Quick and dirty wine cheat sheet?!
Answers: I need to impress snobs, anyone have an easy rule or mnemonic device or something?
Hmmm... I think it would take to long for you to learn about different varietals and regions and what makes a "good year". If you really want to impress the snobs, you got to learn the lingo while tasting a while. Watch and study Paul Giamatti in Sideways... know to say things like "legs" and "nose" and "finish"... swirl the wine in your glass... look like you are thinking really hard... then throw out some mumbo jumbo that no one will know how to argue with: "The distinctive nose of this glass has the subtle aroma of gooseberry and mineral with notes of earthy musk. But surprisingly enough the vigorous palate is chewy and full of fruit-forward character with a elegant smoky finish. A paradox indeed."
Actually that description is making me thirsty for wine, maybe it doesn't go far enough. The more ridiculous the better. After all, Robert Parker, a well respected wine snob actually quoted this about a wine in one of his reviews:
"The tannin has become more supple, the texture is sensational, and the wine is like a towering skyscraper in the mouth without being heavy or disjointed."
Hi Kent,
This is really way too broad and I'm not sure what kind of info you are looking for. There are hundreds of varieties of wine grapes that are turned into tens of thousands of wines from dozens of different countries.
If you are going out to dinner, call ahead and talk to the sommelier about what wines would impress wine snobs. That way when you arrive, you can order them and look like you know what you are doing.
Otherwise, a true wine snob will be able to smell out the BS. I'd much rather be asked for my help, as a wine snob, than to be stuck with someone trying to impress me. I'd hate to get stuck with an Opus One because you thought it would impress me when what I really want is a nice 01 Brunello.
This may help you get an idea of what's going on, but it's still fairly basic: http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Free/W...
GL 2U. : )