Letter from Boston
Wine Tasting
By MASAKO YAMADA
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ワインの試飲
雅子さんのアパート近くには、値段は高めですが、ワインの種類を多く取りそろえた酒屋があります。無料のワイン試飲会があると書かれた張り紙を毎日横目で見ていた雅子さんは、昨年末に、初めて立ち寄ってみました。
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I don't know if it's because there are so many students in the area, but
Allston-Brighton seems to have a higher concentration of liquor stores
than other regions in and around Boston. There are at least four liquor stores
within walking distance of my apartment. On weekend nights, one can see lots
of young men lugging kegs of beer out of the stores.
Brookline Liquor, a large liquor store a block from my apartment, has a
different feel from the other liquor stores. This store is famous for its
wine selection. Given the high cost of wine, it doesn't seem to have as many
students among its clientele as the other liquor stores.
I had never entered the store until a few months ago because it is shaped
like an old warehouse and the entrance is not very inviting. However, I
had looked at the "WINE TASTING, WED 5-8, SAT 1-5" sign every day for years,
so I decided to drop by the Saturday tasting one day late last year.
I had heard that they served a selection of cheeses during the wine
tastings. There was no excuse not to go: It was close to my home and
free!!
Each wine tasting has a theme. At the end of the year, they served port,
which is fitting in cold weath
er. On New Year's Day, they served celebratory champagne. Before Valentine's
Day, they will be serving "Wines for Valentines." Although these events may
sound a bit gimmicky, one can tell that the proprietors select the wines
carefully.
They provide a detailed menu every week, including the names of the
winery owners, where and how they grow the grapes, how they age the wine
and any prizes the wine has won. The notes also include the characteristics of
the wine, and there are sections where one can record one's own opinions.
The proprietors choose from a wide price range, so one can try decent
wines that cost under $10 (¥1,040) a bottle. The wines are served in tiny
plastic cups, but a wine glass of each kind of wine is also displayed, so one
can properly observe the color of the wine. Many regulars bring their own
wine glasses. There are jugs of water placed around the table so one can
rinse one's cup before trying each wine.
The wine tasting has become something of a weekly ritual for me. This
week, the theme was "Wines from the Pacific Northwest" (not connected to any
holiday). The wine-making states of Oregon and Washington are not as famous as
California, but it's nice to learn about little-known wines. The store makes
an effort to serve not only famous French and Italian wines, but also wines
from places like New Zealand and the Iberian Peninsula. Since I'm a
beginner, I appreciate getting this broad exposure.
There is also a selection of about five or six cheeses during each wine
tasting. I have enjoyed many different cheeses, including a wonderful
Portuguese cheese made from unpasteurized sheep's milk, which I ended up
buying. The cheese counter is small, but the people are knowledgable and
friendly. They are eager to give suggestions, opinions — and samples.
One of the men behind the counter is an absolute pro at weighing the
cheese. I once asked him for a half-pound of cheese, and when he cut off a chunk and put it on the digital scale, it weighed exactly 0.5 pounds!!
I like the interaction I see among the tasters and between the tasters
and the staff. I was chomping on some cheese when I heard a man ask a staff
member, "Do you remember a wonderful cheese from a few weeks ago that started with `C'?"
I quickly chimed in, "It must have been the Chaource." I had seen it
at another market only a few hours before, but I decided not to buy it then,
since the village name was not the same as the one of the cheese at the liquor
store. Unfortunately, the liquor store was out of stock. The man seemed disappointed, and so was I.
In addition to all of this, the store maintains an excellent e-mail
newsletter summarizing each wine tasting and providing news on new wines and
sales. I can't believe that they do this all for free. And I can't believe
that I missed out on it for so long.
Shukan ST: Feb. 4, 2000
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