The Whine about Wine
An example of the latest social consciousness is the wine tasting phenomena. Each time I get an internet invite for one of those things, I think, "Who cares?" meaning who cares how twenty alcoholic drinks lined up in a row really taste? The attendees at one of those bashes are going to be too drunk to remember how anything tasted anyhow. Sometimes I think it is an old slipperoo back to the Romans and gladiator times.
Gail - Fortunately, I was forced by poverty to go into the work force to earn enough to pay for my education and was fortunate enough to land a job in a restaurant where I was exposed to the wonderful world of wine. When customers left wine in the bottle, we were encouraged to taste it so that we would be familiar with the product and be able to inform our customers on which wines would complement their dinner choices. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have this opportunity and the wine tastings are a forum where people can learn a great deal about the nuances involved in the production of what can be a very rewarding addition to the dining experience. It is unfortunate that a small segment of our population has a problem with alcohol, but there are reams of people who can enjoy it without abusing it. The refinement of the palate is an opportunity to lean to appreciate the better quality wines and I sure the abusers will always gravitate toward the boxed "flavor enhanced" (whatever the hell that means) wine like products made for the masses. As far as the tastings, it is a tasting, not a guzzling and many do care.
I never thought about it like that, David. Thank you for the illumination.
I was at a tasting at the local Ralphs the other night, and I gave my half-filled glass to the manager and said, "toss it out and let's move to the next one." A lady near me said, "you're a real taster, not an alcoholic, because a drunk would've sucked down the last sip."
I imagine some people go to wine tastings because they seem to be a relatively elegant reason to get liquored up. But the true drunks would, as David says, go for the mass-produced stuff, which is the quicker, recession-minded way to oblivion...! For me, I'm still learning all this stuff, and while I sometimes get skeptical about whether most of us know what we're doing or tasting, I'm intrigued by the connoisseur thing!
Gail - One more thing, I would rather share a great bottle of wine with someone I hate, who appreciates it, than with someone I love, who does not. If its a bottle of Opus One, I'll wait until I'm gloriously alone before opening it.
David, before now I would have sworn that Opus One was a work by Mozart or Beethoven. I didn't know it was a wine being a Manischewitz woman myself.
Manischewitz would give anyone a calloused attitude about wine. Opus One is to die for, it is so good (and expensive), There are a couple of German Hocheimers in Spatlese or better that I would only drink alone (and not over chilled).
No, no, Manischeitz is good, but you have to like sweet wines.
Diane - I love sweet wines and the Hocheimer listed above is definitely sweet. Try some, but only chill it for 2 minutes in an ice bucket and once opened, don't put it back in the ice. You will never call Manischewitz good again once this golden liquid flows over your tongue. Be prepared to pay anywhere up to $50. for a bottle and open it alone, you won't want to share it with anyone.
Gail - My apologies, I started the last post to Diane, when clearly it was intended for you. Guess I am just getting too used to responding to her that it got away from me. Try that wine though, you will fall in love with it.
Totally understood, David.