Blind Buying
by John Finocchiaro
P
urchasing wine can be a daunting task. Restaurant lists and
store shelves are loaded with seemingly endless brands and
varieties from which to choose, and it is impossible to know about
all of them. As a result we often find ourselves buying blind.
Navigating the ocean of available wines can be, at best, imprecise.
The decision making process is like a fork in the road, only this
fork has about a dozen prongs to consider. Strictly speaking,
consideration should be given to the country of origin, producer,
appellation, vintage, the food it may accompany and even the
company it may accompany. There are wine ratings as given by the
‘experts’, complete with ever so colorful wine notes that [