Wine, an introduction

The first taste I had of wine was in, dig this cliche, a Paris basement restaurant where it was served in large carafes and promptly inticed me to dance the can-can witht he rest of my tour group. As a well behaved 16 year old American girl, I was intrigued by this ellusive forbidden fruit and found it enthralling. But I also remember the taste. The soft, velevty feel of French Burgandy paired with rich creamy sauces. Moderately bitter, but also fruity. I knew nothing about words like tannins, mouthfeel, or the sorts of adjectives that are compared to the taste of wine. I just knew it was love at first sip.
Since then I have moderately explored my tastes but staying within the three big grapes that most Americans recognize: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay. Last year I landed a job in a wine shop and walked in thinking I knew a thing or two.
I know absolutely nothing about wine. What do the names mean? What do the labels mean? What is sweet versus bitter? What are tannins anyway? Does it taste like chocolate because there is actually chocolate in it? What does old world versus new world mean? Do you get what you pay for?
All of these are questions I was too embarrassed to ask on my first day of work. So I broke Wine for Dummies when no one was looking, and started to learn from my manager and our good customers. I still like my knowledge is small, but it is enough to help people who want to venture into the world of wine but don't know where to start. That's why I loved working in a wine shop. Being able to make someone's night with the perfect bottle of wine and to hear them tell me about it was so satisfying.
I think wine has caught a bad reputation in this country. It's getting better, but for the most part people see wine as elitist, complicated and intimidating. Walking into a wine shop is like going to the book store where the books are all sealed in plastic wrap. It's overwhelming without help. But do you know what to ask? What you like? Whether or not you want to try food pairings or just sip?
Hence the blog. I want to tell you what I know about wine, my picks for good buys, and find out what you want to learn about it. Let me know if you have any questions about wine, I will do what I can to provide the answer. In the meantime, I will post on my favorite topics.