Tequila is not just a college spirit anymore, its much, much better

On May 2, CSWS presented an in-store tasting of Tequila.  We poured Silver, Resposado and Añejo Tequila along with a beautiful orange licquer called Combier.  Our customers sampled their way through the different classes of Tequila and most importantly, tasted their way through 100% Agave Tequilas.

Map with the five designated zones to produce Tequila.

It was interesting to note that across a spectrum of demographics represented by all those who crowded up to the CSWS tasting bar, few knew about the different classes of Tequila or the legal definition of this spirit.  Firstly, the term Tequila is internationally protected and registered through the WIPO (World Industrial Property Organization) that recognizes Tequila as a protected product with specific standards and origins or appellations of production areas.  In 1978, the Appellation of Origin for Tequila Territories was registered that included five specific zones where Tequila could be produced in Mexico.  These are Jalisco, Nayarit, Guanajuato, Michoacan and Tamaulipas.  Between them there are one hundred eighty municipalities that are allowed to produce Tequila.  These municipalities are governed by the Official Mexican Standard for Tequila NOM 006-SCFI-2005 also known as NOM.  This is long and lengthy.  Basically, NOM spells out where Tequila can be made and under what specific standards.  The native plant that can be used to derive sugars and starches for fermentation is Weber Blue variety of the Agavaceas family and can only use the heart or head.

A Jimador harvesting Agave for the production of Tequila

NOM further specifies that Tequila must be produced with Weber Blue Agave plant matter constituting 51% or more in mass direct from these sugars.  Wow!  I didn’t know this in college.  NOM does allow the use of sweeteners, coloring and aromatics so you can understand how different Tequila products can be.

NOM also stipulates different grades or classes of Tequila such as Silver, Gold (Joven or Oro) Resposado, Añejo and Extra Añejo.  Silver or Blanco is straightforward, alcohol content derived from the standardized legal definitions of NOM and diluted with water to adjust the final alcohol level.  Gold is enhanced by mellowing and the blending of Silver and aged and extra aged Tequilas.  Resposado (Aged Tequila) is spirit that requires a minimum of two months of direct contact with oak or Encino oak containers.  Añejo (Extra Aged Tequila) spirit requires a minimum of one year in direct contact with oak or Encino oak containers with a maximum size of 600 liters.  Extra Añejo (Ultra Aged Tequila) requires the spirit to have a minimum of three years of direct contact with oak or Encino oak containers with a maximum capacity of 600 liters.  Whew!  Didn’t know Tequila was this fancy.  Well, yes it is and when you taste the different grades you quickly realize that not all Tequilas are created equal and this is a good thing.

Ageing Tequila is very similar to ageing Whiskies and wines

In a nutshell, this is what has happened in the world of Tequila, the Mexican government stepped in and created very specific laws and standards to govern and regulate a very important commercial export product.  Yes, Tequila is an integral part of Mexican culture, but it is internationally recognized as a protected commercial product of Mexico.  What this has done is allow for specialized products for international markets such as the United States.  We are now seeing and enjoying a real boom in Tequila and this has been an eye opening experience.  Tequila is now on par with high quality Rums, Vodkas, and Whiskies.  You can mix high end Tequilas in your favorite Margaritas or savor its unique flavors neat or on the rocks.

Tequila, a noble and refreshing spirit that is delicious in cocktails

Cool Springs Wines & Spirits has worked very closely with our wholesale distributors to stock a wide selection of Tequilas at incredible prices.  The best part is this, US consumers win with a staggering offering of great Tequilas for any occasion and its not just for college parties anymore.

The CSWS Tour Series of wine tastings - traveling the world through wine.

CSWS created our “Tour Series” of wine tastings to introduce our customers and friends to new wines and new wine producing regions of the world.  So far this year we
have “travelled” through France, Spain, Italy, Chile, Argentina and finally Australia and New Zealand.  In structuring wine tasting events in this manner, we introduce cool wines from regions that a number of our customers have not yet visited.  Instead of making a large group of adults sit down and work their way through wines like in a classroom, we employee a relaxed in-direct learning method with a number of one on ones or small group discussions about the wines and where they come from.  Response to these tastings has been overwhelming and our team at CSWS has had a wonderful time with them.  The Tour of Oceania was no exception.  The wines were supplied by Athens Distributing Company of Nashville and Mr. Rick Reilly, Wine Sales Manager, was on hand to talk with our customers about the wines along with members of the CSWS team.

Don't fancy drinking wine with a Kiwi Bird or a Kangaroo? Join in on a CSWS wine tasting tour instead.

Wines from New Zealand included The Crossings Sauvignon Blanc and Oyster Bay Pinot Noir.  From Australia CSWS featured three cool wines from the niche producer
d’Arenberg.  These included the white blend Hermit Crab that contains Viognier and Marsanne.  Also poured was the d’Arenberg Laughing Magpie.  This is a unqiue wine as
it is a blend of red wine (Shiraz) and a very small amount of white wine (Viognier).  Both of these wines are an homage to wines from France’s Rhone valley.  Finally,
we poured the d’Arenberg High Trellis Cabernet Sauvignon and Fetish “The Watcher” Barossa Shiraz.  We concluded the night by pouring at our in-store tasting bar a lovely sparkingling Spanish Cava, Segura Aria Pinot Noir.

Between the great wines, tasty finger foods and the wonderfully curious learning atmosphere, everyone had a great time.  The most rewarding aspect of these events is
that the CSWS team gets to spend a lot of time with our customers talking about wines and wine regions.  We incorporated some maps to talk about wines as well as spoke
about the history of wine varietals and their respective travels around the globe.

Join CSWS for our wine tasting events in the Overlook. You'll have fun, meet new friends and learn something cool about wine.

If you haven’t attended a Cool Springs Wines & Spirits tasting in our Overlook tasting room, you are missing out on a lot of fun and cool information.  CSWS will
resume our “Tour Series” in September.  However, don’t forget about our Cinco de Mayo Tequila tasting on Wednesday May 2.   Reservations are required.   Also coming
before the end of May is our Empire Day Celebration featuring a Single Malt Scotch Whiskey tasting.   Check out of our web site for forthcoming details.

How can a great wine shop like Cool Springs Wines & Spirits resolve this issue?  We are implementing a fabulous new program for our customers who are both on the go, but want to try new and interesting wines.  The CSWS Personal Wine Nook Program is available for any busy adult who wants to experience and enjoy new and different wines but does not have the time to grab a shopping cart and one of our knowledgeable team members for a guided tour of our offerings.

The CSWS Personal Wine Nook Program works like this; sign up using our survey and application.  By answering a few short questions we can find out generally what you like and how much you are willing to spend on a bottle of wine.  Using this information, we can look through our staggering wine selection and find new and different wines for you to try.  We will email you the information about the wines we select and leave the bottles in your personal wine nook, a physical place in the store, and at your leisure you can decide if these are wines you want to try.
Every two weeks CSWS will place new wines in your nook for consideration.  There is no obligation to buy any of these wines.  Just simply let us know if you are interested in any or all of them.  Next time you swing by the store, your shopping will have already been done.  You simply need to collect the wines you want from your nook and pay for them.

Cool Springs Wines & Spirits knows your time is valuable and we want to maximize your wine drinking experience.  Next time you have a few minutes to stop by the shop, ask one of our sales team members for more information about our nook program.  It is also available to high gravity beer drinkers and spirits drinkers.

I wish something like this was available when I was rushing into the shop.  This will save so much time for busy professionals, home makers, and everyone else on the go!

We are delighted every time we pour a Rosé wine at a wine tasting in our overlook or at one of our many in-store tastings.  Why?  At Cool Springs Wines & Spirits we are dedicated to introducing as many cool types of wines, such as Rosés, to as many wine drinkers as possible.  The inevitable always happens, “What is that you have there?  White Zinfandel?  No!  It’s a Rosé.”  We are yet again into a time of year where Rosé wines really show their value.  When the going gets hot, the Rosé starts flowing.  If you have never had a Rosé, do not waste a minute more, and read on.

So what is a Rosé wine?  Start off by making a red wine using red wine grapes. Allow only limited skin contact and then remove the skins.  Some coloring takes place but not enough to make a true red wine.   These wines are dry by the standard of the red wine grape(s) being vinified.  There are some tannins and acids in these fresh and crisp wines.  Some are lighter bodied than others while other Rosés are fuller bodied.  A huge quantity of Rosé and Rosado wines are consumed in France and Spain during the summer months and at other times throughout the year.  Imagine the luxury of having a red wine during the hot summer months that is chilled and is very refreshing.  What a concept!  Think patio, deck, picnic and summer foods and delightful Rosé wine.

Rosés from the Alsace or the Rhüne valley are delicious and affordable.  So are the wonderful Rosado wines from Spain.  These thirst quenching wines offer wine lovers the world over varying flavor profiles and structures.  They can be enjoyed on their own or with a dizzying number of foods.  Think in the box, drink a wine made from red wine grapes, chilled in the summer time.  Think outside of the box, cool, refreshing wines whose flavors are those of your favorite red wines.  Again, wow!  What a concept!

Let’s look at this from another angle.  Rosé and Rosado wines are great wines.  They are not restricted to summer time and hot weather consumption.  These types of wines are great served as an aperitif in a structured flight of wines.  These wines are great as a stand alone wine.  These wines can be consumed any time of the year even on a frigid winter’s eve.  Think smoked salmon, chilled Rosé, roaring fire in the fireplace and your favorite companion.

New technologies and materials allow us to debunk myths about screw caps.

We were tickled to read an article about a very prestigious winery, Plumpjack, who offers a limited reserve Cabernet Sauvignon with a screw cap closure and presented it at a wine event.  An event attendee challenged a winery representative regarding the use of a screw cap on a high value wine ($155.00 retail).  This is a perfect point at which to let the Genie out of the bottle so to speak.

The global wine industry has been aggressively pursuing alternative closure systems for many years.  Why?  This is simply not just an issue of supply and demand with cork from Portugal.  This also has to do with eliminating TCA or 2,4,6-trichloroanisole, also known as “Cork Taint” this is a compound nurtured by cork that will infrequently taint wine and render it undrinkable.  It is also found on some Central and South American coffee.  It is important to note that this only happens in 3 to 4 percent of all bottlings, but is a great inconvenience.

While cork is the most environmentally produced wine bottle closure system, it takes a significantly long time for Cork Oak trees to produce enough of the bark used to make cork.  The majority of cork used for wine bottle closures comes from the Iberian peninsula, Spain and Portugal, two wine producing nations.

A major player in alternative closure systems for the wine industry is the Stelvin Screw Cap.  These screw caps have set the standard in the global wine industry.  They are air-tight and similar in appearance to traditional packaging.  First used in Australia and Switzerland in the mid 1970′s, these closure systems are now accepted within the industry world-wide.

Stelvin Screw Caps are the industry standard for alternative systems.

However, there still remains consumer resistance to the screw cap closure system for all of the wrong reasons.  Wineries have been hesitant to jump head long into the use of screw caps simply because of consumer resistance in viewing any wine with a screw cap to be cheap and of poor quality.  This is no longer an issue.  While certain low quality wines continue to use the basic threaded screw cap systems as a part of their packaging, the use of the Stelvin Screw Cap enclosure system is a statement made by the wine’s producer that this is a quality wine worth protecting from bacterial and fungal infection.  Simply put, perception is not reality.  Stelvin Screw Capped wines are a good thing, now get over it.

The same can be said of boxed wines.  Years ago, boxed wines had the same market impression as wines with screw caps - yuck!  Again, times and technologies have changed.  Bag in a Box or B-I-B, technologies utilize metalized film and plastic layers to create thin, liquid tight containment systems to hold such things as wine.  Ever pour yourself a fountain drink at a fast food restaurant?  Odds are the components of the soft drink came from a Bag in a Box system.  Concerned about wine spoilage via oxidation?  Fixed – newer vacuum seal technologies correct this problem at the wine box spigot.  No reverse air-flow affecting your boxed wine.  Boxed wines still have four to five week viability after opening.  3 to 5 liters of wine have never lasted two weeks in our homes, let along five.  Concerned about bag taint, fixed – the new metalized/plastic bags do not have powders inside that affect the taste of wines.  These clean bag bladders are also used in hydration systems like those employed by Camelback albeit using thicker materials.

Many fast food restaurants utilize Bag in a Box technologies.

The only issue that the wine industry has not been able to resolve is long term ageing in boxes.  Wine barrels and wine bottles remain the industry standard for ageing wine.

One final note on boxed wines, the carbon foot print for boxed wines is roughly 50 percent less than traditionally packed wine in a glass bottle.  Additionally, the overwhelming majority of boxes used to package boxed wines are recyclable and/or contain recycled content.

With spring having sprung and wine drinkers taking their wines back outside to their patios, decks, boats, pools and gardens, having alternative packaging systems for their wines is critical.  At Cool Springs Wines & Spirits we have numerous choices in Stelvin Screw Cap system wines as well as great quality wines packaged in the Bag in Box systems or boxed wines.  Don’t be left inside this summer.  Take your wine outside and have fun!

We cannot discount the impact that New World wine regions have had on the global wine scene with their plump, ripe fruit and high alcohol levels but it is the Old World we will look at in terms of indigenous grapes and traditional hot climate zones for our cool quaffers this summer.

In conducting in-store tastings we have witnessed massive interest in white wines such as Albariño from Spain’s northwest region of Rias Baixas.  Galicia’s climate and rugged coast line gives this dazzling varietal something special.  A beautiful, racy, aromatic and flavorful white wine that is meant to be consumed young, this is one of seafood’s best partners.  Yes, Spain is a warm, dry place and wine making traditions that pre-date the appearance of the Romans and Phoenicians.  The original Celtic-Iberians were making wine in Spain for a much longer time.  Why?  Need cool quaffers for the hot summer just as we do today.  How about Rioja Blanco featuring the Garnacha Blanca, Malvasia and Viura grapes?  Barrel aged and bottle aged for varying amounts of time depending upon their classification – Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva – these round, but light classy wines are marvelous.

Galicia's rugged beauty, its seafood and white wines are no longer a secret.

How about something from another part of the Iberian peninsula?  A store and customer favorite for several years is Portugal’s Vinho Verde.  This young wine can be made from a combination of twenty five different grapes such as Loureiro, Pederña and Trajadura.  Slightly effervescent and always refreshing this low alcohol cooler is a proven patio pleaser.

And then there is France.  Dying for a Chardonnay?  Go to Burgundy and have a ball exploring all of the different white wine zones in this region such as Chablis and the Maçon.  Whether you like oak barrel aged or not, there are numerous choices here to enjoy.  Don’t like Chardonnay, how about a delightful Sauvignon Blanc from Saint Bris instead?

Bordeaux the nexus of red wine but is also a region for the most austere and refreshing Sauvignon Blancs in the world.  Don’t want to spend a King’s ransom on a white wine?  There are many, many Bordeaux Blancs to choose from.  Some even have Semillon and Muscadet in them as well, yum!

The Loire valley also has some Sauvignon Blancs treats for a thirsty drinker.  How about a smashing Sancerre?  Too zippy for you?  Then trot over to Vouvray and enjoy an exquisite Chenin Blanc based wine that can be had in different guises such as dry or demi-sec. 

The Rhône valley’s white wines have achieved legendary status and the northern Rhône’s white ave also achieved legendary prices.  Move south, closer to Avignon in the south and away from Lyon in the north and you will find amazing white wines many blended with Viognier, Marsanne, Rousanne, Bourboulenc, Picpoul de Penet, Grenache Blanc and Clairette.  It doesn’t matter if you recognize these grapes or not, these wines are round, aromatic and delicious.

The Rhone valley's charm and wines captured the hearts of the ancient Romans.

France’s massive wine region of Languedoc – Roussillon offers white wine drinkers incredible quality to price ratios.  Many of the same varietals of the Rhône are found here along with Grenache Gris and Rolle.  Great flavors and prices!

Along France’s southern coast line in around Provence you will find some of the most delicate Rosés and soft white wines.  These are worth searching out for their exceptional quality. 

With over one thousand registered wine grapes, Italy has a staggering amount of white wines to choose from.  Searching out quality Pinot Grigio is always fun.  However, it is all of the “Other” available white wines that is the real mission here.  Try the following – Verdicchio, Vermentino, Vernaccia, Arneis, Orvieto, Gavi, Frascatti, and more.  So many really cool and tasty white wines. 

Alfresco dining and wonderful white wines, great Italian exports.

Not many think of Germany as being a hot place, however, I have spent a summer in southern Germany, 1994, when it was so hot (day time temps around 40 C -95 F plus).  What was the saving factor here?  Riesling, Riesling and more Riesling.  Step up a little in quality and find the balanced wines that consider residual sugar levels, acid and alcohol levels as a marriage.  Rieslings like this can be out of this world.

The Rheinland-Pfalz is home to Germany's greatest Rieslings.

There are other wines as well as sparkling wines and many more Rosé wines to be found.  But with the information above, a wine drinker can spend not only this summer but several summers tasting their way through many regions and grape varietals.

The best part is you do not have to travel the world to get these cool beauties.  Cool Springs Wines & Spirits stocks these delightful gems and we have the staff to teach you all about them.

Beginning to seek out information and collect knowledge and understanding about wine and food pairings is a truly wonderful endeavor.  However, understand this, drink what you like and pair your favorite wine or wines with whatever you like to eat.  At the end of the day, you have to make yourself happy.

Wine, bread and cheese - staples of life for centuries.

For those who are genuinely interested and want to learn about classic pairing of wine and foods, there is a fairly simple pairing model to follow.

Acidic wines - the wine should be as high or higher in acid than the dish.  An example would be simple tomato Pomodoro sauce over any cooked pasta paired with Valpolicella, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo or a lighter Chianti Classico will work.  How about lighter fare such as Hummus, Tabouleh salad and grilled chicken breast with lemon and basil.  Try a nice Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand or a Sancerre.

Tannic wines - wines with higher tannins levels such a Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat, and Petit Verdot need foods with fat.  The tannins help cut through the fat left in the mouth from foods like a New York strip steak, well marbeled pot roast, and mutton.  Some Grenache, Mourvèdre and Tempranillo based wine will also have enough tannins to work well with lamb.

Red wine and grilled meats - doesn't this image make you hungry, and thirsty?

Sweet wines - Gewürztraminer, especially from the Alsatian region of France is a great contrasting wine for spicy foods like Thai curries.  The residual sugar levels and earthiness plus fruit (think Lychee fruit) flavors are great with fiery foods from Southeast Asia.  Rieslings with higher residual sugar levels also work well with things like Kung-Pao chicken.

The Lychee fruit accent in Alsatian Gewurztraminers pairs well with Thai curries.

Crisp wines - think salty foods for crisp wine pairings.  Sauvignon Blanc, especially one that screams lemons or grapefruit, works well with brined olives and salty cheeses like feta.  Pinot Grigio also works when you pair with a bigger version of this wine.

Other very simple rules to follow when pairing wines with food are -

Pair similar colors - light colored wines will pair better with lighter colored foods.  Deeply colored wines will pair far better with very rich foods.

Similar textured and weighted wines - these types of wines should be paired with similarly textured and weighted foods.  Warm lobster, ala Lobster Thermidor, pair with a bigger, rounder Chardonnay such as a Meursault or you could choose an Alsatian Pinot Gris.  Chilled lobster such as in a salad will pair better with a lighter Chardonnay like a Chablis.  You can also pair with a dry Vouvray or a Pouilly-Fumé.

Sweetness levels - these need to be matched.  If you are serving peach or apricot glazed thick cut pork tenderloin chops use a nice, fat Viognier or a plump Riesling.  You can even use some of the wine in the glaze with the fruit.

Foods and wines with similar flavors - turbot, sole or even scallops broiled in a lemon butter sauce should be paired with an appropriate Sauvignon Blanc such as from Saint Bris or better yet, an Arneis from the Langhe area of Italy that features lemon with a hint of chestnut.

Foods with sauces need to be balanced with the right wine - light citrusy sauces can be paired with Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs or drier Vouvrays.  Heavier cream sauces need rounder Chardonnay, Chateau Neuf de Pape Blancs, or bigger and rounder Côte du Rhône Blancs.  Red and meat sauces (without tomatoes) need Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or bigger Syrahs.  Tomato based sauces need appropriate acid level pairings.  See the citation for acidic wines.

Pair wines with meats that do not have sauces - pair the color hue of the darkest part of the meat to the wine.  Interested in wild game, how about roasted Duck breast with savory herbs?  Try a Pinot Noir from Burgundy.  Opt for something from a specific commune rather than a general Bourgogne Rouge.  A Marsannay or bigger Pinot Noir from Burgundy will work wonders.

The simples pleasures in life, great friends, great food and great wine.

Remember, drinking wine is about the simple pleasure and experience.  If you want to step outside of your wine experience box and try different wines and pair them with foods, great.  The staff at Cool Springs Wines & Spirits is ready to help.  However, if you want to keep with wines that you know and are comfortable with, great.  At the end of the day, make yourself happy in whatever direction and pair you take yourself.  Eat, drink and be merry!

Come on, switch from red to white wine when it's 100 degrees outside.

Switching from red wine to white wine in the warmer months makes as much sense as switching from hot tea in the winter to iced tea in the summer.  However, so many wine drinkers we speak with are adamant, almost militant, in their dislike for white wines.  They are concretely red wine drinker until death do they part.  Why?

Red wine drinkers like the aromatics, the flavor and to a certain degree the grippiness of red wine tannins.  Red wine drinkers dislike the super fruity, high acid levels and low aromatic levels of white wines.  What?  What have you been drinking?  Pssst, come here.  At CSWS we have really good white wines, hey, tell your friends too.

There are so many good to great white wines at CSWS.  Believe it or not there are amazing Savignon Blancs from all over the world, New Zealand as well.  Think Cloudy Bay – oh yeah.  Chile – yes, Chile has wonderful Sauvignon Blancs that won’t break the bank and some of these are really dry, aromatic, and balanced.

Believe it or not there are incredible Rieslings that are semi-dry to fully dry.  CSWS has Rieslings that reveal their respective terrior’s minerality.  Acidity is balanced with fruit and the aromatics, ah, the aromatics reveal seductive points of interest.

Everybody knows Chardonnay, right?  Hmmm.  So many available, but wait, what is this white Burgundy stuff doing in the Chardonnay section?  Chardonnay originally comes from Burgundy.  The white Burgundies are 100% Chardonnay and they can be VERY different from what 99% of middle Tennessee wine drinkers know.  Try them, they are great.  Yes, dry, yes different acidity presentation, yes terrior present in the sense of the chalk and limestone soils giving these wines a wonderful mineral base.  Some, like those from the Maçonnais area of Burgundy are not oaked.  Yes, stainless steel or vat fermentation, with only the grape in its wonderful, natural self is present in these wines.  CSWS stocks the #1 selling imported French white wine in the US, Charmes’ Maçon-Lugny.  Macon tells a potential buyer this is from the Maçon AOC in Burgundy and Lugny is the specific village.  It’s dynamite.

Where is the Macon? There, home to great white wines.

Don’t like Chardonnay but curious about France?  Good.  There are so many whites and white blends in France you can literally spend an entire summer drinking nothing but different French whites every week.  Try Rhône valley blends up to the ethereal Chateau Neuf de Pape Blanc.  There are grapes like Picpoul de Penet that are blended into CdP Blancs but are great by themselves and don’t cost a Prince’s ransom.

Bordeaux offers many bone dry Sauvingon Blanc offerings plus Semillon.  Other parts of France including the Loire valley offer their take on this great grape, Sancerre anyone?

In the Languedoc-Roussillon region white and blends are delicious and readily affordable.  A number of Rhône varietals take on another world like presentation.  Provence has not only some of the best Rosés around, but captivating whites.

Spanish and Portuguese whites, yes indeed.  Doesn’t matter is it’s the super light and sometimes effervescent Vino Verde from Portugal or the delightful Albariño from Spain’s Rias Baixas region, you get fabulous white wines from the .Iberian peninsula

Italy, yes, don’t forget Italy.  With over 1,000 registered varietals you will find at least 3 Italian white wines you like.  Most wine drinkers know about Pinot Grigio so will only point out that this grape grown in Sicily is very cool.  What about Arneis, Vermentino, Vernaccia, or Grechetto?  Oh yeah, you have got homework to do.  However, this type of homework involves a corkscrew and a glass.  Sauvignon Blancs from Italy are also way cool.

Torrontes, did someone say Argentina?  Bright, beautiful and full of flavor this wine white is as refreshing as a hot summer day is long.

We are just scratching the surface with this posting’s references to white wines.  Bottom line is that there are so many, many, many great white wines for all of us to enjoy, including red wine drinkers.

Family, friends, great food & white wine - summer pick nicks at their best.

Bottom line, cool to cold wine when it is 90+ degrees outside and humidity levels that are near those of a Turkish bath beg for white wine.  Let our extremely knowledgeable staff at Cool Springs Wines & Spirits show you what we have, which is a staggering selection of white wines from all over the world.  Enjoy!

Researchers at Yale University’s Yale-New Haven Hospital have been looking closing at the health benefits believed to be derived from drinking wine.  Specifically, red wine has the most beneficial compounds.  There are a number of antioxidants found naturally in red wine, including flavinoids, which may very well provide specific positive heart health benefits by lowering LDL cholesterol (bad) and boosting HDL cholesterol (good).  The Yale research also cited research at the University of California at Davis that specified specific grape varietals that had the highest levels of flavinoids.  UC Davis is quoted as identifying Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Syrah, and Pinot Noir as having the highest levels of flavinoids by varietal.  Their study also showed that the sweeter the red wine the lower the levels of flavinoids and the drier the red wine the higher the levels of flavinoids.

Aroma wheel - so many variances in smell.

Okay, what does this have to do with taste?  Yes and no.  Wine has hundreds if not thousands of chemical compounds that provide color, taste, aroma and mouth feel.  Other compounds protect the wine and give it the ability to age.  Phenols and polypenols are the first chemical steps in the odyssey of wine.  From these come the antioxidants such as flavinoids and non-flavinoids.  We will stick with the flavinoids.  Phenolic Acids are found in the pulp of wine grapes, while other phenols are found in the skin, seeds and pips.  All of these phenols as well as vanillin, which is a phenol released by oak barrels during barrel ageing, that give wine a vanilla like taste and aroma, impart or play a part in aroma, flavor and mouth feel.

There are over 100,000 taste buds in a human mouth and not all of them are on our tongues.  Humans can detect four basic types of taste.  1.  Bitterness.  Examples of bitter foods and drinks are unsweetened cocoa, beer, olives and chicory.  2. Saltiness.  Examples of salty foods are pickled foods, sea vegetables like kelp and salted nuts.  3.  Sourness.  Examples of sour foods are lemons, fermented foods, grapes and some melons.  4.  Sweetness.  Examples of sweet foods are licorice root, strawberries and honey.   Recently a fifth taste element has been added.  5. Enami.  This recognizes savory and meaty flavors such as cheese but is also present in grains and tomatoes.  There has been a long standing model that these basic flavors were detected by specific taste buds located on the tongue.  Recent research conducted at Yale University is beginning to cast some legitimate doubt on this and may reveal that these basic tastes can be detected anywhere in the mouth taste buds are located.

A minimum of eighty percent (80%) of the human sense of taste is actually sense of smell.  This is one reason why we smell a wine’s aroma before tasting.  We pique of senses with the wine’s aromatics and then allow our taste buds to do their job.

Taste buds and taste zones - don't forget Enami.

Sweetness seems to have the highest recognition threshold and is one of many reasons why sweeter wines are more popular.  A wine maker will decide to make a wine sweeter or dryer.  The amount of residual sugars left in the wine by the wine maker allows for small or big fruit flavors to be detected.  Bitterness has many detractors but is an influential part of the wine experience.  Part of this comes from extended skin, seed, and pip contact during maceration.  Saltiness does not play a major role in wine flavors but can allow for what is perceived to be minerals or earth accents in a wine.  Sourness is an interesting aspect of wine flavors.  Naturally occurring acids in wine are ususally the culprit when a wine is called sour.  However, acidity plays a major role both in flavor as well as preservation in wine.  The thousand pound gorilla in all of this is the newest member of the basic taste spectrum, enami.

Detecting savory nuances in wine is critical, especially, in well crafted wines.  In varietals such as Syrah and Pinot Noir the savory elements allow these varietals to stand out and allow them to be exceptional food partners.

With all of the science behind tasting wine, what does this all mean for the average middle Tennessee wine drinker?  If you just like to drink wine simply knowing the basic taste elements and being able to communicate these to a CSWS wine sales team member is great and will allow for enhanced enjoyment.  If you are curious and want to learn more, you begin a life long journey that will reveal many details.  Regardless, tasting wine is fun, rewarding and educational.

Smelling and tasting wine - so many sensory experiences and fun!

Cool Springs Wines & Spirits provides such experiences for our customers through in-store wine tastings every Tuesday night and Saturday afternoon.  CSWS also hosts more specific educational tastings in our tasting room overlook above the store.  These wine tastings do require reservations but are free of charge.  Drink, eat and be merry and always enjoy what you taste.

We at Cool Springs Wines & Spirits are advocates of a moderates lifestyle that allows wine drinkers to enjoy all of the pleasant aspects of the hobby while avoiding the negatives.  “παν μέτρον άριστον” All in good measure or everything in moderation is an old Greek axiom.  One that we have distanced ourselves from in our frenetic, stress driven, 24 hour a day connected world.  The lifestyle of enjoying wine, good food and sharing these with family and friends is a natural extension.  The process of making wine from tending the vines, to harvesting the grapes, to vinifying the pressed grape juices to patiently waiting for the packaged wine to mature are all apart of the human endeavor.  However, there are aspects of this that fly in the face of modern reality.  Physical labor, allowing nature to take its course and exhibiting patience are in sharp contrast to our modern lifestyles. 

Hippocrates - the father of modern medicine recommended wine.

Research regarding substances in red wine, including antioxidants and their flavinoids like the polypenol Resveratrol play a leading role in positively affecting heart health.  However, French research is indicating that antioxidant compounds in red wine may not play a dramatic role in positively affecting heart health without other factors involved. 

Lowering blood pressure values as well as triglycerides (bad cholesterol levels) are part of the overall picture, but there is more to all of this.  The French diet is higher in saturated fats than the American diet, however, the French also have lower body mass indexes, have more physical activity, lower levels of stress and depression.  How is this possible?  It’s part of the overall lifestyle differences between French society and American society. 

Daily life in France is different than in the US.

In America we tend to use our cars much more often as opposed to riding a bicycle or walk.  The French typically eat more seasonal foods and consume more vegetables than Americans.  Yes, the French, per capita, drink a lot of wine, but it is a part of their daily lives and a part of most meals.  They consume more saturated fats through the use of butter and cream as well as animal fats.  Americans consume a lot more processed foods that contain a wide variety of chemically modified properties including sulfites – see last blog for details. 

Red wine, beer or alcohol in moderation seems not to be the only answer.  Red wine is not a magic elixir.  It was the nectar of ancient gods and civilizations, but in the modern world we need to examine the overall picture.   A Yale university study does point to dryer red wine as the best source for flavinoids that are heart healthy.  Sweeter wines have less of the heart healthy properties.  Dry red wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon seems to be the leading contender for the best flavinoid positive wine to drink.  Interestingly enough, red wines from the Bordeaux region of France tend to be drier and most contain some ratio of Cabernet Sauvignon in the wine. 

Grape harvest in Bordeaux. Red grapes grown in cooler climates may have more flavinoids than grapes grown in warm climates.

Does this mean that drinking a case of Cabernet Sauvignon from Bordeaux every week will correct heart issues?  No.  Again, it is about moderation, positive modifications to your lifestyle, getting enough sleep, lowering stress and anxiety, and eating right.  Naturally, you can do this with a nice glass of red wine.  Slow down and enjoy life. 

The friendly and knowledgeable staff at Cool Springs Wines & Spirits is here to help our customers find delightful, drier red wines that can possibly help with your lifestyle changes.  However, it is up to all of us to look at the broader issues to make a real difference in our lives.