There are really only two things you need to know about a particular wine: whether you like how it tastes and if you are willing to pay what it costs to purchase a bottle.
When you walk into a wine shop, the selection can seem overwhelming. So where do you start?
The first thing to decide is the varietal — merlot, cabernet sauvignon, or chardonnay, for example — that you want to drink. The next decision is much more difficult, especially if you are not looking for a specific producer. Generally, I find it more problematic when traveling because stores may carry wines that I am unfamiliar with or that are outside my budget — the second half of what you need to know about wine.
I recently attended a tasting of wines produced by Trefethen Vineyards, which is in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley. Trefethen Vineyards grows 100 percent of the grapes that are used to produce their wines. Among the wines I tasted were a Riesling, Chardonnay and Merlot.
The Trefethen winery was founded in 1886 and operated under the name of Eshcol, which is the name of the road leading to the winery. The winery was built as a three-story building and used a gravity-flow system, meaning that the grapes were crushed on the third floor and the grape juice was carried by gravity to the second floor for the fermentation process. The first floor was reserved for aging the wine. The winery has received recognition from the National Register of Historic Places as being the only surviving wooden winery from the 19th century that still operates using gravity-flow in Napa County.
The 2008 Trefethen Dry Riesling started with the flavor of ripe peach, along with hints of citrus. I found this Riesling to be crisp. My only regret about this wine is that I wasn’t able to try it paired with food. I believe it would hold up well with shellfish or Asian dishes.
In contrast to many Chardonnays, I found Trefethen’s 2007 offering to be enjoyable. This wine started with hints of pear, and was crisp, ending with just a slight amount of vanilla.
The wine that impressed me the most was the 2005 Merlot which was opened in front of me and poured within minutes. Even though the wine was just opened, it had a sweet aroma that was noticeable immediately. This wine exhibited flavors of black cherries and was somewhat peppery. A grilled bone-in rib-eye steak is the perfect match for the flavors and body of this wine.
One of the best ways to determine what you like is to visit restaurants or wine shops that hold wine tastings on a regular basis at a nominal cost. As well as providing the opportunity to taste a number of wines, it allows you to ask questions and learn why you like the flavors contained within one wine instead of another. Attending these tastings with friends provides for an inexpensive chance to taste wines and compare your tasting notes with people you enjoy.
Jim Rawe, a family attorney in Bradenton, is an avid collector of fine wines. He can be reached at jimrawe@gmail.com.
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