Swirl, swish, sniff, Enjoy!

Do you get that Bambi-in-the-headlights expression whenever a waiter starts describing the flavor nuances of a pinot noir? Do you glaze over when a friend waxes poetic about a bottle of Chateau La-de-da that cost more than $100 a bottle and “was worth every cent” (all the while wondering, what’s wrong with an $8 white zin)?

If you’re flummoxed by the world of wine, here’s an event to help you out: the Wine Festival of Colorado Springs, March 9-10. The festival features 300 wines for sampling and plenty of wine-speak and seminars to kick-start you into becoming a wine geek.

No need to feel intimidated — not all festivalgoers possess the knowledge of a master sommelier. To give you a little edge, however, we offer this wine tasting overview, with tips you can try out at the festival, or at home, if you prefer.

These are the basics: eyeballing the wine, swirling the glass, sniffing the wine and swishing in your mouth. It may look complicated or even snobbish, but the traditional wine-tasting technique is based on common sense. You need to stop and think, and to pay attention to the ways that wine affects all your senses.

Claude Robbins, master of wine arts for the International Wine Guild in Denver, gave us some pointers; others were gleaned from www. tasting-wine.com.

LOOK

Pour a small amount of wine into a clear wine glass. (If you’re at the festival, someone will pour for you.) Then hold the glass up, preferably against a white background, to check its color.

“Many times you can tell the wine’s age and even how it’s made,” Robbins says.

Red wine can vary from deep purple to pale ruby. Sometimes it can even have a reddish-brown appearance. White wines can vary in color from almost clear to faintly greenish to deep golden. These color variations tell you a lot about the wine.

According to www.tasting-wine .com, when red wines grow older they tend to loose intensity of color from deep red to, eventually, a brownish shade. White wines, on the other hand, do the opposite. As they get older they get darker.

As you look at the wine, tilt the glass so the wine goes near the mouth of the glass. It will form a oval “rim.” Examine the rim for clues about the wine’s age. Is the red wine deep purple at the edge of the rim? That may tell you the wine is young. Is it brownish? It means the wine has been aged.

Now as you tilt the glass back to upright, notice how the rivulets stream down the sides of the glass.

“We refer to these streams as legs,” Robbins says. “If they move slowly the wine will probably have a bigger flavor because it has some age on it.”

SMELL

“Most of what we taste is based on what we smell,” Robbins says, so this step is crucial.

“Smell the wine. Then swirl the glass gently,” he says. “The molecules of the wine will collide and release an aroma that gives advance information about its qualities.”

To complete the job, get your nose deep into the glass for a good whiff.

According to wine.com, the centers for smell are next to our memory centers. “One good whiff of a wine that has been swirled in the glass a couple of times should evoke distinct memories of honey, flowers, mushrooms, citrus or butter, for example. It will remind you that you’ve had this wine before, or alert you to the vinegary or moldy scent of a bad wine,” the site says.

TASTE

“Sip about a tablespoon of the wine, large enough to cover your tongue, and leave enough space in your mouth to draw in some air,” Robbins says. “What you want to notice now is the finish, or how long the flavor of the wine stays in your mouth before it’s gone.”

The most important quality of wine is its balance between sweetness and acidity. Examine the body and texture of the wine. Is it light or rich? Smooth or harsh?

How was the aftertaste — the taste that remains in your mouth after you’ve swallowed the wine? How long did the taste last? Was it pleasant? Bitter?

BOTTOM LINE

“The best way to learn about wine is to taste it often,” Robbins says. “Over time, you will train your palate, just like exercise.”

He also recommends getting a little book so you can make notes about the characteristics of wines you’ve tasted and use them as a handy reminder when shopping or dining.

If you go to the festival’s seated blind tasting, winemaker seminar, luncheon or dinner, pads will be provided for taking notes. At the larger grand tasting event Friday evening, you’ll need to take something for note-taking.

But make sure you’re not prone to writer’s cramps: Depending on which tasting event you attend, expect to sample eight to 50 of the more than 300 wines being offered during the weekend.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0271 or teresa.farney@gazette.com

WINE TERMS

Here’s a list of wine terms you may hear at a wine tasting, but try to develop your own terminology: using your own words to describe different flavors and aromas will help you remember and apply them.

Acidity: describes a tart or sour taste when total acidity of the wine is high. “Tart” and “tangy” are two ways to describe acidity.

Aftertaste: the flavor that lingers in the mouth after the wine is spit or swallowed; may be “harsh,” “hot,” “soft,” “lingering,” “short” or “smooth” — or it may not exist.

Body: the weight of wine in your mouth; usually described as full-bodied, medium-bodied, medium-weight or lightbodied.

Bouquet: describes the scent of the wine as it matures in the bottle.

Barnyardy: smells like farm animals.

Bite: a distinct degree of acidity or tannin (see below for definition of “tannin”).

Buttery: refers to flavor and texture or mouth feel.

Crisp: describes a fresh, young wine with good acidity.

Complex: describes wine that blends flavor and taste elements in near-perfect harmony.

Corked: the wine tastes of cork; it’s slightly musty — not pleasing to smell or taste.

Delicate: describes a light- to medium-weight wine with good flavor.

Earthy: denotes a wine that tastes like soil; most common in red wines.

Flabby: wine lacks acidity on the palate.

Flinty: describes the scent or flavor of some white wines, named for the similarity to the odor of flint hitting steel.

Fruity: refers to the body and richness of a wine: “appley,” “berrylike” or “herbaceous” are common terms. Usually indicates extra sweetness.

Legs: the droplets that form and slide down the sides of the glass when the wine is swirled.

Length: the amount of time the taste and aroma linger after swallowing.

Nose: the scent of the grape variety, such as “appley,” “raisiny” or “citrusy.”

Oaky: describes the odor and flavor of oak.

Peppery: describes the flavor of pepper; sharper than “spicy.”

Tannin: denotes a dry essence, with tastes of tea and leather.

Toasty: describes a hint of the wooden barrel; commonly associated with dry white wines.

SOURCE: www.tasting-wine.com

DETAILS

What: Wine Festival of Colorado Springs, a benefit for the Fine Arts Center

When: March 9-10

Where: March 9 at The Broadmoor; March 10 at Garden of the Gods Club and Paragon Culinary School

Cost: Complete Gala Package costs $295 per person for Fine Arts Center members and $330 for nonmembers and includes: 90-minute Wine Expert Seminar ($30 if purchased individually), Grand Tasting & Wine Market Auction ($60 for FAC members; $65 for others), Pinot Noir From Around the World Seminar (for Gala Package-holders only), Classic Food and Wine Pairing Seminar ($50), and Gourmet Winemaker Dinner & Live Auction ($150 for FAC members; $175 for others).

For more information and tickets: Call the Fine Arts Center Box Office at 634-5583 or visit www.csfineartscenter.org.