Why is wine so mysterious?

As I write these first few words, I'm reminded of the old saying, "To scale a mountain one must take the first step". Well, here goes... I fell in love with fine wine when I was in college and, like most of my peers. I was looking for an alternative to cheap beer.  I was drinking a lot of plonk - Boone's Farm, Annie Green Springs, cheap Chianti in those cute little basket covered bottles, Mateus and Lancers - that kind of stuff. Then one night a buddy brought over a bottle of French stuff  to share with dinner. I don't remember the chateau or the vintage of that Bordeaux but I do know that it was a life changing experience. I was never quite the same after that... well, at least wine wise.

I suppose that ignorance can truly be bliss and not knowing what you don't know may in fact be a good thing sometime. In the world of fine wine though, I continue to be amazed even today, just how ignorant (well, at least unaware and/or mis-informed) people allow themselves to be. What the heck's the big deal anyway? Wine is essentially nothing more than organic fermented grape juice and yet an incredible mass of humanity still sees it as something mysterious or even intimidating and even more often than not, snobbish, and it's followers, aloof and geeky. Well, I'm here to tell you that I love the world of wine, the people who make it and all of the incredible passionate people who are involved in that world. And, in my humble opinion, there is absolutely NOTHING to be intimidated about.

Sure, there have been volumes written (shall I even say it... pontificated) about wine. Peel back the layers though and what you've got is a social beverage that is created by farmers and chemists and God (or if you prefer - Mother Nature). Talk about it. Write about it. Learn about it. But above all, enjoy it and share it. 

I thoroughly enjoy teaching the basics of wine and the demystification of it all to those who are brave enough to admit they want to know more. In my classes and tastings, I think I get the best end of the deal because I learn so much from my students.  Getting direct feedback from a person tasting something new and different or learning the "art" of swirling wine in a proper glass or discovering that it's okay to break the age old "rules" regarding pairing wines with food, is refreshing and invigorating. It assures me that there is hope for us all. And I love it.