Speaking of "plonk"...

[cpurvis]

Awhile back I asked about means of educating the palate re: aromas & flavors. CCK mentioned having done "aroma/flavor" tastings. I'm going to try such a tasting at home w/ friends next week. Would like to know what wine some of you would recommend as the "standard" to which various fruit, spice & herbal flavors will be added.

Thanks, cp

[Thomas]

purv, I have my students experience individual wine components on the tongue, plus individual smells associated with wine. This teaches them how to focus on the elements. I also have them explore "bad" smells associated with wine.

Focus is the key, and the un-trained cannot focus on one thing with a bunch of everything in the mouth.

After all that, I have them put what they learned into practice with WINE.

Too bad you are too far away for my class--but for airfare and a good meal (with lots of wine) I'll consider making the trip...

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 08-03-2001).]

[Innkeeper]

The two wines that I think have the strongest and yet individual aromas are syrah and cabernet franc. That would be a good place to start in indentifying smell with taste.

[cpurvis]

Thanks for the offer Foodie...the meal would be paella & the wine Spanish red, but can't do airfare for you at the moment [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]

IK, maybe I've missed the point, but I believe I'm lookin' for a nondescript jug red WITHOUT strong flavors. The idea is to add selected flavors (e.g. drops of vanilla, a few whole cloves, or other) to "spike" a certain flavor so that it can be smelled & tasted. In addition, 2-3 bottles of real wine will be poured for enjoyment & for the purpose of distinguishing specific aromas/flavors.

The problem is that I know nothin' 'bout jug wines, thus the request. cp

[Innkeeper]

In that case I nominate Talus Merlot. Their cab isn't half bad.

[summa]

Recently read an article at www.foodandwine.com
Where Rory Callahan gave a crash course to a reporter, as I remember, he started with taste first (and said concentration was the key as foodie pointed out).
the just of it was:
1 small amount of sugar in water, smell, taste
2 small amount of sour salt (citric acid) in water
3 warm cup of tea

Then smell: He used almedan for all of these...
Lychees(added to white almedan)-- Adler Fels Gerwurtraminer

Bell Pepper(added to red almedan)-- Carmenet Dynamite Cab

3 for the next
green apple slices
imitation butter flavour(a couple of drops)
whole vanilla bean
in 3 glasses of white almedan-- Far Niente Chardonnay

ground black pepper(red almedan)-- Guigal Cote Rotie

rasberries(red almedan)-- Saintsbury Pinot Noir

From this I got the impression the all we really taste, are sweet, sour, and bitter, the rest is smell,even if it is in our mouths =D .

Of Course not my info,
Went back and looked up info on site
The author was: Pamela Kaufman
It was titled: Amateur Hour | Learning to Taste Wine
The url was:

http://www.foodandwine.com/invoke.cfm?ObjectID=85BAE3B5-2C25-4E9B-8167DF420ACAE527

Long url, good article, hope this helps.

I Don't know 'nothing 'bout no jug wines neither...

The short answer is almedan white and almedan red.

[This message has been edited by summa (edited 08-04-2001).]

[summa]

[img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]

[cpurvis]

Thanks Summa. Read the url. Sounds close enough to what I aim to do, so I picked up the bottle of Almaden red tonight. cp