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Issue 8
Women & Wine Part 3
Wine is a particularly fascinating spirit, fluctuations in temperature, varied ingredients, selection of the grape, and changes in the fermentation process, can create an innumerous amount of differences between bottles. The complexity of each wine guarantees separate degrees of personality. These personalities remind me of one thing, women.
Natalie was a white zinfandel I am sure when I was younger, something like this would thrill me. I would easily have fallen in love with but now, I needed something with a little more depth. White zinfandels are simple, fruity and mild, there is no sharp acidic bite and they taste more like a wine cooler. She was fun but there was no danger, no excitement and I needed something which would almost scare me.
Mary was a Lambrusco. I know many people who prefer Lambrusco and rightly so, it is a good beginner wine. However, it is far too sweet for my taste, too dull, too boring. It lacks the strength of a great red wine. Mary was nice, but simply that and I needed something rich in passion.
You see, sometimes you hit a lull in dating and in drinking, where everything seems pretty much the same, just a copy of another copy and nothing really stands out. Everything seems bland and unimpressive, nothing memorable and not enough personality. Each experience leaves you upset you wasted your time and money and you knew it but hey, I was thirsty and heh, I needed a drink. Well for once though, I feel as if I’m getting old and jaded. Until one day…
I turned the corner on 17th street and Julia was standing there. She tells me, “I’ve just flew in from New York and I’ve been looking for you but didn’t know where to find you. I can’t believe I ran into you! How are you?” She was a Spanish red, a tempranillo who just knocked you off your feet. Her personality was so strong, so unique it woke you up again. You may have thought your tongue had gone numb for a while, thought you were blind to some great attributes which you were not seeing. No! Everything was just boring and you did not realize it until you met the one person who stood out so far and so distinguished. You hated yourself for even considering those basic boring generic table reds. What have I been drinking?! What have I been thinking?! Why settle for less?! I guess you tend to forget there are great people out there, until one day she flies in from New York and surprises you. Refreshing, so cheesy, charming, solid, bright and bold. The best parts of all wines, nutty with such a strong undeniable character, it would always make you smile. She was smooth, zesty, tangy, with a minute taste of saccharine, yet just a little bitter. The culmination of everything I had been looking for. Julia, a fair balance of intoxicating unique distinctive flavor and an extraordinary Spanish beauty. She was a palette shock, and a wake up call. She was engaged to be married, which was fine, because for me she gave me what I needed, a reminder that settling for less was a mistake, one which I will never make again.
I’m not sure if the novelty has been exhausted by now, if so, just give me a little longer. See I think I get it, I think I understand what love is... People often ask “what is the best bottle of wine?” and I always, always answer “It’s the one which you love more than anything, the one which tastes amazing TO YOU.” We all have different palettes, our preferences are very separate from one another, so much so, you could be charmed by a two thousand dollar bottle or a four dollar bottle, it really is what YOU love. It’s the one which means the world to just, you. Sure, I could point you in the direction of some good wines, wines which most people agree are exceptional, but even the best wines are not liked by all. The point is, like all wines you never know until you try. You may not find something you love every time, you may find something you agree with or think to be ok. But why settle for just ordinary, mediocre? See, half the fun is the chase, the mystery, the unknown. Then one day finding the one which compliments you at every moment. A wonderful bottle, where every note, every flavor and aroma agrees with you. And you are able to submerse your self in it and say “wow, this is MY wine.”
So keep looking, whether it’s women or wine, they’re out there. Don’t ever settle for less. Don’t ever give up, though it is expensive and at times it can be exhausting in the end it is worth it. But hey, just keep popping those corks.
Michael January
