Dave's Tasting Tips

David Ferrie

Don’t assume you like one varietal and don’t like another varietal. When people come into my shop saying something like “I only drink Pinot Noirs,” I will always challenge them.

First of all, if they’re drinking Pinot Noir because it is a medium body wine and not very tannic (that’s the sticky residue left in your mouth after sipping some “dry” wines) I’ll try them out on a Grenache or a Tempranillo because it’s a shame to limit one’s self to such a narrow experience when the fun of wine tasting is the HUGE variety.

Second, there is an enormous selection of flavor profiles within each varietal so that a Cabernet Sauvignon could have that same soft, medium body that those people were looking for in the Pinot Noir.

Third, it could just be they have not yet had a really good wine in another varietal. When starting out in wine drinking, we tend to start out buying cheap. That’s understandable because you don’t want to plunk down a ton of money on something you’re not going to like. Unfortunately, it’s difficult (not impossible) to find really good cheap wines. They are out there. They’re just few and far between.

I’ve told people for years to find a wine guy and a wine shop they can trust and stay there. These are the guys who have tasted the wines you want to buy. Next time, tell your wine guy the flavors you like and see what’s suggested.