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It shows the anxiety people have about wanting to look smart about wine. Just drink what you like. I've always liked Merlot.

ashtonkem 5y ago
Funny, I've always been a pinot noir guy. I never watched the film, but I would've turned 21 roughly five years after this movie came out, and now I can't help but wonder whether my preference for Pinot was influenced by this movie and how it affected the quality and quantity of wines that were available to me as I started drinking it. Would I have preferred Merlot if this movie had never come out or if I was older, and I'd been around when quantities of Merlot were roughly equal to pinot? An interesting counterfactual. My parents prefer cabernet sauvignon, by the by.
jandrewrogers 5y ago
What many people miss is that it is not about the grape varietal, but the intersection of varietal and geography. Every famous wine region will produce poor wine from varietals not suited to that region, and varietals are sensitive to the local environment. This is where I think the Europeans get it right. They don't focus on the varietal, they produce a blend from varietals that make sense in the region they are grown, producing a wine with somewhat unique characteristics (modulo production skill). Merlot can be the basis for excellent wine (see: Petrus). However, I think California generally produces mediocre merlot. California's strengths are Cabernet (Sauvignon and Franc) and Zinfandel. For Pinot Noir, there are a couple spots like the Russian River Valley that do a good job, but Oregon has a stronger claim. In the US, you kind of need to know what varietals grow well in what regions. In Europe, they typically produce varietal blends that are optimized for the region where they are produced, but which have very different characteristics depending on the region. I prefer the European model of branding on the region rather than the varietal, because the wine experience is more consistent and predictable. You know it will usually be an appropriate varietal for the region in which it is produced. That is not always the case in the US; we seem to grow any varietal anywhere if we think we can sell it. That said, if you want to look smart about wine without spending a ton of money, the best choice is something from a region relatively few people have heard of, and therefore inexpensive, that nonetheless produces brilliant wine. Sommeliers often appreciate people that can identify those hidden gems on the list because people trying to be flashy don't even recognize them. Of course, you learn this by drinking wine from literally everywhere, and especially places you've never heard of, until you form an opinion. Availability varies widely with geography but in 2021, with the globalization of wine, there is little reason to spend much more than $10-20 bottle (retail, not restaurant) for almost any style if you know your regions and quality is the sole objective (local availability notwithstanding). But then, I'm just a random wine drinker on the Internet. :-)
- aishvar 5y ago
  Is there a list of what's generally considered the best region for each grape?
  - zwaps 5y ago
    Not really, there's some basic information in what is popular - say Sauvignon Blanc in NZ or Zweigelt in Austria, but that doesn't mean these need to be the best regions in terms of taste. Generally, some grapes do better with sun and warmth, while others (like Pinot Noir or Riesling) do better in moderate climate. Beyond that, I am not sure if one can trust a simple list. I think this is because region can be very narrowly defined - sometimes "side of this hill, vs. that side". Then, each year also produces different quality. I think there are certain prototypes per region that you could learn about. But even that is a challenge. So for France, for example, the regions you want to learn don't stack hierarchically in a nice fashion (like you start with 4 broad regions and break them down). But it can be done. In realiy, however, different wines are made in each region (see "region" above) so you are not guaranteed to get something like the prototype, nor can you guarantee that the wines of a given year will be like the prototype at all. Another good example is Italy, which has fewer prototypical examples one might be able to learn. But then, Italy also has a great number of wine makers that do something very different, sometimes something better, so again it doesn't help you find a good wine. Best bet is to pick a region and really get into it. Like, learning stuff about Bordeaux can keep you busy, but at least you'll have a solid idea. The wrong approach would be to do stuff like say: "oh Bordeaux has Merlot, while Germany has Pinot" which is sort of true in ratios of averages, but individually, and also generally, incredibly wrong. I personally believe that identifying a good wine in all cases basically requires you to know about the wine maker and the year. I.e. - it's a full time job.
  - jhatax 5y ago
    Simplest answer: the best region for a grape is the region from where you like wine made from that grape. :)
- MrGando 5y ago
  Love the comment! I honestly think California's most interesting wines being produced now are Syrah's. Crazy good stuff there made by the newer generations. Agreed on Cabernet Sauvignon. Regarding Pinot Noir, there's just nothing in the US that compares to a good Burgundy, some things I think are interesting are Domaine De La Cote in California and Kelley Fox in Oregon though :)
sanderjd 5y ago
Yeah it's better to be an enthusiast than a connoisseur. I like pretty much all wine that isn't just bargain swill. They're all great in different ways.

ashtonkem 5y ago

Funny, I've always been a pinot noir guy. I never watched the film, but I would've turned 21 roughly five years after this movie came out, and now I can't help but wonder whether my preference for Pinot was influenced by this movie and how it affected the quality and quantity of wines that were available to me as I started drinking it. Would I have preferred Merlot if this movie had never come out or if I was older, and I'd been around when quantities of Merlot were roughly equal to pinot? An interesting counterfactual. My parents prefer cabernet sauvignon, by the by.

jandrewrogers 5y ago

What many people miss is that it is not about the grape varietal, but the intersection of varietal and geography. Every famous wine region will produce poor wine from varietals not suited to that region, and varietals are sensitive to the local environment. This is where I think the Europeans get it right. They don't focus on the varietal, they produce a blend from varietals that make sense in the region they are grown, producing a wine with somewhat unique characteristics (modulo production skill). Merlot can be the basis for excellent wine (see: Petrus). However, I think California generally produces mediocre merlot. California's strengths are Cabernet (Sauvignon and Franc) and Zinfandel. For Pinot Noir, there are a couple spots like the Russian River Valley that do a good job, but Oregon has a stronger claim. In the US, you kind of need to know what varietals grow well in what regions. In Europe, they typically produce varietal blends that are optimized for the region where they are produced, but which have very different characteristics depending on the region. I prefer the European model of branding on the region rather than the varietal, because the wine experience is more consistent and predictable. You know it will usually be an appropriate varietal for the region in which it is produced. That is not always the case in the US; we seem to grow any varietal anywhere if we think we can sell it. That said, if you want to look smart about wine without spending a ton of money, the best choice is something from a region relatively few people have heard of, and therefore inexpensive, that nonetheless produces brilliant wine. Sommeliers often appreciate people that can identify those hidden gems on the list because people trying to be flashy don't even recognize them. Of course, you learn this by drinking wine from literally everywhere, and especially places you've never heard of, until you form an opinion. Availability varies widely with geography but in 2021, with the globalization of wine, there is little reason to spend much more than $10-20 bottle (retail, not restaurant) for almost any style if you know your regions and quality is the sole objective (local availability notwithstanding). But then, I'm just a random wine drinker on the Internet. :-)

aishvar 5y ago
Is there a list of what's generally considered the best region for each grape?
- zwaps 5y ago
  Not really, there's some basic information in what is popular - say Sauvignon Blanc in NZ or Zweigelt in Austria, but that doesn't mean these need to be the best regions in terms of taste. Generally, some grapes do better with sun and warmth, while others (like Pinot Noir or Riesling) do better in moderate climate. Beyond that, I am not sure if one can trust a simple list. I think this is because region can be very narrowly defined - sometimes "side of this hill, vs. that side". Then, each year also produces different quality. I think there are certain prototypes per region that you could learn about. But even that is a challenge. So for France, for example, the regions you want to learn don't stack hierarchically in a nice fashion (like you start with 4 broad regions and break them down). But it can be done. In realiy, however, different wines are made in each region (see "region" above) so you are not guaranteed to get something like the prototype, nor can you guarantee that the wines of a given year will be like the prototype at all. Another good example is Italy, which has fewer prototypical examples one might be able to learn. But then, Italy also has a great number of wine makers that do something very different, sometimes something better, so again it doesn't help you find a good wine. Best bet is to pick a region and really get into it. Like, learning stuff about Bordeaux can keep you busy, but at least you'll have a solid idea. The wrong approach would be to do stuff like say: "oh Bordeaux has Merlot, while Germany has Pinot" which is sort of true in ratios of averages, but individually, and also generally, incredibly wrong. I personally believe that identifying a good wine in all cases basically requires you to know about the wine maker and the year. I.e. - it's a full time job.
- jhatax 5y ago
  Simplest answer: the best region for a grape is the region from where you like wine made from that grape. :)
MrGando 5y ago
Love the comment! I honestly think California's most interesting wines being produced now are Syrah's. Crazy good stuff there made by the newer generations. Agreed on Cabernet Sauvignon. Regarding Pinot Noir, there's just nothing in the US that compares to a good Burgundy, some things I think are interesting are Domaine De La Cote in California and Kelley Fox in Oregon though :)

sanderjd 5y ago

Yeah it's better to be an enthusiast than a connoisseur. I like pretty much all wine that isn't just bargain swill. They're all great in different ways.