Reading Wine
- adrienne490
- Jan 31, 2017
- 6 min read
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Certainly the best way to understand wine is to experience it firsthand, to actually drink it. Learning to accurately describe, as well as to compare and contrast, differing varietals of wine is not impossible for most to learn, but it definitely takes times and repetition to master.
For years I resisted any form of “training” when it came to wines. I refused to spend more than a certain allotment per bottle and I found people who wanked on about vintages and wine tastings they’ve attended and so on, were just complete bores, ridiculous snobs with way too much time on their hands and desperately trying hard to impress. Sloshing wine around in their glass, sniffing corks - puh-leeze!
My thinking has greatly evolved over time. You can be a snob about simply anything if you choose to be - fashion, travel, food, etc. I’ve always believed this to be true about many things, but most especially art, which also happens to be one of my greatest joys. Yet you start talking art or the art market with most people and the first word that (you assume) pops into their heads is “Pretentious!” Unless you have friends that are either employed in the art world, or are passionate collectors, it’s hard to find anyone who shares the love. Wine is a somewhat more open world, everyone can have a taste - literally - if they so choose.
Many are content in the mindset “I like what I like” - not unlike most people’s attitude towards fine art - but isn’t an understanding of the why just as satisfying? There is some satisfaction in being able to discuss something as basic as how a Pinot Noir (red wine) could be made from a white grape, or that the Russian River Valley is not, in fact, in Russia? Both things, I’m not ashamed to say, I did not know until quite recently.
I decided that if I’m going to enjoy sipping wine, then why not make it count. I’m still not buying $150 bottles of rare vintages, but that’s not the goal. I am slowly becoming more discerning, more aware of what I am tasting and why (I always enjoy knowing the why) and also it takes me on a global journey to places that I cannot actually travel to (at least not today) so while not completely satisfying my wanderlust, it serves as a wonderful fuel to keep that flame burning brightly within me, while challenging my curiosity at the same time.
Sipping and tasting are paramount to training your wine palette, but so is some reading and attaining some knowledge to go along with it. The world of wine possesses a definite language unto itself, one that is intimidating at first, it not downright confusing and more than a bit nonsensical (how can you say that a wine tastes of leather? Who has ever actually drunk leather?)
I’ve assembled a collection of books to share with you that I am currently reading along with others in my queue that I plan to get to this year or add to my personal library. If you, too, would like to better understand wine, begin the process of developing a more learned palette, and get a grasp on all that crazy jargon, then here are some great reads:
The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil
The holy grail of wine reading. MacNeil is renowned as “the missionary of the vine.” She has won countless awards as both a wine writer and an educator. While it comes in at close to 1,000 intimidating pages, The Wine Bible is broken down into easy chapters organized by geographic location spanning nearly every continent. It includes tons of great photos, charts, and other graphics.
Her tome is the de facto textbook for every professional culinary and hospitality course regarding wine in the country. It is a highly enjoyable and engaging read, given the density of material. MacNeil also writes a terrific wine blog and newsletter at www.winespeed.com
Below is my very own copy. I even got it autographed!
Reverse Wine Snob: How to Buy and Drink Great Wine Without Breaking the Bank by Jon Thorsen
Now that’s a title I can relate to. Thorsen is the founder of the popular website www.reversewinesnob.com and his tagline is “thumbing your nose at bottles over $20.”
We are very much on the same page when it comes to the wine snobbery thing. In an excerpt from his book, Thorsen explains
It’s the pretentious and self-important parts of wine snobbery that most of us can’t stand — the belittling of someone’s chosen drink and the supremely false belief that expensive is always better.
My solution to this problem is to simply turn wine snobbery upside down — to become a “Reverse Wine Snob.” I am a wine enthusiast for sure, but a wine enthusiast with an open mind and a reasonable budget!
I am simply a wine consumer. I have no special training or tasting powers. I don’t have any certifications or fancy letters after my name; in fact, I’ve never even taken a “wine appreciation” class. I’m not able to tell you the region or variety of a wine just by sniffing it. I’m just a guy who loves to drink wine and tell people about the good, cheap ones. I love saving money and not overpaying for things.
I’ve gotten lots of great ideas from this easy read, including selections for my boxed wine feature each month. There are some seriously good ones. (follow my YouTube channel at http://bit.ly/2jokjdf )
Shop here: http://amzn.to/2kOgytL
Wine Folly: The Essential Guide to Wine by Madeline Puckette & Justin Hammack
This fun, informative book is almost sneaky in the way it presents so much information to you, yet in such an easily digestible way. This is due in large part to their use of terrific, bold infographics that are both fun and engaging. Both authors are highly esteemed experts and they host a terrific website as well (www.winefolly.com). I subscribe to their newsletter which I always look forward to. They also sell great posters. Choose the spiral-bound version of the book for a great companion to help get the conversation started at your next wine tasting get-together.
http://amzn.to/2kkyrDK
A mainstay of any sommelier’s library would be the Oxford Companion to Wine by Oxford University Press. While it may be a bit daunting for most, it contains an encyclopedic range of wines, winemakers, and vineyards from around the world. Lots of lush photography. Looks very impressive on a shelf, too. http://amzn.to/2kIdXCk
To address the craze for all things rosé, two new books are on the way to keep the “yes way rosé” movement going strong. Rosé Wine: The Guide to Drinking Pink by Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan (preorder here: http://amzn.to/2kMdQZR ) and Rosé All Day: The Essential Guide to Your New Favorite Wine (preorder here: http://amzn.to/2jNDrj8 ) are both set for an April 2017 release. Definitely looking forward to both of these.
Not a book but a wine column, I great enjoy reading Wine of the Times, a collection of columns written by Eric Asimov of The New York Times. You can find it online at nytimes.com
Unless I’m walking into a wine store looking for something specific, I find the process very intimidating. I feel like everyone knows that I have no idea what I’m looking for or why I’m there. I end up being the sucker that’s lured in by the pretty label, which doesn’t always work out so well. More money and time wasted.
One way of avoiding this is to join a reputable wine subscription service. There are many to choose from but one of the finest and most well-known is the Wine of the Month Club.
Family owned and established in 1972, they offer multiple plan options, including both international and domestic labels, and various price points, making the wine selection process easy and hassle free. They also create gorgeous wine gift baskets and offer gift memberships. Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed so you will never pay for anything you don’t love, and it’s all delivered right to your door.
To learn more about their many membership options, visit the Wine of the Month Club here: http://bit.ly/2kfmy1I
Oh, and what should you be wearing while you are hard at work studying up on the terroir of South African wines? These adorable wine socks, of course (above). If you are really lucky, someone may actually bring you that glass of wine!
Purchase here: http://amzn.to/2k4VkZd
One last thing, if you've never seen the heartbreakingly beautiful comedy, Sideways, here's one of my favorite scenes:
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