Pet Peeves from a Wine Friend in Nashville, TN

[Roy Hersh]

From Tom Black:

Pet Peeves

If you look up Pet Peeves in the dictionary it says “a vexation, a grievance… one’s most irritating grievance.”

Well, recently some wine aficionados were sitting around talking about our wine pet peeves – a different kind of whine. I thought you might enjoy knowing what knowledgeable wine drinkers had to say when they were whining.

1. Universally everyone agreed that white wine served ice cold was among our biggest dislikes. It’s difficult for all restaurants to have a white wine cooler, but I feel like I get half my value if the wine is too cold. For the record, here are three tricks to use at home to bring the temperature up quickly:

You can put the wine in the oven! NOT! Seriously a warm water bottle will raise the temperature quickly. A second idea is to decant the wine into warm decanters. Just run hot water over the outside of the decanter to warm it up. A third is to use your hands to warm the wine once it’s in the glass.

None of these is perfect because wine doesn’t like rapid changes. However, I’d rather do this than not get the full flavor of the wine. White wine is best to me at 55 degrees.

2. Our second pet peeve is sommeliers who give bad information. There is so much bad information out there that sometimes I gag. Anything said with authority is accepted as gospel. I once had a sommelier tell a story about someone at the table without realizing the person he was talking about was present. And he told it as if he was there and he wasn’t. Don’t believe everything you hear unless it’s someone you know and trust. Go with your gut feelings.

3. We hated pouring over a wine list, picking a wine, and finding out that the restaurant didn’t have it, couldn’t find it, or that it was a different vintage than the one represented on the list. Most great restaurants update their list weekly. They should do this even if they have to draw a line through it or white out the prices (as they do in Europe). It’s basically false advertising. Don’t be bullied into taking something you didn’t order. Vintages do make a difference in taste and price.

4. We hated collectors who never opened their good wine. Many times I’ve been to people’s homes that have good-to-great cellars and they refuse to open anything but young, inexpensive wines. I wonder why they have the wine if they aren’t going to drink it with friends or like-minded individuals. Don’t get me wrong – price is not the issue. The issue is that great wine is meant to be drunk when it is mature. There is no point in having a full bottle of great wine to show your friends. Drink it, make a memory, and recall that memory when you get together again.

5. We hated constructed wines. Wine can be made with grape concentrate, water (no grapes involved) yeast, sugar, acid and wood chips. This is not wine. However, this kind of wine is cheap, popular and sends thousand of people in the wrong direction for their enjoyment of wine. Unlike chicken, in wine “parts are not parts.” There are great inexpensive wines and, every Wednesday, Frank Sutherland tells you what they are. However, no constructed wine ever gets past his panel of experts.

6. We hated misleading labels. The most honest label is “Two Buck Chuck.” In America, “Grand Reserve” has no special meaning as to quality. It’s a marketing term. “Little Black Dress” is sexy but reflects nothing about the quality of wine. “Goats du Roam” is clever and it’s cool, but don’t buy wine because it has a catchy name or label. “Marilyn Merlot” was the first one I ever noticed around 1985. It works for the wine company. It doesn’t necessarily work for you. Clever labels usually mean the wine won’t stand on its own.

7. Although this has decreased in recent years we still hate sommeliers who tell us we’re wrong when we reject a wine. Remember this: “The customer is always right.” If you think the wine is flawed, then don’t accept it. Ninety-nine percent of the time if you don’t like the smell of the wine, you won’t like the wine. Some people are more sensitive to flaws in both the nose and the palate. You may be more sensitive than your wine server. You are the ultimate and final judge.

8. We hate it when wines are judged strictly by scores. Many retailers don’t carry wines that get high scores. If we all knew the politics and preferences involved in these scores, we’d gag. There have been about 220 wines rated “100” by someone. Any more still in the barrel or tank when they were rated. Have the courage of your convictions and drink what you like.

Now you have our pet peeves. So here is our greatest joy: making a memory with a great bottle of wine (or more than one) and a great meal surrounded by friends and family. Go make a memory!

[Moses Botbol]

What about the piss warm red's being served? Thought that would be ahead of the too cold white?

What about port being served in those thimble cups?

[Andy Velebil]

What about port being served in those thimble cups

Amen, I hate those things.


My pet peeve is people who wear a ton of cologne or perfume when knowingly coming to a wine tasting or wine dinner/event. Drives me nuts!

[Derek T.]

What about port being served in those thimble cups

Amen, I hate those things.


My pet peeve is people who wear a ton of cologne or perfume when knowingly coming to a wine tasting or wine dinner/event. Drives me nuts!

Sorry, Andy. I won't wear my Chanel No5 next time we meet :devil:

[Lars F]

What about port being sold and served in bars and restaurants which has been open for ages, and when you ask thay can't tell you exactely how long, but "It's still fine" ?

-Lars

[Andy Velebil]

What about port being sold and served in bars and restaurants which has been open for ages, and when you ask thay can't tell you exactely how long, but "It's still fine" ?

-Lars

Lars, I agree 100%. That one drives me nuts. They can't answer the question, but its always "just fine, Port lasts a long time" That usually means I give a little lesson about Ports to our server or bar tender....and the only time I'll avoid the Port.