food and wine	« corks of the forks
Added: May 23, 2007, 1:54 pm	Share    Print    Email

And they don't know you.

That's why you really shouldn't listen to wine critics. That may seem a unique statement coming from a member of that community, but there's more to it.

You shouldn't listen to wine critics without understanding or learning about what they like.

Too often people walk into a wine shop and buy a wine based solely based upon a numerical score given by one wine critic or another. You've probably done it yourself — we all have at one point or another in our wine-loving lives.

If Robert Parker, the world's most powerful wine critic, scores a wine a 94, there is absolutely no guarantee that you're going to like it. Will it be a 94 for you, or an 84? There's no way of knowing. It's important to remember that Parker, just like the rest of the wine-drinking public, likes certain wine styles and dislikes others.

He tends to like big, powerful, fruit-forward wines that are high in tannin and alcohol. If you like those types of wines, it might be worth following his lead and buying the wines he likes. But keep in mind — if you don't, that doesn't mean you are "wrong" for not liking them. Parker liking a wine is completely of no consequence if you don't like it —regardless of what wine snobs or lazy wine shop owners might tell you

The key is to explore. Try wines rated highly by a variety of writers and get to learn their palate and favorite wine styles. It's entirely possible, in fact it's extremely probable, that I've written complimentary things about a wine that hasn't captured your attention the way it did mine. Everyone is different and that's part of what makes wine so great. No one can tell you what you like. Only you know.

So how do I go about tasting wines? Most of the wines reviewed in this column are tasted "blind" against at least one other wine made from the same varietal or a similar blend. Blind tasting involves putting a paper bag (or something else) over a bottle so that the label is hidden, and removing the cork so that I don't know the producer of the wine I'm tasting. By doing this, I'm unaffected by labels or producer names. There are instances of course when blind tasting isn't possible, but objectivity always is.

While I do note the color and overall appearance of a wine, it isn't nearly as important to me as how the wine smells and tastes. By swirling the wine a few times around the glass and sniffing, you can begin to evaluate a wine's style, condition, and complexity.

Next I sip, hold the wine in my mouth and "slurp" which draws air in and helps release the wines various flavors. While in the mouth, we can assess how the wine's flavors, alcohol level, acidity and tannin work together. Is the wine balanced? Is it fruity? Are the tannins harsh?

It is also important to spend time with a wine. While Parker plows through wines (some say he only spends 30-60 seconds per wine), I prefer to spend an entire evening with a wine, tasting it 'fresh' out of the bottle, then with food, and then later in the evening as it's had time to breath in the glass or in a decanter. Particularly with red wines, this exploration over time often reveals changes and nuances that fast, power tasting doesn't allow for. This is an advantage I enjoy because I'm not reviewing thousands of wines a year like Mr. Parker.

But regardless of how wine is tasted/reviewed/written about, there is nothing more important than your own palate and your own enjoyment. Wine is meant to be enjoyed, not stressed over. For years, my personal wine motto has been "Drink what you like. Don't listen to critics."

So why should you bother reading columns like this one? Because I hope my writing inspires you to seek out new local wine experiences. Because I hope to introduce you to the joy of wine and the people who make it happen. But mainly, because you love wine and want to learn more about it. That's why I write about it, after all.

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Lenn Thompson lives in Sound Beach with his wife Nena and infant son, Jackson. He is the former editor of the Long Island Wine Gazette and writes about local wines for several media outlets including AppellationAmerica.com , Edible East End, and his blog LENNDEVOURS.com. He loves hearing from readers and fellow local wine enthusiasts. You can email him at Lenn Thompson lives in Sound Beach with his wife Nena and infant son, Jackson. He is the former editor of the Long Island Wine Gazette and writes about local wines for several media outlets including AppellationAmerica.com, Edible East End, and his blog LENNDEVOURS.com. He loves hearing from readers and fellow local wine enthusiasts. You can email him at lenndevours@gmail.com.