Four Great Grapes?

This Thinking and Drinking class really is living up to its name. Last week we got a lecture about the qualities of a great wine, and the four top tier grapes, and I've barely stopped thinkng about it. I was a little needled by the assertion that there is one definition of greatness, and that individual taste seems to be out of the equation (though we've spent plenty of time on that topic as well). Once the shackles go down though, I kind of buy into this. Cab, Pinot, Chard and Riesling can all attain great heights. And they can do it in a variety of styles and geographical areas. the grape used in port meanwhile (can't remember its name) is only used for that one style in that one region. Therefore, it's only Tier 2 w/ an *, got it? It's all about the bandwidth.

Then there's this whole thing about what a great wine must be. "A great wine must be complex." Sure, this is true. "It must show a sense of place." ok, teacher is a Francophile and so are many others, and I get that it's all about the terroir, and that there are no great "indoor" wines. Fine. "A great wine must spark language -- that is, it has to inspire people to talk about it." Hmmm. I can think of a lot of horrid wine that's sparked plenty of language...

Next week is our last class. We're supposed to submit, in writing, our philosophy of wine. Definitely something to chew on.

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