Liquid Love Letter: Tasting Groups and Wine Mentors
![<p>Courtesy of Unsplash | Photo by Mario Purisic</p><p>There are a few questions that, as a wine professional, I am asked frequently.</p><p>One is, “What’s your favorite wine?” To which I (cheekily) respond, “The wine that’s in my glass!” </p><p>Another is, “How do I learn — quickly — about wine, so that I sound smart about it?” That’s the question that I’d like to hover over this week, and the title of our column gives you not-so-subtle hints to my answer.</p><p>A quick way to learn about wine, and sound confident about it, is to join a tasting group. It won’t be a happens-overnight solution – it takes time and a little practice to find the words to accurately communicate your experience of a wine – but it’s a communal and very (very) fun way to build a foundation.</p><p>Two weeks ago, I was reminded of the “very (very) fun” part of tasting wine in a group, when I was invited to join a lively and enthusiastic gathering in Atlanta of “First Growth,” an intentional gathering of young and successful non-wine professionals who enjoy wine and are keen to learn about it.</p><p>The logistics of the tasting were sound: a theme was identified (in this case, Grenache), several guests brought a bottle of that varietal that was concealed so that tasters didn’t know its identity, and a very generous host offered her space, glassware and even chef-curated food pairings.</p><p>And there was the mentor at the center of it all, in this case an amiable and knowledgeable wine enthusiast named Tony Harris. Harris was at the core of the tasting that day whose energy was so positive, and the vibe so high, that I got curious about his methods for regularly convening a group that would be the envy of literally any wine company with an interest in capturing the attention and imagination of their next generation of top-tier customers.</p><p>Here are three tips that Harris knows that can help you, too, as you join or convene your own tasting group, a.k.a. one of the quickest and most fun ways to learn about wine.</p><p><strong>There is a Lineage of People We Learn From</strong></p><p>Think about your tasting group as one moment in time, whose chronology is time-stamped with a lineage of people “before” and “after” yours. The throughline is an appreciation for wine and zestful enthusiasm to share it; there is a spirit of companionship, and generosity. </p><p>For Harris, who’s 70 years old and has been drinking wine since the age of 14, the fine wine journey started at an auto show in Chicago in 1975, right after college. A German importer of cars introduced him to quality, classic German varietals, and the wine journey began. After Harris moved to northern California, he joined a local tasting group whose motto was “Opening minds to wine.” That is exactly the sentiment he intends to continue with the First Growth tasting group.</p><p><em>Takeaway: If the organizers and participants enjoy wine and willingly share in its pleasure and companionship, then you’re in the right place.</em></p><p><strong>There is Also a Lineage of People We “Pass Wine” on To</strong></p><p>The First Growth group started in 2014 when Harris and his wife Angela’s sons (and their friends) asked if he could teach them about wine. All of their kids’ friends were invited, and all of their friends’ kids too. “Before I knew it, we had a group,” he said, who met at his and Angela’s house every other month for the first five years. Initially they provided all of the wine, and Harris would always provide a bottle from his private collection (such as Pétrus, Le Pin and Sine Qua Non) that he knew the group wouldn’t bring either because they couldn’t find it or couldn’t afford it. They’d taste and discuss the wines, including the price so that the tasters would be informed and prepared.</p><p><em>Takeaway: The group’s mentor facilitates an open and honest dialogue, and possesses the wherewithal and market knowledge of significant bottles that they place on the table.</em></p><p><strong>Underlying Intention and Motivation</strong></p><p>Harris admits that his “secret reason” for wanting to organize and convene the group was that, as the tasters went out into the world as young and emerging professionals, they wouldn’t either embarrass themselves or be overly impressed in a wine situation. One of the things that Harris hopes to hear is that a participant’s boss brings in a bottle and they say, “My wine club just had this.”</p><p>“One thing I’ve learned over time is that [my wife and I] have enough things,” Harris said. “Now we’re looking for experiences. These young people allowing us to share their lives around wine is an experience I can’t get anywhere else.”</p><p><em>Takeaway: Ideally, as with First Growth, a tasting group is really is a social club built around wine.</em></p>](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/dMqnb.moh0lzCrC6cWdcMQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/men_s_journal_718/15929a40f9d487ed5729d14976eb057a)
Courtesy of Unsplash | Photo by Mario Purisic
There are a few questions that, as a wine professional, I am asked frequently.
One is, “What’s your favorite wine?” To which I (cheekily) respond, “The wine that’s in my glass!”
Another is, “How do I learn — quickly — about wine, so that I sound smart about it?” That’s the question that I’d like to hover over this week, and the title of our column gives you not-so-subtle hints to my answer.
A quick way to learn about wine, and sound confident about it, is to join a tasting group. It won’t be a happens-overnight solution – it takes time and a little practice to find the words to accurately communicate your experience of a wine – but it’s a communal and very (very) fun way to build a foundation.
Two weeks ago, I was reminded of the “very (very) fun” part of tasting wine in a group, when I was invited to join a lively and enthusiastic gathering in Atlanta of “First Growth,” an intentional gathering of young and successful non-wine professionals who enjoy wine and are keen to learn about it.
The logistics of the tasting were sound: a theme was identified (in this case, Grenache), several guests brought a bottle of that varietal that was concealed so that tasters didn’t know its identity, and a very generous host offered her space, glassware and even chef-curated food pairings.
And there was the mentor at the center of it all, in this case an amiable and knowledgeable wine enthusiast named Tony Harris. Harris was at the core of the tasting that day whose energy was so positive, and the vibe so high, that I got curious about his methods for regularly convening a group that would be the envy of literally any wine company with an interest in capturing the attention and imagination of their next generation of top-tier customers.
Here are three tips that Harris knows that can help you, too, as you join or convene your own tasting group, a.k.a. one of the quickest and most fun ways to learn about wine.
There is a Lineage of People We Learn From
Think about your tasting group as one moment in time, whose chronology is time-stamped with a lineage of people “before” and “after” yours. The throughline is an appreciation for wine and zestful enthusiasm to share it; there is a spirit of companionship, and generosity.
For Harris, who’s 70 years old and has been drinking wine since the age of 14, the fine wine journey started at an auto show in Chicago in 1975, right after college. A German importer of cars introduced him to quality, classic German varietals, and the wine journey began. After Harris moved to northern California, he joined a local tasting group whose motto was “Opening minds to wine.” That is exactly the sentiment he intends to continue with the First Growth tasting group.
Takeaway: If the organizers and participants enjoy wine and willingly share in its pleasure and companionship, then you’re in the right place.
There is Also a Lineage of People We “Pass Wine” on To
The First Growth group started in 2014 when Harris and his wife Angela’s sons (and their friends) asked if he could teach them about wine. All of their kids’ friends were invited, and all of their friends’ kids too. “Before I knew it, we had a group,” he said, who met at his and Angela’s house every other month for the first five years. Initially they provided all of the wine, and Harris would always provide a bottle from his private collection (such as Pétrus, Le Pin and Sine Qua Non) that he knew the group wouldn’t bring either because they couldn’t find it or couldn’t afford it. They’d taste and discuss the wines, including the price so that the tasters would be informed and prepared.
Takeaway: The group’s mentor facilitates an open and honest dialogue, and possesses the wherewithal and market knowledge of significant bottles that they place on the table.
Underlying Intention and Motivation
Harris admits that his “secret reason” for wanting to organize and convene the group was that, as the tasters went out into the world as young and emerging professionals, they wouldn’t either embarrass themselves or be overly impressed in a wine situation. One of the things that Harris hopes to hear is that a participant’s boss brings in a bottle and they say, “My wine club just had this.”
“One thing I’ve learned over time is that [my wife and I] have enough things,” Harris said. “Now we’re looking for experiences. These young people allowing us to share their lives around wine is an experience I can’t get anywhere else.”
Takeaway: Ideally, as with First Growth, a tasting group is really is a social club built around wine.
