The Story of Wine and Music

 

Hipster trends. I have to say, I tend to avoid them like the plague. I have personally found these kitschy novelties as something for people to blast on their social media pages or to brag on, as if they actually accomplished something monumental. Sorry, but in simple terms, I have found them rather annoying.

              A recent hype that has been hitting wine publications, that I chalked up to another short-lived whimsy of the hipster-minded, has been the focus on listening bars. These establishments, also known as record bars, vinyl bars, or hi-fi bars, are exactly what they sound like. This is a place where people go to get a drink and listen to records.

              Based on the jazz kissa listening rooms that were popular in Japan in the 1950s, these bars are unique in the fact that the main attraction is the music. Records are chosen in various ways – DJ curated lists, full album nights, requests, themes, etc. – and played throughout the tasting room. Instead of going to chat with friends with light music filtering in the background, people go to these places to listen and take in the music. To go with the playlists, many of the bars offer coffee, wine, beer and cocktail items or flights curated to help set the stage for the music of the day. It is a deep dive experience.

              Upon first learning about the hi-fi bars, my initial reaction was an eyeroll. This seemed to be another way for people to avoid talking to one another, and another way for people to boast about how worldly they are because these bars are based on Japanese venues. However, a Valentine’s Day event has shifted my opinion.

              Not fans of crowds, over the past couple of years my husband and I have discovered that we prefer staying in for Valentine’s Day. Opting for dinner and a Valentine themed spooky movie at home over people stuffed restaurants and theaters, we have found the more relaxed vibe to our liking. This year, along with our meal and movie, we decided to put on some Rush albums to listen to while enjoying a dessert of heart themed chocolates and mini cupcakes with wine (coffee for my husband).

              Choosing our library as the perfect setting for this adventure, we created a picnic blanket like scene using cushions and pillows, as getting older means sitting on the floor gets more difficult by the day. For the wine, since it was Valentine’s Day and all, I selected my bottle of Chocolate Shop the Chocolate Lover’s Wine, a red wine infused with chocolate flavoring. Once everything was set up to our liking, we dimmed the lights and placed the needle into the lead-in groove.

              As stories of space, gods and adventure flowed through the speakers and my ears took in the notes and melodies, I had my first sip of wine and took in the notes and melodies of the beverage. I could distinctly and individually taste the apple peel, plum peel, grapey, Tootsie Roll and musk components of this drink. I was acutely aware of its weight and silkiness. It was almost as if I could describe every molecule of the wine. I am certain that I have never been so conscious of the flavors and feel of any other glass in my life, and it was a very powerful experience. As the music played on, I was completely lost in the moment. The only thing I was aware of was the music and drink. It was surreal.

              A few mornings later, as I savored my morning coffee, I couldn’t help but reflect back on the experience. On one level, I enjoyed it so much because of that immersion. Focusing on just the music and wine engraved the memory into my heart. It was days later, and I could still clearly hear the songs, taste the flavors of that chocolate wine, and feel the happiness I had felt. It was unforgettable.

On another level, I was astounded by how aware I had been of the notes I got from the wine on my nose and palate. Taking away elements like the TV, brighter lights, dinner, etc. made it so I was fully paying attention to what the wine had to offer. It gave me a whole new appreciation of its characters and flavors. So much so, like I said above, I could still smell and taste it long after that night was over.

On a third level, it taught me the correlation between music and wine. Just like Rush had to develop things like melody, rhythm, harmony, lyrics, and form to create their piece of musical art, so did the winemaker who had to combine grapes with yeast, aging tanks, and other winemaking practices to create their own piece of liquid art. Both the songs and wine had a story to tell, and together they created a new epic tale I will never forget. It was as if I got to be a part of both.

              In the end, what this listening adventure did was show me the value of the concept behind these hi-fi bars. There is a definite correlation between music and wine, and bringing the two together gives a person a wholly unique experience. It’s storytelling and discovering art in a different way. My husband and I are already talking about our next home record bar night, and thoughts of what wine will go best with Duran Duran are dancing in my head. Whether it is trying out one of these venues, or creating your own wine and music event, I hope you will give it a try. Cheers to music and wine and what they have to tell us!