Wine - and this is something the many connoisseurs of the world know very well -
is an extremely rich beverage, capable of offering countless interpretations
according to the many factors regulating its production. Also thanks to its
millenary history and to the wide spreading of the vine in the world, every
country is capable of producing wines with unique characteristics - either good
or bad - while offering to the consumers different emotions and sensations
according to the environmental and meteorological conditions of the year. This
is also what happens - in general terms - when the emulation of other countries'
styles is avoided therefore offering in the glass of wine lovers the culture,
tradition and richness of every country. After all, this is also what makes wine
so interesting and amazing: no matter the country you go, the wine is always
different. This is also what we all wine lovers wish ourselves, in the hope to
avoid a future where the production of wine is made with the very same model
and having the same taste, as well as avoiding a future made of wines all
the same, all similar to each other.
Nowadays wine subject is very common, also supported by the fact that around
this beverage has been developed a wide popular interest - and therefore
important commercial and economic interests - and it is considered as a
trendy subject and, luckily, the attention of most of the consumers is paid
on quality instead of quantity. The many labels today available in the market -
from wine shops to malls - confirms the commercial importance of wine and if ten
years ago malls dedicated a modest area to wine, today are being dedicated whole
sectors while offering their customers a wide selection. This is also the sign
of an important change, because no one - at least up to ten years ago - would
have never believed to see in malls' shelves renowned, expensive and valuable
labels: today this is seen as a normal fact, one of the many ways to reach
consumers while achieving the ultimate goal of production: selling and therefore
profits.
However in the world of wine - although it would be better to say in the world
of wine consumers - there are many prejudices and behaviors of strong skepticism
towards some wines and some categories of wines. This kind of behaviors are very
hard to change among consumers, most of the times - it should not be forgotten -
are caused by efficient advertising and marketing campaigns which strongly
influence the choices of consumers, or at least a good part of them. It should be
recognized these prejudices are frequently justified by evident reasons and
therefore objectively agreeable, whereas there are others which are caused by
disputable conditions of the past and, despite things are changed for good,
prejudices and skepticism towards some products do not change at all or however
are hard to change.
For example, everyone can recall the endless debate which goes on since many
years about Champagne and Italian sparkling wine. A competition which is going
on since tens of years and which is mainly based on some conditions of the past,
which are now so strong, even though things have changed. Italian sparkling wine
has evolved and its quality is today very high, nevertheless there are many
consumers out there who disregard any kind of bubbles with the exception of the
ones coming from the noble Champagne. Of course Champagne is a unique and
extraordinary wine - who can deny this - but the same can be said today about
other sparkling wines, including Italian Spumante. However the prejudices and
skepticism towards this kind of products is pretty high and many consumers keep
on supporting these ideas - tens of years old - even without having never tried
with their nose and with their mouth the radical change which has developed in
the course of the years. Even worse, many make use of prejudices because they
heard someone saying what it is better and what it is worse, without having
checked this out themselves.
There also are prejudices caused by bad experiences and that are implicitly
applied to any similar and future experiences. There are many who after having
tasted a mediocre or bad quality wine, believe that all the wines belonging to
the same category have the same quality and therefore are scrupulously avoided.
There are people - and we do certainly not have the presumption of criticizing
their tastes and preferences - that after having tasted a bad quality white
wine, reject the idea of tasting any other white wine just for the fact it
belongs to the category offended by a bad quality exemplar. Most of the times
these people end up considering red wines only and they usually believe they are
the only and worth representatives of the beverage of Bacchus. Whoever considers
himself or herself a wine lover knows there are many white wines out there
capable of shadowing a pretty wide group of red wines. The same can be said for
any other wine style, of course.
Things are of course different in case someone does not like a particular wine
just because it does not meet his or her taste: this is something no one can
criticize or object. What can be criticized are the behaviors in which are being
indiscriminately used ridiculous prejudices and skepticism of past times. What
makes wine so interesting is also this: the possibility of having a wide
selection of products which are waiting to be evaluated and each of them capable
of denying or confirming any prejudice or skepticism. The conclusion is however
the same, so similar to what happens in human relationships as well. There are
people who are capable of listening even in case they do not agree on others'
ideas and have the will to understand, others that, not only are incapable of
listening, but keep on talking arrogantly while not allowing others to express
their opinions. The same is true for wine. If we allow it to talk and to express
itself by means of its aromas and tastes, we will understand it fully and we
will benefit from its history and culture. If we do not even allow it to talk,
we cannot pretend to understand. The fault is not of that wine we denied our
attention because of a prejudice which makes poor the one who allows it to make
him or her blind.
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