So, it’s time to commit eh?

Before I started writing this blog I thought pretty hard, though not very long, on what it would be about and how I would go about doing it. It made for a sleepless night or two, not to mention one or more inner battles on whether I could do it, let alone do it well.

 Now, clearly having survived the stress and anguish of putting my thoughts to words, and then my words to you, I face the challenge of actually having a topic that is worth writing about.  

Where to start?

Why wine though?

Perhaps it’s because over the past 3 years I have fallen deeper and deeper in love with the culture and history that surrounds it. Or, maybe because I have an ever-growing respect for the people: the ones who grow it, import it, sell it and drink it. Or maybe, it’s because I love the stuff itself.

 I find it intriguing why people drink wine. How they pick the wines that they do, where they pick them from, and how they choose the food they pair with it. I believe that more often than not, wine brings with it an air of happiness or celebration, a “special occasion”, if you will. It bring to the table an image of class and sophistication (and being able to dazzle the fellow drinkers with brilliance or baffle them with bullshit only adds to this). 

How does something come to acquire such a reputation? And how do the makers, marketers and proprietors play off of this? Where did we get the image of a woman in a champagne glass? How has that become a part of our culture? I, for one, was never part of the 40's to 60's era when large galas took place. When women danced in huge glasses of bubbly, and the upper class types watched and mingled (mind you, I would have bloody well LOVED that!). Nor have I been a part of an over-the-top celebration; where bottles were shaken so hard they exploded in triumph over the crowds. So why do I know, or rather should say “think”, such events exist? How has a beverage gained so much prestige and respect?

 But what makes a wine? How does it grow and develop? How does it taste and what is its significance to the people who drink it? I believe that these are HUGE questions and I can’t even begin to answer them all here and now, but I will.  At least I will try to the best of my ability and opinion.

Cheers!