Learning the ins and outs of wine may sound intimidating, yet there are ways to approach your wine journey that make it not only easy, but also enlightening, as having a deeper understanding of what’s in your glass can enhance your enjoyment of this complex beverage.
Whether you’re looking to branch out from your typical wine selections, planning a visit to a wine region or simply wanting to expand your knowledge in a more detailed capacity, here are some recommendations to enhance your wine education:
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GET SOCIAL
Take advantage of the free resources at your fingertips (literally) by checking out the social media channels of some of wine’s most entertaining educators.
André Mack (@andrehmack) covers tips for buying wine and testing wine gadgets on his Bon Appétit “World of Wine” YouTube channel.
Amanda McCrossin (@sommvivant) covers everything from how to pair sushi with wine to which shape of wine glass to select for a particular wine type to how to open a 35-plus-year-old bottle of wine. She’s also the host of Wine Access Unfiltered podcast, where she interviews other wine professionals and enthusiasts.
SPEAKING OF PODCASTS, HERE ARE A FEW MORE FREEBIES TO CHECK OUT:
- Wine for Normal People with Elizabeth Schneider
- VinePair’s Wine 101
- The Big Sip with Gabriela Fernandez
2. READ A BOOK (OR SEVERAL)
FOR THE VISUAL LEARNER: Rebel School of Wine: A Visual Guide to Drinking with Confidence, Tyler Balliet.
With beautiful illustrations, interesting graphics, clear guidance and absolutely zero pretension, this comprehensive book is a great tool for the next generation of wine drinkers.
FOR THE DEEP DIVER: Wine Folly: Magnum Edition, Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack.
This hardcover version of Wine Folly is packed with information on more than 100 grape varietals, maps of wine regions, pairing recommendations, wine tasting methods and more useful tidbits. And when you’ve read that cover to cover, there’s always more to learn at winefolly.com.
FOR THE JACK (OR JILL) OF ALL TRADES: Wine Confident: There’s No Wrong Way to Enjoy Wine, Kelli A White.
In addition to tips on tasting and talking about wine, the practicality of selecting, buying, storing and collecting wine is covered, and there is a brief history of wine along with sections on how wine is made and grown.
3. TAKE A CLASS
Whether you’re looking for an entry-level wine tasting class or a certification program, there is a variety of wine classes offered at wine schools, universities and even wine shops throughout the country.
Napa Valley Wine Academy offers WSET courses and specialty classes both online and in-person at their locations in California, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky or Tennessee.
Cornell University’s Wine Essentials three-week program can be taken online through eCornell and can be followed by some of their more in-depth regional courses.
Flatiron Wines & Spirits in New York City hosts regular Wine 101 classes and Deep Dives, starting at only $30 per course and comes with a credit for a future wine purchase.
4. SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Now comes the best part: Share what you’ve learned with your friends. There is nothing better than getting together with a group of fellow wine enthusiasts to taste, talk and learn from each other. No palate is the same and wine is completely subjective, so you will always have different results.
Perhaps you can even organize a blind tasting. Cover the bottles with foil or brown bags then taste the wines together and discuss the qualities from color to aroma to flavors. There is no pressure to guess the variety, region or vintage of the wine, but that part is also a lot of fun. The most important question when tasting the wine is, do you like it? From there, the conversation can take any turn.
