Dear Flexporters,
Welcome to Virtual Wine Tasting for Flexport Online Events!
Everybody has the ability to Taste. Not many know how to use it! I am here to help you understand how it’s done! I will introduce you to the world of wine tasting using a simplified step by step guide.
Please bring in your wine of choice. You may bring as many as you like. As a general rule the more the better but I usually recommend two different ones, like a red and a white. It would be nice to ‘flash’ taste the wines at the beginning before anything else. This practice will give you a basic understanding of the wines. Then you can move back and forth and examine them against each other.
If in doubt have a look below for recommendations and inspiration on how to customize the experience to your personal wine taste and please share your notes at the comment section to get the Q & A going and get a basic direction of what you want to take with you from this experience.
During the event I will be sharing on my screen a presentation with personal media files so please make sure you have a good internet connection.
This is a Bring Your Own Wine (BYOW) Online Tasting which means you can bring along any wine you want. In short I recommend wines that trigger your curiosity. I will take you through the method I use to taste a new wine, using a simple Sensory Analysis Procedure.
There is no right or wrong and tasting is not a competition of any sort. It’s all about understanding the fermented beverage in your glass.
Check out the Q & A tab to find answers to questions discussed during the sessions.
Online Experiences are hosted on the Zoom video conferencing platform. Follow the link to the time slot that you’ll join using a web browser or the Zoom app. Experiences use both audio and video, so check out these system requirements to make sure your device will work.
Video conferencing is interactive, so you’ll be able to communicate with yours truly and other guests as much or as little as you’d like. Test your connection and join a few minutes before to make sure everything is working smoothly.
First of all I’d love to see you using the Comment Box bellow to leave your thoughts and questions. That would give our experience a great kickstart.
Choose your wines and if you have a moment to spare, send me the name so I can add them to the wine list.
• Please prepare to serve white wines at fridge temperature and red at 60 f/15 c. –Starting at low temperatures allows the wine to gradually release the aromatic reactions as temperature naturally alters.
• Optionally and if you are a wine geek you may want to use the Tasting Sheet to mark down your notes. Please have it ready on a separate device for in-depth tasting experience:
Test your connection and join a few minutes before to make sure everything is working smoothly.
There is a sequence of steps used to evaluate a wine, and they are done in a specific order. However tasting a wine is not a once-off event but a repeating series of the procedure going back and forth.
Please have the wine served when we start and feel free to refill as to your liking.
Glassware: use your preferred glass, the ones that you feel comfortable drinking wine in. Ideally I‘d like you to have a different glass for each wine or at least two glasses. So you can perform a comparative tasting.
Have some water and dry bread to rinse your palate if necessary.
Please leave any food for the second part of the session
Interaction on this experience is vital… so do ask whatever comes to your mind, even if you think it might sound silly, go for it, the Wonderful World of Wine is full of surprises.
Check out the Q & A tab to find answers to questions discussed during the sessions.
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Join again any of my Online Experiences. Over the next 6 weeks use code FLEXPORT at check out and get a 30% discount.
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Resources:
Q:- What’s an easy way to learn some basics about wine tasting?
A:- WineMasters Class is a complete wine course for all sort of wine scholars, professionals and food & wine enthusiasts.
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Q:- What is an Appellation?
A:- In short it’s a combination of the Region, Geographical Indication and Designation of production of a wine. A well known appellation is Champagne in France while the word’s oldest wine with a designated origin, still in production, is Commandaria wine from Cyprus
A wine’s origin is a key part of its identity, as it implies something about its style and likely quality. Many thousands of official placenames are used on the world’s wine labels. Some of these indicate only the wine’s origin, while others combine origin, style and quality all into one.
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Q:- What do the tail-terms ‘Classico’ in Italian wine and ‘Village’ in French wine mean?
A:- These terms refer to a smaller designated area within another appellation (e.g. Chianti Classico DOCG / Cote du Rhone Village AOC). Wines classified as ‘Classico’ / ‘Village’ must meet higher standards than those of the generic appellation title. They are from vineyards in areas that show potential to produce distinctive wines of good quality.
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Q:- Can big producers make great wines?
A:- In short the answer is: Yes! They have the means and the money to access the best resources in scientific knowledge and latest equipment. They also have the motive of reputation to stand up to.
Besides their honest and reliable entrée range like Koonunga Hill, Penfold’s is a good example of a giant producer who has a unique great wine of the world in its portfolio. That is the highly collectable ‘Grange’.
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Q:- What does Reserva mean?
A:- While outside of Italy the word “reserve” can mean many different things depending on where the wine is made, Italian wine law stipulates that Riserva wines are aged for a longer period of time than wines that are not labeled riserva. Riserva wines also tend to use higher quality grapes.
Some common standards for some of Italy’s most popular Riserva wines:
Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva: Aged for at least 4 years
Barbaresco Riserva: Aged for at least 4 years
Barolo Riserva: Aged for at least 5 years
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva: Aged for at least 5 years
Chianti Classico Riserva: Aged for at least 27 months
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano: Aged for at least 3 years
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Q:- What’s Ladybug taint in wine?
A:- Ladybug taint is a wine fault caused by the unintentional introduction of Coccinellidae beetles into the winemaking process, and is characterized by the presence of undesirable peanut, green pepper, asparagus, earthy, green beans and musty aromas and flavors in affected wine. You can read about it in this scientific study
Wine Tasting is a very personal experience and you can do as you please however I’d suggest you try and give your wine selection a structure and a theme. Comparative tasting is the way I learn about wine. Observing two wines at the same time focusing on what is different and where applied what is common between them.
Terroir, pronounced “tehr-wahr”, is a French term that expresses the combination of soil, weather conditions and style of winegrowing and winemaking. These three elements bring a specific identity and a sense of place to the wine. A terroir can be spread as a region or be as specific as a small part of an estate.
I recommend choosing wines from the same origin if you want to focus on what a region has to offer. Keep things simple and equal by picking from the same Country > region > county > village > winery.
If you like a grape variety and you want to understand it better then choose the same single-variety wines but as diverse as possible. e.g. East coast vs West coast or New world vs Old world wine.
You may want to get a bit deeper into your glass and compare different wine styles like Oak-aged vs Young wine or Dry vs Semi-Dry.
As forwarders you would want to work with Cyprus. (Mind you that the people of the Mediterranean were not aware of the existence of the rest of the world until after the middle ages). You would also have thought that the earth was flat and there was an end to it at the horizon.
Professionally you would be dealing with merchant ships like Kyrenia Ship and your cargo would be coper, hemp, sugar, carob, olives and olive oil, raisins and wine. All carried in clay Amphoras, which had to be returned empty to the producer. You would have to create cruises from port to port without any pre-ordering or down-payment until goods sold. And you would have to be on board to make sure your freight would not fall into the hands of Buccaneers or fall off the earth, at the end of the horizon!
Use the search box to find wines near your location
here is a wine list of what Flexporters are bringing on!
Please Help me complete this list! I will be updating this wine list every time someone lets me know of the wine they want to bring along on this tasting experience. With details about the wines and where to buy them. If you have any information that can help me complete my post feel free to pass them over... April 1st
Mount Langi Ghiran, Cliff Edge Pinot Gris, Grampians Australia
Domaine de la Janasse, Cotes du Rhone Villages, Terre d'Argile
Chateau Gloria, Saint-Julien, Bordeaux France
Château la Tour l’Aspic, Pauillac , Bordeaux France
25 March
Bodega Garzon Reserva Tannat Maldonado, Uruguay
Chianti Rúfina Reserva 2017
2019 Penfolds Koonunga Hill, Cabernet Sauvignon
Bodegas Valduero Tierra Alta 'Valduero 2 Maderas', Ribera del Duero, Spain
Marques de Murrieta Reserva Rioja DOCa, Spain
Clos Henri, Marlboroug Sauvignon Blanc
Calon Segur, St. Estephe 2016
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23 thoughts on “Flexport Online Events”
Hi Pambos, I will be bringing these two wines to today’s session. Look forward to it!
(1) Vavasour Papa Sauvignon Blanc 2020
(2) Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2018
Thank you Hailey,
I was not aware of Awatere Valley and it’s wines! The story of Vavasour family winery is so interesting, that I will definitely keep an eye for their wines if they ever make it to this side of the earth!
Hi Pambos,
I will be bringing 2 wines- I like to get dry rieslings, so the wine shop recommended a Pinot Gris and I also got a red.
1) Mount Langi Ghiran
Pinot Gris Cliff Edge 2020
2) Domaine de la Janasse
Cotes du Rhone 2018
This is a good pair for comparative tasting Vikki. Both wines are very expressive of their typicity.
Pinot Gris, originally a Burgundy grape variety, is to be found in many parts of the world. Very well known for it’s Italian version Pinot Grigio. It would be interesting to see the results in a New World wine.
The Cote du Rhone appellation allows a wide range of grape varieties often blended together to make wines in the southern reaches of the Rhone Valley in France. While the blend could theoretically consist of any grape varieties, it is usually made up of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, in varying proportions, often collectively referred to as a GSM blend.
Hi Pambos! Kelly and I will be bringing these 2 wines on Friday:
1. Château la Tour l’Aspic Pauillac 2015
2. Château Gloria Saint-Julien 2013
Looking forward to it!
Thank you Adeline,
Both your wines come from the region of Médoc (which is a flat narrow peninsular on the side of the Gironde Estuary) and the well-known villages of St Julien and Pauillac. The warm, well-drained gravel terraces provide ideal growing conditions for the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon grapes that produce bold full-bodied wines. This is thought as Cabernet Sauvignon country.
Got a Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley with me here today~
just got a Lascombes 2017 and the 6 wines from the company lucky draw haha
Welcome Benson,
A Margaux is always welcome to my tastings.
Let’s see how it goes along with the rest! ?
Just got another Classic Chardonnay Australia 2020, from Jacob’s Creek!
Yes it’s classic. A very popular Chardonnay, typical of the Australian white wine style.
I picked up a Ricossa Barbaresco 2018 from Italy for the tasting later!
That’s a great wine my friend. Go ahead and open it. Get half a glass out of the bottle and let the rest calm down until we meet. We will be talking about opening wine “… to breathe! “.
Hi Pambos!
I only have one wine so far, which is Chateau TourTeau Chollet 2016, i will see if i can get one more later!
Dear Louis,
Thank you for sharing French wines are always a sure bet.
If you show up with one wine. You will still be able to enjoy the Tasting just as much! ?
Hi Pambos, I have found a few more wines to try at tonight’s tasting – please let me know what you think!
1. Wynns Coonawarra Estate Coonawarra “The Siding” Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
2. Matapere Sauvignon Blanc 2019
3. Mission Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2020
Unsurprisingly a New Zealand / Australia theme given where my partner and I are from, and I’m hoping after this tasting I’ll be more adventurous and not just buy what’s on sale hah!
Thank you Nadia,
You have made a great selection for a comparative tasting! You chose 2 red wines from the same area and grape variety, but different sub-reggions and vertical vintages. You also chose 2 whites from the same region and grape variety also in vertical vintages. In both cases you are exploring what your countries are best known for. Australian Cabernet Sauvignon and Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.
We will be talking about this for a while this evening, focusing on pointing out the differences and the similarities of these wines.
Q:- What does Reserva mean?
A:- While outside of Italy the word “reserve” can mean many different things depending on where the wine is made, Italian wine law stipulates that Riserva wines are aged for a longer period of time than wines that are not labeled riserva. Riserva wines also tend to use higher quality grapes.
Some common standards for some of Italy’s most popular Riserva wines:
Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva: Aged for at least 4 years
Barbaresco Riserva: Aged for at least 4 years
Barolo Riserva: Aged for at least 5 years
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva: Aged for at least 5 years
Chianti Classico Riserva: Aged for at least 27 months
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano: Aged for at least 3 years
Hi Pambos!
The two bottles I have are: Garzón, Tannat Reserva 2019 (from Uruguay) and Nipozzano Reserva 2017 Chianti Rúfina (Italian, obviously). But I might go and get two Rjojas before Friday as I have a fondness for them. Will update you. Excited to learn more!
Hey Cara you know you are my favorite guest!
Garzón, Tannat Reserva 2019, Uruguay is a challenge. Let me get back on this one! I’ve only had the pleasure of tasting Uruguanean wines once! Shipping less known wines from small countries around the world is a challenge. So not easy to get them in Cyprus. I would expect it to be an interesting wine of a complex character.
Castello di Nipozzano is a wine estate in Chianti, owned by the major Italian wine producer Marchesi de Frescobaldi. The winery makes Sangiovese from the Chianti Rufina sub-region. Wines known for their fineness, a little bit complicated that you have to work your way through them.
I will give you a couple of recommendations on Riojas in the wine list above. As you have a fondness for Rioja, I would like to introduce you to a different region in Spain that I believe you may also like called Ribera del Duero!
Q:- Can big producers make great wines?
A:- In short the answer is: Yes! They have the means and the money to access the best resources in scientific knowledge and latest equipment. They also have the motive of reputation to stand up to.
Besides their honest and reliable entrée range like Koonunga Hill, Penfold’s is a good example of a giant producer who has a unique great wine of the world in its portfolio. That is the highly collectable ‘Grange’.
What’s your opinion?
Hello Pambos! Excited to join the wine tasting on Friday, this is one of the wines that I will bring to the tasting – more to come!
Penfolds – Koonunga Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Thank you ?
Thank you Nadia,
Keep them coming!
Penfold’s is probably Australia’s bigger producer and a very reliable one. Koonunga Hill wines have always been one of the go-to wines because of what it delivers in value. Named after one of Barossa Valley vineyards, the Koonunga Hill range is way too consistent in quality to be of a single vineyard production, with a potential to age for about 5 years. This a wine I would easily pair with game or beef dishes.
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