How I became a wine lover

When I try to remember how, exactly, I became a wine lover, I really can't say. By that, I mean, I really don't know. I didn't grow up in a wine producing area or in a wine drinking family. I didn't drink my first big red and think "this is it". I could say that the dietitian in me buys into the health benefits of wine, but the truth is, I just love wine! I "specialize" in the $15 and under wines for everyday consumption. I used to feel guilty about the amount of money I spend on wine, but a wise friend (my sister) pointed out that, unlike most women, I don't get my nails done and I don't get highlights, so when you add it up I'm getting off cheap - almost.

Like many wine drinkers, I started out with White Zinfandel, thinking I was a wine drinker. Now, when I happen upon said WZ drinker, it's hard not to snicker. In fact, having become a wine lover, it took me until just last year that I could even bring myself to buy a bottle of anything rose, and that came after a trip to Napa with my sister, who is also my best friend, where we were served Gamay Rouge with BBQ, and it was incredible! I'll share more about that trip in a later post.

I would describe my taste preference as sweeter whites and bolder reds, fruit forward vs floral. Two of my favorite wines are Covey Run Riesling ($8) and Liotro (an Italian red ~$12). I love that I can drink a glass of wine one day and like it, have it with a meal the next day and love it. I love that I can taste a gazillion different Chardonnays or Merlots or Cabs and they will all have their own nuances, some I may not care for, some I may appreciate, and some I may fall head over heels for, all depending on where the grapes were grown, the climate and soil conditions, and how the winemaker ages and blends the juice. I love that a wine I drink by myself may be good, but the same wine shared with a friend may be phenomenal. I love that I can drink a Cab and get bowled over by the tannins, then pair it with blue cheese and all I taste is juicy fruit. I love the way wine looks in a wine glass - the right wine glass. I'm not saying I have Reidel glasses for every type of wine I drink, but I do have my (rather large) multipurpose red and multipurpose white glasses. It's just not the same drinking wine out of "Olive Garden" type wine glasses.

It is rare that I don't have a bottle of wine open that I drink over 3-4 days, and since I am given to enjoying a good bit of wine, I thought it prudent to start a wine blog to help me keep track of what I've tried and what I've liked!