Good Wine, Great Wine, Favorite Wine

Over the past few decades, I have worked many events where I poured selections of wines and was often asked, "What is your favorite wine?" This question is slightly less irksome than being asked, "What is your most expensive wine?" which is heinous, causes my eye to twitch, and my face to create an unnaturally insane smile (think the Joker without the makeup). If you know me, then you know sarcasm is usually my go-to response but is, in fact, wildly counterproductive when trying to entice people to buy your wine. My internal response is "Do you like chicken or lettuce?" because, how is my taste at all related to your tastes and preferences? Who the hell cares what I like? I know I sound grumpy, but you would too if you had experienced a question the equivalent of Bill Murray's famous movie, Groundhog Day, for over 25 years. That being said, if you're just jumping into trying wine, asking an expert what they recommend (not what they like) is a reasonably good place to start; however, you have to experiment to find out what you like first. Think about what it is about that wine specifically to help us help you.

Now, forget what I just said. The wine world is in trouble because so many of us have presented ourselves as snobby little gatekeepers. We've made asking questions about wine, intimidating and a little daunting. It is fun. It is ancient, harkening back to well before the Romans rose to power in Italy. With a meal, it enhances the experience, better than any canned cocktail could. With so many foodies out there, why isn't wine rising with them? Wine is something to be enjoyed with friends and food. It is an experience that begs you to slow down and enjoy the moment. It is beautiful in it's nuances.

So then, what is my favorite wine? It depends on the occasion, the temperature outside, the meal I'm preparing, my budget at that moment, or the mood I'm in. My favorite wine could be a strange or overly complicated for you because I have trained my pallet to seak out specific nuances. This isn’t to put anyone down. I’ve spent decades training my mind and mouth to complicate this experience. Maybe you enjoy something far more simple, fruit forward, drier than me. It's not for anyone to judge you for what you like. You should experiment with new wines. If you go to a trade show, try a little sip of something you've never had. You could find your new favorite!

What is a good wine? Ok now we're getting into quality. Something that's good, is usually well-made or crafted with TLC and a focus on quality. Is the acid balanced with the alcohol and fruit your tasting or do you taste all alcohol but not mouth-watering acid. All of this is debatable, but there are empirically markers that define a good wine or a well made wine. Regardless, you are still in the territory of opinion. What you consider to be a good wine, with training and knowledge, will change over time. I used to like Bartles and James and Zima for God's sake. We all start somewhere! In my opinion, an example of a good wine is Velenosi’s Lacrima di Morro, Donnafugata’s Lighea, Santa Margherita’s Sparkling Rosé, Chapoutier’s Crozes Hermitage, Freemark Abbey’s Cabernet.

What is a great wine? These are not up for debate. Verité La Joie is a great wine. Le Macchiole's Scrio is an excellent wine. Sassicaia is an amazing wine. Chateau Angelus and Cheval Blanc are excellent wines. Draco Dormiere from Knights Bridge is an excellent wine. What do these have in common? All the elements I mentioned regarding a good wine above, but on steroids. These will stand the test of time. Something you can lay down for a decade, or more, and it only gets better or more interesting. But you really can't appreciate these wines to their fullest, in my opinion, until you've trained your pallet to recognize all the nuances and elements I've described. Don't spend $300 on a bottle of wine until you get to that point. You're wasting your money and drinking something that may not be at it's peak. Also, it would make me sad to think there's a bottle of Le Macchiole being drunk before it reaches perfection. Infanticide if you will. I would die a little inside. But you can get there! Keep trying, and thinking about what you’re drinking with purpose and you'll learn to love it. Then you're screwed because you can't go back. It's like those Magic Eye pictures. Once you’ve seen it, you can't unsee it.

Remember though, drink what you like. Enjoy your food and don't care what we experts say. Don't listen to the snobs. Just please don't ask me for my best wine if you see me because then I'll pull out this post, read it in its entirety until your eye's glaze over and you start crying. You've been warned!