I think that one of the most intriguing things about wine is not the wine itself but people’s reaction to it. And I think the range of wines available is just about as wide as the range of palates you find. This has been a new experience for me as I stand on the other side of the bar or the table at a wine event and listen to people describe the wines. I have had everthing from the simple…”that’s good” to ….a description of multiple aromas and flavors …..to a full description of how the wine would pair with a particular dish that they create on the spot as the taste the wine and pair the flavors in their head with their culinary expertise. One of the most interesting experiences happened just recently at the REAF benefit in San Francisco. One of the dancers from the show came to taste at the after party. He very definately described the wine but interestingly enough didn’t really use any words. Instead he used movement, his method of expression. I guess it’s really not surprising that we all use our own methods to describe wine or anything else for that matter, but I still find it interesting.
Even writers and wine experts taste their own unique things in a wine because as much as the wine is the same, everyone’s palate is unique to them. Just revisit with me some of whats been said about our 2008 Old Vine Zinfandel just in the last month……”Oodles and Poodles of thick, sumptuous, black velvet canvassed flavors suggesting luxury chocolate with swirls of vanilla”….”fresh blackberry pie cooling next to some homemade fudge”…. “campfire in the bottle”…..”berrylicious”…….”leaves you screaming for S’mores”. I’m not great at pinpointing and describing but I very definately know what I like and don’t. Whatever it is you taste in it….all that really matters is if you like it and the flavors you find in it, not whether you can describe them or not. And judging from the sales of our newest Old Vine Zinfandel, so far, most of you LIKE IT!
