Here is what tripadvisor.com should tell you about your upcoming trip to Wine Country, Napa & Sonoma. They should tell you to scour the internet for wine-small talk and start pouring over the Food&Wine magazine. Otherwise, you might end up with a vacant look when someone mentions Robert Mondavi , and that is unforgivable mistake. Worse still, you could be like me and offend the high-and-mighty wine pourers at the famous tasting-rooms with what you think is a perfectly intelligent question. Whoever said - "There's no stupid question" - was misguided. Here is a snippet on my Domaine Chandon conversation.
ME: What wine is this?
WINE POURER: This is the etoile Rose. You will taste the flavors of plum, red raspberries, truffle and cocoa. (Looks patiently and expectantly at me as I take my sip)
ME: Ahh, umm cocoa u say. So - when in the wine making process are these fruits etc added for the flavor. (In my head - yay for smart question)
WINE POURER: (Look of utter horror and disappointment) NO NO NO we don't ADD ANYTHING to the wine. NOTHING. These flavors are just descriptors of what you should be tasting. (Walks away)
We finished our tasting, with another wine-pourer who we hoped hadn't listened to the above snippet. We left as fast as we could and jumped on the Napa Wine Train where the waitress regaled us with scandalous stories of famous Napa people. She spoke lovingly of Mondavi's eccentricities and though I didn't know who he was - I nodded sagely with the required look of interest and awe. The food was delicious and I stayed away from all wine-talk for the rest of the evening.
The next day, we skipped the wine and headed to the Russian River for some canoeing. Here, thank goodness, there was no mention of Chardonnay, Sauvigon or the cocoa flavor of wines.
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