Not too sweet, not too rancid, just right

[mr_bad_example]

I've been trying to learn more about wine. I swear it's not because I just watched Sideways. It's always seemed to me that a working knowledge of wine would be a useful thing for an aspiring hedonist to have. So far, all I've been able to learn are the absolute basics about things like different varieties and different wine-producing regions. (This is actually quite an accomplishment. Up until a couple of years ago, I knew this about wine: What's the word? Thunderbird! What's the price? Thirty twice!) What I'm having trouble with are discerning all the different characteristics people claim to be able to discern in a glass of wine. I'm at the point right now where I can pretty reliably tell the difference between a white wine and a red. I can't do it blindfolded or anything, but if you set a glass of red and a glass of white in front of me, I can usually point out which is which.

Unfortunately, that's as far as it goes. My senses aren't trained yet to distinguish all the different qualities people find in wine. I don't want to be one of those guys who turns into Auntie Marialani ("This is a light-hearted wine with a morose attitude. Flamboyantly nondescript...subtle, yet annoying"), but I would like to know what people are talking about when they say things like "black cherry and plum flavor with a strong finish." As it is now, I can describe a glass of wine two ways: "More delicious" and "Less delicious."

OK, there is one other thing I know about wine: Strawberry Hill kicks Wild Island's ass.

Comments

[somesuch.livejournal.com]

Read 'Great Tastes Made Simple' by Andrea Immer, 'Wine for Dummies' (no offense intended,) anything by Oz Clarke, and 'The Wine Bible' by Karen MacNeil. If you're feel the need to own a six pound book, the 'New Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia'. epicurious (http://epicurious.com) has an amazing wine dictionary.
The CIA has an online course (http://www.prochef.com/wine_2004/free_class.html).
Truth be told, the best advice I have is (this will be hard) drink drink drink.
Oh, and Sweet Babboo (http://www.beaucoupkevin.com) sent me this way.

[mr-bad-example.livejournal.com]

I've had a look at Wine for Dummies. Actually, it does seem like there's a lot of good information there. I can't say I've seen any of the others, but i'll keep an eye out for them on my next trip to the bookstore. Right now, I'm reading Oldman's Guide to Outsmarting Wine, and it's really good.

And yes, one of the things I enjoy most about learning about wine is having the opportunity to drink lots of wine.

[somesuch.livejournal.com]

I have WFD, the Wine Bible and some Oz Clarke stuff I shall bring your way when charva and I hit the MSP region in late June. Warn the neighbors!