The Wines People Love to Hate

Robert Sox
June 7, 2013   

Wine drinkers are passionate people, probably in life too, but certainly when selecting and drinking wine. Sometimes a glass of wine is just a glass of wine, but over time as you try more wines and pay attention to the differences, you start to carve out your own personal sphere of what you like to drink….and what you don’t like to drink.  It’s the evolution of wine drinkers – where you start with wine, how you progress through liking whites and reds, and where you might settle in your tastes.  Some people hit roadblocks along the way, running into something they like and that’s it. I will buy Pinot Grigio for the rest of my life.  Most, though, will keep going and embrace the nuances of each wine, not necessarily liking them all but appreciating the differences.  It has something to do with where you place yourself on the adventure seeking scale.

Wine drinkers may be passionate about what they like, but many are very passionate about what they don’t like.  ABC is something you see on funny napkins or t-shirts that means Anything But Chardonnay. I try to pull Chardonnay haters back from the brink by explaining that not all Chardonnays are the overly oaked, buttery bombs from California.  Most good quality Chardonnays today strike a balance between fruit flavor, acidity (to keep it fresh) and oak.  Some even have no oak influence at all.  There was a period years ago where winemakers, or maybe wine marketers, decided people liked oaky Chardonnay so they poured on the oak to the extreme. That’s when they started to lose some Chardonnay drinkers and the ABC clubs started.

Riesling is another wine that some people love to hate.  Rieslings are too sweet is one of the most common phrases heard in a wine shop, usually said with some level of face contortion.  The general impression is that Rieslings are one step above sugar water. My standard response, whether talking about Riesling, Chardonnay or any other disparaged wine, is well, I don’t like a bad one.  There are bad Rieslings out there, for sure, but the real story is that Rieslings cover the scale from dry to sweet.  Most have at least a little sweetness but the good ones will balance that sweetness with some level of acidity.  That is what keeps them from the syrupy status.  Francis Ford Coppola’s Sophia Riesling from California is a good example.  I think it is one of the more balanced Rieslings I’ve tried.  Every time I have included it in a tasting lineup, it is a hit, even with the people predisposed to not like it.

Merlot, on somewhat of a comeback, has been bullied since the release of the movie Sideways in 2004.  The main character talked a lot about everything, including how much he hated Merlot and loved Pinot Noir.  Merlot sales took a hit and sales of Pinot Noir took off.  That mindset still rears its head as some people think they are not supposed to like Merlot.  Try some good Washington state Merlot like Barnard Griffin’s Columbia Valley Merlot and you will see what there is to like.

Try to stay open minded mind when you’re thinking about wine.  There are lots of good wines out there in all categories and if you’re putting roadblocks up, you’re going to miss out on some real treasures.

Robert announced the renaming of his store as of May 1, 2013.  He will continue to operate this independently owned store, formerly called WineStyles.  We wish him all the best!

Robert Sox
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Native of Columbia, SC.  Returned to Columbia area in 2004 after being away for school and work for 25 years.  Undergraduate degree from Clemson and MBA from University of NC at Chapel Hill.  Owner of the independently owned Best Bottle Wine and Gifts in Shoppes at Woodhill since 1985. 

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