Anyone into wine? I'm trying to get into it.

I only like whites and roses when they’re fairly tart and very refreshing, crisp stuff; I hate them when they’re sweet and/or syrupy. Chenin blanc, colombard (very hard to find straight these days, alas), falanghina, viognier, vinho verde (sparkly and dry! delicious on very hot days with stuff like ceviche, spicy and uncooked dishes like salsa), the drier rieslings, gruner veltliner, Mulderbosch’s rose, blanc de blancs and blanc de noirs, prosecco, cava. And I’m one of the only people left it seems who likes ‘80s-style buttered-toast-tasting Chardonnays, I’ll admit.

As for reds, I know the wines “Big Wine People” tend to gravitate towards (cabernet, zinfandel, chateauneuf du pape, burgundy, etc.) vs. those that are considered tart, fruity, straightforward, what young noobs like and drink cheap (shiraz, pinot noir, young barbera, rioja) and am not ashamed I still lean towards the latter (zin’s too sickly sweet for me and I like my reds tart unless food pairing demands otherwise, like say a deep flavored cabernet with rosemary roast lamb), possibly because the food I tend to make unless it’s a special occasion lends itself better to tarter younger wines (I default to cooking fruity, zippy fresh-themed Mediterranean-accented dinners that are usually a bit light and not the red meat-focused things cabernet and zin work well with—bloody steaks and peppery potatoes are rarely my thing). Then there’s the stuff that’s pretty light and easy to drink, good introductory stuff, but is still incredibly lovely, enough so wine snobs like it too—certain cabernet francs (Owen Roe Rose Mystica, smells like fresh violets, soooo good) and unusually smoky pinot noirs (Erath Prince Hill) come to mind.

It’s really trial and error though of course. I don’t like the contemporary culture around wine honestly, especially the points system and prestige marketing, but that said there is nothing like the first time you drink a wine that was just MADE for the food you’re eating. It’s insane how good it can make food taste. I’ve had a handful of meals that would’ve been great without wine; with it, they rocketed into the hall of fame of “permanently seared into my psyche” Proustian sense memories.

And ya sorry if it’s obvious but just in case it’s not, be kind to your wine storage-wise. It hates heat, extreme cold, light, and humidity, and barring really good cellaring-purposes-type storage environment, it probably wants to be enjoyed sooner than later, especially if you live someplace hot and humid.

I rather like white wine, and dessert wines. If I could, I’d so go to the local wine events more often. (Haven’t even gone on my b-day wine tasting yet.)

I"m taking a wine break, kind of branched off into “not so mass produced” Scotch Whisky and bourbon. I thought it was nasty at first, but after I finished some sample sized bottles someone bought me, I’ve developed a bit of a taste for it.