Over the years, I've grown very fond of fermented grape juice. It wasn't something I inherited. I've done lots of tours and tastings, but I haven't taken any formal classes. I would consider myself largely self-taught.
Wine can be intimidating for a novice. Some of that fear may stem from the sheer variety of grapes and styles. Much of the lore is written about the famous vineyards in France and Italy. Unfortunately, those regions also make it difficult for the newcomer. Their wines are generally labeled according to where they were grown, not the types of grapes in the bottle. This makes sense if you are steeped in the lore but can be utterly bewildering for someone who hasn't learned the system.
I used to be more impressed by labels and mystique. I thought I could tell the difference between an 89-point and a 90-point bottle of wine. Looking back, I realize that much of that may have been in my head. Maybe it's maturity. Perhaps it's just my taste buds going bad or my wallet getting tighter. Whatever the cause, I find myself generally lumping wines into three major categories: decent, good, and great!
It turns out that taste is fiendishly difficult to quantify. It's hard to explain to someone else exactly what a strawberry tastes like. You can discern between smells, but can you describe the intensity of a smell? What happens when they mix together?
This article from FiveThirtyEight discusses how wine may need someone like a Nate Silver. There are famous wine critics like Robert Parker and all types of scoring system (generally based on a 100-point system). Unfortunately, it seems that there is no scientific basis for much of what they are saying. It just seems to be fancy ways of expressing what they like and don't like!
The article does say that professionals in the wine business (sommeliers) do have an extensive vocabulary and memory of tastes. In my experience, they do an excellent job of pairing the wines that they offer in a restaurant with the dishes. To me, there is something wonderful about that ability.
Maybe that's the best that we can hope for. Find the things that we like best and enjoy them when we can...
I can't wait until the end of the day to raise a glass!
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