Debunking the Wine Snob, a.k.a. the Wine Terrorist

Who doesn’t know one?

I’ll never forget the woman, drenched in god-only-knows-what-brand of perfume, who came into the Belvedere tasting room years ago, when I was pouring Belvedere wines. She looked at me from over her eye glasses. You know the look… head down just a bit, eyes now having to look up over the rim. Her shoulders were curved in a bit (body language, high self esteem built on insecurity). Her extra long, very well manicured index finger nail was tapping the wine list on one particular item. Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap…

She said in her best holier-than-thou voice… I’ll have the Cab Sauuv… dragging it out.

I was thinking to myself, “Yeah, right, lady… whatever… If you really knew what you were doing, you wouldn’t have had a Chanel No. 5 bath this morning…” while I pleasantly smiled at her.

This brings me to why I wanted to write this brief one. While in Maine, and talking with cousins, I was told about one wine Nazi that one a cousin had come across in her life. The Wine Terrorist was an older guy… older than my cousin (hence, his feeling of complete authority over her). He was terrorizing her, thinking he was teaching her about wine. Instead, he made himself into someone who made wine anything but fun, completely uninteresting; in fact, it made her doubt herself. Having only been loved in one’s life, a first encounter with abuse always leaves one speechless, and wondering what he or she has done wrong. I’ve seen this more than once in my life, and the reaction is always the same… self doubt.

So, my cousin spent a bit of time doubting herself, instead of finding wine interesting and fun. Believe me, when things aren’t fun something is wrong.

I explained to her that the more one knows about wine – like the kazillion winemakers that I know – the more humble they become, for the most part.

Knowing about wine is a process similar to a lotus unfolding. Once the first layer is peeled back, you realized that that’s just the beginning of one’s ever-unfolding journey… And, the journey’s really wonderful, not one built on fear and intimidation.

Everyone who ever intimidates anyone else about wine should be taken out to the woodshed and whipped within an inch of their lives, and I’m not into corporal punishment.

So, a word to the wise should be sufficient. If you come across someone who’s a wine snob, you can measure what that person really knows by watching the movement of an inch worm, and just take everything with a grain of salt, as far as that person goes.

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A Winery in New Hampshire? Eh-yah, it’s true… Fulchino Vineyard

[Images are borrowed from Fulchino Vineyard's Website. They show the beauty that exists in New Hampshire, under the guidance of Al Fulchino.]

My deep roots in New England keep certain people close to me.

I’ve not been to this winery, nor have I tasted the wine… One of my New England contacts just asked me to consider championing this small producer.

“Why not,” I thought. Considering will mean learning, and I know nothing about anyone producing wine in New Hampshire.

Would all the wines coming from this producer be vitis vinifer?
That would be impossible, giving their frigid, winter climate.
Unless, of course, they’re doing what I know others to be doing…
Buying fruit from California, and having it shipped to them,
like the growers in Suisun Valley are doing.
Suisun Valley vit people have found a market for their grapes outside of our state.

So, I decided to find out what is going on in New Hampshire…

Fulchino Vineyard & Nursery serves landscapers, garden centers, and homeowners. In New Hampshire ~ the “Live Free or Die” state ~ as in most other New England states ~ it’s very easy to be connected to the earth… There’s just so much of it available. Growing things for anyone is almost second nature.

For Al Fulchino, it has always been a passion, and it’s in his DNA. He’s had a professional green thumb since 1977, having also attended Essex Agricultural Institute to enhance his understanding.

The lineage in the Fulchino family being winemakers/viticulturists dates back to Al’s great grandfather. Here’s the line:

Angelo Fulchini ~ Great Great Grandfather Salvatore Fulchini, Great Grandfather Andrew & Raphaella Fulchini/o, Grandparents

The original family home is located Gesualdo, Italy (about 6o miles to the east of Napoli, headed inland). Today’s Fulchini family and its vineyard land is at the lowest point in Hollis’ Pine Hill Valley. (Sounds pretty…)

“Our level vineyard is a quiet place, yet active with contradictions. It is peaceful yet full of natures tugs and pulls. The terroir says to this next generation ‘come visit with me..come .Work with me…come harvest me, together we can yield for you wine as a drink…wine as a food…and wine as a medicine in this most unexpected of places’. The teroir says to us that ‘things will not be easy but with hard work I will yield to you if you respect what I have to offer.’”

It seems that there’s also a poet in them thar hills… at least a romanticist.

What my source said to me, that convinced me to mention Fulchino Vineyard on wine-blog, is the following:

I know that you often side with the little guys. Check out the link for Al’s winery. Any mention or talk on the small guys, he would be thrilled to get noticed.

Even with all the cards stacked in the deck of the “super” producers, mega juice buyers, and power brokers……..the small wineries built on passion, winemaker sweat, and love are selling out their vintages.

Al Fulchino is a dedicated man, who isn’t a stranger to the windmill fights.

The marketing budget is minimal if at all… hand selling the juice to a few local on premise hot spots, small white sandwich boards out front simply stating “Wine Tasting.”

He learned the craft from basement crushing in an immigrant factory town in Massachusetts, and stays true to the passion of the craft. Check out this recent article in the NH magazine

Anyway, Jo, I know you have 1000’s of topics and such, but I’d really like to see more of the little guys who actually look after their wines, as they would a child, succeed.

And this, my friends, is from a large wholesaler, not one of the smaller guys hand selling each bottle.

So, here’s to all you little guys. I know how hard you work. I see it every day as I champion my small growers and producers in Suisun Valley, and the clients we serve with my company. It gives me great pleasure to champion your cause.

Tags: Viticulture, Winemaking, Winery

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How to Host a Wine Tasting Party

Having a wine tasting party is a lot of fun. Although, this might seem to be for only the sophisticated crowd, anyone can learn about wine and hold a wine tasting. This is a great way to get together and experiment with new varietals. You can use any method of a wine tasting when you have a party.

The first thing you need to do is determine the type of wine tasting you want to have with your friends. The best 'first' wine tasting method is the Big 8 because this gives everyone a good idea the differences of varietals right up front. You can choose from the horizontal, vertical, pairings with cheese or chocolate, or other methods. It is up to you as it is your wine tasting party.

You will next need to determine who you are going to invite to the party. Be sure there is enough room for all of the guests you want to invite before you send out any invitations. You want enough chairs for people to sit comfortably. You also don't want to have too many people as it could be a bad situation if people feel rushed.

When you think about the amount of people you have at your wine tasting party will help you know how much wine you need to buy. Be sure to have enough so all of the guests are able to taste the same wines.

Thinking about the 'who' in who you are going to invite is important also. You might not want to invite friends who think they are experts on wine or they might get a little annoying. They also might take over the entire learning process of the different wines. This is supposed to be fun so be sure to invite fun people and people who are open minded.

You should design a card for each wine being tasted. This will be filled out by each guest as they taste each wine. They will be able to record the aroma they smell from each wine, the flavor, what it tastes like with a specific cheese, etc. You can also have them score the different wines on the back of each card also.

The best way to do a wine tasting with your friends is by holding a blind wine tasting party. You will need black or dark colored glasses so the guests cannot see the colors of the different wines. This way their perceptions will be more honest and accurate.

You also do not ever want to tell your guests what the prices of a specific wine was because they will immediately pass judgment on whether or not it is a good wine. Some people immediately assume wine is no good if it is less than $100. Never tell the price to your guests, especially if you have many different wines varying greatly in price. It is okay to tell prices after the wine tasting is over.

It is important not to have labels on the bottles or anywhere they can be found. If you leave a label on the counter then you may have a cheating guest. Allow the guests to incorporate their senses properly without any help or hints.

You don't have to go all out when you decorate for a wine tasting party. It is important to have a white table cloth so the wine color can be properly assessed. Many people like to decorate with candles, paintings, and flowers. It is entirely up to you how you want to decorate at your party.

Be sure you have plenty of light at your wine tasting party. This is important or you will have difficulty with proper assessments of the color of the wine. You might serve a very cloudy wine but if the room is dim and candle light is shining it may look brilliant.

When you serve wines at a wine tasting party be sure that they are served from dry to sweet. Start with the light white wines first and work your way slowly to the dark and heavy red wines. You should also start with younger wines to the older wines. If you are doing a vertical test based on years then you will be sure to start with the newest wines first.

When you pour wine at a wine tasting be sure you pour enough in the glass to taste the wine and not too much. Two ounces is usually a perfect amount to pour for your guests to get the right amount for a proper tasting of the wine.

Be sure to provide snacks like unflavored, unsalted crackers and bread to your guests. You don't want your guests to be hungry. This will also cleanse their palate so they are ready for the next wine to try on your list.

The most important thing to consider at a wine tasting party is driving. If your wine tasting party consists of people drinking the wine and not just tasting then they will need to find a ride home. Be sure rides have been arranged so all of your guests are safe when the party is over.

Scott Wells writes for http://DrugAbuseFocus.com/53/ - where you can read alcohol and drug abuse stories for the purpose of inspiration, motivation or to provide hope to you or someone you love. Drug and alcohol abuse is serious. Read the stories of others or anonymously publish true stories about drug and alcohol abuse.

Wine Tasting for the Average Joe

Going to a wine tasting can be a very fun and enjoyable experience. However, many people do not attend for fear of not knowing exactly how to act or what to do. There no great mystery to wine tastings, just a few things you should remember.

As far as etiquette, usually the ladies are served before the gentlemen. Some wine tastings offer you bottled water. Use this to rinse out your mouth between tastings so your palate is clean for the next wine. There is often unsalted and unflavored crackers and bread to help palate cleansing as well. You should always handle the wine glass by the stem. This helps avoid heating the wine with the warmth of your hands, thus altering the taste. Avoid wearing strong perfumes and colognes to a wine tasting. That may take away from not only your smell, but also that of the other guests. Also, avoid smoking, gum, and mints before and during a wine tasting to be able to enjoy the full flavor of the wine.

You can tell a lot about a wine just by looking at its color. When you attend a wine tasting, the glasses should always be clear so you can get a good look at the wine. The tables may also be covered with white tablecloths to help you see the wine's color clearly. Do not let the wine name full you. For example, white wines are not white in color. They may range from yellow to green to brown. Red wines range in color from pale red to a deep brownish red and often become lighter with age. Sometimes the color of a wine may indicate age or flavor. You may be able to tell the age of a red wine by doing a rim test. Tilt the glass slightly towards the rim of the wine glass and look at the wine. If the color of the red wine is more of a purple, it is usually a younger wine. If the color of the red wine is brown, it is an older wine.

Another thing you may have seen people do before they taste wine is swirl it slightly in the glass. This is to help open up the wine's flavor. Remember that the wine may have been in a bottle anywhere from six months to many, many years. When someone swirls a wine, it helps release the flavors. Just like when you're cooking at home and stir the food to help blend the flavors.

The color of the wine is just one aspect you will want to look at when you attend a wine tasting. You will also want to smell the wine. After swirling, this is the next step in the tasting process. You have probably seen people smell wine before and wondered why they did it. Smell plays a very important part in what we taste. Researchers have determined that perhaps as much as 75% of what we taste is actually based on what we smell first. You can smell your wine one of two ways: taking a small whiff to get an idea of how the wine smells, then a deeper whiff or take one deep whiff. After smelling the wine, take a minute to think about the smell. You do not want to immediately taste it after smelling but give yourself time to explore exactly what you smelled.

Finally, you will need to know is how to taste the wine properly. Your tongue has taste buds in both the front and back. These taste buds can detect bitter, salty, sweet, and sour flavors, but some are more sensitive than others are. There are three steps in tasting a wine: the first impression, the taste, and the aftertaste. The first impression happens when you take your first drink and the wine actually hits your taste buds. It should awaken your sense to the wine. After taking the first drink, you should swish the wine around your mouth for a few seconds to let all your taste buds discover the full flavor of the wine. Think about what the wine tastes like. Is it light or heavy? Is the smooth or harsh? The aftertaste is the sensation that remains in your mouth after swallowing the wine. How long did it last and was it pleasant?

Before attending a wine tasting, it may help you feel more confident to read about the different types of wines. This will give you a better idea of what to look for as far as flavor and taste. Next time you are invited to a wine tasting; do not be afraid to go. You may be missing a great experience!

Jason Connors is a wine lover providing valuable tips and advice on wine cellar design, wine making, and wine basics. Read his recent report on "What To Look For in a Wine Cooling System".