I
used to write – a tiny bit – about wine.
But
my husband is under strict orders not to tell anyone … because then wine snobs
(there are always some) will want to debate/compete.
Here’s
a dirty secret: When people taste
wine blind, they tend to like the cheaper wines a little better than the more
expensive ones.
I
liked the wine professionals I met. One demonstrated to me the difference
between “old world” and “new world” wine styles. If you taste a French white
wine by itself, say a chardonnay, which is called a Burgundy (after its region
rather than its grape varietal, because it’s French), it will taste thin. A California
chardonnay, drunk alone, will taste better. But put some salt on your tongue
and the French wine will taste a lot better. That’s because French wines are
meant to be drunk with food, while California wines are meant to be what the
wine person called “a cocktail-party wine,” often drunk alone.
Sommeliers
told me the cheapest wines on their lists don’t sell because no one will order
them. If they find a great deal, they often have to raise its price to sell it.
That’s why I like a pal of mine who, with a great flourish, will tell a waiter,
“Bring me a glass of your cheapest chardonnay!”
One
wine guy told me syrah (or shiraz) wines – syrah is a red grape varietal grown
mostly in Australia – are always good, though cheap.
I
discovered vinho verdes at a Portuguese restaurant. These “green” or “young
wines” have a slight sparkle, taste like the wine version of beer and cost $4 a
bottle at my Kroger.
Which
is where I search the lowest shelves (cheapest wines) for funny names and
labels.
Because,
really, most wines are just fine.
