Is wine not snobby anymore? A guide
It’s really hard to talk about wine without sounding like an a$$hole. For a long time, having any knowledge of wine was connected to deep pockets, obsessive behavior to the point of social dysfunction, or just an air of pretension. I think, though, that the wine industry is at a real inflection point with a massive shift from the snotty to gritty.
Recently, I listened to a wine podcast that said in the US, millennials make up 30% of wine drinkers. Why is this so significant? Because this generation doesn’t care about the old world classification of wines or location or scarcity. These late 20/early 30 somethings like to try new styles and are looking for wine to drink right now - as in tonight - not something to age for 10 years. We are the generation of instant gratification after all.
This need for less “fussy” wines is driving wine culture to more approachable (many would argue more interesting -hello, Oregon & Washington), and gradually less snobby. The resources I gravitate toward for quick facts on wine are just that: low on snobbery, high on plain English and speed.
Here is a list of non-snob wine resources for your millennial viewing pleasure… likely while you’re at work, texting your friends and streaming a podcast.
Wine for Normal People
Speaking of podcasts, I just discovered Wine for Normal People. Still has all the geekiness of Guild Somm and the like, but discusses topics in a clear way that doesn’t assume the listener is a wine connoisseur. No winesplaining here.
Wine Folly
Content content content. As a marketer, I am impressed by Wine Folly’s SEO game - is there any wine topic they haven’t covered? I doubt it. I go here for quick references and visual tasting guides. Madeline Puckette, a certified Sommelier, does an amazing job pairing illustrations with articles to help communicate sometimes complicated topics. If you like the site, consider buying her books, which are super helpful for newbies just trying to know to learn about the most popular grapes.
Wine for Dummies Cheat Sheet
If you don’t want to commit to the entire book, this (free) cheat sheet is a great start. Particularly love the “is it a grape or a place” list. This is why so many people are confused! Damn you, Italy.
Wine All The Time
Even if you don’t dig Marissa Ross’ uniquely irreverent style (but you really should), her book is an excellent resource with a much needed glossary of wine terms with hilarious explanations. In a recent Bon Appetit article Ross describes a skin-contact white as “If your college drinking years had actually tasted good, they would have tasted like Sextant’s “Skin Bull.” Ross is my personal heroine; she didn’t have formal wine training, started a wine blog for fun, years later became wine editor at Bon Appetit, is blunt AF in everything she does, and wrote this best selling book. Yas girl.
Vinepair
Vinepair is a beer, wine and cocktail site that has great starter guides, like this Wine 101. Their content is cheeky (We Aged Two Buck Chuck; Here’s What it Tasted Like) but also informative and super relevant.
Jancis Robinson Everything
If you know anything about wine, you’ve probably heard of Jancis Robinson: British wine critic and author of The Oxford Wine Companion, Wine Grapes, and The World Atlas of Wine, to name a few. Those books are musts when you’re ready for the deep dive but if you just want the basics, you should definitely get The 24-Hour Wine Expert. You can also head to Jancis’ site where you can learn basic wine vocab or grape varieties, regions and more. Get started here.
What did I miss? Let me know at @rackle31