Some wines are satisfying from the first sip. There are reds that are immediately smooth, silky, velvety: attracting adjectives associated with luxuriant comfort and ease. Whites that are dubbed refreshing, mouthwatering, bright: wines with an immediate, thirst-quenching drinkability that keeps you coming back, unthinkingly, for more. Then there are wines that make you wonder if something has gone badly wrong. Wines that feel awkward, uncomfortable, or even trigger your gag reflex.
But if some, perhaps even most wines that we hate at first taste are irredeemable, unlovable duds, there are others that might just go on to be those we love the most. They’re part of a category of wine we might call “challenging” or “extreme”. As with a difficult piece of music that can eventually bring a bigger and more lasting emotional payoff than an immediately catchy tune, these initially edgy, odd, or overwhelming wines can end up being those we crave once we’ve become accustomed to their unusual ways.
