Why I'm interested in taking this course

The greatest honor bestowed upon me as a 10-year-old was the title of "Wine Master" as proclaimed by my grandfather. My mother's father has a great story. He was born in French-occupied Tunisia and was orphaned after losing his father in the French Resistance in WWII and his mother to breast cancer shortly after. He then emigrated to Canada where he worked on oil rigs and rough neck hotels before moving down to California where he met my grandmother in Carmel. He then became a teller at BofA and, without a college degree, moved up the ranks to become the head of EMEA for the bank. Throughout this impressive rise from rags to riches, he built a strong love of wine and developed an impressive collection as well. What year were you born? He's got that vintage. Because of the model he's been in my life, wine has always been a part of being a gentleman.

To be honest, I've always been more of a beer and whiskey guy. I do love a glass of rose on a warm afternoon or a pinot with some Thai food on a Sunday, but it's never been my default choice. As I think about growing up and trying to become a sophisticated gentleman like my grandfather, wine is something I need to learn more about. I don't think I need to learn how to taste peaches, hazelnut, or leather in my wine, but I would like to learn how to appreciate a quality wine, understand where the grapes are from and what that means, and be able to pick the right wine at dinner. Through this class, I hope to better understand the global landscape of wine and be able to speak intelligently on the subject.