The Deck. Before my first attempt at the Advanced Sommelier Exam, I did not use flash cards. It just seemed a step too far, a blunt instrument to be used as a last resort when nothing else worked. Even the Green Pin Manifesto (credit: Jaime Pinedo), … [Read more...]
How To Pass Advanced Theory: Journaling
The unexamined life is not worth living.Socrates If I could point out one thing that changed my life this year, it would be Journaling. I had kept journals and diaries before, but they were never structured or consistent. I would go to a stationary … [Read more...]
A Sommelier’s Apology
I'm so sorry... I can't give you a sure-fire formula for success, but I can give you a formula for failure: try to please everybody all the time.Herbert Bayard Swope - American editor and journalist, first recipient of the Pulitzer Prize I had the … [Read more...]
We Are Not Rational Drinkers
Four years ago I started this website with a single goal - to apply rationality to wine. It seemed like a simple idea - know what you want, know what to look for, and you will be able to find the right wine every time. Without training, most of us would just … [Read more...]
2018: A Review
Tasting Workshop during the Advanced Sommelier Exam Aug 2018. It's been a while since my last post, so I must apologize to my loyal readers for the lack of updates. The past month has been super busy with events and functions during the silly season - such … [Read more...]
How I Memorized Over 100 Years of Declared Port Vintages
Vintages are a weakness of mine. At this point, outside of a handful of iconic examples, I would not be able to tell you which vintages were excellent or awful in any given decade, in any wine region. For a sommelier, this seems like a huge oversight - … [Read more...]
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