I too am experiencing a pallet change. I was a hard core heavy bodied cab sav guy a couple years ago, then I was on a zin kick, then it was merlot, then shiraz, then sirah, then pinot and now – like you, I’m also really digging Petite Sirahs. But, I still enjoy all over varietals too... I’m even getting into white wines, which I always considered to be kin to kool aid.

I believe that a lot of this shift in tastes / preferences is not that they are changing, but maturing. When I have a glass of wine now, I spend time trying to identify the bouquet; then I spend time trying to identify the taste on the mouth, gums and teeth, then the finish. I still can’t pick out cigar box or green pepper or the other gazillion flavors and smells I see on tasting notes all the time, but I now know the basics. I think knowing the basics and knowing what a good finish is, is why my preferences have evolved. It helps having friends who really know wine around. When we get together to share a bottle, they explain the steps to me and help me identify things. I don’t know if you have one or not, but I bought a wine wheel from Wine.com. It’s pretty cool to taste a glass and see where it lands on the wheel.

I look forward to opening a new bottle every day now. It’s finally dawned on me why drinking and appreciated a good glass of wine really is. Five years ago it was either red or white….. Nowadays I even enjoy fine stemware. Five years ago I’d drink wine out of tall water glass, or the bottle itself.