Resolutions
In
the wine world there is little reason to revise “New Year’s
Resolutions”. Very few of us can claim to have faithfully
upheld last year’s resolutions, so we should work harder
at them this year. Even those that we assiduously followed should
be perpetuated if they were good resolutions in the first place.
Still, at year’s end a bit of reflection and resolution
may be in order. Here follow some suggested resolutions:
Preamble: Moderation is almost always a virtue. Enjoyment
of food and drink is diminished by excess. This is obvious in
consideration of quantity. In the world of wine, for example,
more is almost never better. This is less obvious in the pursuit
of quality. Ever-higher quality may seem a noble goal, but remember
that quality is often subjective, that suitability to occasion
is important, and that returns diminish as one strives (or causes
others to strive) for “the best”. Let us all avoid
the excesses of the wine snob.
Resolution #1: Learn about classic wine regions. Much
of what is intriguing about wine (great wine or ordinary wine)
is the history and culture of place. This is even true of newer
wine regions. Learn a bit about a place and then search out typical
wines of that origin. Oddly, some of the most touted (advertised)
wines are “new age”, and good as they may be, they
are not representative of their region of origin. Look for wines
that beautifully illustrate the rule rather than the exception.
Every important region has norms and traditions. Even inexpensive
wines can provide transport to a faraway place, or bygone era.
Resolution #2: Shop the wine not the hype. This one is
complicated. It is hard to shake free of advertising and the wine
press. However, if you concentrate on Resolution #1, you can enjoy
drinking distinctive, premium wines at very modest prices. Unfortunately,
many trademarks have been sold out and now appear on “commodity”
wines, procured wherever they are cheapest. It has become more
important for companies to promote than to produce. Sadly, it
has proved profitable to create demand through marketing, and
then procure the wine from anonymous sources to fill the bottles.
Avoid this by looking for wines bottled by the producer. These
wines will rarely have national marketing campaigns. You will
find them by asking your wine merchant for examples of a given
style or place of origin.
Resolution #3: Enjoy the shopping. Places that specialize
in wine are often fun to visit. Yes, you can buy wine while you
fill your car with gasoline, but you are probably missing the
fun of browsing the aisles. Furthermore it is hard to fulfill
Resolution #2 if you are shopping with a merchant who only buys
volume brands and wine magazine recommendations. Find places to
buy wine where the people love wine and stock wines for their
merits, not their advertising support.
Resolution #4: Trust yourself and broaden your horizons.
There is little to be lost by trying little known wines made in
earnest. Yes, some things will please you more than others. There
may even be a wine you just don’t like. The risks of an
unpleasant bottle are not so great that your should fear experimentation.
If you enjoy one wine you might try another from the same producer,
same region, or same grape type. There are many ways to reach
new territory without wandering blindly.
Resolution #5: Share your good fortune. Enjoy wine with
others. At meals, tastings, or evenings in front of the fire,
seek the company of others who enjoy wine. The historic virtue
of wine has been its social aspect. The joys of getting together
with food and wine outstrip those of hoarding “collectables”
or chasing down rarities. The best bottles of the year take much
of their virtue from the occasions they attend.
Richard
deBondt has been President of Northampton Wines, a Greenville
retail store, since its founding in 1975. He conducts weekly wine
tastings and related presentations. He is also a long time performer
with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra.
12/04
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