"There are no standards of taste in wine, cigars, poetry, prose, etc. Each man's own taste is the standard, and a majority vote cannot decide for him or in any slightest degree affect the supremacy of his own standard." -Mark Twain
I believe this to be true and desperately want to see people set free from the shackles of points as their guide to understanding wine. You must trust your own palate and you must learn to enjoy wine for yourself. This is why I put such an emphasis on what is being done to the wine we drink. The reason there is so much confusion among consumers, and the reason no one can learn which wines they prefer is because nothing is as it should be. When I was first learning about wine 10 years ago there was a standard I was taught. Cabernet should have a certain flavor profile. Syrah should have a certain flavor profile. Sauvignon Blanc should have a certain flavor profile. Chardonnay should have a certain flavor profile. This is what we call varietal correctness.
It is my belief that this varietal correctness has gone out the window the last few years. With all the things that are being done to wine it is impossible anymore to buy a Cabernet from a certain region and expect it to taste a certain way. The same is true for any varietal and any appelation. This, in turn, is causing mass confusion to the consumer and leading to the reliance of points. It is also taking the fun and enjoyment out of learning about wine. Please, for the sake of consumer sanity and for the sake of future generations of wine lovers be true to your wine. Pick at balanced levels of sugar and acid and just let the wine be what it is. Strive to make it better in the vineyard, not in the laboratory or winery.
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