Why on Earth does Someone Choose to Become a Sommelier?

Here is the question I am going to try and answer in this first post: “Why on earth does someone decide to seriously pursue a passion for wine?” Let me dispel the myth that it pertains to one's eternal quest to be the biggest geek in the room right away!

I should start off by openly admitting that one year ago I was a wine drinker who happily lived within the safe boundaries of the Fearsome Foursome–Cabernet, Shiraz, Chardonnay, and Pinot Grigio. My Black Swan hit home when my husband bought a restaurant and I took on what seemed like the easy job (two kids under 3 at home makes you look for the path of least resistance on almost anything): creating the wine list. I thought I would buy a couple of books, build an Excel spreadsheet, and voila I would scoot by in record time.

Not so. The more I read, the more I realized I didn’t know. I am became ensconced in all things wine and realized how much fun it was to unlock their mysteries. In one subject all of the interests I had built throughout my life, but for one reason or another had never fully committed to, came colliding together: deductive reasoning, environmental stewardship, history, geography, traveling, cuisine, and art. I was having fun.

I also realized that wine should not be intimidating. Knowing a few basic facts can truly open the doors to more confident searches of off the beaten path geographies and grape varietals found on the road less traveled. I hope to share some of these tidbits with you through interesting stories, funny asides and above all down-to-earth information.

Cheers! See you next time.