A column by Kevin and Carolyn Kourofsky
I Speak Wine: How to Join the Conversation
Carolyn: Let’s say I’m going to a wine tasting—
Kevin: That’s a safe bet. Wait a minute, was I invited too?
Carolyn: —And I’m not sure what to say about the wines.
Kevin: When have you ever had trouble finding something to say about wine?
Carolyn: Asking for a friend. She’s worried about what to expect, and how to describe what she’s tasting. Apparently there are going to be some people there she thinks of as ‘wine snobs’.
Kevin: Oh, I know the feeling.
Carolyn: And she asked me what aromas and flavors she might find in different wines.
Kevin: Well, Chardonnay can pretty much be counted on to have aromas of citrus and/or apple.
Carolyn: And if you want to sound really sophisticated, pear.
Kevin: Pear is a good one for Pinot Grigio, too. That or citrus. And if a white wine is a bit sweet, add the word “baked” in front of the fruit.
Carolyn: If it’s a Cabernet Franc – currant leaf. No one ever questions this. Even if none of us have ever smelled a currant leaf IRL.
Kevin: Right, but you’d better warn her that saying “currant leaf” borders on being a wine snob. If there’s one in the vicinity she’s opening herself up to deeper conversations.
Carolyn: True. Maybe just ‘currant.’ Whenever I’m tasting a fruit I can’t quite identify in a red wine, I go with currant.
Kevin: And then there’s Pinot: Cherry
Kevin: Merlot: Plum, blueberry
Carolyn: Cabernet Sauvignon. Probably darker fruit, like blackberry, black cherry, or maybe coffee or chocolate.
Kevin: What about unusual aromas that are associated with a particular varietal, like violets in Syrah?
Carolyn: Have you ever actually smelled violets in a wine?
Kevin: There was one time, on that picnic back in ’99—
Carolyn: They were probably in the lawn.
Kevin: Speaking of lawns, don’t forget mown grass in Sauvignon Blanc. Unless you’re getting grapefruit instead—
Carolyn: The fact is, everybody is going to smell and taste different things in any wine. You can’t really be wrong as long as you use the right basic vocabulary.
Kevin: And smile enigmatically. That goes a long way.
Carolyn: Like Mona Lisa?
Kevin: I bet she was at a Tuscan wine tasting, enjoying a nice Chianti.
Kourofsky Wine 