Sinus Envy: Wine Tasters, Wine Taste

A recent study by Penn State’s Sensory Evaluation Center concluded that professional wine critics, tasters, and dedicated collectors, what one journalist dubbed “specialist oenophiles,” have taste buds and sensory apparatuses that differ significantly from those of the general population. In an interview with the British paper The Telegraph, Professor John Hayes, director of the center, […]

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Odyssey, This Is Houston, part 2

Part two on ways to make sure your wine tasting trip doesn’t turn into just another expensive, crummy drunkfest. 7.  Eat, Drink, And Be Merry Wine tasting is something that grown-ups do, so it’s best to plan to act like one as you set out on your hedonic quest. If you’re planning to stop in […]

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Bend And Stretch. Reach For The Stars

This weekend in the wine shop was pretty typical, with the usual parade of characters. Stalwart shoppers who always know what they want, and the occasional newcomer with a plan and a list. And then the regular sprinkling of the lost and confused, who are really the best customers, because they need and want so much […]

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We’re Not Worthy

I am quickly moving from sympathy to frustration with people who begin conversations about wine with self-flagellating disclaimers: “I’m no connossieur……” “I know nothing about wine….” “I choose wines by the label/price/winery name/bottle shape/weather report/horoscope/fill in the blank…..” “I only drink merlot/pink/chardonnay/Australian….” and on and on. I cringe whenever these apologies crawl weakly out of a friend’s […]

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