I was having a couple of glasses with a mate of mine the other day and they brought up this slightly weird question. It had to do with the quite mixed personalities you get at trade shows and the like, especially in the UK where there’s lots of people with lots of backgrounds kicking around and they all have a definite way of acting and talking at these gigs. And some of it, thankfully rarely, can rub you up the wrong way.
What’s a Wine Geek?
Well I think it goes without saying that there’s nothing wrong with being a Wine Geek. I really hope that’s my category. I love wine, I love reading about it, trying lots of new things, and then nattering with my mates about it. Wine’s my hobby, I’m a geek, ipso facto…
What’s a Wine Snob?
Toughy to answer that, really. I guess to me it’s someone who’s set in their ways, will only drink it if it’s from a top producer, or if not has only negative things to say all the time. I have to say I meet a hell of a lot of them when I’m in Bordeaux with 20h33. Sad to say a lot of them are English. It’s like the wine equivalent of going on holiday to Mallorca with all the mass holiday makers after sausage and chips and lager, just in the sunshine. Just embarrassing. Hang on, maybe that makes me a snob?! Ah shit!
Time Is Up
Luckily it’s clear that the wine industry is changing. The 20 and 30 somethings coming through want to do and hear about fun things. They don’t want to hear crap from some warped Negative Nelly. Wine geeks are more than welcome, but wine snobs? I’m afraid your time is nearly up boys and girls!
Cheers
