Meeting Recap Feb 12 - Wine tasting!
Posted by Susan Shapira
Program Notes for HMB Rotary Club 2-12-15
The guest speaker for Feb 12, 2015 was Darlene de la Cerna, from Classic Artisan Wines. She is also a member of the Rotary Club of Santa Cruz Sunrise and the District 5170’s Youth Exchange Chairperson. Darlene teaches classes on wine including Wine 101. Darlene advised us to try the wine yourself as everyone has a different palate.
Darlene placed four different wine samples in tiny plastic cups in front of each Rotarian and guest. She asked us to smell, swirl, smell again and then taste the wine. The swirling seems to temper the wine and soften it due to oxygenation that occurs as the wine is moved along the inner aspect of the cup. She explained the difference between glass and crystal, with crystal being rougher and giving the wine more aeration as it is swirled; hence, a better taste. She suggested having three wine glasses available, one for white, one for red and the flute for champagne. Red wines are best served in a wide topped glass to provide more air, while white wines should be served in a narrower glass for enjoying the bouquet of the wine. For checking the colors of wine, use a white background such as a tablecloth or a napkin.
Her manner was lively, and she was happy to answer questions as the discussion moved along. She discussed different terms, such as “terroir”, “legs” of wine, and “tannin”. She told us that wines labeled “California” are a combination of white or red wines combined in one bottle as long as the grapes are grown in California. When labeled as from a specific vineyard, then those winse are only from grapes from that vineyard and not a mixture from different vineyards. She said some reds have ingredient’s that can cause people to have puffy eyes if they have allergies. They are called either Tannins or Histamines. She said that the purpose of wine is to enjoy them.
She is available to teach wine classes by contacting her at 408-810-8855 in Santa Cruz. She represents many wine companies around the world. The Club members seemed to enjoy the demonstration very much. We each had four wine samples to enjoy, and I believe most of us liked the discussion today and the libation…except for the “teetotaler’s in the group (-:Submitted by Susan Shapira