We’ve all met them before. I used to work with a few of them. And I’m not sure they have any idea how daft they sound when they talk. It’s the wine know-it-all. Seldom right, but never in doubt, they manage to hit that exact level of knobbishness that I’m desperately trying to avoid as I go forward as a wine-o.
Obviously it’s not just in wine that you get know-it-all’s. There are plenty of topics where some people just love to show that they know soooooo much more than you do. I’m not quite sure why, but they seem to have this thing in their heads that says “if I keep talking longer than you, then I’m a genius!” Just letting you know now boys and girls, you’re wrong…no no, ssshhh, you’re just wrong!
Luckily I don’t have to put up with too many of them as, at the minute anyway, I can mostly pick and choose who I’m talking with and working with. It’s one of the best things about working with JB in 20h33. He never ever tries to out do anyone with wine knowledge. It’s all about the experience for him rather than to be the company that can out do the next one in talking a great game.
Last couple of weeks though, whilst doing the market in Primrose Hill, I reckon 1 in every 10 punters I speak to make me have to bite my tongue…hard! It’s not so much that they love to talk about wine. I love to talk about wine! It’s more that they like to talk AT you about wine. And they usually come out with utter bollocks. Bless them!
That said, the other 9 out of 10 have been brilliant, and I’ve loved doing the market so far. Although my tongue is a bit sore on a Sunday morning!
Cheers
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I know the feeling… You just have to quietly abstain from conversation… The good thing is that often even the polite nodding is not needed – those people are very happy hearing themselves talk…
Ha, true, smile and nod! 🙂
I know just enough to know theres a lot I don’t know! I do know what you are saying though. Blah blah blah
wise people always know that there’s plenty they don’t know and act accordingly!
Nice post! I wrote something very similar… I think I figured out what about wine can become pretentious and how to avoid coming across that way… check it out: http://outsiderolympics.com/2016/02/25/when-refined-judgment-becomes-pretentious/
Funny how we all grab pictures of wine snobs Sideways 🙂