Quaffable Awfable

PIT's (Partner in Tasting's) look when I mention the word quaffable.
OK. There's something about this word quaffable (meaning easy and pleasant to drink a lot of, as it applies to wine. For example, "This Bogle is intensively quaffable!") The expression really wigs me out. I just don't like it. For starters, it doesn't roll off the tongue. It kind of sits back there with the molars, forming an awkward O in the place where you'd normally choke on an olive. Second, it sounds vaguely obscene. (Or just snotty, as my friend Stefanie said when I mentioned the word to her) Thirdly, I see it used in reference to wine and know that it's one of those words that everyone in the wine can use with confidence and with a very straight face except me because I am not really part of the wine world. That said, I do plan to take a few more introductory tasting classes soon in which I might attempt to use the word without choking. (I've had a few taste coachings, for the record, so I am not completely clueless, and keep tripping on corks from nice bottles all over my house to prove it) Again, this site is for people who are learning, so don't spam me telling me I am an idiot.

Anyhow, in my research I found a really fun well-written blog called Quaffability.com, which is why I bring up the word in the first place. This guy writes about wine, largely bottles that cost $12 or under, from Trader Joes. He's worked in the restaurant industry and seems quite knowledgable so he describes wines a lot better than I do. I find myself going back to his website often because he's a lovely writer and has some great new recommendations, like a recent bit on Dehlinger, a small wine producer in Sebastopol, CA. He recommends their wines but the only way to get a bottle is to get on their mailing list. (They don't do tastings and they sell in very few places)
I'm sending a request in today.

February 10, 2006

Quaffable Awfable