Author: Terry Connor

I have a real weakness for publications that include a quiz in their manuscripts. If I am familiar with the subject matter, I usually stop whatever I’m doing and take it. It occurred to me the other day that it might be fun if I made up a quiz for my wine column. So without hesitation, I put together a selection of Multiple Choice/True False questions for your quizzing pleasure. (You will find the answers below, in WINESPEAK.)

I have visited hundreds of wineries in my travels and never paid much attention to the ever-present wine barrels or where they were placed. Little did I know! In most cases, the wine barrels were positioned exactly where they were supposed to be. I learned this small but important fact from the winemaker at Shea Vineyards in Oregon. His name is Drew Volt and he is highly respected in his chosen vocation.

Back in the late 80s, when I was working in Boston, I had a boss who selected winemaking as his hobby. Gino was the right guy for the hobby because he was blessed with those essential ingredients called patience and lots of extra cash.

Every time that I see or hear the word Chablis, I am reminded of how I almost missed my opportunity to visit this magnificent part of Burgundy. As I was driving I was thinking that I did not have enough time to stop at Chablis, that stopping would interfere with seeing the rest of Burgundy. Wrong! I resorted to plan B, revised my schedule, and spent two very rushed days in Chablis. I am glad I did because I learned something very important; that there is a huge difference between Chablis produced in the Burgundy region and the so-called Chablis produced in the rest of the world.

I’ve had the pleasure of living in South Carolina for ten years. Prior to that I was a New Englander, living in the Boston area. To be a successful New Englander, one was obliged to obey certain sacred laws: be a loyal fan of the local sports teams, always wear a white dinner jacket after Memorial Day, and never drink red wine in the summer months. Can you imagine the shock to my system when I actually saw someone consuming red wine in August at a local restaurant in Beaufort? How could I possibly survive here?

Barbara is my next door neighbor. I saw her yesterday in her garden celebrating her first tomato of the season. It was indeed a beauty; so red, so big and ready for the salad she was making for lunch. Without hesitation, and with the column in mind, I recommended a chilled Sauvignon Blanc to accompany her noontime fare. That’s what I am: a good neighbor always ready with an appropriate wine suggestion, all of which gives me an entrance into the next section of my wine column.

This time of year there is usually no shortage of information on the subject of White Wines – market conditions, production and distribution problems, the quality of this year’s releases, etc. You get the idea. There is one category that never seems to change: how the top five or six wines finish in terms of sales and volume of wine produced. Chardonnay leads the way just ahead of Sauvignon Blanc, followed by Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio, and, finally, Pinot Blanc.

We have been enjoying some of the best weather I’ve ever experienced in South Carolina lately. As a result, my thoughts have turned to backyard grilling, and, of course, summer white wines.

In a previous article, I talked about a friend who was just getting started with a wine collection, recommending various wines that both he and his guests would enjoy. Well, whatever course of action our friend chose, it worked. As a matter of fact, it worked so well that now he has now been bitten by the wine bug, and it is a condition that has no cure.

The New Year has started and you have resolved to become more adventurous with wine. You have always enjoyed Chardonnay as your drink of choice, but now you would like to break away from the same old, same old, and broaden your horizons. You know that there is more out there besides Chardonnay, so what do you do? Well, I am glad that you asked because I am able to suggest several steps you may want to take to make the hobby of wine more enjoyable.