Cheers

by Thor Iverson

Jog down to the neighborhood convenience store and buy a can of grape juice. Drink it. Tastes good, right? Couldn't be simpler.

Now jog down to the nearest liquor store and buy a bottle of wine. Ah . . . but which one? From which country, which region? What do all those words on the label mean? Is it sweet or dry? Does it go with pizza? What's the Wine Spectator rating? Is it trendy? Is it good?

Ridiculous, isn't it?

Wine is just fermented grape juice. There aren't any wine fairies waving wands over grapes in an attempt to create the nectar of the gods. Wine is made by jeans-wearing farmers named Helen and Paolo and Christophe dumping crushed grapes in a big barrel and then performing the semi-mystical act of waiting.

So who's responsible for turning wine appreciation into an arcane pseudoscience with its own caste system? You are, because you've been conditioned to fear wine. But we're going to change that.

Welcome to "Uncorked," a new monthly Phoenix wine column. We want to teach you about wine -- how it's made, how to understand its strange language, how to tell Barolo from Bordeaux. At the same time, we're going to give you practical advice -- what to buy, what food to eat it with, how to serve it. Our purpose is to demystify, then educate.

Wine is a beverage. Strip it of all the cultural trappings, all the intimidating terminology, and what's left is something to drink. Millions of people all over the world do this every day, without pretense or analysis -- they uncork a bottle, pour it into whatever sort of glass or what they have at hand, and drink it with dinner. You probably do the same thing with soda or beer; why should you treat wine any differently?

Once you understand that, we'll show you why wine is different. There's a reason wine geeks (like me) can hold forth on the subject for hours. For those who catch the bug, the world of tastes and pleasures to be derived from wine is truly magical. We intend to explain and share that magic without pretense or condescension.

Over the next few months, I'm going to write about the basics -- the "tastes" of wine -- while introducing the concepts of tannin, acid, fruit, balance, and the French word terroir. We're also here for you; write to us care of the Phoenix, or e-mail me at tiverson[a]phx.com, and tell us what you want to know.

But for now, I'm going to assign homework. Don't groan: this is fun homework. Buy the following three bottles of wine (all around $11 a bottle), have a glass or two with dinner, and spend a few moments thinking about what you like and dislike about each one. You won't have any trouble finding them; they're in nearly every wine shop and liquor store. Don't worry about the vintage. Just buy what's available.

1) Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais -- this is a light and fruity red wine from France. Duboeuf tends to design his labels with flowers, so they're easy to spot. Find a bottle that says "Brouilly," "Fleurie," "Morgon," or "Moulin à Vent."

2) Napa Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon or Napa Ridge Pinot Noir -- both red wines from California. The former is dark and strong; the latter is lighter and more "friendly."

3) Trimbach Tokay-Pinot Gris or Riesling -- white wines from the Alsace region of France (easy to locate by the tall, thin green bottles with yellow labels).

In several weeks we'll talk about the differences between these wines, why those differences are important, and how to find more of what you liked (and avoid what you didn't). But for now, just taste and enjoy.