In the Game of Quality

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 quality.

               What makes a wine earn the designation of quality? While working on my WSETs, this was addressed through a systematic tasting process that evaluated everything in the wine from color, to smell, to taste, to the level of acidity, tannins and body, to how long the flavor lasted after the final sip was gone. Taking these findings, you would then determine if the wine was balanced, meaning does everything work together ensuring one element does not wash out another, does the wine have a long finish of pleasant notes, are the flavor and aroma characteristics easily distinguished, and is the wine complex with a variety of tastes and smells, or if there are only a few, are they prominent and pure. If a wine has all four of these things it is considered outstanding, three make it very good, two good, one acceptable, and zero poor.

               I can admit that determining the quality of a wine has been one of my biggest challenges. I’m a sentimental wine drinker, where so many of my bottles come from trips or special occasions, so I have a hard time separating myself from the memory and its taste. If it is yummy and makes me happy, it’s a good wine in my book. However, I have had a few recent adventures that have given me a new perspective in the game of determining quality.

               The first came shortly after my last blog. Talking about all of my Bordeaux beauties had me running to my cellar and pulling out my Château Mouton Rothschild Pauillac Premier Grand Cru Classé 2015. A pour, swirl, and sniff later, my nose was awash with the aromas of very ripe plum, currant, pencil shavings, and a hint of balsam. Sipping this wine covered my mouth in notes of currant, plum, butterscotch, the most rich and creamy dark chocolate imaginable, balsam, and oak notes focusing on cinnamon and other similar spices. The high acidity of the wine allowed the flavors of decadent fruit to last and last long after the wine was swallowed, and the full body and tannins gave the wine weight and texture. What I was drinking was magic, and this was my wake-up call. This is what a wine dripping in quality tastes like.

               Now, it would be easy to say, “duh,” as a wine with that type of reputation and history is going to be quality. However, I had a similar experience with a local winery. A blend of theirs has always been hit or miss for me, so it’s not typically one I purchase for myself.  Having randomly received a bottle of this blend, I thought this week would be the perfect time to give this wine another chance. Looking in my notes, I saw I had tried this particular vintage in their tasting room and had liked it well enough, but I hadn’t been wild about it. That all changed when I opened it up. Taking a big inhale, the smell of rose petals was absolutely intoxicating, followed by blueberries and plums. These wonderful notes coursed their way to the palate, with an added cherry note brightening up the flavor. With the mouth feel and long finish of all that juicy fruit, I knew I had in my hand a very special wine. No longer did I feel this was just an okay wine, I knew for a fact that this wine was a quality quaff that was to be enjoyed at the most memorable of moments.

               Both of these scenarios showed that I was able to see a quality wine for what it was. However, would I ever be able to admit that a wine that gives me fond memories may not be the most quality? The answer is yes. Another first of the year bottle I opened was a Zinfandel from a winery I love. I have had many happy moments out there and have rarely left without bringing a bottle or two home, many times, a bottle of one of their Zins. Upon opening it last week, I was greeted by strong fruit aromas and tastes of blackberries and blueberries, with hints of black pepper and something floral. Medium in body, tannins, acidity and finish, I really enjoyed the fruit-bomb characteristic of this wine, found it very enjoyable to drink, but also found it to be a bit one-dimensional without a “wow” factor. It lacked a bit of a punch. Now, does this mean it wasn’t a good wine? Absolutely not. It was a very nice Zinfandel. A perfect “every day” wine, as the experts would say, but it was just missing a bit of that complexity and balance that would have pushed it to the next level. I still loved every glass I consumed, but I could now tell the difference between it and others I had ranked higher. I was finally fully understanding wine ratings.

                Wine likes and dislikes can be such a touchy subject. What these last few weeks and bottles have taught me are wines of all rankings and statures can bring pleasure and happiness to any wine drinking moment. You just need to decide what mood you are in. Do you want something friendly and easy to drink, or do you want to feel astonished and wowed? Either way, the choices in the game of wine quality are endless, and I hope you proudly open whatever bottle brings you the most joy, and that you savor every last drop. Ratings be damned. Cheers!