I just had a very good glass of wine--always a good idea prior to writing fiction or a blog post. (Not so good an idea before doing taxes.) It was a white wine from the Bordeaux region and very reasonably priced at around $15.
The thing is, I'm not really sure why I liked it. I never really know why I like a particular wine. It was a little fruity--but I don't know if the fruit was raspberry, currant, citrus or celery. It had a nice after-taste, what is known as "finish," but I don't know if the finish was mineral, tannic, or oak.
I also don't know if the wine was supposed be drunk now or several years in the future. I never know. And I don't know if the wine would taste better with a savory veal dish or a simple pan-fried snapper.
All I know is that I liked the wine. I'm pretty good a telling whether a wine costs $5 or $50, but not so good about $30 vs. $100. Words are my vocation, but words fail me when it comes to describing wine, a topic in which experts never seem to run out of words to describe. Usually I'm left with--"really tasty," or "disgusting swill."
This is weird and frustrating. When it comes to food, I'm pretty good at deconstructing ingredients, flavors and textures and can readily tell the difference between excellence in the kitchen and what you usually get.
So as a semi-serious cook, I'll just have to live with the fact that I will never be a critical judge of wines, but at least I'll always know what I like.
The thing is, I'm not really sure why I liked it. I never really know why I like a particular wine. It was a little fruity--but I don't know if the fruit was raspberry, currant, citrus or celery. It had a nice after-taste, what is known as "finish," but I don't know if the finish was mineral, tannic, or oak.
I also don't know if the wine was supposed be drunk now or several years in the future. I never know. And I don't know if the wine would taste better with a savory veal dish or a simple pan-fried snapper.
All I know is that I liked the wine. I'm pretty good a telling whether a wine costs $5 or $50, but not so good about $30 vs. $100. Words are my vocation, but words fail me when it comes to describing wine, a topic in which experts never seem to run out of words to describe. Usually I'm left with--"really tasty," or "disgusting swill."
This is weird and frustrating. When it comes to food, I'm pretty good at deconstructing ingredients, flavors and textures and can readily tell the difference between excellence in the kitchen and what you usually get.
So as a semi-serious cook, I'll just have to live with the fact that I will never be a critical judge of wines, but at least I'll always know what I like.
Just checking to see if I can comment.
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