Probus members learn more about wines
The tasting technique for wine and whisky is based on the five S’s - see, swirl, sniff, sip and savour.
Probus Bedfordview members explored the worlds of wine and whisky with guest speaker Stan Herbst on November 5.
When the club wrapped its monthly meetings for the year, it invited Herbst to teach them more about the drinks.
Herbst spent most of his time working in the liquor trade and did training courses for wine guilds, five-star hotels, and exclusive clubs, sharing that wine and whisky tastings are a chance for people to identify their preferences.
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Herbst highlighted the ongoing changes in wine containers from corks to screwtops and bottles to boxes.
He also explained the indentation at the bottom of a bottle, the punt (which provides structural integrity), pressure resistance, and sediment collection. It allows you to support the bottle with your thumb when pouring.
The tasting technique for wine and whisky is based on the five S’s – see, swirl, sniff, sip and savour.
Here are the five S’s applied to wine tasting.
See (the look) – hold your glass against a piece of paper and look at the colour of the rim. The colour will tell you the age of the wine.
Swirl – swirl the wine in your glass to aerate it and release the esters which form during winemaking. Releasing the esters produces an aroma.
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Sniff – put your nose into the glass and inhale deeply. Separate the aromas – like fruits, herbs, and floral notes -and those from the winemaking process, such as vanilla and cedar.
Sip – as you sip the wine, roll it over your tongue and aerate it by slurping, then let it touch your teeth and cheeks.
Savour (the finish) – look for length and intensity in the makeup of flavours.
Herbst said, “Drink what pleases you and move to box wines.”
Club president Ineke O’Dougherty said, “Stan had a lot to teach us about wine, such as looking at the colour, which tells you its age.
“I learnt that my preferences should be the deciding factor when choosing a wine.
“The snob value of only buying our wine in glass bottles is unnecessary since the wine in boxes is the same as the bottled wine.
Boxed wine gives far more value for your money and does not go off once opened, so you could have a wide choice of different wines ready and waiting for unexpected guests.”
The club’s next meeting is on January 14. Guest speaker Professor Kathy Munro will speak about the sinking of SS Mendi in WW1.
