One of the greatest things about living in Paris was getting to explore France’s wonderful wines. I took a class on French wine while I was there, which was a wonderful decision even though the credits didn’t transfer back to my US college. I learned about the wine and champagne-making processes, the proper way to open and taste wines, and I was able to develop my palate by tasting several different wines each class. It was a wonderful time in my life. And educational too. It is shocking to me that I haven’t discussed wine with you before, so let’s get started!

I bought this particular bottle of wine in 2008 right before I left Paris. It is a white wine from the Burgundy region of France, and these wines are best when they are aged for 5-10 years. This bottle wasn’t very expensive, but it was special to me because of the memories I associate with it. So I allowed the wine to live in several different places with me; it went from aging in the towel drawer of my dorm room to the cool and shaded wine rack in my current apartment (once I was confident that no thirsty guests would open it up). I knew that this wine would be the bottle we’d drink with our first delicious dinner after the bar exam, and the wait was worth it.

You’ll notice in the first picture that the wine is a dark yellow color. That is good! White wines darken as they age, and red wines lighten. I once drank a too-old red that was almost a taupe color (blech). If you’ve ever taken the time to really taste your wine, then you know that the flavors and mouth feel change as the wine is exposed to more and more air. This is the reason why people swirl wine in their glasses and decanters. For example, this wine was very acidic and citrusy when the bottle was first opened, but after about 20 minutes, the wine mellowed out into a smooth, slightly fruity, and very satisfying beauty. The perfect reward.