I think I've discovered a new language - it's called "Wine-ese". The problem is that everyone who knows how to speak it, assumes that everyone else can too. In reality, almost no one can, so there's a communication problem. Let me explain...
I was in my local Waitrose supermarket yesterday- Waitrose is an upmarket supermaket chain in the U.K. with a good reputation for wine.
I was looking ( in vain as it happened ) for some useful information to help in my champagne selection.
I picked up a copy of their wine list and was browsing through and came across this entry for Louis Roederer Brut Premier NV champagne. This is what it said...
"Still family-owned, with a high proportion of its own grapes and reserve wines used in its champagne."
That was it - nothing else.
Now I don't know about you, but my reaction was, "Is that all? "
What difference does it make if the company is family-owned; so what if they use a high proportion of their own grapes - doesn' t everyone? And what all this about reserve wines - what does that mean and what difference do they make to the champagne?
I suspect that for the average champagne buyer the information meant little or nothing.
The description was written by a very experienced wine expert who really knows about champagne. The trouble is that she sort of assumes that you know as much as she does and speak the same language. But most people don't speak Wine-ese and when that's the case it doesn't help at all if you just talk louder.
If you'd like some Wine-ese lessons, why not let me be your interpreter? When it comes to champagne, I can translate for you.
I invite you to sign up for my free Bubbly Bulletins where you'll find your introduction to Wine-ese plus the answers to all these questions and more: vintage champagne, rosé champagne, non-vintage champagne, everything about champagne.
To find out more just go to www.madaboutbubbly.com and simply leave your first name and a contact e-mail address.
See you soon for your first lesson
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