To help me bond with my new car, Catherine and I took a trip into Southern Michigan today to stop at a few wineries and sample their wares. The weather was a bit damp and rainy, but otherwise cool and pleasant. The tasting rooms were quite busy, and perhaps a bit understaffed.
As each wine was poured and tasted, I couldn’t help thinking that the wineries just aren’t doing great things. I’ve been spoiled by one particularly good local winemaker, and since I know what he’s capable of doing with the local terroir and fruit, I expect more of the others. When I don’t get it, I’m disappointed and even a bit peeved.
After all, don’t the winemakers in this area all talk to each other and sample each others’ wines? Wouldn’t it make sense that they would all want to try to excel? I drove home a bit frustrated and unenthused by the local wines.
But then I had a bit of a realization when I considered how busy the places were and how much people seemed to be enjoying the wines. No, I didn’t realize that I’m a wine snob (although I am beginning to have some suspicions). Rather, I realized that the wines from Southern Michigan tend to have a particular style: light, easy, often semi-sweet or off dry. That style of wine will appeal to people who don’t get their jollies drinking a fine Bordeaux or a classic Burgundy.
I’ve said a million times (well, maybe only several thousand times) that people should drink what they like, and not worry about what someone else thinks.
So why am I thinking that these winemakers (all of whom work very, very hard) should make wines that will appeal to my palate? They shouldn’t! They should make wines that they believe are the best expression of the grape. I can agree or disagree with them, but that’s only one person’s opinion–and who am I to be a wine critic?
I’ve re-evaluated my thinking on this topic since this afternoon. First, these local wineries that produce lighter styles of wines are an excellent entry for people just getting into wine. We all know that approaching a hearty California Cab can be tough for the uninitiated. People can “cut their teeth” on these more approachable wines, and as their tastes change over time, they are better positioned to move on to bigger, more challenging wines.
Second, the local wineries should keep doing what they are doing and not worry about making a wine that can stand up to a California Chardonnay or a white Burgundy. The locals are making wines that appeal to a significant percentage of the population, and those folks deserve to have wines that they enjoy, even if I happen to not enjoy them as much.
So, as you are learning about wines and bringing your friends along for the ride, head out to the wineries in your area to try things. Don’t be a closed-minded snob (like yours truly). Enjoy the wines for what they are, not what you wish they were. You’ll have a lot more fun in the tasting rooms if you do–and that’s a big part of what it’s all about.
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