Coffee & Wine - A Taste Sensation    Coffee Talk : November 2003

Ten years ago, much of the wine consumed in the UK & Ireland was tablewine . . . aka plonk! In recent years we have moved beyond the red & white mentality. People now ask for Merlots, Cabernets, Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blancs, and Rieslings. We have discovered that each varietal possesses individual characteristics and it makes things much clearer for the consumer.

Most of us also recognise that significant differences can exist between grapes of the same varietal. Variables such as location of the vineyard, and the weather during the growing season can dramatically change the taste of grapes from region to region. Beyond national origins, we have come to understand that some areas (like the Napa Valley in California or Marlborough in New Zealand) and individual vineyards within a region, and indeed years can produce wines with significant differences in quality.

Coffee and its consumer growth will mirror the world of wine which has been truly innovative in its attempt to inform, educate, illustrate, and market a vast variety and quality at reasonable prices.

Coffee & Wine analogy
Coffee can learn enormously from wine. Instant is the cheap sweet wine. Filter coffee is like house wine – its good or bad depending on where you are. Espresso based beverages – Cappuccino’s, Lattes, Moka’s. Espresso’s etc are the trendy New World Sauvignons, Chardonnays, Merlots and Shiraz’s. Single Origin Kenya’s, Costa Rica’s, Nicaraguan’s and Kalossi’s for example are the Burgundy & Bordeaux.(with the noted caveat that you can get poor examples of both)

The ideal is that in the not too distant future Irish coffee drinkers can associate directly with the estate the coffee has come from in the way that you can now associate a bottle of wine with the vineyard. Commodity grade coffee is getting worse and the gap between specialty estate grade is becoming more apparent.

Coffee Types
The two commercially significant species of coffee beans are: coffea arabica, and coffea robusta. Broadly speaking they represent two levels of quality.

Arabica beans grow best at altitudes over 3,000 feet. This species produces superior quality coffees, which possess the greatest flavour and aromatic characteristics. They typically contain half the caffeine of the robusta beans. Arabica production represents 80% of the world's coffee trade, however, only 10% of this meets speciality coffee standards.

Robusta beans are usually grown at lower elevations. Robusta trees are easier to grow, produce higher yields, and are more disease resistant than the arabica species. Robusta beans usually possess a woody, astringent flavour. They are used when a lower price or additional caffeine is desired. A small percentage is typically added to many Italian espresso blends for the additional crema and complexity they contribute.
One note of caution in today’s world of sustainable coffee’s – a good robusta can be significantly better and more expensive than a bad arabica so the traceability of the coffee becomes a key factor to the roasters. In addition to the species of the coffee, many other factors contribute to the overall quality of the green beans.

Coffee Regions of the World
There are three major flavour regions in the world of coffee: the Americas, Africa, and Indonesia.

American coffees are those grown in Central and South American countries, including, but not limited to, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala and Costa Rica. These coffees have the mild or medium flavour characteristics that most people are most familiar with. For example Colombian Supremo, a high quality Latin American coffee and one of the world's finest is rich, usually medium roasted coffee with smooth flavour, mild and well balanced in the cup with good acidity. Very pleasing to the palate and a good all day drinking coffee.

Africa produces coffees that possess wild and fruity flavour characteristics. Ethiopia, Kenya, Yemen and Tanzania typically produce high quality coffees with distinct flavours. Good coffees from Kenya can possess intense wine-like flavours and the aftertaste can be reminiscent of a sip of fine chardonnay – rich and elegant. Coffees from Ethiopia can have floral, spice, or chocolate overtones. African coffees are also have high levels of acidity, producing a lingering aftertaste, and can often be enhanced with milk. A good base for many blends in this country given that most of us take milk with our coffee.

Indonesian coffees include coffees from Sumatra, Java, and Celebes. Coffees from India are also considered Indonesian in character. These tend to have a heavy body and mild acidity and coat the mouth with luscious flavours. Sumatra Mandehling is a good example, and is also considered one of the world's finest coffees - grown near the port of Padang. Undoubtedly the most full-bodied coffee available; low in acid, but rich and smooth. Great coffee to finish off a meal.

Within each country that produces coffee there are numerous growing regions, each with multiple plantations, and each producing a different coffee. Sometimes these differences are indistinguishable, but at other times, they can be dramatic. Seed stock, plantation location, soil composition, altitude, weather conditions, fertilization, cultivation and harvesting will all have a significant influence on the finished product. Then comes processing, sorting, grading, roasting and storage.

Now you are ready to taste the coffee getting to the brewing stage and the big difference between Coffee & Wine. Unlike wine this is all about You controlling the brewing factors – the most basic of these being Cleanliness, Freshness & Extraction. A common mistake is using the incorrect grind or getting the coffee to water ratio wrong - most people do not use enough coffee, however, there are many more variables that effect final cup character. As coffee suppliers our main focus has been production training and this is a major subject in itself. The cuisine of coffee requires a professional Barista approach.

Education
Those who are successful in the wine business say and do it – its all about education - and the only person that can take responsibility for that is also You ! So plan the time and find some samples especially the exotic sounding ones and brew it up! Keep tasting notes. Be patient, and realise that finding great coffees is like finding great bottles of wine: sometimes it takes a few attempts.

I suggest trying coffees from the three different flavour regions above first. Determine which region has the flavour characteristics that are most appealing to you. Then, start trying coffees from the different countries within that global region. Consider the four main terms that describes the taste:

Acidity
Acidity is a desirable characteristic in coffee. The taste of freshness. It is the sensation of dryness that the coffee produces under the edges of your tongue and on the back of your palate. The role acidity plays in coffee is not unlike its role as related to the flavour of wine. It provides a sharp, bright, vibrant quality. Without sufficient acidity, the coffee will tend to taste flat. Acidity is often confused with bitterness. It happens because of two basic reasons: too much water running over too little coffee, also known as overextraction; and dark roasting.

Aroma - Without our sense of smell, our only taste sensations would be: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. The aroma contributes to the flavours we discern on our palates. Subtle nuances, such as floral or winy characteristics, are derived from the aroma of the brewed coffee. Think Muscat in wine.

Body is the feeling that the coffee has in your mouth. It is the viscosity, heaviness, thickness, or richness that is perceived on the tongue. Typically, Indonesian coffees will possess greater body than South and Central American coffees. If you are unsure of the level of body when comparing several coffees, try adding an equal amount of milk to each. Coffees with a heavier body will maintain more of their flavour when diluted.

Flavour refers to the total impression of the aroma, acidity and body. Flavour is the overall perception of the coffee. General flavour characteristics you are looking for are Richness - body and fullness, Complexity - the perception of multiple flavours and Balance - the satisfying presence of all the basic taste characteristics where no one over-powers another.

Asked about a wine with excellent flavour Belfast’s resident wine expert Denis Broderick explained how difficult a question it was to answer because it very much depended on the occasion and mood of the consumer,(again similar to coffee), however, if he was to meet his maker in the morning he described the perfect experience as the smoothness of fresh Irish smoked salmon, on crunchy homemade wheaten bread, the decadence of pure country butter, with the zing of a lemon wedge, spice of freshly ground black pepper and a bottle of 1983 or 1989 Hugel Gewurztraminer - and if it was to be his last supper – a magnum! – Don’t forget the coffee Denis – I recommend a medium to full roasted New Guinea Sigri Estate - located in the Wahgi Valley in the Western Highland Province of Papua New Guinea, and reputed for producing the finest Arabica coffee in the country. At almost 5,200 feet above sea level, the plantation enjoys perfect climate and rainfall. This coffee is hand-picked, carefully inspected, wet-processed and sun-dried. Extensive quality controls have produced a superlative product: rich and chocolatey with a sweet, mellow taste - a perfect final brew !

So wherever your particular journey with coffee has started or will end up the challenge is to begin tasting it now - You'll find a whole world of fabulous coffee’s waiting for you to discover - For coffee lovers its an adventure buying and tasting new coffee’s, however to really become good you have to constantly compare what you are drinking. After all, when you don’t cup against anything “Its either the best or the worst coffee you have ever tasted”.