To breathe or not to breathe? That is a question I am often asked by perplexed wine lovers. No, I’m not referring to the actual act of breathing, but rather to a term used in the wine lexicon to describe the somewhat controversial practice of aerating or decanting wine to improve both the aroma and taste of the stuff.

While it is undoubtedly true that 99 percent of all wine produced is ready to be drunk when it becomes available in the market place, what you won’t know until you try it is whether or not the wine will actually drink better if you allow it to “breathe.” Yet some people think that merely removing the cork will suffice in allowing enough oxygen to aerate the wine. Unfortunately, removing the cork allows only a miniscule amount of air into the bottle. Properly aerating a wine in this manner would take about two weeks.

Knowing when and how long to aerate a wine is a matter of judgment and experience. The idea is to decant the wine into a larger, more open container to allow a generous amount of oxygen to aerate the liquid and release the aromas and flavors that have been locked up in the bottle.

In reality, oxygen can be both friend and enemy to the wine we drink, depending upon the varietal type and age of the product. For example, I believe that young red wines always benefit from aeration. The process of decanting and letting these wines  breathe for an hour or so can transform them from virtually tasteless and inert liquids into delicious beverages with pleasing aromas. On the other hand, aeration will also expose and magnify any flaws in the way a wine will taste or smell.

For older wines (20 years plus), my rule of thumb is to stand the bottle upright for a day before opening to allow the sediment -- which is a natural by-product of the aging process --  to settle on the bottom of the bottle. Then the question is: should I decant it and, if so, how long should I allow the wine to “breathe” before consuming it? Most times, I decant older wines right before serving to preserve the delicate flavors and complexity that have been bottled up over time. I’ve had the unfortunate experience of allowing a 30-year old California cabernet (which tasted wonderful right after decanting) to sit in a carafe for an hour before drinking it only to find that it had turned into something akin to Drano.

On another occasion, at a dinner party where everyone brought at least one bottle of wine, I forgot that I had opened a 25-year old Barolo and mistakenly allowed it to sit for 24 hours in a decanter. The next day, to my utter amazement, the wine had morphed into liquid Nirvana with exotic aromas of violets and spice, and luscious flavors of chocolate and dark fruit.

So here’s what I think. Reds under ten years old, particularly the heavier bodied varietals such as cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel and syrah, etc., will benefit from one-half hour to one hour of aeration. However, one other factor to consider is the particular vintage year. If wines from a specific vintage were known to be fuller-bodied, for example, they might require even more aeration than ones from vintages where the wines were lighter in style. Older reds should be decanted and immediately poured into glasses and consumed since they tend to fade quickly once they are exposed to air.

Some fuller -bodied white wines such as chardonnay and Alsatian varietals (including gewurztraminer, riesling and pinot gris) will also improve from a half-hour to an hour in a carafe. In addition, very sweet wines such as Sauterne or late harvest riesling can improve with decanting.

Finally, the conditions under which the wine was stored will have a great bearing on how well the wine will stand up to air. Poorly stored wines will generally accelerate the aging process and thus be less tolerant of aeration. One quick clue to judge the condition of a bottle of wine is to check the level of the wine in the neck of the bottle. If the level is lower than normal, that could mean the wine has not been stored properly. In which case, you probably will want to open it carefully and taste it right away to determine whether it is drinkable.

So, like everything else associated with wine appreciation, there are no hard and fast rules - just opinions. Mine is: pour the wine in a decanter, pour yourself a small glass and give your wine a little breathing space.

What do WVU, pinot noir and Oregon have in common? Read on and you’ll find out.

So there I was on the campus of Linfield College in Oregon last summer, rushing to get to class on time. I had to chuckle at the irony of it all. Me, worried about being tardy for class? Any of my former WVU professors –if they’re still breathing – would certainly need to “suspend disbelief” in order to accept the absurdity of that image.

Well, I have to admit this was not your ordinary boring lecture by some pedantic, patch-on-the-sleeve liberal arts lecturer. Rather, it was a seminar which required the class to assess the various taste characteristics of pinot noir produced in Oregon and Burgundy. This “class” was one of many such explorations of pinot noir as part of the International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC) held in the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

So what’s so special about pinot noir produced in Oregon? Simply put, it’s about location. The vast Willamette Valley begins near the Columbia River Gorge on the Washington border and stretches about 100 miles south to the city of Eugene. It is approximately 60 miles across at its widest point, and is an incredibly fertile area which produces a virtual cornucopia of fruits and vegetables, including wine grapes.

The valley lies between the coastal mountains on the west and the Cascade Range to the east. The weather in this area consistently produces long growing seasons with warm days and cool nights which is what is needed – meteorologically speaking – to grow good pinot noir.

As I’ve stated before, my general impression of Willamette Valley pinot noir is that it is kind of a cross between the sometimes intense, fruit forward version of the wine produced in California, and the more subtle and restrained style which typifies how pinot noir is made in Burgundy.

The IPNC weekend was filled with tastings of pinot noir from just about every wine making region on the planet, but the emphasis was on Oregon. We were also treated to the wonderfully fresh local foods prepared by an all-star lineup of chefs from some of the region’s most highly regarded restaurants.

At one of the al fresco luncheons on the lawn of this idyllic college campus (incidentally, Linfield has the longest string of winning football seasons in America at more than 50), I spotted a young man wearing a dark blue sweat shirt with a huge gold “WVU” emblazoned on the front. It turns out this mountaineer is an Oregon transplant working in the wine industry for R. Stuart & Co. – a well respected and superb producer of pinot noir.

Kevin Wiles grew up in West Virginia, Pennsylvania and South Carolina and he graduated from WVU. He is the son of the late Edwin “Eddie” Wiles who was a former president of the WV Coal Association. I knew Kevin’s dad from my lobbying days, and so we chatted about family, wine and prospects for the Mountaineers in the upcoming football season. Eventually, I asked the inevitable question: how did you get to Oregon?

It turns out Kevin, who is 32, had worked at a wine shop on Hilton Head Island where his mother now lives, and where he developed a love for wine. While attending a wine seminar in Oregon called “Pinot Camp” several years ago, he met Rob Stuart who is owner and winemaker at the winery that bears his name. Rob invited Kevin to work the harvest and then later offered him a job as an assistant wine maker. And believe me, Kevin is loving every minute of the experience.

I met Kevin again a couple of weeks ago in the Wine Shop at Capitol Market where he was in town to tout the latest wines from R. Stuart. Naturally, I was required to taste along with the good folks from the wine shop, and I was very pleased with the latest wines from R. Stuart.

Here are three R. Stuart wines I recommend for your tasting pleasure:

2007 R. Stuart Big Fire Pinot Gris ($17) – Oregon, without a doubt, produces the best pinot gris grown in North America. This wine has ripe green apple flavors with a touch of minerality and excellent balancing acidity. Pair it with pasta sauced with olive oil, arugula, pine nuts and garlic.

2007 R. Stuart Big Fire Pinot Noir ($27) – Ripe cherry flavors and excellent balance characterize this delicious mouthful of pinot noir. Try it with chicken that has been rubbed with rosemary, olive oil and minced garlic and then grilled over charcoal.

2006 R. Stuart Autograph Pinot Noir ($50) This is the flagship of the R. Stuart line of fine pinot noir. It is at once intensely flavored, yet restrained, with earthy, spicy aromas, dark cherry flavors with everything in balance. This wine will improve for several more years in the bottle. If you drink it now, be sure to decant it for at least one hour and then serve it with roasted rack of lamb seasoned with fresh rosemary, garlic, olive oil and Dijon mustard.

Kevin is back in Oregon now tending the vines and getting ready for another harvest. Just like his beloved Mountaineers, we won’t know the quality of the end product for another few months, but we’re all hoping for a spectacular season.

It may seem odd , but this fine summer day we’re going to examine the qualities of Port - that sweet Portuguese nectar which is usually consumed after a hearty meal or by a roaring fire to ward off the chill of winter. Why? Well, the other night after a special meal on the patio, I decided to open a tawny port to complete this lovely evening. As I sipped and enjoyed  a relatively inexpensive version of this sometimes very expensive wine, I was inspired to tell you about the pleasures of Port. So today, we’ll look at the wonderful world of port.

First a little history lesson. Back in the 1700s, the English dearly loved the wines of Bordeaux, but because of their constant wars with the French, our British cousins were forced to look to Portugal for vinous sustenance. As they began to import red wine from Portugal, some enterprising folks added brandy to the barrels so the wines would be fortified to survive the arduous sea journey.

The practice of “fortifying” the wine was refined by the Portuguese wine makers who began to add distilled spirits to their wine during fermentation. This had the effect of stopping the fermentation and leaving the wines sweet. It also made the wines higher in alcohol. The British loved the sweet, high alcohol wines and the Portuguese were more than happy for the significant trade that ensued. Since that time, port has been exported all over the world and has become the staple after dinner drink for many wine lovers.

Some would suggest that port, like scotch, is an acquired taste. I can assure you that, from my perspective, port is a lot easier to enjoy than Scotch. True, there is a “baked” quality to the taste of this sweet wine that some folks take a while getting accustomed to, but once you try the stuff with a good blue cheese or a handful of walnuts, you’ll be hooked.

Port or 'porto' (as it is called in Portugal) is made from a variety of (unpronounceable) grapes grown along the steep slopes of Douro River. The river flows toward the town of Oporto, where the wine is sold to companies (called” Shippers”) who age it, label it under their house name and then export it all over the world.

Port is fortified which means that distilled spirits are added to the fermenting wine. This causes the fermentation to stop, leaving about 10 percent residual sugar in the wine and also boosting the alcohol to about 20 percent. At first, port was produced in a dry style, but the British changed all that and, in fact, many port producers today are English companies.

There are also some very good port-style wines produced in other countries, most notably Australia and the U.S. As a matter of fact, two of my favorite tawny ports are produced in these two countries and I’ll list them for you later.

SORTS OF PORT  Here are different styles of Port available in the marketplace: Vintage Port: This is the best and most expensive style and is produced on average in only three years a decade. A “vintage year” is usually declared by an agreement among the shippers and the wines are then given special care and aging. Once you buy it, vintage Port can age easily for 15 to 40 years before reaching maturity. Recent vintage Port years are 1977, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1991 and 1994, 1995, 1997 2000 and 2003.

Late Bottled Vintage Port:  Not to be confused with vintage port, this wine is a blend of ports from different vineyards in the same vintage year. Late bottled vintage port (or LBV) will have a vintage date on the label, but it is not vintage port. However, these wines are vinified in the same manner as vintage ports, except they are aged in barrel longer to accelerate their drinkablity.

Ruby Port: Young port wine blends from several different vintages comprise ruby port. They are lighter and fruitier than other styles and usually the least expensive ports.

Tawny Port:  I call this 'the poor man’s vintage port' because it is aged for many years in oak and, when released, it is very smooth and rich like an old vintage port, though not as fine. Without a doubt, this is my favorite everyday drinking port. Most of the better tawnies are aged for either 10, 20, 30 or 40 years and this fact is listed on the label. Tawnies, without these label designations are usually less appealing.

White Port: Made from white grapes, this is the only port-style wine that is dry. It is usually crisp, yet full-bodied, and makes a nice aperitif wine.

RECOMMENDATIONS  Okay, here is a list of some of my favorite port producers: Ficklin and Quaddy (U.S.) and Clocktower (Australia) are my favorite port-like wines produced outside Portugal. The rest of these producers are Portuguese: Warre’s, Graham’s, Taylor-Fladgate, Croft, Dow’s, Fonseca and Ramos-Pinto. Prices for 10-year old tawnies can range from about $10 to $25 dollars a bottle. If you can find it, try Ficklin’s 10-year old tawny – it’s absolutely delicious.

As you know, I really enjoy the sensory aspects of wine appreciation. Observing the beautiful hues and shades of wine and the myriad aromas and tastes of the fruit of the vine is truly a blessing. I also love trying to match a specific wine with a complimentary dish because, in my estimation, a good combination provides greater enjoyment than either the food or wine by itself. I count my self fortunate to have the time and resources to engage my passion for good wine and food.

Others in our town, state and nation are not so fortunate. Each day is a challenge for them. Many of our fellow citizens are dealing with debilitating physical, emotional and mental issues that make each day a struggle to survive. Their goal is simply to find food to eat and a place to sleep. Fortunately, there are agencies in our communities that exist solely to assist these people, many of whom are homeless.

One such agency is the Roark-Sullivan Lifeways Center (RSLC) with facilities in Charleston and St. Albans. RSLC and other such organizations exist because of state and federal programs funded by your taxes and through your generous personal contributions.

As a board member of RSLC, I can tell you this is a special organization with a great group of dedicated employees and volunteers. The center assists individuals experiencing homelessness with services that help them become self-reliant. RSLC operates the 60-bed Giltinan Center on Leon Sullivan Way (formerly the Charleston Men’s Emergency Shelter) and the 16-bed Twin Cities Center in St. Albans and provides comprehensive services such as healthcare maintenance; substance abuse and mental health assistance; outreach; and transitional and aftercare services. RSLC is also building a Veterans Transitional Center adjacent to the Giltinan Center that will be completed later this year.

Wouldn’t it be great to help programs like Roark-Sullivan and enjoy good wine and food, too? Well, you can. Join me and about 100 other thirsty wine lovers at the third annual Roark-Sullivan Lifeways Center Wine and Roses event. Wine and Roses will be held indoors at the Capitol Market from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 17. Partnering with RSLC is the Capitol Market, Soho’s and the Wine Shop at Capitol Market.

There will be wines from all over the world which are once again being donated by area wine distributors. I’ll be there to answer your wine questions (even if I don’t know the answers). If you find a wine you like at the event, you can purchase it immediately from the nice folks at the Wine Shop.

Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. You can call RSLC at 414-0109 and give them your credit card or send a check to: RSLC, P.O. Box 8957, South Charleston, WV, 25303.

I hope to see you there.

August 8-10: Taste of the Mountains Food, Wine & Jazz Festival
Looking for a great getaway wine and food weekend? Travel up to Snowshoe in August, take in the cool mountain air and partake of great wine, food and music. This wine and food weekend (Aug. 8-10) offers wine tastings, excellent food and live jazz entertainment. I’ve attended a couple of these festivals in past years and can tell you it’s a whole lot of fun. Bring your palate ready to taste some of the area’s finest foods complimented by wines from around the world.

The highlight of the weekend for me has always been Saturday’s Grand Tasting from 2-6:30 p.m. You’ll have access to 100 different wines from around the world matched with delicious edibles and you’ll hear some great jazz too. Prices for tastings, receptions, etc., can be purchased individually, or you can purchase a two-night all-inclusive package. Call Snowshoe for pricing and more information: (877) 441-4386

It’s almost 2010 wine lovers! As you get ready to toast the New Year, I have some last minute sparkling suggestions to help you celebrate the end of the first decade of the new millennium in style.

Sparkling wine and Champagne are delicious and appropriate wines to sip as you bring in the New Year and today I’ll share with you some of my favorite bubbly picks. While many sparkling wines are made in the Champagne method, none can be called by that famous moniker unless they are produced from grapes grown in region of Champagne in northern France.
If you recall, the Champagne method (or methode champenoise) is a process where still wines (traditionally pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier) are blended and then put in a bottle to which yeast and a small amount of sugar are added. This causes the wine to go through a secondary fermentation and the result  is a bubbly wine like Champagne.While Champagne is regarded as the gold standard, many other countries produce excellent sparkling wine using this method.
So here are a few of my favorites you might consider sipping New Year’s Eve and any time you get a hankering for a little bubbly:
Champagne under $40:  Perrier Jouet Grand Brut; Moet & Chandon Imperial; Veuve Clicquot Brut; and Michel Arnould Grand Cru Brut.
Sparkling wines under $25: 2005 Domaine Carneros Brut; Vigna Dogarina Prosecco; Roderer Anderson Valley Brut; 2005 Vilarnau Brut Nature (Spain); Parxet Cuvee 21; Domaine Chandon Brut Rose; and Gloria Ferrer Brut.

Happy New Year!!