Photo Credit - Kelsey Chance
We were on a wine adventure recently and as we spoke to different winemakers from all over Australia, a single friend of ours was playing “let’s find a new friend”, if you know what I mean. He or she may have said to me, give me some intelligent questions to ask, will you?
Now anyone that knows me and has ever shared a glass knows I bloody love wine, I love to talk about it, make it, drink it, learn more about it, taste it, drink it, dissect it and did I mention drink it? But I hate wine wankers and I never pretend to know more than the person standing, sitting, laying down passed out on the ground next to me, especially when it comes to Oenology, see what I did there?
So here was my response:
If you’re looking to pick up a wine maker follow these tips, oh sorry I meant to say if you’re looking to engage in a meaningful conversation with some who is controlling the booze, here goes, try asking them:
What beer they drink during vintage, seriously, it’s a great opener
Do they buy their grapes or grow them themselves?
Where is the vineyard?
Stages of fermentation tied to moon cycles, discuss, actually no don’t ask that one
What’s their favourite type of wine?
Why do they always wear dirty t-shirts?
Do they own a pair of shoes that aren't steel capped?
Is there a wine dog? What’s its name?
I guarantee your wine tasting experience will be just that little bit better, because like a good human you probably made a stranger smile and made their job a little bit better at that particular moment in time.
Oh and buy some of their wine if you enjoyed it.