Just like when we were young

There are many, many joys of selling wine to people who love the romance, the flavor, the magic of fermented grape juice. However, I must say, it isn’t very fun to sell wine to people who are consumed wtih ratings and reviews and points.

Just recently, I read an article in the Wall Street Journal, focusing on tasters who judge wine for national publications or wine competitions. What the article unveiled was disturbing yet not surprising. For the complete article, please visit http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703683804574533840282653628.html

The article stated that many tasters who deem wine to be 100 points or gold medal winners sometimes judge the same wine as undrinkable . It also stated that reviews can increase the price of the bottle almost always.

Since when do we as individuals need someone else to tell us what we like or don’t like? It reminds me of being in grade school and the kids telling me that my Lee jeans were uncool. If I wanted to be “in,” I needed to wear Levis. I’m not sure what I thought when they told me this, but I know what my mother said. “If you want a pair of Levi jeans, then make some money and buy a pair.”

I believe in all types of wine. White wine, red wine, sparkling wine, dessert wine, fortified wine. I believe in all price ranges, from under $10 to over $1000. I believe that wine tates different according to where it’s made, how it’s made, who you’re with, what you eat. Sometimes the same wine that tasted absolutely delicious 3 months ago seems so far away from the flavors you distinctly remembered. It happens. It just happens, and there isn’t any rhyme or reason.

Do we need to read reviews of wine? Absolutely. Why not? I like finding out interesting tidbits about the vintner or the land where the grapes were grown. What we don’t need to do is let other people dictate what we drink. If I like my inexpensive bottle of Chardonnay from Winery X, what does it matter if no one else likes it. The result is there’s more wine in the bottle for me.

Isn’t it interesting how we’re all still trying to be cool, even when it comes to eating and drinking? Move over jean police, here come the wine snobs.