A Blog-less(?) 2007: A Retrospective

The past year or so I've been thinking about a couple of things.

I have long noticed that I rarely am terribly fascinated about wines I drink. Yet I still love wines. And I will drink it whenever I have the chance. But the occasions that they make me (a) shake my head in disbelief, (b) grin insanely like someone high on drugs, and (c) shiver and my hair stands are just too few. There were so many of these happy times a few years back. And saying this just makes me feel... old.

But recently I decided not to grumble over it. I realize it's just natural. In fact, it's a good thing. It shows that there is progress.

This year I also noticed that my blind tasting accuracy statistics is spotty at best. I make blunders like mistaking a grand cru Burgundy from a top-notch year as a northern Rhone. At another time, a top notch Cote-Rotie as a Cote-de-Beaune. More than once I mistook Gevrey for Vosne (a mistake spectacularly I never ever made before this year - something I used to be quietly very proud of). Plus I still suck at Bordeaux even in a narrow semi-blind setting - what's up with that?!

I had long resolved that guessing blind wrongly is no big deal so long as I learn from it. But some of these mistakes were so stupid my faith began to waver. Yet later on I decided what the heck. I was right to start with about focusing on the learning process as opposed to the statistics of spotting it right. And it's a good thing. This too shows progress.

On a more upbeat note I drank a whole lot more whites and champagnes this year than ever. My appreciation for white burgundies and knowledge about champagnes is steadily increasing. I'm still novice in the latter, but I'm happy with the progress. And I'm more than happy to keep drinking them.

I noticed as well that my early impressions on certain superb vintages (yet often latently so still) had just been reinforced and reconfirmed. My drinking associates who used to be skeptical about my overtly sanguine enchantment with these vintages started vindicating my initial thoughts. I have several other observations which are yet unshared by others but I am confident that it's but a matter of time. This shows I'm not yet going senile in spite of the many brain cells who had laid down their lives so that I could taste, and retaste these wines.

My drinking portfolio this year is still dominated by burgundies, in fact by a ridiculous, almost unfair margin when compared with the other wine regions. I longed for the thrill and joy of encountering another great Chateauneuf du Pape, Barolo, or a Medoc. I feel I badly need to redeem myself here. This almost sounds like a new year resolution. Perhaps it is, after all...

Wines will increasingly be more important in this coming year. The laid-back stance I took in 2007 will evolve. It doesn't mean more tasting and notes (although they're most welcome). But greater attention will be put into it to make sure the experience and learning will be shared with those who could bear to listen.

(I popped Cattier's NV Chigny-les-Roses Premier Cru tonight. It would be my last wine of 2007. I wonder what will be the first one in 2008? But it doesn't matter, I suppose, because more importantly I look forward to many more artisanal champagnes.)