Bluff your way in Wine [antikvár]

introductionWine attracts mystique like no other drink and few other subjects. Many people are defeated by wine thinking that in order to claim any knowledge of it they need:a to have visited various vineyards in Franceb)to have a cellar (i.e. not a cupboard imder thestairs), orc)to be able to identify exactly where a wine comesfrom without looking at the label.This, needless to say, is nonsense. Gone are the days when the wine drinker would ignore anj^hing that didn't come from France, Germany, Spain (only sherry of course) or Portugal (vintage port). Upstarts from the New World like California and Australia have put themselves firmly on the map; sleeping giants like Italy and Spain are waking up; even the most unlikely newcomers like Bulgaria have appeared and surprised everybody with their quality. TTie message to the bluffer, then, is not to be intimidated by the mystique.Some knowledge of the old traditions and etiquette is desirable, however, so that you can take on the wine bore at his own game and win. It is no longer safe, alas, to follow Stephen Potter's inspired advice to confine yourself to completely meaningless remarks like 'too many tramlines'.This guide sets out to conduct you through the main danger zones: places and circumstances in which you are most likely to encounter wine and the wine expert, and to equip you with a vocabulary and an evasive technique that will minimise the risk of your being found out.