Wine is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages in the world, and arguably the most popular of them all, appealing to a wide segment of the population. Even the Gen Z crowd, which studies suggest are drinking less compared to older generations, share a fascination for the “fruit of the vine.” There is a certain elegance in drinking wine and wine culture that attracts people to it, and this might be the reason why I found myself in a jam-packed private room at Ernest’s for a wine tasting event sponsored by NAITSA.
The “How To: Wine Tasting” event on Nov. 25 was hosted by Susan Lauder, an instructor with NAIT’s Hospitality Management program. In attendance were 22 students of different ages, programs and backgrounds. Some were wine enthusiasts, and some were just curious to learn the basics of wine tasting.
Lauder began with a lesson on wine production and the current wine-producing regions in the world. Not all that interesting to those who were eager to just begin tasting the wines, but it did provide a good backgrounder while the amiable wine server started pouring Sauvignon Blanc into the first of six wine glasses.
For those who have been to other wine tasting events, more often than not, Sauvignon Blanc is the first to be served. This is no coincidence. As far as wine tastings go, the sequence is from dry wines (of which Sauvignon Blanc is the most common one) to sweeter wines, and then from white wines to the more flavourful reds.
For each type of wine poured, the attendees were instructed to assess the colour of the wine against the white tablecloth before giving it a sniff to detect certain smells. Even the actual tasting involved a special technique that aerated the wine in the mouth through pursed lips as a way to improve the taste.
One seemingly odd thing was the presence of pitchers on the tables that were intended as spit buckets. While it might seem wasteful to just spit out perfectly good wine, Lauder explained that consuming alcohol generally dulls one’s senses, which can be a liability during a wine tasting session. You can’t taste the notes of each type if you can’t taste anything.
All six wines served were generally received positively. The Chardonnay initially had a somewhat acrid smell but got better when given a few swishes to introduce air into the wine. The Pinot Noir was uncharacteristically “tannic” — a combination of bitter, astringent and causing one’s mouth to be dry and squeaky — but still got compliments.
Kristen Stevenson, an Environmental Monitoring and Assessment student with experience serving alcoholic beverages, thought the last wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon, was the best. “The very last one we tried was definitely my highlight.”
Kylee Pearson, a student of the same program and a first-time wine tasting attendee, found some new favourites.
“I guess how surprised I was at how much I really liked red wine when I thought I didn’t like it as much,” said Pearson.
Attendees were charged $10 for this event, which included six wine samples, high-quality bread, cheeses and cold cuts. Some of these meat and cheese snacks were made by students in NAIT’s Culinary Arts program, which was a “highlight” for Stevenson.
Pearson said it was money well spent. “I enjoyed it so much … 100 per cent money well worth it,” she said.
Stevenson agreed. “I thought it was very well justified. I mean, we got to try some amazing wines and learned a lot,” she said.
“I knew a little bit about wine before, but [Lauder] was really knowledgeable, so it was quite interesting to hear some things from someone who’s worked in the profession for a long time.”
Students can check out more events at Ernest’s — like a Portugal Wine Dinner — on Ooks Life, or join the Uncork & Chill club to learn more about wine and wine pairings.
