One of my favorite things to do is enjoy a great bottle of wine with friends and family. It wasn’t always this way: I was raised by parents who frowned on drinking alcohol. But then again, I had a Grandfather who distilled moonshine during Prohibition. Thankfully, other influences have kept me from both extremes!
It was a visit to Bordeaux in the 1980’s when D’Aun and I discovered the joys of great wine. When I got home from that trip I built a simple wine rack in the basement and began collecting Chateau Mouton Rothschild wines. That didn’t last long because French wines became ridiculously overpriced. Besides, I remember the first time I opened a bottle of 1979 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon … I’ve been hooked on California wines since.
No idea what wine I’m pouring, but it was probably old if I took the time to decant it. Photo by Rachel Goble.
Since folks seem interested in my thoughts about wine, I’m going to start posting stories and reviews on the topic. But this will not be straightforward wine reviews. You can grab those online in a variety of places. Instead, I want to tell the stories that come from the wine experience: how I came across the wines, why I tried them, perhaps where or when I tasted them, and what I liked or disliked about them. Enjoying wine is more than just a decision about what tastes good or bad, it’s an experience to be enjoyed as you pause from a hectic schedule. Sometimes an average wine is improved by fascinating conversation; sometimes a great wine is wasted on monotony. Such is life.
Before you read my stories, you should understand my bias. I love red wines. The best best are a gift from God that gives us reason to live another day. But some reds are way overrated. I have yet to taste a Merlot that’s worth more than $15 a bottle, so it has its place but not with a gourmet dinner. I do not understand why people drink Pinot Noir; to me it tastes like a combination of spoiled fruit juice and Pop Rocks without the sugar.
I really like white wines. For me, white wine is all about pairing it with the right food. A good Rose, a simple Prosecco, or a glass of dry Sauvignon Blanc can be great with appetizers. A crisp Chardonnay with salmon….delicious. And I’m told, though haven’t tried it yet, that Viognier goes great with Thai food. Of course, not all whites are worthwhile. The buttery California Chardonnays are way overdone. Very few Sauvignon Blancs are worthwhile (unless they come from New Zealand). I dislike sweet wines, though I will occasionally have one with dessert. D’Aun is crazy for Sauternes so we always have some in the house.
Geographically, California is best to my taste, though some good wines come from Oregon. France is so overrated and overpriced it’s insulting. Italian and Spanish wines often have a smoky taste, though I’ve had good wines from both. South Africa, Argentina and Chile are a hit and miss game … some are great bargains, some are disturbingly bad. New Zealand produces great Sauvignon Blanc, and Australia has a wide variety of very good wines. But in the end, for me, it’s all about Northern California. Call me a homer.
You can find my stories (only a few so far) by clicking the link above to Uncorked Thoughts. I’ll update it from time to time and put particularly good stories on the main page.