The other night, I got to give a lecture at California State University, Fresno. I particularly like college lectures because of the audience blend: students (young), faculty/staff (usually medium age), and members of the community (typically older). It made me realize how seldom these different age cohorts assemble naturally. Too bad: the folks at Fresno were a great audience, and I hope they enjoyed me half as much as I enjoyed them.
Anyway … Fresno is in the heart of California’s massive agriculture country, so it wasn’t surprising to learn that the university does a lot of work in viticulture. But here’s what did surprise me: it is the only university in the country with a license to bottle and sell its own wine. I was told this by the university’s provost, Jeri Echeverria, who was great fun and fascinating to talk to — and who, after telling me about the wine license, added that Fresno wouldn’t be alone for long. Other universities, she said, were getting in line to bring out their own vintages. I can see why. Aside from providing a great training opportunity, it’s also good for marketing the university and perhaps even earning a few dollars.
FWIW, the Fresno red was good: a big, bright bell, perhaps a little too bouncy, but receding nicely into a sort of cherry/artichoke mellow. Or something like that.
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. You can also watch it on 
what does that even mean?? i’m frightened.
what does that even mean?? i’m frightened.
It means he’s snickering at wine snobs.
It means he’s snickering at wine snobs.
I’m 75 percent sure Mr. Dubner was waxing pseudo-Sideways, but the beauty of wine-speak is that one can never be positive…
I’m surprised Cornell doesn’t produce and sell wine, given its proximity to the Finger Lakes, its massive ag program and that it’s one of the Ivies.
I’m 75 percent sure Mr. Dubner was waxing pseudo-Sideways, but the beauty of wine-speak is that one can never be positive…
I’m surprised Cornell doesn’t produce and sell wine, given its proximity to the Finger Lakes, its massive ag program and that it’s one of the Ivies.
“I’m 75 percent sure Mr. Dubner was waxing pseudo-Sideways, but the beauty of wine-speak is that one can never be positive…”
Sure you can – just blindfold a wine-snob and give him the same wine over and over again and see if he rates the glasses differently.
Or you can do the Penn and Teller method where you give someone $2 wine and make them think it’s fancy-schmancy stuff and watch them ooh and ahh over it.
Or you can do what John Cleese did – give guests wine in opaque containers and see if they could tell red wine from white wine by taste (they couldn’t) I particularly like this one because it’s robust with a nicely humiliating finish.
Whether or not some scarf-wearing idiot actually does taste a hint of pineapple and brie cheese in a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon is actually a subset of the Hard Problem of consciousness (“is green the same to me as it is to you?”). I think the only statement about wine that holds true for everyone is that after about the third or fourth glass, it’s pretty delicious, oaky overtones or no.
“I’m 75 percent sure Mr. Dubner was waxing pseudo-Sideways, but the beauty of wine-speak is that one can never be positive…”
Sure you can – just blindfold a wine-snob and give him the same wine over and over again and see if he rates the glasses differently.
Or you can do the Penn and Teller method where you give someone $2 wine and make them think it’s fancy-schmancy stuff and watch them ooh and ahh over it.
Or you can do what John Cleese did – give guests wine in opaque containers and see if they could tell red wine from white wine by taste (they couldn’t) I particularly like this one because it’s robust with a nicely humiliating finish.
Whether or not some scarf-wearing idiot actually does taste a hint of pineapple and brie cheese in a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon is actually a subset of the Hard Problem of consciousness (“is green the same to me as it is to you?”). I think the only statement about wine that holds true for everyone is that after about the third or fourth glass, it’s pretty delicious, oaky overtones or no.