Okay, this is a tough entry to write, but one that must be written. I am REALLY missing wine. And while I am sipping, tasting, spitting, and even swallowing here and there, it’s just not the same as an entire glass (or two…) of wine, enjoyed leisurely over the course of a meal. When I do take a sip, whether I spit or swallow, it’s almost entirely for purposes of evaluation. I’m still attending trade tastings, which are all about learning as much about a wine as possible from a 1-2 oz. pour. By the time I’ve evaluated it, there’s nothing left to simply drink for enjoyment, even if I had that luxury right now. If I manage to sneak a sip of Ryan’s wine at dinner, I’m still “tasting” it—is it a good Chianti? Does it go well with the meal? I’m jealous of anyone who has a whole glass of wine to drink, mindlessly savoring the pleasure of a good 4 to 6 ounces of wine.
I’m entering my third trimester and can be slightly more liberal with what I consume (the definition of “liberal” being subject to interpretation!), but in reality, I have a long way to go before I can indulge with abandon. (Also terms open to interpretation…) So it is out of desperation that I am looking for the bright side of not drinking wine.
The half-glass of vintage Champagne I enjoyed at New Year’s was fantastic. (Thanks, Tim!) While it really made me want at least another two or three half-glasses, the knowledge that I should really stop at one (half) helped me increase the pleasure I gleaned from each sip. Sure, I took a few tiny appraisal sips, but then, since I had a good third of a glass left and since the general company and environment (the glow of candles, clinking of glasses, sharing of resolutions) was sufficiently celebratory and distracting, I let myself sink into the bubbles, the warm doughy flavors exhibited by the best Champagne, and frankly, the moment. And while I distinctly remember what that Champagne tasted like, I also strongly remember just being in a good mood, happy, content with sharing a good meal with good friends.
Too much sentiment? Maybe. But it’s what I have to work with right now, and I think it can be valuable for everyone, wine professionals and consumers alike. As a professional, I have been non-so-gently reminded that this product that I sell, sample, write about and teach about is more than a commodity. It’s not all about ratings and reviews, ageing potential, vintage variation, type of closure, yada yada yada. It’s something to be consumed, and sometimes mindlessly, without regard to much other than the way it makes me feel. While I generally wince at the notion that wine is simply a “luxury” good (a topic for another post), I’ve been forced to really think about why I choose to drink wine with my meals. As a consumer, I’d gotten pretty complacent. Wine became just another part of the meal, and choosing what to drink with dinner became as routine as choosing a salad dressing. Now I don’t know about you, but I enjoy wine a whole lot more than I enjoy salad dressing, and this hopefully brief period of temperance has made me quite aware of that.
It almost seems like a paradox, doesn’t it? I think wine is to be savored, enjoyed, noticed, and appreciated, both for what it is and for how it makes you feel. But I also think that we can savor it to death, really, by noticing it too much, caring more about the peripherals of price, producer, and points than about its purpose—pleasure.
My hope for this period of not drinking wine is that it will increase the pleasure of being able to drink again. Not simply by the return of something long-awaited, but by a renewed sense of what wine is really about. You have the luxury of not waiting—may your next glass of wine be even more enjoyable for it.
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