“Good living is an act of intelligence, by which we choose things that have an agreeable taste rather than those which do not.” - Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Taste is a funny word with many related meanings. It is the sensation of flavor perceived by the tongue, nose, and brain, and it is also the action by which we ascertain said flavor. It can be used to describe a specific flavor; for example, I’ve heard one say, “Campari has a taste similar to earwax.” And while a taste may be a small sample of food or drink, it is also a brief experience conveying character, as in “a taste of what’s to come.” It can refer possessively to one’s likes and dislikes, or as an expression of one’s discernment or judgment, as in “good taste in literature.” Taste can also be a reflection of ethics or conformity, when, say, one’s comments or actions are deemed “in bad taste.”

The etymology is unclear, but our multifarious English word may be based on a blend of the Latin tangere ‘to touch’ and gustare ‘to taste,’ and its less literal meanings developed later, over time. According to linguist Carl Darling Buck, “The Hindus recognized six principal varieties of taste with sixty-three possible mixtures ... the Greeks eight .... These included the four that are now regarded as fundamental, namely 'sweet,' 'bitter,' 'acid,' 'salt.' ... The others were 'pungent' (Gk. drimys, Skt. katuka-), 'astringent' (Gk. stryphnos, Skt. kasaya-), and, for the Greeks, 'rough, harsh' (austeros), 'oily, greasy' (liparos), with the occasional addition of 'winy' (oinodes).”

On a trip to Brussels, Belgium, my mother asked a local grocer which coffee she would recommend, and the proprietor replied, “Ça dépend des goûts!” Indeed, “It depends on your tastes!” applies to so many choices we make, including which wine to buy. Because of our differing preferences, there is no ‘best’ wine we can all agree on. This is why our tasting bar is an indispensable part of the Oakland Yard experience: it is a place to explore and define one’s tastes, to become familiar with oneself. And it is a well-researched fact that women taste better than men, or said less ambiguously, that women tend to have a greater innate capacity to discern flavor, so it is no surprise that, given the opportunity, women often make excellent winemakers. We’re delighted to feature wines made by women in our Saturday tasting flights throughout the month of March, along with tasty bites from PROVECHO. But first...

TONIGHT - THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS: ALL FRENCH REDS & WHITES

2020 Henry Marionnet Domaine de la Charmoise Sauvignon Blanc 2017 Laballe Les Sables Fauves Landes Blanc
2021 Château la Canorgue Viognier
2021 Kevin Descombes Cuvée KéKé Beaujolais
2020 Domaine de la Graveirette Ju de Vie Rouge
2020 Domaine de Brin Vendemia Gaillac
Red or White Flights $15 from 5-9pm and wines by the glass until 9pm

SATURDAY 3/18 FLIGHTS: ALL WOMEN WINEMAKERS
2022 McBride Sisters Sauvignon Blanc (Winemakers: Robin and Andréa McBride)
2021 Anne Pichon Vermentino (Winemaker: Anne Pichon)
2020 Valérie Forgues Icône Rouge (Winemaker: Valérie Forgues)
2021 Terah Wine Co. Barbera (Winemaker: Terah Bajjalieh)
Flights $15 from 2-6 and wines by the glass from around the globe until 9pm

Tastefully,
Max