Although wine is one of the more important amenities of civilized man andthe daily lives of many millions of people the world over would be sad anddtdl without it, an aura of mystery has grown up around this intoxicatingproduct of the grape, inspiring awe if not outright fear in otherwise sensiblehuman beings. The wine connoisseur, unfortunately, has become a personto be held in reverence, and the sommelier who approaches your table ina restaurant is assumed to have the wisdom of Solomon when it comes to~iecting the right bottle--even when he chooses unwisely. Too often for-gotten is the simple fact that wine is only fermented grape juice, and thepeople who profess to know about it and purvey it are no more special thanthose involved with any other commercial product. Anyone can become justU knowledgeable simply by applying himselfwby taking the time and trou-ble to taste wine and learn about what he is tasting. Wine is, of course, such a pleasant potion that we are naturally inclinedto believe it has magical qualities, and the belief can be supported by asuccessful evening around a dining table. Good wine and good food weremade for each other--and for congenial people. Because wine is relativelylow in alcoholic content and because it enhances, rather than detracts from,the ability to appreciate good food and good company, it can create analmost magical atmosphere. I have found that all people who have a seriouspersonal interest in wine are peopie of substance--not necessarily of wealthor achievement, but of personality and felicity. They are people who have.~.hably also discovered some of the other niceties of civilized existence, they are likely to be good company. But they do not have special powersor tastes. I have been asked many, many times how best to learn about wine, and| have always responded: by tasting it. There is only one way to educateyourself on wine, and that is by drinking it. No book on the subject canlmbsdtute words for the impressions received by the taste buds, the nose the eyes. Moreover, no book can dictate how an individual should react~any wine, for individual tastes vary No one should ever ask: How shouldit wine taste? The question should be: How does it taste? For the same n, there should be no set rules about combinations of wine and food.~y~ preference is white wine with red meat, that is what you should drink, there are many connoisseurs who have a favorite red wine with fish. YouiX