Last night W invited me to some wine tasting and purchasing at Pearsons Wine and Spirits on Wisconsin Avenue in DC. I met him at his place and then we went to Pearsons. Pearsons has been around since 1933 and looks the part. The place is packed from floor to ceiling with bottles and bottles of wine organized and categorized in neat square compartments. There’s also lots of liquor stocked around the place. In the back, they have a table set up with several different kinds of wine from different labels. In a little wooden bin, they have a scant collection of wine glasses. You select a wine glass, and a type of wine you’d like to try and the steward will pour you some. The steward quickly realized that W knew what he was doing so he let us pour for ourselves. I learned from the first tasting not to pour too much. I just wanted to enjoy the bouquet and taste the flavor of the wine. Well, I poured too much of the first one I picked and had to finish drinking it before choosing another. I didn’t make that mistake twice. Between tastings, you cleanse your glass. I’m not sure what it’s called but there’s another glass into which you pour the cleansing water. We tried a few reds and then tried some whites. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m not a wine connoisseur. I’m usually white trash when it comes to wine. I tend to drink white zinfandel. However, with W’s expertise and the opportunity to try different wines, I picked out several wines that I enjoyed. It was time to purchase.

W and I made mental lists of the wines we’d like to find in the store. The steward directed us to the bottles we were looking for. Each time he mentioned what the discount would be if we bought a case or more. Of course, I was only looking to buy a few bottles. I have never spent more than probably $10 for a bottle of wine. I spent a little more on a few of the bottles I ended up buying. We took our little cart and strolled through the store picking out our bottles. W has an extensive collection of wines already but is always looking to try new labels. I picked out four bottles. I purchased a 2003 Alois Lageder (label) Pinot Bianco (grape), a 2002 Montagny 1er Cru Viognier (basic white table wine), a 2001 Echelon Shiraz, and a 2003 Echelon Pinot Noir. W said I made some good selections to start a small collection and develop a palate for certain wines. I never thought I’d enjoy white wines but I must say that I really enjoyed the Pinot Bianco and the Viognier. I know I don’t care for dry wines. I enjoy a more fruity, sweet wine. W steered me in the right direction to the type of grape I’d enjoy.

After we made our purchases, W bought an additional bottle that was already chilled for us to enjoy. We got back to his place and opened the bottle. He showed me how to enjoy the aroma and savor the taste instead of just drinking the wine. He also showed me how to have an almond and then taste the wine and see how the woodsy taste is highlighted with the almond flavor in your mouth. He is quite the expert I must say. He also taught me that basically white wines should be chilled and reds should be close to room temperature. He said you can keep reds on the counter for a few days but it’s best to chill it after you’ve opened it. I learned so much about wine in one evening thanks to W. We enjoyed a glass of wine while having some great conversation. I had a great time with W tonight. He’s a great guy. He invited me to visit a Virginia Winery in a few weeks with a few of his friends. That should be fun.