What Makes Wine Good? Plus, Let’s Try Cava

I just got back from filming my Napa harvest documentary, and after spending time around vineyards, winemakers, harvest crews, and grape varietals I had never even heard of, I realized something pretty quickly: I don’t know a damn thing about wine.So I’m fixing that one bottle at a time.Today I’m trying Cava, the Spanish sparkling wine, and talking about a bigger question: what actually makes wine good?Is it the score? The vintage? The region? The terroir? The tannins? What some wine critic says about it?Or is good wine simply the wine you actually enjoy drinking?I try a Cava Clos XV Brut Nature Premium Cuvée and immediately start getting green apple, sparkling apple cider, high acidity, and a really light, easy-drinking feel. And honestly? I freaking love it.The more wine I taste, the more I’m realizing that wine doesn’t have to be intimidating. You don’t need to know every grape varietal, understand terroir, memorize wine regions, or have the vocabulary of a sommelier to know whether you like what’s in your glass.I’ve had highly rated wines that did absolutely nothing for me, and I’ve had cheap bottles with friends that created memories I still think about years later.For me, that’s what makes wine good.A good bottle makes the moment better.So whether you’re completely new to wine, learning about Cava and sparkling wine, getting into wine tasting, or you already know way more about this stuff than I do, come taste some wine with me.And tell me in the comments: What’s a wine you absolutely love, regardless of the price, score, or what anyone else thinks about it?