I get this question all the time and should have a well-established routine answer by now, though I don’t.
It’s probably because those wines that come to mind each have different virtues that all appeal to me. It’s also important here to note that there’s a difference, for me at least, between my favorite wine and the best wine I’ve ever had. Let’s stick with favorite for now.
What might those appealing virtues be? This is personal of course. I tend to like big, hearty, chewy reds. And sophisticated, elegant, nuanced whites. You may sense a problem already. The ability to match beautifully with food is certainly important. Value is always impactful. Availability matters too. Complexity is surely a wonderful thing. The memories I associate with a given wine also influence my thinking. And have I mentioned how the wine smells and tastes?
What does one’s answer say about you? While I’m not particularly keen about pigeon-holing, here goes. Red wine lovers, according to several surveys of regular wine drinkers I’ve found, are introverts, and sparkling wine fans are extroverts. Those red lovers also tend to prefer outdoors and are early risers while white wine lovers go indoors and are more likely to be night owls. Red and sparkling lovers more likely prefer dogs while white and rosé lovers are cat people.
Wine drinkers are generally creatives who like to write or draw. Most of us are at least moderately athletic and like playing or watching various sports. Sparkling people like tattoos. So much for pigeon-holing.
When asked, I always feel somewhat obligated to have an answer to this question. I suspect anyone’s answer can change with time, and their answer may be more about style than a specific wine or grape. As I’ve now unabashedly danced around the subject without offering my own answer, what’s your favorite wine?
Ernest Valtri of Buckingham is a sculptor, painter, graphic designer, and a former member of the PLCB’s Wine Advisory Council. Contact Erno at ObjectDesign@verizon.net.
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