Would You Like to Learn More About Wine?

  -  Try performing your own taste tests

Just a few decades ago, a typical meal at a nice restaurant you would have a choice to drink either a beer or a mixed drink. America was certainly not a nation of wine drinkers and if you wanted a glass of wine at most you probably had a choice of red, white or blush and not much more.

Another thing that has changed in the past 20 years is that in the 80's it seemed that no one had any interest in being a chef. Things sure have changed, because today, nearly every table in the top restaurants has a bottle of wine, and the number of people going to culinary school instead of getting a typical degree has grown a great deal.  Think about the fact that some of today's most famous people in America are wine and food people: Robert Mondavi, Emeril Lagasse and Wolfgang Puck for instance.

I can’t help you with the culinary part, but here’s a proven way to learn more about wine. Meet once a week with another person or couple for a short—or long—tastings comparing a few different types of wine.

First tasting – Get a California Sauvignon Blanc and a Sauvignon Blanc from Chile. Serve them blind without food and pick your favorite. Guess which is which. Then try this with a nice snack (mild cheese and French bread is a good choice). Pick your favorite with the food. Guess again. Then look at the wines. Taste them again and try to remember anything that would help in guessing which was which next time.

Second tasting – Now move on and try a nice Australian Chardonnay and California Chardonnay and do the same type of comparison. By the end of the second tasting, you may find that the California wine is fruitier and more enjoyable by itself, but the Australian wine, while seemingly more acidic by itself, is better with food.  Or you may find something completely different that gives you a hint as to which is the California wine and which is the Australian. 

Third Tasting – Do the same with a California Merlot and a South American Merlot or even from any location of your choice.  This time try some cold smoked sausage or some other meat along with some sharp cheese (like white cheddar) as your accompanying food.

Fourth Tasting – Now try a California Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux (preferably from the Medoc where the wines are mostly Cabernet Sauvignon). Try roast beef or some other hardy meat with this one.

Fifth Tasting – This time try two California wines side by side made from the famous Zinfandel grape.  To make it interesting make one a "old vine Zinfandel" and the other a different lighter Zinfandel.  

Continue to do this and try any wine of your choice.  Just keep the wines from the same grape but allow some big difference to be present such as oaked or not, where the wine is made or how long the wine has been aged.

This is a really fun way to start noticing the differences in wine with out being to serious.  Keep notes of your tastings and some where down the road try the same pair of wines again and note how your perception has changed.  Note any flavor or smell that is unique to you and just keep enjoying things for about a dozen tastings.  When this fairly enjoyable project is complete you will have a new understanding of wine that is personal and can't be placed in any four line reviews.

Above all remember the most important part of wine drinking is have fun and drink what you like.