Living on the vine
- Source: Global Times
- [09:58 July 22 2010]
- Comments
By Shen Sijia
One of the world's leading wine writers, José Peñín was in Shanghai recently to attend the 25 Great Spanish Wines tasting at the Shangri-La Hotel. Commonly referred to as Spain's answer to Robert Parker, Peñín publishes Spain's definitive wine-buying guide. The Global Times caught up with him during his recent visit for an one-on-one interview.
What's the easiest and quickest way for novices to educate themselves about wine?
The best method is to take part in wine tastings. Taste the glasses of wines in front of you, try to take some notes, share your feelings and listen to the instructions given by the sommelier. Wine tasting is made easy this way. At most tasting events, 90 percent of guests are able to say which wine is the best. You have to be as sensitive and attuned as you possibly can. I would recommend people to make full use of their six senses and imagination.
Is it important to be well versed in the latest wine terminology?
I use only 20 to 30 percent of the typical wine tasting vocabulary. When describing a wine, I prefer using simple words that are easier for non-experts to understand. In my guides I use a scoring system which is the most direct indicator of wine quality. I'm actually opposed to numerical ratings normally, but pure and simple descriptions of wines without a score can be difficult for less knowledgeable consumers to under-stand.
How should consumers go about finding a wine they really like?
Choosing a wine is a very personal thing. You should try different types of grapes in order to discover what you really like: low or high tannin levels? High or low acidity count? light bodied or full bodied? Strong oak or no-oak flavor? After trying different types of wine, you can get a better idea of what suits you. It's important to trust your own taste buds and instincts.
How can you distinguish a good quality wine?
Above all, you are looking for a wine that gives you the "pleasure factor." It should have maximum expressiveness and relatively complex flavors. It should be balanced and elegant.
How does climate, soil and altitude affect wine?
Well, it's not the age, geological composition or texture of the soil that are determining factors in quality. You can find excellent wines from all sorts of soils, be it clay, slate, alluvial or limestone. The only common factors seem to be that these soils are poor and, in almost every case, unable to be used for any other plants but vines. They also need excellent natural drainage. In other words, the soil needs to have the necessary mechanisms to balance a shortage or surplus of water, depending on the rainfall and latitude.
For example, if the grapes are grown with granite and sandy soils, this will produce wines with pure, well-defined aromas that easily identify the grape variety. Iron-rich soils, meanwhile, are difficult for producing quality wines. In general, a high level of iron causes a somewhat rustic and slightly burnt note on the taste.
Some excellent wines aren't so inexpensive. But how easy is it to find them?
Price is still often a good indicator of quality. Factors such as low grape yields, in-tense harvesting and sorting of grapes, the use of new oak barrels and long maturation times all add to the quality, but also the price. However, good wines are not necessarily expensive. There are several good wines that are under-valued pricewise. Some expensive wines only cost a lot because of hype, marketing, or a historical classification that ranks it as "first-rate." There are people who argue that the "best" wines are simply the best promoted or branded ones. But the way I score wines is always consumer-oriented.
