About the Author
The author has hosted wine tasting parties for many years, using the opportunities to discover great wines at reasonable prices. This book was created for her personal use to make wine tasting parties more informative for her guests while providing a guide to her wine selection process. Over the years, the information in this book has been shared and the compilation of her research was only meant to simplify the information for those who wanted an introduction to wine. As with anything, great ideas are borne out of frustration, and the complexity of the wine books available and the simplicity of this book is what drives its success.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
In the end, all of the hype that surrounds a "fine wine" such as the appellation, vineyard, vintage, vinter etc. probably won't matter unless you like the wine. If you don't like it? You probably won't care where it came from.
When selecting a wine, I think, the only real mistake you can make is choosing one that you don't like because you are harnessed to some outdated beliefs that have been imposed on you by others.
Most of the information on wine labels seem like a foreign language and reading something in Spanish is not fun if you don't speak the language! If you have no idea what they mean, it is not only frustrating, but it fuels the perception that wine is some mystery hidden behind the doors of a "members-only" club.
Those who indulge in the high-priced wines will insist that there is a direct relationship between quality and cost. But, does the quality justify the cost? That depends on who is buying!
In my opinion, each wine has its own personality and it is up to you to determine if it clashes or melds with your own.
When discussing wine with others, you will quickly discover that everyone has an opinion. But, more often than not, different people will detect different aromas and flavors in the very same bottle of wine!
Comparing the differences makes good conversation (especially if you don't know anyone in the room), but in the end, only you know what you smell or taste which makes you the master of your own wine tasting experience.
