I attended the introductory course toward becoming a sommelier.

The most exciting part for me was the knowledge that I gained from learning about the different wine regions from around the world. I focused as much on the smaller AVA's as I did on the larger ones. What I found in my learning, is that I became excited about the small producers in small and obscure places around the world. Cornas in France. Smaller cousins next to Bordeaux, Rioja, Portugal, and even those in Chile and Paraguay. Not just winter gear comes from Paraguay...there is palatable wine to drink and to share.

We learned about tasting and serving, and I was quite familiar with the former and learned a bit about the latter; enough to be proficient at least. We carried on late into the afternoon on the second day and I was excited to get to a restaurant and bar to "taste" the evening away.

The exam was scheduled for 9:00 AM, with three hours to complete the written portion. I had tasted many wines and served a few times; mostly in Burlington to students and professors. The knowledge I gained about the chemistry, wine making process and the wine regions of the world would come in handy sooner rater than later.

I phoned Samantha to let her know that I scored in the 85th percentile.

I was clicking my heels like an Irishman when I left. I had gained a new appreciation for wine, and now I was on the cusp of leaning away from craft beer and making a strong foray into the wine world. Case closed!