Shortly after last Saturday’s Sensory Class wrapped up, Brassfield Estate winemaker Matt Hughes paused over a pile of evaluation sheets.
Participants had been challenged to describe the flavors of six wine varietals. These were people wanting to learn why snobs refer to hints of elderberry here, a tad of nettle there. For three hours Hughes paced them through the wines. And now, poised over their notes, he was clearly pleased.
One used vivid colors, with streaks of orange and yellow bursting from a crudely drawn glass. Another charted shades of purple, ending in a curious aqua.
The award winning winemaker had asked guest to use Crayons to convey their experience with each varietal.
“The idea is to loosen up,” he said.
The Sensory Class at Brassfield promised to relate the characters associated with different grapes to aromas and taste even the novice could discern. So the staff at the Clearlake Oaks winery provided enhancers — Turkish delight, for example, to peruse next to Gewurztraminer, which often reveals some of the same notes.
With each wine the sniffed zest, curd, herbs alongside wines sharing the same notes. And Hughes settled on coloring — a task most guests had not tried in many decades — as the most successful way for participants to put their thoughts on paper.
“The ultimate thing is you have to be relaxed, have fun and realize you are bringing your own set of life experiences to this,” he explained.
The group sampled Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and a dessert Muscat. Some were paired with food, others set side by side to compare and contrast. The points of discussion were many, but the exercise with Crayons stood out in the minds of all who took part.
Few subjects, after all, pose as many threats to one’s ego as wine. Millions of labels hit the shelves each year, from vineyards around the world. Masters at the craft can — if repute is correct — name the vintage, varietal and even terroir of a wine in blind tastings. But most hesitate to even tag a wine as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc without prior knowledge.
“You don’t want to be wrong,” said John Holleman, a participant in the class.
So the simple Box of 64 from Crayola resonated.
“That’s what wine is — how does it make you feel?” explained Regina Clark, another guest. “Just draw how you felt before and then after you’re able to define where it fits your palate.”
In other words, the colors and the tray of enhancements provided tools, provided vocabulary. One participant charted the flow of flavor — deep hues first, followed by lighter colors — to express the intensity of flavor in a wine.
The course also helped pinpoint long lost experiences. While Hughes and Brassfield tasting room manager Amanda Bolla, who conceived of the event, talked through specifics, the course emphasized personal connections.
A flavor might, for example, trigger memories of a camping trip or the smell of baking biscuits on a Sunday morning. And to Hughes, those associations are more important than the profile aficionados expect.
“The most difficult part is for people to trust their instincts and not be afraid to say what they think,” Hughes said. “Fear of judgment — that’s the biggest hurdle.”
The artwork, well, that helped people make the jump.
“We all knew our pictures were awful,” Hughes noted.
Stripped of mystique by the child like approach, guests were encouraged to find their own definition of each wine. While thoughtless chugging is discouraged, Hughes and the Brassfield team tried to build an honest understanding of an individual’s interaction with the wine.
“It doesn’t have to be pretentious and intimidating,” Holleman observed after the class. “There wasn’t an ego today.”
Vocabulary was left up to the guests.
“It’s understanding to be able to express yourself more clearly,” said participant Steve Verhaart. “I’d do it again.”
