Getting “High” on Wine

Mike Gonze

Do you enjoy a glass of wine with dinner? But what makes that glass of wine “good”? In a nutshell, it’s just what tastes “good” to you. That’s the mantra of our instructor, wine expert and purveyor Mike Gonze.

I was one of about 20 Osher members who attended Mike’s recently completed three week course — Wine Appreciation: Focus on Cabernet and Chardonnay. The classes were held in the Cathedral of Learning’s lofty Babcock Room, a large conference room 40 stories up, with a stunning 360° panoramic view of the city. We had to take a special (and truly claustrophobic) elevator to the top. During one class we were even joined by a peregrine falcon as it chirped along the edge of the building.

This class began with an introduction to the various aspects of wine such as color, aroma, acid, tannin, body, and finish. Mike defined each of those ideas and then followed that with a tasting of five very distinctive wines. We were urged to use our five senses to experience each one. The wines represented flavors from grapes grown in Germany, New Zealand, France, and California. We then discussed what we liked or didn’t like about each of the wines. There were nearly as many explanations as students. Ciabatta bread and several delicious cheeses accompanied each tasting. By the end of the first session, I came away with a much more informed palate.

Week two featured white wines. Again, we used our senses to realize the differences even within the same grape variety. Mike explained that 60 % of the taste of wine comes from the soil in which the grape is grown. The climate and rootstock are also factors. We tasted two California Chardonnay and two French Chablis wines.

The final week red wine was the topic. An Australian Merlot, a French Bordeaux, and Cabernets from Spain and California were poured. To start class, Mike answered a few of our questions. One that interested me was about the controversy of screw cap vs. cork. Mike said he is still undecided on that one. He pointed out though, that increasingly vintners are switching to the screw cap. Why? Because buyers seem to appreciate not having to struggle to open the bottle, and because the screw cap has no adverse effect on the wine, whereas improperly cured cork stoppers can adulterate the wine. After a brief talk on wine magazines and internet offerings, we got into the wines. Mike discussed the features of each one as well as the food that would be well paired with it. The final thought of the class came back to the first – wine derives its value not from where it is grown, nor even from its cost, but from what tastes “good” to you.

You don’t have to wait until this class is offered again. Mike and his colleague, Tribune Review wine columnist Dave DeSimone, conduct tastings and classes at Mike’s wine shop in the Strip District. The website is palatepartners.com. Click on “tastings”.
The French have a saying — wine is food and it is on the tongue that it speaks. I expect to have long discussion with a bottle of Chardonnay this evening.

Sara Kobak