Music For The Mouth: Why Wine is Just Like Music

Trying to explain a fascination you have with something to a friend, who doesn't know the first thing about it, is hard.
A lot of younger people couldn't care less about wine and the joy of drinking nice stuff (I know, crazy right!?). I'm lucky enough to have a group of friends who are really musically minded, which is great for sitting round bbq's on a summer evening but music-type-people are often guilty of buying wine that is cheap and high in alcohol, to fuel their creative juices. And because I assume they just like being sick on themselves.

It was just the other day that it hit me: WINE AND MUSIC ARE THE SAME!

Kind of...

I know I wrote about the link between Hip Hop and Champagne a while ago but this is different!

The more I have thought about it, the more links there are to wine and the music industry and this is a really good way of explaining the awesome side of wine to people who otherwise can't get their head around your fixation on finding new wines from Hungary (for example).

So think about it like this - on the surface, music is music and wine is wine - incredible right (bear with me). There are the famous pop artists at the top of the charts, that are pleasing to listen to by just about everyone. There won't really be much depth or anything of any interest there but they produce those songs to be approachable and sell records. Much like wine. You see the Echo Falls and Jacobs Creek stuff everywhere and although someone who is really into their wine won't find these too interesting, its no different to someone who has studied music for years choosing not to listen to One Direction. Although everyone has guilty pleasures. These wines are made to sell and in order to sell as much as possible, they need to be as easy and approachable as possible.

Malbec/Slayer

Moving up the ladder and getting more specialist is like moving into more defined genres of music.
Take a heavy Argentinian Malbec for example and lets say thats death metal. Now if you imagine an elegant Red Burgundy is something along the lines of Jazz, there is nothing wrong with either genre, but some people might like one and not like the other one at all.

If you move up to the top of the ladder, you have people who have a true passion and massive knowledge of their subject. These people appreciate all types of wine/music for what they are. Obviously they have their favourites but when you are the head wine buyer for a supermarket or a producer who is working and recording albums with some of the best musicians in the world, a broad mind is vital to be the best at what you do.

It is also good to think of the wine producers as being like musicians, each year sitting in the studio for months before realising their new tracks/albums. And then when the tracks are released, they may go on tour to the wine trade fairs to promote them, providing they have the budget. Otherwise they will sit at home on the computer and spread the word via the internet. You also have musicians who make music because they enjoy making it, not to get famous or sell records but because it is just part of who they are.

So next time someone takes the piss out of you for always spending too much on a bottle of wine or for being a bore about wine when out with friends, explain it to them like that, its a good way to provide some context.

Maybe write a song about it if you are that way inclined. However side effects may include your friends thinking you are a dick.

Photos taken from Bateau ivre79 & Rock Music Photos' photostream, under the creative commons licence.