Wine and Words: New Ways of Talking about Taste
Wine and words go together. But does being able to verbalize the qualities of a wine enhance your ability to taste it? Or to enjoy it? Attend a traditional wine tasting and watch experienced wine drinkers swirl, sip and talk to each other in what seems to be a secret language. Blackberry, asparagus, tar, coffee. Brawny wines, tender wines, crisp wines, round wines. What is a neophyte to do? Or more importantly, to say? Especially when the glass of wine in front of them tastes like…a glass of wine?
There are books that promise to make you “wine confident,” and classes that pledge to teach you magical wine words so you won’t look foolish in front of your friends or colleagues. We are more interested in exploring the impact of language itself - on taste, perception, cultural influence and connection. Wine commentary, like language, is always evolving. We’ll taste using the common (or is it the dominant?) language of wine. Then we will taste in more personal and creative ways. We will talk to each other about what we notice. Our only promise to you is that this course will provide a new perspective on the language of wine!
What we’re reading: Excerpts from Knowledge, Wine, and Taste: What Good is Knowledge (in Enjoying Wine)? by American philosopher Kent Bach, Checking in on The New Languages of Wine, by Meg Maker (From Terroir Review).
Wines we’re tasting: A variety of wines, all worth talking about.
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Mountain View Studio, Woodstock, NY
Wine and words go together. But does being able to verbalize the qualities of a wine enhance your ability to taste it? Or to enjoy it? Attend a traditional wine tasting and watch experienced wine drinkers swirl, sip and talk to each other in what seems to be a secret language. Blackberry, asparagus, tar, coffee. Brawny wines, tender wines, crisp wines, round wines. What is a neophyte to do? Or more importantly, to say? Especially when the glass of wine in front of them tastes like…a glass of wine?
There are books that promise to make you “wine confident,” and classes that pledge to teach you magical wine words so you won’t look foolish in front of your friends or colleagues. We are more interested in exploring the impact of language itself - on taste, perception, cultural influence and connection. Wine commentary, like language, is always evolving. We’ll taste using the common (or is it the dominant?) language of wine. Then we will taste in more personal and creative ways. We will talk to each other about what we notice. Our only promise to you is that this course will provide a new perspective on the language of wine!
What we’re reading: Excerpts from Knowledge, Wine, and Taste: What Good is Knowledge (in Enjoying Wine)? by American philosopher Kent Bach, Checking in on The New Languages of Wine, by Meg Maker (From Terroir Review).
Wines we’re tasting: A variety of wines, all worth talking about.
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Mountain View Studio, Woodstock, NY
Wine and words go together. But does being able to verbalize the qualities of a wine enhance your ability to taste it? Or to enjoy it? Attend a traditional wine tasting and watch experienced wine drinkers swirl, sip and talk to each other in what seems to be a secret language. Blackberry, asparagus, tar, coffee. Brawny wines, tender wines, crisp wines, round wines. What is a neophyte to do? Or more importantly, to say? Especially when the glass of wine in front of them tastes like…a glass of wine?
There are books that promise to make you “wine confident,” and classes that pledge to teach you magical wine words so you won’t look foolish in front of your friends or colleagues. We are more interested in exploring the impact of language itself - on taste, perception, cultural influence and connection. Wine commentary, like language, is always evolving. We’ll taste using the common (or is it the dominant?) language of wine. Then we will taste in more personal and creative ways. We will talk to each other about what we notice. Our only promise to you is that this course will provide a new perspective on the language of wine!
What we’re reading: Excerpts from Knowledge, Wine, and Taste: What Good is Knowledge (in Enjoying Wine)? by American philosopher Kent Bach, Checking in on The New Languages of Wine, by Meg Maker (From Terroir Review).
Wines we’re tasting: A variety of wines, all worth talking about.
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Mountain View Studio, Woodstock, NY