Inadvertent Wine Snob
Can drinking more wine turn you into a Wine Snob? The difference between a Discerning Drinker and Wine Snob.
Can drinking more wine turn you into a Wine Snob? It can, if you are not careful. One of the best attributes of our local wine tastings is the delightful absence of the typical Wine Snob (WS). We at GCW have defined the typical WS before. Typical WSs are not welcoming, often critical of others’ comments, and TELL YOU what you should be drinking.Yet there is natural phenomenon that can occur as a wine drinker progresses from beginner, to novice, to, hopefully, a true wine enthusiast. That phenomenon is a maturing/discerning palate. It is just like growing up. Most kids will not eat a dill pickle, yet most adults will. As we drink more wine, and different wines from across the periodic wine table, our palate can develop and it CAN change. A wine that used to be one of your favorites earlier on can become un-drinkable later in your wine journey, and that is OKAY!What is not okay is turning your nose, or glass, up against those wines, and especially to those who still enjoy them! Your wine journey is unique, and you should take pride in developing a discerning palate. Just because someone still likes that Merlot (I still love a good Merlot) doesn’t mean you are any more of a wine lover than they are.The same is true from the other view point, from the beginner’s view. Just because someone takes a sip of a wine and dumps it out, or passes it up, does not automatically make them a WS. It is the attitude. If that person dumps it out saying; “Well this is just an $18 bottle of wine,” then they might be a WS. Yet if that same person dumping the wine instead says “This just isn’t for me,” then respect that, even if their reason internally is the fact that the wine is $18 a bottle. (Just kidding, don’t mis-judge a bottle because it was only $18!)As you progress into your wine journey and find yourself becoming very discerning, increasingly liking more unique and often more expensive wine, invite others in and share your experience in a positive way. Not in a way that says “Oh look what I’m drinking.” Don’t begrudge other wine lovers for loving other things. And NEVER tell someone what they should, or shouldn’t, like!I just did make it back home this week in time to catch parts of Friday’s wine tastings; Seville’s and the mystery wines at Bottle Shop on Baylen. One of the best methods that I use to make sure that I keep myself from inadvertently straying into the tendencies of a WS is going to as many wine tastings as possible. This keeps me “wine grounded.” Two easy drinking reds were the Crowd Favorites at Seville; Klinker Brick’s Old Vine Zinfandel from Lodi California and Hedges CMS blend (71% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Syrah) from Washington. The mystery wines at the Bottle Shop were unique and very good! So go out to the tastings, share in your experience, taste everything, and stay grounded to being a true wine enthusiast. Cheers to that!
“Sunsets on Main”
So Gourmet has returned to the weekly wine tasting scene with their “Sun sets on Main.”
Downtown Pensacola has some amazing spots to eat and drink! One of the original downtown wine tastings recently returned to our calendar. “Sunsets on Main” by So Gourmet (the upstairs of Bodacious Brew & Olive) offers 4-5 wines, Free, on Wednesday evenings.This week’s tasting featured a wine easy to overlook yet so unique; Mettler Vineyards Estate grown Albariño, from Lodi California.Lodi still does not have the name recognition that the likes of Napa, Sonoma, or even Paso Robles have, especially for a WHITE WINE! Yet to the wine enthusiast Lodi is never over looked!The Albariño grape is native to northern Portugal and Spain, where some magical expressions of the wine can be found. That area is extremely rocky, mountainous, and has large temperature variations. Lodi could not be more different; flat, segmentary soil, and lacking big temperature swings but with very hot summers. This is why Lodi is known for world class BIG Zinfandels.So what happens when you bring this northern Iberian grape down to the Central Valley of California? A basket of crisp apple, ripe pear, and melon, with hints of citrus and a touch of mineral acid.What a surprise! A great wine for our quickly approaching summer and pairs great with my Red Snapper tacos. Unique, all of the tasters liked it, can be had alone or with dinner; that equals a Wine of Note!
Don’t just go to the big name locations. St. Amant Winery
Do your research and try the small ones too!
Lodi; that’s where they grow Zinfandel. Lodi; that’s where the Michael David Winery is. Yes and yes. And you should have Zinfandel and go to Michael David. I had been before and was after someone else, something new. I love trying wines that are “experimental.” Experimental is in quotations because almost all wine, especially new world wine, is experimental. But something like native Portuguese varieties growing in California. Yes, I want to try that!If you feel the same way then St. Amant Winery needs to be on your list. Land in California is uber expensive, and has been for a long time. All the land right around Lodi has been in many of the same families for 100+ years. So relatively new (1979 is relatively new around here) wineries have their vineyards farther away but their tasting room and warehouse facilities in town. St. Amant’s winery is located in part of an industrial complex. If I had not done my research I would have never just happened in on this place. Their speciality are Portuguese varieties, such as Touriga National, Souzao, Tinta Cao, along with others. They have limited amounts of their wine so if you are hunting for a specific one, call ahead. Or just stop in for and taste whatever great wine they have in stock. Also very friendly folks. Go to the big ones, but definitely stop into the small ones.
Old Vine Zinfandel, Harney Lane Winery
“How old are those vines?”
Most people only think Zinfandel when they hear or see Lodi in the wine world, and rightly so. A little geography. Lodi is in the Central Valley of California. You start to see vineyards a while before you get to town. The first time that I saw it, and how flat it was, I thought to myself “I cannot believe this is where my favorite Zinfandel comes from!” Yet certain grape varieties love it here.Something magical happens when a grape vine begins to reach “old.” It has to do with how deep the roots are. In a 50 year old vine, depending on variety, that could be 30 to 40 feet deep at that age. Old vine, in most of the world, means 50 years. At that point the vine can take in so much more minerals and better regulate its water.One of the best vintners of Old Vine Zinfandel is Harney Lane Winery. They have vines well into their 80s and some over 100! The family that still owns Harney Lane was part of the original experiment to grow grapes around Lodi. Time is the ultimate test when it comes to wine, and wines from here have been acing that test for generations. My first bottle of Old Vine Zin is in my bag. On to the next winery.