I have done more that a few posts on my other site about wines. I've done posts on the science behind resveratrol, tiger wine (very bad), charting climate change in wine and more. It got me thinking. I LOVE WINE! Yeah, sure, call me a wino. Call me a lush. I do love wine. I have for a long time. Longer than it has been legal for me to drink.
It all started in 2000. I got a job working for an African art and wine gallery. The owners were adamant about the fact that everyone that worked there had to have some wine knowledge. Very reasonable. They gave me a wine accolade course. I learned so much. I began to appreciate South African wines. I knew what regions certain vintners were in and what years made for the best bottles. At the age of 17-18 I became a wine snob. It was awesome.
This period of my life was surrounded with amazing wines. Not the cheap wines most people start with. I was lucky. I grew an appreciation for tannin rich wine well before most even acquire a taste for it. I knew the difference by smell between Merlots, Syrah-Cab blends, and Pinotages. It was wonderful. To this day, I love exploring the wine section at my local grocer.
I know what you are thinking. One can't POSSIBLY find a good wine at a local grocer. I live in St. Thomas. Vices are cheaper than food and I can buy a bottle of top-shelf VSOP cognac for the price most people pay for mediocre vodka. The wine selection at my grocery store is fantastic. It changes. It's like exploring a new country every week. Some weeks we have yummy New Zeland whites; others, a rosé from France. We have had bottles from various parts of the US and are currently in love with Chileans. Any we aren't particularly fond of become delicious reductions for our food. We are big fans of robust reds. Even eating simple grilled steaks seems somehow more decadent with a corked bottle on the table. A day at the beach feels like a mini vacation with some brie, pears, and a cold bottle of pino grigio.
Wine spans generations and continents. Historically, it is one of the beverages most sought after and most controversial. Some use it in religious ceremonies; others find it blasphemous. Its use dates back to 6000 BC. At the end of the day, it is everywhere and people of all walks of life are corking a bottle at any given point somewhere.
So now tell me, do you enjoy wine? Do you have a wine preference? What is your favorite way to enjoy a bottle?
Cheers!
Photo by Tammy Green and licensed under Creative Commons.
2 comments:
Hiya! I just found your blogs from your post on Crunchy Chicken :)
I read your post re: climate change and how grapes measure CO2 in the region- super interesting.
I also became a wine snob- when I moved to Montreal, then to the Okanagan (both in Canada) where you can find good wines at the grocery store (montreal: Depanneur). My favourite moment of wine was when a couple of friends got together, bought a few bottles at the depanneur, packed a small salad, brought our guitars and drank the wine out of the paper bag at the park... LOL. it was awesome.
That sounds like so much fun! Thanks for stopping in!
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