SCENT SOMMELIER by Salud

If you haven’t given Riesling a chance because you think it may be too sweet and sugary, I think I can help to change your mind.

In the wine world, Rieslings tend to fall into either a “Dry” or “Sweet” category.  Regions producing fine versions of the style include California, New Zealand, Australia, Alsace and of course, Germany.  Riesling grapes love cool climates and newer wine regions such as the state of Michigan are even starting to become known for their unique blends.

German Rieslings are incredibly approachable, light in body, well-balanced and full of fruity flavor (except for late harvest and dessert style, which fall into another scent and taste category).   Because the Riesling grape is grown in a cooler climate that sweetens the fruit, this element is more apparant than in other white wines.  Salud’s Riesling Perfume is inspired by these German varietals - not too sweet, balanced, fruity and memorable.

I created the Salud Wine Aroma Collection to celebrate the scents of the wine wheel, and to help train the nose to appreciate and learn about essences that can be found in wines such as Riesling.

Thanks to my friends at Wine Depot, I am learning even more about the amazing qualities, taste and bouquet of a German Riesling.  Frank Lietzau, Wine Depot’s owner and expert of everything Riesling, imports exquisite German varietals from the very best winemakers in Europe.  At a recent wine tasting with Frank, he exclaimed, “no buttery oak chips allowed!” as he trains my palate and nose to acknowledge more sophisticated blends of European white wines.   We spritz some Salud Riesling Perfume on the skin, take a mouth-watering whiff… swirl the glass and admire the vibrant color of the wine.  As the senses awaken, next comes the sip - tangy, fruity, refreshing and smooth as nectar.

Spray on some Salud Riesling Perfume and head over to Wine Depot.  I promise that the sweet smell of Riesling will truly treat your senses.

Kelly Podorsek (Salud) & Frank Lietzau (Wine Depot)

Wine Depot is located at 3844 E Grant Rd in Tucson, and at WineDepotTucson.com

I’m intrigued by this new research out of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.  Do you ever stop to ponder the biology of a flower?  Where does the scent of a flower really come from? This article reveals new research on the origin of a flower’s scent. I also find it interesting since Salud has a new collection of wine-inspired fragrances;  the very source of their discovery is the grapevine.

Canadian researchers say they’ve determined the scent of grapevine flowers comes from pollen grains stored in the anthers, not just the petals.   University of British Columbia scientists from the school’s Wine Research Center and Michael Smith Laboratories were studying grapes used to produce Cabernet Sauvignon from British Columbia’s Okanagan region when they identified a gene that produces and regulates fragrance from the vines’ tiny clusters of green blossoms.  “This was a surprise in fundamental plant biology,” said Professor Joerg Bohlmann, who led the study. “This discovery gives us strong clues to the origin and evolution of fragrant flowers.” Scientists said they believe plants have evolved to produce perfume to attract specific types of pollinators while fending off herbivores and pathogens. “If you ask people where the perfume of a flower comes from, they’ll likely say the female parts or the petals,” said Bohlmann. “Cultivated grapevines are largely self-pollinated, so we believe the fragrance serves more as a defense mechanism to protect their male  reproductive tissues from predatory insects,” added Bohlmann, who noted further studies on other flowering species might turn up similar mechanisms. “It may be more prevalent than we think.”  The team also found that emission of perfume is light-dependent and is strongest at dawn, possibly to coincide with pollination and predation activities.  Source: University of British Columbia

Rose Test Garden, Portland OR