The Wine Channel Blog @ www.thewinechannel.net

Whenever someone asks me what my favorite wine is, I give them my usual response, “Probably not what yours is.” I’ve come to realize that my wine tastes have changed throughout the years. I used to love Merlot but somewhere along the way, my palate was drawn to Cabernet Sauvignon. Lately I’ve been indulging on Syrahs and Zinfandels. Chardonnay has even made a comeback for me. I was a Sauvignon Blanc man for years until recently, when suddenly Chardonnay started appealing to me again. So if my tastes are changing, I’m sure other people’s tastes are changing too. 

I realize that people just starting out and experiencing wine for the first time want something to go on, so I tell them to just start trying them all. The best way to do that is to go to a wine bar or a winery tasting room and taste a flight of wines. Start making notes of what you enjoy and what you don’t. When you see a bottle of the same varietal from a different winery, give it a try. You may find that you like your new find better than what you’ve been drinking. And with so many varietals to choose from; take your time and get to know each and everyone of them individually. 

Start with low priced wine. Say what you want about Charles Shaw but “2 Buck Chuck” has opened a lot of eyes to the wine world for thousands of people. Some folks that I have spoken with have told me how they couldn’t resist the price and once they found a wine that they enjoyed, they would go out and try another one that costs a few dollars more. The comparisons not only built their wine knowledge and character but it expanded their “drinking wine for pleasure” to “complimenting their meals with a great wine.” The right wine will make a mouthful of food explode on your tongue. Many restaurants are now pairing wines with their menu. I always enjoy tasting what the chef considers to be the perfect match. It gives me insight as to what their tastes are and also what to look for when I’m pairing food with wine for guests attending a dinner party at my house. One such restaurant in Pasadena California is The Crepe Vine. I haven’t had a paired meal their yet that wasn’t spot on. And you know what; I keep going back for more. I’ve filled a several wine journals with valuable information on what wines I like and what food they go best with. Take time to explore wine and again, write down your experience with each wine you taste. You’ll be surprised how your palate will develop and even change over time. And then when someone comes up to you and asks, “What’s your favorite Wine” you can say to them, “Probably not what yours is.” 

I love to see the look on people’s faces (especially people from California) when they taste a wine that is not from California, Washington or Oregon. I was in Georgia and discovered the Georgia Wine Highway, that led me to some very nice wineries. One in particular was a winery call Blackstock in Dahlonega, Georgia. I was there with a group of eight people and we were pleasantly surprised at how nice the wines were that David Harris produced. Now for something unheard of in California, my wife and I bought a case and had it shipped back to California. We mixed the case with Reserve Chardonnay, Reserve Merlot, Reserve Viognier, ACE (A family Reserve) and a Sangiovese  Rose’. I have surprised several guests with a bottle from my Blackstock collection and opened up a new world to them. In particular, one evening we were entertaining a friend that literally scoffed at us when he found out that we had shipped a case of Georgia wine to California. It was about six months later when we were having appetizers that I had opened a bottle of Blackstock Reserve Chardonnay. After the first taste, my guest picked up the bottle, and the look on his face was priceless. He asked, “This is a Georgia Wine?” And I replied, “Yep, the one you so adamantly rebuffed me for buying and shipping to California.” Once again, I introduced someone to a whole new world of wine. There are wineries in every state and it is well worth the effort to discover these little places of paradise. The folks are friendly and eager to have you taste their wines and chat with you about what else? - Wine! Check around your state and let me know what diamonds in the rough you find. You’ll be glad you did.