Fake it ‘til you make it baby!
Elementary School graduate. Check. Middle School graduate. Check. High School graduate. Check. College graduate. Check. Graduate School graduate. Check. 18+ years of education. Wow. I must be smart. I must know everything! Ha! Who am I kidding? I confess, I my not know diddly about squat, but I have built an encyclopedia of experiences I can reference to navigate most any situation. Up next, wine certification?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge proponent of education. But I think you’ll agree with me that books smarts aren’t everything. I don’t think I’m alone in appreciating why doctors spend years in residency gaining real-life experience before they can legally treat patients! Experience. Real-life experience! Who wants to undergo open heart surgery by someone who’s only read about it in a book? Count. Me. Out!
The reality is, however, when we do earn a degree, or complete a certification or learn a trade, everyone looks at us like we’re the expert. Right? Come on, admit it. We’re all guilty! Does a wine certification fit the same stereotype?
I wear my pins proudly, just don’t ask me any questions!
This is where things get a little dicey for me…. When it comes to wine, I am the first to admit my knowledge will barely get me past the “A” book in the encyclopedia. I’m truly not a wine expert or a wine guru. I know many of you probably don’t know what an encyclopedia even is, nor have you ever had the blissful pleasure of cracking the binder on each and every volume when the new set arrives each year. Yes, I am a nerd and I digress.
My reality is somehow lost on my husband who proudly tells anyone who will listen, “my wife is a sommelier,” at any event where a bottle of wine is within reach. Lights go out. Spotlight shines. Oh crap, here we go again! It’s on me! Now what? I could run, but that would look silly (especially in the heels and “real people clothes” I’m out of practice wearing). I could hide behind a table, but that would be weird. I could change the subject, but this is where I typically say something completely idiotic and only make things worse! I can’t win! What’s a girl to do? Seriously, dude, I love and adore you, but I’m just not a wine expert!
The Lessons of Life
Don’t give up on me yet, I promise there is a thread here and potentially even a life lesson hidden somewhere within my endless babble! Back to education. When graduation time rolls around every year, I want to take all those glossy new diplomas and write in big marker “NEVER STOP LEARNING!!!! across each and every one of them. It’s something I remind myself every day. Here’s the challenge both for me, and especially for you.
While I cannot fathom going back to school in the traditional sense, I’ve figured out that wine is the perfect challenge for me. Sure, I can study more, earn another wine certification, add a few additional acronyms to my signature. My admiration for those who have achieved the highest levels of certification is tremendous. But for now, I’m taking my own road and building my wine knowledge and repertoire the good ole fashioned way. Experiences. Lots and lots of experiences. Countless hours of tasting wine, browsing wine stores, reading articles and reviews, visiting as many wine regions as possible. Sounds horrible I’m sure!
Every expert knows there’s always more to learn
I’m the person you never want to to do a wine tasting at a winery with as my inquisition is endless like a little kid on a road trip asking “Are we there yet? Are we there yet?, a million times! But who better to learn from than the vintners, farmers or wine club managers who live, eat and breathe wine all day every day! I embrace my incessant yearning for learning and I wholeheartedly beg you to do the same regardless of your passion – although I’m always seeking fellow wine nerds (or wine gurus) to join me in my indulgence.
The good news is, there is always something new to learn about wine and I will continue to profess my lack of knowledge while fully embracing, and confessing, my quest to know more will never cease and I am thankful the encyclopedia of wine will continue to be updated offering me an endless treasure trove of wine knowledge to pursue. Find your passion, and NEVER stop learning my friends!
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