We have attended a variety of wine tasting dinners. Some of them were associated with wine clubs of which we were members. Others, also related to our clubs, were hosted by a wine distributor who showed off the top offerings of several wineries. We often attend dinners given by a wine society. Most recently, our university alumni association has been sponsoring dinners that have featured winemakers who graduated from the college.
In general, we have had the opportunity to taste a half dozen or more of what the producers believe are their best wines. In some cases where more than one winery is represented, there can be twenty or more wines available for tasting. Sometimes, we have been served tasting portions only; in others, the bar was essentially open.
A dinner at the Etude winery. Winemaker Jon Priest is speaking.
With all that alcohol, there had better be some food served. Occasionally, we have been disappointed to be offered no more than hors d’oeuvres that were passed around. At the same event the following year, we made sure to eat heartily before drinking, only to find that they had laid out enough food, buffet style, for two meals (that we barely touched).
At the recent university affair, Rhône wines were poured to accompany a Chinese banquet, with 16 dishes. With so many food choices, appropriate pairings are nearly impossible. Sure, if they are carving roast beef, we’ll stick with Cabernet Sauvignon or Châteauneuf du Pape. (One dinner put on by a winery that specializes in sparkling wines served short ribs. How did it work? Poorly.) And there is no Rhône wine ever made to go with tofu in a spicy sauce.
One of the attractions of these sorts of occasions is the opportunity to speak with representatives of the wineries or in some cases the winemakers themselves. This provides a chance to really understand the background of whatever we were tasting. We have learned about terroir, climate, farming techniques, trellising, pressing and barreling from the people who were in a position to know what they were talking about. For the most part, they seemed happy to discuss their products and field questions from avid – but not always knowledgeable – amateurs.
We usually meet nice people at these events, with a range of backgrounds and interests. Of course, we were all united in being interested in the wines being served. (We don’t remember ever encountering anyone who was there just to get drunk.) We have met young people just getting to learn about wine and oldsters whose cellars are as deep as their wine knowledge. Yes, there is a fair amount of wine snobbery and one-upmanship, but for the most part the talk have been convivial.
At a seated dinner, we have always been at a table with strangers. As the meal has gone along – and the wine has flowed – conversations have become livelier. (Perhaps the wine was a factor?) We always find it interesting to hear how others have come to appreciate the wineries that are the stars of the show and compare their experiences with ours.
One caveat: the wine tasting dinners are set up by people who sell wine for a living. There will always be a sales pitch and the opportunity to buy the wines that accompanied the dinners. We’ve frequently taken advantage of some real bargains, but more often walked away without buying.