Do You Believe In Magic?

The genie living in wine bottles is sometimes able to grant three wishes for the wine maker, wine critic and wine consumer. These are magic bottles.

Since most of us are unable to afford Premier Grand Cru Bordeaux or Burgundy wines, we should also trust our own palates and wine preferences. I believe this is the problem with the current wine marketing. We shop with our Wine Spectator Best Buy list or the latest Robert Parker picks but forget that although they may have tasted more wine than we have, what we like is what is most important.

TV ads, fanciful labels and shelf notes further prod us into peer pressure purchases. Your dollars are the best way to make changes to this system. Step out of your comfort zone, embrace the unfamiliar and try lots of different wines. Then, you will know what characteristics you like in both reds and whites. Armed with this knowledge, you can weed through the reviews, tackle a restaurant wine list or ask a competent merchant to steer you to new wines.

Climb out of your rut and hunt for your own magic bottle.