Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Some years ago I was teaching a wine class about sparkling wines. I started the class off with a tasting of 6 wines - all blind so nobody could have price impact their decision. The only intro I gave was, "You are about to taste 6 sparkling wines that range in price from $6-$120. All wines are the top of the line from their respective producers and are well rated. All you need to do is choose your 3 favorites and write them down." After tasting, I asked each person to go around and tell their favorites. There was a general consensus on the 3 favorites and the greatest consensus was on the 3rd place wine.
The class was made up of nearly 20 people and nearly every one picked the same 3rd place wine. The only exception to that was two people who rated that wine their top choice. One of those individuals was a self-confessed wine expert and had a bit of a prickly nature. As I unveiled each wine, two of the three wines were big-timers from famous champagne houses. But, as I unveiled the 3rd place bottle, I felt a stare so strong that it was burning a hole in my head. As I looked around the room I saw the self-confessed wine expert looking at me as though he wanted to give me an upper cut.
After making the mistake of asking him, "what's wrong" I was met with a storm of angry words. "How could you set me up" he said and then continued with, "I couldn't possibly like that wine!". You see, his favorite wine and the third place wine from the group was the cheapest of the bunch. It was a $6 bottle with a garish and obnoxious label and a brand name beaten up by bad grocery story sales fliers.
I took a deep breath and calmly said, "Drinking good wine is about drinking wine you like at whatever price. I just saved you a lot of money so you should be thrilled." Unfortunately, he didn't see it that way and remained cold the rest of the class. After the class, he lingered and we had a long conversation. In the end, I was finally able him to convince him of one thing...He was an avid and proud golfer but always drank cheap beer on the golf course but never off of it. "There is not only a wine for every palate", I said, "There is also a wine for every mood."
I was able to save myself from a black eye that night. But, I forever will remember a valuable lesson from that evening. There is a wine for every mod and for every occasion. Sometimes the moment calls for a vintage Champagne from a world-renown Champagne house. But, there are times that you can get just as much or more pleasure from a simple and straight-forward sparkler. This New Years, I hope you drink something perfect for your mood as you ring in all the possibilities of a new year.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! HERE'S TO A 2010 FILLED WITH HEALTH, HAPPINESS AND GREAT WINES!
Comments
Lewis 01-Jan-2010 06:23 PM
rharlow 25-Jan-2010 08:23 PM