Don't rush the journey
It takes a while to learn about wine. After first being bitten by the wine bug, in 1993, I have drunk a lot of bottles, read lots of words, and visited many of the world's significant wine regions.
But I'm still very much in the learning phase.
Often, insights come from drinking wine. Not just tasting it, but actually drinking it. I drink, and read about what I'm tasting. I discuss with others. I formulate theories and put them to the test. I try the unfamiliar, and then hear what people have to say about what I've just experienced.
The journey is the goal, in a strange way. There's so much to learn, and the learning process is so enjoyable, that it would be sad to reach the destination.
I also suspect that if you think you have reached the destination, you have simply deluded yourself. We need to be at peace with the notion that wine is such a complex, dynamic subject, no one can know it all.
But let's try to learn as much as we can. The journey is fun.
posted by Jamie Goode at
4:11 PM
5 Comments:
Jamie, this is a very insightful and important point. Like you, I've been a pretty enthusiastic wine, um, enthusiast for more than 10 years. I've consumed thousands of wines at tastings etc., taught wine appreciation at Indiana University, blogged and podcasted about wine. Even with all of that, I still feel like I'm a mere novice.
Your observation that the journey is the reward is something I wish I had realized. It would have made a great blog post for me. :-)
In other words,"if you think you are there, you're intoxicated. Fun,fun,fun."
I agree, wines have such a rich history which traces back to the medieval times. Its practical use as well as its symbolism have transcended through time.
If this is the case, then learning about wines may seem like one of the most fun educational journeys available. Kidding aside, I understand where you're getting at.
I have a limited knowledge about wines, I must say. However, I love them so much. In fact, I have a collection of wines including Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.
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