The Lure of Ratings
At the restaurant with my friend, I was lured by two things on the menu: a rich mac-n-cheese made with white cheddar, bacon, and scallions and a white wine noted as "organic" and "RP 90 pts."
A perfect pairing!
I've been on the lookout for an extraordinary organic wine for a while now. So when I saw one with premier wine critic Robert Parker's approval, my mouth said Yes. Surely someone with a world-renowned nose would know better than little ol' me about what kind of wine I'll like.
Turns out, this viognier is too sweet for me, and it lingers with a long, almost musty finish. Nonetheless, the wine became much more palatable with dinner, and of course, the more I drank, the less I cared about the funkiness.
| White Wine Info Bottle Casa Silva Lolol Estate Grape Viognier Year 2005 Region Chile Price ~$20.00 Shop Snooth Food Pairing Dishes with butter sauces, curry, lobster, pork, and mac-n-cheese | Viognier is a full-bodied white wine with a good balance of fruitiness and acidity. It pairs well with rich, buttery foods as well as Thai and Indian food. I prefer mine mixed with fruit, Grand Marnier, and simple syrup for a citrusy white wine sangria. |
Trusting Robert Parker's opinion didn't turn out to be a total disaster. Next time, however, I think I'll not fully rely on the wine ratings and more on friendly referrals.
Diane Timba is a contributing writer at Thursday Happy Hour. Check out her lifestyle wine column here on Wednesdays. Have you fallen for high wine ratings? Let Diane know in the comments below. Or chat with her on Facebook.
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