Page 41 - Wine Spectator (January 2020)

T H O M A S M A T T H E W S

Goals for 2020

e all know that was soundly outvoted by the nearly

New Year’s reso- 1,000 attendees; I myself had to admit
lutions tend to the mature but still vibrant white was
wither faster a better pairing.

Wthan Christmas But José didn’t pick the wine solely
trees drop needles. But that shouldn’t for its delicious flavor profile. He

discourage us from trying to improve wanted to honor the late Serge Ho-
ourselves every day of the year. Per- char, Musar’s founder, who persisted
haps if we reframe the exercise as despite the dangers in his war-torn

goal-setting and link the goals to a Bekaa Valley home. José too is familiar
personal context, we’ll be more suc- with ravaged landscapes and suffering

cessful in making progress. At least, people, in his work with World Cen-
I like to think so. tral Kitchen, a nonprofit he founded
Here are a few goals I’m aiming to serve hot, healthy meals to survivors

for in 2020. Each arises from a wine- of natural disasters, such as the recent
related context that, I hope, will help Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas.

keep them vital and engaging. My goal for 2020 is to emulate the
Napa Valley: Plenty of people are many generous chefs and vintners who
fed up with Napa. Some locals say the give so much back to their communi-

valley is too expensive and too ties: donating wine to charity auctions;
crowded. Some critics say the wines are giving proceeds from special bottlings

too expensive and too homogenous. Many of the goals I’m aiming to good causes; creating their own
But I have a friend from high for arise from a wine-related foundations to make differences in
school who worked hard to create a context that, I hope, will keep people’s lives. It is a privilege to share

successful business, gradually became my good fortune with others.
passionate about wine and recently them vital and engaging. Bordeaux: France’s premier wine re-
bought a small house in St. Helena. gion is sometimes considered haughty

Jack and his wife, Le Anne, love and exclusive, the domain of aristo-
spending time there; they are making friends and becoming crats, wealthy entrepreneurs or gold-plated corporations.
part of the local community. But the grand châteaus make up only a small part of this his-

My goal for 2020 is to search for the positive. Not to ignore toric but often modest community. In 1979, I was living in
problems or obstacles, but to savor the small pleasures of life and Spain, writing a novel, and ran out of money. A friend suggested

to treasure the community of wine people wherever they live. we work the harvest in Bordeaux; the food was great, he said,
Spain: I am Wine Spectator’s lead taster for the wines of Spain; the work was easy and they gave you all the wine you cared to
I review about 800 wines each year. It’s fascinating to track the drink. So off we went and I discovered he was correct in two out

whole country’s progress, but it can be tiring to cover so much of three. I wound up picking grapes for a small family property
ground. I need to be efficient, and there’s a tendency to swirl, in out-of-the-way Entre-Deux-Mers. Their wine mostly disap-

sip, spit and scribble, compressing each tasting experience into a peared into merchants’ blends, but their warm hearts and help-
minute or two of concentration and analysis. ing hands made them lifelong friends.
But I try to remember what a Spanish vintner once told me. My goal for 2020—40 years after that fateful harvest, which

I’m like his demanding father, he said, and my scores are either set me on what has become my path in life—is to hold on to
happy rewards or painful punishments. That’s a lot of responsi- that young man’s sense of adventure, and be willing to take a

bility! Every glass represents an entire year of hard work. risk, and feel some pain, to follow my dreams.
My goal for 2020 is to treat every wine like a VIP, one that Like most of us, I resolve to eat healthier and exercise more
might become a valued friend, and evaluate each one with the in 2020. But beyond that, I want to be more appreciative,

care and thoroughness it deserves. thoughtful, generous and adventurous.
Lebanon: At the Wine Experience this year, chef José Andrés What are your goals for the year to come?
RICK WENNER chose a 2006 Chateau Musar white to match with a spicy shrimp Executive editor Thomas Matthews has been with Wine Spectator

dish from chef Emeril Lagasse. My choice, a sleek Spanish red,
since 1988.

JAN. 31 – FEB. 29, 2020 • WINE SPECTATOR 37