What Is A Good Wine?
David Berman • January 30, 2023
What is a good wine?
Wine holds a special place in my life. I blame my father and my other father (traditionally referred to as father-in-law; but mine was much more special to me and to my parents), who taught me and shared with me all things wine. To this day I love breaking out and sharing a bottle of Chateau Calon Segur with my dad.
Wine is the connective tissue – often found connecting humans when they share their time and food with other humans. It can be the fuel of creating magic memories.
What is a good wine? A good wine is one that you would purchase again.
You cannot view wine the same way you do liquor or other consumable liquids. There is too much variation in wine, year to year, geographical location, types of grapes, ways you can make it, and so on.
Bourbon is bourbon, tequila is tequila. There is some variation in whiskeys (including the spelling), but in general the taste profile is predictable.
You should never taste a bottle of wine with the expectation that this is going to be the best bottle ever. Also, you should never say that you have had better. Put better, you have had others you enjoyed more. Wine is a journey unlike any other consumable liquid.
There are “old world” vs “new world” wines (old world = parts of the world the Romans introduced wine making to; new world = where winemaking is relatively new).
There are different grapes and blends of grapes to explore. Ex. Cabernet Sauvignon. And you can explore the dramatic differences between old and new world cabernet sauvignons.
I want you to focus on the journey.
I want you to be able to experience the beauty of wine, and why it outlasted the Greeks, the Romans, etc.
Sidebar: What was the first thing God told Noah to do when the Ark hit terra firma? Plant a vineyard.
Get ready to experience good wines, and if you do, buy another bottle or two and put it in your wine fridge.
Get ready to drink some clunkers too.
Either way, get going – doctor’s orders!
Sidebar: An opened bottle of wine, if you put the cork back in or screw the screw cap back on, will last for 3-4 days (4 days for red wines, 3 days for white wines).
Another Sidebar: Wine experts. Like most “experts”, take what they say with a grain of salt. Only you know what you like.
Wishes for a great day,
Hugs too,
David/
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