The vast majority of people we meet in winery tasting rooms are wonderful people to talk to. On rare occasions we run across someone who may be having a bad day or simply arrogant by nature.  When one tastes wine, their tastings are personal. What they believe they see, smell and taste is unique to them.  To attempt to force someone into what someone else believes is a wine’s color, bouquet and taste is not a helpful practice. Sure many tasting rooms have notes for a structured tasting, but those tasting notes are someone’s opinion and not gospel.

It is hard for a visitor to taste rhubarb if they never had rhubarb. The same can also be said of the hundreds of other tastes. I know and like the taste of rhubarb. However, I would be hard pressed to recognize the taste of lychee. To say there is a taste of apple is quite general. There are hundreds of apples with their own unique tastes. Tasting a wine is a personal experience. One person may say a wine has a coffee taste and someone else may say leather. Life experiences come into play here.

The next time you’re in a tasting room, form your own opinion of the wines. Go ahead and read the tasting notes if they are provided, but form your own conclusions. If you have an opportunity, discuss the wine with other visitors. Be leery of those who want to impose their opinion on you.