How Learning About Wine Can Improve the Way You Drink

How Learning About Wine Can Improve the Way You Drink

(StatePoint) The world of wine can sometimes feel intimidating to the uninitiated, but a bit of knowledge about wine from experts can help anyone navigate everyday situations.

“Once the basics are demystified, you’ll not only impress friends with your newfound knowledge of wine, you’ll better appreciate what you are drinking,” says wine influencer and Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Wine Education Week ambassador, Chelsie Petras of ChelLovesWine. “Learning basic things like what you do or don’t like in a particular wine can change how you drink and teach you to drink better!”

Whether you are starting from scratch or have some experience with the subject already, there’s always more to learn, points out Petras, who is sharing three ways that a deeper understanding of wine will increase your enjoyment of the drink:

1. Happier Hosting: Smart pairings make both food and wine taste better, and the wrong pairing will do quite the opposite. If you enjoy hosting dinner parties or any get-together, it is helpful to know basic pairings that will impress your guests!

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2. Better Gifting: A bottle of wine makes a good gift when you’re attending a party and don’t know what to bring. By learning more about wine, you will be able to better choose a bottle to bring that is certain to be a crowd pleaser.

3. Confident Ordering: A lengthy wine list can be tricky to navigate, and many people shy away from being the one to order. A wine education can transform you from someone who hides behind the menu to being the go-to friend everyone relies on to make the right selection.

So where to turn for instruction? While there are many programs available geared toward those who work in the industry or are looking for professional certification, there are also programs designed by those same education providers targeted at everyday wine enthusiasts and novices.

One upcoming opportunity to consider is the first-ever global Wine Education Week Sept. 9-15, 2019 organized by WSET, the world’s largest provider of wine and spirits qualifications. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, WSET originally was only accessible to wine professionals but has since opened its courses to everyday enthusiasts who want to learn more about wine. The week begins with a continuous 24-hour global wine and food tasting that will start in Auckland, New Zealand and end in California. Over the week, 46 participating countries, including throughout the U.S., are playing host to more than 450 fun, educational events designed for novices and the knowledgeable alike on such topics as perfect pairings and deciphering wine labels. To learn more about events in your area, visit wsetglobal.com.

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“Don’t let the idea of learning more about wine intimidate you,” says Petras, who is supporting the event as a brand ambassador. “A wine education is for anyone who enjoys and is interested in wine.”

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