Beginners Guide To Wine Tasting

Many of my guests feel the need to apologize for their lack of wine knowledge. If you're thinking of taking a Tuscany wine tour with me, you don't need to. It will be my job and pleasure to help you through the process. However, here are a few light hearted tips to debunk all the snobbery and make you feel more at ease.

Before the big day 1 to 6

1. Buy a bottle of wine and a glass so you can practice a few simple techniques. If you don't know them, you'll always be a novice. The glass is like the one below and a cheap wine suffice, but if you're considering a trip to Tuscany go for red.

2. Hold the glass by the stem or the foot. Don't ever hold it in your fist, it just looks so unrefined!

3. Fill the glass ¼ full then incline it so you can observe the edge of the liquid in transparency. Hold it up to the light, or if there's a white surface, against the surface. Observe if the edge is dark or if you can see through it. Then observe the color; is a deep red, violet or does it have a slight brown tint.

Look the part

4. If you want to look just right, you must practice the swirling technique. Get it wrong or don't do it, and you're telling everyone you're new to the game. The process gets oxygen into the wine which will help release all the aromas. The easiest way to swirl is to hold the glass to the table by the stem, and make rapid circular movements. You must aim to create a concave cone with the liquid. If the glass is correctly filled by about a ¼ it won't come out, so go about it vigorously.

5. Swirl the wine for about three seconds, then put your nose well into the glass taking a deep sniff. Wait about twenty seconds and do it again. See if you can associate the aroma with something else you know. Red wines will generally smell of other red fruits and jams. If the wine has been barrel aged there will be a hint or even a definite note of spice as well. If you can't don't worry. This is something that can take time as most of us aren't used to using our sense of smell. Women tend to have a better sense of smell then men.

Take a sip and slobber

6. Now take a sip, and very briefly hold the wine in your mouth and swallow. Now take another small sip, but this time keep it in your mouth and draw in air mixing it with the wine. You can find your own way to do this, the easiest for most people is to draw in over your closed teeth. Roll the wine around your palate for about ten seconds, then swallow. Don't be afraid to slobber, It's perfectly acceptable at a wine tasting.

At this point concentrate on the sensations you're receiving. With red wines the first thing to observe is the puckering sensation. Did you find it pleasant, or did it bother you? Now observe if the wine is acidic, bitter, sugary or dry, and how do these sensations take you. Do you like them or not? At the end of the day that's what it's all about. You either like what you're tasting or you don't and it's the same for everyone.

So that's it! You now know the basic of how to taste wine.

At the winery

You're now in the tasting room and as a beginner the best advice I can give you is to admit you're new to wine and still learning. Once you've done this you're unassailable. Never and I mean never, drink the wine like a shot. Just take your time and go through points 2 to 6, and you'll get full marks even from the most conceited snob.

If you're in doubt, just don't say anything. However sensations are personal and not really debatable. So if your smelling a sweaty horse in your glass, then say so.

However at all times just remember the following

• No one knows everything about wine.

• Don't be afraid to ask “dumb” questions.

• Wine is to be enjoyed not intellectualized.

• Expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better.

• If it doesn't have to be expensive, don't trust very cheap either.

• Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and also in his taste buds.

• Don't be afraid to experiment. 

The Best Time to Travel in Tuscany

So when is the best time to travel to Tuscany? Well I’m of the opinion that Travelling in Tuscany is a year round activity and every season has its charm. Of course winter in Tuscany is cold, but it’s not that bad; expect day time temperatures of 5-10 centigrade (40-50 Fahrenheit).

The winter months are best for cultural tours of cities and museums because you won’t have to deal with the high season crowds. The main cities such as Florence Rome and Venice never close down, but being low season there's ample choice of accommodation at considerably cheaper prices. There's something of a myth about August, which claims that everything closes down for the holidays. While this is true for small towns and industry, all the major tourist attractions are more than open. This includes wine country and wineries.

One Of The Scenes From My Tours

If the the Tuscan scenery is high on your list of preferences, then visit from the end of April to the end of October. The foliage is rich and you'll get some great photos. The less busy periods for wine tasting are March, April & November. 

As the Tuscan countryside is quite a large area, travelling at any time of the year isn't too much of a problem. However in summer and autumn be prepared for crowds at the wineries. If you're travelling without a guide, I strongly suggest you book wine tastings in advance. Otherwise you may encounter difficulty being served or even get refused. 

Guided Tuscany Wine Tours

The best way to enjoy Tuscany is to hire the services of a guide (OK I'm biased). However not all tours are equal, and you may still find yourself in crowded tasting rooms. Unfortunately this much has to do with the price. Low cost companies offer convenient prices up front, but they recover money by taking commission on wine sales. There’s nothing illegal in this, but of course they take you where they’re offered the best deal. As you can imagine these wineries are very popular, and you'll likely find yourself with plenty of company.

I guarantee my Tuscany wine tours are different, and I suggest you take a look here to discover why. You'll  be kept well away from the crowds and enjoy personal attention in quiet surroundings. Not to mention leisurely off beaten track itineraries, and farm to table food. 

Last but not least, for those interested in olive oil, you may like to consider late October and early November. The countryside is still  pretty, and above all, it's olive harvest time. This is the only time of the year when you can see milling taking place. One of the most important periods of Tuscan lifestyle.

Copyright Sergio Ceccherini 2019

The Difference Between Chianti and Chianti Classico

The Chianti wine production region is a large area taking up most of central Tuscany in Italy. Chianti wine was originally produced in a small area between the cities of Florence and Siena which was defined legally as far back as 1716.

However due to the popularity of Chianti, other nearby areas began producing  and selling wines with the same name. They were often wines of inferior quality (and price), so obviously the authentic producers had a lot to complain about.

Tignanello Vineyards Famous for Super Tuscan Wines

To solve the situation but only in 1932, seven sub zones where added to the original Chianti region of 1716. It was decided that wine from the original area of 1716 be defined Chianti Classico, and the name may only be legally used by wines coming from said region.

The wines from the new sub zones took the name of their geographical locations and are: Chianti Colli Fiorentini, Chianti Colli Aretini, Chianti Colli Senesi, Chianti Montalbano,Chianti  Rufina, and as of 1996 Chianti Montespertoli. Often they are simply referred to as Chianti.

So in a nutshell, Chianti Classico is the wine made in the original historic production zone, while Chianti is the wine coming from the extended and much larger area added in 1932. 

Though the Chianti Classico wine region has an extension of about 277 sq miles, only 28 are officially designated for the production of wine. There is a system of quotas which limits planting new vines. This is done to preserve the environment and prevent an excessive production of wine.

For a more detailed article on Chianti Classico see here

Copyright Sergio Ceccherini 2019

The Chianti Classico Logo will be found only on certified bottles

Spirit of Italy - Harvest Italia Olive Picking Tour

Vicky Gray-Clark of Spirit of Italy tours is organizing this year's Harvest Italia tour to Tuscany (October 28 – November 4). Her guests will be picking olives in the Val D’arno region of Tuscany and enjoying the area during the Fall harvest. Vicky and I worked together when I guided her six guests on her previous tour in 2012 and we'll be working together again this tour.

Here is a promotional card with details of her 7 night/8 day tour. To book the Harvest Italia tour or for questions, visit her site – www.spiritofitalytours.com or contact her at vicky@spiritofitalytours.com.

You can also contact me at www.scenicwinetoursintuscany.com

Inconsistent quality in Chianti wines

As I'm always singing the praises of Chianti wines, I think it would be coherent to mention what's not so good too. However nothing that will make me lose my love for one of the best dining wines in the world.

There are approximately 570 estates in the Chianti Classico appellation, ranging in size from tiny landowners  to large corporate concerns. Of these 350 actually produce a bottled wine with an official Chianti label, while the the others grow grapes. Chianti has eight production zones, and experts generally concur that wines from the Chianti Classico zone are those that offer the highest standards of quality, along  with Rufina. Look out for these words on the bottle, it does make a difference.

Chianti bottles bearing the official logo and D.O.C.G. seal

Chianti has come a long way in the last twenty years, and the vast majority of estates offer a high quality product. Even the corporate wineries  have improved their offering, some  reaching high degrees of excellence. However others are still geared to producing cheaper average wines for bulk sales. Consequently one of the criticisms moved towards Chianti is that quality is inconsistent, and unfortunately it’s true. Though I care to add the wines are never bad.

The reason is simple; the making of Chianti is governed by a set of rules called a disciplinary. It defines the minimum, but not maximum standards for wine to be called Chianti. Defining minimum legal standards is a good thing, it ensures the consumer he’s drinking an authentic wine. A wine can only bear the name Chianti, if it’s made to disciplinary standards. It will also have the D.O.C.G. acronym on the label. However a wine made to the minimum requirements will never be a top wine. It certainly won’t be bad, but not excellent either.

The problem is political and economic. The disciplinary is defined by a consortium of producers, and industrial wholesalers (non producers) where the large commercial concerns have more voting weight when defining the rules. Large producers and wholesalers are primarily interested in quantity and low prices. The small boutique wineries who produce quality wines have less weight financially, and due to the political structure of the consortium, their opinions and votes have less importance too. 

As producing cheap wine isn't economically rewarding for the boutique wineries, they’re often in heated contrast with the consortium as they advocate far higher standards. They have nothing to gain by producing cheap wine (they make money only if the prices of their limited production is higher), and they make it a matter of pride too. For them wine making is art, love and passion. They take far more care in the three important phases of wine production; viticulture, cellar techniques and ageing. This of course increases costs, but they  produce wines that rival with the world’s best. Just read a few reviews in the press to see scores of 90+ being given to wines from Chianti Classico, a thing unheard of twenty years ago

So there you have it, cheap average wines on one side, while on the other, top quality and 90+ scores. How do you find the better wines? Well trial and error basically, though reviews in the press can be helpful. Despite the legitimate suspect that reviewers can be biased, I've found they don't give high scores to average wines. I'd stick to Chiantis from the areas of Classico and Rufina too, (you'll find the names on the bottle) which are almost always of the highest quality. Alternatively you could take a tour with me and try the wines for yourself, look here:

Wine Lover’s Special ChiantiScenic Tour

Sergio Ceccherini

Restaurant recommendations Tuscany Chianti

For a great eating experience while in the Chianti Classico region, these are two restaurants in the heart of Tuscany in the tiny village of Panzano. I visit them frequently on my tours and my customers always enjoy their experience immensely. Both focus on traditional Tuscan Cuisine, with a la carte or economic light lunch menus. I won't bother with the addresses, Panzano is so small you won't have problems finding them. A little further down the road is Monterinaldi winery, which is also well worth a visit.

Oltre il Giardino:  The owner is a sommellier so there's a large choice of wines, but you're in Chianti and there's only one wine to order. The view is gorgeous too. Only Genuine Tuscan dishes with no concessions to international tastes, and the bill is reasonable too. What could be better? Tel 055 8528 28 English spoken.

Oltre il Giardino restaurant

La Cantinetta Sassolini: A family run restaurant with a young chef who does personal interpretations of his grandma’s home cooking. A great combination of modern methods, and traditional Tuscan cuisine. As always in my recommendations, prices are reasonable. Tel. 055 8560 142 English spoken.

Cantinetta Sassolini restaurant

Monterinaldi winery: An interesting variation could be lunch in the 18th century villa of Monterinldi winery just a little further down the road. (Località Pesanella, Radda in Chianti. Tel 0577 733 533) Here you can have a tour of the winery before your meal and then sit down to a genuine Tuscan home cooking feast with accompanying wine for €35. Reservation necessary.

The 18th century villa at Monterinaldi winery

Sergio Ceccherini

How to pair Chianti

Before we talk of how to pair Chianti, a few words of introduction. In a distant past wine was often consumed because it was cleaner than water, and for the peasants In Italy, it was just calories to put on the table. Often it was used as a flavoring for water to quench the thirst of the farm workers in summer. ( By the way I sometimes still do this; a third wine two thirds water is a very refreshing drink).

However with the passing of time, wine making evolved, and in particular it evolved around the food of every region. Then just like the theory of evolution, only those wines, or wine making methods that better adapted themselves to the situation (food and taste buds) survived. In some cases it may not have been a conscious process, while in others it was, but it’s undeniable that it was taking place.

Aged cheeses a perfect match for Chianti

The evolution of wine has been going on in Europe for hundreds of years, and it’s not a coincidence that the wines from Bordeaux or Reoja are perfect matches for lamb dishes which are part of the cuisine of those areas. In the New World wine making is a relatively new experience and not related to the cuisine in any way. Though it would be perhaps true to state, that wine making was introduced to South America mainly by the Spaniards who also introduced their food. That said, wine hasn't evolved with the cuisine as in Europe.

So let’s talk about how to pair Chianti. Chianti is light, dry and acidic, and if consumed on its own not particularly pleasant (this is true of many Italian wines). It’s difficult to appreciate at a wine tasting too, but don’t see this as a lack of quality. Local winemakers know perfectly well how to make a big easy wine,  but they don’t. In fact there is some controversy among producers about making Chianti easier to drink, as this would also make it easier to sell. However most of the top wineries (I say thankfully), refuse to do this.

Bear in mind that in Italy, maybe more than anywhere else in the world, wine has always been synonymous to the dinner table, and deeply part of every dining experience, even the most simple. So it stands to reason that Italy’s wines have been crafted to this end. Italian cuisine varies greatly from region to region, however it’s generally savory (salty), with animal fats in the north and healthier olive oil in central Italy and the south.

So here’s the reason for the dry acidic wines: tannins are perceived as velvety in combination with fats, and acidity is perceived as sweet with salt. If you don’t believe me, try an orange with salt sprinkled on it.

So in a nutshell you have an answer on how to pair Chianti…salty fatty foods. So meats in general, bacon and sausages are ideal, cheese and rich cheese dishes, red sauces (if with olive oil or other fat), pizza. These foods may not necessarily be Italian, just remember the salt and fat rule and you’re unlikely to go wrong. Even a hamburger will go down just fine.

What to avoid with Chianti? Perhaps it’s easier to say what not to eat with Chianti. Well the first thing that comes to mind is anything sweet, Chianti will taste horrible with cakes and pastries. Be careful that your main course doesn't contain anything sweet either, for example tomato ketchup.

Fish rarely goes well with Chianti because of its iodine content. The combination will make the fish taste even fishier, and the wine becomes unpleasantly metallic.

Some foods have bitter back tastes which in turn will increase your perception of bitterness in Chianti too. This last aspect is very important, as we’re not always aware of bitterness in our food. If ever you drink Chianti with a meal and it tastes bitter, before you throw it down the sink, try it with something else.

As a regular Chianti drinker, I think it’s one of the world’s best wines with a meal. It never overpowers food, becoming smoother as the meal progresses, spicy or fruity depending on it's age.

If ever in Italy, and you'd like to know a little more on how to appreciate Chianti, click here.

Sergio Ceccherini

The History of Chianti Wine

The history of Chianti goes back a long way. The world famous wine takes its name from the Chianti region in central Italy. It’s based on the Sangiovese grape in percentages which go from 80% to 100%. It can contain other varietals usually Cabernet or Merlot up to 20%. Chianti is dry, high in acidity, with an alcohol content of about 13.5%. The aromas and flavors tend to be fruity of cherries when young, and of ripe plums and spices when aged. Read this article for your enjoyment, and if you'd care to for a Tuscany wine tour, you can find me here.

The New Logo for Chianti Classico

Chianti wines have a number of denominations depending on the area where they are produced, but the only two to consider (in my opinion) if you want a high quality wine are “Chianti Classico” and “Rufina.” Chianti Classico is the wine made in the original historic wine making zone which was legally defined in 1716. As Chianti became more popular but centuries later, in 1930, the original geographical boundaries of the Chianti wine region were extended, and a further seven sub zones (denominations) were added. They are: Colli Aretini, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colline Pisane, Montalbano, Montespertoli, Rufina.

In the 1600’s, wine coming from a well defined zone, made from 100% Sangiovese grapes and called Chianti was being exported to England, so it’s been around with some form of regulation for a long time. In the 1840s, Baron Ricasoli, owner of Brolio Castle and the Brolio estate, did many experiments in wine making. He came to the conclusion that blending the autochthonous Sangiovese grape with 30% white varieties would produce a better wine and deposited his findings. However the Italian government ratified Ricasoli's formula into law only in 1966.

Unfortunately bad farming practices only concerned with quantity, and the addition of low quality white grapes resulted in low quality wine. As you may well know, it was bottled in a fiasco, the straw-covered bottle and “candle holder” which epitomized cheap Italian wine in the late 1960s. The reputation of Chianti sank to an all time low, and sometimes it’s still thought of this way.

In the 1970s, a small number of wineries in Chianti, and other areas of Tuscany adopted different wine making philosophies. They foresightedly focused on quality rather than quantity, and stopped following the production rules of the time. They included Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in their wines, and excluded poor quality white grapes from their blends. They also introduced ageing in small 225 litre barrels. The aim was to produce wines in the style of the top French wines for a more international appeal. Some felt (and still do) that by blending "international" grapes with Sangiovese, the tradition of Chianti was being lost, and they chose to bottle 100% Sangiovese wines, however for the rules of the time, this too was not permitted, because Chianti had to include white grapes.

Not following the rules, the new wines lost the right to be called Chianti, and they had to be marketed as table wines, which is the lowest definition of quality in Italy. However once the American press got hold of them, and realizing the undeniable quality, they were dubbed "Super Tuscans" as no other official term was available, and the name stuck. Today the Italian government has coined an officila denomination for Super Tuscans, and they go under the general name of IGT’s, which is an acronym for “Typical wine from defined geographical area.” As often happens with Italian rules, IGT means everything and nothing, wines of great quality, or junk. You’ll have to take a trip with me to find the good ones, and fortunately they do exist.

On the wake of the success of the Super Tuscans, the regulations of Chianti have been changed to accommodate the new vinification techniques. White grapes are no longer allowed and they have been substituted with international grapes such as Cabernet and Merlot (up to 20%), and infinite care is taken in the vineyard and cellar. Today Chianti is one of the world’s better wines and  has little to do with the past.

As mentioned earlier I feel the best comes from Chianti Classico and the Rufina areas. Unfortunately they are also the most expensive. If you want to spend less, try the wines from the other sub zones which considering the price, won’t disappoint. if you'd like to learn more on the History of Chianti, click here:

Sergio Ceccherini