Whenever someone asks “What’s your favorite wine?” I like to think I can make an argument for exactly what’s in my glass. Whatever it is. And it often has nothing to do with what the wine tastes like.
Truth is, people get hooked on a particular wine type/region/label for a variety of reasons, tapping into our emotions and memories, not just taste buds.
Did you take a trip this summer? If you ate and drank local wine, chances are good that you can literally revisit those wines here at home. Spain? Long Island? California? Greece? Sicily? Or maybe it was just the Hudson Valley. The world is literally waiting on the shelves to reactivate your taste memory.
For me, Finger Lakes Riesling can put me in a hammock by Seneca Lake. And 2022 reds of Montepulciano and Umbria remind my wife and me of our honeymoon that summer in Italy.
Our diets shift naturally with the seasons; wine-drinking shifts naturally as well. Here in September, as evening temps dip, even before the first frost, people tend to turn the page vinously. Say goodbye to the chilled rosé and light quaffers of peak summer, and welcome fuller-bodied whites and heartier reds that will dovetail with autumnal fare.
Spanish Albariño, Alsace Riesling and old-school California Chardonnay are fall whites I look forward to. Among reds, sturdy blends featuring Grenache and Syrah hit the spot seasonally, whether they come from the Rhône Valley, California or Spain.
Is any man-made product as directly connected to Earth as estate-grown wine, whose grapes are picked and processed on site? Wine keeps well over time and travels with ease all over the globe. Wine as a gateway to regionally defined agricultural authenticity and variety is basically unmatched.
Moreover, with the wave of organic, biodynamic and regenerative farming rippling through the industry, led by Europe, seeking out earth-friendly wines has never been easier.
Last but hardly least, the case for buying by the label. Visual cues come at us all day every day, and it is completely normal to let those cues influence us. Winemaking has progressed so much in recent decades that “bad” wine is effectively a non-issue. Hygienic, palatable wine abounds. So let yourself go next time you’re browsing. Nothing is stopping you from picking a wine by its label – and loving it.
Bill “Tish” Tisherman, a longtime Bedford resident and former editor of Wine Enthusiast and Beverage Media, develops wine tastings and events via his website, wineforall.com. All Seasons Wine & Spirits in Yorktown is the sponsor of this column.
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