Having some game when it comes to wine is a natural extension of being a well-groomed and well-informed modern man. Wine is about moving past the mere necessities of living and into an appreciation of the finer things in life. Knowing and appreciating wines IS NOT about snobbing it up, although wine expertise certainly conveys status and prestige. Rather, it’s about making the time to learn some really cool stuff and apply what you know to enhancing daily life and special occasions alike.
A good grounding in wine involves gathering knowledge, developing good communication and presentation skills, and connecting with others to share what you know – especially your date, significant other or spouse! The Manpossibilities here also include making a great impression on business colleagues at restaurants; and on friends, clients, etc., with gifts. Not to mention the fact that wine tastes great and sets a mood like no other beverage can….
The good news is that you can get build some solid basic wine capabilities without too much trouble. Toward that end, over the next month or so, I’ll be posting an article each week to get you started. Your job? Go out and do some “field work” by tasting some wines to figure out what you like. As we say in the wine world, it’s tough work, but somebody’s gotta do it.
By way of basic overview, most wines from Europe are identified by the region they come from – Bordeaux, Burgundy, Chianti, Rioja, etc. Here in the U.S. of A., we usually think of wines according to the specific grape(s) they’re made from – Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and so on. And that’s the way we’ll go forward, featuring a different grape varietal (varietal is just up-talk for a particular type of grape used in winemaking) to tell you about in each article. Along the way, we’ll talk about some classic recommended food pairings, and arm you with some cool facts and info that you can deploy when you need to.
By way of disclosure, I run a private wine concierge service, and can’t wait to share info with the MP community. My company offers wines for sale as well as customized consulting services to our clients, to help them zero in on just the right wines for their cellars, everyday consumption, and gifting needs. It’s good to have a guide through the wine world, especially as you’re getting started. You can get good advice from folks at wine shops, from tasting room staff members if you visit wine country, and from reading good books and online info. I look forward to taking you through six of the wine world’s marquee grape varietals in the weeks ahead – three whites and three reds. Stay tuned; we start next week with Sauvignon Blanc!
by ManPossible
Photos used under Creative Commons from Pedro Ribeiro Simões, Dave Dugdale
A good grounding in wine involves gathering knowledge, developing good communication and presentation skills, and connecting with others to share what you know – especially your date, significant other or spouse! The Manpossibilities here also include making a great impression on business colleagues at restaurants; and on friends, clients, etc., with gifts. Not to mention the fact that wine tastes great and sets a mood like no other beverage can….
The good news is that you can get build some solid basic wine capabilities without too much trouble. Toward that end, over the next month or so, I’ll be posting an article each week to get you started. Your job? Go out and do some “field work” by tasting some wines to figure out what you like. As we say in the wine world, it’s tough work, but somebody’s gotta do it.
By way of basic overview, most wines from Europe are identified by the region they come from – Bordeaux, Burgundy, Chianti, Rioja, etc. Here in the U.S. of A., we usually think of wines according to the specific grape(s) they’re made from – Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and so on. And that’s the way we’ll go forward, featuring a different grape varietal (varietal is just up-talk for a particular type of grape used in winemaking) to tell you about in each article. Along the way, we’ll talk about some classic recommended food pairings, and arm you with some cool facts and info that you can deploy when you need to.
By way of disclosure, I run a private wine concierge service, and can’t wait to share info with the MP community. My company offers wines for sale as well as customized consulting services to our clients, to help them zero in on just the right wines for their cellars, everyday consumption, and gifting needs. It’s good to have a guide through the wine world, especially as you’re getting started. You can get good advice from folks at wine shops, from tasting room staff members if you visit wine country, and from reading good books and online info. I look forward to taking you through six of the wine world’s marquee grape varietals in the weeks ahead – three whites and three reds. Stay tuned; we start next week with Sauvignon Blanc!
by ManPossible
Photos used under Creative Commons from Pedro Ribeiro Simões, Dave Dugdale
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