Wondering Through the World of Wine

From, “It is healthy to drink a glass of wine a day,” to, “If you drink at all, you are going to destroy your liver and die,” the debate between drinking and health has been an ongoing issue that has spurred many studies. Just like the statements above, the study conclusions have been varied and subjective, causing the question to remain, is wine good for you?                Not typically a subject I give much thought to, it did pop into my mind during a recent yoga and wine class a friend and I attended at Sweet Heart Winery in Loveland, CO. As I sat and watched about thirty women from all fitness levels prepare for 45 minutes of yoga, followed by the reward of a glass of wine, I couldn’t help but wonder: Were we being fitness ambitious, or had we all taken our love of wine a step too far?                Often times, when opening a new wine mag...

Have you ever picked up a bottle of wine that you thought was amazing, only to find out it is lowly rated and scoffed at by wine experts? Or have you ever grabbed a bottle that you loved from your early days of wine exploration, only to find that now it falls flat on the pleasure scale? Or have you ever slunk down in your chair at a tasting room in shame, as everyone is ripping on the current sampling that you found quite delicious? All of these scenarios bring up a very valid question: When is a wine considered exceptional?                First and foremost, liking or disliking a wine is based on personal preference and taste buds. We all taste things differently, and if a wine is delicious to you, then enjoy it. End of story. Who cares what anyone else thinks. I once received a mini Black Box Chardonnay as a gift, and I loved every single drop of that buttery delight. I think the real issue to discuss here is qual...

When I say, “wine list,” I am not referring to that section of the drink’s menu highlighting a restaurant’s vino selection. For me, it is that list of wines that I hope to someday try. Almost every wine lover has one, and it’s a quest to see how many can get scratched off, a personal victory every time one does.                My wine list has levels. In general, my list consists of specific wines suggested by magazines and wine experts, types of wines from certain areas or wineries, no particular vintage, and recommended wines to be paired with some of my favorite foods. Then, there are my dream wines. These are the historical, rare, ridiculously expensive wines that are featured over and over again in wine publications. The bottles that have shaped the world of wine, that are crafted from vines older than most humans, and are the epitome of the area they represent. My list of dream wines started with the five wine...