Gimmick free wine tasting

 

Often I am surprised at how intimidated my friends are by the experience of tasting wine.

Looks of confusion and anxious energy are the norm. They glance at me, waiting for some sort of reaction from which they can hopefully discern what should be said about the wine they’ve just tasted. It’s as if there’s some right answer they’re searching for.

The silly part about all this is that the question they are really trying to answer is, “Do I like this wine?”

Wine tasting truly can be this simple. In fact, the best and most important place to start is with this simple question. The anxiety over trying to sound professional, or cool, or whatever people are trying so hard to be in the tasting room, distracts them from the subtle act of actually noticing how the wine affects their senses. All the complexities of wine enthusiasm can be learned through the process of discovering what one likes. Can we simply taste wine?

 

From the minute I walked into the tasting room of Koehler Winery, I got the feeling I was among people who understood my approach. Tasting room manager Dan Zurliene, glass in hand, greeted me with a big smile and a warm spirit. After a quick introduction, he excused himself to pour and exchange jokes with a group of tasters already well into their flight.

I looked over the tasting list and was struck by the extremely straightforward tasting notes. As he poured me my first glass, Zurliene explained that he doesn’t like to prompt tasters with too much information. He simply pours the wine and lets tasters discover their own feelings about it. What a nice change of pace. 

What I discovered is that Koehler offers a wide variety of wines that are easy to drink, varied in styling, and, more often than not, at a great price point.

 

06 Sauvignon Blanc, Estate

This 100 percent steel fermented wine is filled with clean tones of mandarins and wild flowers. It’s easy drinking and has a surprisingly long, yet reserved, finish. Sold at a very modest price, as tasting room manager Dan Zurliene says, “chill it and kill it.”

 

05 Chardonnay, Estate

A very mild Chardonnay. The partial oak fermentation comes through in the nose with nice tropical aromas of guava, banana and pineapple. The steel comes through on the palette where the wine has more crispness than one would predict from the nose. Very unpretentious and approachable.

 05 Chardonnay Reserve, Estate

This is more of an “old school” style Chardonnay; 100 percent oak fermented, it is very creamy and rich. There’s a ton of banana aromatics. They combine with the richness of the oak to create an almost taffy flavor on the palette. It’s not all cream, however. There’s a bit of lemon and an easy finish. 

 

05 Viognier, Estate

In cooking, many chefs understand the way that spice can balance sweetness. That’s what’s going on in this wine. White pepper is the perfect counterpoint to rich stone fruit flavors. Speaking of cooking, I love to cook with Viognier, and because this one is another great value, it would be a great choice for weeknight dinner in the pan or in the glass.

 

05 Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County

Wine Enthusiast gave this one a 90. The nose is filled with nice candied strawberry and just a hint of clean fresh soil. There’s also some great acidity here that lingers like a lovers embrace. Enjoy it while it lasts.

 

05 Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills

This Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir is filled with sweet spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and a hint of allspice. Oh, there’s the expected strawberry and cherry, but the spice is the centerpiece here.

 

05 Magia Nera, Estate

Magia Nera (Black Magic in Italian), is a blend of 65 percent Sangiovese, and 35 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. Koehler has done a great job at imitating Italian wine with this one. In a blind tasting I might have said this was a Chianti. Not overly fruity and still maintaining a medium body, the tannins welcome food, but aren’t thick enough to discourage enjoying this one on its own.

 

05 Syrah, Estate

Given a 93 by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, this Syrah is, as Koehler likes to say, the epitome of new world Syrah. Dark berries, a little bit of smoke, and just enough black pepper spice combine for one concentrated burst.

 

05 Riesling, Estate

Rieslings are often frowned upon by tasters. Many are turned off by the sugar that is often left in the wine. This one is slightly off dry, but only has 1 percent residual sugar. It’s sweet, but not sweet, if you know what I mean. The lemon tastes like lemon meringue, the grapefruit tastes candied, and the floral notes are like a cup of herbal tea with just a hint of honey.