Everyone has a drink, whether it be Pappy Van Winkle’s 23-year-old Special Reserve Bourbon or a daily can of Throwback Pepsi. But living in a thriving wine valley like the Willamette, a person who doesn’t drink wine can begin to feel a little bit left out. Any drive outside the city will take you past rolling vineyards, cellars and wineries offering tastings and tours. What is a beer drinker to do? Or a soda fan?
One of the perks of living in a wine valley is the cornucopia of choices available to a novice wine drinker. Gary Jennings is the owner of Papa di vino Wine Bar & Shop. He believes there is a wine out there for every taste. Often the darker, heavier wines don’t appeal to people not familiar with the boldness of their flavors. “I guess my suggestion to anyone new to wine drinks should start with the white wines and move into the red wines as your taste becomes used to the different types of wine,” says Jennings. “The white ones that are normally sweeter than most are the Rieslings, Muscats, then you move into the Chardonnays; they can taste sweet to dry. So just starting off, I have found that sweet wines are most people’s first choice when starting to try wine.”
A proper Muscat has half the alcohol of other wines, with a flavor that is sweet but far from Schnapps-syrupy. It’s an excellent starting point from which to build a wine comfort zone. Once your mouth knows what to expect, the subtleties of the vintage become more pronounced. A heavy red that practically smells of decay to the uninitiated will be full of heady flavor to a patient aficionado.
In truth, wine lovers think about more than just the flavor or alcohol content of their beverage when enjoying wine. They believe that the adventure in discovering favorite wines, understanding production, and even the act of drinking is a pleasure intricate enough to become a hobby. Says Jennings, “There is not a rush when drinking wine. You can sit and sip a glass and enjoy it for a long time, whereas with beer, it seems that people are in a rush to drink more. There are so many different types and kinds of wines, it is a fun and exciting time just going to different wineries or tasting rooms to try all of the different wines. Wine drinkers often are very interested in everything about wine from growing the grapes to putting the finished product into the bottles.”
For more information about local wines and for wine tastings, visit Papa Di Vino’s Wine Bar and Shop at 1130 Royvonne Ave. SE #104 or at www.papadivino.com.
