How to Learn About Wine: 5 Simple Steps You Can Take to Increase Your Wine Knowledge
I’m so glad you’re here!
Nothing makes me happier than helping people discover their love of wine. I know it can seem intimidating at first, but once you get started, you’ll be on a roll.
People ask me all the time, “How did you start learning about wine?” Well, after falling in love with wine in Italy, I decided I wanted to pursue the industry as more than just a side hobby.
I started by drinking and trying to learn on my own, but once I got more serious about it, I decided to go down the more structured path and enroll in some wine classes.
I know the wine world can seem overwhelming - there’s almost too much to learn! But depending on how far you want to go, there are plenty of options for you to embark your wine journey.
Whether you want to work in wine, or just gather some fun facts before your next date, below are some tips to help you get started.
5 Steps You Can Take to Learn About Wine
These steps are simple, but they’re also fun! Learning about wine can seem intimidating, but you’re ultimately studying such a fun subject, and you get to drink all the wine you want!
1. Invest in some wine books
There are a ton of great ones out there. Try Wine Folly, The World Atlas of Wine, Cork Dork, and The Wine Bible…just to get you started!
Studying wine books seems dense, but if you incorporate some wine tasting along with your studies, I promise you won’t be bored!
When I try a new grape, I like to grab my Wine Folly book and head to the section on that particular grape. That way, I can taste along as I read, and this helps me remember the wine much better by involving allll the senses!
2. Drink up!
Tasting the wines you read about will help you remember them, and you’ll also be training your palate in practice.
Make sure you’re always seeking out new wines to try, so you can develop a well-rounded understanding. Just when you feel like you’ve tried them all, you’ll find there are so many wines out there you’ve never even heard of.
Seriously, taste as much wine as possibly you can. I’ve found the best way to learn is by experience, so join a tasting group, or pop over to your local wine bar for a flight.
If you’re tasting a ton of wines in one sitting, don’t forget to bring a spit cup! If you don’t utilize the spit cup, not only will you be drunk sooner than you wanted, but your palate will also get exhausted and you won’t be able to fully taste all of the wines.
Don’t be afraid to spit - us wine lovers do it all the time!
3. Visit wine country
Plan a trip to wine country? Twist my arm.
But really, traveling to different wine regions will help you get a grasp on what the various regions are producing, and how they’re doing it.
It’s also helpful to learn from the wineries, especially if you can visit a smaller winery and speak with the winemakers themselves!
Next time you visit wine country, I promise you’ll have a whole new perspective. If you’ve already started some of your studying, it feels amazing when you actually sorta know what the winemaker is talking about.
Back to the sensory learning again…when your wine studies are tied to experiences, you’re in a way better position to learn and retain the information.
A trip to wine country is an experience to remember, so I’m sure you’ll have no problem remembering the wines you tasted from that region!
4. Take a wine class
If you’re a nerd like me and enjoy going to school, wine class is basically a dream.
I am pursuing my wine education through the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, which provides a well-rounded basis of knowledge, and also includes lots of wine tasting practice.
And you don’t have to stick to the Wine & Spirit Education Trust or The Court of Master Sommeliers, if that’s not your thing. Many wine schools offer more informal courses, or classes focused on specific topics (if you’re in LA, check out the class selection at The Wine House).
Even if you’re not trying to pursue a wine career, taking an introductory class will give you some life skills to help you know more about the wine you’re drinking!
You can also find wine classes online, or book a virtual wine tasting with me! I’ll teach you the basics of wine tasting to help you discover wines you love.
5. Follow some wine bloggers
If you’re looking for some free wine resources, there are some amazing wine enthusiasts online who are eager to share all things wine.
Some are in the industry, and some are just passionate wine lovers, but either way you’ll get their first-hand experiences and advice, which is hard to beat!
Many of us are focused on keeping wine approachable because we genuinely care about helping people learn more about wine!
You can reach out to any of us on social media or via email with questions (remember, no questions are dumb questions!).
I learn something new from my fellow wine bloggers every day, and I hope I can teach you a thing or two, as well! ;)
I hope these tips make learning about wine seem more tangible and inspire you to get started.
No matter your goal, if you’re curious about wine, try at least one of these options and see what you think!
Let me know in the comments where you’re gonna start with your wine journey today! Ready to further your wine education? Enroll in a WSET class today and use code LexiStephens for a discount.
If you want to start with the basics, book a wine tasting with me and I’ll teach you how to taste and evaluate wine, so you can discover wines you love!