Halifax Magazine Home

Related Articles

The more you know

Most are content to stumble along with just enough knowledge about wine to be dangerous when ordering in a restaurant but others catch the bug hard, delving deeply into this fascinating world.

We are pretty lucky in Halifax now, compared to even a decade ago. When I was first interested in learning about wine many years ago there were few opportunities for either tastings or courses with others that had the same interests. I purchased magazines, went to the annual Port of Wines Show and bought Wine for Dummies. Soon I was caught up in learning about obscure grapes from Italy and doing tastings comparing Shiraz to Syrah.

While I still say one of the best ways to learn is to just get together with friends and have your own semi-structured wine tasting, there are several other options. Start by deciding on your end goal. Do you want to know just enough to feel comfortable purchasing wine and talking about it with friends? Or do you want to understand how grapes are grown and how wine is made? Do you want to become a sommelier?

Since the world of wine is so big, it’s best to start slowly. Go to a few wine shows. This year’s Port of Wines Show runs from September 30 to October 2 at the Cunard Centre. The feature country is the U.S.A., so expect lots of Californian wine along with some gems from places like Oregon and Washington. The biggest issue with a show like this is that there are just too many wines to taste and palate fatigue sets in before anything else. Try taking in two sessions and taste whites in the first one and reds during your second visit. The afternoon tastings are better than the evening ones, with smaller crowds and a better chance to ask questions and take notes. Many booths have the vintners pouring—they love to share their passion.

Watch for other shows such as the California Wine Show in the spring and the Italian Wine Show in the late fall. There are also a lot of charity wine events around the city throughout the year, too.

Bishop’s Cellar holds weekly themed tastings in the Lower Water Street store at an affordable price. The store always has a sommelier on hand to answer questions too. The tastings often sell out, so check ahead. The other private stores also hold periodic tastings.

If you have gone to some tasting events and still want to expand your knowledge why not take a course? The Nova Scotia Community College continuing-education programs offer some fun courses such as “Grape Varieties” and “Wine Uncorked.” Or how about its new offering: the “100-kilometre Food and Wine Weekend.” Participants travel with chefs to visit wineries in the Valley and learn about local food and wine pairings. Learn more about these programs at www.coned.nscc.ca. Bishop’s Cellar also offers introductory wine courses taught by a professional sommelier throughout the year. Contact the store for details.

If you are really serious about learning more but are not quite sure how far you want to go, register for the Sensory Evaluation—Wine Professionalism Course offered by the Association of Sommeliers of Atlantic Canada. ASAC is the only professional wine and spirits-training group in Atlantic Canada, recognized nationally and internationally (www.atlanticsommeliers.ca). The professionalism course is the prerequisite to getting into the sommelier-training program but some take it just to expand their wine knowledge.

If learning through reading is your thing, then lots of wine books are available at stores around the city. New titles appear almost daily, so check out the reviews to find the book that best suits you.

But still the easiest way learn about wine is to taste and write down your thoughts. Then compare your observations with those of other tasters. Also see how your observations compare with what the wine is “supposed” to taste like. Use the Internet to find tasting notes for the wines you want to taste, and compare your notes to theirs. Since wine is so greatly subjective don’t worry if what you smell and taste is not exactly what is written. You may be as correct as the professional that wrote the notes.

Learning about wine is a lifelong experience that can greatly enrich our lives. Visit Nova Scotian wineries, travel to countries that produce wine (and sample with local cuisine) and, most of all, share wine with friends.

|||||||||||||||||||||||||||| The under-$20 wine review ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

Cono Sur Viognier 2009
Chile, NSLC, $12.22
Lovely smells of honeysuckle and spice—one of the most interesting  white wines. Fantastic flavours of fresh peaches and baked apples with a nutty finish. A great introduction to this interesting varietal. Extra points for superb value. Pairs well with sweet-and-sour chicken and rice. 90/100

Big House Red 2008
California, NSLC, $13.25
Eleven grape varieties make up this unique wine, which has a distinctive name and packaging to match. The juice inside lives up to the hype. How about blueberries, plums and smoke along with round and spicy cassis and a nice balance of acidity? This is a chugging versus sipping red—the flavours are all there up front and it calls out for anything with BBQ sauce. A fun wine at a great price. 90/100

80–84: A great sipper, good value.
85–89: Won’t last long, great value.
90–94: Brag to your friends and buy a case—fantastic.
95–100: A classic, run to the store, extremely rare.

Post Your Comments