I noticed that Gruet Winery, which makes a sparkling wine that I enjoyed and recommended, has been specifically mentioned in two of my wine books. It's a thrill that my student's palate was able to pick out something that experts identify as uncommonly good! I do most of my wine-tasting alone, because I just moved to a new city and my boyfriend doesn't like wine. Sometimes I worry that tasting wine in relative isolation will lead to solipsistic mistakes. I actively try not to be influenced by expert opinions: Reviews have a power of suggestion over my tasting, and I find that I do a better job exploring a wine when I haven't yet heard someone else's opinion. I attempt to read about a grape, region and winemaking practice for background (so that I know what I'm looking for), then taste a wine and write notes on it before I read reviews of it. (This is a general guideline, it's not like I actively avoid wine reviews all the time, far from it!) I use my books for background, not to look up individual wineries. But it sure was fun to notice a familiar name, and then see it again when I went looking for it! Gruet was an easy name to remember because they are the only wine I'd ever heard of that is made in New Mexico.
"On The Right Track"
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