Roasted: Why Not to be Self-Conscious About Your Wine-Tasting Notes

My colleague Harvey Steiman's recent blog posts about pairing wine and coffee reminded me of a story about the intersection of wine and coffee in my own life. 

A couple of years ago, I moved from Napa to the nearby community of Vallejo, Calif. It's a longer commute to the office in downtown Napa, but I love our sunny house and how close we are to the water.

As we were moving in, one of our neighbors across the street invited us over for a beer. In his kitchen was the biggest, fanciest espresso maker I've ever seen. He was completely obsessed with coffee, and after chatting a while, he suggested I stop by a coffee tasting, or "cupping," at a local coffee importer and roaster that's open on the weekends. 

A couple of Saturdays later, I swung by the tasting and was delighted by the festive, local vibe and the lineup of wonderful coffees to sample. I saw my neighbor and said hello, and he asked what I was drinking. 

I don't think twice about describing beverages, so I opened my mouth and started talking. I told him I picked a Costa Rica blend that I liked. I prefer low-acid coffees with a creamy, smooth texture and tend to be more interested in chocolate flavors and fresh fruity notes rather than baked or roasted ones, which can come across as harsh and bitter to me.

When I was done, he looked at me and, after a long pause, said, "Yeah, well, you'll get there."

I always laugh when I tell this part. No, my neighbor doesn't know what I do for a living, and I'm not sure it would have mattered. Describing beverages can be hard, even harder among strangers, and my coffee vocabulary is pretty limited. I want to get all those graham cracker crust, kettle corn, banana bread, fig, nougat and white grape notes that I see described in coffee, but I'm not there yet. 

So believe me when I say I know what it's like to struggle to find a vocabulary to talk about what's in our glasses (or mugs). That doesn't mean we shouldn't try. When I pick a coffee, I always read the descriptors and still find them useful, even if I can't pinpoint them myself. 

But I'll get there.