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The World’s Most Civilized Delight – Wine!
By Dave Preston
Northern Nevada’s Toast-Master-General
 It
was called the nectar of the Gods in ancient Rome and Greece,
and that gives you an idea of just how long the ‘Great Grape’
has been a source of pleasure. Wine is one of the first things
civilized man created. No one knows who made the first wine or
enjoyed its effect, but it is woven through the tapestry of
human history like few other products. It has played many roles—
as part of religious ceremonies, as medicine and antiseptic, a
water purifier, a transformer of meals into feasts, and as a
comforting friend and a courageous partner.
What is wine?
If put in sufficiently general terms, wine is the naturally
fermented juice of fresh fruit or berries. Wine derived from the
juice of grapes will be our focus here. Wine is foremost an
agricultural product. With only minor assistance by man, grapes
are converted by nature, in a chemical process, into an
alcoholic beverage. Using a few skilled techniques, man can
create wines of immense variety that can be bottled and
transported around the world, and at their best, through time.
Wine can develop an apparent soul of its own, creating an almost
sublime experience.
Today, we know
more about wines then ever before. We know how to cultivate the
highest quality grapes to produce fine wines, and how to pair
them with foods to show them both at their very best. We have
learned or perhaps rediscovered wine as a principle source of
nourishment and the benefits it can bring when consumed in
moderation as part of a healthy diet. In enjoying wine we
connect with history, and with those before us who have
participated in one of mankind’s earliest and simplest
pleasures. Educating ourselves about wine and its proper use can
only help us to enjoy it to the fullest, and to make it part of
a gracious way of life.
 Something akin
to the “shot heard 'round
the world” on the dawn of the American Revolutionary
War, was heard in the wine world Sunday night, November 17,
1991. The event was the airing of, “The
French Paradox” segment on “60
Minutes.” When Morley Safer, a “60 Minutes” founding
reporter, first coined the phrase, “The
French Paradox”, who
would have thought that
it would begin an evolution, not only of a beverage, but a major
awakening in how Americans accepted a beverage. Safer’s
conjecture described the apparent the fact that
while the French, especially those in southwestern France, eat
inexcusable amounts of heart-stopping, artery-clogging saturated
fats and exercise very little, they have one of the lowest heart
attack rates in the world. Their moderate and daily consumption
of red wine was given as the most likely reason for this
phenomenon. The program unleashed a red wine mania. Within weeks
of this program, sales of red wine in the United States shot up
40% (about 2.5 million bottles) and Gallo Winery had to put
their leading brand, “Hearty
Burgundy,” on allocation. The sales of red wine for
the year following the broadcast were up 39%. American's had
taken this health message to heart.
 Kosta Arger,
MD, a top cardiologist in Reno and the wine maker for
Arger-Martucci Vineyards of St. Helena, California, lectures
across the country on the healthful benefits of vino. And, he
is backed by volumes of research supporting moderate wine
consumption as a way to benefit circulation and reduce
cholesterol in the system. However, as he points out when he
lectures, “If you don’t drink, it’s not wise to start for the
sake of trying to improve your health. Only your physician
should advise you on what’s best for your particular condition.”
Wine for
medical use is also documented in biblical times. The Apostle
Paul recommended to Timothy to drink wine for his stomach's sake
and for his often infirmities. The
Bible often makes references to the value of wine for health
and enjoyment. Our ancestors knew of its aid to health when
drunk in moderation. In fact, up until the 18th century, wine
played a central role in medicine. Wine inhibits the growth of
all microorganisms that are the cause of disease in man. Because
of its alcohol and acid content, they simple die in it. In the
modern world, wine is accepted as a healthful drink. At a very
young age, children throughout Europe are given a half a glass
of wine mixed with water at most meals. They are taught its
part of the eating experience to compliment the meal, not a
libation meant to take the edge off a long day at the office. In
the United States, wine has become a center-point at the
cocktail hour and has bridged the generation gap. The
twenty-somethings enjoy wine as much if not more so than beer or
hard liquor.
Greg Nitz,
DDS, a Reno dentist and owner/wine maker of Carrefour Vineyards
agrees, “People are tying together more of the varietals than
they were a decade ago, and wine makers have to produce a high
quality product at a competitive price because there are so many
wineries out there.”
 For many
years, we focused on the dangers of overindulgence. To be sure,
there are dangers to the over-use of wine. The Bible too, warns
of this. But in moderation, it is a healthy beverage. To taste
the true flavors and complexity of wine, it must be drunk at the
right temperature. More wine is ruined by being too warm than
too cold. A wine that is served too cold is easily warmed, but a
wine served too warm can be difficult to chill. Therefore, when
in doubt, serve it colder than you might think necessary. A wine
that is too warm tastes alcoholic and is not a pleasure to
drink. In general, white wines are served cooler than red wines.
These serving temperatures should be used as guidelines. 65°F /
18°C would be the equivalent of leaving the wine out at room
temperature for about 4 hours. 39°F / 4°C can be achieved by
leaving the bottle in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.
From various
experts on wine, here’s a representation of recommended
temperatures for several varietals:
-
65°F /
18°C for Australian Shiraz, California Cabernet Sauvignon
and Syrah, Rhône Wines, Vintage Port
-
63° / 17°C
for Bordeaux, Châeauneuf-du-Pape, Ribera del Duero, South
African Pinotage and Catalonian, Chilean, and Australian
Cabernet
-
61°F /
16°C for Red Côte d'Or Burgundy, southern French Reds,
southern Italian reds, Rojas, Toro, Australian and
California Pinot Noir, Tawny and Ruby Ports
-
50°F /
15°C for Côte Chalonnaise, Douro red table wines, young
Zinfandel, Oregon Pinot Noir, New Zealand Cabernet and Pinot
Noir, Oloroso and Cream sherries, Bual and malmsey Madera’s
-
57°F /
14°C for Chinon, Bourgueil, northern Italian and Washington
State Cabernet Sauvignon, Valpolicella, young Chianti
-
54° – 55°F
/ 12 – 13°C for Young Beaujolais, red Sancerre, Bardolino,
Lago di Caldaro, young Spanish and Portuguese reds, vin de
pays
-
50°F /
10°C for California and Australian Chardonnay, Sauternes,
top white Côte d'Or Burgundy, sweet German Wines, Rhine and
Mosel Kabinett and Spätlese, Tokay, Australian liqueur
Muscat, Italian oaked Chardonnay, oaked white Rioja, Fino
and Amontillado Sherries, sercial Maderia, white Port
-
48°F / 9°C
for Good white Pessac-Léognan and Graves, north-eastern
Italian whites, Washington State Chardonnay, Chilean
Chardonnay, Australian Semillon, New Zealand Chardonnay
-
46°F / 8°C
for Alsace, Chablis, Côte Chalonnaise and mâconnais whites,
dry German wines, Franken wines, Austrian Riesling, English
wines, Viognier, Australian Reisling, Cabernet and Grenache
rosé
-
45°F / 7°C
for Good Champagne and Sparkling wine, Sancerre, new York
State, Chilean and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
-
43°F / 6°C
for White Bordeaux, Muscadet, Anjou, other Sauvignons, Asti
-
41°F / 5°C
for Qba German wines, Soave, young Spanish and Portuguese
whites, Vinho Verde, Swiss Chasselas, Austrian Grüner
Veltliner, inexpensive rosé
-
36° – 39°F
/ 2 – 4°C for Inexpensive sparkling wines
If there are
simple pleasures in life, wine is most certainly at the top of
the list. I am often asked to recommend a wine and people are
amazed at why I shy away from naming a particular varietal or
vineyard. It’s really quite simple, what tastes good to your
palate may not to mine and vice versa. Wine should be
experienced first, and then you’ll know what works for you.
There are many wine shops, including “Vino 100” on South Meadows
Parkway in south Reno on the west side of the Smith’s Shopping
Center, which has a nice variety of fun artisan wines. It’s a
modest shop with 144 wines, 100 priced at under $25. “You don’t
have to spend a lot of money to find a good bottle of wine, “
quips Carman Robert, co-owner of the shop.
The adventure
of wine is truly one of life’s pleasures so be adventurous.
Another great place in Reno to visit is, “Enoteca,” Italian for
“wine cellar.” Enoteca is in the Siena Hotel. More than 35 wines
are served by the glass, and a special appetizer menu recommends
fare to accentuate the taste of each. Open nightly from 4:30
p.m. Enoteca is a cool place to hang out with friends, have a
drink and some food, and listen to some great live jazz Tuesday
through Sunday nights. Find the romance and intrigue of a
Viognier; the grapefuity explosion in your mouth of a sassy
sauvignon blanc; the surprising elegance of Spain’s top Riojas;
Tuscany’s bold reds; the dry/sweet sensation of a German
Riesling; the elegance of a true Burgundeon from
Gevrey-Chambertin and the most regal Bordeaux. And of course
Champagne, good anytime, always!
As Bogie said
is “Casablanca”… “Here’s to you kid.” May friendship, like wine,
improve as time advances, and may we always have old wine, old
friends, and young cares.
Dave Preston is a local radio and
TV personality and has been judging, writing and reporting on
food, wine and entertainment for 25 years. You can reach him at
dave@smwd.us.
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