Wine is as much about the journey as it is about the fermented fruit juice in the glass.

Somehow wine always tastes better when it’s drunk at the source. Nothing beats sharing a glass of Brunello or Pinot Noir at the vineyard with the family who literally put the stakes in the ground or with the cellar team who somehow managed to survive another vintage and all that nature threw their way.

Wine gives us permission to be students of the world. It gives purpose and passion to travel. It introduces us to geology, meteorology, theology and of course, history. It reminds me I should have paid attention in geography class and that chemistry serves a higher purpose. Six years ago when I took my first wine course I didn’t know Cabernet Sauvignon from Sauvignon Blanc or schist from iron pan. And the ubiquitous “terroir”? I couldn’t spell it let alone explain it. As a passionate foodie and a descendent of a fine lot of bootleggers (more on that later), I needed to up my game. I was tired of being wine ignorant and so I became a student of wine.

In August of 2015 I passed my certified sommelier exams with the Court of Master Sommeliers (and no, Certified does not equal a Master Somm). I definitely elevated the mean age of the class and was the only one who didn’t work in the wine or service industry, which added some interesting challenges to my pursuit. My day job involves running a children’s media center and I’ve worked in the media and communications industry as an advertiser, journalist and marketer. My jobs always seem to be about digging for the story behind current trends and exploring the “reasons why”.

Unearthing the story behind the grape – aka this blog – brings purpose to my wine adventures and provides a passport to travel. There is a backstory to every glass of wine we consume and a world of wine to explore. So let the journey begin and thanks for coming along for the ride.