Attitude/Beef

So, I need a angle for this blog. I already try to taste and promote the odd wines, the lesser-known AOC (and DOC, and AVA) wines, and now I'm going to be a little more firm with my decision. I could live on Chenin Blanc & Riesling. If I made more money, I could limit myself to Champagne (and maybe some other bubbles). I do adore Chardonnay (blanc de blanc Champagnes may be my ideal beverage), but it must be absolutely charming and (almost always) French. Yes, I am biased, and am all for people shifting my paradigm. And I would almost always prefer a white wine than a red. I SAID IT. Yes, I do LOVE red wine, and I used to drink almost entirely red wine, but things have changed, I eat more food that calls for whites, reds are more expensive and appropriately aged vintages are hard to find. And stick my sangiovese in the fridge for a few minutes before you serve it. Pinot noir, merlot, mencia, nebbiolo, sangiovese, aglianico, cab franc, and gamay are kick-ass, but the former two need to be special to really get me hooked. I live in the land of esoterica. If you mention an overly-branded wine, I will cringe.

Here's my current beef with the typical Cali wine shopper/drinker (mind you, I love love love some Cali wines) compared with the typical European wine shopper (aside from the super-Tuscan shopper, who is more like the Cali shopper/drinker and a lot like the Aussie/NZ drinker). Typical drinkers as for brand A Napa Cab, or B Pinot Nor, or C Chardonnay. If you don't have that Brand or Winery they want, they don't care as much what else you have. The typical Euro-drinker says, hey I'm looking for a good White Burg, or a Good dry Mosel rielsing. Or an amazing Brunello. The Cali drinker could come up and ask for a suggestion for a great Napa Cab, but no, that's not an option. Yes, I'm making a bitchy generalization, but it is so prevalent that it makes me crazy. People who are "in to" Euro wines can be even worse than these peeps, but they usually have enough money to do it in the privacy of their own homes.

Drink wierd.