two important aspects. First, the glass should have a bowl wide enough to fill a third. Secondly, the glass should allow you to rotate the liquid inside. This step introduces your wine into oxygen and produces fluctuations in the aroma compound-this is a peculiar way of saying that the aroma of the wine before you take a sip Will become more obvious. Garibović recommends using a universal wine glass to check these boxes, noting that wine glasses are useful but not necessary.

Buying wine? Although it is unrealistic to expect the typical college student to spend a lot of money on top-notch, expensive wine bottles, Garibovich still urges people to invest in quality wines that suit their favorite flavor profile instead of buying cheap bottles.

Both Garibović and Horton strongly recommend that you go to a wine shop in the city to find the best bottle for you. Their employees, whether they are certified sommeliers or wine connoisseurs, are the ideal assistants in choosing the right bottle that fits your budget and palette.

"Go to a good wine store as a regular customer and talk to the people who work there. They are most likely to figure out how to get the most value for you," Garibovich said. Her recommendations for Twin Cities wine shops include Henry & Son, 1010 Washington Wine & Spirits and North Loop Wine & Spirits.

Food pairings Although the people you meet in the wine shop will provide a lot of suggestions on wine and food pairings, Garibovich offers her general rule of thumb-when pairing, put the weight of dishes and wine first. . Light-bodied wines, such as Riesling or Pinot Noir, should not be paired with buttery pasta or hearty steaks. Similarly, full-bodied wines, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, should avoid dishes such as lemon flavor or white fish. ?? "Each bite should make you want to take another bite," Garibovich said. Although the relationship between food and wine is complementary, nothing should stop you from sipping the taste that you just enjoy while eating.

Is there any shame in buying a beautiful bottle at Total Wine, pour a glass at room temperature, and enjoy it on a comfortable sofa and call it a day? Absolutely not. Are there other ways to buy and enjoy more personalized wines, I dare say, more enjoyable? certainly. If you find that you want to try something new, you can go to a place like Alma or Bar Brava for a drink.