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| Adventuring Rule #4: If you don't bring refreshments, you need to find some. |
This is how my good friend Allison and I greeted a kind and knowledgeable man named Jimmie at the Kendall-Jackson Tasting Room in Healdsburg. He gave us a calculating glance, then dove into a lengthy speech that turned out to be our introductory lesson into the world of wine.
Jimmie was patient with our amateur enthusiasm. At the sight of the $15 reserve list tasting fee, Allison and I weren't certain we wanted to stay, but Jimmie offered a solution: share the glass, split the fee, and take in all the knowledge he had to offer. We couldn't say no, so we settled in and started tasting.
The first varietal was a crisp white wine called Avant, something new the winery was marketing. The promotional prose Jimmie spat out while pouring put me off, but the taste of the wine brought me back. It was light, sharp, and almost sweetly citrus.
From there we moved on to taste our way through Kendall-Jackson's reserve wine list. These bottles was too expensive for my thrifty pocketbook, but notes were collected for future reference. From white wines to strong reds, Jimmie maintained a stream of details and information to bring context to each glass.
It was a continuing surprise to me just how much work goes into making a glass of wine. My hometown happens to be the zinfandel capital of the world, so I had a sort of vague knowledge of how the soil and sunlight interact with the age and type of the vines, then the grapes are pressed, fermented and stored in a barrel.
But the idea that you can alter the flavor at each stage of the process was a new one. I didn't know the barrel, or how much of the grape skin remained, mattered. It's mind blowing, how much care people take in creating something they love.
Jimmie was patient with our amateur enthusiasm. At the sight of the $15 reserve list tasting fee, Allison and I weren't certain we wanted to stay, but Jimmie offered a solution: share the glass, split the fee, and take in all the knowledge he had to offer. We couldn't say no, so we settled in and started tasting.
The first varietal was a crisp white wine called Avant, something new the winery was marketing. The promotional prose Jimmie spat out while pouring put me off, but the taste of the wine brought me back. It was light, sharp, and almost sweetly citrus.
From there we moved on to taste our way through Kendall-Jackson's reserve wine list. These bottles was too expensive for my thrifty pocketbook, but notes were collected for future reference. From white wines to strong reds, Jimmie maintained a stream of details and information to bring context to each glass.
It was a continuing surprise to me just how much work goes into making a glass of wine. My hometown happens to be the zinfandel capital of the world, so I had a sort of vague knowledge of how the soil and sunlight interact with the age and type of the vines, then the grapes are pressed, fermented and stored in a barrel.
But the idea that you can alter the flavor at each stage of the process was a new one. I didn't know the barrel, or how much of the grape skin remained, mattered. It's mind blowing, how much care people take in creating something they love.
An hour and a half later, we had learned about the layers of flavor in wine, how to tell the comparative age and astringency by sight and smell, and that my favorite wines are Chardonnay and Riesling. We left carrying a brochure overflowing with business cards recommending local tasting rooms as well as offering complimentary tastings and food pairings.
The sophistication high stayed with us the entire drive home, filling the car with joyful chatter and singing. You know, post-wine singing. It's okay, I wasn't driving.
It seems that wine tasting has a special effect on me. Like nothing else, it has made me feel like an adult. I've purchased alcohol at the store and ordered drinks at bars and restaurants. While nerve wracking, it didn't require a lot of thought.
Taking the extra step to taste wine and consider the color, flavor and all its elements, then being able to say something coherent about it, is a kind of magical journey into grown-up land. I like this place. If they keep giving me wine, I may become a permanent resident.
The sophistication high stayed with us the entire drive home, filling the car with joyful chatter and singing. You know, post-wine singing. It's okay, I wasn't driving.
It seems that wine tasting has a special effect on me. Like nothing else, it has made me feel like an adult. I've purchased alcohol at the store and ordered drinks at bars and restaurants. While nerve wracking, it didn't require a lot of thought.
Taking the extra step to taste wine and consider the color, flavor and all its elements, then being able to say something coherent about it, is a kind of magical journey into grown-up land. I like this place. If they keep giving me wine, I may become a permanent resident.
A lovely afternoon adventure!
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