Fork and Cork is a website for wine and food consumers. Readers are encouraged to share their food and wine events and outings, even recipies, with the group. The direction of this website is user driven.
Why Fork & Cork?
My name is Bob Holmes. I am not a sommelier or a connoisseur. I am a consumer who has been purchasing and enjoying wines for over forty years. I have been attending wine tastings since my journey began. The large majority, almost all, of the wine tastings I have attended are promoted by the retailers and/or the wholesalers. The objective of these events is to expose as many people to as many wines as possible in the shortest amount of time and cost. By controlling the wines tasted, they control the wines sold.
These events are often held outdoors and are useful in permitting retailers to showcase their various food offerings as well. They often take on a social and party atmosphere. Such tastings are effective marketing techniques and serve the needs of the event sponsors and attendees. They expose many wines to a large segment of the wine buying public and are very useful to those new to wine enjoyment.
As a seasoned consumer, I am moved to seek out wine tastings where we consumers can decide what wines we taste, where the tasting venue is more subdued (less technical and sales oriented, where wines are presented in wine appropriate stemware, where the chosen wines can be cross-tasted, where one can enjoy the best possible wine tasting and wine selection scenarios. These are not the words of a snobby connoisseur, but the words of a consumer seeking a better wine tasting and purchasing experience.
We will also explore ways to maximize our wine buying value, better wines and better pricing.