The French have been selling wine for hundreds of years. After that long, they have gotten very good at it. I have only been buying wine for 40 years, but I have learned a few things, too.

Doug Tunnell and I were out on The Deschutes River last summer. One of the things we talked about was the words and phrases the French often use to describe their new wines that stir consumers to buy. Below is a tongue-in-cheek description of a few. Add your own if this sounds familiar.

We periodically hear that a particular offering is a “vin de garde.” The term connoted a bottle aging gracefully to reach perfection in years to come. It is also true that this can mean hard, unyielding wine with high acidity or tannin — or both — and shallow fruit. As I look back, this term seems to have been designed to sell wine now with no recriminations for 20 years, while the wine is sleeping. Buyer beware. 1988 red burgundies were widely touted as “vin de garde”. I have been “garde”ing some of these for nearing 20 years. Many are still hard, sour, and shallow. (more…)

My email reminded me today that another campaign for another miracle vintage has just begun. This time it is 2006 Burgundy, and I am still tired and broke from the 2005 assault. My own affliction is Pinot Noir, both from France and the new world. There are other habits that cost more — but only a few.

The 2005 Burgundies were touted as wines from a vintage that comes along maybe once in a decade, possibly two or three times in a century. Prices rose to unbelievable levels. Retailers were given smaller allocations than earlier years. Now, most of the 2005s have sold through to distribution, and we hear little of it. But oh, the glorious 2006s!

Which gets me to the point of this rant. I have now followed Burgundy introductions for over 30 years. In that time, I recall 12 “vintages of the century” (1969, 1978, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2002 and 2005). Each in its turn was touted as better than anything before it. I, for one, bought the hype almost every time. Each vintage was, in fact, very good, but I noticed that once a vintage was safely in my cellar, the newest vintage (the one currently for sale) was described as even better.

I am not against selling. It makes the world go round. But, after watching it for 30 years, I am very wary of hysterical type. You should be too.

Paul Fortino

Much of the pleasure lies in the wine shops themselves. Each has its own personality. One might be sleek and high profile with the hottest new wine bar in town while another is a rabbit warren with cases stacked everywhere. One shop might be on Madison Avenue where another favorite, Drive-In Liquors, is squirreled under I-25 in Colorado Springs where you can be sure to find a bottle you thought had long ago disappeared. A great enjoyment are shops like Italian Wine Merchants in New York that specialize with a depth of selection that offers new discoveries even to those most familiar with the region. Unlikely looking places might have some real finds. The Clown in Portland, Maine; Joe Saglimbini’s in San Antonio; Oregon Wines on Broadway?And, of course, along the way one meets new friends and renews old acquaintances who share one’s enthusiasm for the hunt, for the personalities and for the camaraderie of wine itself.Look for wine merchants interested in what you like rather than what is on special this week. There is real fun in taking home a mixed case from different regions and discovering your palate. Take notes on what you like and why and then, when you go back, your wine merchant will be able to refine the selection to your taste. Nevertheless, be open to new suggestions and try to broaden your experience as much as you can. As you gain experience, your preferences will inevitably focus on certain regions but even then, keep an open mind for there are great wines coming from everywhere around the globe.

Gregg Popovich