Professor Bainbridge...on law, politics, religion, culture & food

Music Like Wine

James Laube answers a reader poser: What’s the “best album, or CD, to listen to while drinking wine?”:

Don’t think too hard about this one. This is, after all, intended to be free-form, spontaneous thinking (and there are no wrong answers), so I’ll open the bidding with Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde, which will not only date me but perhaps you as well. I came across this while organizing my iPod the other night. It’s a work that reminded me of wine in a way. It’s lyrically and musically complex. It has aged well. It shows Dylan (and I think The Band) in a creative phase that offers nostalgia as well.

Despite Laube’s opening caution, several thoughts do suggest themselves. (1) Given Laube’s penchant for young wines, it’s interesting that he went with a vintage album. (2) I’ve never been a Dylan fan. But if you want my pick for “a lyrically and musically complex” album that “has aged well,” that’s easy. Who’s Next. You could make a pretty good case for it being the greatest rock album ever. (3) For actually listening to music while tasting a serious wine, I usually opt for something instrumental. Something Windham Hill-ish. Or maybe Brahms. Rock just doesn’t have the right atmospherics for fine wining and dining.