I have a problem. My problem is what I’ll call ‘wine myopia’; specifically, the unfortunate refusal of many people to even try wines from that are not ripe, juicy, high alcohol reds.
It’s perfectly acceptable to have preferences. I find no fault in the individual that thinks Zinfandel, for example, is just fab. But when I’m offering you a free sample of a wine that you’ve never tasted before, why not try it? What do you have to lose?
Where did this reluctance came from? Is it cultural? Like in baseball, apple pie and hints of tobacco and saddle leather? Historical? Was the west won by straight shooting, laconic, shiraz-swilling cow-punchers? Constitutional, perhaps? Does the 6nd Amendment protect the right to only consume wines that are verifiably teeth-staining?
When did people come to the conclusion that only red wines are ‘serious’ or ‘collectible’ or ‘notable’? Who died and made Cabernet Sauvignon the King of Grapes, the Grape of Kings?
People, people, people! Wine is supposed to be democratic, open and available, versatile and forgiving! The only wrong wine is the one that you don’t like! And how do you know that you don’t like it if you won’t even try it? Even when it’s offered for free!
Ok, I’ll calm down.
I’m better now.
Let me (yet again) announce my personal bias: I prefer high-acid, aromatic whites. Chablis, Champagne, Riesling, Savennieres, Sancerre, Gruner Veltliner, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris are all regions and wines that I embrace. I also love big, funky whites made with Roussanne, Marsanne, Aligote, Arneis and Erbaluce. Likewise Falanghina, Greco di Tufo and Assyrtiko. If I’m drinking reds, I prefer cool-climate, aromatic grapes like Cabernet Franc (from Loire), PInot Noir, Lagrein, Refosco, Syrah (from Northern Rhone Valley) and Nebbiolo. Sangiovese is good, too. There’s a correlation between the whites and reds that I like; aromatics and acidity. I find that the tension between acidity and fruit flavors brings forward complexity in wine. And as our sense of taste is rather inexact, aromatic wines are more interesting. Finally, since I prefer wine with food, higher acid wines perk up rather than covering up food flavors.
Now I understand that some of you prefer the other end of the wine spectrum; high fruit, low acid, high alcohol, viscous wines. These wines are thicker, juicier, sweeter than the wines that I prefer. Many of them are red. But here’s the thing…there are white wines that echo those same profiles. They are big, rich, viscous and over-the-top. But if you don’t free your (wine) mind, you’ll never find them. Too bad because, you’ll really like them.
Here’s a (partial) list of white wines for red wine drinkers…
White Hermitage
Condrieu
Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc
Corton-Charlemagne
Almost any wine made by Zind-Humbrecht
Napa Chardonnay
Australian Semillon
…and trust me, if you show up for the Friday night all-guys’ poker game with one of these bad boys, no one will be talking trash. Except for that guy too unsure of his own masculinity to even try the wine.