If you’ve been a wine follower for some time, you may easily see the connection between wine and cigars. If you’re new to the world of wine, you may find this combination a bit odd. Wine and cigars actually have quite a lot in common. Both wine and cigars have a passionate following and both have a set of standards to adhere to.
There is a set criterion used to analyze the two which include the following:
BODY
Both cigars and wine can be characterized as having light, medium or full body. A full-bodied wine will almost certainly have complexity to it, thanks to the many factors which going into its production. Does it have a strong tannic quality to it? What is the grape variety? Is it aged in oak? Is it high in alcohol content? Do the flavors lean on the rich, deep side rather than fresh and crisp?
TERRITORY
The land where a grape variety is grown is crucial in understanding what kind of wine you are drinking. It in essence is the “culture” of the wine. A Sangiovese grape reaps best results when grown in Tuscany than in any other part of the world. This means if you want to try a Sangiovese based wine which has reached its maximum potential, you will want to try a Tuscan wine. The same goes for the tobacco leaves used in cigars. Territory is fundamental in both wine and cigars.
FERMENTATION & AGING
Both wine and cigars go through a fermentation process which turns grape juice into wine, and tobacco leaves into ripened leaves where the nicotine is eliminated. Both are crucial to turning a raw product into a refined product. Aging, only adds to the young flavors that aren’t quite ready for consumption.
You wouldn’t want to drink a glass of
Brunello di Montalcino when it is just bottled or you would lose all the wonderful complexity of flavors which develop over time during aging. Just like you wouldn’t want to smoke a Davidoff Nicaragua Toro whose tobacco had never been aged. They simply would not have the same value. There are numerous similarities between wine and cigars and the only way to understand them is to try them!