The art of wine tasting
TOUR WILLAMETTE VALLEY VINEYARDS â IN ONE PLACE
T Turner said the Valley is the second most popular growing spot for wine grapes in the world, trailing only France. 60â Explore Polk County 2021
ourists to Polk County who are also a part of the oenophile community, canât seem to throw a grape without hitting another vineyard to visit. Whether youâre a connoisseur of wine or just enjoy a glass to chase down a sample of a locally sourced cheese, choosing one of 29 wineries and vineyards on the current roster within Polk County can be daunting. Jim Turner has a suggestion. While you wait for the tourist destinations to reopen, visit Radius, a tasting room in Dallas he and his wife, Tanya, opened. They signed their first agreement with Beckenridge Vineyard just before the coronavirus pandemic last March, and they now offer samples from 10 wineries around Dallas. They can help steer you toward something guaranteed to please the palate. âWine is such an individual taste,â Turner said, âthat the best thing to do is determine if you like red, whites or roses then go to as
many wineries and taste as many red, white or rose flights as you can. Find one you like and stick with those.â And you canât go wrong with any selection from the Willamette Valley. Turner said the Valley is the second most popular growing spot for wine grapes in the world, trailing only France. Making the selection is only part of wine tasting. Turner said enjoying the full experience actually takes technique. First, pour the wine down the side of the glass to let it aerate. Then swirl it around the glass. âThen stick your nose all the way into the glass, just get a huge nose full of whatâs in there,â Turner said. âSome people get tentative, only sniff around the edge. The real way to do it is just stick your nose as far in as you can and sniff as deep as you can. Youâre trying See PAGE 62
A Special Publication of the Polk County Itemizer-Observer
