Sometimes the best lessons we learn are learned “the hard way”, which is a nice way to say that we learned them “because of something incredibly stupid that we did”.
So it’s Christmas time in my house – actually in many other places as well – and the decision of what is the best wine to drink for Christmas dinner was on my mind. As I pondered, I realized that I forgot wine lesson number 1 – a lesson I learned the hard way.
While visiting France two summers ago I engaged Roger in conversation. Roger is a Parisian, a man who has lived through a coffee shortage in WWII, married well (a beautiful Brazilian professor), is smart enough to now live in Antibes, and of course is an expert in all things French. As we were talking I thought that I might impress him and get some information at the same time.
“What is your favorite region of Beaujolais?” I asked, thinking myself clever that I know a little about the wine regions in Burgundy. Roger paused (sighed), looked at me closely (too polite to spit at me), and with a slight tilt to his head (instead of shaking it) replied, “It depends on what you are eating”.
It depends on what I am eating. For me, time stopped as wine lesson number 1 slowly worked its way through my brain. I wanted to raise my arms, look heavenward, and scream out loud “Of course it depends what I’m eating!”.
The French are well-known for their patience with stupid foreigners, and yet Roger graciously allowed the conversation to continue. The sumac encrusted frenched lamb chops that I was going to make would require a Fleurie - of course I wanted a Fleurie! – but what I really wanted was to go back about 5 minutes ago so that I could stop myself from asking a stupid question.
So what did I learn? Don’t try to impress a Frenchman with a wine question, a lesson I will do doubt forget before my next visit. Also, that I wanted a Fleurie.
Come to think of it, for Christmas this year I want a Fleurie.
December 7th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
I don’t know much about wine, I know I like it and have long thought that was all I needed to know! I can’t believe how much I enjoy reading your blog, I find myself pretending it is me saying the things you write.
Also, what do you know about beer?
December 9th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
I know that when you are at a pub with local ale and beer on tap you don’t order by the bottle – also, you make certain that you are there with men who are aware of their faults.
March 19th, 2010 at 3:49 pm
[...] guess the final word should come from my friend Roger – a Parisian who taught me wine lesson number one – “It depends what you are eating”. Isn’t that always the [...]
April 28th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
[...] from Pull The Cork did join us by sharing a wine lesson he learned while visiting France two summers [...]