Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Create your own wine sensory garden this spring

Ahhh...finally it is Spring! This is the time of year most of us begin craving being outside: planting, landscaping and just generally reconnecting with the sun and soil we have been disconnected from all winter. As you are making plans and implementing them in your yards this year, consider creating a wine sensory garden. Wine sensory gardens allow you a tranquil place to contemplate the colors, aromas and flavors that are characteristically used to describe wines. Wine tasting is already a full-body experience; a wine sensory gardens help deepen that experience by incorporating the senses of smell, sight and touch. When tasting a glass of wine in one of these gardens, the whole experience is heightened.

When planning your garden, select plants that remind you of the color, flavor and aroma of your favorite wines. For example, a corner of the garden dedicated to Riesling could incorporate white and apricot foilage with scents that remind you of the wine: geranium, rose, honeysuckle, jasmine, peach and lilac, perhaps. The area dedicated to Pinot Noir could incorporate blackberry bushes and cherry blossoms as well as plums, raspberries, tomato vines, and violets. The plants you choose would be a personal decision, just as tasting is a very personal experience.

Eliza Frey of the organic Frey Vineyards in California recently blogged about wine sensory gardens. Read her blog here. She gives some great advice on garden plants that can be incorporated into your new "sipping space". Don't forget to add in a few sitting areas for family and friends so you all can enjoy the "fruits" of your labor.

Below is a list of planting ideas from Kendall-Jackson's Wine Sensory Garden at their Wine Center Chateau. Kendall-Jackson has an expansive wine garden that varies by season but is guaranteed to bring you a new sensory palette of sights, tastes and smells to enjoy and explore. These are just a few ideas that you can personalize to your taste and run with! Enjoy!

RED WINE SENSORY GARDEN / Kendall-Jackson

Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

Descriptors
Eggplant, black beans, broccoli, beets, radicchio, carrots, olives, green beans, sage, rosemary, basil

Affinities
Oregano, tobacco, blackberry, black cherry, bell pepper, black currant, mint, dill

Pinot Noir

Descriptors
Blueberry, cherry, plum, raspberry, strawberry, tomato, violets, cinnamon

Affinities
Figs, squash, pumpkin, leeks, beets, carrots, fennel, coriander, ginger

Zinfandel and Syrah

Descriptors
Peppercorn, licorice, roses, pomegranate, blackberry, lavender, plum, black currant

Affinities
Tomato, squash, cumin, sage, garbanzo beans, cloves, saffron, ginger, black olives

Sangiovese & Italian Red Varietals

Descriptors
Rose, cherry, raspberry, red plum, orange peel, tobacco, anise, olive

Affinities
Tomato, garlic, onion, radicchio, zucchini, basil, caraway, sweet peppers, parsley, fennel, red cabbage

WHITE WINE SENSORY GARDEN / Kendall-Jackson

Chardonnay

Descriptors
Apple, lemon, peach, pear, melon, quince, gardenia, vanilla, guava, nutmeg, cinnamon

Affinities
Potato, pumpkin, squash, coconut, pineapple, turnips, thyme, mustard, tarragon, anise, corn, sage

Sauvignon Blanc

Descriptors
Melon, fig, pear, grapefruit, lemon, green grass, hay, gooseberries, dill, olive

Affinities
Lavender, rosemary, dill, chilies, radishes, horseradish, cilantro, spinach, parsley, lemon grass, chard/collard greens

Viognier

Descriptors
Honeysuckle, apricot, orange, nectarine, lemon, peach, lychee, passion fruit

Affinities
Fig, lemon thyme, Jerusalem artichoke, cilantro, carrots, sweet onion, sweet peppers, corn, pumpkin, pear, marjoram

Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Muscat (Floral Varieties)

Descriptors
Geranium, rose, honeysuckle, orange blossom, jasmine, grapefruit, apricot, peach, melon, lilac, mint, rhubarb, lime, pear

Affinities
Sweet onions, sweet peppers, lavender, caraway, fennel, persimmons, lime, chilies, ginger, cloves, snow peas, carrots

No comments:

Post a Comment