Our Palate

How acquainted are you with your palate ? How important is it to you, to be acquainted ?

These questions came to me recently when attending a public wine tasting.

I expect you are aware of the scene. One hundred and more attendees walking the floor with glass in hand, moving from one exhibitor station to another. Tasting while standing. Tasting whilst walking. Oh dear.

I wondered; are they here solely for the buzz derived from drinking the multitude of samples available. Now, those of you who know me are well aware I am no wine snob, or a snob of any variety. I hasten to say, I am not here to criticize. I am here to help, as always. Thus, to say, those who indulge "tasting" in this manner are not getting the most from their palate, for they are not giving the brain time to digest the various palate sensations.

OK; let's take a tour of your palate. We start with the olfactory sense; the nose. Our nose is the most sensitive organ on our body. In fact, of any species of animal. Trust me. I love my nose. In my kitchen you will not find a timer. My nose and eyes are all I need to create my culinary delights.

In tasting a wine, taking one deep three second "nose" of it is the most important part of the exercise prior to tasting. Why ? Time will prove this, but to say, with experience you will find that the various taste sensations in the mouth merely confirm what your nose told you. Believe this.

The accompanying illustration of your tongue breaks down the four areas which combine to give you the overall taste sensation. If you apply your thought process to these taste "stations" you may be surprised by the added pleasure you derive from your stem of wine. Oh; that brings me to another matter; that of wine stems. I cannot accept those modern stemless wine glasses. They take all of the elegance out of imbibing, along with the pleasure of holding your stem.

Finally; a question for the movie buffs among you. I ask you; is there a Hollywood director who knows how to hold a stem of wine ?! This movie buff has yet to witness it. I am, however, open to being corrected. Don't be shy.

Until next time, be well. Imbibe well. get acquainted with your nose.

Cheers!