“Desperate” for Crystal

I will admit it – I was a big fan of Desperate Housewives.  Bree, while not my favorite, was always very sophisticated and well-heeled – until the night she was going to take her life in a hotel room.  She set the stage with fine linens, her best nightgown, her favorite chardonnay.  Then, she proceeded to pour the chardonnay into a plastic disposable cup.  UGHHH!!

Fortunately, Bree’s suicide attempt was interrupted, but let’s talk about why the glass matters.  Wine can be drunk from any type of vessel, yet the result will not be the same.  As I mentioned last week, what we experience with wine is about 75% driven by what we smell.  The source of the aromas is the volatized esters in wine.  Those are the floral, blackberry, and strawberry aromas (just to mention a few).  We can discern only five distinct flavors on our tongue: sweet, sour, salt, bitter, and umami (a Japanese word that translates to meaty or savory).  However, we can distinguish thousands of odors.

To fully enjoy what is in the glass, we want to provide the maximum release of the esters.  This is where the glass makes a difference.  A glass with a wide bowl provides the maximum surface area, allowing the alcohol to evaporate. If that same glass has an opening about half the diameter of the widest part of the bowl, the esters are concentrated, allowing you to fully appreciate the aroma.  Also, most crystal contains lead, which makes the inside “rough” and aids the volitization of the esters.  I personally use a Bordeaux/Syrah glass from Riedel for both reds and whites.  This provides a clear glass to observe the color and clarity, while having a thin lip to readily drink from.

Try this for yourself.  Take your favorite wine.  Pour it into a plastic cup (a red Solo cup will do), a glass wine glass, and the crystal stemware you now have. Now, sniff, swirl, sniff again, and taste.  Do it with each vessel, and you will see how I lost my respect for Bree!

For those who will be having turkey this Thanksgiving, the wine to pair with the earthy flavors of the bird would be Pinot Noir.  Sonoma produced some wonderful Pinots in 2009 and 2010.  From Oregon, look for 2008 for the best offerings.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday with your family and friends.

Cheers!