My wine experiences... so far!!

I grew up in a family where sitting together at dinner is really important. My mom loves to cook, and she can make nearly anything you ask of her. Cooking is like her therapy, she loves to do it and she loves it when people love her food. That being said, she almost always has a glass of wine in her hand as well. Granted, this is more likely than not a glass of chardonnay, but I could probably count on two hands the amount of times I've seen her at dinner without a glass of wine.

I think I've learned most about what I know about wine from her. I wouldn't say that I'm an expert or even really that knowledgeable by any means, but I've grown to appreciate a nice glass of wine at dinner rather than just being excited to be able to drink alcohol in front of my parents. There really isn't a kind of wine that I don't like, I'll drink anything from moscato to chardonnay, and from cabernet to malbec. However, gun to my head, I would most likely pick a pinot grigio or a chardonnay. I usually just drink a glass or two while making and eating dinner, but sometimes my mom, or my friends and I like to sit and talk and sip on a glass in the evening.

My most favorite wine experience to date though, would have to be the wine tour I did while I was in South Africa. A man named Charles picked up me and a group of my friends early in the morning and drove us around to different vineyards in the wine country of South Africa- how cool is that?? We went to five different places, including one with a restaurant with a view, and tasted at LEAST twenty different types of wine. I'd be over the moon if I could ever top a day like that one.

I am super excited for this class because I really do enjoy different types of wine, but my knowledge is pretty limited. I'm looking forward to learning how to pair wines with different types of foods, going to wine tastings with my friends, and having confidence in ordering wine when I'm at a restaurant and being comfortable with trying something new instead of ordering something I know that I'll like because I don't really even know anything about the other wines they have available. I also am excited to know what questions to ask in regards to wine and being able to understand the differences between different types. I think this semester is going to be a ball.