KNOWLEDGE
On a weekday evening, Maura Marciante of the Italian label Zonin Wines held a master class and wine tasting in Mumbai at a swish midtown pub. After leading the motley group of wine enthusiasts through the history of Zonin and introducing them to the wines from the label’s Estate and Regions collections, she demonstrated how to make exquisite cocktails using a Prosecco. Among the cocktails showcased were a Mimosa ( Zonin Prosecco with orange juice), Spritz ( Prosecco mixed with bitters and soda water), Bellini ( Prosecco and peach puree), Rossini ( Prosecco with strawberry puree), and an Elderflower Fizz ( Prosecco, gin and elderflower syrup). After getting done with her little demonstration, Maura took time to share a little bit of her wine knowledge with us.
Maura began by telling us what the right way is, to do a wine tasting: “The best moment to do a tasting is during the morning hours, when your palate is more sensitive to all the various sensations. Your mouth must be clean, so we do not smoke before a tasting, we do not chew gum or eat candy etc. Your palate must detect the four main senses, and we must smell the wine in order to describe the aromas,” she explained.
The most thing that is talked about with regard to Italian wine is the “terroir”. This is the natural environment in which a particular wine is produced. “We have to explain about the different soils, the climate, the microclimate, the training system, the number of plants per hectare, the kind of vinification and of the ageing,” said Maura. “And when we taste the wine, we must find all its peculiarities, either at the sight and/ or at the taste.”
Maura also said that many people have a misconception that red wines are more sophisticated than white wines. “Maybe this perception is due to the fact that many people enjoy white wines when they first start drinking wine, and then with experience, they progress to red wine. But many serious wine lovers rediscover the unique virtues of white wines — such as their compatibility 45 ml Smirnoff Espresso 4 ice cubes with light meals and their easier drinkability — later on,” she added.
Lastly, we couldn’t help but ask about some of the worldwide wine trends that Maura had observed. She highlighted two — the success of sparkling wines and the democratisation of the wine reviewing process. “Sparkling wines are always successful because they are tasty, fruity, smart, cheap and affordable for a younger demographic. They’ll keep their enviable trajectory also because the Asian palate will evolve to appreciate the category,” Maura said, adding, “( As for the second trend), with social media, everyone’s a critic — the social media world is democratising the reviewing, the comparing and the buying process, especially for white wines, from all over the world.”
Take a sip of your wine, then swill it around your mouth to allow your palate to taste it completely. Make a note of the flavours you’re experiencing — they should correspond with the aromas that you’ve previously registered. How sweet is the wine, or how dry? Is it very acidic, can you taste the bitterness of tannins?
How does the wine feel in your mouth? What kind of a finish does it have? How “heavy” or light does it feel? Is it thick/ viscous/ chalky? Paying attention to the tactile qualities of the wine is an essential part of the experience. glamour, the King of Pop’s chartbusters, and cassettes. It was the decade that opened up avenues in every way. Travel back to that era with the dynamic Retro- Rocker.