Samantha and I continued to plan our trip to Tuscany and I began to bounce more ideas off Dad as he had done some international traveling.

I called Samantha that Wednesday after my first class on Tuesday, the day before.

While "Day 1" was introductory in nature, I could tell that the pace would be fast and furious. I had better be ready, and I was. The pace had to go quickly as there is just so much about French wine to cover; and we would be attempting to learn the "lion's share" of it in just seven weeks. French wine was not only a subject, it was a language. The French have been known to have an air of superiority about them; and in the wine business, it is certainly no different.

Class was intense. After "Week 1", I felt as if I had the basics covered. We studied some basic history, started on the major wine regions, and began tasting and studying some of the major players.

It was important to me to also meet some of the "major players" in this new endeavor toward becoming a sommelier. In my class of sixteen, there were five others who desired to take the challenge and attempt the great feat toward becoming sommelier. They would become my cohort, and my friends.

Additionally, we each decided we would try to connect with one other person who was striving to become a sommelier, and the ten of us would attempt to get together once a month. It was my idea that I personally introduced to the group, as I felt this would give us all a better chance.

In truth; out of ten, perhaps one to a maximum of three of us would pass the Master's exam...and one of them was going to be me.