Arrival to the beginning of Wine (2019 – ongoing)
How I really start discovering wine and it becomes a passion
After my wine experience in Australia, I was not only interested
in improving my wine tasting skills but also knowing the work and theory behind
it. I wanted to know about grapes, terrains, wine production methods and I for
sure wanted to try as many wines as possible. Hopefully being able to
distinguish them one day from one another.
The same summer, 2019, I spent some weeks in Estonia and tried to find my first wine book. Unfortunately, it had disappeared during my move to Lux. I started looking for and ordering new books, for example “The New Wine Rules: A Genuinely Helpful Guide to Everything You Need to Know” by Jon Bonné.
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| It’s very easy to read with cool illustrations and without any complicated “expert” talk. This should have been my very first wine book. |
I discovered chocolaty Pinotage from South Africa,
compared different sparkling wines and one of the best surprises, I discovered
Sauternes – a very sweet white French dessert wine that tastes of fresh honey,
quince, dried apricots, grass and has hints on acetone in it. Hands down, it is
one of my favourite types of wine together with extremely sweet Hungarian
dessert wines from Tokaji. This was the beginning of starting to like white
dessert wines. I was both amazed and shocked by my reaction during the course.
I even exclaimed there that I had never liked white sweet wines before so much.
The teacher allowed me to take leftover wine home with me to celebrate.Back in Luxembourg I mentioned to one of my friends
that I am interested in learning more about wines and maybe take some courses.
Some days later, he sent me a picture of an ad he had seen in some school that
one local wine shop was organizing wine courses. I contacted the shop and registered
myself. These courses took place once a month. They were just for fun, no
diploma, no spitting during tastings was required unless one wanted to stay
sober. But the courses were extremely helpful. I learned the theory
(composition of grapes, winemaking techniques, what affects the wine growing,
processes used in wine production, how are sparkling and fortified wines made,
regulations in different countries, why is it important to know the vintage). I
was finally comparing Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer (I also
finally learned how to pronounce it, thank you Berit), Pinot Gris and Riesling
knowing what is what, which are their characteristics, where they grow and how
grapes differ by location, for example Sauvignon Blanc in France Sancerre and
in New Zealand Marlborough. The first one has high acidity and aromas of apple,
grass, asparagus, sometimes also wet stones. The second one has often more
pronounced characteristics than the French counterpart with aromas of
grapefruit, passion fruit, gooseberry, asparagus, green bell-pepper, black
currant leaves. I personally prefer New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc to French
versions due to its more interesting palate.
Although wine had become my preferential drink already
some time ago, it was a whole new world opening up in front of me. For the first
time in my life, I learned properly how to describe what I smell and taste. It
might seem easy, but in practice it can be quite tricky to even give a name to
things that one smells and tastes. Many people don’t
often expect to smell/taste aromas or flavor not related to grapes. A common
person (read: not a wine person) would not even think to taste bell pepper,
petroleum or chicken coop in a wine (and do not be alarmed, these can all be
good qualities, even chicken coop). I am sometimes being asked whether wine has
been made with or out of let’s say black currant jam or candied orange peel as
it seems unbelievable that grape wine can have so different taste from a grape.
I wanted to
know more so I asked “Wine for normal people” by Elizabeth Schneider for
Christmas and bought myself “Essential Winetasting: The Complete Practical
Winetasting Course” by Michael Schuster.
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Very good book! Lots of information but easy and fun
to read. As the name says, meant for normal people J |
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More for experts in training than for normal people.
Very informative but rather dry and more difficult to follow compared to
previous book. Still a good book for a wine enthusiast though. |
I was also checking out of curiosity possibilities to
do some kind of diploma without going to an actual school and quitting my
current job. The most interesting option was WSET (Wine and Spirit Education
Trust) course that could be done in Heidelberg, Germany. I picked the date 26th
of March 2020. Unfortunately, the course was postponed due to Covid-19 travel
ban. In a month, I got an offer to participate in an online course accommodated
for these unpredictable times. My teacher suggested that I should skip level 1
and start with level 2 immediately as I already had some previous knowledge.
All students were sent text- and workbooks and small bottles of wine for
tasting. My package did not arrive on time at first. Then it came out that all
red wines had gone bad (not just my set but everyone’s). Most likely they had suffered
from light or heat damage. We got new mini wines. I did my own little blind
tasting with still drinkable whites and rosés from the old set later and compared with notes
taken during the course.
That was one of the most enjoyable courses I have ever
taken. I wanted to study and looked forward to both courses and my own study
sessions. I woke up in the mornings before work to fill the workbook. I read
the textbook 3-4 times, did mock exams, tasted as much as possible outside of
classes and wrote my notes diligently to Vivino. In September 2020, it was
possible for me to go to Heidelberg for an on place exam. I was even invited to
join one full day class with those who did the course during the given weekend.
Approximately a month later I got my very first diploma in wines. I passed with
distinction: 98/100. Only one question went wrong, I was pissed.
Some of my friends have started asking my advice when
buying wine. I like this task and I am happy every time it happens. It means
that they trust me to make good recommendations although I am just a wine
enthusiast in training. Being a former teacher, I do like to share my
knowledge. It’s wonderful if it helps anyone.
I have also become rather picky wine drinker and tend
to trust myself or my boyfriend the most. I would rather not drink at all than
to drink bad wine. Life is too short for that. The price isn’t a big issue
anymore if I want to try something new or interesting. It has been an incredible road from 2 euro plastic
bottle wines to where I am now with my knowledge and attitude (does not sound
cocky at all).
My mother who in the beginning did not understand that
there is something in between people who make wine and people who drink wine,
has accepted my hobby and started to tell her friends that I am becoming a
sommelier. She has even asked my advice about sparkling wines. As still wines,
she still prefers her homemade equivalents. Becoming a sommelier is not my
current plan. Never know what life brings but at the moment, wine is my hobby
and I am very happy that I have found something so exciting that I am willing
to invest both time and money in it.
In a long-term plan, I also want to finish WSET level
3 and I have registered myself to the course taking place in October 2021. Nevertheless,
Covid situation is still ongoing so I cannot be 100% sure that everything will
go as planned. In any case I will keep reading my wine books and
tasting-reviewing wines that I drink. I have a lot to learn, discover and try.
My current book:
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| Amazing book! Teaches tasting and note taking methods, gives an overview of the geography, climate, history of wine and grape characteristics in different wine regions all over the world. Author adds his own experience and opinion so it's definitely not a book filled with just dry facts. |
