Wine Year in Review
posted by John in Snooth, Wine, Guest Bloggers
As the year draws to a close it is time for me to reflect on the year that has past. There were many, many events in my life that were of significance. As I sit and recall through them I can’t help but think about the significant events that have happened to me involved wine. Many of them were firsts for me this year and I thought I would share some of them. Consider this my 2008 year in (wine) review.
The Year of Snooth!
It is hard to believe that I have only been part of the Snooth community for less than a year. It has been a great find for knowledge, competitive pricing and a great community. Like many of you, I’ve become hooked and can’t stay away.
- Blogging for Snooth – This was probably one of the most surprising events for me. While I can say that I have a passion for wine and that I may know more than the average bear about wine, I don’t consider myself an expert on wine at any level. I have a passion for wine and have access to information but I am no expert. I am very happy to be blogging for Snooth and hope that my contributions have helped to develop the community.
- Attended Snooth Panel Tasting – I love being in Manhattan for the vibe, the energy, the food and people. Now, I have another reason to love Manhattan. There is always a potential to participate in a Snooth Panel wine tasting. This is something that I highly recommend to every Snooth member that has an opportunity to participate. The panel tastings give you an opportunity to try a lot of wines, experience what a panel tasting is like and see how other people perceive the same wines. Click here for Greg’s summary of the night of the panel tasting I attended.
Wine, Travel & Me
If you had told me at the beginning of this year that I’d have travel to three continents and have time to visit wine country in each area I would have jumped for joy. As I look back I am still amazed that I was able to do what I did.
- Visit the Willamette Valley – The first wine trip of the year for me was to the Willamette Valley in Oregon. If you are looking for diversity in varietals then Oregon is NOT for you. Pinot is king and I’m not talking about Pinot Gris. The Pinot Noir produced here ranges from the floral, cherry styles reminiscent of the Russian River Valley in California to earthy, elegant styles that draw comparisons to Burgundy. It is just a short flight from the Bay Area to Portland (or a long drive) and if you are a lover of Pinot Noir (like I am) this is definitely a wine destination.
- Visit to Champagne – This was somewhat of a pilgrimage for me. I managed to squeeze a few days in France with a trip I had planned to Italy for a friend’s wedding. Over the past few years I’ve grown to love sparkling wines and have long wanted to visit Champagne being the birth place of this style. Now that I have I am able to check off an item on my ‘must do list’. It was everything I expected and I can’t wait to return. I blogged about here and here.
- Visited the Yarra Valley – My trip to Australia was somewhat unexpected but, my full time job made this a reality. Yarra Valley is a less heralded wine region in Australia but one that shows that it is a mistake to stereotype a country’s wines by the style they are most known for. There is more to Australia than Shiraz. Yarra Valley has a number of great wine finds and is on my highly recommended list. Check out my thoughts about the Yarra Valley here.
The Wine Virgin
A friend of mine here on Snooth, RBoulanger, sent me a link a little while ago. It was a link to the Wine Century Club, a club where you can become a member if you have tried wines from a 100 different varietals. I downloaded the form and filled out as many varietals that I have tasted … 45. So, as much as I know (or think I know), I’m still a wine virgin.
- Tried Sauternes for the first time – Sauternes had always been a mystery for me. I couldn’t understand how a sweet wine could command so much money on release. I couldn’t understand why people would buy so many futures of a sweet wine. Lastly, I couldn’t understand how a wine, derived from a mold infestation, could be considered one of the worlds wine treasures. And then, I tried one. WOW. I know understood. A good Sauternes shows depth, complexity and character. It has balance between sweetness, acidity and fruit flavor. If you haven’t tried a wine from Sauternes it is something I highly recommend.
- Bought my first $200 bottle of wine – Okay, I’m not sure in this economy that this was such a good idea but I had an opportunity to get a bottle of 2004 Joseph Phelps Insignia. Many of the wines I buy (and, most people) are consumed within a short time of the purchase. So buying a $200 wine is my first purchase of an ‘age’ worthy / collectable wine. I’m not sure if I’ll keep it for 20 years but I won’t be drinking it next week.
A little knowledge goes a long way.
It is fair to say that wine can be a little intimidating. There are a hundreds of grape varietals, tens of thousands of producers and a mind boggling number of rules and laws that govern production. For the new wine enthusiast it can be bit overwhelming so it is natural to gravitate to a person or a publication that can help to guide the way.
- Started a wine tasting group – One of the best ways to learn more about wine is to share your interest and passion with others. I’ve found a great way to do that is to participate in a wine group. I’ve gathered a number of my wine enthusiast friends together to form a wine tasting group. The themed events allow for us to try new wines. If you are thinking of starting a wine tasting group you need a strong leader and idea person.
- Became the wine steward for my mortgage-paying job – It was a bit of surprise to me that my passion for wine became widely known through my company. The result has been requests for wine tour itineraries, wine recommendations and in general, a lot of questions. I’ve become the ‘Go-To’ guy for wine knowledge in my company. I’m still not sure if it is a good or bad thing but it has helped me dig deeper into my passion.
As I look back, this year has had a lot more wine related significance than I had thought. I can see now that wine has become an integral part of my life and not just a hobby.
John Andrews is a software product manager during the week and is a professional Tasting Room staffer at Loxton Cellars in Glen Ellen, CA on the weekends.
Great post. After a year like that, I don’t see you spending too many more years outside of the wine industry… the pull is just to strong!
As far being a wine virgin, you are anything but after all those experiences. Remember that the rules for the Wine Century Club allow you to count varieties tasted as parts of blends. Southern Rhone wines should give you at least 3 or 4 and Valpolicella/Amarone is another 3. If you’ve tried a few different red ports, you can mark down all 5 major port grapes. Other good strategies? Try sneaking into an Italian or Greek wine tasting (for trade)… they have dozens of different grapes!
We hope to see you at the next WCC birthday bash: http://www.winecentury.com/blog/?p=44
Thanks for the post John - I think you can give your varietal total a kick by trying some NY State wines - i literally added 12 new varietals to my total in one weekend there.
Great post wish I was as good at putting down my thoughts.I agree with RB you’re anything but a virgin.
Keep up the good work and expect to see some sort of expansion of your travels and posts over the next few years?
By the by maybe you can get in contact with some of the Australian producers that you’ve tried as to be called a varietal here, it only needs to be 85% the other 15% can be made up of a few things.
Thanks for the comments and tips guys.
I need to get out to the Northeast and try some wines out here (Nova Scotia, Canada has wines!). I’m sure I can make it closer to the Wine Century Club. That is a New Years Resolution that I can definitely stick too!