Ok, no, you don’t have to.  You don’t need to learn about wine in order to enjoy it.  I mean, you didn’t need to take a course on potato chips in order to be able to distinguish kettle cooked chips and BBQ Lays.  I know you can tell me — with certainty — if a wine you’re drinking is delicious to you or not.  I get it.

But hear me out – the world of wine keeps getting larger, not smaller.  The United States represents one of the largest wine markets in the world so we benefit from a unending parade of new wines from the New World and rediscoveries of Old World favorites.  Wouldn’t it be cool to be able to distinguish between all these wines?  Or at least, wouldn’t it stir you a little to describe why you like a certain wine?  Have the confidence to describe what you like about a wine so you can find new ones to try?

Not only is learning about wine a delicious way to spend your time, but this education will be a never-ending journey.  Or as my friend Rodolphe says “Wine education is like barbecue, dessert, information and credit – it’s impossible to have too much”.

So whether you are looking to change careers, are already in the trade, or just have wine addiction hobby and you’re ready to take it to the next level, here’s a list of (admittedly, NYC-centric) places I recommend where you can learn more about wine recreationally and professionally:

Resources around New York City:

Astor Center – Focuses on wine, spirits/cocktails, saké, and food!

Brooklyn Winery – An actual working winery that has affordable and fun courses aimed at the budding wine enthusiast

International Wine Center – they are the local provider for the WSET courses (see Wine & Spirit Education Trust below).

Amanti Vino – (in Montclair, NJ ) also conducts WSET classes as well as a whole host of classes that last just one evening.

TheThirstyRedhead.com – this is where you can find upcoming classes led by yours truly.

Other resources to check out:

LocalWineEvents.com – just like it sounds.  I love this site.

Society of Wine Educators – awards a number of certifications after passing exams in both wine and spirits (held all over the country).  Excellent study guides.

French Wine Society – yes the focus is French, but the online continuing education workshops (members only) are focused on a broad variety of useful topics (like the ‘Science Behind Food & Wine Pairing’ or ‘Soil & Wine: what do we really know’).

Internationally recognized wine educators (for more professional training):

Wine & Spirit Education Trust – based in the UK, they provides courses and qualifications to both consumers and trade.  This is an excellent grounding that is best for really engaged consumers or professionals looking to hone their wine skills.

Court of Master Sommeliers – clearly more emphasis on the restaurant trade, but they provide entry-level courses that I think are appropriate for a wide audience.  Their highest designation is the Master Sommelier, of which there are only 220 worldwide (as of this writing).

Institute of Masters of Wine – considered the most rigorous wine exams, consisting of four five days (beginning in 2015) of essays and blind tastings followed by a dissertation.  As of this writing there are 312 Masters of Wine, living in 24 different countries.  I’m crazy enough to be a candidate in this program.

 

Of course the best way to learn about wine is just to get out there and taste with an open mind.  Tough work, but I’m sure you can manage.