You Want My Opinion?

I had a fantastic time chatting with a young wine blogger in the tasting room the other day.  Megan Bauer, wineallday.tumblr.com, has recently started a wine blog and was out to review the wineries on the Pacific Coast Wine Trail.  I believe Stolo Family Winery was her 3^rd(ish) stop along the trail.  Megan is a shade of my younger self; loves wine, food, and was ready to tell me just what she thought about it all.  She loved to talk foodie and we spoke at length about wine styles and food pairing.  She was unabashedly upfront with her opinions…I loved it.

I was ultimately envious of her new adventure in wine reviewing and tried to squeeze every bit of information out of her about what it was like to wander from tasting room to tasting room critiquing wine as she went.  This is something that I have always secretly wanted to do (in my spare time of course).  But, I have no spare time.  And, I am not as gutsy as she is…anymore.  I think my wine review blog would ultimately turn into a lukewarm dissertation of why I “kind-off” liked the wine.  I can usually find the good in a glass, even if it’s not my style.  I always try to appreciate what the winemaker is aiming for and based on price, production size, etc. I tend to judge accordingly.  I am the type of person though, that if I don’t like a glass, I don’t say anything.  My response, now, mirrors the age old saying, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all”.

Who am I to deem whether the Chardonnay has too much oak?  It may for me, but for someone else, it may be right on the mark.  You will hear me say time and time again in the tasting room, “It’s o.k. to not like a particular wine.  Tasting all wines is part of the journey to discovering what it is you do like”.  I do believe strongly in that.  But, naturally we are all inclined to have opinions and would like others to agree with us. 

I have to hand it to those out there laying down their personal opinions like a new law.  It appeals to the “scrappy” part of me that has softened over the years when it comes to giving my private opinion in a public setting.  Really, only my husband is privy to my actually opinion when it comes to wine, and I think he’s had an earful!

At the time of this post, Megan had not yet published her review of Stolo Family Winery and Vineyards.  I look forward to reading exactly what she thinks about us!