One Bottle.
There is always one, that first, the glass that changes a whole perspective. Suddenly wine is no longer just that beer or cocktail alternative; instead, there are wide eyes and the thought, “This is why people obsess, study, and spend all the while chasing that next interesting bottle,” or, “This is what wine is supposed to be.”
You remember where you were, what time in your life it was, who you were with, and of course, you remember that one Bottle. The label, where it came from, and that it tasted nothing like all the wines you’ve had before. I know this to be true as I remember my One Bottle, and I’ve poured the One Bottle for others, watching their eyes light up; there is a change, and then there are more questions or simply no more talking is necessary, and they want to hold the precious glass and enjoy.
After that, first, there is, of course, a desire for more. Many will spend a little more on each Bottle, some will start to collect and age wines, and then there is the rabbit hole. The desire to pull back the curtain and know everything, but that is an impossible task. Where else can you find an area of study that will take you through history, geography, biology, chemistry, climatology, math, languages, sociology, and neuroscience…. I’ll stop listing them all, but I could keep going.
After that glass, and the second – the Bottle was empty after that – I went down that rabbit hole. The whys and hows and everything else. Tackling the stages of the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, adding additional classes, certifications, and seminars, and always looking at the next trend or area of interest. Leaving the retail and corporate world to pursue a career in the wine industry. Now it’s been more than a decade, with years at a top Niagara winery, many miles on the Ontario roads with import agencies, visiting regions around the world, and boots-on-the-ground service in a spectacular wine bar.
Still falling through the rabbit hole, educating, finding, and sharing the right wines.
