I didn't know much about wine before I met my wife, nearly 21 years ago now. I enjoyed drinking wine, though I would have considered myself more of a beer drinker at the time. Still would, in fact. My wife knew a lot more as she did with nearly all things food. She also enjoys it more than I do and if anything, her preference for grapes over barley and hops has increased over the years. Wine certainly intrigues me - for its own sake, certainly, but also as a vehicle for knowing my wife better. We have long intended to invest time in learning more about the fruit of the vine - together. Recently, I have become a lot more purposeful in my own explorations.
Mission #1 is learning more about what I like. I know a lot about what I like in a beer: hoppy is good. I have learned quite a lot recently about my cocktail preferences: a whiskey base is a good start. With wine, I have some work to do, especially with whites and rosés. In fact, I'm not sure how I feel about rosés at all, let alone which ones I like.
With reds, I'm chasing an elusive ideal. Many years ago, my wife introduced me to Château Musar, a Lebanese winery. The flagship red is a blend including Cabernet Sauvignon grapes among others. It was basically one of the most extraordinary substances I have ever ingested, warm, jammy and spicy all at once. I have never tasted its like since though whenever I encounter a red that seems to be heading in the same direction, I get awfully excited. Our red on Sunday night, for instance, a 2017 Domaine Bousquet Malbec from Argentina had the spiciness but not the jamminess - actually slightly bitter, interestingly.
My preferences in white wine are nearly opposite. While I love a big, full-bodied red, I like a clean, lighter white - pale in color, not too sweet, though not exactly dry either. A white wine should pair nicely with raw oysters: refreshing, cleansing, not too strong. Portuguese vinho verdes tend to catch my eye.
To help me in my own self-education, I have a book,
Wine Folly by Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack, and the Delectable phone app for recording my explorations. We've already taken one class, on Chablis, at Dedalus, our favorite wine shop in Burlington and we're eager to take more. As much as I can, I will share what I learn here.
I usually don't drink alcohol, but sometimes I like to use wine in my dishes☺
ReplyDeleteThat is most responsible of you. It is good for cooking - lots of contradictory philosophies on the best choices for the job, of course.
DeleteI am learning more and more about alcohol from your blog. Like you, I like hoppy beers and whisky (along with bourbon). I use wine more in drinking and I can't image wine with oysters--that's always a beer thing probably because the oyster houses I've been in are that kind of place. And beside, as one who grew up on the coast and harvested many of the oysters he's eaten, a cold beer is always good after such a workout. Thanks.
ReplyDeletewww.thepulpitandthpen.com
I can certainly understand how one might get a different impression from my blog but I am actually a fairly moderate drinker. Usually one drink a night, a second feels like an indulgence.
DeleteSelf-harvested oysters consumed with cold beer sounds like heaven! My own ideal is actually a vodka martini. I can't say I care for the drink in any other context but with oysters, it's perfect.
I started with whites (in my late 30s!), but I don't care for them much anymore.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite red (right now, at least, and for a while) is Apothic Inferno. You should probably be able to find it out there where you are.
I'll keep an eye out. Thanks!
DeleteI love looking at the wine labels ! I can only
ReplyDeletehave a sip for a taste of what everyone is drinking. My friend found a pale pink wine Miraval Provence that is great to sit in the evening on the patio with a chefs board.
parsnip
I shall keep an eye out for Miraval Provence. Thank you.
DeleteWith my dizziness/lightheadedness and exhaustion, I am not drinking any wine but wine is so difficult to figure out because one year of a Gewurtstraminer could be excellent but the following year, not so much and this is from the same winery and same wine. It is also personal because I like a sweeter wine but, like you, not heavy and dark. I don't care for the oaky tastes but [refer the more fruity tastes. I lean to whites but there is a French wine called Bougerlais (craps, I can't spell it right) that I like while my hubby prefers the French Yvon Mau.
ReplyDeleteThe variety is also, of course, what makes wine fun. Each bottle has its own personality.
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