Monday, May. 01, 2000

How about those legs?

By Ken Robertson

Q. I've frequently seen someone swirl a wine, peer at the glass, then say something like, "Look at those legs." What does the comment mean? What can you learn from looking at those legs?

A. "Legs" — the streaks or tears of wine that cling to a glass as the wine settles back to the bottom — tell less than their celebrity might imply. A wine's good legs most of all mean it's high in alcohol.

Here's how Emile Peynaud, author of The Taste of Wine, explains the science of this phenomenon: "Briefly, because the alcohol (in the wine) is more volatile than water, a thin layer of more aqueous liquid forms on the surface of the wine and on the sides of the glass moistened by the wine; this fine film has a higher surface tension. Capillary action causes the liquid to rise up the sides of the glass, and the increase in surface tension tends to form tears which eventually flow back down into the wine. The higher the alcohol content of the wine, the more tears there are, and they are generally colorless."

He also notes that a wine glass with a bit of detergent residue will reduce and even eliminate the legs.

Peynaud rejects the contentions of those who maintain the tears are formed by glycerol and "the potency of the wine's oenanthic ethers" and scolds those who would perpetuate this myth. And he reports one Medoc cellarmaster whom he confronted about the issue admitted, "The explanation is incorrect but it's such a satisfying one. ..."

Robert B. Parker, in his book, Bordeaux, is among those who would keep glycerol — the odorless, colorless syrupy liquid that develops in wine as the grape's fats and oils dissolve in water — as a contributor to good legs. To bulwark his contention, he lists 10 excellent Bordeaux vintages, noting all have good legs.

Other names for the same phenomenon are tears, arches and arcs. But legs clearly has the most verbal appeal.

Q. How long can I expect my Champagnes to last?

A. By Champagnes, let's assume you mean sparkling wines. In the Northwest, sparkling wines often are made from varieties beyond those used in France. Northwest sparkling wines I've tasted, for example, have been made from chenin blanc, riesling, chardonnay and pinot noir, plus blends of the latter two.

French tradition in the Champagne region allows only wines made from grapes grown there to be labeled Champagne. And in France, Champagne is made chiefly from chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier — and sometimes with small amounts of arbanne, petit meslier and pinot blanc vrai.

The Northwest sparkling wines made from chenin and riesling are made to be drunk within a year or two of when they go on the market. When young, they're lively, fruity wines that usually are semi-dry. Their residual sugar and fruit are balanced by good acid and the tart feel the bubbles impart, which makes for a delightful wine.

Aged more than two or three years, they can lose that balance and seem too sweet, even insipid, as their bubbles and acid fade and the fruit essences — which convey a deceptive sweetness when young — age toward dried fruit flavors. Some may fare well if aged longer than this, but I would keep your stock of older sparklers low. They usually are easy to replace and the quality of those I have tasted has been uniformly good.

The sparkling wines made from traditional Champagne grapes are a different matter. The minimum age from harvest for nonvintage French Champagne is 15 months these days. And vintage French Champagne cannot be sold until three years after its harvest. And in France, many are aged far longer. The New Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia notes some "can benefit for up to a decade."

Well-known Northwest wine judge Coke Roth of Kennewick, Wash., says the best sparkling wines, whether from France or the Northwest, are long-lasting. The remaining dead yeast cells break down as the wine ages in the bottle, helping give the wine its unique character. But eventually, Roth warns, sparkling wines do age in the bottle. And some wine lovers may not always find the long-term changes desirable. Fruit can slowly lose a bit of its edge, the acids will temper and the bubbles fade, depending on the individual sparkling wine and how carefully it is stored. That's plenty of time to savor a favored vintage and find a suitable — and younger — replacement.

Like any other wine, a fine sparkler that is properly cellared can last well past a decade. But at 10 or 15 years of age, it likely won't taste exactly the same as it did when it was a 2-year-old. Wines are rather like people: Some age better than others. And some will surprise you, no matter how well you think you know them.

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