In my effort to “take the snob” out of wine, I often wonder if my readers truly understand what a wine snob is. I mean no offense, but often times I believe that wine geeks (like myself) could be misunderstood as wine snobs. Trust me when I tell you that there is a huge chasm between the two. This begs the question… What is the difference between a wine snob and a wine geek?
My definition of a wine snob has always been fairly simple. A wine snob is someone who likes a wine because they have to, not because they actually like it. They also dislike a wine for the same reasons. In a group setting they are painfully obvious. Someone uncorks a bottle of Opus One and everyone sips it and oohs and aahs over it like it is something delivered by the hand of God. It really isn’t drinking that well for the $250. price tag it sports, but it is fantastic because, well, it just has to be…Right? They look for wines with prestigious labels such as Silver Oak, Duckhorn, Leonetti, Quilceda Creek, Whitehall Lane (you get the picture). It is only wines with such a pedigree that deserve their attention. Just try to get them to admit that a twelve dollar wine is worth the effort of drinking…Fahgetaboutit!
They love to propagate the idea that wine is mysterious and difficult to understand. They love to memorize a few wine facts that perhaps the average person may not understand, and throw them into a conversation about wine, attempting to impress their listeners. Their approach to wine is more about appearance than substance, and in a room with a wine geek, they are easily exposed. Wine snobs are pretentious. Name droppers who love to hear themselves talk and will never allow themselves to be one-upped by anyone as far as the best bottle of wine consumed. I am sure you have encountered someone like this in your wine journeys.
A wine geek on the other hand, is someone who will try any wine regardless of price or distinction, just for the sheer pleasure of the experience. They love the odd wine, the different wine and all the things in between. A wine geek doesn’t go off about wine unless probed. However, be prepared if you do probe them (hey, keep your mind out of the gutter), or they happen to have a blog where they can express their geekiness to whomever will read. They don’t give a shit about what other folks say about a wine, they form their own opinions, and if you want to know what those are they will tell you, otherwise they keep it to themselves. Price or prestige is not the driving force of their love of wine…It is simply wine itself.
A true wine geek, loves Riesling. I can’t explain this love affair other than the experience. Lazar sharp acidity, pure sweetness, rubber boot, petroleum, are all things that Riesling offers, and it is sooo intriguing. They love dirty wines, wines with character, wines that express a sense of place. They will seek out a tannat, Sagrantino, Chinon, Vermentino, Albarino or any wine that is a little off the beaten path. Their love of wine has nothing to do with appearance, it’s all substance, and they will never, ever, berate someone else for what they enjoy in wine…. Not even a wine snob.
I love the wine world and learning all I can about it. I love to drink wine and share my experiences. I love to use down-to-earth terminology that I believe most will understand. I will never judge you for what you drink whether it is white zinfandel or Haut-Brion. The only thing I ask of you is to reach out and try new things. Wine is way to interesting to get stuck in a rut. Like Buffy, I am on a mission to slay the wine snob and hopefully convert them to wine Geekdom, it is a much better place to be.
Cheers! Stan The Wine Man
