On most travellers bucket lists is to visit Tuscany which is known for its magnificent landscape and vineyards. Grape vineyards that produce some of the worlds best-known wines, such as the Chianti wine, are produced in the Tuscan Chianti region. In Tuscany, there are so many opportunities to go wine tasting, where you can learn about the production of wine and some of its major characteristics. The Tuscan wine school provides you with this and more. During my short afternoon wine tasting in Tuscany, I learnt about the smell, taste and colours of wine. How the colour of the wine shows how or where it’s been produced. Determining the acidity and fruity tendencies and also the best foods to pair wine with.
Although my visit was short, I was happy with the knowledge gained and general experience. The lady who was my wine tutor for the afternoon was of the utmost delights. She started by giving a little background history of wine origin in Italy and specifically Tuscany. How wines get their names and level of authenticity and originality in each bottle. Then, She went ahead to bring me a bottle of white wine to taste, but not before showing me how to do so properly. By the way, if you are curious about Tuscany, you might want to check out my recipe for the local Tuscan Ribollita
Here are a few notes she shared with me on ‘How to taste’ wine:
By sight: Look for Clarity, Color – for red wines, the older the wine, the darker the colour; – for white wines, it could be completely colourless or might have a hint of green like the grapes used in making it and this is based on the process. and Consistency
By Smell: Take a sniff and look out for defects (is it clean). How strong is the flavour and what aromas can you smell. There are three major Classifications of aromas: Primary aromas also known as varietal aromas (grape varietals). Secondary aromas are also known as vinous aromas developed during the pre-fermentation and fermentation process. and Tertiary aromas also known as a bouquet, are developed during the post-fermentation process in wine barrels (oak barrels) or bottles.
and finally By taste: Take a mouthful & swirl around the palate, while inhaling air. Pay attention to its sensations, the balance of acidity and alcohol and note what you like about it.
I tasted both the white and red wine and I love both although I favour the red wine the most. There are different foods that taste great when paired with a good glass of wine. There used to be a set rule for pairing wine but in recent years, there are no rules. My favourite being cheese and crackers,
