TIP 2
Chip says:
“Last week we discussed how to decide on our favorite wine and the importance of judging based on your own taste. But what if you want to get more specific and figure out your preferences in more detail? What should you do?
Two simple thoughts can help:
1. Take notes. These don’t have to be long academic style notes, just a quick comment. After all, none of us really have time to take a bunch of extra notes. Some people just keep an ongoing note in their phone with a line for each wine they try. Just having a reference for the next time you are buying is extrememly helpful.
a. Ex. “Pinot Noir (name) from Oregon. Tasted like cherries, pretty strong, liked it a lot”
2. Use a system. There are a lot of wines to try from many different places. If you want to explore and get something out of it as easily as possible, organize your exploration.
a. Ex. Each month pick a varietal (wine speak for type of grape, ex. Merlot) that you want to explore. For each week in that month get a wine of that varietal from a different region of origin (Ex. Week 1 – Australia; Week 2 – California; Week 3 – France; Week 4 – Chile). Keep notes on what you like and what isn’t as great. Each month you will get a cross section of what a new type of wine is like from around the world.
Over time, taking brief notes and using a system will help you remember a lot more about your experiences.
Give it a try and happy tasting!"