Comments on: Hanging it up http://www.centralcoastwinereport.com/winesooth/2009/04/29/hanging-it-up/ searching for truth in wine Wed, 09 Mar 2011 13:35:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: winesooth.com » Blog Archive » Better wine http://www.centralcoastwinereport.com/winesooth/2009/04/29/hanging-it-up/#comment-2043 winesooth.com » Blog Archive » Better wine Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:41:32 +0000 http://www.redwinebuzz.com/winesooth/?p=2612#comment-2043 [...] raisin purée. My brother drinks wine for the alcohol. Grandma likes anything sweet - and I have a theory why. All in all, my family responds to the first impression of a wine and they do not seek out nuances [...] [...] raisin purée. My brother drinks wine for the alcohol. Grandma likes anything sweet – and I have a theory why. All in all, my family responds to the first impression of a wine and they do not seek out nuances [...]

]]> By: Thomas Pellechia http://www.centralcoastwinereport.com/winesooth/2009/04/29/hanging-it-up/#comment-1385 Thomas Pellechia Tue, 05 May 2009 13:09:04 +0000 http://www.redwinebuzz.com/winesooth/?p=2612#comment-1385 Arthur, As I get older, I find my sense awareness not decreasing but holding steady in some and increasing in others. I attribute this phenomenon to practice--daily practice at looking, smelling, tasting, etc. Perhaps, our senses are the one area that we can count on to break down last, since the senses are necessary for our survival. I expect, that after my bones are done moving and my movements are unstoppable (if you get my drift) I'll still be able to proclaim that Pinot Noir aroma, which actually is Syrah that I smell, but no one else will know the difference either ;) Incidentally, Larry's point about the oxymoron of objective critics can't be stressed enough. Arthur,

As I get older, I find my sense awareness not decreasing but holding steady in some and increasing in others. I attribute this phenomenon to practice–daily practice at looking, smelling, tasting, etc.

Perhaps, our senses are the one area that we can count on to break down last, since the senses are necessary for our survival. I expect, that after my bones are done moving and my movements are unstoppable (if you get my drift) I’ll still be able to proclaim that Pinot Noir aroma, which actually is Syrah that I smell, but no one else will know the difference either ;)

Incidentally, Larry’s point about the oxymoron of objective critics can’t be stressed enough.

]]> By: edward http://www.centralcoastwinereport.com/winesooth/2009/04/29/hanging-it-up/#comment-1378 edward Mon, 04 May 2009 05:25:20 +0000 http://www.redwinebuzz.com/winesooth/?p=2612#comment-1378 Arthur, Two thoughts conflicting from this, first - don't keep your precious bottles forever - drink while you can still smell! But also with time does come knowledge, and presumably the more knowledge the greater the contextual appreciation of those great bottles. So some patience is still needed. . . Arthur,

Two thoughts conflicting from this, first – don’t keep your precious bottles forever – drink while you can still smell! But also with time does come knowledge, and presumably the more knowledge the greater the contextual appreciation of those great bottles. So some patience is still needed. . .

]]> By: Kelly http://www.centralcoastwinereport.com/winesooth/2009/04/29/hanging-it-up/#comment-1374 Kelly Sun, 03 May 2009 09:57:32 +0000 http://www.redwinebuzz.com/winesooth/?p=2612#comment-1374 I am a couple of years older than you - and I smell your sense of your own mortality getting stronger, as it does to most people about this age. I don't think there should be guidelines for wine tasters as far as quitting at a certain age. Your other commenter s have pretty much covered most of the points that are relevant. I think there will be time enough to deal with it, when the time comes...right now it seems a bit premature..:-) I am a couple of years older than you – and I smell your sense of your own mortality getting stronger, as it does to most people about this age.
I don’t think there should be guidelines for wine tasters as far as quitting at a certain age. Your other commenter s have pretty much covered most of the points that are relevant. I think there will be time enough to deal with it, when the time comes…right now it seems a bit premature..:-)

]]> By: larry schaffer http://www.centralcoastwinereport.com/winesooth/2009/04/29/hanging-it-up/#comment-1368 larry schaffer Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:36:34 +0000 http://www.redwinebuzz.com/winesooth/?p=2612#comment-1368 Arthur, In many ways, age is irrelevant in this discussion. As we have discussed, the concept of an 'objective wine reviewer' is an oxymoron, anyways . . . Might your olfactory senses begin shutting down at a certain age? Certainly. Might your sense of color differentiation begin to wane at a certain age? Of course . . . But wine tasting, and wine reviewing to me, is certainly a heck of a lot more than simply that. It is understanding the processes by which a winemaker gets to the end product, the history of the vineyard, the story of the region, the fascination of the variety . . . What someone who gets older might lack in 'preciseness' due to failing senses they more than make up for, in my opinion, with their history, experiences, and 'sense of place' . . . Cheers! Arthur,

In many ways, age is irrelevant in this discussion. As we have discussed, the concept of an ‘objective wine reviewer’ is an oxymoron, anyways . . .

Might your olfactory senses begin shutting down at a certain age? Certainly. Might your sense of color differentiation begin to wane at a certain age? Of course . . .

But wine tasting, and wine reviewing to me, is certainly a heck of a lot more than simply that. It is understanding the processes by which a winemaker gets to the end product, the history of the vineyard, the story of the region, the fascination of the variety . . .

What someone who gets older might lack in ‘preciseness’ due to failing senses they more than make up for, in my opinion, with their history, experiences, and ‘sense of place’ . . .

Cheers!

]]> By: Fred Swan http://www.centralcoastwinereport.com/winesooth/2009/04/29/hanging-it-up/#comment-1366 Fred Swan Wed, 29 Apr 2009 22:20:11 +0000 http://www.redwinebuzz.com/winesooth/?p=2612#comment-1366 They say the legs are the first to go. So, if you can no longer discern legs when drinking California wine, it's definitely time to call it a career. Fred www.norcalwine.com They say the legs are the first to go. So, if you can no longer discern legs when drinking California wine, it’s definitely time to call it a career.

Fred
http://www.norcalwine.com

]]> By: John Kelly http://www.centralcoastwinereport.com/winesooth/2009/04/29/hanging-it-up/#comment-1364 John Kelly Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:53:38 +0000 http://www.redwinebuzz.com/winesooth/?p=2612#comment-1364 Years ago I spent some time at the UCD library reading up on the geriatrics of taste. The winemaker where I worked was concerned that the owner was forcing poor blending decisions on him. I found 5 or 6 seminal papers, copied them and left them on the owner's desk with a note: "There's a reason grandpa wants his desert first." The take home message on geriatric taste is the older we get the more we crave "sweet." At the same time, as a professional I believe by force of will I can continue to recognize the textures that defined great wine for me when I was younger. Worked for Tchelistcheff. (Not that I'm him, or even a poor simulacrum.) Years ago I spent some time at the UCD library reading up on the geriatrics of taste. The winemaker where I worked was concerned that the owner was forcing poor blending decisions on him. I found 5 or 6 seminal papers, copied them and left them on the owner’s desk with a note: “There’s a reason grandpa wants his desert first.” The take home message on geriatric taste is the older we get the more we crave “sweet.”

At the same time, as a professional I believe by force of will I can continue to recognize the textures that defined great wine for me when I was younger. Worked for Tchelistcheff. (Not that I’m him, or even a poor simulacrum.)

]]> By: Dylan http://www.centralcoastwinereport.com/winesooth/2009/04/29/hanging-it-up/#comment-1363 Dylan Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:48:45 +0000 http://www.redwinebuzz.com/winesooth/?p=2612#comment-1363 So these are the kind of thoughts which will enter my mind 16 years from now. I don't think wine critics will ever need retirement guidelines. Followers of their reviews will either be degrading in the senses at the same rate or they will notice that the tastes of the critic are no longer in line with their own. Either way, no one will be at major harm due to declining senses. Just like aging, I think these decisions can happen naturally. I'm still young, but I've been through a lot. At least, I've been through enough to know that everything I know today can change tomorrow. Just like that. That thought is what drives me to follow my passion, and should I find that passion suddenly gone one day, my next day will not be spent in mourning but in searching--searching for the next bold path in my life, regardless of how advanced in its stages it may be. So these are the kind of thoughts which will enter my mind 16 years from now. I don’t think wine critics will ever need retirement guidelines. Followers of their reviews will either be degrading in the senses at the same rate or they will notice that the tastes of the critic are no longer in line with their own. Either way, no one will be at major harm due to declining senses. Just like aging, I think these decisions can happen naturally.

I’m still young, but I’ve been through a lot. At least, I’ve been through enough to know that everything I know today can change tomorrow. Just like that. That thought is what drives me to follow my passion, and should I find that passion suddenly gone one day, my next day will not be spent in mourning but in searching–searching for the next bold path in my life, regardless of how advanced in its stages it may be.

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