It's Wine By Me!

Why I’m Obsessed, Part 2 (Part 1)

If I had started this site a year ago, this post may have introduced you to something new, but chances are if you follow wine, you’re well aware of Somm, a documentary highlighting a group of students as they prepare for the master sommelier exam. I could spend plenty of time telling you why you should watch this film, but I won’t. Instead I just want to drop off a few items that resonated with my passion for wine while I re-watched the film this weekend (thanks,Netflix!).

• Ian Cauble, one of the students preparing for the exam, says wine is living life through your senses. It’s true. When you’re enjoying a glass of wine, you’re taking notice of its color, of its aromas and of its taste. You’re also feeling sensations as of you drink – whether it be smooth or the tannins dancing on your tongue. There’s talk of mouth-feel. Sipping wine, is more about experiencing it than just taking a sip and swallowing.

• Bo Barrett, of Chateau Montelena fame, talks about how buying a bottle of wine is always a wager… whether it’s $10, $100 or more, you never know exactly what you’re gong to get until you open the bottle and take your first sips. I must admit, I do enjoy a gamble, and I love the excitement as you begin to take that first sip hoping for an amazing new discovery.

• Dustin Wilson, who is also preparing for the exam, points out that while drinking wine, you’re learning about the culture and people of where it’s from… it’s a way of traveling the world. I alluded to this in my first “Why I’m Obsessed” post. There is always something new to learn about wine, and if you learn about the bottle you’re drinking, you get an amazing lesson in geography and culture of the region its from. It’s the closest to satisfying any wanderlust without physically traveling to the location.