Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/818616
EXPLORING THE DIMENSIONS OF WINE THROUGH MUSIC As wine, and the depths of its enjoyment can be intimidating, Alvarado feels that explaining the dimensions of appreciating wine through the analogous music theme can help simplify the concept. "I think that wine has the ability to create an aesthetic experience, and the best way to convey that message is to create a parallel with music," he shares. He identifies four basic dimensions of enjoying wine, with a fifth in the works. UNVEILING MORE WITH UNIVERSAL INQUIRIES Who are your three favorite artists or bands? Red Hot Chili Peppers Rush Rise Against What was your favorite concert and why? I have to go with three here—my first one, which was Bon Jovi: Slippery When Wet, and my most recent concert, which was Guns & Roses last year at Soldier Field in Chicago. The most meaningful, though, was taking my two eldest daughters to their first concert, the Black Eyed Peas at the United Center in Chicago. It was such a special moment. Name a song that has made you cry. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole. It makes me think that, despite our struggles in life and all its ups and downs, hope keeps us going. Which song would be your "walk up to the plate song" if you were a Major League Baseball player? "Dream On" by Aerosmith. I actually used to listen to it every night before bed when I was studying for the Master Sommelier exam; I would picture myself getting the pin and the diploma—it was like my mantra, "Dream until your dreams come true!" Which other art form inspires you? Poetry. Somebody very special introduced me to this art form, and it opened a whole new world to me. I especially like John Keats and the poets from the Romantic era. FUN/HEDONISTIC ENJOYMENT CONTEXTUAL/TRANSPORTIVE INTELLECTUAL/CONTEMPLATIVE EMOTIONAL/TRANSCENDANT WINE Something easy and delightful to drink in its simplicity: Prosecco, inexpensive Chardonnay or inexpensive Malbec. WINE It's harder to choose because the wine is something you personally enjoyed at just the right moment in time to inspire recall of that memory every time that you enjoy it. WINE Barolo is the best example; it is a wine that without study or experience in drink- ing wine may be too intense. The structure, along with the amazing amount of second- ary and tertiary character- istics, can be overwhelming, but if embraced can lead to tremendous enjoyment. WINE Again, a hard wine to choose, but every wine consumer has has that moment—that memory which stalled time, eliciting pure happiness, pure joy. It does not come along often, but when it does we know that it is the precise reason that we love wine so much. For Alvarado, Pinot Noir, Burgundy in particular, has made time stand still. MUSIC A three-chord melody with a catchy chorus, something like "Tutti Frutti" by Little Richard as an example. MUSIC Something that all people can connect to a certain era in time, like "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana for those who grew up watching MTV in the '90s. MUSIC Rush is a good example as the music is not for everyone, but if you break it down, the songs are musical masterpieces and a showcase of musicianship. MUSIC "Imagine" by John Lennon; it elicits sentiment and emotional emotion.