Wine tasting - what's the point ?
May 18, 2012 | 10:28 am
#136
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: United States
Posts: 355
Wine tasting is subjective. I have experienced more than 50 samples in tasting room of my friend's hotel. I had about 50 samples in front of me and I tasted my way through them at once. After an hour, I realized that the wines started to taste tight, tannin, and even slightly austere. Was it the wines or me? 
I looked outside and I saw a cold front rolling over the vineyards with rain and all sorts of bad ..... And I started feeling cold and sort of achy. I thought that maybe the wines were feeling the same way. They were closing down. They were battening down the hatches for the tempest that was arriving. The atmospheric pressure was dropping. So, I gave them a little more time in the glass. I tried to better understand what their flavors and structures were. And I think I got it right.
I looked outside and I saw a cold front rolling over the vineyards with rain and all sorts of bad ..... And I started feeling cold and sort of achy. I thought that maybe the wines were feeling the same way. They were closing down. They were battening down the hatches for the tempest that was arriving. The atmospheric pressure was dropping. So, I gave them a little more time in the glass. I tried to better understand what their flavors and structures were. And I think I got it right.
May 18, 2012 | 10:37 am
#137
Join Date: May 1998
Location: australia
Posts: 5,962
After an hour, I realized that the wines started to taste tight, tannin, and even slightly austere. Was it the wines or me? I looked outside and I saw a cold front rolling over the vineyards with rain and all sorts of bad ..... And I started feeling cold and sort of achy. I thought that maybe the wines were feeling the same way. They were closing down. They were battening down the hatches for the tempest that was arriving. The atmospheric pressure was dropping. So, I gave them a little more time in the glass. I tried to better understand what their flavors and structures were.
I looked outside and I saw a cold front rolling over the vineyards with rain and all sorts of bad ..... And I started feeling cold and sort of achy. I thought that maybe the wines were feeling the same way. They were closing down. They were battening down the hatches for the tempest that was arriving. The atmospheric pressure was dropping. So, I gave them a little more time in the glass. I tried to better understand what their flavors and structures were.How literary - sounds like the opening paragraph of a novel. I'll preorder a first edition - I want to know what happens next
May 18, 2012 | 2:28 pm
#138
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: UA Million Miler (lite). NY Metro area.
Posts: 15,431
Shameless plug for WineDo below. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/commu...-post-brt.html
dh
May 18, 2012 | 2:55 pm
#140
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: SEA
Programs: Million Miles achieved | 2017 Delta Platinum, United NADA, Global Entry, PreCheck, NEXUS
Posts: 1,295
mjm and I have been doing Napa/Sonoma for several years. Every so often, we drop in to one of the places you mention. That's not an experience for anyone. The best, most fun tastings are at the smaller boutique wineries. I don't mean to generalize. YMMV.
Shameless plug for WineDo below. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/commu...-post-brt.html
dh
Shameless plug for WineDo below. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/commu...-post-brt.html
dh
May 18, 2012 | 10:13 pm
#141
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: UA Million Miler (lite). NY Metro area.
Posts: 15,431
May 19, 2012 | 8:31 pm
#143
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: SEA
Programs: Million Miles achieved | 2017 Delta Platinum, United NADA, Global Entry, PreCheck, NEXUS
Posts: 1,295
May 20, 2012 | 1:49 am
#145
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: LHR / IAD
Programs: BA/AA/UA
Posts: 2,955
The best, most fun tastings are at the smaller boutique wineries. I don't mean to generalize.
May 20, 2012 | 7:27 am
#146
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: south of WAS DC
Posts: 10,131
to answer the OP, about 1 in 20-30 bottles(1 in 12 is for older wines) is off. the sommelier should taste, as he knows (or is supposed to know) if the wine is not correct. on a busy night, lot of drunk sommeliers.
May 20, 2012 | 10:10 am
#147
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Join Date: Sep 2008
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Posts: 12,529
I avoid those places unless I'm "forced" to go. Fortunately, in these parts, there are countless hundreds of small wineries where you won't have this experience. Some of your experiences are because the wineries want them to be that way, because there are many constipated people that want this experience.
It's akin to converting to the language of FT when sidling up to a Gate Agent or check-in agent.