Do I Have To Like It?

In my roles as a pourer of wine in a tasting room and as a seller of wines, I struggle with the concept that not all wine is good. I want tasters to have an exceptional experience and enjoy all the wines I pour as they home in on their buying preferences. When I'm out selling to restaurants and wine shops, I certainly hope the buyers will love every drop I allow them to taste, from the obscure South African blend to the more-familiar Cotes du Rhones. But, when all is said and done, preferences prevail and someone, more often than not, says "I'm not sure I like that one!" 

When this first happened, I shrugged it off as an indication of an unsophisticated taster/buyer. They must not realize what they're tasting. Don't they realize where these grapes came from? What they had to go through with that hail storm two years ago, and then those long hot dry spells that followed? What about those people with the pruning shears? They left us to fend for ourselves, bleeding and in pain.

The fact is that, in spite of the well-meaning vineyards and well-educated winemakers, many poor-quality wines (i.e. wines that aren't worth the cost of the empty bottle or the cheap high) make it to market every year, and we just have to accept it. The importers/distributors must have some customers with a fuzzy palette, or a congenitally clogged nasal passage that prevents any semblance of discernment when evaluating the wines, but again, we have to accept it.

I had an interesting conversation with a young wine taster the other day. She works at a restaurant and has the opportunity to taste the wines offered at that establishment on a regular basis. She ended up the 25 minutes of tasting about 15 different wines from dry whites through semi-sweets, into full-bodied Malbecs and spicy Syrahs, only to land on the White Zin as her favorite. "I guess I don't have a very sophisticated palette," she sadly admitted. Au contraire, you had the good sense to take my advice and try in the proper order, swirl/sip/slurp and consider thoughtfully each one, and draw a conclusion based on YOUR FACTS. Stop letting others tell you what you should like!

I went out today with two South African blends and a new Cava for my accounts to sample (and, hopefully, purchase). While the two blends exhibited unique and tantalizing favors, not typical of other South African wines. The Cava was a huge disappointment. I tried it and was in agreement. There was something that didn't fit, like a hotel room labeled as "non-smoking" that someone, at some point in time, had drained a pack of Lucky Strikes in and the proprietors had tried to cover up with a $&@"! load of air freshener.

I'm trying to be a good salesman. As simple as listening may sound, it is a learned art. I may have a long way to go, but that doesn't mean I blind myself to the obvious and try to sell something that just ain't right by calling it "unique for its terroir," or "exhibiting exceptional character." My accounts didn't care for it, plain and simple...you can't win 'em all!