“I know what I like”

December 22nd, 2009 | Posted by Hennie

It has been said many times, quoted frequently and even a book written about it. “I don’t know all that much about wine” or “I don’t know much about wine but I know what I like”.

Isn’t that what it is all about – “I know what I like”? We see it every day in the tasting room – the light that goes on when somebody tastes something they really like. Or the flip side of the coin, the neutral expression if something isn’t quite to their taste. And it doesn’t have to be neutral! We all have different tastes and we can’t be expected to like the same things that everybody else does – especially the wine critics and wine judges!

I repeat the same message over and over to all visitors – trust your own tastebuds. Don’t be intimidated by what I say on this side of the counter (I’m totally biassed in any case!) or what I tell you about competitions or wine reviews. The reality is that none of that is of any importance when it comes to somebody’s own particular taste preferences. And that’s the beauty of it all – there is something somewhere to like for all of us. There is just one danger – that people miss out on the opportunity to discover that ’something’ by having pre-conceived ideas about what they should or shouldn’t like and not daring to taste! The ‘not so subtle message’? When walking into a tasting room or a tasting event, don’t always opt for the tried and tested – be daring and try something new. And if you maybe had a Chardonnay or a Riesling umpteen years ago which you didn’t like at the time, that doesn’t mean all Chardonnays or Rieslings are the same as that one!

Does anybody want to guess what brought this post along….?