I’ve been answering wine queries on the question and answer site Quora. I’ll share some of the most interesting questions I’ve been asked and, of course, my answers. I limit myself to spending a couple minutes on each response, not doing any research or “cheating.” I rely on my experience and opinion, which is probably not a bad way handle most things.

Question: How do people feel about the fact that red wine is partly bitter?

Answer: It’s a lot like when you start drinking coffee. It’s very off-putting, so you add cream and sugar. Eventually you back off and enjoy coffee’s inherent properties.

With red wine, that bitterness is part of the balance. Otherwise the wine might be too fruity, or nothing but fruit. That bitterness is part of the structure, too.

Also red wine is such a great pairing with rich, fatty meat dishes that the bitterness is part of what refreshes you between bites. “Tames” the steak a bit if you will.

Photo by cate mccarthy via Flickr.