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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 4, 2001)
{from /<f{* teSl ! a y September 4, 2001 -idenL Lewis ill be unab ■ ‘tps, her soc a will ' J great trai . and it is i ^ ■ > to >how rfift tv ’ she sad; lot to me andt brce of ms nded A&M tended the S s being host ieUfe THE BATTALION Page 3A citations rse in wine tasting nk it is a Utiort thu: and itisc hing to <k cspect for ients. Patsy Lw Melissa Lw Laura b' r finance su ian; b s. a sopho" istration r nd Justin ■shman gc r om Richm ver Taps £>''■ n 1898 foil ■ of Uni ver- once Sulli'- Chris Bear, a senior computer engi- eering major and a waiter at Cafe xcell. is required to have an extensive nowledge of wines and an ability to pair them with the restaurant’s entrees. “We want to be able to marry the flavors,” Bear said. “If someone orders rigatoni, they don’t want the wine they drink with it to dominate the palate, but ather enhance the flavor of the food.” I To learn more about wine pairing, one first must get to know their wines. To do so, a basic understanding of what wine should look, smell and taste like is necessary. Winemaker Paul Bonarrigo, owner of Messina Hof Wine Cellars, suggests that students become familiar with the basics to become more comfortable ordering* wine at dinner or choosing a bottle at the store. The first thing one notices about wine is that it is either white, blush or red. With some experience, the color also will be able to indicate the wine’s age. White wines gain color with age whereas red wines lose color as they get older. Attention to color will help introduce the aspiring connoisseur to a particular wine. The next step is to swirl and smell the wine. It may seem like senseless snobbery, but swirling the wine actual ly releases compounds that, when combined with oxygen, helps the aroma and bouquet to emerge. “I’ve only seen a handful of people actually swirl and sniff the wine before ordering at the restaurant,” Bear said. “It’s usually people who really know their wines and are prob ably ordering something on reserve.” It is, however, a useful practice because smelling the wine can actual ly reveal deficiencies in its production. For example, the smell of vinegar indicates too much acid, a nutty smell suggests too much oxidation and a smell of burnt matches reveals an excess of sulfur dioxide. This hint might help the wine enthusiast to avoid bad wine because, as the saying goes, “life is too short to drink bad wine.” After sniffing comes the fun part: tasting the wine. There are taste buds all over the mouth that are bypassed when gulping down a glass of wine at a party or bar. These specific sensations of taste occur on both sides of the tongue, under and on the tip of the tongue and all the way to the back of the throat. Sweetness is detected on the tip of the tongue, fruitiness and tannin, associated with dryness, are interpreted on the middle of the tongue and acidity is tasted on the sides of the tongue and insides of the cheeks. It may seem awkward, but swishing the wine around before the ini tial gulp actually will help one better taste the wine. Now that the wine has been looked at, swirled, smelled and tasted, a process lasting only 30 to 40 minutes, it is ready to be paired. Bonarrigo facili tates a wine tasting course through University Plus where he teaches A&M students how to properly taste and pair wine. “Most students already know reds tend to be dry and whites tend to be sweet,” Bonarrigo said. “From that point, we teach which specific wines are typically dry and sweet so when we give a certain characteristic, the student knows what it tastes like. Then we ask, ‘Okay, if you have a chardonnay in your hand what might it go with?’ and they can suggest lobster with cream sauce.” The old rule was red wine with meat and white wine with fish. Realistically, personal preference must take prece dence. The best suggestion is to experi ment with a variety of recipes and wines in an attempt to find a good match. Exceptions to the old rule may be dis covered, such as trying a Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon with salmon. As a starting point, the following chart gives some suggested foo^ and wine matches. Manuel Garcia, a senior industrial distribution major, gives tours at Messina Hof discussing the history of the vineyard and the winemaking process. “Some people choose to drink red [wine] with dark meat and white [wine] with chicken, but I think it really depends on the person,” Garcia said. “I just do whatever feels right.” There are many books and maga zines to serve as resources for the aspiring wine expert. For a more inter active experience, the tours and wine tasting sessions offered at Messina Hof Wine Cellars are an excellent way to get one’s feet, and palate, wet. to 1:00 ail >ay *ity Dr. 2322 :ken.coni^' TAUOlf MSC Town Hall is now taking applications! Informationals Tonight! 8:30 pm in Rudder 301 Applications are due Sept. 7th,dude! CHICKEN OILC0. • Delicious Hamburgers • Country Salads • Big Screen TV. • Tijuana Fries • Cold Drinks A Place You ’ll Want to Come Back To! Sun. - Thurs. 11:00 am to 10:00 pm Fri & Sat. 11:00 am to 11:00 pm 3600 S. College, Bryan (979) 846-3306 WILEY LECTURE SERIES M emorial Student Center What: Wiley recruiting informational Who: anyone interested in learning about Wiley Where: MSC 230 When: 8:30 p.m. TONIGHT (September 4) Why: to learn more about the role of Wiley and hear from returning members STUDENT COUNSELING SERVICE Texas A&M University Groups for Fall 2001 at the Student Counseling Service Part of the Division of Student Affairs Henderson Hall 979-845-4427 www.scs.tamu.edu Texas A&M University has a strong institutional commitment to the princi ple of diversity in all areas. In that spit-, it, admission to Texas A&M University and any of its sponsored programs is open to all qualified individuals without regard to any subgroup classification or stereotype. Empowering Yourself Group Mondays 1:30 - 3:00 PM A group for women and men with sexual molestation in their past. Identifying and exploring aftereffects of abuse will be the focus. Dealing with relationships, building self-esteem, and gaining power are emphasized. Facilitators: Robert Carter & Nancy Welch Women’s Issues Group Mondays 2:00 - 3:30 PM Come together with other women and work on becoming the woman you’ve always wanted to be. Improve your self- confidence, assertiveness, and relationships by sharing and processing with other women with similar issues. Facilitators: Mary Ann Covey & Lori Tagger Multicultural Issues & Relationships Group Mondays 4:30 - 6:30 PM The purpose of this group is to increase awareness of multicultural issues and improve communication and self-con fidence when dealing with multicultural relationships. Group topics may include, but are not limited to, cultural shock; cul tural, religious, and social differences; and bi-cultural/ multicultural relationship issues. This group is open to all stu dents. Facilitators: Gisela Lin & Bai-Yin Chen Biofeedback Workshop Mondays 5:00 - 6:30 PM One-session workshops that give an introduction to relaxation techniques, including how biofeedback aids in relaxation. Individual follow-up consultation is available. Facilitator: Steve Wilson Conflict & Loss in Relationships Group Mondays 5:00 - 6:30 PM This group is for students who are currently or have previously experienced conflict in interpersonal or romantic relationships, or who have recently experienced a loss of a meaningful relationship. Facilitator: Brian Williams Anxiety Group Tuesday 3:00 - 4:30 PM An interpersonal group for students who suffer from general or social anxieties. Students will be able to work on the impact of anxieties in their lives, as well as explore the interpersonal meanings of anxiety symptoms. Facilitator: Carlos Orozco Fall 2001 Groups Academic SURVIVAL Series Tuesdays 3:45-5:15 PM Need some help surviving the academic transition from high school to college? It’s not too late to get prepared to meet the ULTIMATE CHALLENGE...ACADEMIC SURVIVAL! Before the “tribal council votes you off, attend this Tuesday series from 3:45 - 5:15pm beginning October 2 and ending Novem ber 27. Screening before September 28 is required for par ticipation. Facilitator: Patti Collins Older Than Traditional Age Group Tuesdays 4:00 - 5:30 PM Group participants are typically 25 years old and above. Each member is asked to demonstrate his/her commitment to the group through regular attendance and active participation. Group psychotherapy is utilized to assist older than traditional group members in dealing with such issues as anxiety, de pression, motivation, and isolation. This group works to cre ate a safe environment in which each member is free to work on his or her unique concerns. Facilitators: Robert Carter & Debbie Rabinowitz interpersonal Growth & Exploration Group Tuesdays (Group 1) 5:00 - 6:30 PM Wednesdays (Group 2) 3:00 - 4:30 PM This psychotherapy group is for students who desire to live more authentically with themselves and relate more genuinely with others. Group members will be helped to explore self-limiting life patterns and share themselves with others through honest self-disclosure in a safe, supportive atmosphere. Facilitators: Ron Lutz & Tom Burdenski (Group 1) Ron Lutz & Nancy Welch (Group 2) Dissertation/Thesis Support Group Wednesdays 5:00 - 6:30 PM This group is for graduate students who are struggling with the process of writing a thesis or dissertation. Group topics include issues of competence, procrastination, anxiety, goal-setting, and bureaucratic struggles. Facilitators: Brian Williams & Debbie Rabinowitz Academics Anonymous Wednesdays 4:00 - 5:30 PM Motivated to improve your academic performance but find it difficult to be consistent in your efforts? Join this 9 week sup port group on Wednesdays from 4-5:30pm beginning Sep tember 12 and ending November 7. Not only will you learn effective study strategies, but you will also get support from others. Topics may include procrastination and building aca demic confidence. Screening before September 10 is required for participation. Facilitator: Patti Collins Non-Traditional Women’s Group Wednesdays 5:00 - 6:30 PM This therapy group for women 23+ allows each member to enter the group with her own unique issues and share, pro cess, and problem-solve within a group context. This group can help individuals who are wanting to develop healthier ways of dealing with the stress of school and work, relationships, personal problems and family issues. When we begin to talk more honestly with others, we can often find new ways to deal with the problems we face. Facilitator: Amanda Samson Career Exploration Group Thursdays 3:00 - 4:30 PM This is a 6-week group beginning on October 11, 2001. It is designed to teach participants how to make decisions. Group participants will identify their interests, skills, work values and personality characteristics; research the job market and occupation. An initial appointment with a career counselor is required. Facilitator: Michele Amerson Eating Concerns & Body Image Issues Group Thursdays 3:00 - 4:30 PM The purpose of this group is to provide information and sup port for those who are trying to overcome an eating disorder. Group will also discuss topics related to eating concerns such as the development of trusting relationships, expression of fellings, and management of stress. An individual meeting with a group leader prior to attendance at group is required. Facilitators: Debbie Rabinowitz & Amanda Samson
