Smells Like Cork, Tastes Like Wine

Jaclyn and I have now entered the upper echelons of the societal ranks as yesterday we embarked on our first-ever wine tasting trip in Temecula. I suspect that Temecula is not as nice as the wine country in Northern California, but it's only an hour drive from my home and ignornance is bliss.

Under no circumstances do we consider ourselves experts in Wineology 101. When I go to Trader Joes, I just pick the bottles with most captivating labels in my price range. I do know that I enjoy a Shiraz more than Merlot and Chardonnay. Beyond that, my wine review consists of something along the lines of "Hmm.. tastes line wine".

As my sporty Mazda3 made it's way up the 55, to the 91, to the 15, I harbored secret hopes of returning from this trip with the ability to easily identify the characteristics of a fine wine enabling me to engage in snooty conversation with other wine enthusiasts at some point in the future. I daydreamed of my next visit to Chi's house where I could expertly recommend the perfect accompaniment for one of her exotic, home-cooked meals. This wine-tasting trip was going to help propel me from the ranks of cheap wino to that of a sophisticated aristocrat.

As Jaclyn and I drove from vineyard to vineyard, we had a great time enjoying the scenery and the beautiful weather. Even if you don't have a passion for wine, it's a great day trip for anyone to take with their significant other. A backdrop of rolling hills and mountains makes any afternoon drive that much more interesting.

Each vineyard is similar in many ways but each one has it's own personality. All of the wine tastings included a souvenier wine glass (that's the Disneyland aspect I suppose) proudly displaying the vineyards name and logo. Some were quiet and intimate which gave you an opportunity to really talk to the people there and ask questions about the wine. Others were like a noisy bar on a Friday night in Newport Beach.

As much as I tried to appreciate the little nuances in each wine, inevitably they all tasted pretty much the same to me. The only red that really stood out to me was the port (and all those taste very similar as well). With all the other reds, I just cannot really tell a difference. Thus my review of each one was a simmple "it tastes like wine".

I suppose in the Sideways world, I am much more akin to a Jack than a Miles.