Terry Anglin’s Wine 101 class at the October Women’s Luncheon was wonderful. We learned about making wine – from vines and grapes, through pressing and barrel ageing, to bottling and corks (or screw caps for some white wines). Then we learned about the 5 "S’s" of tasting: See, Swirl, Sniff, Sip and Savor. Then the tasting began!
We tasted six different and delicious wines, with Terry guiding us through the array of aromas and flavors. We began by sampling white wines with cheese and crackers and fresh fruit. First we had a Riesling, then a Sauvignon Blanc followed by a Chardonnay. Then a delicious lunch was served.
Fortified for the second half of our class, we launched into red wines with chocolate truffles. We enjoyed a Pinot Noir, a Merlot and finished with a Cabernet Sauvignon to rave reviews.
Terry’s lively and informative presentation made learning about wines meaningful and fun. For example, Terry advised us about the best temperatures for wines. He said we tend to drink our whites too cold and our reds too warm. His easy suggestion: Put whites in the refrigerator a half hour before serving, and take reds out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving. And, another important lesson from Terry -- beware of natural corks. One in seven wines with natural corks have gone bad because air has gotten in the bottle. A telltale odor of wet newspaper will alert you to pass on that bottle.
Several attendees asked if we could have Terry give us another Wine Tasting luncheon next year. In the meantime, as a result of October’s Wine Tasting luncheon, many of us have added some new labels to our shopping lists. Thank you Terry!