your favorite wines?

[Thomas]

aetre, I tried sending the follwing earlier but the Internet was clogged on my end; some of what I say has already been posted by quijote--but here it is anyway:

You are in Niagara Falls, NY. Make your way to Premier Wines and Spirits, in the northern suburbs of Buffalo--Ken...something or other is the town name. There, you will find just about any wine and from just about any country.And they offer wine tastings.

I caution people new to wine not to accept blanket statements about the product; it is one way for you to think you know something when you really are getting a half answer. For instance, Pinot Noir is often a light wine--but that is by no means always the case. That is so because, like many grapes, pinot noir is produced in many climates--climate affects wine density, not to mention winemaking practices.

It is a better idea to maybe take a wine class or follow some wine books; others have their favorite books and I am sure one or two on the board will make a recommendation.

Incidentally, you likely did not care for the Chardonnay you had with pasta and meat sauce (tomato sauce, I assume) because that is probably one the worst wine and food pairings I know. Keep in mind, too, that pairing wine with food (doing it well, that is) is both a learned experience as well as a subjective one.

Finally, I offer three reasons that knowing our favorites doesn't get you far: what is a favorite today may not be a favorite after something more appealing comes along tomorrow; what is a favorite to someone else (even a so-called expert) won't necessarily mean you will like it; practicing favortisim in wine is an open invitation toward becoming complacent.

I reiterate: take a class or get some books, or both. Oh yes, attend in-store wine tastings; you can learn a lot right there.

you are young enough to have a lot of time to learn about wine--don't go too fast and don't give up. It seems daunting, but your palate will ultimately lead you to a pleasant place.