To some, drinking wine is an experience, more than the taste, the buzz, how it complements foods, the fellowship you can have with friends when tongue's are loose and opinions are flowing; to some, there's the ritual. In the finest restaurants across the land the time honored tradition of presenting and uncorking a bottle is an art form. I remember trying it for the first time in college while working at family chain restaurant. I was like a teenager fumbling to unloosen a bra, and I broke the cork on many an occasion. There are many out there that enjoy the presentation, many that feel a little awkward, whispering over their shoulder "should I tip him?" So it was with great trepidation that I bought and opened my first bottle of screw top wine. This wasn't your college experience screw top wine (yes that's a picture above of Mad Dog 20/20), this was a 2005 Aussie Shiraz that would knock you over it was so good. This left me confused and raised many questions... what happened to the cork? What happened to the presentation? Should getting to this nectar be so easy? Will it taste the same? I'm happy to say that after extensive research, i.e. drinking many a screw top wine, that taste is not compromised but what about the "experience"? Some would tell you corks be gone! (see last convoluted post) but I need some time... For those not ready to switch from tree bark to the screw top there is some middle ground that will save a few tree's (see above), the synthetic cork. You've probably seen them in every color of the rainbow, guaranteed not to break or crumble on you and probably have a half-life of 10,000 years in the landfill. The debate still rages in elite wine circle's whether chemicals or fumes emitted from these corks taint the wine's flavor, personally I've never noticed a difference, but I'm still learning to isolate flavors in wine. You might be saying by now, "who cares, people are so pretentious, just open a bottle and enjoy." And to that I say Cheers!
3 comments:
I'm delighted to see that someone I know is keeping track of these things. I would love a guide to organic wines and adventures in the "home brew."
I would also suggest that the "& More" explore small batch beer, and liquor.
Oh... and have tastings.
Great post! I can tell those "engrish" classes (thats Japanese) from UTC are paying off!! It's hard to give up the corkscrew after all we had to endure to perfect the skill.
I think every human should have to go through the utter humiliation of being a waiter opening your first bottle of wine as the table stares at you... I still have nightmares. My first mistake was not the broken cork, but the "over-screw" leaving little cork "floaties" swimming in the merlot... "No problem sir, I'm a professional, I can get them out with this coffee stir stick."
Personally, I have all three corkscrews. I chose which to use based on my mood! As long as it's a helix and not an auger, I'm good using anything. Oh, and then there's the 'tuning fork' wine opener. Not my favorite, but better than any auger screw. BTW - Augers have solid middles, helixes are like a wire wrapped around your finger, minus the finger (insert dildo joke here).
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