Putting some of my thoughts, opinions and information about wine tasting as well as information about resources I like/use, or as the case maybe, don't like/don’t use seems like a good idea. That way, I don't have to keep forgetting what I know only to have to remember it as I prepare for the next class. At least that is the way my brain works these days. If I don't use it, I lose it. And my recall memory is pretty much shot!
Given these parameters, my wine tasting philosophy/teaching practices and personal wine preferences lean towards providing wine tasters with a simplified understanding of wine varietals (types of grapes), language, knowledge, and wine tasting styles across a variety of countries. This information will be most particularly geared towards those of us who buy wine on a budget.
I learn in 'layers' of knowledge adding new information each time I teach a class and each time I experiment with a new wine. The 'rules' about wine and wine types are changing: matching wine with food, to chill which wine or to not chill, wine that was once known for its dryness is now oaked and buttery, wine that was once thought to be from a particular grape type is now through DNA tracings identified as another grape, etc.! Even my wine preferences change as I age and as I expand my wine tasting activities.
I have a 'working' list of possible topics and activities. I will add the blogger poll feature to ask some fun questions. I want to keep a running inventory of and conversations about books and online resources that I find useful or not and to learn about your favorite resources.
An oenophile I am not; I do not claim to be an expert in wine, I do not have all the answers and can be easily stumped, but if I don't know the answer, I will quickly search for information and in the searching, increase my wine tasting knowledge skill. Nor am I connoisseur of 'great' wines. I am just a single woman, raising an adolescent female on a v-e-r-y stretched middle class budget who loves wine!
Teaching wine classes is one of the few activities that I do purely for me and it is one of the activities that gives me the most pleasure. I will tell you more about the other activity(s) when I know you better!
M-W definition for oenophile.
Main Entry: oe·no·phile Pronunciation:
'E-n&-"fI(-&)lFunction: nounEtymology: French [oe]nophile, from [oe]no-
(from Greek oinos wine) + -phile -phile -- more at WINE: a lover or connoisseur
of wine.
debra:)
