Thirty-Five Things I've Learned in 35 Years of Working in Wine
(In no particular order)
This year marks my 35th year working in the wine industry. Most of what I’ve learned was taught to me by other people. Some of what I’ve learned has come through observation and practice. These are 35 things I’ve learned:
Single appellation wines are no guarantee of the wines’ distinctiveness.
The character of a wine is most determined (in order) by the varietal, the winemaker, then the terroir.
To appropriately and successfully and happily consume wine, a wine drinker does not need any more than one style of wine glass.
The control wholesalers have over the wine industry and consumer access to wine is both unsightly and immoral.
Doing it in a vineyard is overrated.
It is no coincidence that vines begin to bud out at the very same time that baseball season begins
The most unacknowledged contribution to the magic of wine is that no individual can ever know what another individual tastes or smells in a wine. This fact is what leads to the excessive discussion and writing about wine.