Wednesday, May 28, 2014

“Life is too short to drink bad wine.”


“Life is too short to drink bad wine.”  ― Anonymous

At the risk of offending wine connoisseurs everywhere, I admit it – in my youth I actually drank Boones Farm Wine and the big jugs of Gallo wine.  Now before you judge me too harshly, that was a long time ago & there were lots of folks who were doing it too.  That doesn’t really make it any better, but we have all done foolish things in our youth. 

Drinking wine & really appreciating good wine is not a skill that is mastered overnight.  As an individual grows and matures, so does their taste in wine.  Reading ‘Wine for Dummies’ might acquaint you with the vocabulary necessary to sound like a wine aficionado, but appreciating wine is a process over time.

When I was growing up, my mother’s idea of wine was a glass of Cold Duck Champaign that she drank with our neighbor.  I was always thrilled when I got to sneak a sip of that sweet bubbly goodness.  I think I was 11 or 12 years old when my dad actually gave me my own glass of Cold Duck at a family holiday dinner and boy did I feel special.   Even back then I knew there was a connection between the wine and the experience.


I enjoy drinking a glass or two of wine.  My recent trip to Napa was so much fun.  I got to experience so many excellent wines, and I admit I felt proud when my friend Laura complimented my wine palette.  I can proudly boast that I now know the difference between a Cabernet and a Pinot or the difference between a Chardonnay and a Riesling.  I learned about food pairings and all the different elements that make up each unique wine.  I still have a great deal to learn & I don’t think I will ever become one of those pretentious wine snobs.  It sure is fun trying out different wines J I am hoping to go visit some of the Arizona wineries soon.  If you haven’t had the chance to visit a winery or tasting room – I highly recommend it, you will learn a lot and it will help you to enjoy the wines when you learn more about each one.   
I did find a fun new wine app for my phone called Vivino that lets you upload a picture of the label and it tells you all about that wine, you can rate the wine and just like on Facebook, you can share your ratings and other wine info with your friends. 

I am looking forward to learning even more about wine in the days ahead, and I promise no more Boones Farm wine for me. 

12 comments:

  1. Ha ha I remember Boones Farm.. Those were the days .... that I am glad are over with!
    I never know which wine to try.. I have tried them and don't like them and my husband does not understand why my taste buds think the way they do.. I need to wine that does not taste like wine. Ideas? Wine Coolers count?

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    1. Thanks Aimee, I recommend trying a wine tasting, you can go to a 'Total Wine & More' or even sometimes and AJ's or Trader Joe's will do tastings, everyone likes something different, I think that's why there are so many choices. I know my wine tastes have changed over time.

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  2. hahahaha i'm so not a drinker but I remember Boones from high school. My mom actually found some wine coolers stashed in my closet from like 10 yrs ago and asked me if I still wanted them hahahaha.

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    1. That's hilarious Elizabeth - I wonder if they were still any good????

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  3. That app sounds really cool! I might have to check it out. I'm not a huge wine drinker, but do know that I love sweeter whites. My husband and I have done some wine tastings in the past couple years, and it's really fun. He and I have been talking about doing a trip to wine country sometime soon, so it's nice to hear someone who doesn't know wine had a good time on one!

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    1. My fiancé and I had a blast doing wine tastings. He isn't a big drinker - but its a fun experience and you learn so much. My daughter was actually who told me about the wine app.

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  4. Hi! Found you through SITS! I used to drink Strawberry Zinfandel. I'll have to check that wine app out :-) http://www.awhimsiclelife.com

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    1. Hi JoAnn Thanks for stopping by, Vivino is really cool, I'm still learning how to use it

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  5. I don't really know much about wine but I do love a glass every once in a while. I don't really have a method of selection, I just get the one that tastes good. LOL

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  6. Tami- I think that's the best way to select wine - pick that one that tastes good to you :) Thanks for stopping by!

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  7. I love wine, maybe too much. I use Vivino, too.

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  8. I agree! Learning about wine is an art! I'm not much of a drinker in general but I do enjoy a good glass of wine.

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