All I Want For Christmas
While I want Le Nez du Vin, that delightful kit of essence oils that represent different aromas in wine, I doubt I’ll be getting one anytime soon. (Yes, my blatant one last attempt at a hint).
It was the most fun when I borrowed the 2 sets (for whites and reds) from the cellar rat at work and tried them out with a visiting artist friend and his Canadian pal. And it really does help you pick out the scents and flavors in the wine. I remember we had a Gewurztraminer from 1989 that night and were smelling the bottle marked honey as well as a jar of actual honey in order to compare both to the wine. By the way, I think he did a great job taking that picture; you’d almost think it was an advertisement.
Seeing as how I don’t have my own kit, the other night I was making dinner and taking spices from the cupboard,then began smelling each one, trying to expand my aroma associations. Smell has the strongest link to memory, but if you’ve never had contact with a lychee, how can you know how it smells? So there I was, sticking my nose in cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, etc. in the hope of committing each one more fully into my brain. One day I plan to make my own little set-up, putting different foods and spices into glasses, somewhat in the style of Kevin Kline in French Kiss.
I’ll keep smelling randomly– out of the fridge, in the grocery, the person’s plate at the next table. Unless of course, someone comes through.
Le Nez du Vin, smelling wine, gifts, Josh Hailey
photo credit: Josh Hailey
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