Welcome to Diana’s Wine Blog!
I’m excited to finally be putting into print what I’ve been talking about for a long time. The intent here is to educate, inform, and engage in a conversation about wine. Quality is the pursuit, and it need not always be expensive. There are great wines that are relatively inexpensive, but the challenge is in knowing what to look for and where to find it.
To begin, we need the tools to understand our own preferences and expand from there. The joy of wine is the exploration, and together we have that opportunity – not only to explore what the single glass has to offer, but also different varietals and different countries. There is a big, wide world out there; and it is ours to explore.
Why I Care
For many years, I never drank alcohol, and the last 15 years have enlightened me as to the beauty of wine. My background is in the sciences, and it’s the pure blending of art and science that intrigues me about wine. While the grapes are the basic building blocks, how it all comes together and the forces that impact the end result are many and fascinating. What the vineyard manager must do and how the wine maker must approach each vintage are amazing. To learn more, I have taken several classes on wine, both at the Rudd Center at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley and at the University of California at Davis.
Introducing the Basics
The first step to enjoying your wine is having the right glasses. It’s not about having six different shapes (matching the wine to the glass), although that may be fun. It’s about drinking out of crystal. There is a difference between glass and crystal, and shape and form contribute as well.
To enhance your pleasure, purchase crystal glasses where the diameter of the top opening is half the diameter of the widest part of the bowl. This contributes to the aromatics of the wine. 60-80% of what you discern in a wine comes from what you smell. Humans can discern about 5000 different aromas (we taste only 5), and crystal “breathes” better than glass. So, it’s about what you can smell.
Look for more information in future blogs on glasses, tasting to enhance and expand your experience and enjoyment, ideas on where to explore, and so much more.
This blog is fully intended to be a conversation, and that means for you to share your experience and pose questions. It is for you to discover and expand your knowledge, and – as in life – we all learn from each other. So, let me know what’s on your mind about wine.
Enjoy!
Diana Kienle