Gentlewoman: Etiquette for a Lady, From a Gentleman (22 page)

There are thousands of grapes, but many people are familiar with only about eight grape varietals. We’re not necessarily a wine culture. America, in general, is a very young country – whereas other wines have been around for thousands of years. Read the pages of Gilgamesh, and you’ll find descriptions of wine. In the Bible through Genesis you’ll see wine referenced. But in America, we still have a slight taboo from a cultural and religious standpoint.

The coolness of wine is that you can taste grape varietals from a Bordeaux blend coming from France and taste that same exact blend coming from California, but the experience will be completely different. It’s a matter of old world versus new world wines. Old world wines are primarily from old world countries in Europe and very much reflective of the climate, terrain and region which it’s from. New world wines are the product of colonization. People came over to North and South America, South Africa and Australia, and they brought grape varietals from Europe. Many of the wines we enjoy domestically–Cabernet, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio–aren’t indigenous grapes to our land. They were brought over by missionaries, monks and priests. These grapes have been cultivated over the years with a method similar to Europe’s. The difference is our climate and lifestyle, which the wine reflects. North America has indigenous grapes commonly referred to as Native American grapes (Muscadine and Sustanon).

To say I’m drinking wine from a particular region like a
Bordeaux
, a
Barolo
or
Chianti
is like saying I’m drinking an
Atlanta
, a
Riverdale
or a
Buckhead
. It describes the area from which it comes. If I’m having wine from California, it’s so much more about the grape than it is about the area and land it originates. These are some of the distinctive characteristics that make wine so appealing. The tannins, the acidity, the sugar and alcohol contents; whether it grew in warmer or cooler climates or how far it grew from the ocean. If I’m listening to a Mozart sonata or concerto, I can differentiate between Mozart versus Saleiri. These are two different composers from the same era, but there are certain elements that make Mozart who he is and Saleiri who he is. The same goes for wine. This helps explain what the art and mere appreciation for the beverage are about.

As sophisticates and cultured people, you go to galleries, ballets, operas and museums to enjoy the finer things in life. You enjoy great food, fashion and clothing. Clothing is only intended to blanket your body and keep you warm, but fashion is the art of clothing. You’re paying attention to the details or the exact functionality of a particular ensemble. You might dress to capture the look of a certain period or dress to go to
this
event versus
that
event. A drink is supposed to keep your thirst quenched, but wine is the art of consumption. You might drink a particular wine for
this
meal versus
that
meal. Many times, we don’t think of wine in an artistic fashion because we’re very much into the inebriation aspect of it. That’s just an added benefit. From the temperature at which the wine is served, to the glassware, it’s all art. The reality is you can just pop a cork and drink from the bottle, but to truly enjoy a wine and the process it went through, you must respect the art.

To being to explore further, understand what it is that you like from a wine. Are you smitten by the fruit characteristic; do you like the minerality or earthiness; do you like the light and the crispness or boldness of a wine? Truly find out what style of wine you enjoy. The more you read and the more you taste, the better you’ll be able to appreciate the subtle complexities of wine. Always drink what you like. Don’t let anyone tell you what to drink or what not to drink. It’s also important to articulate why you like something and why you don’t like something. You may never come in contact with the same house or particular varietal again, but if you can articulate the characteristics you enjoy, you can always get what you’re looking for in another bottle.

Once you’ve found the wine that you enjoy, take a seat and allow a sommelier to serve you. Your server will present a wine list to you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. That’s why they’re there. Once ordered, the sommelier will come by to show you the unopened wine’s label so you can verify that the wine that’s arrived is indeed the wine you ordered. The sommelier will wait for you to check the label for the varietal, vintage and producer. If everything checks out, the bottle will be opened, and the cork presented to you. Check for mold or cracks in the wood. Once the test is passed, your wine will be served in a small amount for its first inspection. This is called the
Five S‘s of Wine Tasting
.
Sight
|
Swirl
|
Smell
|
Sip
|
Savor
.

1. The sight
   is to check for visual flaws. A cloudiness or film is a sign of the wine going bad. You don’t want cork residue in the wine either. Sight can also determine the age of the wine by its color components – aged reds tend to get lighter while aged whites tend to get darker.
   
2. The swirl
   is about the breathing of the wine. It helps open the wine up. This goes on throughout the process of you enjoying the beautiful beverage. Hold the glass by its stem.
   
3. The smell
   is about picking up the bouquet, which is used for mature wines. The aroma is often associated with younger wines.
   
4. The sip
   is about tasting the different characteristics on the tongue, cheek and the top of the mouth. You’ll pick up the acidity; how round it is; how much fruit is on the pallet; how tannic it might be; whether it has oak or has been fermented in stainless steel. A decanter can be used for bolder reds that are higher in tannins. As a natural preservative, tannins come from the skin of the grapes and give bold wines its dry sensation. Decanters help wine to breathe in order to soften tannins and decrease the bold taste. Never judge a wine on the first taste. Once the cork has been opened and the gasses have been released, the wine is going to change continually in both the glass and bottle because it’s stopped fermenting. Your brain might not process the shock. Maybe the flavor of your chewing gum, toothpaste or food initially got in the way. The second and third tastes matter more. If you taste vinegar, it’s a sign of the wine going bad. Have your sommelier grab another bottle.
   
5. To savor
   is the final step. All good things must come to an end, but this is just the beginning. If the wine is in good standing, give your sommelier the approval, and your guests will be served. Cheers to an attractive evening with elegant company.
   

Jaye Price | Wine Educator | Jazz Musician |
Wineshoeatlanta.com

Wine is a woman. Take your time with her. Over time, you’ll begin to understand, furthermore enjoy this gorgeous experience. You might want to create a wine journal (Crate & Barrel - Beverly Hills or mobile app). Carry it in your clutch, documenting and analyzing each wine in the journal. Describe your emotions and write your own reviews instead of relying on others. Either way, a wine journal will be a useful and enjoyable reference in years to come.

Old etiquette states: a Lady never gets drunk | New etiquette states: Wine is the classiest way to do it.

Enjoy responsibly |
x
drinking & driving | Twenty-one +

Cabernet
– Associated with cherry, olive or plum

Chardonnay
– Paired with apple, lemon or melon

Pinot Noir
– Similar to zinfandel with earthiness, peppercorn and lavender

Riesling
– Compared to grapefruit, jasmine and cinnamon

Zinfandel
– Associated with blackberry, pomegranate and wood

Favorable Wine Serving Temperatures
:

White Wines:
54-58 °F or 12-14 °C

Red Wines:
58-64 °F or 14-18 °C

Rosé Wines:
45-55 °F or 7-13 °C

Sparkling Wines:
42-52 °F or 6-11 °C

Fortified Wines:
55-68 °F or 13-20 °C

Art of the Toast

Chinese
:
Wen lie!

Dutch
:
Proost!

English
:
Cheers!

Finnish
:
Kippis!

French
:
A votre sante!

German
:
Prosit!

Greek
:
Yasas!

Hawaiian
:
Okole maluna!

Hebrew
:
L’Chayim!

Irish
:
Slainte!

Italian
:
Alla salute!

Japanese
:
Kanpai!

Polish
:
Na Zdrowie!

Portuguese
:
Saude!

Russian
:
Na zdorovia!

Spanish
:
Salud!

Swedish
:
Skal!

“May you LIVE all the days of your life!”

Tender

Tender:
Emotions

“For the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” –1 Timothy 6:10

The quote above is often misquoted. There’s nothing wrong with the frequent acquisition of money. It’s necessary to have tender if you intend on being a citizen. However, it’s the
love
of money that gets people in all sorts of trouble. Money should never be your god.

The love of tender brings about tender emotions. People don’t talk about money. They don’t like to. Asking a Lady how much she makes is like asking an overweight virgin if she’s having a boy or a girl–it’s rude. Between politics and religion, money-talk is considered taboo in most forms of society. It’s the reason people lie, cheat, steal and kill. There’s so much emotion tied to decimals and dollars that folks will lay down their lives for it.

If your house is in order, your family is in order, and your career is in order, there’s absolutely no reason why your money shouldn’t be in order. But money-talk can be intimidating. It’s like God saved all the biggest and most confusing words for finance. Don’t fret – comprehensive financial literacy isn’t reserved for the privileged.

This chapter focuses on financial etiquette:

Seek trusted professional financial advice prior to making any money decisions.

Saving: Let’s get this out of the way – saving money must become a priority. It’s not just about storing it away somewhere and never seeing it again. Saving will help secure your future. It serves as an emergency fund so you don’t rely on credit cards. That means you can stop borrowing other people’s money for what you need and spending your money on what you want! Saving allows you to know what you spend and spend what you’ve got, so you’re not going into debt. Most importantly, saving allows you to build wealth. It’s a commitment to you, your family and your community at large.