What are your personal wine beliefs and biases?

WINE TALK
1

Look, there is no right or wrong here, just personal perspectives.

Here is one that I share with Tom Hill:

Where do you stand? [stirthepothal.gif]

2

I believe that it’s just grape juice, fun to drink and talk about, occasionally amazing and mind-bending, but in the end, just grape juice.
alan

3

Profound Alan … so profound!!! Is that your best shot??? [cheers.gif]

4

First, wines that are elegant, subtle, and nuanced are more pleasing to me than wines of overt size and power. However, those subtle elegant wines still need to have intensity of aroma and flavor, as well as grip and structure… no flabby or wimpy wines for me.

Second, to be great, a wine must speak of its place of origin. Site-derived nuance and complexity is endlessly diverse and never boring, unlike wine aroma or flavor that comes from winemaking process/technique.

I think all other factors pale compared to those two.

5

I suppose, if someone were to pin me down, I’d have to say that my favourite wines are from Burgundy, but I wouldn’t wish to limit my choices to only those wines.

In addition to Burgundy, I really enjoy many California wines, mature Bordeaux including Sauternes, some of the stylish wines from Australia, Argentine Malbecs and blends, the fine wines made in Piemonte and Tuscany,
Spain’s Riojas, some excellent wines made in the Rhone Valley, some exceptional whites from Germany and Alsace, together with numerous wines that I haven’t mentioned here. In this latter group I’d include Port and Sherry,
although these wines aren’t everyday drinking wines for me.

Accordingly, my cellar reflects these wines that I enjoy.

Hope that narrows down my personal wine choices and biases. [basic-smile.gif]

Hank [cheers.gif]

6

This is a build on Lewis’ thread. For me there are two important aspects to wine - hedonistic and intellectual. The intellectual aspect is mostly about “place.”

When these two come together … flirtysmile

7

I have truly radical ideas:
everyone should have a chance to have their own preferences
wine is too personal to expect others to have the same experience as you do
wine is for sharing
tastes change
producers are temporary, terroir is king in my sandbox

8

I believe that the most undervalued word in the language of wine is “vinous” and the most overvalued is “fruit”. And , Tom is dead wrong… [snort.gif] [snort.gif] [snort.gif]

9

I like wine. And I like to drink wine. [cheers.gif]

10

That’s it??? Ken, I expected so much more from you [wink.gif]

11

Well done Roberto … now there is a point of view!!! [thumbs-up.gif]

12

Wine is meant to be drunk.
…and so are we [drinkers.gif]

13

TomHill wrote: make better wines (for my palate)

Way to know tom’s palate better then he does!

14

In all seriousness, for me wine is all about the people and places from which is comes, and for sharing with friends.

15

Man…am I being set up for all kinds of pot-shots here!! Thanks, Mike. [snort.gif]
Not sure where you dredged up that quote, Mike, but it’s a typical over-the-top/pot-stirring comment that I might make…and I stand by it.
Tom

16

I’d have to say that Roberto knows my palate pretty well. He knows enough not to sell me any Coturri’s!!!
Tom

17

I believe I prefer big, bold, thick wines. I believe Im fortunate enough to afford more than I can drink so sharing is a big part of my wine experience. Wine indirectly makes me experience all kinds of emotions. I read here and other boards in between patients to clear my mind and during those times I laugh, get irritated, think, and buy wine. In a sense wine keeps me sane. Despite being severely over weight, my cholesterol is perfect, which I also believe I owe to wine at least in part. I also think that we all want validation at our core, it is a human trait and thats why we make wild statements that cause emotional arguing because invariably we infringe on other people’s sense of validation. As much as I get annoyed at the sweeping statements about “Im wrong because I prefer bigger wines or more alcoholic wines” I enjoy drinking with lower alcohol wine lovers as much as with people who prefer a similar style of wine. The former is usually a learning experience and the latter just shared joy. It is a lot easier to loose perspective of the fact that there is another person at the other end when we sit in front of a computer. Never mind “computer muscles” which we all show from time to time.

18

I like a little brett in my reds, and, when it comes to CdP, I’m actually disapppointed when there isn’t a little there.

I like my Sauternes/Barsac a bit on the fat side.

Cabernet Sauvignon is boring as all hell before it’s at least 10 years old … but, with enough age, I find it otherworldly.

(I’m starting to think that) (in most cases) I prefer Chardonnay on the younger side.

Pinot Noir should not taste like Syrah.

Dark-fruited Zinfandel is better than red-fruited Zinfandel … most of the time.

Paso Robles could grow some world-class Touriga Nacional, if given the opportunity.
Paso Robles needs more Tempranillo.
Paso Robles needs to forget about Zinfandel and all Bdx. varieties.

It is criminal to open a quality Auslese less than 10 years out from vintage.

19

Wine’s first duty is to be red.

20

  1. Fruit flavors are overrated – if I want “big fruit”, I’ll have a glass of fruit juice…

  2. The “perfect” wine has every wine “flaw” in it, at just below the perception threshold for each flaw…

  3. Every wine tastes better when shared with friends and laughter…

  4. The older I get, the more I try to target my wine $$$$ to winemakers who I’ve met, and who are “good people”…

Michael