opinions

[Randy Caparoso]

May I weigh in, folks? (Just back from Denver): All is not as it seems. Many wine industry observers are geeky, but some (like me) are actually anti-geeky. For instance, I love Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel -- big, plump, juicy red Zin flavors -- which is a brand that may sound obscure. But in reality, it is just another label put out by the Gallo corporation -- and if anything, Gallo does NOT make wine for geeks. They make wine that is always good enough for ordinary, everyday folks to enjoy. It just so happens that the Rancho Zabaco Zin is as good as any other brand of Zin espoused by a certified Zin nut, geeky or otherwise.

So for me, wine appreciation is never a matter of snobbery or esotericism. Let me ask you: were you born knowing what risotto is, or the taste of a raw oyster, a truffle or shiitake mushroom? There is always a first time for everything -- in food, wine, and life itself!