Wine Blog Introduction

I only bought sugary and cheaper wines when I first started drinking wine. I had yet to acquire a taste for the more bitter wines. If I did experiment, it would only be with white wines and never the deeper reds. It took me a few years to acquire a taste for pinot noir and other reds. Branching out and trying new things started with a few friends majoring in Horticulture and explicitly interested in viticulture. We would have wine nights together, and the quality of the wine became more of a subject in the conversations. Being surrounded by people interested in the grape-growing process and could identify details in the wines, such as notes, flavors, and pairings, primarily encouraged me to begin my own wine journey. 

Another defining moment in my wine journey was traveling to Europe through a Pamplin Study Abroad last summer. During the trip, we visited several wineries and brew pubs. Naturally, the more I learn about how something is made, the more I can appreciate the final product. Also, hearing everyone from back home rave about how European wines are so delicious definitely shaped my perception. I learned some things from that tour, including how to properly sample wine by swirling, sniffing, and chewing. I also knew the difference between handling red versus white wines and how white wines are typically chilled and grabbed by the stem when in a glass. I noticed that wineries in Italy felt like family communities and were usually owned by prominent families that had passed down their vineyards for decades.

One thing that I currently struggle with and hope to take away from this class is the skill to identify particular notes and flavors beyond just "red wine" or "white wine" tastes. I can tell the difference between something I like and don't like, but it is challenging to taste fruit notes or more subtle flavoring. Ideally, I would like to be able to pick out bottles of wine for other people based on what I know about them and their preferences.