The problem with wine is not our perception of it but our communication of what we perceive. Let?s say I am over at your place and seated in your living room. If I were to ask for directions to the toilet, I am sure you could guide me there capably and efficiently in English and Hindi and perhaps, in a third vernacular of your choice or one bestowed upon you by way of your provenance. How about in some other language, say Chinese or French? And what of Tagalog?
I doubt that many among us would be able to convey the directions and it wouldn?t be for lacking in knowledge of where the bathroom is but simply by our lack of proficiency in the said languages.
Wine is similar. We all may speak English but we are not as conversant with the language, or rather vocabulary, of wine. As a result, we may know what we are feeling but we don?t quite know how to get that thought across to the next person.
Many intelligent professors or technical geniuses suffer from similar problems in their respective fields: super-adept in their area of expertise but struggling to explain certain phenomenon to anybody else. To try and address this deficiency, I am highlighting a few words which may help us understand, but more importantly explain, wine better.
Balance: When all the elements of a wine are in place without anything shooting out of line. The basic elements include acidity, alcohol, acidity.
Acidity: In our understanding of medical phrases we think of this as the one that causes ulcers of the stomach. In wines, it means the sharpness or crispness of a wine. It is a good thing. Acidity is the spine which helps a wine age as also gives the alcohol (or sweetness) a counter-balance. It explains why one wouldn?t be able to drink more two teaspoons of sugar syrup (if one were to hypothetically try) whereas with some lemon juice the same would appear a lot more palatable. An acidic wine is one that is often best had as an ap?ritif, the same principle of making us salivate as present in vinegar onions and pickles, which are served before a meal.
Tannins: Even if you are not acquainted with wine, chances are you know tannins well. They are that drying bitterness present in boiled tea (when made with lesser quality leaves, like at a railway station), or in coffee (where it goes by the name of caffeine). These are crucial in helping a red wine age. White wines don?t have any tannins inherently, but they may acquire some by way of oak-ageing. A tannic wine appears more dry, but such wines can be toned down with age, by consuming a tad cooler, or else by pairing with protein-rich foods.
Aftertaste: If wine were Karmic, then this would be the second coming. After a wine is sipped, and downed (or spat into the bucket), the lingering sensation is called aftertaste. Some may even call it the aromatic persistence of a wine, but they are referring to the same thing, but only trying to sound smarter.
Full-bodied: Call a wine so and it means a wholesome sense of flavour and roundness of texture with an aftertaste that lasts for a long time.
The better trick is to think of wine as people and use people adjectives to describe wine. By this definition a wine can be robust, strong, weak, seductive, mysterious, enchanting, likeable, and reserved. The meanings are almost similar and easier conveyed.
And then, the final trick: to use references to other fields in which you may have more knowledge. I love using analogies to describe wine, depending on what language the people I am talking to are comfortable discussing.
Jewellers: I describe wines as different gem stones. A good champagne or an Italian Super Tuscan is a rare diamond.
Tennis enthusiasts: An old world wine from Europe is calm like a Sampras, or a Federer whereas the Australian wines can often show the stylish boisterousness of McEnroe.
Furniture experts: An aged wine can be described to have all the class of a Chesterfield, replete with the withered leather and the brass buttons whereas a ready-to-drink off-the-shelf product is more practical like modular MDF units.
Car lovers: A sharp crisp wine has all the raciness and flamboyance of a sports car whereas a deeper styled rich-food wine is more of a cruiser with comfortable couch-like bucket seats.
I hope this helps resolve the problem of communicating wine even if a bit. As for guiding me around your home in the national language of the Philippines, you?re in luck, I don?t speak it either!
The writer is a sommelier