Deepfreeze32 wrote:For the second one, that's a little trickier. It's a little bit of Fantasy, Narrative, Discovery, and Expression. It's meant to be a fantasy RPG with exploration, but it's also based around story and expression of how you will handle the situations in the game. In a perfect world, it would be like Dungeons and Dragons mechanically, but the story as described. If that makes sense.
Did that clarify it?
Not sure. Those sound like a pretty basic RPG assortment. I'm wondering, I guess, about the point of that death/sacrifice mechanic. I can see how it has an impact when used once, but I'm not sure I'm getting it's importance as a consistent mechanic or it's impact on gameplay. I'm not saying I think it's bad, I'm just not putting the pieces together.
Orodrist wrote:Know anything about wine at all?
A little bit. I lived in wine country for about 2 years, so I moved there completely ignorant and I left with a thirst for wine, but not an expert. Far from. I'll tell you what I know, and hopefully that might give you a footing to explore this wonderful world of fancy booze.
So, I suppose, the biggest thing is finding what you like in a wine. Each type is simply based off the grape that was used to make it, and so depending on the vineyard and the winery's methods, they can be quite different. The harvest also matters, so some aficionados can cite the good years and what not. I can't.
Anyhow, as per the types of grapes, it's pretty easy to tell the difference between whites, which often end up sweeter with some tartness, like a sauvignon blanc, and the reds, often a little richer and dryer, like the Pinot Noir. Zins end up being pretty sweet and I've strayed away from them.
Right now, I'm trying to find what I like and seeing the differences between the various wines, like a Merlot and a Pinot Noir. I know I like them both, and I love the dry aftertaste and their body, and I want to say the merlot is a little fruitier, but I haven't quite got my finger on it. Cabs and Syrahs are might nice too...
There's really a lot of room to explore.
And hey, if you don't really care about the individual, you can always get the blend. I don't think I was ever wowed by a red blend, but I've certainly enjoyed it as a casual glass. Apothic Red is a pretty common and affordable red blend (my local costco has a bottle for $7, which is the range of terrible wine, but it's not), so if you want a decent red blend to get some bearings, I recommend trying that.
So, bringing it back to my point, you just find what you like from various wines. A chardonnay might have some pineapple tones, while a pinot noir might have some robust cherry with oaky dry finish. Like, how I described that pinot... sounds pretty good to me. I'm definitely oversimplifying this, but I love a nice dry finish on a wine. But yeah, go find something not only tastes good and feels good on your palate, but something you can get a bit fascinated with.
And then there is the pairings. Ahh, yes. Wine pairings. I've done beer pairings and whiskey pairings, and they were cool and I don't want to knock them (some beer pairings I had were just phenomenal) but most of the best pairings is with wine. Whether you are talking about cheeses, cured meats, or meals, wine is a pretty clear killer. Let me tell you, a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon with a center cut sirloin (Rare, of course.) is a thing of beauty. The steak makes the wine better and the wine makes the steak better. A white wine with steak though, has this harsh clash.
To get a good basic understanding of wine pairings, I recommend this
chart. Even just for understanding wine, this is a good layout.
And then lastly, when you standing in the store, or the waiter would like to take your order, what wine do you actually choose? You know, I've never got this one down pat.
I generally avoid names that are common: yellowtail, barefoot, charles shaw (for sure), carlos somethingsomething. I even avoid others that look more reputable, like Robert Mondavi and Clos Du Bois. The latter is probably more of my bias. I don't actually know how Clos du Bois is, but I've seen it around so I didn't pick it up. This is probably for that aforementioned wine country stint, where I only, ever so hipsterly, get labels I don't recognize. So, maybe ignore that. Considering, though, the attention wine needs, if it looks mass produced, I'd stray away from it.
And um, after that... uh. It should be stored in a cool, dark place. Well, at least not hot.
Store sideways, to keep the cork from drying out.
After opening, it's only good for another week as the wine oxidizes.
After a pour, it's also good let it breath to get the tannins out (they say, air is the wine and water is to whiskey; really opens it up). People use decanters and aerators for this, too.
Enjoy the nose of wine. Like a proper scotch glass (like the glencairn), wine glasses are funneled in to bring the scents to your nose. With craft beers, fine scotch, and good wine, the nose is just as important part of the experience. Well, not just as important, but it's a good part.
And, after that, I guess, class it the **** up.
