Growing up Italian—is that my catchphrase?—there are a few things I know about wine. It tastes good, it makes me dizzy, most members of my family aren’t allowed more than two glasses of it at any gathering and that there’s some magic that happens between being grape juice and becoming fun juice. Therein lies the problem. How does this process work? What goes into making it ferment and change? How do some people sell barrels of it for thousands of dollars, but every time I try to sell wine I made, I get kicked out of Olive Garden by a police escort? Almost all these questions will be answered at the Explora Adult Night event “Science of Wine.” Taking place on Friday, August 2 from 7:30 to 11pm, you’ll take an adults-only tour, tasting not just the processes that go into making wine, but the essentials of its chemical composition, the structure of the wine itself and other fun factoids. Described as an “oenological odyssey,” you’ll leave Explora more learned and wise than ever before. Featuring local wines from local wineries and local speakers, you know it’s going to be accessible and interesting, because that’s just how New Mexicans roll. Featured wineries include D. H. Lescombes, Sheehan, Casa Rondeña and Gruet, arguably a list of our state’s heaviest hitters in the wine-making field. Add on to that live music by RJ Perez, food from My Sweet Basil and a local artisan market, you’ve got everything on the table to make this a true New Mexican event. What about things to do? If getting drunk and wandering Explora (my typical Wednesday night) isn’t enough for you, then have no worries. Explora is taking care of you with more wholesome activities, none of which include a chugging contest, which I could stand a good chance of winning. • Test Your Palate: Learn how to pair your favorite foods with the perfect wine. With this taste test, you’ll discover how the basic taste sensations of food—sweet, sour, salty and bitter—change the way a wine tastes. If nothing else, you’ll be able to scientifically prove how you’ve known all along that your husband has no taste. • Titration Station: Wine is full of complex flavors and structures that stimulate your palate, as long as you aren’t drinking Franzia. At this event, you’ll use science and math to test the total acidity level of wine and discover how different acidity levels affect the flavor of your favorite beverage. If you’re bad at math, don’t worry. You can use the excuse that you’ve been drinking to cover your tracks. • Wine and Paint: The favored activity of girls’ night out or a last-minute date idea for 27-year-old hipsters, Wine and Paint always tends to be an experience you need to prove that deep down, the world hasn’t taken art from you yet. Not without a fight. • Wine Stain Removal: Spills happen! A course that I could have used back in high school when I was left home alone during spring break with new white carpets and a food budget that begged to be blown on not food, you’ll learn to test different methods of wine stain removal using common household products, so you’ll never have to stress about that red wine spill again. Or learn a better lesson and don’t give red wine to your classmates because they can’t compose themselves like adults in your parent’s house.• Wine Glass Charm Making: While there’s not a ton of details about this on the site, I would imagine the title alone lets you know if it’s for you. Maybe you make a charm bracelet out of wine glasses, which sounds like the coolest wrist-worn weapons a person could own. The only way to really know for sure is to go. The whole evening is sure to be not only fun, but also informative, which is truly the niche magic that Explora is best known for. General admission tickets are $30, Explora members get in for $25, or you can show off and help support the program with a VIP ticket for $50. They’ll be on sale online at explora.us. Such an amazing program deserves your continued support, and fun adult education nights like this don’t happen every day, so do yourself a favor and come see it in action. There’s never been anything wrong with learning before, so don’t let that stop you now.
Wine Meets Science
Explora’s Wine Education Makes For Unique Event
5 min read
