Opinion : Brad Wines

Wine has an image problem.

 

Few beverages can make me feel as incompetent, uninformed and undeserving as wine.  It’s almost as if the wine bottle on the shelf is teasing me with its nearly indecipherable label, unintelligible grape names, and ancient etiquette and protocols passed down through the ages.

 

Opening a bottle of wine takes special equipment and a keen mechanical ability. If you’re lucky enough to open the bottle without tearing the cork apart, good luck finding the right glass to pour your wine – don’t even think about using plastic!  Take appropriate care in properly handling your wine glass too, holding it by the bowl will evoke disapproving glances from fellow wine drinkers.

 

No wonder I frequently hear “I’m not a wine connoisseur” from people I encounter while in the tasting room or at wine events.  In my experience most people aren’t wine connoisseurs and those claiming to be, generally aren’t.

 

If you’re new to wine a good way to try it out is to attend a wine tasting at a local store.  In the Vinton area you’re likely to find a wine tasting at L’Marie Boutique or at Fareway.  The wines are free to sample.

 

You don’t need special knowledge to enjoy wine – if you like a very sweet Concord wine, more power to you; if you’re a fan of big and bold red wines, well, that’s fine too.  We all know what we like once we taste something.  If the wine tastes good to you, then it’s a good wine!

 

In my upcoming articles I will address some of the issues surrounding wine, dispel some of the misconceptions and myths, show you how to read a wine label, share my wine experiences and review wine, and try to reduce the snob-factor a little.

 

About:  Brad Johnson is a wine industry professional and currently works for an Iowa winery; he received his enology credentials in 2010 and has been making wine since 2006; and he is a frequent wine writer and vocal advocate for new wine regions.