我们品尝着各种美酒，而爱德华大叔则开始向我讲述每一种酒具体产自于葡萄园里的哪个地方，以及为什么某些山坡出产较清淡的葡萄酒，而某些坡地则出产较浓郁的葡萄酒。不知不觉中，我竟然渐渐听入了迷。每尝一口酒，我们都在想象中为它搭配了可口的菜肴，在描述中还伴随着大量的咂嘴声，眼睛也不时抬向脑海中的美食天堂。在想象中的天堂，我们不仅品尝了鳌虾和醋溜三文鱼，还饱餐了迷迭香烧布列斯鸡、蒜泥汁烤羊羔肉，外加牛肉炖橄榄和蘑菇片红焖猪腰肉。酒的滋味是一种比一种好，也一种比一种贵。但想到我正在接受专家的款待，除了坐下细品之外，好像也没有别的办法。
“There is one more you should try,” said Uncle Edward, “although it is not to everybody’s taste.” He picked up a bottle and poured a careful half glass. It was deep red, almost black. “A wine of great character,” he said. “Wait. It needs 27)une bonne bouche.” He left me surrounded by glasses and bottles, feeling the first 28)twinges of an afternoon hangover.
“还有一种酒你该尝尝，”爱德华大叔说，“虽然不是每个人都喜欢它的味道。”他挑出一瓶酒，小心地倒了半杯。酒的颜色深红偏黑。“很有特色的酒，”他说，“且慢！喝这酒需要配点儿美味的东西。”他说着转身不知去了什么地方，只留下我一个人守着一大堆空空的酒杯和酒瓶。我这时才突然感觉到肚子里一下午喝下的酒精开始起作用了。
“29)Voilà.” He put a plate in front of me—two small round goat’s cheeses, speckled with herbs and shiny with oil—and gave me a knife with a worn wooden handle. He watched as I cut off a piece of cheese and ate it. It was ferociously strong. My palate, or what was left of it, had been perfectly primed and the wine tasted like 30)nectar.
“好啦，”爱德华大叔不知什么时候又出现了，把一只盘子放在我面前——盘子里面放着两小卷山羊乳酪，撒着香草、闪动着橄榄油的光泽。接着他递给我一把木柄小刀，刀柄已经磨损了。爱德华大叔在旁边看着我切开一片乳酪吃下去。浓厚的乳酪气味，顿时塞满了我的上腭，或者说顿时占满了我余下的味觉，此时再将杯中酒慢慢啜入口中，那种感觉犹如在品尝琼浆玉液。
Uncle Edward helped me load the cases into the car. Had I really ordered all this? I must have. We had been sitting in the 31)convivial 32)murk for nearly two hours, and one can make all kinds of expansive decisions in two hours. I left with a 33)throbbing head and an invitation to come back next month for the 34)vendange.
爱德华大叔帮我将一箱箱酒搬上车时，我不禁产生了少许疑问：我真的买了这么多吗？应该是吧！我们在那阴暗的酒窖欢宴上待了将近两个小时；人在这么长的时间里，买下多少东西都有可能。我摇晃着醉醺醺的头离开，同时还带走了一份邀约：下个月，一定来参加葡萄采摘大行动。
小编絮语：正如中国的茶文化一样，葡萄酒文化曾经也是西方贵族文化的重要组成部分。品尝葡萄酒被视为一门艺术，是优雅气质和良好教养的表现。
Stage Two 进阶篇：葡萄酒的基本礼仪
Wine Tasting Techniques 葡萄酒品酒三部曲
1、Sight: Appearance (Clarity, Brightness, Color, etc). 视觉：分析外观（澄清度、亮度、颜色等）。
2、Smell: Nose (Intensity and Aromas) 嗅觉：分析气味（香气及浓郁程度）。
3、Taste: Palate (Balance, Flavors and length) 味觉：分析口感（平衡、口味及余味）。
Some Useful Words in Tasting 有用的葡萄酒描述语
1、Aromas: Flowers, Fruits, Vegetal, Spices, Animal, Toast, Mineral, Pastries…
香味：花香、果香、植物、辛辣味、动物味、烤面包味、矿物味、糕点味……
2、Tannins: have a drying effect on the gums and the tongue.
单宁：有让口腔和舌头干涩的效果。（喝浓茶时也有相同的效果。）
3、Body: is the impression of a wine’s weight in the mouth—light or full-bodied.
酒体：是葡萄酒在口腔中造成的厚薄感——或轻淡、或厚重。
4、Alcohol: warming sensation in the back of your mouth
酒精度：会在口腔后部造成灼烧感。
5、Finish or length: the period of time the wine’s flavor lingers on your palate.
回味或长度：葡萄酒的余味在口腔中停留的时间长短。
6、Texture: Creamy, Silky, Velvety…
质感：奶油质感、丝绸质感、天鹅绒质感……
7、Faults: Corkiness, Sulphur dioxide, Acetic, Oxidation…
坏酒：坏木塞味、硫化、醋化、氧化……
Basic Food and Wine Pairing 食物与葡萄酒的搭配
The success of food and wine matching is achieved when the feeling generated by their combination reach a perfect balance.
食物与葡萄酒的成功搭配在于它们能共同为口感带来极佳的平衡感。
The white wines are served before the red wines; the young wines before the aged wines; the dry wines before the sweet wines.
品酒的顺序：先白后红，先年份轻后年份老，先干后甜。（即前一种的味道不可比后一种的重。）
Red meat demands a red wine, while white meat suits a white wine.
红酒配红肉，白酒配白肉。（基本原则，但不一定非要遵守。）
Sweet, umami and spicy taste in food will exaggerate the tannins and bitterness of a wine. Salt and sour additions to the food will counteract this effect on the wine.
食物中的甜味、香味和辣味会加重葡萄酒中的单宁和苦味。在食物中加入咸味和酸味会减弱它们对葡萄酒的影响。