Rick is not a sommelier. He doesn’t play one on TV. He just likes to drink wine. He doesn’t know everything about it, and he doesn’t pretend to be an expert. He’s not. But he knows what he likes, and what he doesn’t. And that’s good enough for him.

If it tastes good to him, He will drink it, and if he likes it, he’ll recommend it. If he doesn’t, he won’t, and he won’t drink much, either. He’ll just chuck it down the sink. And that’s what counts.

Because that’s the way most people in the real world drink wine. They aren’t hung up on all the nuances of a fermented beverage. They don’t want to waste time with all the pretentious pomposity associated with wine snobbery. They just want to enjoy it and the fellowship of family, friends and acquaintances who share their interest in this nectar. After all, at the end of the day, isn’t that really what wine is all about?

Rick prefers dry and semi-dry red wines, although he will occasionally drink white, if it is at least moderately dry and not too tangy. He does not like sweet wines, but will occasionally drink a dessert wine in small amounts if it isn’t overly syrupy or sickeningly sweet.

Among the reds, he prefers a good Merlot, Cabernet, Bordeaux, Valpolicella, Zinfandel, Chianti, Malbec or Tempranillo, and some red blends if the combination is right. So, if you want to send him a nice bottle of wine to taste and review (hint hint, nudge nudge), send him one of those.

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