War between the grapes

Now and then, as we go about the enjoyable process of learning more about wine, it's useful to go back and re-examine some of the most basic elements of the beverage we enjoy.

What do we love in wine? And why do we love it? Reviewing our thoughts about these fundamentals can be an effective way to refocus after we've been stretching our minds with technicalities from "terroir" to wine chemistry.

To that end, today we seek to recalibrate our taste buds by returning to a couple of very fundamental questions: Do we prefer red or white wine? And why?

The first question is easy. Most of us know what we like. The "why" question makes things more interesting, because it requires us to stop and think about what we enjoy in wine.

Maybe you like red wine because reds tend to be more full-bodied, rich and complex. Or perhaps the purported health benefits of the antioxidants in red grape skins appeal to you.

Or if you're a white-wine enthusiast, you may be enthralled by the relative lightness and delicacy of whites; or their affinity for seafood, or maybe the "transparency" of many white wines that allows subtle flavors and, often, earthy minerality, to shine through.

Your reasons may be different, and to be quite frank, any reason for your preference is legitimate. But I think taking just a few moments to think about these basics, and to focus on what appeals to us in any wine, is a worthwhile exercise for the wine lover.

We're planning to have a little fun with this concept tomorrow in our weekly Internet radio "TalkShoe," as we'll discuss - and invite telephone call-ins - on "Red or White? The War Between the Grapes."

I'd like to take this opportunity to invite you to call in, if you haven't done so before. The WineLoversPage.com TalkShoe is very similar to a radio talk show, except that we're cordial and welcoming, don't argue about politics, and do focus the conversations on wine. Participants can listen via their computers, live or by downloading the program later; calling in involves placing a call to a U.S. telephone number and entering a simple code. (Participation is free except that the phone call will be billed by your provider at standard long-distance rates.)

HOW TO TUNE IN

"The War Between the Grapes" will go live tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 6, at approximately 1 p.m. US Eastern Daylight Time, which is 10 a.m. on the West Coast, 6 p.m. in the UK and 7 p.m. in most of Western Europe.

To participate by telephone, simply dial +1-724-444-7444. Enter the code 11888# when prompted; then 1# to enter the group.

To listen live online without phoning in, click the orange "Listen Now" button on the WineLoversPage.com TalkShoe page,
http://www.wineloverspage.com/talkshoe/

Finally, to take part in a poll and conversation on the burning question, "Red or White" on the WineLovers Discussion Group, click
http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/village/viewtopic.php?t=11210

For today's tasting report, we check out a worthy white, an affordable and food-friendly Riesling from Alsace. My notes are below.