Heady knowledge

Maura Marciante of the Italian label Zonin Wines held a master class and wine tasting in Mumbai. After leading the motley group of wine enthusiasts through the history of Zonin and introducing them to the wines from the label’s Estate and Regions collections, she demonstrated how to make exquisite cocktails using a Prosecco.

Among the cocktails showcased were a Mimosa (Zonin Prosecco mixed with orange juice), Spritz (Prosecco mixed with bitters and soda water), Bellini (Prosecco and peach purée) and many others.

After getting done with her demonstration, Maura took time to share her wine knowledge with us.

Maura began by telling us what the right way is, to do a wine tasting: “The best time to do a tasting is during the morning hours, when your palate is more sensitive to all the various sensations. Your mouth must be clean, so we do not smoke before a tasting or chew gum, etc. Your palate must detect the four main senses, and we must smell the wine in order to describe the aromas,” she explained.

The most important thing that is talked about with regard to Italian wine is the “terroir”. This is the natural environment in which a particular wine is produced. “We have to explain about the different soils, the climate, the microclimate, the training system, the number of plants per hectare, the kind of vinification and of the ageing,” said Maura. “And when we taste the wine, we must find all its peculiarities, either at the sight and/or at the taste.”

Maura also said that many people have a misconception that red wines are more sophisticated than white wines. “Maybe this perception is due to the fact that many people enjoy white wines when they first start drinking wine, and then with experience, they progress to red wine. But many serious wine lovers rediscover the unique virtues of white wines — such as their compatibility with light meals and their easier drinkability — later on,” she added.

Lastly, we couldn’t help but ask about some of the worldwide wine trends that Maura had observed. She highlighted two —  “Sparkling wines are  successful because they are tasty, fruity, smart, cheap and affordable for a younger demographic. They’ll keep their enviable trajectory also because the Asian palate will evolve to appreciate the category,” Maura said, adding, “(As for the second trend), with social media, everyone’s a critic — the social media world is democratising the reviewing, the comparing and the buying process, especially for white wines, from all over the world.”