Whether you work somewhere selling wine or your friends and family are passionate about the subject, it can sometimes feel like you’re not up to date. Fortunately, there are ways to improve your understanding for both social and professional advantages. You might like to take some of the following actions.
Take Wine Courses
If you want to become a sommelier or learn about wine production, attending a wine education facility such as National Wine School may be an excellent first step. During these courses, you can learn about the different wine types available, winemaking techniques, the core components of wine, and more.
Typically, you can take such classes from the comfort of your own home, with occasional in-person lessons for tasting and vineyard visits. When you’re ready to take your wine knowledge to the next level, an educational facility can be worth considering.
Go On Vineyard Tours
If your local vineyard offers tours, gather your friends together and have a fun day out. While it’s an ideal opportunity for fun with your loved ones, it also gives you a chance to learn more about different wine varieties. You can also ask questions, read brochures, drink wine, and slowly build up your knowledge of what it’s all about.
Taste Different Wines
You can generally gain more of an understanding of something by trying it, which is why it makes sense to taste wine when you want to learn more about it. You may never try all varieties from all countries, but you can find out what types are available near you and, over time, purchase different ones to learn all there is to know.
You possibly won’t like every wine you buy, but you can share your purchases with loved ones and learn together. If anything, trying different varieties can be an excellent excuse to spend time with your friends and family.
Attend Wine Events
Local wine businesses are always eager to welcome new tasters into their community. They are also more than happy to share information about their wine, how it’s made, and what they have to offer.
Pay attention to wine-related events in your area and even those in neighboring towns and cities so that you can attend as many as possible. There is generally no shortage of tastings, seminars, and events, especially in areas where wine is produced or heavily marketed.
Set a Broad Budget
When you’re trying to become familiar with all the different wine varieties, you may find yourself purchasing low-cost to middle-range bottles because they’re within your budget. You might be trying to save money on food and beverages, but that’s not always possible when you’re getting to know about as many varieties as possible.
As you learn more about red wine, white wine, sparkling, rosé, and even dessert or fortified wine, consider saving up for the occasional expensive bottle that may generally be out of your price range at any other time.
By doing so, you can gain insight into why those particular bottles cost more and the extra effort that goes into producing them.
Ask Questions
Sometimes, attending wine events and trying different varieties leaves you with more questions than answers. Whenever you find yourself questioning something wine-related, ask someone who will know the answer.
You might talk to friends and family who may have a firm grasp on the wine industry, or you may have the confidence to ask questions at official events and vineyard tours. By asking questions as soon as you want to know something, you can avoid the frustration of having your questions going unanswered, which may not help you advance your wine knowledge.
Test Yourself
Sometimes, it can be hard to see how far you’ve come until you put yourself to the test. You might have started only knowing the difference between red wine and white wine, and now you can list the different wine types and possibly even the region your favorite bottles come from.
Set yourself taste testing tasks and see if you can identify each wine correctly. Take your time to smell, swirl, and sip so that you can answer with complete accuracy. After acing your own tests, you may realize that after asking questions, attending events, and trying different wines, you’ve picked up more knowledge along the way than you thought possible.
Becoming a wine connoisseur doesn’t happen overnight. It can take days, weeks, and months of learning and taking advantage of every opportunity. Now might be the right time to start your wine research journey.
