EnglishPod

Global View - All About Wines #E0346

Salesperson: Hello there, welcome to Wine World. Let me know if I can help you out at all.

Customer: Um, yes, please, I could really use some help. I’m going over to my boss’ house for dinner tonight and don’t know what kind of wine I should bring.

Salesperson: OK, do you know what kind of food will be served?

Customer: Well, his wife is Japanese. He said she makes really good sushi.

Salesperson: Hmm, that’s a bit of a challenge. Sushi is notoriously difficult to pair with wine. Well, let’s see. have to be a white wine, of course.

Customer: Why? Wouldn’t a red wine go well with sushi?

Salesperson: No, I don’t think so. Sushi is a very delicately flavored food, and red wine would be a jarring contrast. You need a white wine, which has more subtle flavors, to complement the fish.

Customer: I see. So should I get a bottle of Chardonnay? That’s a white wine, right?

Salesperson: Yes, Chardonnay is a white wine, but I’m not sure it’d be your best bet. Chardonnay is one of the more full-bodied whites, and tends to be a bit oaky. I’d suggest that you go for something brighter, like this Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.

Customer: Sauvignon Blanc? What’s that?

Salesperson: That’s another varietal, or type of grape, just like Chardonnay.

Customer: Let’s see. The label says it’s got ”attractive citrus and grassy aromas that give way to crisp, mineral flavors and a bone-dry finish. Serve chilled.” Oh, no, how long will it take to chill the wine? I’m on my way to the dinner now.

Salesperson: It’s OK, don’t worry, we’ll just choose a wine from the cooler. We don’t have quite as extensive a selection over here, but...this Rhone Valley white would be lovely.

Customer: All right. What varietal is that?

Salesperson: Well, this is a French wine, so they don’t always specify the varietal on the label. The French believe that the soil a grape is grown in is one of the most important factors in the final flavor of the wine. This wine is probably a blend of a few different types of grapes, mostly Viognier, I’d guess.

Customer: And you think this is a good wine?

Salesperson: Yes, this is one of our best-sellers. It’s not quite as dry as the Sauvignon Blanc we were looking at earlier, which means it’s more approachable. It’s light and crisp, with a bit of a vanilla aroma.

Customer: Perfect! I’ll take it!

Key Vocabulary

notoriously - publicly or generally known, as for a particular trait

aroma - the way something smells

crisp - invigorating

bone-dry - no moisture, dry

subtle - fine or delicate

Supplementary Vocabulary

chardonnay - a dry white wine made from this grape

grape vine - a vine on which grapes grow

acidity - the state, quality, or degree of being acid.

zesty - affecting the organs of taste or smell with a strong and often harsh sensation

sharp - quick, acute, or penetrating