Exploring wine is a sensory journey, one made with the eyes, nose and palate. Unlocking its secrets, its varieties, its language, has fascinated enthusiasts through the ages. It also intrigues Daniel Harrell. Daniel admits he is one of those people, the ones who like to know.
“When I find something I don’t know about, I want to remedy that; I like to know about everything,” says the 31-year-old who works in Columbus and lives in Starkville with his wife, Leah, and two children.
On Nov. 5, Daniel and Leah conducted an intensive one-time wine tasting class at the home of Mississippi University for Women President Dr. Jim Borsig. The event was part of the university’s Life Enrichment Program, for which the Harrells have previously taught two six-week wine tasting courses.
The study of wines first became a goal for Daniel about 10 years ago, when he joined the staff of Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point. (The Aberdeen native is now an estimator with Gregory Construction Services). As he worked his way to being a food and beverage manager at the club, he became a student of wines and wine regions. The knowledge was important to his job.
He found himself training staff to become wine savvy and realized he liked sharing knowledge about its versatility and personalities. Which led to the LEP class. The participants hoped to learn more about what to look for in a wine, how to evaluate it for everything from food pairings to selecting a host’s gift.
“Most of the people there wanted to understand more about wine so they could order at a restaurant or purchase at a store and not be surprised by what they got,” said Kate Brown, project director for Outreach and Innovation at MUW. “And Daniel has a lot of expertise and practical information to share.”
Developing palate
In the condensed format of Thursday’s class, Daniel’s approach was to introduce five wines — a French Chardonnay, California Pinot Noir, Argentinian Malbec, California Zinfandel and Australian Golden Semillon.
The five wines boast varying characteristics, from dry, to spicy to sweet. Using a systematic evaluation approach, Daniel and Leah guided participants in building a “repertoire of tastes.”
“If the goal is truly tasting, you want a little bit larger glass,” he said. Yes, size makes a difference. “Even for a novice, you can taste a difference in putting a wine in a water glass as opposed to a nice, open wine glass.” The taste of many wines is influenced by the more surface exposed, or more oxygen absorbed.
Sight, nose, taste
Evaluation starts with examining color. “What you see in the wine, the clarity,” Daniel explained. Keep in mind that older wines will more typically be cloudy.
“You can get a feel for the taste by looking at it first. Then smell — that’s called ‘the nose,’ all the different fragrances,” he continued.
For tasting, he suggests taking in about an ounce and a half to two ounces and keeping it on the tongue for a few seconds.
The “finish” of the wine is much talked about among connoisseurs. It’s the last impression of a wine, the taste that stays on the palate after swallowing.
Some people like a wine that finishes very strong, and some people are repulsed by it, the wine enthusiast explained.
Using senses such as sight and nose, and not only taste, to assess helps mine the subtle differences in wines, said Leah Harrell.
“I find it fascinating how you use your senses to get the flavor out of the wine. … You start to create a mental profile for each type, to learn how to distinguish what it is that you do and do not like about a wine.”
Ann Sparkman of Columbus attended the wine tasting.
“It was delightful,” said Sparkman, who expanded her knowledge about wineries as well as her appreciation of various wines that night.
“I had never tasted Sauternes as a drinking wine, although I have used it for years in cooking. … You can always learn something new.”
The most useful tool for a budding oenophile — a lover of wine — is an open mind, Daniel suggests. Take the time to evaluate different wines from different regions. Slow down, let sight and smell complement thoughtful tasting. And never feel pressured to feel you must like a wine only because someone “tells you that’s a good wine,” he advised. “Enjoy wine. Enjoy it the way you do.”
Editor’s note: Learn more about The W’s Life Enrichment Program community classes at muw.edu/lep. Or email [email protected], or call 662-329-7150.
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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