“A glass of wine in one’s hand is rather like a jewel, isn’t it, a large, liquid one?”
― Marie Rutkoski, The Winner’s Curse
The first thing that catches our attention about a glass of wine is what it looks like, how it gleams in the glass, whether it’s golden, red, purple or one of a thousand shades in hue. It can be every bit as enticing as an actual jewel that is not even a hundredth its size.
But as pretty as wine is to gaze upon, it’s even more enjoyable to drink. Through history, and a popular observation among writers, is that the flavor of wine improves with aging.
“Age appears best in four things: old wood to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust and old authors to read.”
“Wine is like many of the fine experiences in life which take time and experience to extract their full pleasure and meaning.”
― Douglas Preston, Crimson Shore
It’s my own experience that aging can, indeed, help specific wines — primarily hearty reds — to shine. But far more often, it’s a better idea to consume wine in its youth or middle age. The last thing you want is to drink a wine that is past its prime.
“A bottle of wine begs to be shared; I have never met a miserly wine lover.”
“Wine makes every meal an occasion, every table more elegant, every day more civilized.”
“The simplest definition of a great bottle of wine is when you feel sad because the bottle is empty.”
“Wine lovers tend to be generous people, and enjoy sharing their love of wine with others. They love to open the “right” bottle of wine with the “right” dish, creating a culinary experience worthy of a Michelin 3-star restaurant.
“I could smell garlic, butter, and wine — the world’s most delicious flavor combination. It made me feel warm, like the first few sips of wine always do.”
― Sarah Jio, The Violets of March
Of course, not all food-and-wine pairing is approached in the same way.
“I cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.”
“What wine goes with Captain Crunch?”
The best piece of advice I’ve heard in a long time — and one I intend to adhere to in 2018 — came from Bon Appetit magazine…
“If your arteries are good, eat more ice cream. If they are bad, drink more red wine. Proceed thusly.”
