RISEYOURGLASS
Whatever the year, wine will be made. It is a calendar of life. It reminds us of the passage of time.
When buying a bottle of wine, one must consider several things. First, is the varietal or blend you want to drink. Second, is the place or region you want to visit. As the French put it, terroir is that sense of place. Wine expresses the country, region, village it comes from. We become virtual travellers every time we drink a glass. Choose a cabernet from Napa’s Oakville AVA or a Montepulciano from Abruzzo. Place gives wine unique flavour profiles we learn to enjoy and search out. Finally, one must consider the vintage. Wine making begins in the vineyards. But Mother Nature is moody, and every year she does as she pleases often not considering what her whims will do to the grape harvest. Knowing vintages helps a wine buyer, wine collector and wine drinker make better buying decisions and enjoy the subtle nuances reflected in the glass
year to year. While some years are good for nearly every wine growing region, that is not the norm but the exception. 2005 was a great year for most wines around the world. It was a good year for both Napa and Washington, two of America’s best wine growing regions. It was a good year in Bordeaux, especially for wines being cellared for 10 years or more. It was a good year in Italy, especially for white wines. As you can see, good years don’t always benefit all grapes and regions. 2010 was heralded as a wonderful year in Italy, especially for Barolos. Currently, the 2012 and 2013 vintages received good and excellent ratings in America, France and Italy with a few exceptions including Burgundy. 2014 exceeded some expectations in America and France, while Italy struggled. What this all means is that the wine maker has to work harder in those finicky years. That a good year might mean you have to wait to enjoy the wine till it matures. Whatever the year, wine will be made. It is a calendar of life. It reminds us of the passage of time. Wine in the glass is the sweat, tears, worry and joy of the winemaker – even in a bad year we must prevail. Wine reminds us life is meant to be revered and celebrated.
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