When I first meet my wife she was into some cheap white wine because she lived in the Seattle area and a few vineyards dotted the landscape. At that time, I was stationed in Alameda, California, just a hop, skip, and jump from Napa Valley. The natural thing to do was invite her down and go wine tasting.
Being a beer drinking sailor, I had no clue about wine outside the likes of MD 20/20, Wild Irish Rose, or Boone’s Farm. Being patient with me and eager to buy cases from every winery we hit, she showed me what she liked and a little bit about the whole art of tasting. After we were married I traded in my church key for a cork screw.
I never liked the sweet desert wines like a Moscato. I started with the lesser sweet Riesling and soon went for a little drier white wine, the Chardonnay, before graduating toward the Reds. I’ve known co-workers who’ve collected red wines and looked for some of the best they could afford. We would rather drink it then let it take up space. Saves us a ton of money and a lot more fun, I say.
Over the years, her parents became original stockholders in Willamette Valley Vineyards. Later on her dad used to be a wine distributer and we got to enjoy the half empty bottles from wine tastings. I think one of the best wines I have ever had was a Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley Vineyards, but I don’t remember the year. I’m not that versed in wine to remember or appreciate such things.
Which brings me to the point of wine going sideways. In the movie Sideways, not a great movie but an Academy Award winner, there is a scene in it that had an effect on the wine industry concerning the pinot noir. It was also a topic of a Ted Talk author in the book. The Storytellers Secret.
The scene is actor Paul Giamatti (Miles in the movie) talking about the pinot grape.
Maya: “Why are you so into Pinot? It’s like a thing with you.”
Miles: “I don’t know. It’s a hard grape to grow. As you know. It’s thin-skinned, temperamental, ripens early. It’s not a survivor like Cabernet that can grow anywhere and thrive even when neglected. Pinot needs constant care and attention and in fact can only grow in specific little tucked-away corners of the world. And only the most patient and nurturing growers can do it really, can tap into Pinot’s most fragile, delicate qualities. Only when someone has taken the time to truly understand its potential can Pinot be coaxed into its fullest expression. And when that happens, its flavors are the most haunting, and brilliant and subtle and thrilling and ancient on the planet.”
Not only was Miles talking about the Pinot grape but himself also.
Several articles can be found about “The Sideways Effect” on wine and the increase of Pinot Noir production in California since the movie came out.
Today, I wish I could go around drinking high quality wine but the wife and I will stick to our cheap red wine for now.
(FYI In the picture I am not referring to Belle Fiore winery as cheap. In fact I enjoyed that wine very much)
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