April 27, 2007
Rob Becker: Wine Snob
I have a scenario in my head: I’m at a swanky dinner party, charming my table companions with enthralling tails and quick wit, when our waiter comes over to take our drink orders. I glance quickly at the wine list before proclaiming with utmost authority, “Bring us a bottle of the ‘94 Chateau Margaux.” Seeing they are obviously impressed by my knowledge of fine wines, I tell my new friends that “1994 was an excellent year on the French Southwestern coast.”
Fading back to reality, my knowledge of wine is unsophisticated to say the least. Many of my fondest memories of wine involve wines of the boxed variety. And how could I forget those late nights at the collage newspaper office sipping swigging Avia Chardonnay from a plastic cup over page layouts. At $5 a bottle, Avia is self described as delivering “value wine” from the hills of western Slovenia for over 25 years. Let the good times roll!
But recently I’ve begun a personal wine-tasting campaign designed to — if not increase my snobbery — at least add to my knowledge of wines. I’ve started by purchasing a bottle each week — each time of a new variety. Now six bottles into my journey towards sophisticate I’ve also decided to keep a log of my tastings on this site for everyone to enjoy!