Tasting Easter and Passover Wines...

The Goddess of Wine is so lucky! I was able to show two different groups of students delicious wines to enhance their Spring festivities. Thanks to Fossil Wine Bar in Atascadero and Morro Bay Wine Seller in Morro Bay for their partnership and willingness to bring in wines for me and my acolytes! Cheers!

Tasting Blind! March edition...

The Goddess of Wine had her way with another intrepid group of tasters as she led them through the wild world of blind wine tasting. As always, students were provided with tasting grids and aroma wheels to help them with their discoveries.

I provided few clues for the class: None of the wines were from California. A student asked if there was any Zinfandel or Pinot Noir. Nope. I encouraged them to think outside of their comfort zone, to trust what they were smelling and tasting.

The wines - mostly from my own cellar - were all from different regions of Italy. Because I like Italian wines, and I had enough to share. And I enjoy torturing my classes with wines they probably have not encountered. That may sound evil, but my aim is to have the group focus on what they are actually smelling and tasting, and not worry about whether or not they're right or wrong. It's all about trusting your senses and building from there.

It was the Old World vs. the New World...

The Goddess of Wine led a group of curious wine enthusiasts through a comparison of Old World wines and New World wines at the Fossil Wine Bar in the picturesque town of Atascadero last night.

Old World wine refers primarily to wine made in Europe but can also include other regions of the Mediterranean basin with long histories of winemaking such as North Africa and the Near East. The phrase is often used in contrast to New World wine which refers primarily to wines from New World wine regions such as the United States, Australia, South America and South Africa. 

The terminology is used to describe general differences in viticulture and winemaking philosophies between the Old World regions where tradition and the role of terroir lead versus the New World where science and the role of the winemaker are more often emphasized. 

In recent times, the globalization of wine and advent of flying winemakers have lessened the distinction between the two terms with winemakers in one region being able to produce wines that can display the traits of the other region—i.e. an "Old World style" wine being produced in a New World wine region like California or Chile, and vice versa.

Do Old World wines taste different than New World wines? Yes, they often do. The differences in Old World and New World wines come from winemaking practices (tradition) and from the effect of the land and climate on the grapes (the “terroir”).

• Old World wines are often described as tasting lighter, having less alcohol, having higher acidity, and tasting less fruity
• New World wines are often described as tasting riper, having higher alcohol, having less acidity, and tasting fruitier

Tasting Spring Wines...

The Goddess of Wine and an enthusiastic group of tasters had some fun at the Morro Bay Wine Seller on March 13th. The idea was to introduce my students to wines with which they were probably not familiar, and that would be fun additions to a beautiful Spring season. So, what wines pair with lighter foods, afternoons on the patio, and tasty grilled foods?

  

NV Nino Franco ‘Rustico’ Prosecco Superiore, Valdobbiadene, Veneto, Italy – Prosecco is a sparkling white wine from north-eastern Italy, specifically the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine regions. It is also the informal name for the grape variety used to make these wines, which is known officially as Glera. Since July 2009, the name 'Prosecco' has been regulated and protected under DOC law, ensuring that wines labeled with the name come only from the specified areas of north-eastern Italy.

The Goddess of Wine started a new program at the Morro Bay Wine Seller! Going forward, the last Wednesday of the month will be #WineWednesday #TastingBlind!

For our first blind tasting session on January 30th, we had an enthusiastic group of tasters. As in prior blind tasting classes, I provided aroma and tasting guidelines and grids. And as always, discoveries were made, 'aha' moments occurred, and many laughs were had.

Recovering from the Holidays - Tasting Blind...

Setting up

The Goddess of Wine had a rambunctious crowd of tasters at the Morro Bay Wine Seller, all eager to test their sensory perceptions about wine. The initial 8 wines were bagged for security reasons, and #FirstAcolyte, JD, pre-poured all the wines before the class took their seats.

Everyone received tasting grids on which to write their notes, as well as aroma charts to help them with descriptors and vocabulary. The results were, as always, fun and interesting. Several individuals were delighted to discover their strengths; others realized they needed more practice.

Bubbles, Bubbles, and More Bubbles! Wining for the holidays...

The Goddess of Wine led an intrepid group of tasters through her annual exploration of sparkling wines for the holidays. We paired these sparklers with such gourmet treats as potato chips, popcorn, 'pigs in blankets' (cocktail franks in puff pastry), and homemade breads and cookies from #JDBakes.

All the wines showed exceptionally well, and as always, it was delightful to watch my students' enjoyment of the experience. In fact, after class was over, everybody stayed to revisit and purchase the wines! It was a win/win - or maybe a wine/wine - for all involved!

Tasting Wines for the Holidays...

It’s that time of year again. The “holidays”.

You throw a party, or you go to a party. For a huge meal. It could be a traditional roast turkey, accompanied by stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Or it could be roast goose or duck, or a Honeybaked ham. Or (shudder) a turducken. Or brisket or veal. So many choices, all depending on your cultural background and family traditions.

Regardless of what you, your friends and family choose to share, it’s going to be a big meal with a lot of different elements, so you’ll want to choose wines that will enhance and not conflict with the flavors found in your meal. You can play it safe and offer Chardonnay or Pinot Noir with your turkey, but how about trying something different to spice up your feast?

The Goddess of Wine tends to favor wines with good acidity to counter the fatty content of many of the tasty accompaniments to a hopefully moist and well-seasoned entrée, and its accompaniments. Here are my suggestions for the holidays. All of these wines retail for under $30. Oh, and full disclosure: portions of these notes are taken directly from the wineries' spec sheets, although my group of student tasters found them to be accurate.

Wining while "Tasting Blind!"

One of the things I love most about teaching about wine is the 'aha' moment that occurs when students suddenly realize something that had never occurred to them before. Several of those moments happened Wednesday night when I led an intent group of acolytes through a blind tasting.

I brought in 8 wines from all over the world, and provided the group with a tasting grid that included sample descriptors to help them find the appropriate words for what they were smelling and tasting.

I gave them a few hints to start:
All the wines were visibly red.
All the wines were between 2 and 5 years old.
And the most important clue of all: There were multiple instances of the same grape varietal.

Tasting Blind...with the Goddess of Wine!

We sure had some fun tasting those "little-known" wines from Spain and Portugal, but now we're going to put your palate to the test!

Have you always wanted to taste wine like the pros? Here's your chance!

Join the Goddess of Wine, Denise Lowe, for an evening of "blind" wine tasting to test your senses of sight, smell, and taste! We'll taste through several wines as you learn tips and tricks to WOW your friends!

Light munchies will be provided by #JDBakes.

Must be 21 years or more to attend.

Limited seating, so reservations are required. 
$35 per person

Wednesday, October 17th, 2018, at the Morro Bay Wine Seller
601 Embarcadero #5, Morro Bay, CA 93442

Click HERE to purchase your tickets!

Oh, and don't worry...we won't actually blindfold you!

Cheers!