MANITOBA'S VINEYARD
Q: How do you think people’s relationship with drinking changes as they become more curious about flavour rather than just alcohol content? A: I give little thought to people’s relationship chang- ing as that is a private affair. You will never see me judge another human being by how they choose to enjoy alcohol. Some of us enjoy the texture and the mouthfeel, swashing wine in between our cheeks like a squirrel stocking up nuts for the winter. People that value texture overall would be happy to discard the wine into a spit bucket and move on to the next without muddling up their heads. Some of us enjoy the sweet freedom that comes from your inhibitions being lowered and could care less about the taste of the alcohol. Seeing the world through the bottom of a wine glass is like opening your eyes for the first time. Finally, some of us enjoy the “third place,” the social lubrication that comes with alcohol consumption. The bedrock holding our society together and from what empires and nations were built. Q: What role do you think storytelling plays in how we experience what’s in the glass? A: I think storytelling is extremely important. In fact, I had a parable written at the beginning of this article that was cut out by the editors for the sake of brevity and relevancy. Of course, you’ve heard the adage of “If we do not learn history, we are doomed to repeat it,” but I think the story of the glass is the opposite. If we do not heed stories from alcohol, we are doomed to a life without the lessons it taught our ancestors. Q: Is there a flavour or ingredient that immediately signals quality to you, regardless of the drink it’s in? A: Something I found very fascinating in my lifetime running a liquor business is that people’s tastes change so wildly. If you are sheltered, many people may not realize the full extent of flavours and cuisines that exist in the world. I believe every flavour and ingredient in the world both exists as a signal of immense quality and immense worthlessness, depending on the person who is asked. Q&A with Willows Christopher
Q: How can people become more confident in trust‑ ing their own palate instead of relying on scores, trends or expert opinions? A: One of the worst things that has happened to alcohol is the prevalence of so-called “experts,” either self-declared or educated in expensive colleges. A real “expert” works to refine their own palate, and I would be wary of anyone calling themselves an expert that would try and sway your opinion. Feel, don’t think. Trust your instincts. Q: What do you think makes a drink truly memora‑ ble long after the glass is empty? A: If you are drinking well, you may not have memory afterwards at all. Q: Are there any classic wine‑pairing “rules” you think people should feel comfortable breaking? A: I have never been a fan of rules and I don’t make a habit of following them. I am not the traditional person you would see at the helm of a wine company, and in fact I am not the person you would typically see at the head of a business at all. I have made a career picking which rules I follow and disregarding the rest. So my advice to you? Feel comfortable travelling through the universe with me and don’t get caught up on arbitrary rules. Wine-pairing rules are made in places far from here by people that don’t care about you. Q: For someone who feels intimidated by wine lists, what’s one simple trick to ordering confidently at a restaurant? A: There is a piece of wine list folklore floating around that I’m sure you’ve heard if you are even tangentially interested in wine, and the myth is as follows: “The second-cheapest bottle of wine in a restaurant is the biggest rip-off.” The justification for the myth is because, not to appear cheap, people will order the second from the bottom on a wine list. Economists at the London School of Economics and University of Sussex found that the second-cheapest wine is not the most overpriced. So here is my trick I will share with you: • Find the wine style that you enjoy the most. • Pick the second cheapest bottle of that style.
• Practise saying it in your head. • Order without reading the menu.
Follow this trick and you will fool your tablemates (or hot date) into thinking you know what you are talking about.
14 | SPRING 2026 | SAVOUR MANITOBA
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