grape goddess®
By Catherine Fallis

Women vs. Men — Who has the Better Palate?

Neither. Each person’s sensory receptors and processors are unique. Women are often thought of as superior when it comes to tasting wine, and many are. But it isn’t necessarily related to gender. Women start out in life with an advantage. The stereotypical little American girl is playing house, helping mom with the cooking, admiring fabrics, smelling flowers, and dabbing on some of mom’s perfume while little boys are playing in the dirt, putting rocks into their mouths, and searching for the next mud puddle to jump into. Girls with the typical experience are already tuned in to their senses of smell and taste, and have a huge jump on the vocabulary as well.

I teach regularly at the Culinary Institute of America Greystone Campus in St. Helena as well as at the Professional Culinary Institute of Silicon Valley, and am often amazed by the incredible detail given by students regarding the wine they are evaluating. When I learn more about them, it is always the same story. Either they spent a lot of time in the kitchen growing up or their family owned a restaurant (or, in one case, a flower shop). Gender is no issue, simply early environmental stimulation. Really most folks are intimidated at first if they have had no prior training. Sometimes women find things, like nutmeg, or roses that men wouldn’t be able to put a finger on so easily, and that gives them the confidence to continue.

In any case, I always encourage them to start filling their descriptor toolbox, which may start out simply with a set of screwdrivers and wrenches. Little by little you add a list of spices, flowers, fruit, earth descriptors, mineral descriptors, and so on. Really it is a matter of focusing in on the thousands of sensory messages thrown at you throughout the day. Like they say, stop and smell the roses. And when you pick up a glass of wine, you might just recognize the floral notes.

grape goddess® recommends: Yummy Wines of the Week

I absolutely adore Kenwood Vineyards for keeping it real. They may not be hip, trendy, or cool, but they consistently turn out a stable of delicious wines that are expressive of their origin and varietal, and they are always fairly priced. While $30 may not seem like a bargain, it really is for the 2007 Kenwood Reserve Pinot Noir Russian River Valley, especially in comparison to other Pinots from the area. Gorgeous fruit notes of raspberry, cherry, and blueberry are complemented by spice and earth notes, and at only 13.5 percent alcohol, this is a very elegant and enjoyable wine. Widely available.

Looking for pairing ideas for sloppy joes? The 2005 St. Francis Merlot Sonoma County, $18, is just the ticket. With luscious plum, cherry, mocha, and vanilla notes, it is delicious on its own, but even better with that classic American dish. Try it with pulled pork, too. Widely available.

Charbay Winery & Distillery on Spring Mountain in Napa Valley is family owned and operated, and well known for their small-batch fruit- infused vodkas. They just released their Charbay Pomegranate Dessert Wine, $25 (375 ml), made with 100 percent organically grown pomegranates that are tree-ripened, picked, juiced, and fermented. It is then fortified (to 18 percent alcohol) with Pinot Noir Brandy. Like the fruit, it is sweet then tart, but has a port-like finish. Co-owner Marco Karakasevic’s fiancée pours it over ice and tops it with sparkling lemonade. A drop added to your favorite bubbly puts a new twist on things. Available only at the winery.

SIP-worthy Wine Events

Winemaker Dinner
Thursday, March 12
Chez TJ, 938 Villa St., Mountain View, 650-964-7466
One of America’s top Pinot Noir producers, Josh Jensen of Calera Wine Company, is coming to Chez TJ to showcase his Burgundian style wines. Chez TJ’s new wine director Suzanne Chowla is a former student of mine from the Professional Culinary Institute of Silicon Valley and is a newly minted Certified Sommelier!

12th Annual Rhone Rangers Tasting
Saturday, March 21 & Sunday, March 22
Fort Mason’s Festival Pavilion, San Francisco, 800-467-0163
More than 100 American producers of Rhone-style wines will pour at this annual event, which benefits Meals on Wheels. Purchase tickets at http://www.rhonerangers.org.

Catherine Fallis is the fifth woman in the world to have earned the title of Master Sommelier, and is also a Certified Wine Professional. To read more of her writings on wine, please visit www.planetgrape.com. E-mail: grapegoddess@yummyletter.com