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You're The Best Judge

Blog: Living Well

November 25, 2009

Julia Childs wrote, in her book My Life in France, that she had her own rule about serving food: never apologize for a dish. If something doesn't turn out as expected, so be it. Hope for success next time. Most people won't notice if it is less than perfect, unless it is a total and complete disaster. This is a good rule for serving wine, so unless the wine is obviously flawed--corked, oxidized, tainted--serve it without apology.

This article appeared a couple of weeks ago in The Wall Street Journal and on ABC's Good Morning America.

Perhaps you have read this already, but I hadn't, and found it not only of interest, but in keeping with my opinion. Don't you love it when others agree with you?

I think this emphasizes what many of us have maintained all along: drink what pleases you and judge wine by your own standards. To paraphrase the well-known saying, "One man's meat is another man's poison," we could say that one person's 92 is another person's 85--or even 70." When looking at a new wine you haven't had a chance to taste, a rating or medal or the opinion of someone whose taste you trust can be helpful when deciding whether or not to buy it. In the main, however, you be the judge and you won't be sorry.

Too often I hear people apologetically offering a wine they like, as if they're afraid it might not meet with approval. If I may be blunt, get over it! Your taste suits you, and is as valid as theirs. You aren't offering your wine to be judged, but to be enjoyed. And we don't all enjoy the same things.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and other holiday meals, and the wines you choose to drink with them. We will have Craig Mitrakul's new Crayelle Cellars Riesling and Karma's Dry Gewurztraminer, along with an Oregon Bergstrom Arcus Vineyards Pinot Noir and a G.O. Cameron Hughes Petit Syrah. With dessert, I'll have a cup of hot black tea, which is just the thing with pie and whipped cream.

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