Out for a walk recently on a crisp, clear winter evening and chatting up my companion, I nearly missed a sensory experience rare on these daily jaunts.
Only when I quieted down and paid attention did I hear it: “hoot-hoot” – “hoot-hoot.” An owl was calling from the nearby woods.
Too often, I’m absorbed in thought or too noisy to observe my surroundings. I’m not in the moment. When this happens, I miss out on part or all of the total experience.
Being in the moment or mindfulness is getting a lot of buzz these days. What is mindfulness anyway? I like this clear and concise definition on wildmind.org: paying attention on purpose.
The author uses eating as an example: “When we are purposefully aware of eating, we are consciously being aware of the process of eating. We’re deliberately noticing the sensations and our responses to those sensations. We’re noticing the mind wandering, and when it does wander we purposefully bring our attention back.”
The sensory experience of wine demands mindfulness. Only by focusing our attention on the liquid in the glass can we evaluate its contents. Here are seven steps to mindful and purposeful wine evaluation:
- Create a quiet and empty space – Clear the clutter off your dining room table. If music is your thing, consider soothing instrumental music only. Lyrics are great when you’re driving your car and singing along, but a distraction when seriously evaluating wine.
- Set the table purposefully – Use white linen only as a backdrop for looking closely at the wine’s color. Is it lemon green or golden-yellow? Inky blue or garnet? The color is your first clue to knowing the wine. Clear and spot-free wine glasses are critical, too. Who wants dishwasher film to obscure the beauty of a well-crafted wine?
- Work from the outside in – You’ve swirled the glass and now you put your nose inside. What do you smell? To me, this is the most challenging part and requires the most focus and practice. What is that aroma? I like to work from what I call “the outside in.” Note: If using Ann Noble’s wine aroma wheel, start from the inside and work out. Either way, move from general to specific observations and descriptors. OK, the wine is fruity. What kind of fruit? Is it citrus? Is it tree fruit? Place the glass back on the table. Repeat the process. Sniff a little water if you need a break.
- Breathe deeply – Tilt your head forward slightly and slurp a mouthful of wine as you inhale. Let that fluid reach the nasal passages at the back of your throat. Exhale. Do you smell anything different?
- Chew the wine – Take another mouthful. Let the wine run around your gums and touch every surface of your mouth. What do you feel? Do you detect any sweetness? Does the acidity make you salivate? Are you puckering up from the astringency of the tannins? Are you getting the hot sensation of alcohol?
- Close your eyes – Does the taste linger? How long does it linger? Is the wine memorable or easily forgotten?
- Pair with food – Now try a bite of the food you’ve carefully selected to pair with your wine, followed by a purposeful swallow. Breathe deeply. Are you getting any new sensations?
When I was an intern at a local winery, we gathered and crushed buckets of berries close to harvest time to measure the Brix, the sugar level. We analyzed the numbers to figure out whether the grapes were ready to pick. The winemaker, though, didn’t rely on his intellect alone. He examined the seeds. Were they green or brown? He bit into them. Did they taste ripe or under-ripe? This sensory awareness played into his decision as well.
Ultimately, those of us who taste wine also judge it. Mindfulness teaches us to withhold judgment. My advice is to suspend judgment until you have fully experienced the wine through your senses. Who gives a “hoot” how you or anyone else, for that matter, rates the wine. The question is: Were you in the moment to enjoy it? Good wine requires our total attention and focus to “hear” its voice – if we are mindful enough to listen.