I love wine – I mean, I really, really love it. But if you asked me about my wine knowledge a few years ago, I could have summed it up in two categories: red and white.
Maybe I’d impress someone by throwing in “Italian and French.”
Beyond that? I was choosing bottles based purely on whether the label looked cute. I mean, who can pass on a really cute bottle?
And honestly, I don’t regret a single purchase….
Ok, well maybe a few.
For years, I dreamed of confidently ordering wine without feeling like I was guessing on a multiple-choice test I hadn’t studied for. At one point, I even toyed with the idea of becoming a level 1 (or even level 2) sommelier.
Ambitious? Sure.
Realistic? Ummm, Not even a little.
So, I did the next best thing – I roped in a friend (who knew even less than I did) and signed us up for a one-hour wine basics masterclass.
And let me tell you, the wine world is wild. Turns out, red and white aren’t the only categories – there’s “sparkling”, rose, blends, and dessert wines. Mind blown.
Help! Where Do I Even Start?
Jumping into the class, I felt like I had crash-landed on an entirely new planet. The instructor (an incredibly charming and refreshingly non-snooty sommelier) launched straight into concepts like “terroir,” “varietals,” and “Old World vs. New World,” while I frantically scribbled notes, barely keeping up.
My friend and I spent half the class stopping the video, rewinding, and gasping over revelations like – get this – Champagne can only come from the Champagne region in France.
So yes, that “bubbly stuff” I’d been reserving for celebrations? Actually is wine.
Enter the First Moment of Need – Learning something for the first time.
But here’s the big lesson from this stage: wine doesn’t have to be intimidating.
There’s no “wrong” way to enjoy it. If all I knew was that I liked “fruity” or “dry” wines, that was enough to start.
Then came the first tasting. I was supposed to describe the smell of a Sauvignon Blanc. Did I say something sophisticated like “gooseberry with mineral undertones”? Nope.
I blurted out, “Uh…fresh? Smells like grass?” My friend smelled grapefruit.
Were either of us correct? Who cares!
Our somm assured us that wine descriptions are subjective. No wrong answers.
Suddenly, I thought – maybe I did have a palate after all.
I Need More! Down the Rabbit Hole I Go
Once I got over the intimidation, I couldn’t stop asking questions: Why does Chardonnay taste totally different depending on where it’s made? Why do some reds dry out my mouth? Should I be obsessed with wine legs or ignore them completely?
The Second Moment of Need had hit, and I needed more.
Cue the terroir talk. Turns out, soil, climate, and geography shape the grapes’ flavor, which explains why the same variety can taste wildly different depending on where it’s grown.
Naturally, I had to test this, so I picked up two Pinot Noirs – one from Burgundy, one from Oregon. It was game-changing.
The French version? Earthy and subtle.
The Oregon bottle? Fruity and light.
Who knew????
Then came the real obsession. Suddenly, I wasn’t just wondering which glass to use – I was analyzing bottle labels, reading the market’s description, researching aging processes, and questioning whether expensive wine was actually better than cheap wine.
Let’s Test This in the Wild
Armed with my newfound (and highly fragile) knowledge, I made my first real-world wine selections.
My usual approach of “grab a Cab and call it a day” was gone. Instead, I stood in the wine aisle like I was deciphering an ancient text.
I remembered our somm’s advice and picked out a Sancerre (which I now knew was Sauvignon Blanc from France – look at me, you go girl!), an Argentinian Malbec (good with grilled meats, allegedly), and a Prosecco (because, well, bubbles).
Some picks were winners, some…not so much. But instead of feeling frustrated, I realized even my wrong choices were lessons. I was learning what I liked and didn’t like.
Enter the Third Moment of Need – applying what I had learned.
Wait… I Totally Messed This Up. My Palate is Broken!!!
Enter my first major wine disaster. I confidently picked a Burgundy for grilled salmon, feeling oh-so-sophisticated with my lighter red pairing.
The reality? It was way too intense.
My meal felt all kinds of wrong. I stared at my glass, wondering if I’d bought a bad bottle, or worse – did I have a broken palate?
But instead of spiraling, my norm, I did some googling.
The Fourth Moment of Need – something went wrong.
Turns out, I’d purchased a Burgundy from a particularly warm vintage, meaning the grapes were riper and the wine was bolder than usual.
Aha!
My choice wasn’t bad, My palate wasn’t crap, I just hadn’t factored in how producer styles and weather impact the final product.
Lesson learned: Read between the lines and do some research.
Everything’s Different Now
Gone are the days when I grabbed the same reliable Cab or blindly trusted my friend’s Chardonnay obsession (which I cannot get behind… yuck, just yuck!)
Now, I snap photos of labels, do quick phone searches, and – get this – I ask questions at the wine market.
Turns out, those experts…Super helpful.
Weird.
I had progressed to the Fifth Moment of Need – adapting to new ways of doing things.
I feel a bit more confident ordering wine and choosing bottles, though this has led to… a rather full wine fridge.
Whoops. Sorry – Not Sorry
Reflections: Wine and the PESO Model©?
Looking back, my wine journey reminds me so much of learning the PESO Model.
Just like with wine:
- Learning Something New – You start totally overwhelmed, wondering where to begin.
- Learning More – You dive deeper, discovering layers and complexities.
- Application – You test things in real-world situations and refine your understanding.
- When Things Go Wrong – You troubleshoot when things aren’t quite right.
- When Things Change – You evolve, gaining confidence and adapting to new insights. This involves unlearning old habits (like buying the same bottle over and over) and embracing new processes or technologies.
So, whether it’s wine, the PESO Model, or literally any new skill – just start. Take the class. Complete the certification. Ask questions. Use the tools. Make mistakes. And don’t be so hard on yourself!
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a bottle of Sangiovese waiting – and yes, I actually know what that is now. Cheers! 🍷🍷
