This is an issue close to my heart. Mostly because I want more Americans to make wine a part of their everyday eating experience. And brief,easily accessible wine information and reviews will help that cause tremendously.
I have to admit that I am often times bored to tears by the long-winded and self aggrandizing wine reviews I read both off and online every week.
And I am a wine professional and major wine geekgirl.
Can you imagine how the casual wine consumer feels?
Wine GuideLine took matters into their own hands and retweaked the traditional wine review format to make it more user friendly for average wine drinkers.
This week they have taken several different wines made of single varietals and tasted them side by side with an organic wine counterpart.
On their current SnobGoblet page, they provide a clear and concise definitions of what exactly makes a wine organic or biodynamic.
Bottom line is that wine consumers do want guidance with their wine choices. And yes, there is a small cadre of wine drinkers who want to read very long winded wine reviews (ahem, ebobparker crowd raise your hands).
But it is high time that we spend more time and energy reaching out to the millions of casual wine drinkers and make it easy for them to understand and enjoy a glass of vino.
I applaud Wine GuideLine for their departure from the navel gazing and elitist attitudes that permeate so many other wine review sites.
In that spirit, I offer my wine recommendation for the day. Always short, always sweet.
Jekel Vineyards Riesling 2007 $10
Sweet lime, apricot and tropical fruit (think passionfruit) flavors.
Touch of mineral stones and petrol on the nose (this is a great sign in Rieslings!).
Great acidity keeps the wine light and refreshing.
This is going to be beautiful with pan fried cod and sauteed spring peas for dinner.
3 comments:
Hi Amy - I agree 110%. My take is wine reviews are trying WAY to hard to impress while not really helping with appreciation. I focus my club on wine style and like simple words like 'fruity', 'bold', 'dark fruit', 'red fruits'. Occasionally certain unmistakeable flavors jump out - cedar for example for Russian River wines grown in Redwood forest soils.
The deal is we pour wine at our wine bar ALL DAY and can't use words that make everyone go 'HUH? What?' We don't want that polite nod either where clearly the taster is just agreeing even though they don't. So I am not sure that people who write about wine actually show those wines one on one to real wine drinkers.
Another part of what you are saying is 'snob'. Some people need status to feel good about stuff and they are sold on status journals like the Wine Speculator. Look at the ads for the $4000 watches and you'll know they are trying to impress people.
I don't see how the type of fermented grape juice I sell is going to impress anyone UNLESS it tastes phenomenal and isn't a mortgage payment.
Keep up the good work.
Bryan Cooper - sonomawineshop.com
Social Director
There is definitely a 'trophy collector' mentality involved with some wine reviewers, both amateur and professional.
Look forward to checking out your shop next time I am in Sonoma.
Good stuff. The snobgoblet descriptions are so nice and concise.
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