Build the knowledge behind a confident choice. Explore the craft, provenance and serving details that help you get more from every bottle and every table.

Know what you’re choosing

20

• “It says the famous place on the label, so I already know how it will taste.” Why an Appellation Is Not a Tasting Note
• “It is on the list, so booking it is the same as having chosen well.” Why an Award List Is Not a Reservation Guarantee
• “Brandy is wine, but louder, so any bottle will do in the same role.” Why Brandy Is Not Just Wine With the Volume Turned Up
• “It came in a proper tin and cost a great deal, so it is obviously what it says.” Why a Caviar Tin Is Not Proof of Caviar
• “If I store it properly, it will become a better wine eventually.” Why Cellar Temperature Is Not a Vintage Chart
• “If it says blueberry, it should taste like somebody put blueberries in it.” Why Coffee Tasting Notes Are Not a Shopping List
• “It smells odd, so let it breathe until it gets over itself.” Why Decanting Does Not Repair a Fault
• “It is from that distillery, so I already know what it will taste like.” Why a Distillery Name Is Not a Whisky Production Method
• “I like this grape, so I will like it from anywhere.” Why a Grape Name Does Not Travel Alone
• “Haute cuisine means a tiny plate and a large invoice.” Why Haute Cuisine Is Not the Opposite of Enough Food
• “It is all sweet wine; the frozen part is just marketing with weather.” Why Icewine Is Not Just Sweet Wine Left Outside
• “A star means the restaurant is finally making money.” Why a Michelin Star Is Not a Profit Margin
• “It says natural, so I know how it was made and what will be in the bottle.” Why Natural Wine Is Not a Production Method
• “It is old, so the history on the label must be real.” Why Old Wine Is Not Automatically Historic Wine
• “It is rich and interesting, so orange wine is the serious answer.” Why Orange Wine Is Not Automatically the Answer to Rich Food
• “It says organic, so the bottle has settled the environmental question.” Why Organic Is Not a Climate Plan
• “It costs this much because the producer is famous, which explains everything.” Why a Producer Name Does Not Explain the Price
• “If the sommelier recommends it, they are moving the expensive bottle.” Why a Sommelier Recommendation Is Not a Price Signal
• “A tasting menu is just many small dishes, so the order cannot matter much.” Why Tasting-Menu Pacing Is Not Just Smaller Portions
• “If I cannot name the aroma precisely, I have not tasted the wine properly.” Why Wine Tasting Is Not a Vocabulary Exam

Trust a more informed palate

13

• “It says the famous place on the label, so I already know how it will taste.” Why an Appellation Is Not a Tasting Note
• “The curry is spicy, so it needs the biggest red I own.” Why a Big Red Makes Chile Hotter, Not Braver
• “It is salty, so Champagne will automatically fix it.” Why Champagne Is Not a Universal Salt Solution
• “If it says blueberry, it should taste like somebody put blueberries in it.” Why Coffee Tasting Notes Are Not a Shopping List
• “I like this grape, so I will like it from anywhere.” Why a Grape Name Does Not Travel Alone
• “It was a great vintage, so it must be ready and worth saving.” Why a Great Vintage Is Not a Drinking Window
• “Haute cuisine means a tiny plate and a large invoice.” Why Haute Cuisine Is Not the Opposite of Enough Food
• “It is rich and interesting, so orange wine is the serious answer.” Why Orange Wine Is Not Automatically the Answer to Rich Food
• “It is thin, so more sugar will make the sangria come together.” Why Port Does What Sugar Cannot in Sangria
• “If the sommelier recommends it, they are moving the expensive bottle.” Why a Sommelier Recommendation Is Not a Price Signal
• “Good sake is cold, and warm sake is what happens when somebody stopped caring.” Why Warm Sake Is Not the Sake You Gave Up On
• “The club allocation is limited, so taking all of it is sensible cellar building.” Why a Wine Club Is Not a Cellar Plan
• “If I cannot name the aroma precisely, I have not tasted the wine properly.” Why Wine Tasting Is Not a Vocabulary Exam

Master the details

9

• “If I store it properly, it will become a better wine eventually.” Why Cellar Temperature Is Not a Vintage Chart
• “It is salty, so Champagne will automatically fix it.” Why Champagne Is Not a Universal Salt Solution
• “It was a great vintage, so it must be ready and worth saving.” Why a Great Vintage Is Not a Drinking Window
• “Ice opens whisky because it makes the whisky easier.” Why Ice Is Not a Serving Temperature for Whisky
• “The ferment stopped, so it needs more nutrient immediately.” Why a Stuck Fermentation Is Not a Nutrient Emergency
• “A tasting menu is just many small dishes, so the order cannot matter much.” Why Tasting-Menu Pacing Is Not Just Smaller Portions
• “Boiling water makes stronger tea, and stronger tea is better tea.” Why Tea Does Not Need Boiling Water to Prove Its Character
• “Good sake is cold, and warm sake is what happens when somebody stopped caring.” Why Warm Sake Is Not the Sake You Gave Up On
• “The club allocation is limited, so taking all of it is sensible cellar building.” Why a Wine Club Is Not a Cellar Plan

Buy with confidence

9

• “It is on the list, so booking it is the same as having chosen well.” Why an Award List Is Not a Reservation Guarantee
• “It came in a proper tin and cost a great deal, so it is obviously what it says.” Why a Caviar Tin Is Not Proof of Caviar
• “It is from that distillery, so I already know what it will taste like.” Why a Distillery Name Is Not a Whisky Production Method
• “It is all sweet wine; the frozen part is just marketing with weather.” Why Icewine Is Not Just Sweet Wine Left Outside
• “It says natural, so I know how it was made and what will be in the bottle.” Why Natural Wine Is Not a Production Method
• “It is old, so the history on the label must be real.” Why Old Wine Is Not Automatically Historic Wine
• “It says organic, so the bottle has settled the environmental question.” Why Organic Is Not a Climate Plan
• “It costs this much because the producer is famous, which explains everything.” Why a Producer Name Does Not Explain the Price
• “Truffle oil is the practical version of truffle, only less expensive.” Why Truffle Oil Is Not a Small Truffle

Understand the craft

5

• “The curry is spicy, so it needs the biggest red I own.” Why a Big Red Makes Chile Hotter, Not Braver
• “Ice opens whisky because it makes the whisky easier.” Why Ice Is Not a Serving Temperature for Whisky
• “A star means the restaurant is finally making money.” Why a Michelin Star Is Not a Profit Margin
• “The ferment stopped, so it needs more nutrient immediately.” Why a Stuck Fermentation Is Not a Nutrient Emergency
• “Boiling water makes stronger tea, and stronger tea is better tea.” Why Tea Does Not Need Boiling Water to Prove Its Character

Choose what works

3

• “It smells odd, so let it breathe until it gets over itself.” Why Decanting Does Not Repair a Fault
• “It is thin, so more sugar will make the sangria come together.” Why Port Does What Sugar Cannot in Sangria
• “Truffle oil is the practical version of truffle, only less expensive.” Why Truffle Oil Is Not a Small Truffle