IT’S A MATTER OF TASTE

Kate Mazzarella-Minshall

You want a glass of wine with dinner so your server sends the Sommelier to your table who starts talking about the bouquet, the body and the “nose” of the wine, the fruit and varietals characteristics and how long it was aged in the barrel. You feel intimidated; you panic and say, “I’ll just have bottled water”. For more than 8,000 years, wine has had an integral role in human culture. Although wine brings people together and continues to hold a special place in celebrations and rituals, wine is also very personal. Even though experts might say this is a good year to be drinking Merlot, you prefer remaining loyal to your favorite White Zinfandel.

According to Chris Kissack at The Winedoctor (thewinedoctor.com), “Wine is most certainly a matter of personal taste. I find it saddening that obviously experienced critics, authors or just vocal amateurs write off certain wines because they differ from their preferred style. These people clearly have very good palettes and yet lack the maturity to appreciate that others may have equally good palettes which differ in preference from their own. This is why assigning scores (something I do, I must confess) is a little silly. What is the relevance of someone telling me ‘this is a 90-point wine’ when I know that I won’t like it because I don’t like the style, or the wines of the region from where it originates, or I know my own palette doesn’t agree with the critic?”

Wine is a subject of great debate; there will always be conflict and disagreements. Take food and wine pairing, for example. The two should compliment each other but it’s not an exact science; there is no right or wrong way to the pairing technique. “When people feel silly about ordering a wine they have heard is not appropriate for a certain food or too sweet or for amateurs, I tell them that anyone can know it all about wine, as long as they are the one drinking the wine they know all about”, said Shayn Bjornholm, Master Sommelier and Wine Director of Canlis Restaurant in Seattle (wine@canlis.com).

Selecting and drinking wine should be fun, relaxing and enhance the experience of your meal; not cause anxiety and a state of confusion. Just because the “norm” is that white wine pairs best with “white” foods such as chicken, shellfish and light pastas, and red wine is more appropriate with heavier foods like beef does not mean you can’t have red wine with your shrimp…it’s a matter of taste.  Jeff Schauer, Wine and Spirits Consultant and owner of The Keg and Cork in Las Vegas recommends the Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir. “It’s light yet a full bodied wine that caresses the palette leaves a lasting impression and also is outstanding with food”. But like Jeff said, that is his opinion. He believes what is popular in wine today is just that, an “opinion.”

The serving temperature of a wine is also part of the wine controversy and also a matter of taste. White wines and blush wines are served chilled in order to bring out the true character and aroma and prevent the flavor from tasting flat. Red wines are normally served at room temperature to keep the flavors balanced. But some prefer their red wines chilled, and that is their preference.

Tim Hanni, founder and President of WineQuest, LLC is one of the first two Americans to achieve the title of “Master of Wine”. He believes that “wine should be presented and sold in a way that respects every wine consumer’s taste preferences above all else while encouraging them to explore new wines without imposing on them or belittling their preferences”.

Because wine is ever-changing, it is nearly impossible to keep up with the volumes of information available. Unless you plan to make wine a hobby or a career, learn the basics and go with what tastes good. Wine connects the five senses but most importantly, wine appeals to your sense of sight, smell and taste. It should look beautiful in the glass, smell delicious, and most importantly, stimulate your palette. The only thing you should consider after tasting a glass of wine is if it tastes good. In the words of Dorothy J. Gaiter of The Wall Street Journal Guide to Wine, “The bottom line: There are many wine experts out there. But there is no one – no one – who is more of an expert on your tastes than you. A good wine is a wine that tastes good to you”.