Wine recommendations appear at the end of each Gus Clemens on Wine column. What do they mean?
Every recommended wine is available—at least at the writing—at one or more wine sellers in San Angelo. This is core commitment to you.
A second commitment is to encourage people to embark on a voyage of wine discovery, to constantly expand your palates and rejoice that wine—fruit of the vine and work of human hands—is almost infinite in its variety and ability to astonish and give pleasure.
Plenty of wine writers and wine sites recommend specific bottles of wine, citing exact names and vintage dates. Recommendations here do not specify vintage; they are cast in terms to generally describe maker’s style and type of wine. Why?
Difficult decision, tied to commitment to equip beginning or average wine drinkers with information needed to go out and find something new. For some wines, vintage makes little difference. For others, vintage can be significant. Discovering for yourself is key element of the wine adventure. Recommendations encourage such discovery.
A wine snob may snub the wine you love. But wine critics themselves disagree, sometimes in the extreme. The splendor and glory of wine: Anything is good if you like it. Pull cork, pour away, see for yourself. Every new bottle is a delicious new adventure. How can it get better than that?
Something to think about during the 26th Annual San Angelo Wine & Food Festival benefiting the San Angelo Cultural Affairs Council. See you there.
Recommended:
• Uncorked wine & food pairing: American road trip. April 29, San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts. $40
• Wine & dine gourmet dinner featuring Chef Robert Rhoades. April 30, Bentwood Country Club. $150
• Fork & Cork tasting finale. May 1, El Paseo de Santa Angela. $25 advance; $30 at gate; VIP $75.