Fellow Wine Lovers,
My name is Rand Sieger. In addition to being a father, traveler, cook, appreciator of music, sports enthusiast, and former actor, I am also a wine adviser, holding the Certified Specialist of Wine status awarded by the Society of Wine Educators. More importantly, however, I am truly a lover of wine.
For me wine is the ultimate expression of liquid pleasure. More than beverage, food, or something to accompany a meal, it is something to think about, to ponder, to stretch the imagination. I share the sentiment of a wise man who once said "Wine is poetry in a bottle." - Clifton Fadiman
We are truly lucky to live in an age where a lot of good, serviceable wine is being made all over the world, and is easily available for a decent, basic drinking experience at a reasonable price. In particular, wine-makers and marketers have honed in on the demand for easy to drink, basically enjoyable, fruity young wines for casual sipping and food accompaniment. The downside to this is that more and more wine is becoming internationalized and homogenized. New wine drinkers are increasingly satisfied with drinking basically the same wine over and over, only with different names and in slightly different packaging.
What is being experienced less and less by the average wine-drinker are wines that are not just good, but truly exciting. I am talking about the kind of wine that brings a unique and interesting pleasure experience, and can evoke memories, powerful sensations, and even emotions. That is not to say that these wines are no longer being made, but in particular for the novice, require a bit of effort to unearth.
That brings me to my purpose in starting this blog. A bit of unearthing in the process of learning about wine is actually not a bad thing. In fact, I believe wine should be about exploration, adventure, and most of all, fun! My aim here is to introduce the adventurous minded to a world where wine is still, or as the case may be, once again, being produced with an eye towards capturing the uniqueness of the earth and the climate where the vine is grown. Where these unique elements produce wines that bring a new pleasure experience with each bottle.
The focus here will be on Biodynamic, Organic, and Sustainably produced wines. Not that there is any guarantee that such wines will always be profoundly good, but our exploration will definitely not be boring. First, I believe that any one who puts the extra thought, labor, and expense into these back to basics production methods will generally be interested in creating a unique and interesting product. Second, growing and wine-making methods such as Biodynamics and Organics that discourage over-manipulation are much more likely to produce wines that reflect the uniqueness of their origin, or what the french call Terroir. Of course, as an added benefit, the wines we will exploring have been made with an eye towards maintaining the health of the vineyards where the grapes are grown, and protecting the environment as a whole.
Yes, as part of our exploration process I will be sharing my opinions, that is to say, rating the wines as I taste them. That does not mean, however, that we will always agree. Wine enjoyment is still and always will be largely a matter of subjective tastes. Besides, if everyone on this blog always agreed with me, there wouldn't be much to talk about. As this is a blog, I encourage you to contribute by sharing your opinions, disagreements, experiences, and explorations. The only thing I ask is that we keep it fun and polite.
So, strap yourself in and join me for a new adventure as we explore the world of Biodynamic, Organic, and Sustainably produced wine.
Cheers, and keep it Interesting!
Rand