FoodBanter.com - View Single Post - Would varietal labelling of French wine serve any purpose?

in article t, Richard
Neidich at wrote on 8/11/05 7:25 AM:

> Michael, I am 48 years old and some 26 years ago when I had my first glass
> of real wine---(not white zin) I did not know what Cabernet Sauvignon was.
> Or Pinot Noir. It was like a foreign language.
<SNIP>

This thread is far too long to have read all the posts, so jumping in here
may repeat thoughts I didn't see, but this subject has intrigued me for too
long to not comment.

"Foreign language"....... If I had to sum up my personal lack of comfort
with wine labels based on regions and chateux, that would pretty much on
target. In addition to actually BEING in a foreign language, the whole thing
is much like that as well. Someone also used the word "lazy" ...... and
that is certainly a factor.

I will completely admit to a definite inability to become fluent in
"translations" of French or Italian regions (DOC's and all) into New World
varietal terminology. That's totally my fault, but I really do believe that
it's more than just laziness........ like so many other things, it has a lot
to do with practice. If 90% of the wines I drink are New World, I just don't
seem to get enough practice so that knowing one region from another becomes
natural and easy by region. Other than the basics, I'm still pretty much
lost.

I've even tried using flash cards to memorize, and that helps, but it's like
some people are good with learning languages and others not. I want to be
able to know that a Red Rhone is mostly Syrah without having to memorize it,
and have my brain know what that means the same way it knows what Syrah
means.