Tasting wine is “to taste, to taste something to examine its taste or seasoning”. But in the world of wine this word has a much greater meaning: it carries with it a series of procedures or “rituals” in which the senses come into play in an exceptional way in order to discover the aromas, tastes and textures that each wine contains .
On this occasion we will focus mainly on the types of tasting, each with a purpose and a characteristic modus operandi.
Probably the most popular is the blind tasting, in which the participants are unaware of the wine they are going to taste. The bottles are usually covered so that aspects like the vintage, the geographical area or the mark do not affect in the opinion of the taster before trying the wine.
They can start with a previously defined theme (eg type of grape, denomination of origin, add …) or do not provide any information about the wines to be tested (the so-called double-blind tasting).
The blind tastings are characterized mainly by the objectivity and impartiality of the person in charge of judging each wine, without being influenced by the geographical area, the winery in which it is made or its vintage.
On the other hand it is necessary to take into account the horizontal and vertical tastings:
The horizontal tasting is characterized mainly because during its development are tasted wines from different wineries but of the same vintage and denomination of origin. Therefore it is perfect to make an assessment about the producer and the quality of the grape used in the process of making each wine in a given geographical area.
And … the vertical tasting differs from the previous wine tasting during the course of wines from different vintages but from the same winery. In this way we can analyze its evolution over the years.
There is another way to taste a wine not as popular as the aforementioned, the diagonal tasting. In it are enjoyed and valued wines that share the same geographical area but come from different producers and vintages. This tasting procedure can be useful to check the evolution of the wines from a particular region and thus compare them with the rest of the wine regions.
If you are one of those who are still entering the wonderful world of wine there is a type of tasting perfect for you. This is called the double tasting. It is enjoyed by tasting the different wines with the labels discovered. Later the bottles are covered and the process is repeated to try to recognize and value each wine.
As we have observed, there are several ways to carry out a wine tasting, one for each moment, but they all have one element in common: the pleasure of tasting a wine.
¡Salud!
White wine, as we all know, comes from the fruit obtained from the vine.
The white grapes used primarily to produce this type of wine are spread throughout the world. There are several varieties distributed in many areas such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon or Riesling, among others.
In addition, other important indigenous varieties that can be found in specific areas such as the Verdejo, originating in the region of Tierras de Medina, south of the province of Valladolid, which is present in many of our wines D.O. Rueda.
White wine, besides being an excellent ally to combat the heat of summer, has numerous attributes beneficial to health, among which we can highlight the following:
- It is good for the heart: white wine, like red wine, contains reservatrol, an element that helps decrease the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
- It facilitates the metabolism of fats and raises good cholesterol levels due to its content in polyphenols and other antioxidants (yes, this does not mean that you can stop doing sports …)
- It delays cellular aging and promotes longevity due to antioxidants from the grape (and if not ask George Clooney).
- According to some studies white wine improves eyesight and prevents the risk of cataracts, as long as it is a moderate consumption 🙂
- WINE = HAPPINESS (what more can you ask for!)
After all this … Who would not want to enjoy a good cold white wine in these hot days?
And is that … a summer without white wine, it’s not so summer.
Health!
Enjoy this summer of our fantastic white wines D.O. Rueda, designed to satisfy the most demanding palates.
- Fri Sanz Te: 100%v Verdejo
- Sanz Clásico: 70% Verdejo and 30% Viura
- Sanz Verdejo: 100% Verdejo
- Sanz Sauvignon: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
- Finca La Colina Verdejo cien x cien: Verdejo
- Finca La Colina Sauvignon Blanc: Sauvignon Blanc
“Madrid, Madrid, Madrid…pedazo de la España en que nací.”
The tradition of the wines of Madrid dates back to the thirteenth century and its wine legacy reaches to our days ready to satisfy the most demanding palates of the capital and the rest of the world.
The D. O. Vinos de Madrid was established in 1990 and is the first Denomination of Origin associated with a capital of the world. It has three sub-zones perfectly selected: Arganda del Rey, Navalcarnero and San Martín de Valdeiglesias. These three zones, located in the southern part of the Community of Madrid, differ slightly in the soil used for growing vines and climatology, so that the final characteristics of their wines are different.
But first of all, let’s start with a bit of history …
Once upon a time … the wines of Madrid.
It is believed that their lineage arises from the presence of the Romans in the area, lovers of the vines and, above all, the drink obtained from its fruits. However, it is not known with certainty, until in the thirteenth century the first documents that ensure winemaking appear, in which it was intended to settle an agreement of distribution of a vineyard between monks and their feudal lord.
Already in the fifteenth century was such a production and recognition of this wine that the authorities were forced to establish protectionist measures. During the Golden Age and after the election of Madrid as capital of the kingdom there was an important economic development accompanied by some native wines in the rise.
The cultivation of the grapevine remained in growth despite the general impoverishment and demographic decline that was experienced during the later years. However, this expansion was halted by a plague of phylloxera that affected the vineyards of the area causing havoc in its production.
But the story did not end at this point, much less. After an important effort, the wines of Madrid have managed to recover in recent decades the attractive prestige that backed it in the past. They have been making a dent in important bars and restaurants as well as international exportation.
And is that the wines of Madrid do not leave anyone indifferent … They are cooler than an 8!
Why not dare to try them?
Madrilízate! With Sanz La Capital
See more about Sanz La Capital here
Throughout history, music, wine and gastronomy have been closely related. Even in the case of wine, the relationship is more intense.
From a series of investigations have been obtained amazing results that confirm that the music can be an excellent pairing for the wine. These studies are mainly based on cognitive theory, which explains the nature and development of human intelligence. In this case defends that the music causes different stimuli in certain areas of the brain, which makes it respond in a certain way to the wine and perfect its flavor and final appeal.
But no, it is not worth putting Vivaldi or Raphael in the music player and everything ready … there is a type of music for each type of wine (and vice versa).
According to the results obtained after the tests the best pairings for a drink of Cabernet Sauvignon are the great ones of the Rock like Jimi Hendrix or the Rolling Stones, whereas to appreciate a Merlot in conditions we should accompany it with acoustic music, Soul and R & B.
For those who love the lively melodies like the music Dance or Disco should take advantage to taste a good Chardonnay.
Finally, for the more symphonic, lovers of the melodic emotion that classical music provides, their ideal wine would be good Syrah.
Which melody would be the most appropriate to accompany our fantastic D.O. Rueda?
What kind of music should sound background when it comes to tasting our Madrid wines Sanz La Capital?
Let the show begin!