Drinking wasn’t part of something I did growing up like many. I hated the taste of beer. I hated the sensation of wine when it enters my mouth. I was flying and driving most of the time during my University years when many got introduced to different types of alcoholic beverages. My journey into wine started late when I got into full time jobs. You can say that my frustration in life got me into alcohol. No, I do not drink to get drunk. In fact, getting drunk is the worst feeling in the world.
Moderate consumption of ethanol can have positive effects on your body. Of course the debatable word here is “moderate”. What is moderate? I started to enjoy wine not because a “moderate” amount of ethanol in wine made me feel good but I am fascinated about how wine grapes could be made into so many different kinds of wine we see in the supermarket. Once I thought that was all, I walked into a proper wine shop and my eyes blew open.
I was always intimidated by wine list in fancy restaurants. Some of which is a thick as a bible or nowadays pages of pages on their wine menu on the ipad. I used to think, how would anyone in this world knows every wine in that wine list. Yes, I know the major wine varietals like Pinot Noir or a Chardonnay. But under Pinot Noir, there are lists of producers and words that I don’t even understand. Then there are the vintages, why such a huge price difference between the vintages. Why such a huge price difference between a same grape varietals grown in different areas?
Yes. Then comes the Sommelier. I always find Somms intimidating. Aren’t they there to help you pick the wine? But most Somms I come by seems to think you either know your wine or you don’t and they seem to look down on you if you don’t know your stuff. Of course, there are many wine enthusiasts or wine connoisseur who knows what they want but there are many who don’t; like me. Their job is to make me feel comfortable in ordering something I want irrespective of my understanding of wine. It is a hospitality fact that many Sommelier forgets in my opinion.
This eventually lead me to finding out more about what’s all the fuss about wine. I never knew this will be a fascinating journey of a lifetime.