I am not a Wino, but...

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I kinda dig it. Lately, I have been pestering my friends and loved ones to go to wineries with me. And it’s not because I have a sharp pallet or that I know anything about wine. For years, I was intimidated by the whole culture of wine and turned off by all of the pretentious wine snobs on TV like Frasier. But thinking about it, I have narrowed down my top five reasons why I love to go wine tasting:

1. My wine addled compatriots
From my chosen company to the winery pet to the guy who is well on his way to finishing the bottle on Sangria on the patio out back, a glass of good wine is complimented all the more by good company.

2. A long rambling walk
A visit to the vineyard is not complete without a long stroll on the grounds. And if that stroll happens to be on hillsides that overlook a beautiful lake, lavender fields, or bucolic farmland, who am I to complain?

3. Happiness in the bottle
If you had a housewarming, bridal shower, or birthday recently, you probably got a bottle of wine from me. Usually, I am traveling when I go wine tasting and bringing back a bottle of wine for a friend is like sharing a part of my experience and my travels with them. And something more, this quote sums it up better than I can...
    
4. Sideways: I like to think about the life of wine. How it's a living thing. I like to think about what was going on the year the grapes were growing; how the sun was shining; if it rained. I like to think about all the people who tended and picked the grapes. And if it's an old wine, how many of them must be dead by now. I like how wine continues to evolve, like if I opened a bottle of wine today it would taste different than if I'd opened it on any other day, because a bottle of wine is actually alive. And it's constantly evolving and gaining complexity.

5. Swirl what?
I have finally found a hobby that I don’t care if I’m really good at it, which is such a relief, because I will drive myself insane with my constant quest for perfection. I always thought you had to be on the know to really enjoy wine, but wine tasting isn’t about knowing it all. I don’t have a sharp pallet nor aspirations of building a sophisticated wine collection. Don’t ask me about complexity, concentration, balance and harmony, or the length of the finish, because I have no idea. Wine tasting is about enjoying the experience and of course, drinking some wine.

6. Poems for the inebriated
One of the best jobs/tasks in the world must be naming and writing the descriptions for wine, second only to naming the Meerkats on Meerkat Manor on the animal planet (Squeak, Bubble, Hannibal, Flower, Einstein, Mozart, Pancake, need I go on?)

Honestly, the descriptions always make me giggle and read them aloud to the great annoyance of everyone. Full of imagery, importance, texture, and sometimes whimsy, the descriptions are enlightening and entertaining reads in-between pours.

Some of my favorite descriptions:
Sweet Walter Chardonnay This sassy Chardonnay has lush overtones of Butterscotch and tropical fruit, with a rich and creamy finish.
Niagara Spring White Like a stroll through the vineyards at harvest time, this Niagara is floral with a sweet, soft finish.
2011 Baco Noir Reserve This captivating wine has a deep color and vibrant acidity, dark fruit aromas are met with a hint of smoke & leather.