Circumstances surrounding an experience are capable of enhancing one’s perception of it. That bottle of wine consumed honeymooning on the Amalfi Coast may not taste the same when it is being consumed under normal, everyday conditions at home.
I am struggling to believe that I have fallen victim to a similar skewed perception over the past 10 days spent in London. It seems that, even from take off, the Spanish red served on the flight was far better than it needed to be. And the Primitivo I had on my first night out with colleagues and banking sources was enjoyable and well balanced, even though the glass it came in was spotty and I was over-tired, having arrived on the red-eye earlier that morning.
A glass of Pouilly Fume ordered on a Friday evening, again under work circumstances, was one of my most favorite whites that I’ve ordered by the glass in recent memory. It remained crisp and maintained its body, even if it had been opened for hours or days. I often find whites by the glass fall flat fast and are rarely as delightful. Moreover, I don’t often find Pouilly Fume by the glass in NY, which is another issue entirely, perhaps.
Generally, I am not a drinker of New World wines, and often prefer a classic Bordeaux to a Malbec (which does grow in France), but one evening I selected a glass of the Argentinean varietal and was completely satisfied. I often find Malbecs heavy and hot, too alcoholic and cooked, but this one was the complete opposite and had nice fruit on it, medium body and complemented the lamb I was eating quite nicely.
It was wonderful to be back in London, where I’d lived for two years. Yet, especially in January, London is a gray, misty city and the purpose of my trip was business, so how could my enjoyment of the wines I consumed there be anything other than a direct result of their quality or careful selection? After all, the Grey Goose martinis and beers I drank did not taste any better than if I were drinking them in New York.
Maybe I romanticize London, the city where I truly developed my appreciation for wine and studied at the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET). I learned in London that people are passionate about wine because they enjoy the accompaniment to their meals and a glass or two over conversations with friends. We do that in New York as well to some extent, but it feels and tastes different.
Maybe it’s just an inexplicable phenomenon. Maybe I will just need to go back to conduct further research…
krista2000.wordpress.com 