Conversation With a Wine Novice

Today we drop in on a conversation between a Bellingham wine tasting novice and our resident wine enthusiast (RWE).

Novice: Lately I’ve been spending time with people who regularly drink wines and trying some new ones. Overall, I’m enjoying it, but when they throw out terminology like tannins, balance, and acidity, I get overwhelmed and start feeling a little intimidated.
RWE: First of all, congratulations on venturing out into new wines. Second, relax. Yes, it can be a little scary talking about wines, but trust me, it’ll get easier as you go along.
Novice: But I’m worried that when they ask for my opinion I’m going to say the wrong thing.
RWE: Well, I have some earth-shattering news for you.
Novice: What’s that?
RWE: When it comes to wine tasting there are no right or wrong answers.
Novice: You’re kidding.
RWE: Nope, wine tasting is purely subjective. So what you taste and I taste could be two completely different things. Granted, most people with wine tasting experience will usually come up with relatively similar conclusions about flavors and aromas, but not always. The bottom line is that when we taste wines we don’t look for definitive answers, we just try to come to a consensus.
Novice: So if I try a wine and feel that it tastes like berries, and everyone else says it’s more plummy, then that’s not a bad thing?
RWE: Of course not. Most people should welcome your thoughts. In fact, I think it’s always interesting to get a second or third opinion on how a wine tastes, because sometimes someone will suggest a flavor or characteristic that I didn’t initially pick up.
Novice: And what if I don’t like the wine at all, but they love it.
RWE: So what? No one says that everyone has to like the same thing. So if you prefer white zinfandel over merlot, then you should drink a white zinfandel.
Novice: But how do I become better at picking up flavor characteristics and using the right terminology….you know, words like “bouquet” or “finish”?
RWE: Like everything else, you practice. Take wine classes, do some reading on the subject, and continue to hang out with people who enjoy wine. You’ll find that the more wines you sample, the more adept you’ll become.
Novice: So you’re saying I should drink more wine? This sounds like it could be a lot of fun.
RWE: You bet it is!