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?**