| I am not a good traveling wine taster. I like wine | | | | you can take a prime fillet steak and make a |
| with food. Wine tasting for me without a meal as | | | | steak tartar, or grill it to a well done lump of |
| a reference point is kind of like trying to survey | | | | charcoal. I bet you will find a least two people in |
| the Paris landscape from the bottom of the Eiffel | | | | your acquaintance who will take opposite sides |
| tower rather than the top. A nice experience for | | | | and claim one of the methods as the ultimate |
| sure, but not the maximum impact the proper | | | | preparation method for a steak. But ask them |
| vantage point will give you. | | | | which wine would you drink with their steak and |
| Beside after a few "generous tastes" on an | | | | you will most likely stump them. They probably do |
| empty stomach I am either ready to fall asleep, | | | | have a choice, but unlike steak which they all are |
| or I get the urge to pontificate meaningless | | | | familiar with, the problem is they lack the |
| platitudes like "yes... [thoughtful pause] ... there is | | | | confidence to discuss the wine choice. |
| definitely a mineral flintiness there - do I detect a | | | | People get way too wrapped up about wine. And |
| slight ambiance of 'gunpowder' ?" Whatever that's | | | | there is no better example of this than those |
| supposed to mean...? I read that in a review once. | | | | incredibly complex aroma wheels seemingly |
| It confounded me... after all who wants their wine | | | | packed with more aromas and scents than any |
| explosive? (Excepting a few bored Monks | | | | normal human being is likely to encounter in a life |
| perhaps.) Besides aren't the people who really can | | | | time - let alone recall on command. Just looking at |
| detect the ambiance of "gunpowder" more the | | | | one of these things is enough to scare anyone... |
| beer drinking types? | | | | especially if you have no idea what some of the |
| On a personal side note, one of my brother's first | | | | aromas are like. And I must point out that even if |
| attempt at wine making really did have "mineral | | | | you think you know, you and I might not agree |
| flintiness" to it. But that was more a tribute to his | | | | upon what we both perceive the aroma to be. |
| lack of sanitary technique that his wine making | | | | Now if you are a professional wine taster you |
| prowess. But I digress. | | | | really do need to know the aromas since a |
| OK, maybe I am being a little flippant here, but | | | | number are symptoms of defects in the wine |
| for most of us isn't wine drinking more about | | | | making processing. Hopefully the pros will remove |
| enjoyment than trying to impress others with | | | | the bad stuff before it reaches the marketplace, |
| your knowledge? After all as I remind the same | | | | so for the rest of us a basic tasting knowledge is |
| brother above (who, despite all expectations to | | | | all that is required. Most wine shops periodically |
| the contrary is now an authority in the wine | | | | have short courses in basic wine tasting. In a |
| industry) wine is made by carefully "rotting" | | | | couple hours you will learn all you need to know |
| perfectly good grapes. | | | | to set off on your own. If you know the aromas |
| Aging fine beef is an art too. But how many | | | | characteristic of a particular wine type as well as |
| steak lovers hang out at meat packing plants | | | | a basic understanding of the aromas of common |
| kibitzing with the butchers and meat packers? | | | | defects in wine making, you will have all the |
| There are standards for fine steaks, but at least | | | | information you need to make intelligent wine |
| in this area most of us feel competent to relay | | | | selections to pair with foods you like. |
| upon our own senses of what we like. | | | | And remember, in the end what really matters |
| Stretching the steak analogy a bit farther yet | | | | how the wine tastes to you! |
| (and who hasn't a rubber steak once in while?) | | | | |