_5.jpg)
It’s a little intimidating when someone calls you an “expert” in anything, especially when you just consider yourself a “student.”
That is a bit of how I felt reading the introduction to my wine column in the last issue of Girlfriends.
I enjoy wine — learning about it, talking about it, teaching others about it and most of all, drinking it.
And, I suppose that after about 12 years of being fascinated with wine, I may know more about it than most people I meet. But an expert? Not yet. Let’s stick with the “wine friend” title, OK?
I’m often asked how I got started learning about wine. In 1994, my father asked what I would like for Christmas. He had often shared good bottles of wine with me, so I asked him to help me learn more about wine. He gave me a subscription to Wine Spectator magazine, a copy of the current “Wine Buying Guide” and a case of assorted wines — mostly Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlots. And while I don’t remember the names of any wines in that case, I know I started with sweeter, white wines and wanted nothing to do with the big, bold Cabs that now take up the most space in my wine collection. In talking with people over the years, it seems like there is a very natural progression of learning to love wine. Nearly everyone who enjoys wine began by sipping a fruity wine cooler or a White Zinfandel.
It is a natural progression to then fall in love with a sweet German Riesling — a favorite of mine was the Piesporter Michelsberg — or a light Pinot Grigio (or Pinot Gris depending on what country makes the wine).
Then as wine becomes something that you enjoy with meals rather than just a summer deck drink, most people will discover a wonderful, buttery California Chardonnay or a mellow Merlot. This is when most people become curious to learn a lot more about wine. But the real transition happens when you are introduced to that first beautiful Cabernet Sau- vignon. Not a run of the mill Cab or a trendy blend with a crazy name, but a true Napa or Bordeaux Cab that absolutely blows away every preconceived notion about what red wine tastes like.
I clearly remember my “first.” It was a 1994 Duckhorn that I bought for $24 at a wine sale. I had no idea what I was buying, but I was told that it was a great deal.
So I bought it and opened it that evening.
And fell in love with wine.
I spent the next 10 years buying a lot of red wine — mostly Cab, Merlot and Zinfandel. I turned my nose up at fruity white wines and would only drink red.
“About: Wine” columnist Mary Beth Hagen has recently launched a wine endeavor called “Make Wines Mine,” which is a business dedicated to matching people with the best wine experience possible. Read her column about different wine-related topics in each issue of Girlfriends.