What better way to jump back into that proverbial saddle than having the king of southern drinking on my blog?! That's right ... the
Dirty South Wine guru himself has lent me his ramblings *ahem* I mean wisdom to share. He and I seem to agree on a few things- like why wine is intended to be drank not spit. Thank you.
I'm just curious as to how he made 2 bottles of wine last that long? Magic...
Want to Teach Novices About Wine? Start with Jager-Bombs!
For many, sitting down and learning about wine sounds about as much fun as getting chased by Sasquatch, being abducted by aliens, or going camping in an abandoned insane asylum. It is oddly terrifying, and people get turned off and petrified of the unknown--The horrific and gory world of fermented grape juice!!!!
Before you teach anyone anything about wine, you need to make sure that they have no fear. No fear of the juice, no fear of looking or sounding foolish, and no fear that the drinks you've set before them could be filled with roofies, (my crew rolls hard!)... The only thing that matters is that people have a curiosity to learn and an open mind.
Tips for introducing wine to complete novices. (Invite people over to your crib!)
1. Order pizza and have it delivered.
Preferably plain cheese. It is pretty neutral.
2. Start doing Jager-Bombs.
For real!!!!! Or have a beer, a mixed drink, or an alcoholic beverage that people already like. No need to drop the hammer, but people need to relax, loosen up, and unwind. In structured wine education, people often forget that part of what draws people to wine is that it is an alcoholic beverage. (If people wanted complexity without the alcohol, they should get into tea.)
3. Wipe the slate clean.
Ask people forget anything they have ever learned or heard about wine. At this point, none of it matters.
3B. Await pizza delivery.... tick, tick, tick...
Pizza arrives, lay that pie out!
4. Pour two wines
Slate clean, loosened up, pizza on plates, and everyone having fun-- Let's try some wine! Pick and pour two wines. No need to say what they are beyond "Red, White, Pink, etc..." If they ask you what they are, say "SILENCE!!!!!!", tug their ears, and throw their wine glasses against the wall. If that's too far, just say, two different wines.
4. Drink two wines
Forget about how to taste properly, using descriptors, spitting. Drink two wines and eat pizza. The only thing you need to ask-- "Do you like them?" Then shut up. At this point, people have already had a beverage or two, are hopefully having fun, and may be less intimidated. Let them talk. Don't tell them stuff, ask them stuff. If things stray way off, always bring it back to-- "Do you like it?"
5. Get feedback / Tell them what was what.
By now, the pizza is probably gone, the TV may be on, and people are hanging out. Hopefully people liked the wine, and if not, that's fine too. Give a simple explanation of what is what- "A red wine from CA, a white from Oregon, etc..." No need to get more in detail unless people ask. When they do ask for more specifics, keep your answers brief and simple. No need to wax poetic about soil, slope, and old vines, and limited production. At this stage less info is better than too much.
6. Do something else.
I think this is the most important part-- Finish the rest of the wine while watching a movie, playing a game, or anything else. Why? Because wine is something to enjoy, and not to stress over. At this point, I'd rather people remember the good time they had while drinking wine, rather than if they though the wine was any good.
7, Call cabs / Get people home safely.
Don't let people drive buzzed. Wine is fun, but it is still an alcoholic beverage.
Learning about wine is simple:
Get loose, take away the fear, eat a pizza, drink some wine, and have fun with other people. The more fun people have, the more curious they become, and then you get into more detail down the road. Don't rush it, enjoy it!
