Expand your Wine Horizons

I never really liked wine till about 6 years ago. Yeah, I had some on hand, gifts given when I had parties, something to cook with, and even one or two to drink, when I got around to it. I didn't dislike wine, but I did dislike (and still am not a huge fan of) Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, White Zinfandel and Chardonnay. The reds were always too dry and oakey, the White Zin left a buttery feeling in my mouth. The Chardonnay just didn't taste that good.

Then I met my future wife, Heidi, and she convinced me to go to a local wine festival. I learned about Concords, Chambourcins, Niagaras, table reds and whites that tastes like grape juice, and didn't leave me feeling thirsty! That summer we spent a weekend in NY's Finger Lakes region. I was introduced to my favorite variety: Gewurtztraminer.

The rest is history.

California does a great job of promoting it's big products; Cabs, Merlots, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Chablis....and I know several people who associated wine with those varieties. Depending on where you live, you might also associate wine with the jet fuel your grandfather made in the basement. I even know some people who drank the $4 a bottle stuff in college, and couldn't bring themselves to taste wine again.

I'm suggesting you do one thing: forget that you don't like wine. You probably do, you just haven't had one you liked. And once you find one you do, you'll find another, and another...and you might even end up liking something you didn't before.

Next time you're going past a store that sells wine, grab a bottle or two of any of the following: Red Zinfandel (drink it with a bowl of pasta), Gewurtztraminer, Reisling, Concord, Niagara, Catawba, Rioja, a decent Austrailian Shiraz (or Syrah) or any semi-dry table wine (red or white). When should you drink it? When you're looking to relax. Saturday night, you're sitting on the porch and would normally have a beer? Have a glass of wine. Cooking your favorite dinner, have it then. Just need some time to yourself (and I don't normally advise drinking alone), but pour a glass of wine, instead of having a cigarette, or scotch. The time to drink it is up to you, but open that bottle with the intention that the next 30 minutes are dedicated to relaxing.

You might be surprised to fine out that you really do like wine.