Learning more about wine is a lot of fun. It goes without saying that for those of you who can already discern the wonders of wine, but this can be said to be the real pleasure of being a wine lover. for example,
- Taste and aroma of each wine
- Difference in quality depending on price
- Direction by winery
It's fun to feel the charm of various parts. However, as your understanding of wine increases, you will experience that ``wine exists'' applies to many people. This time, I would like to introduce you to the "wine" situation that can only occur to people with a clear palate.
- I want to feel the joy of empathizing with a certain story.
- I want to know something that only wine connoisseurs can know.
- Somehow I have free time
If so, please read this.
Part 1: It tastes better over time
I bought some expensive wine and started tasting it right away. When I tried drinking it, it didn't have as much fruit flavor as I expected, and the aroma wasn't quite as good either...The attack was weak, and I didn't feel the bitterness of the tannins or the adultness.
- "I had high expectations, but it's not a big deal at all."
- "Well, there won't be a second time."
- "It doesn't suit my taste"
Thinking like this is the daily life of a wine lover. Up to this point, it's all about wine in a negative sense. However, after a few hours, my opinion completely changed. With just the right amount of sourness, a certain sweetness, and a ripe aroma, you'll think, "Huh? It's surprisingly delicious after all." For some reason, as time passes, our evaluation of the taste of wine changes dramatically. You could say that wine lovers are truly evil creatures. Leaving aside certain topics for a moment, if we talk about something serious, perhaps there isn't enough swirling. Swirling mixes the wine with oxygen, causing the wine to oxidize. This is the so-called "wine opening" phenomenon. In other words, it may not be open at the initial stage, but it may finally open over time and taste delicious.
Part 2: If it's too high, the evaluation will be cool.
The fun and bad thing about wine is that "more expensive doesn't mean it's better." The more expensive a wine is, the easier it is to evaluate it. Basically, the higher the price of wine, the more
- "Delicious! Too delicious!"
- “As expected of an expensive wine!”
- “It definitely smells different!”
I'm impressed. However, that is usually up to 30,000 yen. As the price increases from 40,000 yen or more,
- "It's only 50,000 yen and it's delicious."
- “This is like a 100,000 yen wine (I don’t understand).”
- "300,000 yen....Hmm, isn't that good?"
And the reaction becomes cool. By the way, the world's most rare Romanée-Conti is no exception. When beginners drink Romanée-Conti, they often think, ``Huh? It's thin.'' It's a moment that makes you wonder what the sommeliers are feeling when they sing such beautiful words of praise. Recently, I was given some kind of pink sparkling wine. When I asked, ``What is this?'', I was told that it was a so-called ping dong. If you drink it carefully, it's definitely delicious. However, when asked if it was delicious enough to say, "I'd pay 200,000 yen to drink it!", in the end, all I could say was, "Oh, it's completely different!"
Part 3: I end up going back to drinking everything.
The second story is about my growth as a wine lover. People grow up as wine lovers by drinking a variety of wines. When you're a beginner, you don't know anything about wine, so you'll probably try a lot of different wines. And you probably won't drink too much expensive wine. However, when you reach the "intermediate" level,
- “I only drink Burgundy!”
- “I don’t like cheap ones!”
- “I can’t drink it unless it’s Cabernet Sauvignon!”
There is a certain topic that I start to pay attention to in various ways. However, this changes as you become an "advanced" player. Anyway, I start drinking everything. Their attitude is, "Austrian wine? It looks pretty interesting, so let's try it." This is not a return to the beginner era. Rather, it is a sign that you have acquired the knowledge to appreciate the taste, flavor, and expression of each wine. By the way, I have recently entered a period where I only drink Pinot Noir. I would like to move on to the world of advanced drinkers who want to drink anything (and who can accept the character of each wine) as soon as possible.
Part 4: Imitating a sommelier
Wine sommeliers express their interpretation of wine using a variety of beautiful (and sometimes harsh) expressions. I'm sure many of you have imitated them. Shaking the wine glass, he said, ``While maintaining the original freshness of Chardonnay, it has a heavy attack...The gentle scent is reminiscent of black cherry, giving an impression of royalty...'' ..'', which sounds like something a wine sommelier would say. When I was a university student, whenever I had a chance to drink wine, I would imitate the sommelier and get a laugh. Nowadays, I understand just how much of what the sommeliers say is based on evidence, so I never try to imitate them.
Part 5: I can't open it because I have to drink it if I open it.
This is a story that happens to people who enjoy wine at home. Once wine is opened, it gradually oxidizes. In other words, if you want to enjoy the original taste of wine, you have to drink it all on the day you open it. However, even if you open a bottle of wine, there are many cases where you won't be able to finish drinking it within the same day. that's why,
- I don't have much time today, so I won't open it.
- I want to drink something other than wine, and I think I'll leave it behind once I open it.
- With this number of people, there will probably be some left over...
There are times when I think about this and end up not being able to open it. Opening a bottle of wine requires a certain amount of determination. This tendency is especially strong when it comes to expensive wines. Some people may open the bottle, but they can't drink it all, so they re-cork it and put it back in. The next time you drink it, the taste will change, but you'll think, ``Huh? It's sour and delicious,'' and you'll be in the same state of ① with wine... By the way, at the author's house, there is also a glass of gold. I have an Armando, but it hasn't been opened for about a year and a half.
Part 6: Wine accumulates at home
Wine lovers who are particular about wine often experience the experience of accumulating wine at home. Things like, ``I'll drink this wine on a special day...'' ``I want to drink this wine with that person, so not today.'' ``Hmm, I bought it, but I don't feel like drinking it.'' I kept putting off opening the wine for some reason, and before I knew it, I had several bottles of wine at home. Despite this, we continue to buy new wine, which leads to an increase in the number of bottles. When the problem becomes severe, the wine may have been in the house for about five years, and it may be past its drinking age.
Part 7: Sometimes things open in a ridiculous way
I bought a bottle of wine and headed home in high spirits. Just stick the opener in and open it! However, the cork is hard and you can't open it properly... And the worst case is that you end up in the situation below.
(Quote: Twitter)
The cork sank in and spilled into the wine. This seems to change the flavor, aroma, and everything else. In the first place, how do I remove this cork? It's something I really don't want to experience for the rest of my life. If this were Dom Peri, you wouldn't even notice.
Wine ⑧: Cheap! I thought...
When purchasing wine, this is something you often encounter. "This brand is only XX yen!? It's cheap! I'll buy it right away!" I thought, but when I looked closer, it was half size (375ml). Then, the whole process goes back to being cool and thinking, ``What, half size is about the same as the market price.'' Wines that are extremely cheap can hardly be found in retail stores. However, I was disappointed when I realized it was a half bottle. If possible, I would like bottles to be displayed so that the size can be seen at a glance.
There is wine⑨: I can't find "that"!
Isn't this a popular wine for beginners? When I brought home a rare bottle of wine and was about to drink it, I noticed something. "I don't have an opener..." If you're a regular drinker of wine, you probably have an opener in place. However, if you are not in the habit of drinking wine, you may not be able to find the opener. In fact, you probably don't have an opener at all. If you're not sure you have an opener at home, it's important to buy one along with your wine. By the way, if you don't have an opener, this can lead to the wild situation of trying to forcefully open the bottle with something other than an opener.
Summary: There is wine
Drinking wine will lead you to many interesting stories. Maybe there are some things you can relate to? Some of them may have been a little humorous. But it's nothing to be ashamed of. This is because the fact that you have encountered something like wine means that you understand wine that much. If you don't know anything about wine, you won't feel that it's what it is. In fact, I hope they will feel proud that they were able to empathize with something that is true.
