Wine Notes: How to become a wine connoisseur for the holidays

Wine there's going to be enough of it to swim in during the holidays. You will be offered glasses of it,you will receivebottles of it,and you may even gift a bottle or two yourself.

That's why this holiday season is the perfect time to foster a greater appreciation for this most pleasantbeverage.

True, it can feel daunting:there are so many bottles on endless rows of store shelves, each with a more confoundinglabel.

What is to be made of a German wine labelled "Trockenbeerenauslese"?Or a bottle with a tiny bird on an otherwise blank label?

Welcome to the wonderful world of wine appreciation.

Starting with thebasics

Put simply, wine is fermented fruit juice.

Grapes make the best fermented fruit juice and the best fermented fruit juice makes other people more bearable and every meal better.

Here are two reasons to get into wine.

1.It's a lifelong learning experience

If you are looking to engage your senses, intellect and curiosity, wine is an inexhaustible source of information.

There's the historical, social, cultural, geographical, ceremonial and economic contexts that come into play. Then, the various methods of production andagricultural practices figure into the equation. We can't forget thecraft and chemistry of wine the near magic of fermentation, and the sheer number of grape varieties the pedology, geology and other related sciences associated with the cultivation and production of wine.

There's enough that you could spend the rest of your days learning about it.

2.It makes planning a vacation really easy

Good wines come from beautiful places.

Travelling to a wine region and staying ata vineyard is a great option for those interested in agro-tourism. It's also a great option for thoseseeking to visit more rural areas and become immersed in a less hectic pace of living.

Some great places for wine include: Burgundy, Tuscany, Santorini, Alsace, and theFinger Lakes. Or you can visit Canada's own Niagara-on-the-Lake, theOkanagan or Prince Edward County.

These are vastly different cultures, but the vine is their common thread. And getting a chance to meet the people who labour toimpart a vision, a meaningand a sense of place into a wine bottle is a humbling and inspiring event.

Drinking a wine you love on the land where it was made is a singular experience, no matter how many times you do it.

Wine Notes: It's a great time to get into wine

6 years ago

Duration 2:15

Wine Notes: It's a great time to get into wine

1st steps to wine appreciation

I can hear you say, "But I don't have a wine to love yet! How do I find a wine to love?"

Ah yes, I have put the cart before the horse.

The first step to wine appreciation isslowing down, and puttingyourself in the moment.

Take note of the colour, scents and flavours of the wine you are drinking. Then, freely associate and catalogue your impressions in a journal.

Be present and engaged.

It's that simple.

If a wine makes an impression on you, ask yourself three simple questions:

• Where was this wine made?
• How was this wine made?
• Who made this wine?

In answering these questions, your understanding and appreciation of wine will inevitably grow. You will encounter concepts like terroir, some obtuse terminology, as well various production methodsin a digestibleand delicious way. You may, perhaps, journey to the margins of wine and even to the centre of yourself.

So raise a glass this holiday season, and try not to only drink more wine, butthink more wine.