Wine is meant to enhance our lives. It welcomes us to enjoy the moment, to relax, to take life a little easier. Wine allows us to…exhale. An ordinary afternoon tea becomes an event when a small glass of sherry is added. A romantic dinner at a fine restaurant turns extraordinary with a well-aged Merlot. What would a fondue party be without white wine for the pot and for the chef? And what would a celebration be without a Champagne toast?

Both the casual tippler and the wannabe connoisseur can benefit from wine education – not the snobby kind used to intimidate others, but the basics – how to order, buy and enjoy wine with confidence. The first lesson is to have fun and don’t fret – there is no absolute right or wrong when it comes to selecting wine! Your enjoyment of a wine is ultimately based on your own personal taste – even experts don’t agree on the “perfect” wine.

There are, of course, two basic wines – red and white. White wines are light, floral and fragrant. They tend to go best with chicken, fish, veal and vegetable pastas. The most well known white wines are Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer and, of course, Champagne. Natural acids that form in a wine counteract its sweetness, adding a pleasant “tartness.” Words like “crisp,” “lively” or “tart” give a hint as to the acidity in a wine. A good basic guide for purchasing white wine is to ignore age or complexity and don’t necessarily seek out the most expensive bottle.

Reds are deeper and heavier than white wines, with wonderful flavors of berries and spice. Reds team well with beef, lamb, meaty pastas and pork…dishes with strong assertive flavors. The most well known reds are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, Merlot, Beaujolais, Pinot Noir and Syrah. Price and age can be critically important in choosing a red wine because they tend to be puckery dry without enough aging to mellow their tannins (the natural compounds found in the grape skins). The expense in red wine comes from barrel aging, which mellows and smoothes a wine – a process that can take years.

Happily, most Merlots on the market are ready for immediate consumption, says Joe Lozano, owner of Elite Wine Sellers in Southern California. “People like the softness and the approachability of the wine, making the Merlot a very attractive red wine,” he says. “Surveys have shown that 97% of consumers who buy wine, buy it for consumption within a three-day period.”

When shopping for wine, be aware that wine varieties, like everything else, fluctuate in trendiness – some becoming hip and others becoming bore-ing (yawn). Right now, Merlot is hip and sexy, probably due to its flexibility. Gaining popularity are the Australian Rieslings with their distinctive tropical-lime flavors. “Blush” wines and any wines sold in a carton with a pour spout are definitely yesterday’s news!

With their wonderful honeyed flavors of apricots, oranges, roses and raisins, dessert wines pair well with cakes, puddings, and fruit desserts. While some wine drinkers find dessert wines too sweet, if paired appropriately, the opulent and perfumed Ports, Muscats and Sauternes can highlight the final course.

Pairing wine with food is simple if you remember that wines have individual flavors. Match the wine flavors to the food flavors, and voila! You have a match made in heaven. In addition to its flavor, you also want to take into account the body (or weight) of the wine, in order to be sure that neither the wine nor food overpower each other. For example, the mild spiciness of Gewürztraminer goes well with spicy food such as sausage. German Rieslings pair well with many foods because of their high acidity, low alcohol, and fragrant flavors. Remember to pair lower acidity wines with highly acidic dishes so that the flavors don’t clash on the palate.

Imagine you’ve planned a wonderful fall picnic for your friends. The leaves are turning color; the air is crisp, yet the sun is still warm. You’re serving smoked chicken pasta with caramelized onions and walnuts, and a homemade basil focaccia. For dessert you brought raspberry Amaretto custard tarts. What wine would best complement this feast?

“A barrel-aged Chardonnay would probably be best,” says Lozano. “The Chardonnay is rich and buttery and could stand up to the richness of the smoked chicken and caramelized onions. If the dish was richer, say, topped with butter and cheese, then you would want a wine with higher acidity to cut through the richness – like a Pinot Grigio or a Sauvignon Blanc.” To match the custard tarts, you might want to try an Italian sparkling wine, Asti Spumante. The effervescent sweetness of the Muscat grapes in the Asti pairs well with creamy desserts.

Like matching the right shoes and handbag to the outfit, accessorizing wine with its proper vessel is critical. There are at least 20 different shapes and sizes of glasses expertly designed to enhance the flavor of a fine wine. Choosing the correct glass will show off the wine’s color and bouquet. In general, red wine needs to be in a larger glass to allow plenty of room for oxygen to aerate the wine and bring out its full flavor. The edges of the glass should taper inward to catch the wine’s wonderful aromas. By contrast, champagne flutes are kept long and slender in an effort to preserve the tiny bubbles. White wines, where aeration is not as critical, are served in smaller versions of red wineglasses. Dessert wines, with their intense flavors and honeyed texture, are charming when served in small liqueur glasses.

Serving wine at the proper temperature is equally important. Warm white wines can taste like mouthwash and a too-cold red wine will taste boring and one-dimensional. Many experts recommend that wine should be served at “room temperature,” but what if your “room” is an igloo or an equatorial thatched hut? Generally, full-bodied red wines should be serve at 64 degrees, while Pinot Noirs and Burgundies should be served a bit cooler, at 61 degrees. Whites should be served between 43-52 degrees, with Bordeaux, Rieslings, and Champagne served at the lowest range.

Now, for the grand finale – dinner out at a fine restaurant! Let’s say you are taking your favorite niece out for her birthday and the wine-choosing and tasting duties fall to you. Don’t be afraid to let the sommelier (wine waiter) assist you, since his purpose is to help you enjoy your dining experience. Once you consult and choose a bottle in your price range, say a nice Merlot, the sommelier will uncork the bottle in front of you. You will be offered a small taste of the wine. Hold it up to the light and gently swirl it, checking the color and clarity. Do you see any sediment? If so, the wine might need to be decanted into a separate bottle before serving. Next, hold the glass close to your nose and inhale the bouquet. It should smell wonderful, like a wine cellar. Now, taste a small sip. It might be dry, but it shouldn’t taste like salad vinegar. If it makes your mouth pucker too much, it might just need to breathe awhile. Once you nod final approval, the sommelier will begin pouring wine for everyone at the table. Congratulations! You have now passed the time-honored restaurant tradition of selecting a wine.

Now you have concluded your lessons in “The Wine Basics” – how chic you are! If you continue to keep your eyes (and your mouth) open, you will become quite a wine connoisseur – or at least you’ll be so relaxed, you won’t really care! And remember that in the world of wine, like in the world of BBW, “Big” and “Full-bodied” are compliments!

Delve Deeper

Wine at a Glance

Over 500 natural compounds have been identified in wine. Many of these compounds are the same as those found in fruits, flowers and vegetables with flavors like pineapple, pear, coconut, peach, vanilla and green pepper. The combinations of compounds give varieties distinctive flavors and characteristics. This information will help you wend your way through the maze of wines.

White Wines:

Chardonnay: Full and buttery with a fruity taste. Flavor notes are vanilla, oak, butterscotch, melon, pineapple and peach.

Sauvignon Blanc: Fairly dry, higher in acids, and crisp. Flavor notes are grass and gooseberry.

Riesling: Lower alcohol level and fruity. Flavor notes are green apple, orange, lime and honey.

Gweurztraminer: Medium body with a spicy taste. Flavor notes are spice with nutmeg.

Chenin Blanc: A picnic wine, crisp with high acidity. Flavor notes are peach, apple, honey, and marzipan.

Sauterne: A rich dessert wine – a taste of honey with a luscious crème brulee texture. Flavor notes are apricot, peach, and pineapple.

Red Wines:

Merlot: Dark red and full-bodied, but soft and less tannic. Flavor notes are plum, rose, and spice, with some lighter grassy undertones.

Cabernet Sauvignon: Dark red, big, and full-bodied. Flavor notes are black currant, chocolate, tobacco, and olive.

Pinot Noir: Relatively low tannins and acid. Flavor notes are raspberry, cherry, violet, and rose.

Sangiovese: Medium body Chianti-like wine. Flavor notes are cherry, spice, tobacco, and herbs.

Syrah: Lighter, more peppery wine. Flavor notes are ripe berry, mixed spice, and black currant.

Now a Certified Dive Master and Dive Instructor, Dixon says she has never felt that her size has affected her sports ability. “The only time I think of myself as large-sized is when I see myself in a photograph.” When she was training for her Dive Master certification, an advanced program designed to gain in-depth knowledge of underwater navigation and deep diving, Dixon was in a class with six men. “Even being large-sized,” she recalls, “I was still in better shape than them! I could out swim all of them.”

Scuba diving is fairly straightforward, but training and certification are required. There are two parts to a scuba diving certification course, the “theory,” which is taught by an instructor in a classroom (or even via computer), and the “Open Dive” classes, which are usually held in a swimming pool. Typically, five Open Dive classes are required to become a Certified Diver. You can usually locate a training course through your local community college, an adult education program or through a dive shop.

For the casual diver who just wants to check out the underwater scene while on vacation or at a resort, the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) has joined with Scuba Schools International (SSI) to develop two officially recognized programs called “Try Scuba” and “Passport.” These two short courses allow the novice diver to enjoy actual scuba diving and gain experience while under the supervision of a Dive Leader. The two programs are being widely marketed to adventurous non-divers whose schedules may not allow time for a full certification course. “Try Scuba” and “Passport” get you into the water, and into the action – fast! Both certifications are transferable to other dive sites and resorts. The “Passport” can even be registered on the NAUI or SSI websites.

Dixon feels that plus size women will find diving especially enjoyable. “When you are scuba diving, you learn how to become neutrally buoyant so you are really weightless in the water – you are one with the water. It is the most incredible feeling. There is no pressure on your body anywhere and you’re seeing all of these incredible sea creatures underneath the water.”

Dixon’s most memorable dive was when she and Julie, her best friend and fellow instructor, led a seven-day scuba trip for Dixon’s mother and three of her mother’s best friends to the Sea of Cortez in Baja, Mexico. “The water in the Sea of Cortez is very warm, with a mix of tropical fish and Pacific Ocean marine life. The scuba trip was all women – we had a blast! One day while diving, we ended up in the water with a whole bunch of sea lions, mostly mothers and their babies. The young ones were very playful and were swimming around us and in and out and through our legs. It was awesome.”

While touring the Sea of Cortez, Dixon’s group got a chance to try another exciting water adventure – sea kayaking – a sport that has now exceeded canoeing in popularity. Sea kayaks are bonded plastic, one-piece units shaped like canoes, with seating “on top” rather than “inside.” Especially suited to the larger woman, sea kayaks are very wide and stable and can be used on both ocean and lake. Most sea kayaks contain watertight compartments with enough room to stow gear for either a day trip or full overnight camping. “They are very comfortable, even on long journeys” comments Dixon. ” The design is so sleek and you feel like you are going so fast that you can just feel the water part before you.”

While certification isn’t required for sea kayaking, a little instruction ensures a happier, safer journey. Most resorts and paddle sport rental companies will give instruction on how to handle a kayak. The Trade Association of Paddle Sports (TAPS) recommends that beginners take a basic course which covers paddling skills, signaling methods, entering and exiting your kayak, how to carry and transport a kayak, basic safety and rescue skills, managing waves and basic navigation. TAPS also maintains a website and phone number where the sports enthusiast can access paddle sport products, businesses, services and events in their local area as well as recent developments in the sport of paddling in North America.

The beauty of kayaking is that you don’t have to be in great shape to get right out on the water and begin enjoying yourself, but the sport is a great way to build upper body strength. Sea kayaks can be either rented or purchased and, depending on the area, you may be required to wear a life jacket while on the water. Adds Dixon, “I encourage everyone to try sea kayaking. I remember one trip when I got up at six in the morning and the water was calm and glassy smooth. I kayaked out into the water and ended up right in the middle of hundreds and hundreds of migrating dolphins. I just sat there, surrounded by dolphins, watching the sun come up. It was beautiful.”

How about a water sport where you just show up? No equipment to worry with, no lessons required, just fun and excitement. Whitewater rafting may be just the sport for you. Whitewater rafters generally join an organized group for either a day trip or overnight trip led by a certified guide. Rafts vary in size, most seating 8-12 thrill seekers. Even completely outfitted, they remain very stable. Begin your adventure by contacting a commercial rafting company via the Web, phone book or guidebook. When you find a tour that interests you and matches your experience, book your trip. You will be told where to meet the group and what to bring. After that, all you have to do is get ready for a good time! You may want to time your trip to the seasons to get the kind of ride you want. Spring may have colder water, but great rapids. Summer waters tend to be warmer, but may have less whitewater, depending on the location. Remember that part of the fun is getting bounced into the water!

American Whitewater is a national non-profit organization with a membership of 8,000 whitewater enthusiasts, organized to help people enjoy whitewater resources safely. AW [VGC1]organizes sporting events, such as Whitewater Rodeos and maintains a complete national inventory of whitewater rivers. AW was one of the first to establish a uniform national ranking system to measure whitewater levels of difficulty. This kind of safety information keeps eager rafters correctly matched to their experience and comfort level.

Marianne MacFarlane, a plus-size whitewater rafting enthusiast from Maine, got her start in the sport when she joined a group of women from work who had planned a trip. She loved the experience so much that she’s been back 25 times! When asked what she did to get in shape, MacFarlane says she didn’t worry about it. “All you have to be able to do is handle the paddle, which the average person can do,” she reports. “Large-sized women have good buoyancy – we take to water naturally.” Nonetheless, MacFarlane confesses, “When I first started, I was nervous about falling out of the raft. How were they going to get me back in? Then we hit some rough rapids and I accidentally flipped out of the boat. As I popped up out of the water, I grabbed the side of the raft. While I pushed down on the raft to get in, the guides grabbed the back of my life jacket and just yanked me in like it was nothing. It was so easy! After that, I relaxed.”

Melanie Rochat’s experience with whitewater rafting echoes MacFarlane’s. Rochat, who has years of experience as a Whitewater Rafting Guide, finds herself gravitating lately towards calmer, more peaceful sports such as canoeing. Says Rochat, “All you need in the way of supplies is your canoe, your paddle, and an outfit of Quick-dry nylon shorts and a tank top.” Rochat explains that there are basically two kinds of canoes: lake canoes and river canoes. Lake canoes have a ridge (keel) down the middle of the boat to provide stability and keep the canoe traveling straight. River canoes have a more rounded bottom to help with turning and maneuverability. Rochat claims that the plus-size woman can easily enjoy canoeing even if she isn’t in great physical shape. She does, however, have to get a canoe that handles not only her weight, but also the weight of her gear. Canoes come in different sizes and capacities designed for short day trips on up through long distance camping trips. Rochat especially enjoys flatwater canoeing in slow-moving rivers throughout the Carolinas and Georgia. “I like the solitude. You can still be close to the city, but when you are out on the river it’s like you’ve gone 200 years back in time, it is so peaceful.”

One of Rochat’s most memorable canoe trips was an autumn trip down the Black River. “The trees dropped their leaves into the river, coloring the water black with their tannins. The water was clean and flowing, but was literally black, like brewed tea. I saw turtles sunning themselves on logs and flocks of white egrets swooping low towards the water at sunset. I even saw alligators!” Reflects Rochat, “While I am canoeing, the world stops going by at 50 miles per hour.”

All of the women profiled in this article love the water and excel at a variety of water sports. Not surprisingly, Ashley Dixon is also an avid sailor. She enjoys sailing so much that she is currently in preparation to embark on a two-year sailing cruise with her family, her best friend Julie and Julie’s family. “The experience will be great for everyone,” says Dixon, “especially the children. It will be good for them to see how the rest of the world lives so that when they come home they will really appreciate what they have.” The group plans to travel from San Carlos, Mexico through the Panama Canal and on towards the Caribbean. They plan on waiting out the storm season in the San Blas Islands along the Panamanian coast, then traveling along the Venezuelan coast to Barbados and St. Thomas, where Dixon grew up.

Dixon became interested in sailing while working as part of the crew on charter sailboats during her scuba instructor years. Having purchased a 48′ sailboat, which they christened “Echelon,” the family spent a month practice sailing under the guidance of an experienced captain and certified sailing instructor. They then spent three more years “learning the ropes” in preparation for the time when they would set sail on their two-year cruise.

If you long to hear the snap of a sail, lessons are available through several venues, including the American Sailing Association (ASA). ASA offers referrals to certified instructors and local training courses.

Dixon sums up her love of the water by saying, “It’s a great place for a large woman. The feeling of weightlessness is a feeling we don’t get on land very often. My mission is to help bring awareness of the importance of the oceans and the meaninglessness of size when it comes to life, adventure and happiness!” Melanie Rochat concurs, “We all feel, ‘I can’t do it, I’m overweight.’ But in water sports, size just doesn’t matter. In many ways larger women do better in the water, where we are more buoyant and better insulated against changes in water temperature.”

Scuba diving, sea kayaking, rafting, canoeing and sailing – so many different ways to enjoy the oceans, rivers and lakes. Water sports can be fast and thrilling or gentle and peaceful – it’s our choice. Perhaps in the water, we can feel more truly at home. Buoyant and graceful, we are particularly well suited to this exotic environment.