How to describe extreme of several traits (acidity, sweetness, etc.)

UC is like that p.k., he writes things for effect and sit back and laughs at the fact that we even bother responding to him. The best thing sometimes is to resist replying.

'Tasting' wine is best left to professionals whose business it is to buy and sell wine, and who have the immense skills required to do that. There is nothing more absurd than to see "ordinary folk" trying to imitate pros at anything. What 'pros' do has NOTHING to do with what amateurs do or should try to do, whether it is in race-car driving, photography, or wine tasting. They make fools of themselves trying to imitate pros

DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME

Give pk a break UC, he'll think we are all like you...

Thanks Mike, I now recognise the (newsgroup) type - he is in my blocked senders list already but I ssse he is getting through!!

pk

no, I've been lurking quietly for quite a while & learning much in the process. I recognise the exception that proves the rule that this is a nice place.

pk

I should hope not. I'm not a pretender. I find it fascinating that Americans are obsessed with 'measuring' everything. Only Americans would think of 'rating' wines on a number system. Only Americans would call a beautiful woman a '10'. Only Americans would refuse to drink a wine below 90 points in the Spectator. It's stupid, pointless, inane, and disgusting behavior. I don't 'taste' wine, ever. I drink it. That's what it's for: drinking. I don't talk about wine, and don'ttalk about talking about wine, or about "what terms" I should use. I find that utterly absurd and pointless for amateurs. It is best left to professionals. I recently went into a wine shop that has changed hands. The new owners beamed with pride and told me that among the changes they planned to hold 'tastings'. I have not been back, and shall not be back to that shop. I don't want to deal with these pretentious people who think that consumers want to 'taste' wine.

UC---then seriously if you don't talk about wine...why do you come here to a discussion group about wine...

Is it cause you just love us :-)

OK I cannot resist, I know I am contradicting my own words...

UC, here in your beloved F____ people buy wine based on Parker scores, rate women on a scale of 10, taste wine, go to McDonald's (biggest profits worlwide outside USA) and do as many american things as they can.

In Italy people buy on the stupid scores of the Gambero guide, they are signing up in droves to get certified as sommeliers so they can taste wine without food. The most trendy winemakers make overoaked wines for the international palate, intended for tasting not for food.

Er, are you not american, I believe you said you were?

Because there is so much wine out there. Roca Rubia. Patriglione. Taurasi. Avulisi. Costamolino.

Yummmy!

I just cannot understand Chniese.

But the people in China seem to get along quite well with it. Maybe there is something to all those sing-song syllables after all.

That's exactly what I do (though I play more than three notes) when I sample a CD to see if I want to buy it, or go on a web site to listen to some songs from a new band to see if I like their stuff.

Hell just got a good deal colder.

I think you have a misconception of what ordinary folks do when they say they are "tasting wine". OTOH, going to a CD Kiosk at Borders and playing a few seconds worth of tracks is sort of the same thing isn't it? When I'm in the market for a CD, I might go ahead and do that.

Jose

So...whats wrong with McDonalds, Burger King, Wendys, Chic Filet....

Whats da matter with you....you don't like the fries :-)

He cannot find an italian wine to go with them

To clarify: I walk into a wine shop. A distributor's rep is there, taking orders. He has a few bottles with him, and is giving samples to the sales staff and anyone else who wanders by. He asks if I'd like a sample of Allegrini Amarone. I say yes, politely accept a small paper cup with a small amount of Allegrini Amarone 2001 in it, and sip it down. I thank the rep and say "Yep, that's Amarone" and that's the end of it. I would not attempt to 'evaluate' the Allegrini Amarone 2001 based on this experience, nor have I any interest in doing so. It tasted like Amarone does when you sip it without food.

What's the purpose of that? No wonder you have a low opinion of tasting.

Do different Amarones taste different from each other, without food?

Do they taste different from each other with food?

Do you think ordinary people can learn to make a correlation?

Jose

I don't know. The rep just offered it to me, and I politely accepted.

I suppose so, but who cares?

Yes.

No. 1 in 1000 can, and it takes years of study.

Anyone who will choose one over another.

Then I must be one in a thousand. But I doubt I'm really all that special, at least in an oenophilial way.

Is it possible you are wrong? Empirical evidence seems to be against your conclusions.

Jose

Jose and UC....this is where you lose me.....there is no right or wrong in an opinion. I assume that no one here is making statements of fact...only opinion. Right and wrong don't belong here unless you are talking about color of wine like Silver Oak Cab is red.