First Posts

 In my first 21 years of my life, wine has had its own place during gatherings and meals. It was a staple beverage in my childhood household because my mom enjoys a bit of dark red wine at  night. I also grew up attending church in which wine symbolized deeper religious concepts. Growing up, my parents and family friends would allow me to try a taste of wine on rare occasions. One memory I have of an instance like this is one summer afternoon in the backyard of a neighbor. We had just finished a barbeque with pulled pork sandwiches and tomato and mozzarella salad. As the only younger person present, they had a few different types of wine out and the hosts offered me a taste. I remember the wife of the host telling the husband that he should not have done that, but he was from Eastern Europe so he held different perspectives on what ages of people should try wine compared to most Americans. 

I have fond memories gatherings with my parents friends and family gatherings where wine was almost always served to the adults. My grandfather always sets out champagne or prosecco at Christmas to do a toast to which is something I really cherish about holidays with him.  

I have been a bit less fond of the darker red and dry wines compared to my mother and other adults in my life as my palette is more geared towards lighter, sweeter tastes. I find that the strong bitter taste of the dark red wines that my mother enjoys poses as an uncomfortable shock to my taste buds. Since my 21st birthday, I have tried a few different types of wine such as Moscato, Dark Horse Red Merlot, and Riesling. 

Some things I hope to learn through the course of this semester in Geography of Wine revolve around pairing foods with wines. I would also like to learn some tips to host enjoyable dinner parties for my friends and family. I am excited to learn more about what makes different wines better for certain occasions or match better with different foods. I am also hoping to learn more about the history of wine. I know that it is historically significant but would like to learn more specifics about how it came to be what it is today.