I've Come a Long Way baby!

This past Christmas season I was asked by 3 friends for my opinions on what wines they should buy for their relatives. Another person asked me to provide a selection of wines they should serve for a New Years Eve dinner. I was pleased to help out and it made me think of my humble and humiliating first foray into wine.

Back in the day I lived in Sydney, Australia for about 2 years. When I first arrived I lived with my brother, who still resides there. One day I told my brother that I was going up to the bottle shop to pick up some beer and asked if he needed anything. He asked me to pick him up a box of wine. I headed up to the shop , got my beer, saw his brand of wine box on the shelf , paid for it and headed back home.

Later that night my brother got home from work and asked if I got his wine, and I told him I did. A few seconds later I hear a combination of laughter and cursing. My brother tells  me he drinks white wine so why did I buy him a Claret (Red Bordeaux). I’m thinking what are you talking about? I bought the same green box that you had before. My brother asks me if I know that there are different types of wines. I countered with, then why don’t they put it into a different coloured box?

So back I go to the bottle shop to return his ‘fine’ red wine for a Riesling. I explain to the clerk that I would like to return this for a “ RISEling” and she tells me that it’s pronounced “REESling”. As I’m walking back all I could think about was thank goodness I drink beer and don’t have to put up with all this nonsense!

Fast forward and I now find myself with my own wine collection, assisting people with their wine purchases and helping them with their pronunciation of wine styles on a daily basis!

So as the saying goes: “I’ve come a long way baby!”

*Remember folks- Never underestimate your own wine knowledge and remember… we all have to start somewhere.

Cheers,

Bob

Manager (Wine Sense- Springfield Rd)

Filed under: General by Craig