Lenn Thompson has posted the roundup of WBW 48. Looking at the list of wines, there are some serious wines that people discussed. I expected a few more Thunderbirds or Mad Dog 20/20. 
The theme for the event, though, is an interesting one, and I’d like to invite you to get in on the meme. Leave a comment that tells us what wine(s) you were drinking at the beginning and what wine made you sit up and realize that wine is more than just another beverage. I can’t wait to see what your experiences were.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I liked wine before I took my first (and only so far) trip to Napa. I’d seen Sideways, I was prepared for the ritual (even though I had no idea what any of the swirling meant at the time). I was one of those “I only drink reds” kinda guys because my only real experience with whites were really sweet rieslings and a few bland chardonnays. The first winery I visited was Clos Pegase because a friend said they had a great Merlot.
They started me off with the 2006 Chardonnay. Not being a white wine drinker and expecting syrup, I took a swirl and a swig. I was not ready for the complexity or the taste. I really liked it. The pourer described it as being “buttery” and it was like a light went off in my head: Aha! So that’s what “buttery” means! I always suspected that wine lingo was smoke and mirrors…that “fruity”, “dry”, “buttery”, “spicy” were all terms snobs invented to exclude commoners like myself and to solidify their position as snobs. But here was a guy telling me exactly what I was tasting! I tasted another Chardonnay later in the day which the pourer described as being “not buttery” and what do you know…it wasn’t buttery at all!
After that trip, I realized that wine really is complex…and that what I taste may not be the same as someone else. I also gained a wonderful taste for white wine, which I continue to develop. I’ve come a very long way in wine appreciation in a short period of time.
All that said, I tried the 2007 Clos Pegase Chardonnay and I have to say it was nearly the same as what I had a year ago. Since I’ve tried lots of other chards since then, I think the Clos Pegase holds up okay. I’ve had chards with just a little oak and they tend to be more what I gravitate towards now. The Clos Pegase, in comparison, is much more oaky. I guess it’s the traditional California chardonnay. I still like it, though…but wouldn’t call it my favorite white wine.
Hey Chris, thanks for sharing that story. It sounds like you definitely had a “light bulb moment” with that Chardonnay.
Any others have experiences to share? Come on, folks, don’t be shy!