Bottle Royale Vol. 1: Oak Infusion

It's always a pleasure when wine provokes emotion, and even better when it sparks conversation. When there's something to argue about, in a good or bad way. For me, the heart of any tasting lies in the questions. Why do I like this? Why not? What's missing? What's working? And when almost every bottle nudges you into that kind of thinking, that's the real thrill.

It's even better when you've got people to share it with - to bring something of their own, to open something new. We all live inside our flavour bubbles, and it's easy to forget how wildly different wine can be - and how differently people taste. Not good or bad - just human.

That's why I'm so fond of the BYOB format - bring your own bottle. It's a way to taste things you'd never choose yourself, and it's dead simple to organise. The hardest part is syncing time and place. The bottle? Everyone sorts that out.

This tasting was... odd. You could call it an oak infusion - almost every wine had spent time in barrels. Some old, some new, some heavily charred. Bourbon-y. Flor-aged with all the beauty of aldehydes and sotolon. Everything is clashing and overlapping. The spiral kept spinning - and we tumbled from one end to the other.

And still, we made it. Because that's what people do. We walked out of that whirlpool maybe a little more confused, but definitely in better spirits. The night wound down in the courtyard behind winetime, sparkling wine in plastic "Riedels", laughter echoing off the walls. Contemporary urban art, really - and yes, wine has its place in it.

Thanks to everyone for the warmth, the conversations, and just a good night. We'll meet again.