Who am I?
I'm a 30 year old guy, living in Atlanta, and I like wine. I'm not in the business, just a consumer who has developed a passion for wine. I really started to get into wine around 2000 or so, and the obsession has grown from just buying inexpensive everyday drinkers to now a "cellar" at home numbering about 250 bottles that range from simple Italian rossos to a top Northern Rhone cuvees.
What's the blog for?
I figured this would be a good way to start keeping a record of what I'm drinking, and also serve as an easy spot for recommendations. As more people I know find out about my love of wine, I get asked for recommendations a good bit. So I figured I might as well put something out that will make it easy for all of my friends to check up on what I've been enjoying.
What do I usually drink?
I'm not independantly wealthy, so you probably won't see me drinking a lot of "trophy" wines. That's not to say everything here will be inexpensive - I spend a lot of my disposable income on wine, but try to spend wisely. I also have favorites, and this will slant that way. By no means does this mean I don't think other wines are no good, they just aren't what I like. Everyone has different tastes, and the sooner you figure out what your tastes are (especially compared to wine writers or critics) the more you will begin to enjoy the journey that wine can provide.
First, I'm a red wine guy. Nothing against whites, but reds tend to go better with the types of food I usually eat, and certainly stand up better on their own to me.
Second, I actually have some different tastes than many folks - I'm not huge on Cabernet or Merlot, nor do I really go for Pinot Noir. At this point, you may wonder what I could possibly drink, or how I could say I'm a wine lover without drinking much of those types. I'm fine with that - like I said we all have different tastes. My favorite grape is Syrah. The ultimate expression to me comes in the Syrahs produced in the Northen Rhone, but I'll also drink Syrahs from other locales, whether Old World (Italy) or New (Aussie Shiraz or American Syrahs). The Rhone Valley is also home to two of my other favorite grapes, Grenache and Mourvedre, and I enjoy plenty of Rhone wines made from those varietals, as well as some great wines from Spain, Italy, Australia, and the US.
Other favorites come from Italy, with Sangiovese-based wines being a favorite. I also drink a lot of wine from the Veneto, where the main grapes are Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara. Finally, you may be wondering if I drink much American-produced wine other than the occasional Rhone varietal. I do, with the bulk of it being Zinfandel (no, not the pink stuff), as well as some Petite Sirah.
Overall, that's what you're going to see written about most here, because it's what I like. I encourage everyone to find what they like, so if you find you don't like any of this stuff and prefer a good Cabernet or Pinot, I won't be offended - everyone has different tastes, and I just want to let people know about mine.
What will the posts contain?
Don't expect the "serious" tasting notes you'll find in most wine publications. I'm not going to pass myself off as some sort of expert, and truthfully I'll admit I don't usually get a lot of the flavors that many of those notes will reference. Plus, I'm not going to be taking notes every night at home while tasting - posts will be what I remember about the wine, anything that really stuck out, and just my overall opinions on it. I'll typically try to include approximate prices and availability as well, so if you find something that piques your interest, you will know if it's something you could go and get.
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