Cab Savvy

It seems as long as there have been humans, there has been wine. Archaeologists have found remnants of wine in clay jars dating back to 6000 BC. Our oldest and most beloved works of literature all contain references to its luscious taste and intoxicating effects. The Bible tells us of how Noah planted a vineyard and frequently enjoyed the crushed and fermented fruits of his labor. In Homer’s Aeneid and Odyssey, characters frequently consume hearty glasses of wine. Shakespeare’s Brutus eased his conscience after the murder of Caesar and Othello brooded over his wife’s supposed infidelity with glass-in-hand. We have been drinking wine since we were able to drink. Yet for many in our generation, wine has become something elitist and inaccessible. Our parents drink it, many even have collections of it, and yet we stick to beer and the hard stuff. I’ve heard many people say that they simply don’t like the taste of wine, that they’re not “wine people.” Sillyness I say. Mankind has quite obviously been “wine people” since we figured out how to make the stuff.

A number of misconceptions exist about wine, which together may be a major reason that young people don’t drink more of it. First off, the taste issue. Wine, especially big reds (Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Merlot), has a strong, dark, complex taste. It is not something you will love the first time you try it. It is likely not something you will love the second time you try it. So rather than just giving up, keep trying it. If you didn’t like Pinot Noir, try something different. There’s not one variety of grape that is somehow better than another. A Merlot is not always better than a Shiraz, is not always better than Malbec, is not always better than Chardonnay. Just like everything else in life, people can have different opinions and tastes. Anyone who tells you differently is trying to sell you something. Try whites, try reds, heck try roses if you so choose. Drink a glass of wine while eating dinner. Read the back of the bottle to get an idea for the flavor and eat foods that it would seem to suggest. Have a green apple with honey while drinking Chardonnay, eat some cheese with a glass of Rioja, have a piece of dark chocolate with a Shiraz. Eating will help you bring out the flavors in the wine. Serve wine at its proper temperature (room temp for reds, slighlty chilled for whites). If it’s a red, open it well before drinking it (30 minutes to an hour depending on the varietal). The major issue with reds is that overwhelming tannin taste of many. More oxygen can greatly reduce it. When drinking it try letting it sit on your tongue and inhaling over it. If you try these things and try as many bottles as you can I guarantee that you will find something you like and you may even become a “wine person.” To help you in your new quest to enjoy wine, this column will review a bottle or two of wine every week. You will never find a bottle for more than $15 dollars on this column. You do not need to spend more than that to enjoy a good bottle. If you want to blow $75, you certainly can have an extraordinary bottle. But for those of us who still have young palettes the noticeable differences would be marginal anyways.


I purchase most of my wine from Best Cellars DuPont. It is a wine chain in New York, DC, and Boston that has a fantastic selection at a reasonable price. You really have to try there to find something more expensive than $15. Their staff is excellent and very knowledgeable. Their website also has a fantastic online quiz to help you determine what basic wines you should start with. So until next week, buy some glasses and get ready to love wine. Heck, if you really can’t wait go out and pick up a bottle.