ask a sommelier
What ’ s the big deal with decanting ? Is it necessary ?
— Chef Ben Kramer , Diversity Foods ( U of W )
Dear Chef Kramer ,
There are two main reasons to decant a wine . The first is to “ open up ” a young wine that has been designed to age . The idea is to expose as much air to the wine as possible in the hope that the wine will open up and be more expressive on the nose and the palate than it would have otherwise been .
The second major reason to decant is for sediment . As red wine ages , pigments and tannins may aggregate to form particles heavy enough to fall out of suspension and form a sediment . The result is a paler and softer mature wine . The sediment is harmless but tastes gritty — a mouthful of sediment is no fun .
To decant for sediment , handle the bottle carefully as to not disturb the contents . Pour the wine into the decanter very slowly , using a light to illuminate the neck . When you see sediment , cease pouring . You can always try to salvage the remainder by waiting until the sediment settles again .
Finally , you may want to decant a wine simply because you like the look of your decanter . A nice touch , but hardly necessary .
— Brooklyn Hurst
I have been hearing about Sommeliers who are starting to pair wine and food based on shared molecules . How does this work ?
— Chef Adam Donnelly , Segovia
Dear Chef Donnelly ,
Wine and food combinations can range from awful conflict ( tannic Cabernet with raw oysters ) to sublime synergy ( Sancerre with chevre cheese ). Most pairings fall into the range of neutral ( food and wine still taste good , but neither is improved by the combination ) to good ( either the food or wine tastes better in combination , but not both ). Most successful pairings depend on matching the weight and body of the food and wine and the impact of the wine ’ s sweetness , acidity , tannins , effervescence , and alcohol . Aroma and flavour are considered mostly in terms of the Sommelier ’ s experience and intuition .
A Canadian , François Chartier , has championed a new approach for matching aromas and flavours based on specific aromatic molecules , thereby improving the odds for a sublime pairing . Foods can be grouped according to their aroma components ; for example , a large group of herbs ( including fennel , mint , tarragon ) and vegetables ( including endive , parsnips , yellow beats ) share a significant number of identical aroma molecules that harmonize beautifully with the fennel-like herbaceous aromas of Sauvignon Blanc . The theory accounts for classic pairings based on taste experience , but perhaps more importantly , it helps predict the success of new , exciting combinations for recipes and wine matching .
On a molecular basis , it becomes clear why an intriguing affinity works ( e . g ., pineapple for vanilla and cloves ) and why the simple addition of one aromatic ingredient ( a pinch of tarragon for a dish paired with Sauvignon Blanc ) can move a good wine pairing into the sublime . Overall , it ’ s about understanding the relationship between food and wine , and I relish having another tool to improve the odds of great pairings . Check out François Chartier ’ s recent book , Taste Buds and Molecules , if you want to learn more .
— Gary Hewitt
On a recent trip to wine country , we noticed a lot of people are using French oak . Everyone wants to be sustainable in winemaking , so are the forests of France sustainable ?
— Chef Alex Svenne , Bistro 7¼
Dear Chef Alex ,
There are thousands of wineries in the world , and many of them buy French oak barrels . For example , in the Napa Valley there are 450 wineries ; some wineries buy 5 barrels a year , and some buy 105 .
This answer required a lot of research and help from our friend Lisa Airey at the French Wine Society . Over 29 per cent of France is covered in oak forests , accounting for about half of all standing trees . Forty per cent of those forests were sustainable in 2006 and two-thirds of them will be by 2015 .
As for the long-term approach , as Lisa puts it : “ With regard to planning for the future , the French started pre-planning for their use of oak 600 years ago .” All oak purchased by barrel makers ( coopers ) is done by auction , so it is a self-regulating system of supply and demand . On average , one oak tree produces between four and six barrels and has to be between 120 and 150 years old before it is cultivated for sale .
France is the leader in sustainable forestry , and if wineries want more barrels , supply and demand will dictate and they will pay the price to keep the forests sustainable .
— Mike Muirhead
If you have a question for our Sommeliers , visit us at www . banvilleandjones . com / cellar . aspx
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