I dig a good beverage tasting. I dig hanging out with people that also dig a good beverage tasting. Sometimes, a good tasting isn’t as much a good tasting as it is an unplanned learning and/or teaching moment…and, yup, I dig those too. So, I offer a tasting class series called the Curious Palate.
The Curious Palate is a tasting experience born in 2012 at Soirée, a boutique event venue I poured myself into once upon a time. Curious Palate was designed to be a unique tasting experience with the following rules:
- Must be fun.
- Must be educational.
- We should play with food.
- We shall not be pretentious.
- It’s never about bottle sales.
- Let’s explore grapes and regions beyond what’s expected and found at every other tasting.
Sounds fabulous! Bold for sure, and an uphill battle all the way! I heard a whole bunch of, “Nope. Never heard of it!” Quite a lot of, “MMMM. Sounds like you picked it up off the floor of the car and I’m not trying that!” And so much of, “But I ONLY drink __________!” And my ultimate absolute favorite, “OOOOO FANCY! A wine/whiskey/whatever tasting. Too rich for me!”
As it turns out, it takes time to build trust and curiosity… even with the name Curious in the title. I still hear it… cringe a little… and remind myself not everyone is adventurous.When Soirée closed in 2016, I took my shattered heart and the Curious Palate on the road. We traveled to the Deco Lounge at the Fine Art Center, to Lauren Ciborowski at The ModBo, to Jay Gust at Enoteca Rustica, and to Abby Kreuser and Gundi Stevens at Auric Gallery.
I also brought along Casey Helm, my partner in business, shenanigans, & boozy things. As well as some of my tasting pals. And here we are, 13 years later still sippin’ and bein’ curious together…now at The Parlor home with beloved friends, new friends, so many laughs and fabulous memories shared. And we aren’t even a little fancy!
The beauty of tasting experiences and events is that they can be anything you want them to be – but the big secret is to be curious and say yes! Tasting is more than sophisticated drinking; it’s like going on a mini adventure where you really get to know what’s in your glass. Think of it as a way to explore different flavors and stories and cultures.
PSST – Your Fancy is Showing
Imagine every glass as a puzzle. When you taste, you’re trying to figure out all the pieces—what it looks like, smells like, and tastes like. This might sound fancy, but you don’t need to be an expert to start. It’s about paying a bit more attention to what you’re drinking and maybe discovering what you like or don’t like about it. Note the things you like, and seek out more makers of that profile and continue to explore.
You’ll find that wine, beer and spirits all have a lot of different flavors within their categories because of how and where they are each made and the cultural influences that are carried on. When taking the time to engage in a tasting, look for these unique flavors to understand more about where your sips come from and how it’s made. It’s like being a flavor detective.
F-OFF Fakes
In any form of tasting, stay away from the BS that just doesn’t matter. And those things are pretty simple.
- ICK – Anyone who has forgotten that any form of fermented or distilled sipping product is created from the earth by hard working farmers and that there are bugs, and smell bads, and smell goods, and whoo hoos, and ewws that has the audacity to make anyone feel bad about not knowing producers, terms or whys.
- YES – Do you like it? Yes? No? Meh?
- ICK – Neon in color. Smells like a tragedy.
- YES – Mouthwash, perfumes, hairspray, lotions can mess with your sense of smell and taste. So, skip them before tasting.
- ICK – Too much is too much. Tasting is about tasting; not intoxication.
Just remember, tasting should be a way to explore, enjoy, and learn about different wines, beers or spirits in a laid-back, fun way. You don’t need to be an expert to enjoy it; you just need to start sipping and see where the flavors take you. It’s all about discovering what you enjoy one glass at a time.