...
ClustrMaps
2009 Mon 26th Oct First time wine tasting, long time drinking
I have very recently moved to an area that is quite popular for its wineries and vineyards, so last Friday I figured I would go with the "when in Rome" idea and try wine tasting for the first time. I like wine and, in fact, I drink it quite often (too often?), but I am in no way a snobby wine girl. I figure if its cheap, then I can afford to drink more of it and that's a good thing, right?!
Over the years, my tastes have changed. I started out liking sweet stuff - like Strawberry Hill, which I am not sure really qualifies as wine, but at the time (I was young and stupid) it was what I could get my hands on. I graduated to wine coolers, which definitely do not qualify as wine. As I got older and started pretending to be a grown up, I moved on to white zinfandels. Later, I progressed to rieslings where I stayed for a of couple years. Recently, I have gotten tired of the sweet stuff and branched out into sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, viognier and fume blanc. As you may have guessed, I am not a fan of red wines. Yes, I know they are better for me (according to some scientist people I don't know or trust) but to me the flavor is usually so heavy I cannot drink enough to enjoy ... the effects.
So, wine tasting was interesting. I started with a 2006 sauv blanc, which was just ok. I thought it had a little too much bite. The 2007 sauv blanc, however, was wonderful. Lightly fruity without the strong acid burn. The next was a surprise, a chardonnay which I actually enjoyed! Usually chardonnay has too much oak flavoring for me. This was light and perfectly balanced, the only chardonnay I've ever tried that I would be willing to drink again. Lastly, I tried a pinot noir, something my region is famous for I have been told. Again, a complete surprise! It was a lovely red, without the usual heaviness I associate with reds. It had the stronger grape flavor, of course, but was really quite nice. I could definitely see myself enjoying a glass (or bottle) over candlelight with my hubby.
The downfall of all this discovery is that these wines cost over $20 a bottle from the winery, so I am guessing they are even more in a regular store. For a wine connoisseur, this is probably a steal (if they considered it to have any worth at all), but for me its just a waste of my shoe money! I mean, I enjoyed the experience, and the wines, but all in all, I'd rather pay $3.99 for a bottle of wine at Trader Joe's and drink often without feeling guilty about the cost. This way, I will still be able to afford a new pair of sexy shoes now and then! Its a win-win plan I am gonna have to stick with - so much for being the sophisticated grown up!