Why I Love Wine
Author: Barrie Cleveland

"Why do you love wine?"

I'm often asked why I love wine from other wine tasters and
wine enthusiasts. In writing winery reviews for the California
Winery Advisor I've tasted wine at almost 600 wineries! I ought
to have an idea.

To begin to share why I am a wine lover, I ponder over some
lines from the movie, Sideways
(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0375063/).

In Sideways, I especially enjoyed a quote where Maya is
describing why she loves wine to Miles the first time:

Maya: No, I- I like to think about the life of wine.

Miles Raymond: Yeah.

Maya: How it's a living thing. I like to think about what was
going on the year the grapes were growing; how the sun was
shining; if it rained. I like to think about all the people who
tended and picked the grapes. And if it's an old wine, how many
of them must be dead by now. I like how wine continues to
evolve, like if I opened a bottle of wine today it would taste
different than if I'd opened it on any other day, because a
bottle of wine is actually alive. And it's constantly evolving
and gaining complexity. That is, until it peaks, like your '61.
And then it begins its steady, inevitable decline.

Miles Raymond: Hmm.

Maya: And it tastes so f---ing good.

I love wine for all the reasons that Maya explained and then
some. It is an individual assessment, of course, but it can be
the beverage that binds people together. Sharing a glass of a
well made and properly-aged wine can build bridges in
friendships and help with discoveries of the soul, or just give
you the nerve to open up your heart to those around you. It is a
beverage to share, a beverage to savor, and a beverage to enjoy.
And like many good things, it carries a responsibility to enjoy
in moderation.

A perfect blend

I love people. I love wine. And people and wine go better
together! Mix in a good meal at a common table and the feeling
strengthens and expands. Sprinkle in good conversation and witty
repartee and you are on to something special. The finishing
touch is the wine that helps people become friends, a meal
becomes more flavorful, the conversation more animated and the
evening more memorable.

A wonderful blend…more on why I like wine:

I love wine because it enhances conversations among great
people. When joined together, good people with good wine create
more insightful and enjoyable conversation. People and wine
often combine experiences in love-making, shared during a
romantic dinner, or popped as a compliment to cheese, bread, and
a perfect picnic. These experiences only add to why we love
wine.

I love wine because it enhances the flavor of food during our
meals. A great wine, when matched creatively with a creative
dish, tends to create a more memorable and lasting dining
experience.

I love wine because it improves the ability to live in the
moment; that a bottle of wine, when enjoyed in a beautiful
location, is even more enjoyable. If only we could enjoy each
bottle again and again. Lovers and wine have, after all, oft
been compared.

I love wine because I find in my travels that people who drink
wine socially are happier and healthier people.

In my job of touring and writing about wine and wineries I
visit some 200 wineries each year. I taste at plenty but usually
just observe and chat with the tasting room staff learning about
the particular amenities, specialties and unique characteristics
of the winery and the tasting room. I jot down my impressions
and check off my lists but I am also engaged by others enjoying
their tasting experience.

In no other environment that I can think of does this occur
with such ease. Couples sharing their thoughts on wine,
vineyards, winemakers and new found wines can quickly divert to
food or art or – dare we risk it – politics, religion, or other
taboo topics.

A single person can confidently inquire about a wine to their
tasting bar neighbor and not look or feel out of place or
uncomfortable. The tasting room is a unique place and with the
plethora of new and updated tasting rooms, the experience only
grows deeper.

Not only can you share a glass of wine and a tour of the winery
with your new wine tasting friends, you can now share a walk
through the sustainable vineyard, tour the first class art or
sculpture gallery, enjoy the perfectly pared flavors of food
tastes and wine, or learn the minute details of how the
winemaker pumps over the must to extract the most flavor in his
or her wine. It is truly a joy to be engaged and the wine is the
enabler. And this is why I love wine.

Are you a wine lover, too? Or, are you at least curious to
learn more about wine?

If so, why not visit the pages of the California Winery Advisor
(www.CaliforniaWineryAdvisor.com) and discover unique tasting
experiences that await you…


About The Author: California Winery Advisor visits hundreds of
wineries each year, then offers profiles on wine tasting and
better wine tasting experiences. Visit
http://www.californiawineryadvisor.com to build your own
customized wine tasting tour and learn more about California's
exciting wineries.