THE IMPORTANCE OF WINE EDUCATION
Over the years, I’ve taken up several of different hobbies- dancing, cooking, knitting, and golf to name a few. Each time I’ve decided to try something new, I’ve found meetup groups of other enthusiast, read books, watched countless YouTube videos and signed myself up for a class or two to insure, at minimum , I have some foundational knowledge and key vocabulary terms/techniques in my toolkit. From there, I am able to put myself in spaces with people that are far more “seasoned” and confidently ask questions to broaden my knowledge. If you are new to the world of wine, I promise your experience will be exponentially heightened if you take this approach.
I am not in any way, shape, or form suggesting that in order “get into wine” you need to enroll in some rigorous course to earn a post nominal. Though I have made a personal choice to pursue formal studies, unless your goal is to transition into a career in the industry (like me!), you want to or inadvertently are an educator (also me), or you are just a person that loves learning (also me…), I don’t think that investment is necessary at all. While much of wine is subjective, a large chunk of it is fact based. It has its own language, culture and absolute truths. While this can seem daunting and intimidating, I can assure you, a little knowledge goes a very long way and faking knowledge will lead to some really awkward moments. While aromas and tasting notes are subjective and vary wildly, old German Riesling does NOT smell or taste like California Zinfandel! (Seriously, it just doesn’t…). Imagine meeting someone that is going on and on about being into football. They tell you they have been watching for years and all their friends know them as THE football person. Now imagine finding out that same person doesn’t understand the concept of downs. Crazy right? You would probably walk away from conversation quite perplexed. Now imagine meetings someone in the same setting that says…. “ I watch Sunday football, I know basics, but they totally lose me when they start talking about the secondary and stuff like that.” You would be way more inclined to engage that person and meet them where they are. Wine is no different. As I said before, a little knowledge goes a very long way!
We live in a time like no other, where an infinite amount of information is at our fingertips at all times. Take advantage of that! If you really enjoy drinking wine, but don’t know anything about the grapes, where they are from, wine making styles, aging etc, you are denying yourself the opportunity to experience all the wine world has to offer. There are a myriad of ways to expand your wine knowledge in a recreational way, here are a few:
READ: Wine Folly - THE beginners guide to wine! For beginners, there is an amazing Wine 101 guide that will give you an awesome foundation. For those at are more advanced, it breaks down the science of wine in a way that is easy to understand. It still serves as a reference guide for me. Sign up for their mailing list and follow them on Instagram.
TAKE A CLASS: If you are just starting off, find a local Wine 101 course in your neighborhood. If you are a little more advanced, sign up for a class that focuses on your favorite grape, region, or wine style. People also tend to be more comfortable asking questions in an educational setting. Don’t be shy!
TASTE (AND SMELL)- ALL THE TIME: You have to train your nose and your palate. The more you smell and taste, the better you get at picking up the primary, secondary and tertiary notes in wine. Almost every wine shop will occasionally have a winemaker or distributor come in and pour their wines. That is a wonderful opportunity to taste some new wines before you purchase and to ask questions. Next time you are in the supermarket or farmers market, take a moment to smell the fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs all around you! You will surprise yourself at how quickly you can start picking up those notes in wine.
LEARN THE LANGUAGE: Wine has its own language. Do you need to be fluent? NOPE? But it is super helpful if you’ve got a couple basic words and phrases under your belt. For instance, tannin in wine is something you feel in your mouth, not something you see in the glass. Knowing something as simple as that will help you communicate what you are looking for with a Sommelier or wine merchant and keep you from getting a glass or bottle that you do not enjoy.
YOUTUBE/AMAZON VIDEO/NETFLIX: I cannot tell you how many times YouTube has kept me from completely butchering the name of a grape or appellation. There are some great movies and documentaries on Amazon and Netflix as well.
Wine has a reputation for being exclusive and unwelcoming and in many ways unfortunately, it still is. However, a drastic change is happening. The industry at large, from winemakers to enthusiasts is growing and becoming more and more diverse everyday. There is still work to be done, A LOT of work to be done, but as a whole, it is more inviting than ever before. So dive in and have fun. There is a glass for every palate and a group of people just like you waiting to sip and learn with you!
*If you are in the NYC area and interested in pursuing a career in wine, please consider applying for the Wine Empowered Program. Wine Empowered is a 501(c)3 non-profit educational organization that provides tuition-free wine classes to women and minorities in the hospitality industry.
