back to store

800.625.8238

Wine Blog from The International Wine of the Month Club

A wine blog written by the experts from The International Wine of the Month Club

Wines are a lot like kids

August 6, 2012 by Don Lahey

Wines are a lot like kids: on any given day they can make a liar out of you. One day they’re perfectly well behaved, and the next day . . . well you get the picture. Johnny is an angel in school but a devil at home. Mary is just the opposite, sweet as pie when Mom and Dad are around, and a fallen angel away from the house. What makes us think that wines are all that different from kids? Well, I realize that wines can’t think, yet I know they have minds of their own. One day a wine shows great and blows the panel and everyone else away, and the next day that same wine just might not have quite the same appeal. Why? So many factors affect how a wine tastes on any given day: storage, serving temperature, weather (particularly barometric pressure) and accompaniments to a wine all have something to do with how a wine is perceived by the majority of tasters. However, the common denominator is probably us. We humans are influenced by our companions, experiences, moods, and most acutely by the foods we consume prior to tasting a particular wine. Our palates get tired, just like the rest of our bodies. Moreover, we all know that certain foods can wreak havoc on our taste buds. Horseradish, Tabasco, raw garlic and onion are just a few of the foods most commonly cited as affecting our taste buds, but almost any food can alter one’s perception of a wine. So, tasters beware! What you had for lunch can affect how a wine shows or is perceived at dinner.

Related Posts:

  • Argentina: Where Quality and Variety Abound
    Argentina: Where Quality and Variety Abound
  • What to Expect in August 2024
    What to Expect in August 2024
  • Armenia: Back to the Future
    Armenia: Back to the Future
  • What to Look for in July 2024
    What to Look for in July 2024

Posted in: Interesting Wine Info, Wine Education

About Don Lahey

Don Lahey's career in the wine industry spans over 30 years as an importer, author, consultant, and educator. He leads the tasting panel that selects our wines each month.

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Check out our Wine Clubs

  • Premier Series Wine Club
  • Bold Reds Wine Club
  • Masters Series Wine Club
  • Collectors Series Wine Club

Wine Lovers’ Pages

  • Food & Wine Pairings
  • Old World Wine Regions
  • Grape Varietals
  • Wine Making Process

Recent Posts

  • Argentina: Where Quality and Variety Abound
  • What to Expect in August 2024
  • Armenia: Back to the Future
  • What to Look for in July 2024

Wine Topics

  • Featured Selections
  • In the News
  • Interesting Wine Info
  • Member of the Month
  • Notes from the Panel
  • Recipes and Pairings
  • Uncategorized
  • Wine Education
  • Wine Events
  • Wine Humor
  • Wine Regions
Sign up for our rss feed

Archives

The International Wine of the Month Club

The International Wine of the Month Club | 1-800-625-8238 (Outside USA call: 949-206-1904) | P.O. Box 1627, Lake Forest, CA 92609