by Michael Mohammadi

To be a critic one must be well versed in their field, passionate about what they are critiquing and be able to express themselves and their opinions in a coherent, non-biased, and consistent manner.  This applies to all critics, be it cars, facial cremes, or beer, food and wine.

I hold Greg and I to high standards as far as consistency and objectiveness.  Greg is one of the most passionate beer and food people I have ever met and is truly a genius when it comes to pairing beer with food, assessing the components of a good beer, and even making his own fantastic brews.  I have always been passionate about food and wine and love sharing that passion with you all.  But passion is of course the easy part and can sometimes lead to infatuation or even addiction.

It’s important to realize that when it comes to beer, wine and spirit review, there is another very important aspect that is often overlooked- responsibility.

When a food critic goes out and eats a 10 course meal, he or she is unlikely to have serious negative side effects.  Assuming it’s in moderation and one exercises regularly, eating a lot isn’t going to create serious problems in your life.

But a booze-critic is another story.  We can’t sit and try dozens of drinks without serious short and long-term consequences.  I have been to many trade tastings where by the end of it at least one or two in attendance were bombed and I am certain their opinions on wines were skewed beyond belief.  Caught up in the social aspect of tasting, it’s easy to overlook that we are dealing with large amounts of what is a pretty potent toxin.

In the last few years I have used wine as a crutch.  It has helped me deal with personal issues that I should have dealt with through healthy eating and a focus on mental and physical strength.  Having recently went through the loss of a long-term relationship I decided it’s time to re-evaluate the priorities in my life.  The list was clear and rather simple- my family, friends, loved ones, dogs and most importantly my personal health.

Admitting this was not easy, and sharing my story with you all isn’t any easier.  But I know this is common among wine professionals and feel it’s important that someone talks about it.

Since May 22, 2009 I have not drank- no wine, no beer, no booze of any sort.  I have had my tastings, but the spit bucket has become my best friend.  I do not feel this impacts my ability to assess a wine and in fact, is the proper way for a wine critic to review many wines in one sitting.

I do not miss beer or wine.  I was never alcohol-dependent, so dropping it hasn’t been difficult.  My dinners now involve a variety of interesting teas and juices I have discovered.  And I have used this new ‘sober-wine-reviewer’ policy to push myself in other aspects of my life.  I have set challenging fitness goals to keep me motivated to pass on a glass of wine or beer and have started doing yoga and writing about fitness as a way to focus and reflect on my decision.

I am very happy and proud of my decision and do not feel I am missing out on anything.  I have seen too many people lose too much after drinking in excess.  It’s important to note that I realize that most people can have their wine and drink it too, but for some of us this isn’t (and can’t be) an option.  As foodandwineblog.com continues to grow, I will continue to share my tastings, reviews, and food and wine pairings advice.  Even more exciting is that Greg is slowly becoming quite the wine expert whether he realizes it or not!  That said, expect more recipes, restaurant reviews, and food stories from this reviewer.  I’ve let my passion for wine grow too big and it’s time to tame the beast before I ruin some other aspect of my life that I truly love.

So to you all, I raise my glass (currently a green tea), say eat, drink and be merry…but never forget the things that matter most in life aren’t on your plate or in your glass, they are sitting around the table with you and sharing their lives and love with you.  Wine and food are a great staple of any culture, but it’s the people, art, music, dance, literature and lives that matter most.  And that is something you’ll never be able to find an any food or wine list.

Cheers!

NOTE: Tea image from wikipedia commons:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tea_leaves_steeping_in_a_zhong_%C4%8Daj_05.jpg