The Holidays are a time for giving. It is also the season for appreciating family, friends, and of course… wine. The holidays seem to bring people closer together–albeit a challenge during this pandemic–to reflect on all the events of the year. We celebrate some new beginnings, and remember those important traditions we’ve adopted along the way. The Holiday Season is an all-encompassing rollercoaster of emotion. While no two holidays are alike, we are all striving for a season of celebration reminiscent of a Norman Rockwell painting.

We host a few and also attend several holiday-themed events during Holiday Season. Wine and wine knowledge is always shared at these events. There is never a shortage of spirited conversation and debate about varietals, vintage and proper pairing. For us… these conversations are equally as important as the formal book training for the Introductory Sommelier Course & Examination. It also provides the perfect opportunity to take the new wine knowledge out for a spin 😉

The two-day Introductory Sommelier Course & Examination, hosted by The Court of Master Sommeliers, recommends advance study of the ‘official’ workbook as well as other prescribed reading material. These materials include:  

Introductory Sommelier Course 2019 Workbook by the Court of Master Sommeliers

The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil

Windows of the World– Complete Wine Course by Kevin Zraly

I’ve had discussions with individuals who have taken this first course, and they all agree with the recommendation of knowing the material inside and out before attending the two-day course. Others have reinforced the importance of having an active wine-centric dialog as often as possible. Talking (and listening) in detail about what makes Amarone della Valpolicella so special, for example, provides the opportunity to work on your memory recall while also learning something new. Remember… experience goes far beyond textbooks. And, speaking of textbooks…

Time to study. February will be here before we know it!

Next article in the series: Enthusiast to Sommelier: No End in Sight

First article in this series: Enthusiast to Sommelier: Getting Started