In my years of writing about wine, I have received countless emails from readers complain that the extraordinary wine they enjoyed while away doesn’t taste the same when they’re back home. That delicious local wine discovered in an idyllic corner of Greece or Italy isn’t anything like they remember it.The wine is likely the same, I suggest. They are different. They’re no longer enjoying time away from the stress of work and home. They are in a different mental space and environment.
Sensory science studies suggest that light and music profoundly influence how we interpret taste. Red light, for instance, can make a wine taste sweeter. So you don’t need to be following in the footsteps of Frances Mayes in Tuscany or Peter Mayle in Provence to be seduced.You can jot down the name of a wine and its vintage that you enjoyed in a restaurant only to find it’s not as enjoyable when you serve it at home.
Be sure to embrace the opportunity to try different things when you’re away from home, try to soak up the range of flavours on offer and enjoy what might be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If you decide to make room in your suitcase to bring a favourite bottle of wine home with you, be sure to manage your expectations.