Over the years, many wine drinkers may find that their palates constantly evolve. For example, after making the trip out to California, I didn’t want to touch anything that wasn’t from Napa or Sonoma. Yet shortly after that, I was enthralled with wines from the Tuscany area of Italy. Over the summer I went through a really enjoyable New York State Riesling phase, and as of the last month or so I am on a full fledge Bordeaux kick.

While this is a pretty common dynamic, there are also plenty of wine enthusiasts that only like one style of wine and that’s it. For example, I know that if I pour my wife or brother anything but a fruit driven California Red, chances are they will make a face mirroring a baby eating a pickle. While there is the argument that you need to appreciate different aspects of wines from all around the world made from all the various grapes, I say…. Fugetaboutit!

Wine is something that is meant to bring pleasure and enjoyment, and is not meant to be stressful or intimidating. So there is no reason to feel that you HAVE to enjoy a wine from Bordeaux or Barolo just because it gets great ratings from a wine reviewer. While wine experts have a clear cut and effective rating system, their tastes simply may not mesh with yours.

Professional tasters and reviewers are exactly that, professionals. So the ratings given to specific wines are based on a variety of factors that may or may not make the wine appealing to your palate. On many occasions I have shared some highly rated wines with friends and family and while some found them to be delicious, others found them …well… pretty disappointing.

My point is this…I notice that people can get frustrated when drinking wine because they don’t taste what is described in the tasting notes, or don’t enjoy it as much as they think they should. But if you are drinking for pleasure and relaxation, then follow the Planet Fitness rule and drink in a Judgement Free Zone. Trust your gut and your own palate and just try to learn what kind of wines curl your toes. If you do find professional reviewers that share your tastes then try to stick with them like glue, as that is the way you will stumble on some great wines that may otherwise fly under your radar.