A Series of Wine YouTubes
Hey folks, unfortunately (more for me than for you) I can’t do a wine review this week. I sprained my ankle on Tuesday night, and while I’m improving daily, I’ve also been popping Advils like they were Tic-Tacs. And call me overly cautious, but mixing alcohol with them makes me a liiiiiiittle nervous.
You know, Universe, between the water in the basement last week and the sprained ankle this week, I believe you. I am capable of handling a crisis. I have proven this. I don’t need any more demonstrations. I’m good. Thanks.
Anyway! Instead of having a drink myself, I decided to share a couple of my favorite YouTube channels where you can watch other people drink and learn something.
Madeline Puckette is a certified sommelier and co-founder of the WineFolly website, which I often link to here because of their thorough and approachable writing with well-designed maps and graphics. She's also featured on their YouTube channel, "where we learn by drinking!" You get a little Manic Pixie Dream Girl vibe from her, but she's enthusiastic and excited to teach newbies the foundations of wine.
You would think this one would be not up my alley at all. Not only is Amanda McCrossin a professional sommelier in Napa, CA, she works at a restaurant where the entire wine list is only from the Napa Valley. And she loves cult Napa cab sauvs, my absolute not-favorite grape from what I think is a region coasting on its reputation. (I'll drink it obviously, if someone else is offering and paying. But I'm not putting them on my Pinterest boards or anything.)
But check out her videos where she compares a $20 malbec to a $125 malbec, or a $30 cab sauv to a $400 cab sauv. She does a fantastic job explaining why one wine is more expensive than another. And it all comes back to "what kind of wine experience do you want to have?" I had to giggle at one of her videos for Wednesday wines, "less expensive" wines, in the $50 to $80 range. Koff. But keep looking around, and she's got videos devoted to Fifteen Dollar Fridays. Her method of how to pick wines, regardless of budget, are sound and well presented. And if a Napa Valley vacation is on your bucket list, she seems like someone you should ask!
There’s a bazillion videos out there if you just search for wine, so if you find something really awesome, please do let me know! I’ll be here. On the couch. Not drinking. Really neat.