Swirl, swish, sniff
Swirl, sniff, then taste. This ritual may look funny, but it effectively reveals a lot about the wine. Do you do this with other drinks? I sure do!
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After all, most of the sense that we call taste is really in our noses, where we’re able to distinguish among thousands of aromas, in contrast with the limited ability of our taste buds to sort out sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and maybe that mysterious thing called umami.
I talked about all this recently in my column Mmm, what’s that smell? (30 Second Wine Advisor, Sept. 12, 2025).
But the subject returned to my mind the other day as I poured a glass of V8 Spicy Hot Vegetable Juice to help pop my eyes open on a dark, chilly autumn morning. Without consciously thinking about it, I caught myself gently swirling the glass, admiring the drink’s reddish-orange color, thick, comforting texture, and fresh-from-the-fridge chill, and yes, mentally sorting out its ripe red-tomato, salty, and zippy dried red-pepper-flake aroma and flavor.
Somewhat to my surprise, I was treating it exactly as I would a glass of good wine, and for pretty much the same reason. By taking the time to look, sniff, and think about the characteristics of a glass of wine before I taste it, I focus my attention on what I’m tasting and enhance my enjoyment. It’s all about tasting mindfully, an approach that can significantly enhance appreciation.
Even if I don’t consciously pause to pay attention to my vegetable juice, Jarritos tamarindo soft drink at a taqueria, or even Louisville city water straight from the faucet, the instinctive ritual makes it all taste even better.
Do you do this too? I have a feeling that a lot of you do!
Drop by this week’s WineLovers Substack Chat and tell us about it!
Just about a month ago, I reported on a tasty, affordable white wine from Southern France in the column Do parallel wines ever meet? Today we return to the same Southern Rhône producer, Paul Jaboulet Ainé, for their red wine, possibly an even better mid-teens bargain. Here’s my tasting report.
Today’s Tasting Report
Paul Jaboulet Ainé 2023 “Parallèle 45” Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge ($15.99)
A characteristic Southern Rhône blend of Grenache (53%), Syrah (41%), Carignan (3%), and the less familiar Marselan (3%), Paul Jaboulet Ainé 2023 “Parallèle 45” Rouge is labeled sustainably grown and “bee approved.” It shows a pretty, clear garnet color and lofts up an appetizing plume of pure, fresh raspberry aromas, the hallmark of Grenache. Its Syrah component shows, too, as floral ground black pepper. Red berries and cherries mingle with spicy pepper in a flavor that’s shaped by good fresh-fruit acidity and soft tannins. 14.5% alcohol. U.S. importer: Korand Corp., Purchase, N.Y. (Nov. 8, 2025)
FOOD MATCH: The producer suggests pairing this wine with charcuterie platters, moussaka, eggplant parmigiana, grilled or roasted meats, or steak tartare; importer Kobrand adds lasagna with Mediterranean vegetables, and, believe it or not, fondant au chocolat. It goes well with all manner of red meat, hearty plant-based entrees, and Cheddar or similar cheeses.
WHEN TO DRINK: The Parallele 45 web page recommends drinking this wine young, and I agree. It will be fine for a few years but isn’t likely to benefit from cellaring.
VALUE:
Wine-Searcher.com lists a $14 average U.S. retail price, with many vendors offering it in the lower teens. This is a longtime QPR favorite of quality significantly exceeding its price.
WEB LINK:
Here’s the importer’s fact sheet on this wine. Jaboulet Ainé also has an English-language page on the 2022 vintage This link
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for “Parallèle 45” Rouge on Wine-Searcher.com.
Read more about Southern Rhône white blends and find many good examples at this Wine-Searcher link.
Follow this Wine-Searcher link to read more about the Côtes-du-Rhône and browse red, white, and rosé wines of the region.
Find the wines you want
Explore Wine-Searcher
Wine-Searcher.com is the place to go online if you want to find where to buy a particular wine that interests you. What’s more, Wine-Searcher.com offers so much more. It’s well worth a visit just to discover its many features, including its popular list of the world’s Top 10 Best Value Wines.
Good wines we’ve tried under $10.99!
Want tips to still more good, inexpensive wines? Here are Wine-Searcher links to vendors and prices for a bunch more wines for $10.99 or less that I’ve told you about in recent years. In some cases, the prices may have risen over the $10.99 mark since I reviewed them, but they should still be excellent bargains. Please tell us about your favorites!
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