Wine tasting is a journey. Travelling through the senses, exploring flavours, aromas, and textures can be delightful and deeply personal. It can also, if approached too rigidly, be excluding and archaic. At 1275, we find the traditional rules of wine tasting and pairing can overshadow the experience of pure enjoyment, so we like to do things differently.
The original “winebore”
In the middle ages, wine was a symbol of status and wealth among the nobility and royalty. Elaborate feasts and banquets featured wine as an essential part of the burgeoning gastronomic culture. Since then, society has amassed rules from religious ritual, monastic documentation, and aristocratic influence about how to pair wines with food.
While the principles of balance and harmony in dish and glass stand true, wine today is enjoyed worldwide, and thankfully transcends social and cultural boundaries. Globalisation and fusion cuisine have made wine pairing more flexible, encouraging personal preference and experimentation. This contemporary approach celebrates exploration and a personalised wine experience, and yet, fine wine is still too often burdened with rules and expectations.
Breaking the mould
Adhering to pairing rules can narrow one’s appreciation of wine. So what if the meal is fish but you want to drink red Burgundy – ignore the stigma of any “wine bores” in your presence, and drink what you like. Afterall, social anxiety from peer pressure stifles creativity, preventing us from discovering what we actually enjoy. Given that preferences in wine are highly subjective and entirely personal, there is no room for judgement, and every cause to make one’s choice unique.
Our quiet rebellion (for those in Geneva)
While we are comfortable throwing the rulebook out of our window, it helps to have some base knowledge of the book’s contents – an understanding of major regions, winemaking techniques, top producers etc. With this in mind, 1275 has put together an immersive 6-session crash course, combining theory with practice, tasting some of the finest wines around. For those based in Geneva, this in-person program aims to share our passion for wine and provide tools to explore wine with pleasure, not pressure.
Here’s to your personal wine journey!