Why does wine go bad? The same reason a cut apple turns brown… oxygen! Combat this evil by not letting oxygen get to your wine!
The Citizen is Worcester’s premier bar that is focused on wines, cheeses, and chocolates. Don’t like wine? Don’t worry, the bartenders are known for their unique and amazing cocktails, all made with fresh ingredients and premium liquors. Stop in for lunch or dinner and you won’t be disappointed by their incredible melts, sandwiches, and desserts!
“Love ‘Em or Hate ‘Em: No Middle Ground with Heavy Red Wines”.
-by The Wine Guy
I run into a lot of people at wine tastings. All of them, not-so-surprisingly, have pretty strong opinions about certain matters of viticulture. When tasting heavy reds – or even medium-bodied reds – the two common reactions I get are these: “I LOVE this wine” or the more general statement, “I don’t like red wine”.
So why do people either love or hate red wine? Simple… it’s a matter of tannin.
Tannin is an acid that is found in the skin and seeds of red grapes. Often called “Tannins” and used in a plural vernacular, they impart a dry, dusty, chalky flavor when not properly balanced with ample berry fruit quality. It’s this “leathery” flavor that turns red wine drinkers on, and leaves white wine drinkers cold and distant.
Magnum P.I. used to say it often, “I know what you’re thinking…” Well, I DO know what you’re thinking: “I hate that dry taste; I wonder if I’ll ever warm-up to red wine,” or “Is there a red wine I could really get into – one without so much of that tannin stuff?”
The answers to both questions are – YES. The presence of tannin comes in degrees. If you’re “Tannin Intolerant”, you can simply ease into the big, dry reds by jumping into a lively, sweeter “transition” wine. Here’s my road map for those suffering from an aversion to ”cotton mouth”:
- If you like bubbly wines, try a sparkling Shiraz (“Paringa” is a good one). It shows sweetness with red fruit quality found in the Australian Shiraz – all tied together with effervescence.
- Get into a more serious red wine with a sweet profile…. Brachetto d’Acqui (pronounced Brah-ketto-dah-key). Made by Banfi Wines, this is loaded with sweet cherry and raspberry fruits. It’s out of this world (well… country, actually – it’s from Italy).
- A Merlot/Shiraz/Cab blend from Australia is terrific. They’re typically nice and smooth, with softer tannins and richer berry flavors.
- Try a Merlot from Sonoma, California. They’re usually crafted from “floor fruit”, or berries grown on vines under a lot of direct sun. The result is often a wine with great flavors of plum, cherry and soft oak. This is a pivotal wine for you, since you’ll be jumping into the more tannic wines from here.
- Get out of Dodge! Go for an imported wine with more tannin but one with nice fruit – Italy is best. Remember that you’re still trying to get used to tannin, so jump into a wine with softer tannin and a lot of concentrated berry flavor – a Sangiovese is great at this point.
- Let go of the side of the pool. It’s time… you need to open up a Cab. Go for big and rich, dark and decadent, full and brooding. Napa or Lodi regions of California are the best places for these terrific, tantalizing wines. But, for the love of Bacchus, have them with a hearty entrée – don’t drink Cab alone! It’s like walking through the Combat Zone along at night – you’re just looking for trouble!
There is another way to go about this. GO TO A WINE TASTING! It’s the perfect way to try wines for free. You get to see what you like and, more importantly, what you DON’T like. Where: Thirsty Thursdays at KJ Baaron’s, Washington Square, Worcester, last Thursday of the month, 6 to 8 p.m. with me, The Wine Guy.
-WG.
These are trying financial times. With the stock market acting like a roller coaster, gas prices soaring and retail prices higher than ever, we are tending to watch every penny. For those of you inclined to eat out a few times a week, you may find yourself searching out one of Worcester’s great BYOB options. It is a great way to enjoy good food and not break the bank. Some spots do have a “corkage fee” or may charge you for glasses and ice, so ask before you open to avoid any surprises. The city has a quite a few good ones, and more may be on the way. Some of our favorites, Cafe Espresso, Zia Grill, Lucky’s, Mac’s Diner, Tortilla Sam’s, One Love, Da Lat, Bamboo Hut and Roma’s.
