The National Wine
UnClub
Blog/Newsletter
September/October 2009
What's Your Favorite Wine?
We're frequently asked the above question in the wine shop and at cocktail parties; a harmless superficial query that livens up the social atmosphere of any gathering you might say. We agree that it's fun to bandy about our wine preferences but when it comes to considering the immense variety available in the world of wine this convivial question can become fraught with indecision.
Given this scenario, a sampling of possible answers for the avid wine enthusiast might be: "What's my favorite wine?...let's see...what time is it? What do I currently feel like drinking? What am I having for dinner?" That last consideration - what am I having for dinner - is a major one because wine and food complementation is such a complex matter. I might prefer drinking a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or a French Chablis Premier Cru as a cocktail/refreshment but if I'm having grilled beef tenders I will probably opt for a red wine of some distinction.
So the question might need to be re-phrased to be more specific: "What's your favorite wine with grilled beef?" If the beef is grilled and then sauced with one of those savory/sweet BBQ preparations the wine choice might be very different than if the meat is simply seasoned with coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper. The first dish seems to call for a big, full-flavored wine like California Zinfandel or even a contrasting fruity white like German Riesling, while the simpler beef dish seems more appropriately matched by a fine Napa Cabernet or perhaps a peppery Barossa Valley Shiraz.
So it's apparent we're not talking about semantics here. This question obviously could be defined in the most limited sense but even then the question would have to be re-phrased because of the ever-changing palate preferences occuring almost daily with most people. So, you can ask the time-specific question: "What's your favorite wine this week?" as opposed to: "What's your favorite wine of all time?" and get a much different answer.
This complexity with so many levels of wine preference is what makes this subject infinitely interesting. After the initial excitement of a blind taste-off between Pepsi and Coca-Cola the desire to discuss one's preference regarding colas drops off precipitously. You either like one or the other and that's it. Personally, I'd take a simple red wine or sangria over a glass of Pepsi any day!
Another way I've answered this question about my favorite wine is to compare the many wines I love equally to a large brood of children I might have fathered. "Well, I like son #1 because he's independent and strong-willed. Son #2 is sensitive and caring, daughter #1 is sweet and helpful, while daughter #2 is carefree and whimsical, and so on. Which child do I like best? Not an answerable question really. I love them all equally although at times I might prefer the company of one over the other.
We encourage you to come to know as many types of wines as are available so that you too can have this rich experience afforded by the vast world of fine wine. Early on in the discovery process you'll find favorites that fascinate you to no end, but then eventually you'll probably find others just as engaging as your palate matures. In time, you'll probably be just as confused as we are when someone asks you "What's your favorite wine?"
Cheers!
Captain Vino