What better way to fill a Sunday afternoon than to celebrate
Bastille Day as befits the home of wine, with a wine theory and tasting class?
Recognising the differing levels of wine knowledge among the
participants, the theory part of the class (roughly 1/3 of the session) is kept
flexible. This particular group, enthusiastic and not shy about asking
questions, is ideal as their approach keeps the discussion relevant to their
needs and also keeps yawns to a strict minimum.
Moving quickly onto the tutored tasting,
participants are encouraged to dig deep in their smell and taste memories to
make tasting more relevant to our local tongues. Instead of gooseberries,
perhaps the wine reminds us of longan, or durian?!! Participants are also given
pointers on noting the characteristics of Old World vs New World wines.
Lively discussion ensues around the
following topics (and this is just a sample):
- What wines to bring to a bbq
- Whether and when to decant
- Champagnes vs sparkling wines; Fortified wines in Malaysia
- Food pairing with local food e.g. "siew yoke"
- What does one mean when one says a wine tastes of leather, or is mineral?
- How to do reverse olfactory when one's nose is blocked?
A total of 9 wines are tasted today, giving
participants a preview of the possibilities of more advanced tastings, and
giving them a taste of sparkling wine vs still, single varietal vs blends, Old
World vs New World, different varietals from the same producer:
- Australian sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir, Andrew Peace (2011)
- South African Sauvignon Blanc/Chenin Blanc/Chardonnay blend, Nederburg (2012)
- French Chardonnay, La Forge Estate Pays d'Oc (2010)
- Australian Chardonnay, Taylors (2010)
- French Syrah, La Forge Estate Pays d'Oc (2009)
- Australian Shiraz, Bird In Hand (2011)
- Australia Merlot, Bird In Hand (2011)
- Australian Cabernet Sauvignon, Bird In Hand (2011)
- Australian dessert wine, Brown Brothers (2010)
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