AnuvaBlog

Amelia and Andrew came to us with varying degrees of wine experience.  Both were young, but while Andrew was rather experienced, Amelia was just getting her feet wet in the world of wine.  It was her first wine tasting and she said that she generally preferred white wines, which is commonly how people begin enjoying wine.The shift in appreciation in wine generally goes from whites, to new world reds, to old world reds and beyond.  My personal experience followed this track.My favorite wine two years ago was a dry white from Orvieto (in Italy) which can across the tongue with light fruit, a creamy mid palate before ending in crisp acidity.  I left Orvieto sure that white wines were superior to red, and that the wine world was simply too stuck up in the mysticism of “aging” too realize the truth.Fast forward a few months and I was infatuated with new world style of red wines, specifically Malbec, Shiraz and Zinfandel.  While they had the big taste of reds they did not have the bitterness of heavy tannins or come with flavors like “manure” or “sweaty socks”, instead I could be delighted by their bright fruit and lingering finishes.A few months before I left the state is when I first started to really enjoy the old world style reds.  A tasting with all high quality pinot noirs, and a last night that included a Grand Cru from Burgundy tends to awaken you to the possibilities of good old world wines.  I am not at the stage yet to say I prefer old world reds, but they are growing on me, and I see as my tastes develop and wallet grows that it is a possibility, if not a likelihood.35 years through a time machine and you have my father, who loves wine, but is currently enamored with a specific single malt scotch that while I find barely potable, he swears by its smokiness.This is a normal progression for wine drinkers, and one that Amelia will likely mimic.  The older crowd prefers to believe that it is due to a more experienced palate, which can decipher the complexity in more intense wines.  I prefer to believe that it is due to the dulling of the taste buds as one ages, making older wine consumers in need of more intense tastes.  Whatever the reasons the process can take months, years, work backwards or not progress at all.  Robert Parker, the most well known wine critic in the world, is known to prefer the new world style of reds.  The important part is to realize that your palate is consistently changing and not to completely block yourself off from wine styles that you may like in the future. (guest blog by Stu)