With Salem Monthly's May feature on some of the great wineries of the Willamette Valley, it would be dereliction of duty to not uncover some of the great myths of wine tasting. What better way to let "lay" people into the mystery of wines than tapping into the significantly expansive "wine mind" of Howard Hinsdale, an expert on fine wine and proprietor of Silverton's new Silver Creek Wine Bar. Hinsdale was lucky enough to meet John Henny, one of the region's most prominent wine distributors in the `60s and `70s. They joined forces and before long, Henny-Hinsdale became a household name with restaurants and wine experts around the state.

"Anyone can enjoy a glass of wine," says Hinsdale. But, he adds, "It can be intimidating to people who aren't oenologists (grape experts) or viticulturalists (winemakers)."  

In tasting wine, it is important that the server show the person the bottle before opening it. This is especially true when ordering an expensive bottle of wine, as it is easy to make mistakes in dimly lit wine cellars.

Then there is the cork. Says Hinsdale, "The cork should be checked for mildew which does not come from an improper seal, but actually comes attached to the bark of the tree corks are made from. You simply smell the cork to determine if mildew is involved."

Oxidation, or the wine getting air, might make the cork powdery white over time. He adds, "Smelling the cork is almost a thing of the past. It was appropriate for the older, mature wines handed down from one generation to the next. Many bottles are now made with composite material instead of corks, and so many of the wines are new and are not allowed to age."

Hinsdale says the pros at wine tasting events will check for the style of the winemaker as well as an oxidized aroma. For example, a professional can often tell which wine was made by a winemaker from France in the Bordeaux region, because the French blend wines differently.

Inexperienced tasters may be intimidated by "swirling" their wine. It can feel awkward and completely unnecessary. But a glass of wine from a newly opened bottle should be swirled for two reasons. First to show whether it has legs, which are streams of wine that stick to the side of the glass. Legs are a good thing in the world of wine tasting. The other reason to swirl is to get the vapors moving so that you can take a good, long smell before your first sip.

Wine tasters also can check the tannin levels and sediment. Tannins are a form of acid in wine that helps it age. As the wines ages the tannins drop out of the solution, forming sediment. Decanters often are used to serve aged wines to separate the sediment from the solution.
Different grapes have different levels of tannins.

"Merlots have a little; Cabs have a lot," Hinsdale said.
Don't worry if you hear about the "Brix" level. That is simply the sugar level in the grape, and good wine comes from a nice mix of acid and sugar.

Visit local wineries to gain experience and confidence as you test your palette. Some may charge a tasting fee, others may not. You will have the opportunity to taste a variety of good wines at one time, while having someone who is knowledgeable in wines, if not the actual winemaker, available to answer your questions. Check Salem Monthly's winery listings for special Memorial Day hours and events.
Most importantly, relax and enjoy yourself as you are out tasting.

"Inexperienced wine drinkers don't trust their own tastes," says Hinsdale. "There isn't any real science to it. It is simply a glass of wine. You like it or not. Find out the traits you like and put them in your memory bank. Trust your tastes, try many wines, and store mental notes in your library."

For all our wine listings, visit Willamette Valley Wine Country Listing.